BURMA:A SOUTH EAST ASIAN REALITY

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

BURMA:A SOUTH EAST ASIAN REALITY  7th May 1997

Burma ,with the  new name "Myanmar"  and the  new identity "free market
economy" has been the most talked-about nation as far as human rights abuses
are cocerned.As the human rights abuses violated by the notorious regime
became tremendously outrageous,the European Union withdrew trade
privileges.The United States imposed trade sanctions on the
regime,forbidding new American investments.

While the West was unequivocally concerned about Burma's membership into
ASEAN due to ongoing repression of democratic movements including those of
the NLD,the winning party ,the South East Asian nations gave a cold shoulder
to the West.Leave US alone.South East Asian nations seem to worry about
Burma falling into China's sway.No wonder ASEAN is so decisive about
accepting Burma as a member in July.

Did US sanctions work?The answer is "Yes".EU extended its sanctions after US
sanctions.Unocal ,the American oil company which has made an enormous
business deal with Burma ,won't be able to renew its
business contracts.Who were astonished by US sanctions first?Unocal and the
US business groups were
obviously disappointed.The opposition and the student groups campaigning for
US sanctions hailed to the 
US administration.Yet the American allies in Asia didn't appreciate what US
did to punish Burma.The Asians are known to be too polite to resist but not
the Asian governments.Sympathy with the impeccable people suffering from
their own government's atrocities is nowhere to be found in Asian
governments.There seems to be something really wrong with Asian
governments.The heads of those Asian states have something in common,that
is,self-interest and extreme nationalism that are poisoning the societies in
Asia.When the time fully comes,those heads of states will be responsible for
what they stand for when history summons them.

Written By Julien Moe
for IntelAsia