Burma: Thousands possibly killed or missing, but we do nothing

Remember when President Bush addressed the UN General Assembly over a week ago? Here's what he said on the situation in Burma.

Americans are outraged by the situation in Burma, where a military junta has imposed a 19-year reign of fear.

Basic freedoms of speech, assembly and worship are severely restricted. Ethnic minorities are persecuted. Forced child labor, human trafficking and rape are common.

The regime is holding more than a thousand political prisoners, including Aung Suu — Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party was elected overwhelmingly by the Burmese people in 1990.

The ruling junta remains unyielding, yet the people's desire for freedom is unmistakable.

This morning I'm announcing a series of steps to help bring peaceful change to Burma.

The United States will tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers. We will impose an expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights, as well as their family members. We will continue to support the efforts of humanitarian groups working to alleviate suffering in Burma and urge the United Nations and all nations to use their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom.

Haven't we heard this before? Why yes, but not here in Burma. In fact, it sounded almost familiar. Didn't Bush condemn Saddam Hussein for his dictatorial rule in Iraq?

So what does he do for those military generals in Burma? We will tighten economic sanctions a bit more. We will ban travel by its leaders and their families. I guess they won't be visiting Disney World in Florida, but there is a Disneyland resort in Hong Kong, I am sure they won't mind letting them visit.

Various world leaders call for 'peaceful dialogue' but haven't they been asking for that for years? It is basically all just posturing in front of the media cameras, leading the people in their respective countries the assumption that something is being done. Nope, sorry, nothing is being done. Just boasting words.

What does the United Nations do? They send Ibrahim Gambari a special envoy to the region. He got to meet with the opposition including leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and eventually junta leader Than Shwe.

But it all boils down to China. It is Burma's northern neighbor and I am sure they want to make sure that the border between them remains stable and peaceful. Unfortunately, I really doubt China would tell the junta to move towards democracy.

How about India? They do share a 1,400-km long border with Burma. They have been competing with the Chinese on securing supplies of natural gas there as well as maintaining their influence. The politicians in New Delhi are more concerned about Burma being a safe haven for rebels from its own troubled north-east. Therefore, it has deepened both its military and intelligence co-operation. Last year, India sold Burma two BN-2 Islander maritime surveillance aircraft bought from the UK in the 1980's. This was done over the objections of the UK.

Now, India is preparing to offer Burma Indian-made helicopters, upgrades for Russian and Chinese-made fighter planes, and naval spy aircraft.

I guess India is not following the same 'democracy' script as everyone else.

Pranab Mukherjee, India’s minister of external affairs, has limited himself to expressing hope that “all sides will resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue”.

Again, just words.

Well, if you want to criticize India for not doing more, they do not really care. “We’re not bothered about criticism of our relations with Myanmar, given the west’s record in supporting military governments in our neighbourhood,” said one. “We’re not the only democracy that works with generals.” (FT.com) Of course, that's a slap to the United States for consorting with "President" / General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan.

I guess a call from President Bush would not help.

How about the UN trying to kick the military regime out of their UN seat and replacing it with the country's elected goverment-in-exile? Nope. China and India would veto that move.

Will ASEAN kick out Burma? Nope.

Are we really cracking down on foreign companies doing business in Burma? US-based Chevron is there, so is Malaysian Petronas, South Korea's Daewoo International Corp, or the French Total. Are they being penalized?

French President Nicholas Sarkozy called on French companies to freeze all their operations in Burma. That's good, but on the side, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that French oil giant Total, the largest European company operating in Burma, will not pull out. They do not want to give up their business to the Chinese.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also expressed "outrage." But how would he react if he found that UK companies have invested more than $1.2 billion pounds in Burma between 1988 and 2004.

The Japanese government cried foul on the killing of Kenji Nagai, a Japanese journalist who was gunned down by Burmese soldiers while he was photographing a fleeing crowd of protestors. Yet, it won't cut off aid to the regime, because it was "too early" for such action.

Let's see the pictures:

What about Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia? They issued a statement expressing "revulsion" at the use of deadly force against innocent civilians. However, they haven't really complained about what's been going on over the last several years.

So yes, your pleas for action by your government and others is pretty much unrealistic.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, the Burmese regime continues to round up monks and democracy supporters.

Four detention centers were being built around Yangon, including one at an institute of technology and one at a race course, indicating that the military planned to hold the monks and others for long periods.

Human rights groups said many people were in hiding or on the run, fearing arrest after taking part in the protests or in smuggling out the photographs and videotapes that have caught the world's attention.

Myanmar's access to the Internet was also shut down and most overseas cellphone communications and land lines were severed or hampered. Soldiers on the street confiscated cameras and video-telephones.

The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution strongly deploring the "violent repression" of peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar. However, Executive Director of the Geneva-based NGO Hillel Neuer expressed disappointment that the final text was watered down, which "sends the wrong message to the murderers of innocent monks."
The EU-authored text was softened several times to ensure that all countries, including China and Russia, join the consensus. "Strongly condemns" in the original text was changed to "condemns," and then weakened again to "strongly deplores."

Sigh.

How about Bush's pre-emptive attack strategy? Oh wait, he does not want to upset China.

Related Links

ZNET - Global Hypocrisy on Burma

Spiegel - They Come at Night and Murder the Monks

IHT - UN envoy ends Myanmar trip

IHT - Myanmar comes face to face with a technology revolution

IHT - Junta seizes UN worker in nighttime raid in Myanmar

NY Times - UN reports detentions in Myanmar

Bloomberg.com - Myanmar should reveal protest death toll, UN says

New Zealand Herald - Sylvester Stallone describes Myanmar 'hellhole'

Hindu Times - UN rights council's resolution against Myanmar welcomed

Fox News - Myanmar Forces Hunt Pro-Democracy Protestors

Times Online UK - Two pictures that show how the protest was crushed