Saturday, 22 October 2011 12:27 Dr. Myint Cho
(Commentary) – Following the recent release of some 200 out of over 2,000 political prisoners under the recent amnesty program in Burma, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd wrote an article in The Australian on 14 October stating that while “Burma's political processes evolve,” Burma needs to take further steps. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/first-signs-that-burma-will-improve-human-rights/story-e6frgd0x-1226166188328
Though welcoming the recent changes in Burma, Rudd again urged greater political freedom and security for opposition figures and parties, as well as peaceful negotiated settlements to ethnic conflicts. However, Rudd also needs to call for the release of the remaining political prisoners.
The release of political prisoners and greater freedoms for Burma’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and political parties were at the top of Rudd’s agenda during his meeting with President Thein Sein in Burma in July this year.
After Rudd’s visit, President Thein Sein took a series of initiatives, including talking with Suu Kyi and releasing some 200 political prisoners; moves which have won applause in some quarters. Rudd, in response, said, “These signs of reform, a long time coming, are indeed welcome.”
Yet, while these changes are enticing to some, it is vital to appreciate that over 1,500 political prisoners remain in Burma’s notorious jails. Human rights abuses also continue unabated, particularly in ethnic minority areas where some serious abuses amount to crimes against humanity and/or war crimes. At the same time, the prospect of inclusive, meaningful dialogue remains uncertain.
Despite the serious negative developments in Burma’s human rights landscape, Burma’s neighbours, businesspeople and political parties which contested the sham elections in 2010 have hailed the recent changes as significant progress and continue to lobby Western democracies, including Australia, to lift their sanctions on Burma.
We also cautiously welcome the changes, but take the view that sanctions should be lifted only when the regime meets the demands of Western democracies, such as the release of all political prisoners, cessation of human rights abuses and the onset of an inclusive dialogue for national reconciliation. Suu Kyi has also shared this view.
We respect Rudd’s recent remarks, but again we call on him not only to maintain Australia’s targeted sanctions on Burma but also to effectively work with the leaders of the U.S., E.U., India, China and ASEAN to press for genuine substantive reforms in Burma. Otherwise, all will again be hoodwinked by these cosmetic gestures. We have seen it before.
While Thein Sein was prime minister of the previous military junta he enacted some superficial gestures, took advantage of divided international opinion and finally secured support from some nations regardless of the fact that there were no substantive reforms.
By using his experience and skills, President Thein Sein is now racing against time to relax international pressure, have sanctions lifted, assume the ASEAN chair in 2014, and achieve domestic and international recognition as an elected civilian government while still refusing the existence of political prisoners and human rights abuses in the country.
We understand that President Thein Sein deserves the “benefit of doubt” over his initiatives and that he also needs time to prepare for an inclusive and meaningful dialogue for national reconciliation and for peace talks with ethnic armed groups to end Burma’s protracted civil war.
However, he doesn’t need more time to consider the cessation of human rights abuses and the release of all remaining political prisoners. He must do so without delay if he is really committed to national reconciliation and democratization. Otherwise, his apparent commitment to democracy will continue to ring hollow.
As Rudd has noted, the people of Burma are desperate for genuine democratic change and deserve nothing less. On their behalf, he must step up his efforts to hold the Burmese government accountable.
Dr. Myint Cho is director of the Sydney-based Burma Office and has been working for the promotion of democracy and human rights in Burma since 1984.
(Commentary) – Following the recent release of some 200 out of over 2,000 political prisoners under the recent amnesty program in Burma, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd wrote an article in The Australian on 14 October stating that while “Burma's political processes evolve,” Burma needs to take further steps. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/first-signs-that-burma-will-improve-human-rights/story-e6frgd0x-1226166188328
Though welcoming the recent changes in Burma, Rudd again urged greater political freedom and security for opposition figures and parties, as well as peaceful negotiated settlements to ethnic conflicts. However, Rudd also needs to call for the release of the remaining political prisoners.
The release of political prisoners and greater freedoms for Burma’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and political parties were at the top of Rudd’s agenda during his meeting with President Thein Sein in Burma in July this year.
After Rudd’s visit, President Thein Sein took a series of initiatives, including talking with Suu Kyi and releasing some 200 political prisoners; moves which have won applause in some quarters. Rudd, in response, said, “These signs of reform, a long time coming, are indeed welcome.”
Yet, while these changes are enticing to some, it is vital to appreciate that over 1,500 political prisoners remain in Burma’s notorious jails. Human rights abuses also continue unabated, particularly in ethnic minority areas where some serious abuses amount to crimes against humanity and/or war crimes. At the same time, the prospect of inclusive, meaningful dialogue remains uncertain.
Despite the serious negative developments in Burma’s human rights landscape, Burma’s neighbours, businesspeople and political parties which contested the sham elections in 2010 have hailed the recent changes as significant progress and continue to lobby Western democracies, including Australia, to lift their sanctions on Burma.
We also cautiously welcome the changes, but take the view that sanctions should be lifted only when the regime meets the demands of Western democracies, such as the release of all political prisoners, cessation of human rights abuses and the onset of an inclusive dialogue for national reconciliation. Suu Kyi has also shared this view.
We respect Rudd’s recent remarks, but again we call on him not only to maintain Australia’s targeted sanctions on Burma but also to effectively work with the leaders of the U.S., E.U., India, China and ASEAN to press for genuine substantive reforms in Burma. Otherwise, all will again be hoodwinked by these cosmetic gestures. We have seen it before.
While Thein Sein was prime minister of the previous military junta he enacted some superficial gestures, took advantage of divided international opinion and finally secured support from some nations regardless of the fact that there were no substantive reforms.
By using his experience and skills, President Thein Sein is now racing against time to relax international pressure, have sanctions lifted, assume the ASEAN chair in 2014, and achieve domestic and international recognition as an elected civilian government while still refusing the existence of political prisoners and human rights abuses in the country.
We understand that President Thein Sein deserves the “benefit of doubt” over his initiatives and that he also needs time to prepare for an inclusive and meaningful dialogue for national reconciliation and for peace talks with ethnic armed groups to end Burma’s protracted civil war.
However, he doesn’t need more time to consider the cessation of human rights abuses and the release of all remaining political prisoners. He must do so without delay if he is really committed to national reconciliation and democratization. Otherwise, his apparent commitment to democracy will continue to ring hollow.
As Rudd has noted, the people of Burma are desperate for genuine democratic change and deserve nothing less. On their behalf, he must step up his efforts to hold the Burmese government accountable.
Dr. Myint Cho is director of the Sydney-based Burma Office and has been working for the promotion of democracy and human rights in Burma since 1984.
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