Opposition leaders in Burma’s democracy movement and ethnic organizations have expressed support for the canceling of a trip to Burma by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
“He has to have some indication that it would be a fruitful meeting, a fruitful visit,” Michele Montas, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. “He [Ban] is not going to go there just for the sake of going. He has to have some indications that his visit will mean something.” Ban cancelled an earlier scheduled trip to Burma in December after the regime continued its crackdown on political opposition.
This rationale was strongly supported by opposition leaders who spoke with IMNA on Thursday. “I think his view is right,” said U Nyan Win, spokesman for the National League for Democracy, Burma’s largest mainstream democracy organization. “If there is not genuine change in Burma, Mr. Ban Ki-moon should not visit. And he should not come just for a visit or without action.”
Agreement came from Pado Saw David Tharkapaw, Vice Chairman of the Karen National Union, the political wing of one of Burma’s largest active insurgent armies. “I do not see the junta softening its stance even with a visit Mr. Ban visit. I think he would just waste money and time because the military leaders are ruling the country like feudal kings,” the Vice Chairman told IMNA via phone.
Nai Sunthorn, Chairman of the Mon Unity League, agreed but said that he would support a visit if it were part of a consistent program of pressure. “The junta only listens to one side and it will win the 2010 election by imprisoning activists and opposition party members. I don’t think a visit from Mr. Ban Ki Moon would bring any result right now. He could impact things and can make good pressure towards change. But he would have to make his visits regularly.”
Burma’s military government continues with its seven-step “road map” to “disciplined democracy.” The 5th step, elections, is scheduled for 2010. In May 2008, the junta completed step number four and held a referendum to approve a draft constitution. Both the constitution and the processes used to approve it have been almost universally condemned as undemocratic.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), in November the regime sentenced about 150 opposition party members and dissidents to extensive prison terms of up to sixty-five years. Many of those sentenced as well as 200 other political prisoners were transferred to remote prisons away from international scrutiny and contact with their families.
