Good Neighbours?

[treved@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

>BE AWARE OF THY NEIGHBOURS
>
>										MOE GYO
>
>
>
>Three regrettable, but politically significant events have recently
occurred in Indonesia, Malaysia and Burma.  These events may be unimportant
for those outside the region of South East Asia, but they are significant
for the Burmese people who are pursuing the path of establishing genuine
democracy in Burma.  In this context, these events should be observed very
thoroughly.
>
>On the 27 July, 1996, the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Indonesia
>(PDI), which at the time were occupied by the supporters of popularly
>elected party leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, came under attack by hoodlums,
>organised and supported by the ruling GOLKA party and the Indonesian
>military.  This government-sponsored rampage resulted in an outburst of
>public anger, followed by riots and bloodshed.  To the amazement of all
>impartial observers, 124 supporters of Megawati were charged with waging
>battle, and inciting the riots, whereas the true initiators - the
>government-backed hoodlums were neither disciplined nor charged.
>
>On the 9 November, 1996, a gathering of international and Malaysia human
>rights activists, including Australian journalists, attending the Asia
>Pacific Conference on East Timor, were attacked by thugs and goons who were
>members of the Malaysia Action Front, the youth wing of the ruling United
>Malay National Organisation (UMNO).  It is obvious that the Malaysia
>government has secretly given its approval to disrupt the peaceful
>non-violent conference, with violent acts of thuggery.  Although the police
>witnessed this uncivilised behaviour, it took no action against those
unruly thugs who gate-crashed the conference.  They preferred to detained
those innocent participants who were peacefully attending the conference.
>
>On that same day, on the 9 November, 1996, a car carrying Daw Aung San Suu
>Kyi and members of the National League for Democracy were violently
attacked by thugs and goons, who belonged to the SLORC-supported Union
Solidarity and Development Association (USDA).  While this anarchic incident
was occurring right in front of many law enforcement personnel, no measures
were taken to halt their thuggish behaviour.
>
>These three ugly incidents can only be described as acts of
>government-sponsored political terrorism.  The use of political terrorism
is not new in the region of South East Asia.  In Thailand, government
-inspired vigilante groups murdered many leftist students in 1976, and in
Indonesia, the Permuda Pancasila youth organisation has been used to break
up political protests.  The recent three events expose the commonly accepted
culture of the ruling elites, and clearly sends a message that there will be
no tolerance for those who hold different views, and openly discuss and
share
>their views with other like-minded people.  With the use of force by such
>institutionalised gangsters, dissidents can now expect to be terrorised,
>marginalised and finally silenced.  The free world media that exposed the
>acts of government-sponsored terrorism, can now expect to be branded
>"CONGENITAL LIARS".  The ruling elites of a majority of South East Asian
>nations show no appreciation for the values of freedom of expression,
>peaceful exchanging of ideas and views, compromise and seeking consensus
>with its own subjects.
>
>What Burma urgently needs is a transition from dictatorship to democracy,
>and this should take place by way of a peaceful tripartite dialogue between
>SLORC, the NLD and the ethnic parties.  It should be noted that Daw Aung
San
>Suu Kyi was attacked by hoodlums shortly after the departure of the ASEAN
>Secretary-General Ajit Singh from Burma.  It cannot be denied that
>Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are actively engaging the ruthless
Burmese
>generals, and are actively lobbying other ASEAN nations to accept SLORC, as
>a full member, even though SLORC is an illegitimate regime.  For all these
>reasons the Burmese people should seriously consider whether "THESE ASEAN
>NATIONS ARE EXPORTING THEIR CULTURE OF POLITICAL INTOLERENCE, AND SHARING
>THEIR SOPHISTICATED EXPERTISE OF EFFECTIVELY SILENCING DISSIDENTS UNDER THE
>DISGUISE OF REGIONAL GROUPING AND CO-OPERATION?"
>
>The founding father of modern Singapore once stated that democracy is not
>essential, but discipline is important.  He neglected to specify, who
should
>be disciplined and who should be exempted from disciplinary measures.
>Singapore is famous for showing no mercy to drug traffickers and drug
>abusers, but it is now openly embracing and cooperating with the infamous
>drug baron of Burma, Lo Hsing Han and his family.  The government of
>Singapore has publicly endorsed the military, as the only institution in
>Burma which can bring stability and development to Burma, whilst turning a
>blind-eye to the SLORC generals' active involvement in the drug the drug
>trade and the money laundering business.  This cynical behaviour exposes
>another important ASEAN culture which is that, as long as there is profit,
>the ruling elites are ready to embrace anyone, even if it they are
>internationally renown criminals.  Because of this moral and ethical
>bankruptcy, the Burmese people should also consider whether they   "NEED TO
>JOIN ASEAN JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND
>SACRIFICE THEIR TRADITIONALLY ACCEPTED ETHICS, FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS, EVEN
>WHEN BURMA BECOMES A DEMOCRATIC NATION ?"
>
>However disappointing the attitudes and performances of the governments of
>ASEAN are, we should not abandon their policy of "CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT".
>This policy of engagement, which is being currently exercised by these
>governments, is now limited to only procuring immediate benefit to these
>authoritative persons in control of such governments, and should be
>expanded.  The Burmese people should also take every opportunity to engage
>constructively with the people of ASEAN nations, who sympathise with our
>struggle for democracy and uphold the principles of fairness, freedom and
>equality.  The national leader General Aung San and her daughter Daw Aung
>San Suu Kyi have repeatedly urged the citizens of Burma to take keen
>interest in, and to participate actively in the political process of the
>nation.  The time is now arriving for the Burmese people not to only take
>interest in domestic politics, but also to be aware of their neighbouring
>ASEAN countries.