As the Spring Revolution now approaches its five-year mark, the various hardships faced by the public have not diminished over time; instead, they have grown increasingly severe. Furthermore, as the conflict persists, the military’s political and military dominance has become more apparent. On the side of the revolutionary forces, the growing visibility of strategic voids, poor management, lack of accountability, and corruption has caused revolutionary hopes to gradually fade.
As Freedom Fighter Myanmar, we have long accepted that healing and transforming the militarism and racial hatred deeply embedded within Myanmar society is a long-term struggle. Consequently, we have championed nonviolent resistance, a path that is both ideologically and historically more likely to succeed. However, throughout the Spring Revolution, due to a lack of foresight among so-called revolutionary leaders and a reliance on false hopes, the public came to rely solely on armed struggle, leading to a weakening of faith in nonviolent methods.
Today, the people have suffered the heavy collateral damage of the armed struggle and have grown disillusioned with the empty, populist rhetoric of resistance leaders. Therefore, for the revolution to endure, it is now essential to move beyond mere reactive measures and vigorously develop more effective new pathways. Believing that the Freedom Fighter Myanmar’s revolutionary path, grounded in the middle way of nonviolence, offers a way forward with fewer casualties and greater benefits for both the public and revolutionary forces, this “ Freedom Fighter Handbook” has been updated and published.
This manual clearly and precisely outlines the Freedom Fighter’s philosophies, as well as the strategies and tactics for the future of the revolution. These strategies do not rely on a narrow approach that requires one to bear arms or donate funding; rather, they are inclusive of anyone who desires change. They can be applied from the bottom up; starting with oneself and expanding to one’s environment, community, and nation. Most importantly, for those who feel the revolutionary path has been lost in the lead-up to the military’s upcoming post-election period, reading this manual can reignite the spark of hope and provide a clear, strategic roadmap for waging the Alinkhit – enlightenment revolution towards a peaceful and progressive society.