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Words fail UN in dealing with Burma



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Bangkok Post December 7, 1997 

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EDITORIAL COMMENT

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Words fail UN in dealing with Burma

Investor confidence, a new role in Southeast Asia and a cosmetic change in
leadership still do not give Rangoon the right to trample democracy in an
insanely desperate bid for acceptance.

Even as Burma's ruling military junta continues to dull global criticism
of its repressive behaviour, reliable evidence piles up that nothing has
improved for that country's pro-democracy movement and ethnic minorities.

In a move scorned by Canada and several northern European states, the
United Nations by consensus this week watered down its perennial
resolution castigating Rangoon for abusing human rights and suppressing
democracy.

The resolution, which seems likely to be endorsed by the Security Council
later this month, for the first time in seven outings fails to cite
specific objectionable instances and in fact applauds the junta's
preliminary talks with the National League for Democracy (NLD) and some
ethnic groups.

To its credit, the resolution does acknowledge that those talks should
involve the one person who could give them real meaning to Burmese
citizens and the outside world, NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and perhaps
comes too late to mention the reduced jail terms granted this week to
long-term prisoners in observance of the anniversary of the junta's
seizure of power.

This latter omission is fortunate indeed. No political prisoner is
affected by the birthday "amnesty", only criminals who still have many
years to serve. In today's Perspective section Page 3, you can read about
life, and its brutal denigration, in Rangoon's notorious Insein prison.

Also this week, the All Burma Students' Democratic Front once again
accused the Burmese military of massive human rights abuses in the pursuit
of major economic ventures. Tens of thousands of villagers continue to be
relocated or used as forced labour on state infrastructure projects, the
Front charged.

Clearly, money invested in developing one of Asean's newest partners
amounts to pearls cast before swine, yet a French company, Total, and an
American firm, Unocal, with the tacit support of their governments, are
willing to overlook such documented abuses in order to, in their case,
draw natural gas from Burma to export to Thailand.

The Yadana pipeline, the Ye-Tavoy railway, eco-tourism ventures and the
Tavoy deep sea port are all listed by the Front as being sustained by
shanghaied labour - including children, pregnant women and the elderly -
and the disintegration of more than 140 communities.

Ethnic minorities "have suffered the brunt of forced labour, forced
relocation of villages, extra-judicial killings, rape and torture," it
said, noting than many have fled into Thailand to escape the pograms.

"Thousands of refugees have become the victims of the economic interests
of Thailand and Burma's military junta," the federation said.

Ironically, disturbingly, Thailand today plays host to some of the leaders
of the State Peace and Development Council, the new-look junta, here on a
friendship-building visit. Constructive engagement with the long-time foes
has metamorphosed into full partnership, ostensibly for the financial
benefit and security of Southeast Asia as a whole.

With the Karen National Union contained, democrats in prison, under house
arrest or in exile, Khun Sa in "protective" custody, insurrection in Burma
is a thing of the past and security has been achieved. Economic
development is the remaining target; it appears it too shall be achieved -
by the blood and toil of slave labourers. 

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Kyaw Zay Ya
Indiana University 
kya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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