Mizzima: Dialogue or Devastation in

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Dialogue or Devastation in Burma

By Win Htein
Bangkok, May 21, 2000

On May 27, 1990, General Saw Maung, the then commander of Burmese Armed
Forces and chairman of Burma's junta claimed that he would transfer
power to the elected government and the soldiers would go back to the
barracks after the general election. 

Now 10 years have passed, there is no sign from the military to honor
the result of election, and no soldier has responded to the commander's
promise.  What political progress has occurred in Burma, economically
and politically isolated state in Southeast Asia? 

Recent news from Rangoon suggest that the ruling junta plans to destroy
the opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), and its
leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a final onslaught.  At a meeting on 20th
April, the State Peace and Development Council's (SPDC) Home Minister,
Colonel Tin Hlaing, directed all the regional police chiefs and the
commandants of the riot control police battalions to employ all
administrative techniques to completely crush the NLD by end of the
year. Colonel Soe Win, director general of Myanmar Police Force, also
attended the meeting. 

Since the government has increased the salaries of the state employees,
the minister said, they should show loyalty to the government and firmly
follow orders. He also ordered them to take action against those who do
not fulfil their duties.

"We are really worried about the junta's evil plot. If they conduct an
onslaught against the NLD and CRPP (Committee Representing the People's
Parliament), it may spark a people's strike like 8888", said Moe Thee
Zun, the leader of Thailand-based People's Power 21st Century (PP-21) in
Burma. 

In fact, Moe Thee and his comrades called for a people's strike on 9999
last year, but nothing happened in Rangoon.  But he said this time the
call comes not only from exiled students but also from Buddhist monks in
Mandalay, the second capital of Burma.

A statement of the Mandalay Sangha (Monks) Union reads, "We strongly
call on the SPDC to enter into dialogue with the NLD before 25 May.  If
not, we, Mandalay Sangha Union, will declare a strike and all our
monasteries may become rebel camps". 

This statement was issued after two senior monks called for meaningful
dialogue between the regime and the opposition. They sent an open letter
to three leaders, the former dictator General Ne Win, the current
chairman of SPDC, Senior General Than Shwe, and opposition leader Aung
San Suu Kyi.

But the generals have not responded to the call.  Instead, they carry on
with their 'arrest and jail' policy. A few days ago they arrested U Aye
Tha Aung, the secretary of CRPP, and about 50 members of the NLD. 

Last week, Unit 25 of Military Intelligence Service (MIS) arrested Daw
Nan Khin Htwe Myint, an NLD Member of Parliament (MP) for constituency 3
of Pa-An, while she was on her way to the NLD Headquarters' annual
meeting. She was the first one to have been arrested by MIS in
preparation for the 10th anniversary of the election. 

Now, the MIS are carrying out 24-hour surveillance on members of NLD who
try to go to the annual meeting. MIS officers are stationed in the
airport, seaport, rail and bus terminals. They also gather at the
monasteries to control the monks. On 15 May, Unit 19 of MIS arrested 29
monks at a peaceful demonstration in the southern city of Mergui.

According to Burmese dissidents, 97 Member of Parliaments have been
forced to resign by MIS, while the Election Commission dismissed another
64. Thirty-two have passed away, four died in custody and two were
assassinated.  Forty-three MPs are in prison while another 69 MPs are in
the government's "special guesthouse". Twenty-two MPs are in exile,
working for the US-based government in exile, the National Coalition
Government of the Union of Burma.

In the 1990 May election, the NLD won 392 out of 485 seats.  Ethnic
groups took 77 and Independents took six, while the military-dominated
National Unity Party took 10 seats. Now, the junta's spokesperson said
there are remaining just 169 MPs, including 110 from the NLD. 

The NLD demanded that Parliament be convened after they held their party
congress on 27 May 1998. Then they founded the CRPP on 16 September,
when the junta refused to convene Parliament. After that the regime
began its nationwide forced-resignation program for opposition members. 

However the CRPP has gained the endorsement of ethnic nationality
groups. MPs in exile have shown their support, and the committee has
also received significant backing from international bodies such as
European Union and Scandinavian parliament.

The UN, US, EU and the world community have urged the junta to engage in
dialogue with the NLD, and the US has imposed economic sanctions, while
the EU announced visa sanctions on junta officials. Japan and Australia
have also urged the junta towards dialogue. 

Last Monday, a ceremony on 10th anniversary of the May election was held
at the Czech Embassy in the US.  The Thai ambassadors to the US and UN
also attended and supported the election result, saying "The Thai people
want Burma to change to democracy in peaceful way".  

US Secretary of State, Ms Madeline Albright, said at Capitol Hill,
"Today, we renew our call to the authorities in Rangoon to abide by the
democratic wishes of their people and to free political prisoners and
end torture.  We renew our commitment to Aung San Suu Kyi and the
National League for Democracy.  We can ensure that Aung San Suu Kyi and
her Burmese allies are never alone". 

Aung San Suu Kyi said in videotape, "We have not given up our struggle
and we are not going to give up our struggle.  They are arresting our
people and preventing our party from operating freely as a legal
political organization, but many are still working for democracy under
very difficult circumstances."

Last year, the UN special envoy for Burma, Mr Alvaro Desoto reportedly
offered US$ 1 billion to the junta if it agreed to dialogue with the
opposition.  The SPDC rejected this, but has now welcomed the new UN
special envoy, Mr Razali Ismail from Malaysia. 

In this situation, what will be the reaction of the 48 million voters,
300,000 monks and 500,000 students? What is the best way, dialogue or
devastation? 

Win Htein is a correspondent for Democratic Voice of Burma and
contributed this article to Mizzima News Group.