However, Suu Kyi and Than Shwe do indeed have several friends in common.
In a recent speech by Than Shwe in Naypyidaw, he reiterated concerns that foreign countries might seek to interfere in the elections—usually a reference to Western countries.
The general said: “During the transition to an unfamiliar system, countries with greater experience usually interfere and take advantage for their own interests. For this reason, it is an absolute necessity to avoid relying on external powers.”
In this case, the general, who relies heavily on China’s political support, is absolutely right.
Than Shwe is aware of the international community’s “wait and see” attitude because he knows that its members have several excuses not to do anything significant. It was in this awareness that he sent out his warning message.
On the one hand, the decision by Suu Kyi’s NLD not to participate in the election has an international dimension athough it has played into the hands of the regime, with critics saying she has made a blunder.
As in the past, the NLD’s painful decision throws down the gauntlet before Burma's friends and critics alike, who are ready to swallow the generals' line and react in typical fashion.
Than Shwe knows the election will reduce his evil image. He will receive ever fewer messages of “disappointment” and “frustration” after he successfully introduces “disciplinary democracy” in Burma. He must be happy with the decision of Suu Kyi and the NLD.
Suu Kyi, other political prisoners and the oppressed ethnic minorities will face same old issue—having to work harder to make themselves more relevant in the future.
Here is my recommendation: Than Shwe should send a letter of appreciation to Ban and all of his international friends and assure them of a “free and fair” election.
Suu Kyi, on the other hand, should send her own letter of disappointment to her international friends and critics. They will reply in similar fashion.
Tide, Keep up the good work! We will do our best to make the whole world understand the real Burma.
Tide Wrote:
06/04/2010
Sorry mate - Okkar!
I might have missed your points. I guess all I wanted to say was focus on the topic and don't let ourselves become like Suu Kyi's admirers.
Than Shwe might be a bad guy in the eyes of millions, but at least he has been doing lots of good stuff especially infrastructures across the country. And Suu Kyi just sits and sulks. Why can't people understand the fact that the power is not in the hands of Than Shwe nor Maung Aye? What the military regime is doing is all about team work; they are not like former Ne Win's socialists. They are not like former regimes at all. What they are doing now is implementing U Nu's vision (to some extent) plus the real politics. They are not destroying Suu Kyi's centre politics; they are just trying to take off the country to another level - that's it. Aung San used to use the slogan "Burmese's opportunity arises when English faces difficulty". That shows how much Aung San lacks vision and strategies. Like father like daughter!
Cheers!
Garrett Wrote:
05/04/2010
I am a bit put-off when I read an article pointing out "hypocrisy" by the countries who have been trying to work on behalf of the Burmese people to help them do what they have barely raised a finger to do for two decades.
No countries such as the United States, Great Britain, or Australia are bound by law to help the Burmese people deal with the corrupt SPDC. Yet these countries often do more for the citizens of Burma than the citizens do for themselves.
However, the United Nations is altogether worthy of being labled hypocritical due to its lack of taking the necessary steps to protect the Burmese people from an illegitimate regime which takes advantage of the UN's weaknesses to continue gleefully raping Burma.
The time for blaming others is over.
This is it, the time for the Burmese people to unite for freedom, and prepare for democracy when the SPDC falls.
No anarchy, no looting, no kangaroo courts.
Ask the world for its help ousting the SPDC, not to do it for you!
Myanamr patriot 4 UMPF Wrote:
04/04/2010
What percentage of elegible voters turned out at US elections, or at any Western election?
Gaining power by abstaining?
Well, that is genius!
KKK Wrote:
03/04/2010
One of the Burmese weaknesses is personal attack on each other.
Moe Aung Wrote:
02/04/2010
Hypocrisy, in other words double standards, has been the norm in a good deal of politics and much of diplomacy as both are based on group interests. It's just dressed up in jargon laced with platitudes and lip service to justify one's limitations as well as one's real agenda. It is indeed a part of statecraft.
One step back, two steps forward:
If the NLD can muster popular support for a mass boycott of the polls nationwide, that's the right strategy to employ. It needs only to spread the word 'unofficially', and it can maintain 'plausible deniability'. No protest marches, no banners. People simply need to stay in on the day. The NLD can still expect a crackdown if it does nothing anyway.
Whether people not turning up or being frogmarched to the polling stations but voting for anyone but the junta's proxies, the SPDC can only cheat the way it did in the sham referendum. And once again it becomes the laughing stock before the entire world. Legitimacy?! Time for the NLD to up the ante.
Kyaw Wrote:
02/04/2010
The NLD ignored the "big picture in Burmese politics and the important role it has to play in helping to transform the country towards a democracy," a senior official of a Southeast Asian country told IPS. "Democracy is a process, not a morality play."
Okkar Wrote:
02/04/2010
Tide,
I was merely pointing out the hypocrisy in his article because it was like the pot calling the kettle black. In case you missed the point, I was actually discussing the content of his article, where he ridicules others for their lack of command of the Burmese language and being unable to pronounce Su Kyi's name correctly.
That in itself is hypocrisy, since Mr. Aung Zaw himself can barely speak English let alone getting correct pronounciation on anything.
Tide Wrote:
02/04/2010
Okkar!
I for sure do not agree with Aung Zaw's ideas and arguments.
But - come on - this is not a place to attack his weakness in language. After all, this is not even your business, and that shows how low you are. You have every right to discuss his article, though.
myichi tarheel Wrote:
02/04/2010
I don't think Daw Suu and NLD made this decision to win favor from anybody abroad. I believe they did it in reflection on the developing situation, which in a broader sense would not in anyway help the people and country of Burma, but pepetuate the agony in the abyss of tyranny.
MW Wrote:
01/04/2010
We all are sad with the NLD's decision. Anyone who truly loves the country is. Stepping in NLD's shoes would find that they are all sad, too. But we should be happy/proud that the NLD has made such a right decision unanimously. And which is noble and needs support - doing the right thing with saddened, heavy heart or doing the wrong thing joyously? So for those whose conscience are clear they truly love their country and the people please check "yes..but" at this time of critical moments in history.
After all most of us who read/write in this page are not at the core of this painful decision mechanism nor the actions that definitely follow suit. Probably not even inside the country that we loudly love. Moral is what we really possess and moral support is what we can unwaveringly offer. Never doubt that this is the force that moves the mountain. A country has the government it deserves. What we have deserved we all have now. What we will deserve is around the corner.
Kyaik-ka-san Wrote:
01/04/2010
Politically, a friend indeed doesn’t necessarily be a savior. As long as there's a stand with justice, hypocrisy or even an enemy can be convinced and turned into a friend. A person with principle and morality is a friend. In other words, an evil person like Than Shwe is dangerous to Burmese people.
Thanks to the NLD’s concerted efforts, many drifting governments are become supportive and friendly countries, because these countries are governed by leaders that possess basic international norms of human rights and prosperity.
Crimes committed by the junta are multiplied with respect to time scale and are not acceptable by human society. The evil acts compounded with endless bullying of TS caused difficulty for neighbors, including China, to accept their policy.
Mr. Ban of the UN gave a most relevant fact that TS has promised him to cooperate with the UN. The junta never showed cooperation but always acted against the UN, he said. Over time, dirty tricks played by TS made all fed up.
The NLD has earned great hope for Burma.
Thura Wrote:
01/04/2010
For this decision, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be admired more by a lot of people around the world for her strong beliefs, her morality, her persistent defiance against the junta. She will surely be recorded as a great figure in history.
However, what will happen to most of her party members? Without a legal party platform, their activities will be very limited and will be much less effective going forward. They will finally lose an opportunity to play effective roles in politics.
How about the impact on the people? Obviously, there will be an election and a junta-backed party will win the election. Moreover, there won't be a strong opposition in the parliments although a strong opposition in parliament is really needed for check-and-balance. On the other hand, the sactions are likely remain and the deadlock will continue for more decades.
Although I admire Daw Suu much, I have to say she is not the solution and she is rather a part of the problems.
Thura Wrote:
01/04/2010
I was really sad about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's decision not to register the party for 2010 election. From morality perspectives, it may be right but I do not see any workable future strategy on the NLD's side.
Will she continue to rely on pressure/sactions from international community? The past two decades have proved that this won't solve the problems.
Will she try to create mass demostrations to challenge the junta or the new government? Although people hate the junta a lot, most are not ready to risk their lives for a change in Burma and they care more about their daily lives. Moreover, the junta is very well-experienced in oppressing such demonstrations.
myichi tarheel Wrote:
01/04/2010
Dear Editor,
In refuting your article, I don't see hypocrisy but consistency and frustrations. The UN has been pushing towards an inclusive free and fair election all along, but when the announcement of the unfair election law was made, they knew what this was leading into and thus the frustration.
The West similarly has the same goal, with a different approach by the US also ending up in frustrations.
China, whose intention is to suck the blood out of Burma until the last drop, is also consistent, too, in supporting the junta no matter what it's doing.
Japan and Asean countries using covert and overt support for the junta, in the hope of a change for better are frustrated.
I used to have a great respect for The Irrawady for its unbiased and clear presentations of the truth, but now I'm a little disappointed.
I wonder what could have fogged the eyes of our dear chief editor?
Moe Aung Wrote:
01/04/2010
In the absence of any concrete measures forthcoming from the international community, the sham elections will take place just as the sham national convention did without the NLD. After all it's going to be a defining moment and a crucial milestone on the roadmap of the junta in its bid for legitimacy, in other words a new lease of life.
Whether the NLD can transform into a mass organization, like the USDA which is going in the opposite direction, and continue to operate in the local communities is questionable. If the feasibility of a nationwide mass boycott of the polls is in doubt, it can only reorganize in the form of a number of loose civil society groups, rather like the YMBA in colonial times, so it can fight another day following a strategic retreat. It certainly cannot voice its opinions on political matters, let alone pursue openly political goals in this form.
ASSK's detractors are having a field day for now. Their unashamed glee however will be short-lived.
SAM Wrote:
01/04/2010
"They both always compete to win friends, as well as hypocrites, saviors and experts who would have difficulty even pronouncing the names of Suu Kyi and Than Shwe correctly, let alone possess any command of Burmese language."
Well said!
Now let's see what those "experts" have to say and do, and how those righteous "saviours" aim to support a healthy and disciplined transition towards "democracy".
I can't help but think of General Ne Win's "The Burmese way to Socialism"...
This new system seems to be Sr. Gen. Than Shwe's "Myanmar's path to Democracy."
The former gave us over two decades of isolation, oppression and poverty.
Would this new system add on decades of continuous oppression, disempowerment and poverty to the previous 22 years (1988-2010)?
Quite likely, if we leave things as they are.
Nang Wrote:
31/03/2010
Yes, I have the same opinion like you. If not taking the opportunity now, how many years do we have to wait again?
The NLD's decision not to take part in the election is definitely falling under Than Shew's script. Instead of complaining and keep resisting, why don't we work for change bit by bit, with the little opportunity we have in hand.
I am disappointed and sad with the NLD's decision. We should not respond to violence with anger, but with rational calculation.
A deeply disappointed person Wrote:
31/03/2010
Thanks for exposing the hypocrites from both sides of the world.
Nyunt Han Wrote:
31/03/2010
When will this re-play of the same old record over and over again by the Western world stop before substansive actions are initiated ?
Okkar Wrote:
31/03/2010
Dear Aung Zaw,
Possessing any command of a particular language does not make you an expert. How hypocritical of you to say such things after your inability to cope with speaking English during the Al Jazzeera interview on TV.
Hypocrisy of self proclaimed saviours of Burma knows no bound and this is the perfect example of it. Having seen you struggling to cope with speaking English, there's little wonder in who is actually editing the contents of Irrawaddy English edition.
Dear Aung Zaw, perhaps you should learn to possess a command of the English language, if you want to be taken seriously!
timothy Wrote:
31/03/2010
Than Shwe can not get all the thing he wants in this law of Karma. He thinks he got rid of Daw Suu and NLD out of the political picture he likes to see and enjoy fully. People will give hima mass boycott on election day to desert the streets and polling stations.
You can force the people to come to voting circus stations but it will be under the watchful eyes of global citizens and on youtube, facebook and twitters. Every move now on will be under global spotlight. You can not get all the things you wants. You are not a 1 year old child any more. Grow up. Get education.
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