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Burmese appeal to the ASEAN(EDITORI



Subject: Burmese appeal to the ASEAN(EDITORIAL_ VOICE OF THE PEACOCK)


                  Burmese Appeal to the ASEAN
                  ___________________________

     July, the eventful month for the epic Burmese students'
struggle against the Junta, will see the annual meeting of the
ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Brunei. SLORC's delegation, defying
the people's mandate of not honouring the 1990 elections and
infamous for their human rights records, will be seen beaming and 
toasting the ASEAN dignatories under the umbrella of Constructive
Engagement. In the meantime the 42 million plus Burmese people
will continue to suffer silently.

     Taking a leaf from the US policy on South Africa, the ASEAN
has embarked upon an appeasement policy of investing in Burma
with the hope that the military Junta will become more humane and
relax their iron grip on the people. This carrot and stick
policy, so successfully applied in South Africa does not work
here, because the big stick is missing. i.e. it exploits Burma's
natural resources and humanizes the Junta by imposing no time
frame or a political agenda on the Junta. This is tantamount to
the Burmese saying of " Engraving a horn to the horse" ( Myin Ko
Gyo Tat Pay The Lo ) as it can not only bite and kick but now has
the ability to gore also. In other words, SLORC has the de facto
recognition from the international community led by ASEAN to
carry on its work. This was amply demonstrated when it broke its
own unilateral cease fire which it loudly crowed to the world was
undertaken for the sake of national reconciliation, and attacked
Manerplaw. What more it had become bold enough to encroach on
neighbouring borders as skirmishes have been reported. This
clearly points out that it has become a distabilising factor to
the ASEAN region itself.

     The irony is that in the six years since this policy of
constructive engagement was implemented, SLORC has become more
aggressive and repressive and Thailand, which has spearheaded
this ASEAN policy and faithfully followed it up, has found itself
more and more alienated from the very regime it has sought to
support. Some soul searching is needed before it become like
famous Chamberlain's Munich.

     Very recently Aung San Suu Kyi was released from six years
house arrest. The release of Aung San Suu Kyi came as a surprise.
Ministers of ASEAN were quick to claim Aung San Suu Kyi's release
on July 10 as a triumph for their Constructive Engagement policy.
It is very difficult to decide exactly how much ASEAN policy has
achieved. It is still very early to give credit to them.

     She was released, that is all, but nothing has changed and
meaningful political dialogue has yet to begin. The time is
crucial. ASEAN Foreign ministers are due to hold their annual
meeting by the end of this month.

     We, the Burmese Students experiencing of nearly half a
century of repressive rule and surviving in the arcane world of
military politics, knows the psyche and the rationale of the
Burmese generals although we could not express it vividly as
such. The ASEAN has tried this Constructive Engagement policy for
more than half a decade and found it wanting, so why not
experiment with another policy aimed at releasing the political
prisoners including student prominent leader Min Ko Naing,
recognition of the May 1990 elections, and of course a tripartite
dialogue for the Burmese national reconciliation so dear to
hearts of the people of Burma.



EDITORIAL
VOICE OF THE PEACOCK
ABSDF(Chairman Moe Thee Zun)