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Bkk post -Rangoon fails to form its



Subject: Bkk post -Rangoon fails to form its policy

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Bangkok Post - Dec 8, 1999.
Editorial


Rangoon fails to form its policy

The most frustrating block in dealing with Burma is that the country has =
no discernible, definable programme of reform. Indonesia is attempting =
to reconcile its past, Singapore is building a future hooked to high =
technology and Thailand is struggling to put a strong democracy in =
place. In Burma, the only evident plan is to keep the ruling generals in =
office. The lack of national policy makes it almost impossible to deal =
with Burma in any rational manner.

Burma's dealings with other countries are usually unpredictable, often =
uncomfortable, chronically frustrating and almost always baffling. The =
Japanese have discovered this again, in a new and serious campaign to =
bring Burma into the international community. A two-pronged effort from =
the Japanese government and the private sector won initial Burmese =
encouragement. Then, suddenly, the regime turned-not only on the =
Japanese talks but also on the country's democratic forces, who were not =
even participants in the diplomacy.

At the recent Asean meeting in Manila, Japanese Prime Minister Keizo =
Obuchi chatted with Senior Gen Than Shwe. That encounter led to a visit =
to Rangoon last week by former Japanese premier Ryutaro Hashimoto. He =
received a VIP welcome and talked with Gen Than Shwe, as well as the =
regime's intelligence chief and first among equals, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.

These talks were not just cordial, they were seemingly fruitful. =
Stripped of diplomatic niceties, Japan offered real aid to Burma, a =
nation in dire need of help if it is to ever face a future in a =
globalised world. Unlike an earlier, rather crass offer relayed through =
the United Nations, the Japanese did not directly link aid to political =
reform-meaning a move towards democracy. Mr Obuchi and Mr Hashimoto both =
made it clear, however, that they would appreciate seeing the junta =
enter talks with Aung San Suu Kyi.

Five days later, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt gave a blunt reply. He pledged to get =
rid of the nation's traitors-a chilling warning to Mrs Suu Kyi and the =
political opposition who are all, in Rangoon's view, traitors. He did =
not define "get rid of", but it is clear they are not to be invited into =
the regime. Burma, he claimed, is on the road to something called =
"disciplined democracy". No outside country has the right to tell Burma =
how to run its affairs. Every nation has the right to choose its own =
political system.

Well, yes. Taken literally, the general's words are not only correct but =
upbeat. Someone who is unaware of the past 11 years of Burmese actions =
might be encouraged. Unfortunately, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt has conveniently =
forgotten that Burmese have chosen their political system, in free and =
extremely honest elections. They also have chosen their leaders. That =
vote was overwhelmingly in favour of a democratic system, with a =
government led by Mrs Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

Burma has lobbied for a decade to join and to work with the world =
community. The regime is now a member of Asean and welcomed-if =
reluctantly on occasion-into international forums. But it flatly =
refuses, rejects and reviles suggestions that it work within generally =
accepted diplomatic norms.

In return for public efforts at helping Burma, Japan has been attacked =
and unwittingly has further endangered Burmese democrats. In return for =
saving 55 hidden Burmese in its embassy, Thailand has received border =
tension and had signed fishing contracts unilaterally ended at gunpoint. =
Burma's co-operation with international narcotics traffickers is =
Thailand's greatest threat to national security.

No one is trying to dispute the dictatorship's claims to Burmese =
independence. But it would be better if Burma faced the world with a =
clear and acceptable policy, so that fruitful contacts with Burma could =
be made. It would be better for Burmese if their dictators would give =
them a chance to participate in shaping the future of their nation.


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Bangkok Post - Dec 8, =
1999.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT =
size=3D3><STRONG>Editorial</STRONG></DIV><BR>
<DIV></FONT><FONT size=3D4>Rangoon fails to form its policy</FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT color=3D#000000>
<P><FONT size=3D+2><B>T</B></FONT>he most frustrating block in dealing =
with Burma=20
is that the country has no discernible, definable programme of reform. =
Indonesia=20
is attempting to reconcile its past, Singapore is building a future =
hooked to=20
high technology and Thailand is struggling to put a strong democracy in =
place.=20
In Burma, the only evident plan is to keep the ruling generals in =
office. The=20
lack of national policy makes it almost impossible to deal with Burma in =
any=20
rational manner.</P>
<P>Burma's dealings with other countries are usually unpredictable, =
often=20
uncomfortable, chronically frustrating and almost always baffling. The =
Japanese=20
have discovered this again, in a new and serious campaign to bring Burma =
into=20
the international community. A two-pronged effort from the Japanese =
government=20
and the private sector won initial Burmese encouragement. Then, =
suddenly, the=20
regime turned-not only on the Japanese talks but also on the country's=20
democratic forces, who were not even participants in the diplomacy.</P>
<P>At the recent Asean meeting in Manila, Japanese Prime Minister Keizo =
Obuchi=20
chatted with Senior Gen Than Shwe. That encounter led to a visit to =
Rangoon last=20
week by former Japanese premier Ryutaro Hashimoto. He received a VIP =
welcome and=20
talked with Gen Than Shwe, as well as the regime's intelligence chief =
and first=20
among equals, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.</P>
<P>These talks were not just cordial, they were seemingly fruitful. =
Stripped of=20
diplomatic niceties, Japan offered real aid to Burma, a nation in dire =
need of=20
help if it is to ever face a future in a globalised world. Unlike an =
earlier,=20
rather crass offer relayed through the United Nations, the Japanese did =
not=20
directly link aid to political reform-meaning a move towards democracy. =
Mr=20
Obuchi and Mr Hashimoto both made it clear, however, that they would =
appreciate=20
seeing the junta enter talks with Aung San Suu Kyi.</P>
<P>Five days later, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt gave a blunt reply. He pledged to =
get rid=20
of the nation's traitors-a chilling warning to Mrs Suu Kyi and the =
political=20
opposition who are all, in Rangoon's view, traitors. He did not define =
"get rid=20
of", but it is clear they are not to be invited into the regime. Burma, =
he=20
claimed, is on the road to something called "disciplined democracy". No =
outside=20
country has the right to tell Burma how to run its affairs. Every nation =
has the=20
right to choose its own political system.</P>
<P>Well, yes. Taken literally, the general's words are not only correct =
but=20
upbeat. Someone who is unaware of the past 11 years of Burmese actions =
might be=20
encouraged. Unfortunately, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt has conveniently forgotten =
that=20
Burmese have chosen their political system, in free and extremely honest =

elections. They also have chosen their leaders. That vote was =
overwhelmingly in=20
favour of a democratic system, with a government led by Mrs Suu Kyi's =
National=20
League for Democracy.</P>
<P>Burma has lobbied for a decade to join and to work with the world =
community.=20
The regime is now a member of Asean and welcomed-if reluctantly on =
occasion-into=20
international forums. But it flatly refuses, rejects and reviles =
suggestions=20
that it work within generally accepted diplomatic norms.</P>
<P>In return for public efforts at helping Burma, Japan has been =
attacked and=20
unwittingly has further endangered Burmese democrats. In return for =
saving 55=20
hidden Burmese in its embassy, Thailand has received border tension and =
had=20
signed fishing contracts unilaterally ended at gunpoint. Burma's =
co-operation=20
with international narcotics traffickers is Thailand's greatest threat =
to=20
national security.</P>
<P>No one is trying to dispute the dictatorship's claims to Burmese=20
independence. But it would be better if Burma faced the world with a =
clear and=20
acceptable policy, so that fruitful contacts with Burma could be made. =
It would=20
be better for Burmese if their dictators would give them a chance to =
participate=20
in shaping the future of their nation.</P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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