Who should be named Burma's 2010 Person of the Year?

While contemplating my choice and assessing the accomplishments of the persons who played crucial roles in Burma this year, I asked myself: Whose work most significantly shaped the country and its society?

Of course, the first person who came to mind was Aung San Suu Kyi, who was released from more than seven years of house arrest on Nov. 13.

Kyaw Zwa Moe is managing editor of the Irrawaddy magazine. He can be reached at [email protected].

In addition, Suu Kyi is a symbol of democracy not only for the people of Burma, but also for the people of the world, especially the oppressed. Her determination and dedication to achieve victory in the struggle for democracy in Burma—which during the 1988 uprising she coined “the second struggle for national independence”—has never swayed, and she has paid a huge price for her efforts.

But has she brought any improvement other than hope and inspiration to people's lives this year? And has she come close to bringing democracy to Burma?

Unfortunately, the answer to both questions is “no.” So while my respect for Daw Suu Kyi and appreciation for the significance of her release nearly tipped the scales in favor of choosing her as 2010 Person of the Year, I did not do so.

Min Ko Naing, the most prominent leader of the 88 Generation Students group, was the next up for consideration. He was a leader of the 1988 uprising, and along with many of his colleagues was sentenced to 65 years in prison for his role in the protests.

The sacrifice and dedication that he and his colleagues have demonstrated in their efforts to bring about change in Burma is enormous and noble. But as a prisoner, what did he manage to accomplish in 2010? From his cell in the remote Kengtung Prison in Shan State, he was unable to send his political message or work back to Rangoon. For the year 2010, therefore, he was just on the shortlist.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, then popped into mind. The 26-year-old was chosen 2010 Person of the Year by Time magazine for his creation of a social network that since 2006 has connected more than a half-billion people across the world. Is there anyone in Burma, I wondered, who has brought together its diverse citizens in a relatively similar fashion?

Or do we have a Burmese Julian Assange, one of the Time runners-up, who leaked over 250,000 diplomatic cables through his WikiLeaks website?

During Burma's election on Nov. 7, many local journalists disclosed polling irregularities, vote rigging and other instances of election fraud despite heavy restrictions imposed by the regime. The media did a good job, allowing the world to see clearly how the military government manipulated the vote and stole the election. But everyone knew in advance the election was a sham, and I don't think the collective media exposed the “big story” that entitled them to be named Person of the Year.

Probably the boldest move of 2010 was taken by Brig-Gen Saw Lah Pwe, the leader of the breakaway Brigade 5 of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. On election day, Saw Lah Pwe led his troops in a calculated assault on Myawaddy and Three Pagodas Pass near the Thailand-Burma border, during which they seized some official buildings in Myawaddy.

The audacity of the attacks left the Burmese generals, who had previously made a big push to get Brigade 5 to agree to join its border guard force, with a significant amount of egg on their face. It also threatened to instigate an all out war between the regime and the country's many armed ethnic groups.

Should the rebel leader Saw Lah Pwe, therefore, be the Person of the Year?

I don't think so, because while significant, his calculated assault on the regime was isolated. Before being considered for nationwide recognition, he needs to coordinate with other armed ethnic groups and launch a larger offensive against the junta's armed forces.

What about the people of Burma? Could they collectively be named Person of the Year?

The people took to the streets in 1988, did so again in 2007, and have historically demonstrated the capacity to rise up against their oppressors when necessary. But how about their participation in 2010?

Many joined the election boycott movement in an attempt to throw the junta off course on their political road map. Some participated in the election and won at least a few seats in parliament, from which they can challenge the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Yet all of these efforts failed at stopping the generals from accomplishing what they set out to do: hold the election and win enough seats in parliament to dominate the new government and preserve their iron grip on power.

With this thought in mind, it occurred to me that being named Person of the Year does not necessarily need to honor the person chosen, nor does it mean that the person chosen had a good or positive impact on the country. It simply recognizes the individual or group who has had the most significant impact on the political, social, economic and cultural aspects of society.

So who had the same impact on Burmese society as Zuckerberg had on the world community?

Unfortunately, if one is honest, only one person fits that bill: Snr-Gen Than Shwe.

It was Than Shwe that directed Burma's two biggest dramas of 2010: the election and Suu Kyi's release. With respect to the election, he carefully selected the actors and actresses, including those he wanted and excluding those he didn't. He also carefully wrote and got the players to follow his own personal script, and the drama culminated in a Hollywood ending for the junta when the USDP won by a landslide. 

This did not happen quickly or by accident: Than Shwe has been planning the events of 2010 for almost two decades. By orchestrating the approval of the new Constitution in 2008 and the election result in 2010, Than Shwe automatically eradicated the results of the 1990 election in which Suu Kyi's NLD party won more than 80 percent of the seats contested, and guaranteed that his regime will remain firmly entrenched as the real rulers of Burma, possibly for decades to come, behind the facade of a civilian government.

Then, by setting Suu Kyi free in a calculated move, he was able to distract international attention away from the sham election and onto the fact that Burma's pro-democracy icon was now able to meet with foreign leaders and the press. Amazingly, despite the negative long-term implications of the election for the country, within a week after the polls Than Shwe managed to manipulate the people of Burma and the international community into feeling not just satisfied, but euphoric. 
 
Unfortunately, but without a doubt, Than Shwe is Burma's 2010 Person of the Year.