The Uncompromised Revolution and the Still Needed Public Relations
By Lin Thit (M.A.)
The recent uproar over People's Defense Forces (PDFs) under the National Unity Government (NUG) arresting a Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) female doctor reminded me of something I've long wanted to discuss.
In today's world, countries maintain embassies to interact and communicate with one another, resolving disputes through diplomacy. This is a crucial mechanism necessary for the world to operate smoothly and peacefully.
Similarly, in business, politics, and the military, Public Relations Officers are employed. They meticulously choose their words and expressions when communicating with external organizations, media outlets, and the general public, ensuring the messages and statements they release are free of errors. This is an essential practice to prevent a situation where what should be handled with a needle ends up being clumsily attacked with an axe.
Reflecting on the recent incident (the doctor's arrest), if the revolutionary forces had strong PR skills and had made correct, careful appointments for the task, they could have avoided such an unnecessary problem.
However, in the case of the CDM doctor's arrest, it clearly raised questions about the operational procedures and PR quality of the PDFs under the NUG.
Regarding standard operating procedures, when arresting a woman, female police or security personnel should be included in the assigned team. Furthermore, since the person is an educated individual and a CDM doctor, if they had selected personnel who could handle the PR aspects skillfully, the issue would not have escalated to this point.
This incident clearly highlighted two points: the revolutionary forces still need better public relations knowledge, and their management in assigning tasks is still weak.
A revolution cannot be fought by a single person or group alone, nor can it be sustained solely by military knowledge. Only by "fighting while organizing, and organizing while fighting" can the revolution maintain the people's strength and support, its core driving force, until success is achieved.
When it comes to public relations, it is necessary to identify and correctly place experts in the field. Simultaneously, every member of the revolutionary forces must be systematically trained in PR and public relations methods.
The revolutionary forces and the people are two essential components of the revolution. In their reciprocal reliance, the art of public relations acts as a lifeblood that binds them together.
"Hello, brothers and sisters. We are the comrades assigned to inspect this section of the road for security reasons. We would appreciate it if you could give us a little of your time."
This was the excellent display of public relations skill by a revolutionary comrade who boarded a bus to conduct an inspection while I was traveling inside the country. Because of his politeness and composure—in his words, tone, and body language—all the travelers (including me) felt immense pride and satisfaction at that moment.
"What are you all staring at? Everyone, look down!"
This, too, was the voice of a revolutionary comrade. His group was returning from a mission and was scolding the villagers who stared at them as they passed through a village. The consequence was not only a bad reputation for the revolutionary forces, but also a drop in morale among those who were supporting and supplying them.
"Anyone who gets a gun in their hand acts like this." "How rude! Isn't that guy the son of [an honorable local]? How did he end up like that?"
Amidst the villagers' criticism, the elder sister who was organizing supplies looked downcast and tried to defend them:
"They are risking their lives to fight; maybe they are just tired and stressed."
However, under the barrage of critical comments and counter-arguments, the sister was eventually forced to flee due to the abuse she received. As a result, the supply efforts in my village have decreased monthly, and people's faith in the revolution has waned.
These are just incidents from the small social environment I am personally involved in, so the scope is narrow. However, for quite some time now, similar events have been heard across the country, both quietly and loudly.
Our revolution began with the spirit of standing up against injustice, starting with rudimentary firearms. As the revolution progresses, everyone faces the revolutionary vicissitudes of life—the mixture of good and bad.
The allure of power, the compelling force of weapons, the stress resulting from physical and mental exhaustion, and the deception of money are factors that can enclose the revolutionaries in a maze, causing them to wander in circles.
In conclusion, whenever a problem arises, it is essential to learn from it and make corrections to move forward. Revolutionary forces are composed of ordinary human beings. There is no need to forcefully cover up or pretend to be faultless (like the dictators do) because of human nature. The public only expects the courage to admit mistakes honestly, the will to correct them quickly, and to move forward with genuine intentions, true desires, and correct actions.
[This article has been selected, edited, and presented as a section with the aim of strengthening the revolution and enabling the public to engage with diverse perspectives and analyses. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of People's Goal.]