The Man with the Plan

By YENI NOVEMBER, 2010 - VOL.18, NO.11

Snr-Gen Shwe, right, and Chinese president Hu Jintao, left, review an honor guard during a welcoming ceremony for Than Shwe in Beijing. (Photo: AFP)

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In a statement, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs thanked the Burmese side “for the detailed briefing [on the election] and emphasized the importance of comprehensively broad-basing the national reconciliation process and democratic changes being introduced in Myanmar [Burma].”

China, for its part, simply told the West to mind its own business. At a press conference on Sept. 7, Chinese spokeswoman Jiang Yu said, “We hope the international community can provide constructive help to the upcoming election and refrain from making any negative impact on the domestic political process and regional peace and stability.”

This was good enough for Than Shwe, who knows that all he really needs to get the job done is a free hand to do as he pleases inside Burma without having to worrying too much about negative repercussions beyond its borders. This was why, when visiting Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva attempted to convey other countries’ doubts about the credibility of the election during his trip to Burma on Oct. 11, Than Shwe told him he was “aware of the concerns, but did not want any outside help.”

With this cloud of neutrality now surrounding Burma’s election, Than Shwe can now proceed to declare victory, as long as he maintains his grip on the situation inside the country. He knows now that even in the distant West, he has allies who, while they don’t actually support him, are willing to let him win this one, if only so he’ll go away and make room for a new generation of leaders.

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COMMENTS (1)

Zaw Min Wrote:

30/10/2010

The Military junta lost a lot of credibility with the way they handled the Nargis and Saffron Revolution - not to mention that they already lost it with the way they handled the country's situation with their interest in mind only. But all that losses was through tremendous loss for our people too.

Even though this election is another major effort by Than Shwe, we have an excellent chance to deal a major blow against him and his junta, and yet many of our opposition are letting him win hands down by not participating or encouraging boycott of it.

Let him show his hand by cheating in a massive way or losing out yet again. We still have time to deal this blow if we start spreading the word. Lets do it. Hit him in this too. Don't spare him anything. We got nothing to lose here. Not even life and limbs if it is played correctly.