Generals don’t care for the position of ASEAN Chairmanship

Independent Mon News Agency

March 30 2005

Despite the international pressure and campaign by Burmese pro-democracy activists to block for the Burma’s Chairmanship in ASEAN in 2006, the SPDC leadership has not much seriously worried for the position, but just try to have completing the draft of the army monopolized constitution from the current National Convention, said a NC’s Peasant Delegate, who would not like to identify his name.

“They don’t seriously worry about the ASEAN Chairmanship and relationship with ASEAN countries. But they are now just busy with the works for draft constitution to have complete form, and then they could hold in power for another decades”, said the delegate to IMNA, who was hand-picked by the SPDC to the NC.

He also added, “they know very well that there will be a serious economic break down between the ASEAN countries and western economic powers, if they take in the position. They even don’t prepare to receive the position.”

“I think they will abandon the position. They will just try to have power here (in Burma). They don’t care anyone if they are in power here”, said by the Delegate.

The current regime after kicking out of Military Intelligence group led by Khin Nyunt, they have used more harden policy toward international community which pressured them to have a political reform, said by a Mon political analyst.

The SPDC is currently holding the NC with over 1000 delegates from different working classes and ethnic ceasefire groups. After the NC, they planned to have a draft constitution that support the Burmese Army to have an important role in the future State politics. The SPDC did not invite many political parties, which won 1990 general elections like National League for Democracy and other ethnic political parties.

The SPDC’s NC Convening Working Committee nearly completed the whole writing of draft constitution with their own agendas and they would not like to accept the advices from any groups like Intellectual Delegates and Special Inviting Delegates (delegates from ethnic ceasefire groups), according to NC Delegate.

Currently, the ASEAN counties – Singapore, Malaysia and Phillipine – have pressured against the Burma’s military government to see democratic reform in Burma. They also sent threat that if there is no change in Burma, they will against for the position of ASEAN Chairmanship to Burma.

SPDC has also kept a constructive relationship with China and India recently. China uses Burma as their ‘markets’ to sell their products and India plans to buy natural gas from western sea of Burma.

For further information, please contact to Independent Mon News Agency

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