Sanctions failing to sway myanmar!

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>                          Sanctions failing to sway Myanmar
>
>                             (The Japan Times    5-2-99)
>
>Although State Foreign Secretary Nobutaka Machimura urged Kyaw Win to engage
>in a dialogue with opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu
>Kyi, the Myanmar official flatly rejected the proposal. He implicitly accused
>her of "hampering national unification and economic development" in calling
>for industrialized countries to continue economic sanctions against the
>impoverished Southeast Asian country.

If ASSK did not call for sanction, do you think SLORC/SPDC will promote
Burmese economy?
They will not promote the falling economy because thet had a chance to do
it since 1962 but they never succeeded.

>
>In an interview with The Japan Times before leaving Tokyo Kyaw Win said, "Suu
>Kyi is an unelected, private citizen. The government wants official meetings
>with representatives of all political. But including a private, unelected
>citizen in such official meetings is not appropriate."

Even though ASSK was not an elected person (Because she was not allowed to
run the election), she is the leader and one of the founder of NLD party
which won a land slide victory in 1990 elections.  If Kyaw Win believed
that "including a private, unelected citizen in an official meetings is not
appropriate", why SLORC/SPDC do not allows all elected representatives to
attend the National Convention which is far more important in buliding our
country because NC is the constitutional making place and Constitution is
the heart of every countries.  Why they only allowed a few elected
representatives?  Kyaw Win explaination is contradict with his government
policy. 


>
>In recent years, the United States and European countries have toughened
>economic sanctions and political pressures on Myanmar for the military
>government's alleged violations of human rights and democratic principles.
>
>Kyaw Win responded, "We see their policy as not being very practical. If you
>do not have a strong economy..transformation from the political system to
>another?c will not be possible."

If Burma has a strong economy, SPDC will stay on power.  Thats why they are
trying to promote the economy for its own sake.  For example, in Indonesia

when the economy was strong, Suharto strengthen his own power.  Nobody , I
mean nobody had the guts to challenge him because of economic betterment.
As the same token, if SPDC promote the country's economy, they will stay on
power for another 30 years.  The theoory of Economic betterment and
emergence of middle class will transform from authoritatian state to a
democratic one is not possible in Burmese case.  Because the rulers have no
morality, dignity and guts.  Most of all they have been mold as self
centered individuals not as patriotic officers like in the past colonial era.


>
>He contended, "Her (Suu Kyi) opposition to foreign aid, investment and
tourism
>is making the man on the street suffer," and is therefore causing frustration
>for ordinary citizens.

If SPDC is honest and brave enough to start a dialogue with NLD leaders
including ASSK, there will be a win win situation for both sides and people
will get benifit from this outcome.  Otherwise, Burma has no time to rise
up again.  We will be exploited by the neighbouring countries and our human
and natural resources will be gone forever.




>
>The military intelligence chief flatly denied international charges that
>Yangon is involved in drug trafficking.
>
>"We can challenge the world: Show us one piece of evidence that the
government
>is involved in narcotic trafficking," he said.
>
>The military took power in Myanmar in a 1988 coup and put Suu Kyi under house
>arrest in 1989. The coup leaders then annulled the results of the 1990
>national elections, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy had won
in a
>landslide victory. Japan is credited for having played a key role in
>
>persuading the military authorities to release Suu Kyi from house arrest in
>1995.
>
>Kyaw Win's visit to Japan was in itself a controversial event-although it was
>a relatively low-profile tour-because he was invited by the Foreign Ministry.
>While many high-level officials of the military regime, or the State Peace
and
>Development Council as it call itself have visited Japan in the past, they
>have done so at the invitation of the private sector, mostly business
>sponsors.
>
>On the day Kyaw Win arrived in Tokyo, dissidents and supporters of Suu Kyi
>staged protests to urge the government to ban visit by Myanmar officials.
>
>Two days later, the National League for Democracy the biggest opposition
force
>led by Suu Kyi, issued a statement criticizing Tokyo for inviting the
general.
>The NLD stated it was disappointed at Tokyo's invitation of a high ranking
>official of the military intelligence organization, which it claimed, was
>responsible for suppressing pro-democracy movements in Myanmar.
>
>Kyaw Win is considered the right hand man of Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, the first
>secretary of the SPDC and the regime's intelligence chief. Kyaw Win also
>serves as deputy director general of the Defense Ministry's Office of
>Strategic Studies, which is headed by Khin Nyunt. The Strategic Studies
Center
>will function as a think tank for the commander in chief of the defense
>services where a civilian government is eventually formed.
>

>Defending their invitation to the general, Foreign Ministry officials have
>said his visit was aimed at giving the influential SPDC figure an opportunity
>to hear various opinions in Japan.
>
>Ministry officials said that, although some Japanese are sympathetic with the
>SPDC, others have not been and are even critical of the SPDC. The official
>also emphasized the importance of strengthening Japanese channels of dialogue
>with the NLD as well as with the SPDC, to help break the deadlock in
Myanmar's
>political situation.
>
>The following are excerpts from the interview with Kyaw Win.
>
>THE JAPAN TIMES: - How do you view the significance of your trip to Tokyo?
>
>Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win - The main purpose (of the trip) is to enhance a friendly
>relationship with Japan. At the same time, I am here to tell and explain to
>our friends in Japan the current situation in Myanmar because there is a lot
>of misinformation. I met a lot of people from various circles, including
>nongovernmental organizations. I listened to their suggestions and their
>viewpoints. At the same time, I tried to give my views on the situation. It
>was a very fruitful exchange. I appreciate this opportunity very much.
>
>THE JAPAN TIMES: - How do you view the policy of sanctions on Myanmar by the
>U.S. and European industrialized countries?
>
>Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win - We see their policy as not very practical. Actually, if
>you do not have a strong economy - if you do not have a strong basic
>infrastructure - transformation from one political system into another,
>especially from a one-party socialist system into a multiparty political
>system, will not possible. So we think their policy is not very practical,
not
>realistic.
>
>
>THE JAPAN TIMES: - While calling for improvements in the protection of human
>rights and democratic principles in Myanmar, Japan has pursued a policy of
>"constructive engagement" with Myanmar, instead of isolating it
>internationally. At the same time, Japan has suspended fresh economic aid for
>Myanmar, except for humanitarian purposes. What is your view on the Japanese
>policy toward your country? Do you have any specific requests to Japan with
>regards to economic aid and other matters?
>
>Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win - The policy the Japanese government has been pursuing
>toward Myanmar is practical because sanctions, boycott and embargo,
unreality,
>do not help our transition to a democracy. We do not have any specific
>requests. Japan used to be one of the biggest donors in the past. Of course,
>there are various reasons Japan cannot
>extend (fresh) official development assistance to Myanmar. But we believe in
>the near future Japan may be able to extend assistance for education and
other
>sectors.
>
>THE JAPAN TIMES: - Why is the SPDC adamantly resisting international calls
for
>dialogue with Suu Kyi and the NLD? A new constitution being drafted is
>criticized by many in the international community because it would exclude
her
>from office.
>
>Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win - I think you are misunderstanding the situation, because
>the government of Myanmar is very much willing to have dialogue not only with
>the NLD but also with all other political parties. Unfortunately, it was the

>NLD (that rejected dialogue). The NLD rejected meetings taking place. For
>example, we have extended an invitation twice. But it was rejected by the
>other side.
>
>We are looking forward to another meeting. This is a confidence building
>measure-taking place between the government and the NLD. We believe that this
>has been unfortunately sabotaged by their intention of trying to convene a
>parliament (based on the 1990 elections).
>
>Suu Kyi is an unelected, private citizen. The government wants meetings with
>representatives of all political parties. But including a private, unelected
>citizen in such official meetings is not appropriate. The meetings should be
>concluded with the aim of doing serious work solving Myanmar challenges.
>
>Because of the original 1948 constitution written by her father (independence
>hero Gen. Aung San), she cannot run for office in Myanmar. Also, she has
lived
>in foreign countries for nearly 30 years. What Gen. Aung San put in the 1948
>constitution was a clause that any person who is under any acknowledgment of
>allegiance or adherence to a foreign power is not entitled to contest a seat
>in elections. She does not know much about the actual situation in Myanmar.
>
>
>THE JAPAN TIMES: - Is there a possibility that Suu Kyi will deported amid the
>continuing showdown between the SPDC and her NLD?
>
>Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win - This (deportation) is the wishes of people on the
>streets. This is not a government policy. Her opposition to foreign aid,
>investment and tourism is making the man on the street suffer. The people are
>getting frustrated. After 10 years, the NLD has not done any single for them.
>They (NLD people) are always shouting human rights and democracy. But the
most
>
>important thing for average men and women is (to meet) human needs.
>
>THE JAPAN TIMES: - The International Labor Organization issued a report last
>summer criticizing widespread forced labor in Myanmar. There are also
>international accusations that the SPDC is involved in narcotics trafficking.
>
>Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win - This (ILO report) is (based on) misunderstanding. The
>ILO does not understand the Myanmar situation. The ILO is just listening to
>what antigovernment people are saying and is accusing us of forced labor.
>
>Regarding the narcotics issue, we can challenge the world: Show us one piece
>of evidence that the government is involved in narcotics trafficking. We are
>doing more than our share (to solve the narcotics problem) because we are one
>of few governments in the world that is doing much anti-narcotics activities
>without any outside assistance. From 1988 until today, we have lost 766
>soldiers in fighting against narcotics.
>
>THE JAPAN TIMES: - Immediately after gaining entry to the Association of
>Southeast Asian Nations in summer 1997, fellow ASEAN members were hard hit by
>the region's financial and economic crisis. Myanmar has since seen a sharp
>decline in foreign investment especially from ASEAN members. The Asian
>economic malaise also  led to the collapse in May of President Suhato's
regime

>in Indonesia, which the SPDC was believed to have seen as a political model
>for Myanmar. Has much of what you initially expected from ASEAN membership
>been lost?
>
>Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win - Unfortunately, last year there was a financial crisis
>and a lot of our friends in Asia were directly affected. But Myanmar was
>indirectly affected. They (fellow ASEAN members) cannot invest in Myanmar as
>much as they want to. But we are trying to resolve the problem by putting
>greater emphasis on the agricultural sector. So we are trying to solve the
>problem in our way.
>
>We are optimistic that in the near future, ASEAN countries will once again
>have strong economics and that we will be able to help each other. Regarding
>(the political upheaval in) Indonesia, we are not carbon-copying the
>Indonesian Constitution. Myanmar is quite different from Indonesia.
>
>THE JAPAN TIMES: - There are concern among many ASEAN members about the
>potential of China posing a security threat. Though an ASEAN member, Myanmar
>has developed military and other relations with China in recent years.
What is
>the SPDC's policy toward China? Is further development in military ties
>between Myanmar and China in the works?
>
>Brig. Gen. Kyaw Win - Yes, we have developed a good relationship with China,
>because China is among countries that have assisted and supported us when
>Myanmar was facing times on difficulties from 1988 onward. But the Myanmar
>government's policy is that we always have five principles for peaceful
>coexistence. Myanmar is a friend of all nations. We are not anybody's ally.
>Myanmar will never allow any foreign troops on its soil.
>
>***************
>
>