Opinion

CONTRIBUTOR

Intelligent Dialogue Partners or Useful Idiots?

By SUZANNE ROTT Friday, July 1, 2011

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Let me conclude that I agree with Loening that sanctions should not be a self-serving instrument, but that they need to be “tuned.” If the Burmese government is serious about the advertised change and really wants sanctions to be lifted so that a flow of investment can begin to reduce poverty, then it has all the tools it needs to achieve this goal. All it needs to do is release political prisoners and take the first steps toward a genuine national dialogue that includes the ethnic and political opposition groups. By doing so, the Burmese government can achieve its goal of lifting sanctions within less than six months.

Suzanne Rott is a Burma observer based in Thailand.

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COMMENTS (17)

Nyunt Han Wrote:

14/07/2011

Definitely useful idiots !

Myat Thu Wrote:

12/07/2011

Whoever involve in the business of undermining and marginalizing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD is the enemy of Burma. Don't ever forget that she is the rightful leader of Burma, not just the leader of democratic opposition.

KI Wrote:

09/07/2011

ursus i am german...

Ursus Wrote:

08/07/2011

Correction: Germany has in fact the worst government SINCE THE END of WW2.

KI, I did not compare the current government with the one during the War. Clear enough for you?

I still keep my opinion. Following very closely German foreign politics results not only in my opinion, but also in the opinion of the majority of unhappy Germans.

I wonder if you're close enough to German People to name that "blatant garbage"!

KI Wrote:

07/07/2011

"Germany has in fact the worst government since WW2. "

haha... alright.

I will not discuss on such a level... Calling Germany´s government the worst since WW2 is such blatant garbage that I really cant take you serious.

Peter Ole Kvint Wrote:

07/07/2011

The only Dialogue possible in Burma is the guns' Dialogue.

Ursus Wrote:

07/07/2011

KI, low quality foreign policy, in this case German foreign policy has to be commented. Not only from Irrawaddy but from all medias.
Germany has in fact the worst government since WW2. Even the majority of the German population discover this fact.

Please separate German policy and Germans!

KI Wrote:

06/07/2011

Irrawaddy has done a good job to brainwash people...

Germany is as far away from being Nazi as it gets .. anyone with some common sense can see that.

And Saw Dennis the "master race ideologues"? Are you kidding me??

Tettoe Aung Wrote:

06/07/2011

One needs to do a bit of thorough research before one also becomes 'the other'. Why is Germany so desperate in getting a foothold in Burma? Ask yourself this question and your will find your answer. Because of Burma's strategic location 'Murky Merkel' cannot wait to poke her fingers in Burma's pie.

Saw Dennis Wrote:

06/07/2011

The German diplomats appear like implementing the strategy of controlling our country through the master race ideologues, the military dictators of Burma, for economic and political gain. Since early 1990s, the German political NGOs have set up quietly a network of opportunist groups as their lackeys to serve their interest, inside and outside of the country, and among the democratic and ethnic forces. The lackeys have been vying with one another to defeat the effort by civilized countries to restore democracy, human rights and durable peace to the country. The German diplomats and NGOs should know that in this 21st Century, Asia is not a place for Nazism or a similar ideology as much as Europe is not. No doubt, not all Germans are power mongers and self-serving opportunists. In fact, the majority of the Germans are passionate and kind hearted people. It is earnestly hoped that the diplomats and NGOs would reform soon.

KI Wrote:

05/07/2011

"7 July killing was said to test the effectiveness of German made G3 assault rifles by the Ne Win regim"

Sorry but are you serious?

Observer Wrote:

04/07/2011

The article is a joke. Absolutely lacking in substance.

tocharian Wrote:

04/07/2011

It's true. Ne Win always had dealings with Fritz Werner (he also used to see a psychiatrist in Wien, Austris, I believe).
Right now, the problem is geo-political. Germany is cosying up to China for economic and political reasons recently and China would let German companies make some deals with the junta. In any case, Germany's influence on Burma is about 5% of that of China. I am all for human rights and free speech, but China certainly does not believe in such "Western values", and democracy will never come to Burma, unless China's political system makes a radical change (unlikely). In the mean time Burma is a takeaway kitchen for China with perhaps a few left-overs for Germany!

Tettoe Aung Wrote:

04/07/2011

I believed they are the other - idiots! Some may called it 'anti-German' propaganda but one has to know the history of relations between Burma, in particular the military regime and Germany. If telling the truth is proof of low quality, so be it. Starting with Maung Cho, Ne Win, Fritz Werner and their 'military industrial' complex things have always been a little 'murky'. Look at Wazi for example, it started with the GDR then switched to FDR but smalls arms merchants doesn't have to be either left-handed or right-handed as long as their arms kill people. 7 July killing was said to test the effectiveness of German made G3 assault rifles by the Ne Win regime. How much more can we take from that kind of German friendship?

KI Wrote:

03/07/2011

When is this misleading Anti-German propaganda at irrawaddy.org going to stop?

Its just embarrassing and further proof of the low quality of this newspaper.

George Than Setkyar Heine Wrote:

03/07/2011

"EU diplomats should under no pretext assist the generals in achieving their goal of sidelining opposition forces" said Ms. Rott.
And "Dialogue should not lure them into the trap of becoming useful idiots with good intentions who only end up serving the core interests of Burma's military strategists".
In case, Thein Sein is serious about the advertised change and really wants sanctions lifted, investments to flow and reduce poverty, then he has all the tools to achieve his goal: release political prisoners and take steps toward a genuine national dialogue that includes the ethnic and political opposition groups.
And Burma would soon be on the ROAD to DEMOCRACY, PEACE, PROSPERITY and POSTERITY as well, no less.

Myanmar Patriots Wrote:

02/07/2011

it is not the function of any diplomat, German or otherwise, to engage with any Burmese groups> it is meddling in internal affairs of a state. The diplomat must engage with the foreign ministry of the host country, regardless of who which party occupies seat of government. The diplomat must not even engage with head of judiciary and speaker of parliament.

Who is SUZANNE ROTT anyway? Why should anyone agree with her? Everyone has the right to disagree with her.That is road to democracy!