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NEWS - Is Ne Win the Answer to Myan
- Subject: NEWS - Is Ne Win the Answer to Myan
- From: BurmaJapan@xxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 07 Jan 1998 01:44:00
Is Ne Win the Answer to Myanmar's Problems?
Reuters
05-JAN-98
By Deborah Charles
BANGKOK, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Political
stalemate in Myanmar (Burma) has
become so entrenched that veteran
politicians have now suggested the
unfathomable -- that former strongman Ne
Win come back to help solve the nation's
problems.
Reaction was mixed on Monday to the
surprise suggestion, made by a veteran
politician who played a key role in
Myanmar's struggle for independence 50
years ago, that the former leader might be
able to help bring about national
reconciliation.
Late on Sunday, 89-year-old Thakin Chit
told a gathering of veteran politicians in
Yangon that Ne Win might be able to help
the nation become peaceful.
``I would like to propose that if
ex-president, retired General Ne Win --
who used to be able to do a lot in the past
-- will work, the entire country could
become peaceful and pleasant,'' Thakin
Chit told a group of about 120 veteran
politicians, democracy activists and
diplomats at a ceremony to mark the 50th
anniversary of independence from Britain.
One diplomat laughed when asked about
the idea, saying it was ironic to think that
Ne Win -- whose very name invoked such
fear over the past few years that he is
referred to in Myanmar simply as ``the Old
Man'' -- could find common ground
between the military government and the
opposition.
``They invited Ne Win to help out. It does
seem to be a complete contradiction,'' he
said.
Another diplomat was less cynical, saying
it was natural that the veteran politicians
would think of turning to Ne Win, who was
part of the ``Thirty Comrades'' group of
nationalists that fought for independence
from Britain.
``It's not completely wild,'' the diplomat
said. ``Obviously it was inevitable that
someone should suggest that Ne Win play
a role -- he is one of the five surviving
members of the 30 comrades (living in
Myanmar).''
The former strongman, who ruled Burma
with an iron fist for more than a quarter of
a century under his ill-fated 1962-1988
``Burmese Way to Socialism'' doctrine, is
rarely mentioned in public and has
scarcely been seen since relinquishing
power nearly 10 years ago.
A personal visit to Indonesia in September
was one of the first times he had been in
the public eye since he stepped down in
1988, although many analysts and
diplomats feel he still has a good deal of
influence over the government.
Many people in Yangon believe that Ne
Win had something to do with a surprise
government change in November, which
took place shortly after he went to
Indonesia. The change abolished the
State Law and Order Restoration Council
(SLORC) and created a new military body
-- the State Peace and Development
Council.
``I don't think his intervening in political
affairs would be that surprising,'' the
second diplomat said.
``But the possibility of him talking to the
opposition would be. I think his position
vis-a-vis the opposition is pretty hard line.
So I couldn't imagine him willing to help
with dialogue.''
Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who
was at the ceremony when Thakin Chit
made the suggestion, did not comment on
Sunday and could not be reached on
Monday.
But the 1991 Nobel Peace laureate, whose
father General Aung San was
assassinated as he worked for the
independence of Myanmar, has repeated
her as yet unanswered call for dialogue
with the military.
On Sunday she urged the government to
hold talks and lashed out at the ruling
generals for failing to give the freedoms
fought for by her father and other freedom
fighters.
She said in a recent interview released in
part on Saturday that she was confident
there would be a democratically elected
government in the ``not too distant future.''
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy
won a landslide victory in a 1990 poll but
the SLORC did not recognise the result.
A government spokesman made only a
brief comment when asked to respond to
the suggestion made by Thakin Chit and
supported by other veteran politicians.
``U Ne Win is not involved in politics and
he had already stated that he would not be
involved,'' he told Reuters.