The U.S. Congress would be wrong in renewing the tough sanctions it imposed on Burma last year ("Keep Sanctions on Burma," Editorial, March 30). Not only will the sanctions still have no noteworthy impact on the current hold on power of military rulers, but, much more serious, imposing sanctions defies humanitarian decency and places additional burdens on the shoulders of the poorest and most vulnerable segment of the Burmese population.
If Congress renews sanctions for another year, banning imports and investments in Burma and discouraging American tourists from visiting the country, it will keep tens of thousands out of work.
Advocates of sanctions often refer to South Africa as a successful example of how international boycott leads to dramatic change. But South Africa was a highly industrialized country, heavily dependent on international trade, and with a large middle class that felt the effects of the sanctions and in a position to contribute to pressure for political and social change.
This is not the case in Burma. The near absence of a middle class in Burmese society means that the rulers are less susceptible to similar pressure. For sanctions to work at all in the near subsistence economy in Burma, unified action by Asean, China, the European Union and the United States would be required. As this is not now possible, an alternative to the bilateral application of sanctions needs to be found.
If the U.S. Congress and the international community at large genuinely wish to help the Burmese people to achieve democracy, a more innovative approach is called for.