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Aung San Suu Kyi, cease-fire armies and the Junta

Written by Sai Wansai


Saturday, 16 May 2009 16:50

The latest episode, involving a  U.S. citizen John Yettaw, who claimed to have swum across
Inya Lake and spent two days in Suu Kyi's compound and the consequent brewing anger of the
Burmese junta, gearing to prosecute and imprison the reluctant host for breaching the generals'
draconian law of failing to report  an overnight staying guest,

must be a rude awakening for those who preach the lifting of various sanctions  and
engagement would, one way or the other,  paved way to soften the generals' attitude and
become responsible players along the line of genuine democratic principle, levelled political
playing field and all-inclusiveness of all stakeholders and contenders.  

According to recent reports, Aung San Suu Kyi has been taken to notorious Insein jail and
formally charged for violating the term of her house arrest, giving food and drinks to John
Yettaw and not reporting to the authority of an overnight stay of an alien in her house.In Burma,
it is illegal and not allowed to accept foreigners to stay overnight in the homes of locals. Under
the recent circumstances, Aung San Suu Kyi could face up to five years in jail.

Nyan Win, who is a spokesman for Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party, the National League for
Democracy,  says the party asked Burmese authorities why she would be put on trial but they
refused to answer.

"I think this is not a criminal issue.  This is a political issue…Their motivation is to extend her
detention.  Her present detention expires on 27th May," he said.   

Jared Genser told the BBC that if somebody showed up at her door step in violation of Burmese
law she can not be held responsible for it.

"This is the cunning plan of the regime -- to put Aung San Suu Kyi in continuous detention
beyond the six years allowed by the law they used to justify the detention," Aung Din, executive
director of the Washington-based US Campaign for Burma, said in a statement.

The junta, of course, is not taking chance and Aung San Suu Kyi’s popularity, even after so
many years of house arrest is still in tact, and is determined to lock her away until 2010 election
turns out as planned without a hitch.

The junta has its self-drawn constitution in place, where 25% of the seats will be granted to the
military without having to go to election; self-created and sponsored political party like USDA
and there might even be a small window of democratic trappings to allow some individual, small
parties to contest the election.

At this stage, the junta might probably be ready with its elections law blue print and is only
waiting for the right time to go public. No doubt, if the junta’s track record of cunningness is of

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Aung San Suu Kyi, cease-fire armies and the Junta

Written by Sai Wansai


Saturday, 16 May 2009 16:50

any indication, this long awaited law will definitely put all potential contenders out of the game
or  would only let unfriendly  parties into the political arena with hands and feet bound.. The
junta probably has not forgotten  the humiliation  inflicted in 1990 nation-wide election, when the
NLD won a landslide victory all over, except the Shan State, where the Shan Nationalities
League for democracy came up on top. Thus, it is not going to repeat the same error again this
time around.

Parallel to this ploy of silencing Aung San Suu Kyi, intentionally or accidentally, due to the
stupidity of John Yettaw, the junta has been trying to woo, coax and threatening the cease-fire
ethnic armies to give up total control of their respective armies without success.

There are 13 cease-fire armies in Kachin, Shan, Karenni, Karen and Mon states.

As of this writing, the cease-fire armies are still undecided on how to respond to the junta’s
ultimatum or new offer to become auxiliary forces of the Burma Army.

According to Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN), a  reorganised 326 strong auxiliary
battalion will be still commanded by cease-fire commanders at least in name but supervised by
Burma Army officers.

Most groups have voiced their opposition to the scheme. “Before this they only wanted us to
surrender our arms,” a senior cease-fire commander SHAN met in Panghsang last month said.
“Now they want us to surrender ourselves and our men also.”

While bullying the NLD, SNLD and Aung San Suu Kyi is quite easy and the junta could pose a
“don’t care” stance, dealing with the cease-fire armies, especially the strong ones, could be
problematic. For they too could shoot back as well.
As for the unfortunate Aung San Suu Kyi, it is comparable to the fairy tale of wolf and lamb. No
amount of innocence justification and reasonable argument will save her from the clutches of a
tyrant.  

To sum up, the international community and especially the West shouldn’t get indulge in the
rhetoric  of “if you can’t win them, join them” and go soft  or opt for engagement, coupled with
appeasement would make the junta become more reasonable. The junta is determined than
ever to pull through its seven-step roadmap, according to its own game plan,  regardless of
international outcry or  continued human rights violations of  the people of Burma.

‘End….

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