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Burma Digest Current Issue

United Nations and Aung San Suu Kyi

Victor Khambil

The United Nations Organization 

Did the UN can only chunk out an hour freedom for Suu Kyi from military regime in Myanmar to see with Gambari? The credibility and ability of United Nations to sit in the   holding role of mediator between political rivals around the world is unlikely to be a reliable source. The operating network of how to function within the context of United Nations Charter itself is interwoven by the rivaling interest among the five veto empowered nations. That's why the UN itself is creaking in need of oil to reform to operate itself within the right direction. As long as the UN is hauling along with five different wheels, the functioning system will often produce more glitches than success to counter the onslaught of the upcoming global threats against civilization. The largest absolutism foundation ever established on earth to protect the rights of human being is now under the threat to divert into limited power.  

The 58 years old United Nations Organization born out of the two World Wars and survived through half century long conflicts cloned hundred of thousands of non-governmental organizations today and still standing solely as human rights master of mankind. However, the intents and purpose of the UN foundation in essence naturally defects standards of behaviour to some extent in which the balance of power is unnecessarily hoisting and tilting as a result of the hoity-toity veto empowered nations competition of self interest among others. I wonder whether it is a prerequisite to set up a prerogative body within absolutism bounded organization since the inclination of favouritism within United Nations reflects discriminatory inscribed chapter in the hidden agenda for the rest of the nations. Even though the identical copy of government system could not be eliminated from UN bureaucratic channel, the balance of power could be adjusted through unanimity of the UN memberships.  

In my opinion, as much as the people of Burma need political change, the United Nations Organization need to reform. I believe that the United Nations should be given wider space to function independently and all nations should support alongside the UN independency as unlimited power instead of subduing under limited power. The true nature of UN absolutism has been almost completely engulfed within veto empowered nations and dwarfed itself under limited power. The patriarchical form of hierarchy whereby the United Nations Organization is vested with prerogative five bodies out of   hundred more nations apparently mismatch the balance of power.  

Aung San Suu Kyi 

Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is a true icon for peace who championed non-violence political effort inside one of the most ruthless state sponsored terrorist rulers on earth in Myanmar ( Burma ). Her NLD party landslide victory in multi party general election held in 1990 was not only ignored but herself imprisoned ever since until today by the self-proclaimed State Peace and Development Council ( SPDC ) which is thoroughly infested with uniformed military servicemen who now rule Myanmar. Myanmar, formerly known as Union of Burma was declared as Independent Country from British Empires in 4 ^th January, 1948. Aung San Suu Kyi is a daughter of General Aung San who is revered as the hero of Burmese Independent Struggle. Actually, the Burmese military was formed by Aung San himself during Independent movement in 1940s such as Burma Independent Army ( BIA ), Burma Defense Army ( BDA ) etc. The modus operandi of   the original Burmese military and the now ruling military is operating in the parallel. The genuine patriot young men in 1940s were the everlasting history of Burma as the Great Army although the current military regime in Myanmar (Burma) will surely end up as hordes of evils without leaving a single good name in the big Black Historical Book of Myanmar which they changed the name from Burma and looting inside to drain out everything as if a poor thief   get inside a wealthy man resident. 

The right person is inside and the wrong guys are at large. The UN seems no other than a mere spectator for the past 18 years concerning the military terrorizing acts against humanity in Myanmar. The mystery remains behind the uncertain future regarding why the UN itself tolerate to be deluded often by military thugs in Myanmar. The mouth-watering hope of Suu Kyi release from house arrest not only from Burmese peoples but among international concerns was shown on the circus stage where Gambari is role modeling under the magic wand of Than Shwe is waving an hour each for himself and Suu Kyi to meet with Mr. Actor from United Nations diplomatic channel. The mesmerizing visit of Ibrahim Gambari is just to pick up another deception from Myanmar military rulers to everybody.  

If the fully armed robbers entered the house; closed all the doors, waving guns at the unarmed house owners, looting inside, gagged everyone mouth and handcuffed, ruthlessly killed the younger children who verbally protested against the robbers, what is the last option for the rest of the family who are gagged and handcuffed? Even if they moved under the suspicion of the robbers as attempt to talk, the robbers are ready to pull the triggers. Myanmar is a prison and all civilians are prisoners where the robbers guarded at every corner.  

Economic Sanctions 

Putting maximum economic sanction against the penurious nation where armed robbers drained out basic resources is indirectly pushing innocent civilians into the last breath and try the last dose from there. Stopping the daily meals to prison inmates will surely cause riotous protest out of hunger. The likely incitement of bloodshed through pushing the poor to get poorer by using the tool of economic sanction could harm humanity in negative result. If the UN and international supported countries want to penalize the military rulers in Myanmar, why not freeze their bank account as they are no other than state sponsored terrorists. The implication through developed nations and UN by putting economic sanction among the people of Burma themselves to restart the old flame is highly unlikely to bear fruit in search of political change in Myanmar. I do support economic sanctions imposed on military rulers in Myanmar but I am afraid the impact of sanction should fell upon innocent civilians rather than upon the point of target.  

During the 18 years rule of military regime in Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi has been house arrested most of the time while the military is expanding their force day and night. The failure of Ibrahim Gambari diplomatic push last May clearly displayed the pressure of UN, US, EU and other support nations is too lenient to affect the military regime in Myanmar to bring about change. It is naïve to put all the blame on UN for political change instead of the people of Burma themselves. However, the lukewarm test of UN is irksome and lack of trust. To see a subdued UN as a fallen guy again on the stage of diplomatic duel with Myanmar military rulers is irritating. I think the military regime in Myanmar will be highly suspicious of UN actual power whether the UN really is loaded with powerful bullets to hit them or just loaded with gunpowder which can only make a loud sound when firing against them.  

The "Fail Again" UN mission to Myanmar is not strange anymore as it should be what it has to be. There are thousands of people with several hundreds of different organizations, movements, committees, unions, and others numbers of group who called themselves as representing Burmese Democratic change. However, even the main pillar for political change in Myanmar which is the force of civilians has been put under control of military regime. The United Nations is just a peripheral figure for political change in Myanmar. Most of the organizations and movements representing Burmese Democratic change are operating from outside with the "do first and get experience" on their way to bring about democratic change in Myanmar. The constitutional crisis which has been plaguing politic in Union of Burma is still the main threat to deadlocking another political chaos since the issues of ethnic nationalities and cultural diversities is not guaranteed in the military sponsored National Convention. 

The military regime is unlikely to tolerate if the opposition party take power and rubbish the National Convention. The mutual concurrence between military rulers and opposition parties looks highly uncertain to happen. Even if we copy down South African national reconciliation style to bridge in search of a reaching hand each other, the technique behind mutual confidence building remains highly suspicious whether it bears a hidden and vindictive agenda for the military regime who are wholly stained with humanity crimes they commit to propel themselves on to the reigning seat of nation power. The military regime strongly believe that they are defending the sovereignty of the country while Aung San Suu Kyi also is believing that she could some day tame the savagely violent military generals through her non-violence patience. Throwing herself under the heels of the brute rulers and tenderly pleading for political change do not work out until today. It has been 18 years since the lawless military regime ruled the nation. Tons of awards and prestige have been pouring down on Aung San Suu Kyi from every nook of the world together with tons of critics and pressures imposed upon the ruling military regime. However, 50 millions innocent civilians imprisoned under their own home nation in Union of Burma are still voicelessly crying for help under the ongoing systematic persecution from the state-sponsored terrorist military rulers.  

Now is the time for the world to penetrate through military regime and Aung San Suu Kyi and see who is actually trampled behind them and deadly suffering for many years.

Victor Khambil

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Comments

Captain Ohn Kyaw Myint said _

Yes,  Mr. Victor Khambil, the act of the robbery is committed by our own security guards whom the Burmese people had hired to protect them. So this robbery is now condoned by many countries under the excuse of “Internal Affairs” and “No interference of internal politics” policies or LAME EXCUSES.
Even if our neighbour is committing a domestic violence, abusing his own wife or children or even its servants or ‘slaves’ there are laws indicating that those acts are crime and most of us would be eager to report to authorities. If the head of the home of our neighbour is committing incest, we must stop that shameful act/crime.
Now Japan, Russia, China, India, Thailand and their shameless cohorts are trying to protect that crime. UN must act decisively. If it dare not act on this small tiny nation without much strong backing, UN should just close shop or change its name to NO ACTION, JUST TALKING PARTY.
No wonder US and allied forces had to resort to unilateral action on Iraq. Then many countries are quick to condemn. We hope US and EU just ignore the almost useless UN and act unilaterally to help all the Burmese Citizens by liberating us from this TYRANT JUNTA.

Derek Tonkin said _

I would be reluctant to write off Mr Gambari's mission to Burma so soon. It took four months to arrange, although it was nearly sabotaged at the last moment by Neo-Conservative elements in the US. He went there, as he himself explained, on behalf of the UN Secretary-General who had been mandated by the UN General Assembly ten years ago to offer his "good offices" in the settlement of Burma's internal problems. His visit had the blessing of some members of the Security Council, but was not made on their behalf. He did not take with him any offers of aid (as some media have reported). He did not go to negotiate any settlement, but simply to see if he could facilitate a dialogue between the junta and the NLD. General Than Shwe said he could try. That was a major concession. U Lwin, for the NLD, has recently said they are now waiting to hear - from the UN. It would be wrong to expect instant solutions to an intractable problem.

Meanwhile the US has said it is drafting a Security Council Resolution on Burma. Whether this will command general support in the Council, and at least secure acquiescence from China and Russia, remains to be seen. It all depends on what text can be negotiated. No doubt the stratosphere is filled with diplomatic cables arguing this point and that point. We wait to see what will in due course emerge. The British position was summarised on 15 June by Lord Triesman, a junior FCO minister, who said that: "We fully support any action in the United Nations, including the current US proposal for a Security Council resolution, that will highlight our concerns over the human rights situation and help to promote reform and positive chnage in Burma." As the Germans say, however, the devil is in the detail.

I am more optimistic about the possible results of Mr Gambari's visit than about any emerging Council Resolution. The US has made it clear that they will use the UN to promote US national interests, and if this is not possible, they will act unilaterally outside the UN. On Burma we have had a lot of US rhetoric, and no doubt more is to come. But I somehow doubt that the US is interested in any kind of compromise deal with China and Russia over Burma which might lead to the junta sharing power with the NLD. US ideology currently seeks a "pure" solution on Burma which would result in regime chnage. They know this isn't going to happen, but the US interest is best served, in the Republican view, by keeping up the pressure, however ineffective and even counterproductive this might be, rather than by seeking to promote a compromise solution.

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