UN Special Envoy Visits Burma; U.S. Increases Pressure on Burmese Government
By Jane Clark
October 10, 2007 | Printer Friendly

A UN special envoy has reported that government brutality against citizens in Burma continues, according to an October 6, 2007 Washington Post article.  The special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, met with government leaders and Aung San Suu Kyi, but was not permitted to talk with monks or civilian protestors.  The Burmese government has promised to release more prisoners, has relaxed curfews, and Burmese leader General Than Shwe has agreed to meet with Suu Kyi.  However, he will only meet with her if she will “renounce her obstructive and confrontational stance.”  Her party believes that this is a demand for her to surrender.  Gambiri reports that the situation in Burma remains tense.

In light of the current events, many people are taking a close look at the role of government and religion in Burma.  According to an article by David Steinberg, the legitimacy of the government in Burma is a complicated issue.  While the regime is clearly illegitimate in the eyes of the international community, the perspective of Buddhists in the country is that actions in their past lives have caused the current situation.  The government has used Buddhism to ensure its legitimacy and as a political tool.  The teachings at Buddhist institutions are controlled by the military, and all monks are registered with the government.  The recent violence against the peacefully protesting monks has hurt damaged the government’s standing in the eyes of the people.  It may have also caused tension within the military, since many soldiers may have been horrified by the treatment of the clergymen.  Steinberg predicts that frustration will eventually lead to another incident, and the government’s “hold on society and on its own members will become more tenuous.”

In a recent article entitled “Burmese people-power powder-keg,” Larry Jagan identifies other reasons for the government’s decreasing control.  Currently, protests have been focused on economic issues, but eventually the focus will become purely political.  One factor that is causing political tension is the development of a new constitution.  The constitution has been designed to give the illusion of democracy, but control is still clearly in military hands.  Many of the new guidelines will benefit the government, such as reserving a quarter of the parliamentary seats for military appointees and mandating that the president be “a military man of stature.”  The drafting process has excluded Suu Kyi and many ethnic groups, whose demands have not been met in the draft’s current form.  As a result, some of the rebel minority groups have threatened to begin arming.  Furthermore, the government is training ex-convicts to control crowds and suppress protests.  This has upset monks, who do not like the idea of forcing Buddhist civilians to fight against each other. 

Adding to these stresses is the fact that the government is facing financial trouble, according to a September 28, 2007 Washington Post op-ed.  It has wasted money on unnecessary items and now cannot support all of its programs, including its lower ranking soldiers.  The fuel price spikes that caused the recent protests were an attempt to generate revenue.  Members of the international community hope that economic instability will lead to a weakening regime. 

In response to the Burmese regime's continued crackdown, the State Department has designated more than three dozen additional government and military officials and their families as ineligible to receive visas to travel to the United States, and will add others who bear responsibility for the ongoing attacks on innocent civilians and other human rights abuses. The Department's action follows President George W. Bush's announcement of expanded U.S. measures to address the Burma crisis made before the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2007.

Laura Bush also addressed the issue, issuing the following statement to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs:

“Thank you for inviting me to submit a statement for today's hearing of the East Asia Subcommittee. And thank you for the United States Senate's investigation into the dire situation in Burma.

“I am deeply concerned about the Burmese people. The military regime's crackdown on protesting monks and peaceful democracy activists is shameful. Video footage now coming out of Burma confirms what our charge reports: that the abuse of protesters is more brutal than initially described, and that there are likely many more fatalities than the 10 confirmed by the military regime.

“Last week, President Bush announced tightened economic sanctions directed against senior members of the regime, as well as an expanded visa ban on individuals responsible for violations of human rights. The ban applies to those who aid, abet, and benefit from the regime's efforts to impede Burma's transition to democracy, along with their family members. Last Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that it will freeze the assets of 14 senior members of the Burmese junta; the same leaders will be subject to travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. Department of State.

“The U.N.'s special envoy on Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, met yesterday with General Than Shwe and other leaders of the military regime. Earlier this week, Mr. Gambari met twice with Aung San Suu Kyi: the leader of Burma's National League for Democracy party, which was overwhelmingly elected to govern the nation in 1990. Mr. Gambari will report to the United Nations Security Council later this week. We urge the Security Council to issue a clear resolution that calls for the release of Burmese political prisoners, an end to the regime's crackdown, and a real dialogue that leads to a peaceful transition to democracy. The United States believes it is time for General Than Shwe and the junta to step aside, and to make way for a unified Burma governed by legitimate leaders.

“We urge other governments to join the United States in condemning the junta's use of violence, and in working toward freedom for Burma. Thank you to the members of the United States Senate for dedicating your attention to this very important issue.”

References:

Washington Post: Envoy Cites Reports of Abuses in Burma

Steinberg: Myanmar and the Loss of Legitimacy

Jagan - Burmese People-Power Powder-Keg 

Washington Post: Burma's Revolt of the Spirit

State Department: Burma - U.S. Targets Additional Burmese Official Under Visa Ban

White House: Laura Bush Statement on Burma