Burma letters fail to melt icy Asia

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Subject: Burma letters fail to melt icy Asian leaders

Asahi Evening News
(Friday, July 26, 1996.)P-8

Vox Populi, Vox Dei
Burma letters fail to melt icy Asian leaders
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Burmese democratic movement leader Aung San Suu Kyi has
written that "eight years ago, in 1988, the number eight
unexpectedly acquired a potent political signnificance."
("Letter from Burma" series in Mainichi Shimbun.)
On the eight of August of that year, "8-8-88," Burmese
people declare a general strike seeking democratization.
On that night, she writes, "the army moved to crush the 
demonstrations, shooting down thousands of unarmed people,
including children, throughout the land."
One month later, the military seized power, and Burma has 
been ruled by a junta ever since. Suu Kyi herself was under 
house arrest for six years until july 1995. The "letter from
Burma" series covers not only politics but an extensive range
of topics from her daily life, the people's livelihood and
Burmese history.
Just recently, she wrote about the appeal of detective stories
she enjoyed reading on some relaxing weekends in the past. 
There was praise for detectives and authors familiar to mystery
fans, starting with Sherlock Holmes and including inspector
Dalgleish, detective Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Maigret. But
in actuality Suu Kyi today cannot afford to enjoy detective
stories. Tension is growing in her confratation with the military
government.
The meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) completely ignored the letters that Suu Kyi
had recently sent to the Leaders of its member nations. The letters
asked that ASEAN act to bring about dialogue between the forces of
democratization and the military junta in Burma.
Suu Kyi also sent a letter to Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, 
pointing out that Japan is in a position to influence Burma through
aid. But the Japanese government also ignore it. The reasons given
were that it was not an official letter from a government agency,
and that Tokyo has already been doing what is requested in the 
letter.
What extreme formalism! It is a letter from the leader of the No.1
opposition party. Ignoring it is very impolite. The prime minister
should frankly write what he thinks, whether it is encouragement
or criticism. 
If not sending a reply to a letter passes as diplomacy, diplomacy
is simple and easy indeed.
(Asahi Shimbun, July 25)

Information Committee
Burma Youth Volunteer Association-Japan.