Dialogue urged for Burma -- Mainich

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Subject: Dialogue urged for Burma -- Mainichi Editorial

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Mainichi Daily News
Thursday, June 27, 1996
(from Mainichi Shimbun June 23)

EDITORIAL

Dialogue urged for Burma

When will Burma's military government end its refusal to hold direct
dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi? The generals have further hardened
their stance after her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD),
decided to draft its own constitution at their May convention to
commemorate the sixth anniversary of its victory in the 1990 general
election. 

The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) has denied the
recent report that it was preparing to arrest Suu Kyi. She continues to host
weekend public gatherings in front of her Rangoon home. But tension
continues. 

Military authorities are stepping up pressure by promulgating a new law
banning political parties that threaten national safety and order with
speeches and assemblies, and by organizing anti-Suu Kyi "citizens
meetings" in many parts of the country. It cannot be ruled out that the
situation could suddenly worsen. 

Behind the continued intransigence of military is ASEAN's (Association of
Southeast Asian Nations) policy of "constructive intervention" toward
Burma. This is based on the idea that Burma's future democracy can best
be served by bringing the country into the ASEAN community and helping
its economic development and public welfare, instead of imposing
economic sanctions that could drive the military rulers closer to China. 

ASEAN thus has reaffirmed the plan to allow Burma to take part in its
foreign ministers' meetings as an observer and to become a member of its
Regional Forum devoted to security affairs. 

Following the mass detention of NLD members that preceded the May
convention, Washington sent a special envoy to ASEAN member
countries to urge them to take a tougher stance against the junta. But the
effort did not succeed. With memories of colonial domination by the West
still alive, Southeast Asians are very much wary of outside intervention in
their internal affairs. 

Be that as it may, SLORC must understand that it cannot hope for
genuine peace and stability in the country unless it holds direct talks with
Suu Kyi. 

The junta had promised a transfer of power to a civilian government after
the 1990 election. When the NLD won 80 percent of the seats, it broke its
promise and declared that it would not yield the government until after the
adoption of a new constitution. The junta, then, should agree to a dialogue
with Suu Kyi at least to make up for the breach of promise. 

The NLD is not solely bent on seeking confrontation with the military. At
the May convention, a strong suggestion was made that the party would
return to the constitutional assembly if the junta agreed to talk. In a recent
meeting with the public, Suu Kyi is reported to have commended the
military on its open economic policy. 

But it is also true, as she often points out, that the rapid economic growth
and the inflow of foreign capital have given rise to inflation, a widening gap
between the rich and poor, and corruption, to the discontent of the people.
As these issues are to be properly addressed by the Parliament, the
military stands to benefit from holding talks with Suu Kyi and her followers
to listen to their criticism and advice. For the military to unconditionally
agree to dialogue with Suu Kyi is the only way to break the impasse. 


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