_ by May Ng
So far, the generals from Naypyidaw have not given into the international pressure to allow a speedy and large scale rescue operations inside Irrawaddy delta, to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe. But the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations is being asked by the Burmese junta to help with aid-pledging conference in Rangoon, as the generals are busy hoarding aid shipments for the army.
The ASEAN association, which admitted Burma as a member in 1997, usually plays by the Burmese junta’s rule. Even as thousands are likely to be dying from lack of aid, the ASEAN continues to advocate a soft approach and insists that “Humanitarian assistance should be brought to Burma by agreement, not by force.”
Once again it is the military generals in Burma who lays down the rules by which the ASEAN leaders have to play.
It seems that victims of the worst storm in Burma have become the hostages of their own government, which is preventing rescue missions from reaching the dying people. For the relief missions to be allowed into the delta area to save lives, demand by the Burmese junta has to be met first.
After the cyclone Nargic slammed into Burma, the general who have killed monks were given one last chance to redeem themselves. But the Burmese generals have chosen to sacrifice thousands upon thousands of lives just to safeguard the army’s absolute power over the fragile nation.
For most of the ordinary people, living in Burma is an act of courage, and keeping humanity in their hearts is an act of faith. It may mean little in Asia, a world, transformed by China’s economic success and material wealth.
Because of the new power and wealth, China has become a most important political player regarding Burma. But the part China has played has been regrettable. China’s misguided notion about Burma has much to do with its outdated political approach and naïve assumption about the present political dynamic in Burma. China’s approach to Burma’s political equation has not changed in the last twenty years since abandoning its support for the communist insurgents and became benefactor of the junta government.
During the early 90’s, China switched side in Burma’s armed struggle and gave the military junta a decisive advantage over other armed rebels. In the subsequent years, China’s economic ascendancy coincided with the period during which China appeared to be developing peacefully. And China remains convinced to this day that its decision to resuscitate the rogue junta of Burma in 1989 has been to its advantage.
Another reason for China’s unwillingness to recognize Burma’s political evolution has to do with prejudice against the Burmese native people that they lack cultural capital to excel in commerce and politics. By sticking to these narrow views and outdated political approach, Beijing has become the most visible defender of the military junta in Burma. As Asia begins basking in the glow of economic rise, China’s influence reaches beyond Asia and musters support for Burma’s junta in the Unites Nations and the ASEAN.
China’s support for the army generals who attacked their monks last September has resulted in Tibetan revolts in China afterward, because the Tibetans now view China as sharing the common political value with the despised junta of Burma. While China is taking the earthquake victims’ plight seriously, the Burmese junta has not responded to the devastation of the cyclone victims.
It seems that the opportunity for the military regime to redeem itself is being lost. But the rest of the world is unlikely to take the eyes off Burma now. Everyone will be watching China and ASEAN, and how they behave toward the enormous suffering in their backyard.
May be it is time for China and ASEAN to re-examine their approach on how to best handle the narrow minded Burmese generals, instead of letting the junta lead the rest of Asia into the dark and cruel path.
[May Ng is from the Southern Shan State of Burma and NY regional director of Justice for Human Rights in Burma.]