THE NATION: Junta's options: Rape

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      Junta's options: Rape and
      plunder or respect the
      poll

      Pat James says in his Letter to the Editor
      (April 5) that the Burmese military faced
      options in 1990 and made a good choice. 

      Their options were: to stay in power and be
      corrupt, get rich, rape women and feel
      tough; or to honour the election in which
      more than 60 per cent of all Burmese
      people said they would like the National
      League for Democracy to lead the country. 

      The military made a good choice only so far
      as it enhanced its own selfish interests, and
      they ignored the interests of 45 million other
      people. 

      James says he has spent eight years in
      Burma, working with oil companies. I
      suspect that there is something preventing
      him from speaking to native Burmese who
      have complaints against the military
      government. As a foreigner with vested
      interests in the status quo, he will not be
      exposed to the full spectrum of experiences
      in Burma. Those who might point out that
      the military has killed or imprisoned friends
      or family know too well that the same fate
      awaits them if they tell James of their
      suffering. 

      As it stands, the military government in
      Burma exists illegally and illegitimately and
      in direct defiance of the desires of the
      people in Burma. How can they possibly
      represent the interests of people living in
      fear of their government? 

      The time is long overdue for this regime to
      step aside and honour the elections of
      1990. 

      Jon Shay 

      United States