Scattered Tribe by Ben Frank

Author:Ben Frank
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780762777471
Publisher: Globe Pequot

By the way, Mr. Yettaw, who had been sentenced to seven years of hard labor, was released in August, 2009 to Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, who, while agreeing it would be wrong to lift sanctions against Myanmar, says there is room for engagement. Like thousands around the world, Senator Webb has called on Myanmar “to end the isolation of its people so that they can live in economic prosperity, under an open political system.”

Chances are that the sanctions will not be lifted, even though they may not be working. They certainly have not brought about “regime change,” because neighboring countries, especially China, continue to trade and make deals with Myanmar.

“Change is unlikely,” wrote Professor David I. Steinberg in Contemporary Southeast Asia, in 2007, “without a significant shift in internal Myanmar policies.”

We should note, however, that the government again had introduced elections in November, 2010, the first in twenty years. Even though now in civilian garb, a number of the generals were returned to power in a new parliament. Put simply, the army will not go away, even if the top generals did take off their uniforms and don double-breasted suits and appear as if they are elected civilian office holders.

In March, 2011, Thein Sein was sworn into office, officially launching a nominally civilian government after 50 years of military rule. He succeeded Senior General Than Shwe, who had been paramount leader since 1992, as the new head of state. But it was obvious that the new cabinet lineup included several ex-military men, many of whom were ministers in the military junta. The 2010 elections, were widely criticized as a sham to perpetuate the military which has ruled Burma since 1962. Suu Kyi’s party boycotted the elections, calling them unfair.

But the elections and new parliament is a step, even if it’s not exactly forward. The hope is that those commanders, especially the younger ones, just might allow the country to slide into a more-open economy, as well as end the nation’s isolation. The new government intends to privatize 90 percent of state-owned enterprises by the end of 2011 and this for the most rigidly state-dominated economy in Asia after North Korea. Burma, by the way, has oil and natural gas to sell and foreign investment is arriving.

Meanwhile, Suu Kyi has returned to the front lines of the battle for democracy. In a visit to Myanmar in late spring of 2011, Senator John McCain noted that Suu Kyi is planning to travel through the country on her first foray outside Yangon since being freed from house arrest in November, 2010. Suu Kyi’s last attempt in 2003 “to travel freely was marred by violence. So the new government’s ability and willingness to prevent a similar outcome this time will be an important test of their desire for change,” noted Senator McCain.

So, it was worrisome when in early summer of 2011, both the NLD, which the government had dissolved for refusing to register for the election, as well as Suu Kyi, were warned by the new military-backed government to halt all political activities.

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