Editorial & Opinion Blunt message

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Editorial & Opinion  Blunt message awaits visiting Burmese junta


Editorial & Opinion 
Blunt message awaits visiting Burmese junta
Gen Than Shwe and his 40-member delegation begin an official 30-hour visit to
Thailand on Monday, the first since the regime rose to power in 1988. Yindee
Lertcharoenchok writes on the significance of the trip. 
Junta leader Gen Than Shwe and his military regime are certainly aware of how
unpopular and unwelcome they are in and outside the country. This is evidently
reflected in a special security request for Thailand to provide extraordinary
protection and precautionary measures during the top generals' symbolic visit
here on Monday as guest of the Thai government. 
In Burma, the military authority was humiliatingly voted out by the Burmese
people in the 1990 general election -- a popular mandate which it has refused
to comply. The people's growing resentment of the regime, in particular over
its foot-dragging introduction of genuine political and economic change, has
continuously been manifested in their quiet defiance to follow government
orders unless by threat or the use of force. 
Across the Western world, Burmese generals and their families are considered
pariahs and slapped with an unwelcoming visa ban. And in half the globe where
they can visit, they are met with strong opposition and protests from both the
locals and the Burmese in exile. Although Than Shwe and his 40-strong
high-level delegation will see very little upsetting scenes of protests while
in Thailand, the nervousness will remain as they can certainly breathe the air
of discontent from half a million Burmese living in exile here because of
civil
war, political persecution and economic hardship at home -- the largest
Burmese
community outside Burma. 
By arranging to meet in northern Chiang Rai -- a site hopefully far from
dissenting Burmese pro-democracy voices -- the Thai host will, wittingly or
unwittingly, provide the Burmese military leaders with a good opportunity to
witness another serious problem Burma has inflicted on its neighbour -- the
drastic surge of illicit drugs into Thailand. While Thailand has been
successful in its war against drugs, the rise in narcotic production in
Burma's
northeastern Shan State and the trafficking of heroin and the recently
introduced methamphetamine into the Kingdom are causing serious headaches here
as authorities are finding themselves losing their counter-narcotic fight

unless the Burmese regime changes its lenient drug policy. 
Thai anti-narcotic officers are increasingly and genuinely worried about the
potential reversion to the situation of 1960s-80s when Thailand was plagued
with serious drug addiction and served as a trafficking route to the world
markets. Although Thailand has been very polite in its diplomacy towards Burma
and has tried to avoid any unnecessary confrontation with the Burmese, the
Thai
government sees a need to convey a strong and clear message to Rangoon that it
must contain the drug situation back home. By taking tough and genuine actions
against drugs, the military junta would assist not only itself and its
neighbours, but also the world community at large -- a possible campaigning
point to win over its strong critics in the West. 
>From the outset, the Thai government has stated that drugs will overshadow
the
meeting between Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and his Burmese counterpart, Than
Shwe. Although some Thai government agencies wanted other pressing bilateral
agendas such as violent naval clashes, territorial disputes and demarcation to
be included in the talks, the Burmese side has brushed them aside. They argued
that those problems have their own fora of discussions and settlement, and
several bilateral committees are going to hold their meetings soon. 
Although Than Shwe's visit is of bilateral significance, some senior Thai
government officials said his trip here should not be taken only at face
value.
As a member of Asean, Thailand is actually working on behalf of the regional
grouping and its Western allies and dialogue partners (the European Union and
the United States), noted one official. Asean's relationship with the EU and
the US have run into a series of diplomatic difficulties and hiccups after
Burma's controversial admission into the grouping in July 1997, much to the
disappointment of the Western world. 
''We want to bridge the gap between Burma and the West. While we [Thailand]
have problems of our own with Burma, we cannot ignore other agendas which can
hurt our broader regional [Asean] interests,'' said the official. 
Although Chuan will primarily concentrate on drugs and its related issues when
he talks with Than Shwe and his top military lieutenants this morning, he will
use his well-known diplomatic skills to persuade the Burmese rulers that Burma
cannot carry on with periphery changes and expect to be rewarded with
international recognition and applause. 
Far from winning more friends, the junta, now known as State Peace and
Development Council, is encountering more and more critics after over a decade
in power. Even its friends in Asean have been increasingly worried about the
burden Burma has posed in the grouping's external relations with the West.
Like
his early meetings with Burmese leaders, Chuan, who has a strong democratic
leaning, will encourage the Burmese leaders to introduce serious political
reforms and reconciliation -- a painful path which Thailand has gone through
but clearly the only direction that brought the Kingdom to international
standing and recognition. 

Apart from the talks, Than Shwe and his team will visit Thai opium
eradication
and crop-substitution projects in Chiang Rai. He will have an audience with
His
Majesty the King this afternoon and will on Tuesday morning tour an
agro-industrial farm in Saraburi province before flying home. 
Although the Thai government has already cracked down on dissident Burmese
students, political activists and ethnic communities, and tried to confuse
human rights groups regarding Than Shwe's itinerary to prevent their
embarrassing anti-Rangoon protests, the Burmese delegation, despite the best
treatment and first-class security protection, will be served a political
message. And it will come directly from Chuan himself. 
The Nation