This week, BURMA DIGEST is asking readers to consider who should be our ‘Political Personalities of the year 2006 for Burma’.  We can perhaps identify at least two distinct categories of personality – firstly, those who work for the people of Burma in the pro-democracy arena, and second the “rogue’s gallery” of those who work in the junta or help to keep it going.  Is there anyone who sits on the fence – how can anyone take a neutral stance in the face of such strong issues as grave Human Rights abuses and the struggle for establishing government of a country? 2006 has been an eventful year with some successes and some frustrations, so let’s look back at who has been doing what. 

Activists within Burma and diplomats around the world have sought to bring about positive change in Burma, while rebel armies have sought to defend themselves against unremitting torture and slaughter; whereas the junta have made a concerted attempt to raise the international profile of their propaganda and the apologists for the junta have sought to divert attention away from their own unsavoury activities and shady business deals. 

The year began with the continuing war against the Karen people and against the SSA-S.  Villages continued to be burnt and depopulated, villagers raped and murdered, with civilians fleeing the onslaught of the Burma Army.  Khun Kyaw and his SSA-S troops surrendered, rather than bring more death and destruction by the Tatmadaw to northern Shan State.  Because they didn’t bow to the junta’s bullying they were charged, tried and sentenced to death on trumped up charges.  The Junta took the opportunity to denounce the freedom fighters as terrorists, drug traffickers and worse – all of their own crimes. 

Gambari’s visits earlier in the year gave a glimmer of hope that the regime would bow to UN pressure and that DASSK would be released.  False hopes.  But hope re-surfaced as the regime did release Su Su Nway under pressure from the ILO and world condemnation.  The ILO still threaten to bring junta to account for their forced labour practices.

‘Bad boy’ John Bolton worked hard at the UN Security Council to get Burma on the agenda – his controversial style doesn’t go down well with the new Democrats – we’ll have to see if the new man can push through any resolutions on Burma against the expected opposition from Russia and China. 

On the rise of optimism that changes in Burma were imminent, Min Ko Naing and 4 of his fellow ’88 generation’ came under the scrutiny of the junta and were thrown in jail – 500,000 Burmese citizens put their name to a petition to release them, demonstrating once again that the people of Burma do support the democracy activist – the junta responded by labelling them as terrorists and keeping them locked up.  I guess at this rate, Burma will become a country of 50 million terrorists – in fact anyone not under the junta’s thumb will be labelled a terrorist.

Our lives were lightened by the septuagenarian activist Dr. Salai Tun Than, who was prepared to sacrifice his life in demonstrating on the streets of Rangoon … if only the junta would allow back into Burma – rebound88 called him the future ‘Dalai Lama’ of Burma, hailing his selfless deed as making the world a more worthy place to live in – something that nobody would say of the junta. 

For those of us whose memory is fading, the Irrawaddy has producing two excellent year end articles – People of 2006, and 2006 Year-end review.  The review gives us personal accounts of Min Ko Naing, Zarganar, Thet Win Aung, Bo Mya – we could add Sao Yewd Suek who has faced a year of increased offences by the junta and their drug warlord armies, leading an army of freedom fighters about 5,000 strong against the Tatmadaw’s 400,000.  The list includes advocates working on the borders; Jackie Pollack of the Migrant Assistance Programme, Bo Kyi and Tate Naing of AAPPB, Zipporah Sein of the KNU/KWO, Maung Maung of NCUB. 

Humanitarian assistance groups working on the borders are in the list – notably the Free Burma Rangers whose work inside Burma brings hope as well as medical assistance to displaced peoples.  We could also recall the work of Cynthia Maung, Shan Orphan Support, SWAN, KHRG, WLB, WLC and numerous others – providing essential support for refugees and IDPs along the borders.  Evan Williams’ “Burma’s Secret War” TV programme showed us the conditions under which the FBR operate and gave the world an insight into life in eastern Burma that few people have ever heard about.

On this list of rogues, Brig-Gen. Kyaw Hsan, Burma’s own Goebbels, co-ordinated the regime’s propaganda machines, bringing together Burma’s media heads to counter criticism of the junta in the international press.  We have seen Kyaw Hsan’s press conferences given lengthy air time on MRTV, relating turgid details of every meeting the junta has, every donation to sayadaw and monastery by generals and USDA toadies, tours with journalists to show the ‘developments’ that the junta has achieved – all carefully stage-managed in an attempt to delude the world’s press – only Xinhua fall in line.  Since the UNSC agenda decision, MRTV have been working flat out to defend the junta and its achievements, coercing ceasefire groups to denounce the UN, claiming progress and prosperity in all aspects of life – whilst the people of Burma continue to live a life of poverty and persecution.

In the list too is back room spin doctor U Thaung who influenced the regime’s decision to take the road map and manipulated Gambari’s visit to his own agenda, retaining links to pals in the US to influence UN delegates as well as good connections with (unscrupulous) PR firms in the US.  What about Soe Win, the Himmler of Burma, who is responsible for the death of democracy in Burma with the National Convention – a constitution that puts the final nails in the coffin of freedom. 

The regime may have fewer public names to rely on for a ‘hit list’ – the minions in the back rooms keep a low profile, turning out drivel for Myanma Ahlin and MRTV, oiling the machinery of government, terrorising the civilian population, torturing political prisoners, extorting money from villagers, bullying political opposition, lying to foreign diplomats and forcing NGOs to obey their rules or get out.  The regime continues to ‘educate’ the civil service to follow the regime’s dictates – and they oblige, wishing to keep a career that at least offers the opportunity for ‘tea money’.  Than Shwe as usual keeps a low profile – we see him at the unveiling of his Nuremburg-style parade ground at NayPyiDaw and at his daughter’s obscenely extravagant wedding, at meetings with Gambari and Thaksin, inspecting hydro-electric dams (no doubt after the forced labourers had been shipped out).  Despite making it to the list of Insane World Leaders, there seems no one ready to take over the reins of government – they have all been eliminated as too dangerous. 

We end the year as it began, military offences against ethnic civilians and freedom fighters – civil wars that have been going on for nearly 60 years.  Burma’s Army has been accused of using landmines as a way of starving the population in Mon state – an accusation that could apply to every state.  Activists involved with the ‘white campaign’ have been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for ‘forging documents’.  The National Convention rumbles on, despite widespread criticism as a rubber stamp for the legalisation of the military’s rule. MRTV churns out the same unconvincing propaganda at the same pace. 

SHRF report that the Tatmadaw continue to persecute ethnic groups by suppressing any aspect of a separate cultural identity – language, dress, festival days all remain ‘political’ targets in the ethnic genocide – an experience shared with other ethnic groups.  The UN Security Council deliberations haven’t managed to curb the regimes excessive zeal in persecuting the people of Burma, with their discussions on the US-led resolution delayed until next year – let’s hope and pray that 2007 will bring the pressure to bear on one of the world’s most odious regimes.  And who will rise to the challenges of next year? 

So please cast your vote on who should be the Political Personality of the year 2006 for Burma here: www.tayzathuria.org.uk/politicianof2006.htm .

PLEASE CHOOSE A PERSON OF YOUR CHOICE AND ALSO TELL US WHY YOU CHOOSE HIM/HER.