A nervous junta: Suu Kyi's strategy

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A NERVOUS JUNTA

(Editorial ? From The Statesman Newspaper, New Delhi, Dated October 1,
2000)

Suu Kyi?s strategy deepens junta?s crisis

There is no let-up in the attack unleashed by Myanmar?s military junta
?ironically named the State Peace and Development Council ? on Aung San
Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy. After her nine-day
stand-off with the military in a Yangon suburb about a month ago,
followed by her being barred from travelling to Mandalay, SPDC generals
have gone all out to stifle the 55-year-old Nobel laureate and her party
into silence. They have locked her up at her home and taken her key
party aides into protective custody and also ?temporarily? closed down
her party headquarters so that observance of NLD?s 12th anniversary can
be stalled. These are signs of desperation; generals are nervous that
the irrepressible pro-democracy leader is working hard to arouse the 48
million Myanmarese people. In a renewed challenge, she and her party are
busy drafting a national constitution and are firm in their resolve to
continue with the two-year exercise of a proxy parliament. Her approach
of moderation and dialogue in ending the stand-off has not been
reciprocated by her tormentors who are threatening to ban the NLD
altogether. No less a worry is the remark of the Thai foreign minister
that Asean was having a ?serious image problem? because of continuing
political unrest in Myanmar.

The concern of the generals is understandable for other reasons too.
Despite their                      ruthless attempts to ?crush? Suu Kyi
and her followers, they have not been able to                      snuff
out resistance. The attempt to destroy the NLD by forced resignations
has only helped to further strengthen the resolve of both Suu Kyi and
her supporters. Also Suu Kyi has timed her push when signs of disharmony
are clearly visible within the junta. The recent dismissal of Brig-Gen
Zaw Tun, the deputy minister for national development, for openly
debunking the junta?s claim of higher economic growth and criticising
the inconsistency in the trade policy have lent credence to Suu Kyi?s
contention that Myanmar under the junta has deteriorated both
economically and socially and that serious differences exist within the
junta over key issues. One of the brightest and articulate officers Zaw
Tun blamed those holding responsible posts in the junta for plummeting
investment. The generals manning key ministries ?did not have proper
awareness?. In fact, his criticism justified Suu Kyi?s point that
government practices inimical to a healthy society and failure to adopt
sound macroeconomic policies have pushed the country into an economic
and social morass. What Zaw Tun hinted at was that lack of good
governance was at the root of Myanmar?s troubles; a point which has been
repeatedly harped upon by Suu Kyi. This suggests that even a section of
the junta concurs with her views. It is the fear of challenge from
within that is presently                      haunting the warlords. Any
change that leads to accountable governance is
still                      anathema to the SPDC generals.