Policy revision urged in Myanmar<\/p>\n
By Yindee Lertcharoenchok<\/p>\n
BANGKOK: Outgoing Foreign Minister Thaksin Shinawatra made a
\nrather late remark recently when he stated that ASEAN and
\nThailand may have to review their "constructive engagement
\npolicy" towards Myanmar if the Myanmarese offensive against armed
\nethnic guerrillas does not cease.<\/p>\n
His statement came one day after Thailand signed an "historic
\nagreement" with Myanmar to purchase natural gas from the Gulf of
\nMartaban in which the Kingdom will pay Bt10 billion a year to the
\nMyanmarese junta, known as the State Law and Order Restoration
\nCouncil (SLORC).<\/p>\n
The ambitious Thai minister may have forgotten that exactly
\ntwo weeks earlier he had pledged to the SLORC, during his 24-hour
\neconomically-inspired visit to Yangon, that Thailand will pursue
\nthe controversial policy, which "has proven to be beneficial to
\nboth Thailand and Myanmar".<\/p>\n
He also went as far as inviting SLORC leader Gen. Than Shwe to
\nattend the summit in December of 10 Southeast Asian heads of
\nstate and powerful intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt to pay
\nan official visit here as guest of the Thai Government.<\/p>\n
Thaksin was adamant about going ahead with his Myanmar trip
\ndespite latent reluctance on the part of some government and
\nmilitary offices who considered the visit an "unpressing" and
\neven "unnecessary" agenda for the new minister at that time. He
\neven broke ASEAN traditional diplomacy by paying a visit to
\nYangon before completing a familiarization tour of ASEAN
\ncapitals.<\/p>\n
The Thai minister, whose strong economic interests and huge
\npersonal investment in several of Thailand's neighboring
\ncountries are no secret, wasted no time during his stay in Yangon
\nin exposing the true motive of his trip -- the prospect of Thai
\neconomic opportunities in Myanmar.<\/p>\n
With a degree of success, he managed to bring to the attention
\nof SLORC leaders the economic interests of some Thai business
\ngroups including the Salween hydro-electric power projects and
\nthe leasing and development of Myanmar's southern port town of
\nTavoy into a deep sea port.<\/p>\n
Thaksin also made known his concern that Thai investment in
\nMyanmar is lagging behind that of other countries, especially
\nSingapore, and urged the SLORC to open up new opportunities for
\nThai investors.<\/p>\n
It is still unclear why Thaksin has threatened a revision of
\nthe "constructive engagement" policy -- a move categorically
\nrejected by previous successive Thai administrations when
\nstrongly urged by the West and policy critics, both local and
\ninternationally. Also questionable is whether his remark reflects
\nhis personal view or that of the current government.<\/p>\n
While some critics take Thaksin's comment with a grain of
\nsalt, believing it to be a mere political tool or maneuver of the
\nyoung businessman, who doesn't hide an ambition to enter politics
\nin the next general elections and whose free-riding ministerial
\npost expired last Saturday, some senior government officials say
\nthe 90-day minister could not have made the statement without the
\nblessing of, or consultations with, other government leaders.<\/p>\n
Still, it is debatable if the Chuan government is really
\nserious about the policy revision or just trying to appease local
\nand international outrage against the SLORC's renewed military
\noffensive, which has driven a new massive influx of refugees into
\nThailand.<\/p>\n
The officials argue that the government and the armed forces
\nare "quite concerned" about the Myanmarese army's operations
\nagainst armed ethnic guerrillas and afraid that violence would
\ncontinue or escalate along the western 2,400 kilometer frontier
\nwith Myanmar.<\/p>\n
The concern is "self-evident" from the fact that Deputy
\nForeign Minister Surin Phitsuwan summoned Myanmarese Ambassador U
\nTin Winn recently for a meeting in which he handed the envoy an
\naidememoire protesting the Myanmarese army's territorial
\nviolations, they added. Thailand complained that all together 65
\nMyanmarese mortar shells had fallen on the Thai soil during the
\nJanuary offensive by Myanmarese troops against the Karen
\nheadquarters of Manerplaw on the west bank of the Moei River
\nopposite Thailand's Tak province.<\/p>\n
"If we (Thai Government) believe in the SLORC's words that the
\nfighting was between the two Karen rival forces and not the
\nMyanmarese army's operation against the KNU, we would not have
\nsummoned the Myanmarese ambassador for a protest," said one
\nofficial. KNU stands for the Karen National Union, which has been
\nfighting ruling military in Yangon for autonomy since Myanmar
\ngained its independence from Britain in 1948.<\/p>\n
In the past, Thailand and ASEAN have flatly rejected the
\nWest's concept of pressure or isolation of Myanmar and strongly
\nargued that the "constructive engagement" policy would help bring
\npeace and prosperity to the Myanmarese people and gradual
\npolitical reform in Myanmar through dialogues between the world
\ncommunity and the SLORC.<\/p>\n
Bangkok has always maintained that the Myanmarese people's
\naspiration for democracy and respect of human rights is "an
\ninternal affair" of Myanmar and that it has no leverage to
\npersuade or interfere in order to bring about changes.<\/p>\n
But in reality, the SLORC has exploited the Thai and ASEAN
\ntolerance and nonchalant attitude toward its abuses of
\nauthoritarian power and illegitimate oppressive rule to its
\nutmost benefit, and has remained unconcerned when its ruthless
\nbehavior towards the Myanmarese populace has backfired on its
\nneighbors in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
Ironically, Thailand, which has expected the much criticized
\npolicy to help strengthen good bilateral relations between the
\ntwo countries and to lead to eventual wellbeing and prosperity of
\nthe Myanmarese people, is facing an emerging sad reality that
\ncontradicts its wishful thinking.<\/p>\n
Recently, exiled respected Myanmarese monk Sayadaw Rewata
\nDhamma, who initiated dialogues between the Myanmarese junta and
\ndetained popular leader Aung San Suu Kyi, revealed a shocking
\npiece of information which has confirmed the underlining dormant
\nfear among many policy makers in Thailand.<\/p>\n
The monk, who has lived abroad for more than 30 years and
\nholds the position of spiritual director of the Buddhist Vihara
\nin Birmingham, England, was interviewed in Bangkok upon his
\narrival from Yangon. After traveling quite extensively during his
\none-month visit to Myanmar, said he is "very concerned" with the
\nfuture bilateral relations between the two countries "because the
\nfeeling about Thailand inside (Myanmar) is not very good."<\/p>\n
He expressed hope that he would be able to meet Thai
\nauthorities when he next visits the Kingdom to urge the country
\nto reconsider its policy and approach in dealing with exiled
\nMyanmarese, particularly the students. He said the Myanmarese
\npeople in general are developing "strong bad feelings" against
\nThailand for what they view as exploitation of their human
\nmisery.<\/p>\n
The Myanmarese had learned about what was happening in
\nThailand from the people who commute between the two countries,
\nincluding reports that Thai authorities often harass, arrest and
\nextort money from Myanmarese students.<\/p>\n
"It is widely known in Myanmar. This concerns me very much as
\nthe relations between the two countries will not be good in the
\nfuture," he said. The Myanmarese populace understood that "Thai
\npeople are good to the Myanmarese, but not the (Thai) government"
\nthe 64-year-old Buddhist monk during a one-night stopover in
\nBangkok.<\/p>\n
The Sayadaw has strongly urged Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai to
\nmediate peace talks between the SLORC and the ethnic Karen
\nguerrillas, saying the premier's mediation is for the sake of the
\ntwo countries, which share a common border, and for the good of
\nThailand which "suffers many things (from border conflicts)"
\nincluding the influx of refugees from Myanmar.<\/p>\n
The monk, who had several meetings with SLORC leaders
\nincluding Gen. Than Shwe, Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, Armed Forces
\nCommander-in-Chief Gen. Maung Aye and Lt. Gen. Tin Oo, has urged
\nthe premier to give serious thought to his suggestion saying "it
\nis up to Thailand to find a solution or what to do with
\nMyanmar ... On humanitarian grounds they (the Thai Government)
\ncan do it, but so far they are not doing it very much."<\/p>\n
He said current Thai policy towards Myanmar is "in difficulty"
\nas both SLORC, and the Myanmarese opposition and ethnic groups
\n"are not happy with it". The SLORC, he explained, never really
\ntrusts the Thai government because of its policy towards armed
\nethnic groups active along the common border, while the
\nMyanmarese pro-democracy dissidents and ethnic guerrillas
\nthemselves are not happy with the Thai "constructive engagement"
\nrelations with Yangon.<\/p>\n
"As a monk, therefore, I think the Thai government should find
\nsome way to help restore peace and tranquility in Myanmar. I want
\nthe Thai government to think about it very deeply, not only for
\ntoday but also for the future."<\/p>\n
The monk, whose separate meetings with Suu Kyi and SLORC
\nleaders led to two rounds of their bilateral discussions last
\nyear, said he believed "it is not too late" for both the Karen
\nand SLORC to enter peace talks.<\/p>\n
The people inside Myanmar, he added, have learned that Thai
\nbusinessmen "are greedy and want to get the resources in Myanmar.
\nNow it is very good for Thailand to act to help ... Thailand
\nshould play for all groups, for the Myanmarese people, and for
\nthe long term good relations between the two countries". SLORC,
\nhe said, would accept "friendly dialogues" and "not pressure or
\nbribery" and Thailand can work it out through its "goodwill".<\/p>\n
SLORC, he added "would accept friendly dialogues -- talks as a
\nfriend -- but not bribery or pressure. SLORC will then think that
\nyou are friends so they will tell you what they'll do. Many
\ncountries have tried to bribe them (with financial aid or
\nassistance or economic opportunities) and it did not work."<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Thailand has often fallen victim to its own
\npolicy towards its neighbors -- Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar alike.
\nIn the latter case, not only does it stand alone in defending
\ncriticism from the West, which prefers a harsh approach towards
\nthe SLORC, but also from the Myanmarese populace including the
\nSLORC who are always doubtful of its sincerity.<\/p>\n
Sayadaw Rewata Dhamma's comments should serve as a good
\nwarning for the Thai government to act more realistically towards
\nits delicate and fragile relations with Myanmar.<\/p>\n
The outbreak of a new Myanmarese offensive along the border
\nwhich drove more than 10,000 refugees across the border into Thai
\nterritory, should serve as a catalyst for Thailand and ASEAN to
\nseriously review, without prejudice or hidden motives, whether
\ntheir much proclaimed "constructive engagement" policy is really
\nbeneficial to the people of Myanmar.<\/p>\n
Thailand and ASEAN have to tell the SLORC loud and clear that
\nits unrelenting use of force to suppress its own populace will
\nnot be tolerated and unless it reforms its politics and improves
\nits record of human rights violations, ASEAN cannot stand to
\ndefend or associate itself with the regime.<\/p>\n
SLORC must also be informed that ASEAN will not and cannot
\ninvite Myanmar to attend the annual meeting of ASEAN Foreign
\nMinisters in July in Brunei and the December summit in Bangkok of
\nthe 10 Southeast Asian nations, in light of the refusal to
\nrelease Aung San Suu Kyi, now in her sixth year of house arrest
\nwithout trial, and other political prisoners, to transfer power
\nto an elected civilian government and to end the annihilation
\ncampaign against the ethnic populace.<\/p>\n
-- The Nation<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/policy-revision-urged-in-myanmar-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }