Burma and Sri Lanka has some shared facts such as colonialism, Theravada Buddhism, Non-allied Movement, and protracted armed resistance by minority.

Apart from that Than Shwe’s trip to Venerable Island is not significant like General Aung San’s visit to Kandy to sign an agreement with Lord Mountbatten in September 1945.

His visit is somewhat noteworthy. Burmese military dictator rarely goes out of his den as he has very limited friends who are willingly to lay out red carpet. The chosen timing is also shrewd because his counterpart President Mahinda Rajapaksa has completed his use of military might to vanquish LTTE. That admires Than Shwe who is yet to be successful to do so. The difference between Tamil resistance and ethnic nationalities’ fight in Burma is use of terrorist means. Hereditarily Burmese peoples are not like Tamils or Al-Qa’ida. Throughout history there is no suicide bomber or assassin who conducts the mission outside Burma. All armed resistant groups in Burma chose only armed targets not civilians.

Than Shwe’s visit to Sri Lanka was reciprocal to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s June visit marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. It was preceded by Thein Sein visit in August 2007 and Nyan Win in March this year and all were after Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka’s Burma trip in 2006. In fact, between Burma and Sri Lanka it can be said of elephant tusker diplomacy. So not only leaders but elephants also will be travelling from Burma to Sri Lanka.

There are reports that Sri Lanka got humanitarian as well as military hardware assistance through Burma waters. Therefore just after that historic victorious operation against LTTE, Mahinda Rajapaksa flew to Naypyidaw to express gratitude to senior General Than Shwe and visited Shwedagon Pagoda. Then Burmese tyrant got an opportunity to go abroad after 5 years and to visit the Temple of the Tooth where the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha is being enshrined. Thanks to Buddhism and those two Heads of the State from Buddhist dominated nations become real friends in need.

General Than Shwe also needs fresh air as he has been occupied with exit strategy as 2010 is drawing nearer and nearer. While the western bloc though engaging directly is not going to accept the junta’s plan of the election next year as it is, So Than Shwe has to collect signatures from possible allies. Sri Lanka is one of them.

The visit also signifies because it is shortly after the Burmese Buddhist monks have had religious boycott against the personals of the regime for the third time. Than Shwe wants to show that he nonetheless has Buddhist monks and a Buddhist president on his side in a foreign country. This is outrage to Burmese Buddhist monks.

While Than Shwe enjoyed traditional dances here and there, Mangala Pinsiri Samawareera, former Foreign Affairs Minister and the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party called Than Shwe as the dictator who killed over 138 Buddhist monks in cold blood. Thanks to Sri Lanka democracy.

The coincidence or similarity of two countries was news reports of top level military leaders of both countries. Lt. General Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, the Secretary 1 and Minister of Military Affairs of Burma was clipped intelligent chief wings and Sri Lanka General Sarath Fonseka, Chief of Defense Staff was permitted to retire.

It can be concluded that Than Shwe tries to seek blessing of the most sacred Tooth Relic for 2010 election as he knows by hook or by crook means is not enough. In Burmese it is called use of both Superior and Inferior means.

Dr. Tint Swe