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Asahi Newspaper, Editorial on Burma



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Asahi Evening News
May 7, 1997

EDITORIAL 
Myanmar's Oppressive Junta Must Be Urged Into Dialogue 

How long must the people of Myanmar (Burma) endure rule by military junta?
That question came to mind following reports that Western nations have
stepped up economic sanctions against Myamnar.

The United States, which had suspended exchanges of high-ranking government
officials and cut aid to the Asian nation recently barred American business
from new investment in Myamnar. The European Union excluded Myanmar from the
list of nations it favors through lower import tariffs. 

There are suspicions that the military junta has cracked down harder on the
National League for Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and that citizens are
being mobilized for forced labor. Such suspicions are largely behind the
heavier Western sanctions. And there is growing underground movement in the
West through the Internet to press for boycotts against businesses that
invest in Myanmar.

Are economic sanctions really effective in promoting democracy?  To what
extent can political intervention in business activities influence the
private sector?  With no answers for such questions, we have argued that,
rather than a policy that isolates Myanmar, low-profile diplomatic
initiatives are needed to urge the military government into dialogue with
the forces of democracy. We have hoped that flexibility will eventually
emerge from within the military junta.

However, Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, first secretary of the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) and the leader of the junta, said SLORC has no
problems and that it counts many "friends" among Myanmar's neighbors.

It is assumed that these "friends" are members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).  If the military junta regards the
scheduled entry into ASEAN by year-end as a stamp of approval for continued
military rule in Myanmar, it is mistaken.

We want to ask the junta leaders how they propose to effect a transition to
civilian rule.  Nine years have already passed since the junta took power in
1988.  But there has been no progress in writing a new Constitution, and,
with the attack on Suu Kyi's car and the mass arrests of members of the
National League for Democracy, the pro-democracy movement has been denied
freedom to act since last fall.

If the military intends to be a permanent government, it will be going
against its own promise.

How does the military junta intend to govern?  True, the junta did come up
with a cease-fire agreement among ethnic minorities, and made rapid economic
gains by an open-door policy.  But about one-third of the national budget
goes to military spending, and Cabinet-level ministerial posts have been
doled out freely to placate disgruntled military officers.  Corruption and
political scandal are rampant within the junta.

There has been a flurry of mysterious incidents, including a series of
attacks on Muslim mosques, and frequent explosions of parcel bombs at the
homes of high-ranking military officers.  These can only be explained as
outbursts of impotent rage among the public and within the military.

Myanmar's multi-ethnic, multi-religious makeup may have made the military
necessary.  But the military's repressive regime can only be a temporary lid
on ethnic and religious conflict.  There is no hope of real stability
without democratically founded discussion and mutual understanding.

Suu Kyi and other leaders of the pro-democracy will keep trying to hold
rallies.  It is clear from the junta's hard line that its members believe
that even the slightest acquiescence to demands by the democracy forces
would unravel their power base.

Perhaps that is because the junta realizes that they have been rejected by
the people. 

Unless the military leaders change their rigid position and move to prepare
the way for civilian rule, genuine rapprochement in Myanmar is not likely to
take place. 

The Japanese government has pursued a policy course somewhat apart from that
of the West. In recent months, though, it seems to have lost support not
only among the pro-democracy forces but from the military junta as well.
Under such circumstances, it will be difficult to resume full-scale official
development assistance. Even so, the government should not relent in its
efforts to urge the junta into dialogue with the democratic movement. (Asahi
Shimbun, May 5) 



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