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NEWS ANALYSIS

Playing the Suu Kyi Card

By WAI MOE Tuesday, October 27, 2009
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At last week’s meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) at the resort town of Cha-am in Thailand, Burmese Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein told heads of state that Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has a role to play in the country’s reconciliation process. He did not, however, provide details or clarify exactly what role he was referring to.

However, Win Tin, a prominent leader within Suu Kyi’s opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party, has claimed that Thein Sein’s comment could be intended to defuse tensions with the United States ahead of the Asean- US summit in Singapore next month.

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, he said, “I think this is a kind of political game that the Burmese premier is playing with regard to Suu Kyi. At the moment, I do not see any genuine political will toward the reconciliation process in Burma.

“Reconciliation is more than just a word or a concept. It must be practiced at the dialogue table,” he added.  

The Asean-US summit will be held in Singapore on Nov. 15, coinciding with the annual leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC). US President Barack Obama will meet with Thein Sein during the summit, the first meeting between the two.  

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Kurt Campbell is also scheduled to visit Burma in the coming weeks. He may meet with Suu Kyi and some ethnic leaders, as well as government officials such as U Thaung, the minister of Science and Technology and former Burmese ambassador to Washington, who Campbell met in New York in September.

Whether Campbell will meet with junta strongman Snr-Gen Than Shwe is unclear, according to diplomatic sources.

Commenting on Campbell’s trip, Win Tin said he hoped Campbell would be more proactive toward democracy in Burma than UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whose trip to Burma in July was widely labeled a failure.

“Mr Campbell will be different from Mr Ban Ki-moon,” Win Tin said. “During his visit, Mr Ban Ki-moon met representatives of 10 political parties and gave us just two minutes each to explain the political situation in the country—it was very disappointing.”

Suu Kyi has repeatedly requested the junta for an audience with members of her party’s central executive committee, including Win Tin, but to date her requests have gone answered.

After the conclusion of its Burma policy review, the Obama administration said that it will follow a policy of direct engagement with Burma while it retained sanctions against the junta.

The chairman at the 15th Asean summit in Cha-am on Sunday said the regional leaders welcomed the US’s engagement policy. 

“The US’ engagement with Burma is very different from Asean’s,” said Larry Jagan, a British journalist who specializes in Burma issues. “The US’ Burma policy goes with engagement and sanctions.

“The US’ engagement is very sensible. We can call it ‘sensible engagement,’” he said, adding that Asean has lost momentum in dealing with Burma since it allowed the military regime membership in 1997.

During the summit, Thein Sein and his foreign minister, ex Maj-Gen Nyan Win, briefed Asean representatives on the political situation in Burma, including the 2010 election and Suu Kyi’s meetings with the junta’s liaison officer, ex Maj-Gen Aung Kyi, and Western diplomats.
 
Burmese officials even hinted during a meeting with Japanese delegates that Suu Kyi could be released before her current 18-month term of house arrest expires if she “maintains a good attitude.” 

Unlike previous meetings in Thailand throughout 2009, at the 15th Asean Summit, Abhisit and Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya responded briefly to a few questions concerning Suu Kyi at press conferences.

However, the Asean chairman dropped a previous call for the release of political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, in his statements during the summit and related meetings.

“This is disappointing,” said Win Tin. “It showed Asean cannot do anything for the Burmese people. It seems Asean’s engagement with Burma is just for business interests.”



COMMENTS (20)
 
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plan B Wrote:
09/11/2009
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who is admired by almost everyone overtly or covertly, a staunch anti violence advocate, as a result being persecuted by SPDC in so many ways.

It eludes me that these supporters especially those who have no personal stake whatsoever will advocate for bloodshed without a blink and in the same time claim DASSK as the reason.

If you want to support the lady support her idea; if not you will harm her more.

If you don't, please refrain from using her as excuse for your own what ever motivated idocy.

Associating DASSK with any kind of violence will justify present SPDC treatment of DASSK. It is not too far fetched to say that SPDC's ruthlessness might claim DASSK's life if this present association of DASSK with violent overthrowing of SPDC continues.

plan B Wrote:
09/11/2009
Garett,

The last I looked, SPDC is doing the "brother against brother" just fine.

As for China, Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos, the result of same Western useless interference initiate by you know who, the Bamboo Curtain governments are all still labelled Totalitarian. Albeit with an economy.

I am really confused: are you for or against SPDC?

Garrett Wrote:
06/11/2009
Plan B,

Your characterization of my posts as a "brother on brother advocacy" is typical plan B denial.

The truth you deny is the Burmese APATHY towards the SPDC policies of revenge and greed which have resulted in millions of innocent Burmese ethnic nationality citizens needlessly dying of treatable diseases, watching as their children starve to death, their women are raped, their homelands are stripped of resources & their ricefields are destroyed.

The SPDC regime IS responsible for these atrocities, NOT the West. These human rights offenses ARE major factors in the "quagmire" you ramble on about, & the SPDC has NOT shown good faith by lessening the suffering in the ethnic homelands, they have increased the attacks on innocent Burmese citizens!
What did those poor people ever do to you that makes you defend their persecutors?

I can assure you my "head" & my "heart" are with these innocents behind the Burmese bamboo curtain whose suffering you coldly and apathetically ignore.

plan B Wrote:
06/11/2009
Garrett,

1000 characters allowed by Irrawaddy and not one word of the West's contribution to this present quagmire.

Shows real well where your head is. As for your heart, this brother against brother advocacy of yours is really disturbing, especially being the "Xeno" part of the xenophobia that SPDC has exhibited.

Garrett Wrote:
03/11/2009
plan B:"I agree that the SPDC is the end of the stick that affects the ongoing suffering.
Will you care to speculate what other factors cause the end of that stick to become so effectively ruthless?"

Greed, forced labor, denial of food, revenge, Buddhism, & the apathy of those who don't want to live & die as beasts of burden under the SPDC yoke.

There WOULD be an "absolutely certain future" of regime violence if the millions of Burmese citizens decide to unite and begin peacefully & relentlessly marching for freedom and democracy.

However, the outcome of the SPDC violence & the possible intervention of the U.N. would be impossible to prognosticate.

The only absolute certain future is if the SPDC remains in control.

The SPDC is a black hole of greed and revenge, which takes great advantage of the passive nature of Buddhism, to control Burma's urban Buddhist citizenry with a handful of troops, while they deploy massive forces to control & enslave the ethnic minorities.

plan B Wrote:
03/11/2009
Garrette

"Too many people are being duped to believe that impossible situations like Burma can be solved without bloodshed, while they ignore hundreds of thousands needlessly dying each year due to disease and the SPDC ordered starvation behind the Burmese bamboo curtain."
We need stronger citizenry at this stage, as much as I abhor useless blood shed for an absolutely certain future. I agree that the SPDC is the end of the stick that affects the ongoing suffering.
Will you care to speculate what other factors cause the end of that stick to become so effectively ruthless?
This is not a rhetorical question.

Garrett Wrote:
02/11/2009
KKK said: "What have opposition groups, dissidents, and ethnic minorities and international communities done differently to have freedom and democracy in Burma?"

Hi KKK -Hmmm...
The ethnic nationalities hardly belong mixed in with the others you listed since they pay a heavy price in blood, sweat and tears, no matter what everyone else does.

If the opposition groups don't figure out how to get the urban population to stand up and claim their freedom soon, the people will eventually be led off to forced labor camps as meekly as they have watched Daw Suu's imprisonment, the enslavement of the ethnic minorities and the rape of Burma.

No dissidents or international organizations outside of Burma can be the catalyst for change.
They are too comfortable, too far from the poverty and apathy of the cities, and too far from the forced labor, extortion, starvation and disease of the ethnic homelands.

The world will react to what the Burmese people do, and apathy will only breed apathy.

KKK Wrote:
31/10/2009
Okkar & Garrett:

Quote Okkar: "If the Burmese people want democracy, they will have to get it themselves. Democracy is not something that can be handed out by either Asean or the US."

Absolutely TRUE!

Here's what Albert Einstein said " Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

What have opposition groups, dissidents, and ethnic minorities and international communities done differently to have freedom and democracy in Burma?

Garrett Wrote:
31/10/2009
pLan B,

No thanks necessary for helping your question go from meaningless rhetoric to meaningful insight.

It is important to counteract the harmful effects of rhetorical statements such as those you make on a regular basis.

In this fast-paced world too many people are being duped by rhetorical statements made only to insinuate something to be the truth, when it is really a manipulation of the truth tailored to fit an agenda.

Daw Suu's "Freedom From Fear" essay should have been a roadmap to freedom for Burma, but the Nobel Peace Prize committee agenda sealed Burma's fate.

Too many people are being duped to believe that impossible situations like Burma can be solved without bloodshed, while they ignore hundreds of thousands needlessly dying each year due to disease & the SPDC ordered starvation behind the Burmese bamboo curtain.

Instead of rallying the Burmese people to stand-up & win their freedom, we have meaningless rhetoric from the UN, ASEAN, USCB et al, U2, & you too.

pLan B Wrote:
30/10/2009
Garrett
Thank you. That is part of the correct answer, albeit the question was meant to be rhetorical.
Now you know why she is being played by all SSE—SSE=Self serving ENtity. To their selfish advantage. As I am typing these words, there is a U2 concert going on for DASSK.
WHat does U2 know about DASSK? How much of the dollars raised has ever benefited her in anyway let alone the people?
These are all rhetorical ones too, by the way.
Regards

Garrett Wrote:
30/10/2009
Quote Okkar: "If the Burmese people want democracy, they will have to get it themselves. Democracy is not something that can be handed out by either Asean or the US."

Absolutely TRUE!

*****

Quote pLan B: "Who created, allowed the survival and propagated DASSK's importance in all Myanmar matters?"

The Nobel Peace Prize Committee, SLORC, the SPDC, the apathetic and fearful urban citizens of Burma who allowed Daw Suu to be made a martyr to the failed 1988 uprising, the liberal world organizations which gave Daw Suu awards to publicize THEIR agendas, but never publicized HER agenda, the organizations like US Campaign for Burma which spent so much effort making Daw Suu an icon instead of rallying the people to follow her lead, the U.N., ASEAN, & foreigners working in Burma profiting from ethnic minority forced laborers by helping the SPDC regime spread disinformation to the rest of the world in order to generate more corporate investment and wealth for those who are in power.

LuuSoeLay Wrote:
28/10/2009
Perhaps, this is a world's poker tournament. The simple strategy is that you must know your opponent well; in this case, Than Shwe, who is the current champion and leader of the SPDC (Sneaky People Deliver Corruption), known to be a very aggressive player with some elementary-education background.

Knowing your opponent's weak points, then you may take an advantage:

So here are plans to choose:

plan "A"ttack opponent's psyche to trickle his brain since he has a limited education.

pLan "B"rutally and aggressively play dirty as opponent.

pLan "C"almly watch opponent's moves and then call for it.

The pLan B is so cruel and always refers to SPDC, so this option is out absolutely.

Either pLan A or C will work for the game.

Oo Maung Gyi Wrote:
28/10/2009
Asean is just a lip service forum.
Without releasing political prisoners and Daw Aung San Su Kyi, the 2010 election is meaningless. Ordinary Burmese peoples do not expect much from Asean.

vido Wrote:
28/10/2009
Not to clutter the inbox, but I would add...that if "The Irrawaddy" wants to attempt News Analysis pieces then it either looks to cite a more balanced set of references or utilizes some of its own ingenuity. To paint this idea of a "Suu Kyi" card in a single light is not professional analysis.

vido Wrote:
28/10/2009
With all due respect to Win Tin and others of a similar mind, one can "find" a conspiracy in anything if one chooses. He's exactly right it's a political game...but it's a political game that has to be played.

Instead of reflexively decrying every move by the junta as deceitful trickery, look to how new opportunities may arise and be utilized.

Otherwise, sit back and clamour for UN salvation and what not for the next 20 years. It's time for the Burmese opposition to help themselves. Engage...and win the engagement.

Zam Mang Wrote:
28/10/2009
Well! If SPDC and ASEAN are playing the Suu Kyi card, it is telling us clearly that Suu Kyi is so valuable. She was, is and will be our beloved fairy. She is already a historical person like her Father, Aung San.

Okkar Wrote:
28/10/2009
It is disappointing that Win Tin is complaining about the lack of action from Asean or the west. As a leader, Win Tin should not expect Asean and the west to sort out the problems of the Burmese people.

If the Burmese people want democracy, they will have to get it themselves. Democracy is not something that can be handed out by either Asean or the US.

pLan B Wrote:
28/10/2009
Ko Wai Moe needs to honestly analyse how this present political situation has arisen, a situation where DASSK's freedom and anything related is being used as a Trump card by all.

Who created, allowed the survival and propagated DASSK's importance in all Myanmar matters?

Who did not foresee the SPDC using that trump card?

Like it or not this present quagmire is akin to "Hostage Negotiation". The 50+millions are all hostages of SPDC.

Since DASSK is a prized hostage, why blame the SPDC for using her?

Play the hand and play to win or play not to loose much for all hostages' sakes.


George Than Setkyar Heine Wrote:
27/10/2009
Than Shwe aims to exploit Daw Suu in lifting sanctions firstly and lastly getting the crown (military constitution) on his head after the 2010 elections.

All the indications are there: Campbell falling under Than Shwe's spell like Ban Ki-moon.

ASEAN no doubt is towing this line.

It is despicable and galling to witness a US leader facing and shaking the hand of a lackey, himself a party to killing Buddhist monks and wreaking havoc in Burma.

Obama will rue the day when missiles come his way in case he gangs up with Than Shwe and China to split the spoils instead of helping Daw Suu and her people struggling for their freedom and rights today.

Ohama should know better that a REVIEW of the MILITARY DRAWN CONSTITUTION is the CRUX of the MATTER in today's BURMA.

Neither Daw Suu's freedom nor holding elections would be such big deals with a democratic constitution in place.

warazyn Wrote:
27/10/2009
It can be called active engagement. Loud and tougher engagement.





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