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BKK Post (13-10-99)Trade with Burma

Subject: BKK Post (13-10-99)Trade with Burma isn't everything

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<font size=5><b>Trade with Burma isn't everything<br>
</font></b><font size=3>The praise and words of appreciation from the
Burmese authorities for the way with which the Thai government handled
the Oct 1-2 occupation of the Burmese Embassy were in sharp contradiction
to the action taken by Rangoon so soon after this potentially explosive
situation was brought to an end without any bloodletting.<br>
The military junta abruptly scrapped the concession rights granted to
Thai fishing trawlers without any clarification. Hundreds of Thai vessels
were forced to hurry back home to Ranong from Burmese waters and, as a
result, now at least 5,000 Burmese who crewed on the trawlers are without
work. The closure of the border at the same time has brought a complete
halt to trade and travel between the two countries and so caused
tremendous damage to a large number of businesses.<br>
If actions speak louder than words, as we are all taught, then clearly
the praise and the thanks offered by Burma's leadership-the most recent
expression being from Nyunt Maung Shein, director-general of the
Political Affairs Department, at the senior Asean officials meeting in
Bangkok-are meaningless. They are intended only to fool the more gullible
into believing the Rangoon regime is made up of civilised men who are as
willing as the next fellow to congratulate the peaceful end to the
embassy siege.<br>
The reality is that the junta is unhappy with Thailand's handling of the
five hostage takers and the fact that they were allowed to go free.
Instead of drawing a lesson from this incident and appraising how it
contributed to the affair, the military junta wants simply to place all
the blame on Thailand.<br>
The rest of the world saw the embassy siege very differently to Rangoon.
The general consensus is that the repressive military regime must be held
responsible. Had the generals ended their brutal treatment of Burma's
pro-democracy elements and allowed Aung San Suu Kyi and her National
League for Democracy to govern the country after they swept the polls in
the general election of 1990, then this embassy siege almost certainly
would never have happened.<br>
The hypocrisy of the Burmese dictatorship over this latest incident just
reinforces the doubts of the Thai government and others around the region
about the legitimacy of &quot;constructive engagement&quot;, one of the
principal platforms of Asean, in gradually transforming the Rangoon
military leadership into a civilised administration with a human heart.
Two years after being inducted into Asean, Burma remains a pariah state
and gives no sign that it will ever change for the better while the
military junta continues to be in firm control.<br>
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai's recent message to his Burmese counterpart,
Gen Than Shwe, in which he expressed the hope that bilateral ties between
our two countries could return to normal and even improve was an olive
branch offered by Thailand. His conciliatory words are reinforced by the
presence of Deputy Prime Minister Korn Dabbaransi in Rangoon for talks
aimed at easing tensions. Now it is the turn of Burma to extend a gesture
in the spirit of good neighbourliness.<br>
The normalisation of ties will benefit both countries and their peoples.
But in the pursuit of this aim, Thailand must not compromise its human
rights principles, especially where they concern the Burmese students
living in exile in Thailand, in exchange for trade, business or fishing
concessions from Burma.<br>
Thai-Burmese relations have always been dominated by trade issues. This
is why Rangoon has enjoyed the upper hand to dictate the course of our
ties. It is about time Thailand explored new markets for its products and
new sources of natural resources so that we reduce our dependence on
Burma and distance ourselves from its brutish ways.<br>
--------------------------------------------&nbsp; <br>
</font><font size=5><b>UNHCR is used as a scapegoat<br>
</font></b><font size=3>I would like to add my voice to those praising
the way the Thai government handled the recent situation at the Burmese
Embassy. The problem was solved with nobody harmed in any way, except
maybe a little loss of face by the neighbouring illegal
dictatorship.<br>
It is surprising, however, that the Thai government is now pointing the
finger at the UNHCR, calling on it to resettle the students in a third
country.<br>
To those who have been involved with the refugee community, it is a well
known fact that it is the Thai government which has consistently
prevented the UNHCR from fulfilling its protection mandate since the
beginning of the Burmese crisis in 1988. To this day, the UNHCR does not
have access to refugees along the southern border with Mon state.<br>
It should also be pointed out that while resettlement is a possible
option for the Burmese, it is an impractical suggestion in light of the
number of refugees who have been on &quot;hold&quot; these many years
when compared to the limited number of resettlement slots made available
throughout the world. The other two options, as mentioned in the Geneva
Convention on Refugees, are repatriation when safe and freely chosen or
integration into the country of asylum.<br>
Repatriation only will be possible when the government of Burma changes
and democracy finally prevails; but the Thai government has done
everything in its power to support and prop up the dictatorship with an
ineffectual policy misnamed &quot;constructive engagement&quot;. Since
nothing &quot;constructive&quot; has occurred in Burma for many, many
years, perhaps Thailand should rethink this policy now and work towards
real change in Burma. Then repatriation might be a real option.<br>
Integration into the country of asylum is a concept which the government
rarely, if ever, mentions. It would mean issuing identity cards to the
Burmese and allowing them to live and work as normal people. It would
mean no longer classifying them as &quot;illegal aliens&quot; who can be
employed at below minimum wages, denied medical, legal and educational
rights, shaken down by police for bribes, etc.<br>
In light of the current labour shortage in Thailand, which we have been
reading about lately, this option may make some sense. Of course it would
offend the Slorc goons-but, really, who cares?When the Thai government
calls upon the UNHCR to change its policy, it should look carefully at
itself, and the failed foreign policy with its neighbour Burma. Maybe
some changes should take place there, rather than trying to scapegoat the
UNHCR.<br>
<b>Angus MacGillivary<br>
<br>
</b>------------------------------------------------&nbsp; <br>
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