'We Need Development'

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Asia Week (26 December 1997)
'We Need Development'
A talk with Myanmar's foreign minister

TO THE CONSTERNATION OF many Western governments, ASEAN admitted Myanmar
as a full member in July. Run by a bunch of generals, it ranks as one of
the world's pariah nations. Chief among its sins is the refusal of the
military junta to abide by the results of 1990 elections, and its
repressive policies, especially regarding forced labor and the treatment
of students and dissidents, including Nobel Peace Prize-winner Aung San
Suu Kyi. Despite the barbs, Myanmar's ASEAN participation has been
relatively trouble-free so far. Its presence at the association's
meetings is taken for granted. What is Yangon getting out of membership,
and how is its new-look government faring? Senior Correspondent Roger
Mitton talked with Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw during the summit.

What does ASEAN membership mean to Myanmar?

What we need most is economic development. It's a need of the time, of
the people, of the country, and of course it's good for ASEAN too since
the vision of the founding fathers was that all 10 Southeast Asian
countries should be together.


Are the recent changes in your government structure partly to accelerate
economic growth?

Yes. The previous structure was the State Law and Order Restoration
Council. As the name says, it was to bring law and order, which we needed
because the state was chaotic. That has been fulfilled. Now we are
concentrating on peace and development. Under a new constitution, there
will be elections and a civilian government will emerge. The military
government has no intention of continuing to hold on to power. We are
trying to build democracy.


The charter is taking very long to draft.

We have already decided on a presidential type of government, with a
division of responsibility between legislature, executive and judiciary.
At the center will be two houses of parliament, and in the states
legislative assemblies with chief ministers.

Will the new constitution be ready next year?

Possibly.


Was the recent change of the chairman of the constitution drafting
committee because he was unsatisfactory?

No, it was because of our new image. The idea of law and order is over.
So older personnel have been replaced and given other responsibilities.


They were not sacked?

Oh, no, because they contributed their share of responsibility.

They appeared to have been shunted to a so-called advisory council that
seems now to have been dissolved.

We don't humiliate our own people, particularly the military, which built
stability in the country.


Isn't your "new image" just cosmetic?

No. You have a younger, more energetic generation coming in.


Was fighting corruption a factor?

Yes. Those guilty will be punished by law.


Was there ASEAN pressure?

No, no pressure.


Quiet persuasion?

Not that much. ASEAN leaders never say: look, Myanmar, you should do this
if you want to be a good member. This change is our effort, because we
know very well that we could not go on as we were. While our neighbors
were developing, we were not . . . The perception of the media,
particularly Western media, is that we are not putting much effort into
democratization. But all of Southeast Asia now says that whatever
democracy is practiced in the West cannot be copied in toto here.


There are assertions your government deals in drugs and that you forcibly
relocate villages.

There is no substantive proof. Whenever there is any larger interest,
airports to be built, something to be done in the West, they do it, by
municipal means or whatever. But when we want to develop our country,
they say this is relocation, forced labor, child labor. But they are
doing the same thing.


Yet Myanmar is full of restrictions.

We feel we are open. We are disciplined. Do not forget we are very
carefully building a system that the people of our country are not
accustomed to. We need discipline. Those people in our country who claim
to uphold democratic ideals are not disciplined. We seek to provide food,
clothing and shelter. These are the basic needs.