Burma

Thein Sein Calls for Clean Government

By KO HTWE Friday, April 1, 2011

President Thein Sein, center, flanked by Vice Presidents Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, left, and Sai Mauk Khan, delivers a speech at the presidential house in Naypyidaw on Thursday. (Photo: AP)

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In an address to his newly formed government on Thursday, Burma's new president, ex-Gen Thein Sein, called for cooperation in fighting corruption and urged the country's authorities to respect the rights of citizens.

“The most important task of the new administration is to work together to create good governance and clean government,” Thein Sein was reported as saying by The New Light of Myanmar, a state-run newspaper.

To achieve this, he said, all levels of government must be “transparent, accountable and consistent with the constitution and the existing laws.”

For many observers, however, his words offered little in the way of reassurance, as Burma remains one of the world's most corrupt and oppressive nations.

“Thein Sein said that judicial affairs should be handled openly, but in fact there are still cases being tried behind closed doors at Insein Prison,” said Nyan Win, a lawyer for Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, speaking to The Irrawaddy on Friday.

Aung Thein, another prominent Rangoon-based lawyer, agreed that corruption and a lack of transparency remain the norm in Burma.

“It exists in every government department, and will take a lot of effort to solve,” he said, adding that every new government decries corruption when it assumes power, but few actually do anything about it.

Part of the problem, he said, was that the new government is in fact powerless to do anything without the approval of the generals and ex-generals who have ruled Burma for the past 22 years.

In his speech, Thein Sein also said that administrative bodies “must be careful not to obstruct the fundamental rights of a citizen while dealing with the laws and procedures.”

“What he said is true, but what's important is whether the authorities actually follow his words. Words without actions are meaningless,” said a lawyer from Naypyidaw.

Pho Phyu, a lawyer who has represented Rangoon farmers in land seizure cases, welcomed Thein Sein's speech, but also stressed that major reforms would be needed to combat abuses in the judicial system.

“Right now, the courts are not really places where people can expect a fair hearing. If the government wants to create a just and straightforward legal system, it will have to guarantee the rights of lawyers,” said Pho Phyu.

Burma's Bar Council Act abolished the right of lawyers to organize and form associations, and other rights and freedoms are also limited, he added.

COMMENTS (18)

Moe Aung Wrote:

07/04/2011

KML:

Excellent. That's how they've managed to put Burma on the map. Their godfather Ne Win won the LDC award for us too, didn't he? Marvellous.

KML Wrote:

06/04/2011

His vision should deal some outstanding issues:
Sympathetic towards Ethnic Nationalities
Reversal Refugeees, IDPs and migrant workers
Reversal of brain drain
Equitable economy ,
Focus on infrastructure such ands telecommunication and energy
Special emphasis on Health and Education
Proper taxation policy to strengthen the budget ,Fight Corruption , Nepotism & Cronyism
Change the image of arm forces from targeting own citizen, Good diplomatic relation with greater world community, reliable and trustworthy judicial system

KML Wrote:

06/04/2011

I would like to compare newly appointed President Gen Thein Sein to late President Gen San Yu, BSPP. During 1988 uprising, I didn’t hear anybody shouted badly about Gen San Yu, Only Ne Win, Sein Lwin , Mg Mg etc.. were blamed badly. Both President Thein Sein and President San Yu seem to be obedient and less corrupt among their peers. They look like top civil servants.
President Thein Sein still has a chance to change the country like Deng XP and Goverchev. He must come up with a “vision” to win the hearts and minds all Burmese populations. The vision be “proactive” than “reactive”.

yebaw Wrote:

05/04/2011

The biggest joke of the world in 2011.

KML Wrote:

05/04/2011

I am referring to (Unmasking Burma's 'Democracy' http://www2.irrawaddy.com/article.php?art_id=21069) to promote this clean government .

Thank you very much Mr Rodger for sharing your experience. However, I would like to correct your perception of my country being “still backward”.

In fact, Burma is the first country to invent and drive “Next G Hybrid Democracy”, some of the salient features:
• Built in GPS: set destination
• Cruise control: set speed
• Energy efficient: can divert country’s economy into a few pockets
• Automatic roaming: from military to democratic government, very easy
• Bullet proof: embedded with Great Wall of China
• Noise proof: resistant to human rights and freedom of speech
• Highly Cosmetic Design

I would like to recommend this new invention to replace Double Decker London buses (centuries old British democracy).

tocharian Wrote:

05/04/2011

The word "clean" reminds me (as an older man) of the ugly AFPFL split between the Clean faction (Nu+Tin) and the Stable faction (Swe+Nyein) in the late 50's which led to Ne Win's coup in 62 and we all know the disastrous things that happened after that. Mind you, I am not saying the early AFPFL politicians were angels but at least Burma enjoyed a fledgling democracy (albeit of a rather parochial and corrupt nature) in the early days of independence, despite serious ethnic conflicts (the question of federalism was never really settled).
So now what? Quo Vadis Burma?

Myint Myat Twe Wrote:

05/04/2011

Three bright colourline in the new Burmese flag(except white star) three big statues in the new city Naypyidaw, three big puppets in the new parliment ( look in the photo)

So.. the answer is 3+3+3=9, they love 9 every time to protect power, that's why they are really not clean yet,

If they really want to be clean they should clear three big old lions from their side.

Kerry Wrote:

04/04/2011

How is this possible with political prisoners?

PB Publico Wrote:

03/04/2011

May I quote:
“The most important task of the new administration is to work together to create good governance and clean government,”

“.. said that judicial affairs should be handled openly,”

And about corruption: “It exists in every government department, and will take a lot of effort to solve,”

“. . must be careful not to obstruct the fundamental rights of a citizen while dealing with the laws and procedures.”

Well said. Better be well done, considering the restraints he places his actions in, namely the existing laws and the constitution that have been forced into existence.

I would wish U Thein Sein to be gallant and thinks independently of the old system that has worked all along jeopardizing the nation and deepening poverty of the people day by day, as well as separating the families, even making access to political prisoners more and more costly and difficult.

And his priority should be a durable, fair peace in the whole country, the border areas in particular.

Mualcin Wrote:

03/04/2011

To get a clean government, Thein Sein needs to be a clean leader. Thein Sein also needs to enforce the law effectively to clean all public servants from corruption. In the past, we the people see the public servants as enemies. This is what Thein Sein needs to reverse. But as long as Thein Sein follows Than Shwe's footsteps, nothing will change.

Sai Lin Wrote:

03/04/2011

Who will believe fox announce he will stop eating meat and become Vegan?

He has to arrest Than Shwe, Maung Aye, Shwe Min, Tin Aung Myint Oo and other corrupted military officers and their family first. I’ll accept him as the man who really want to change tradition of wide separate corruption in Burma when he prosecute Than Shwe, Maung Aye, Shwe Min, Tin Aung Myint Oo and their family and their cronies.

Yangontha Wrote:

03/04/2011

They looked so good with their bright sashes and standing with their half-sleepy eyes. Perhaps, they forgot to place a Burmese orchestra at the back of them to make a perfect concert stage !!

kyaik-ka-san Wrote:

02/04/2011

Thein Sein plus over 1,000 of MPs and government stuffs are graduates from the Dictator School of Than Shwe who taught all sorts of sin in the world. For more than 20 years of learning and practicing in the field of oppression and evils, it is very disgust to hear that Thein Sein suddenly talked about all theories of discipline democracy.

Bullying followed by bullying, the old tactic of junta, is already lost its charm. Than Shwe and Thein Sein understand well their final days are approaching and may not escape from latest actions of financial sanctions and ICC investigation commission on War Crimes in Burma.

We hope these actions will be coming soon as Obama is set to appoint Derek Mitchell as the first U.S. special envoy to Burma.

A question to be answered by Than Shwe and/or Thein Sein: Why a farce and a magic polling by junta resulted a government but winners of a fair and just election in 1990 are not allowed?

Thidar Aye Wrote:

02/04/2011

"Tha Khoe Gyi" gave a speech to "Tha Khoe Lay" to steal everything from the country until the whole land of Burma disappears from the world.

Ursus Wrote:

02/04/2011

Clean Government? Get rid of Than Schwe, his family and his cronies and you get exactly what you want!

luusoelay Wrote:

02/04/2011

Moe Aung Wrote:

02/04/2011

Rhetoric and lip service go hand in hand. It's the stuff of cheap politicking. Words cannot cost them their power, but their nefarious actions will in the end.

Zarni Wrote:

02/04/2011

Let him give a responsive answer to the earthquake victims before he say things like that. Let him prove himself as a rightful president. A small move leads to a big trust!