The outpouring of sympathy from democracy advocates overseas and her ardent supporters at home must have convinced Burma's pro-democracy movement leader Aung San Suu Kyi that the world has not forgotten her as she celebrated her 60th birthday as a detainee in her own house in Rangoon on Sunday. Yet, absolutely no hint of freedom for the opposition head or improved human rights for her people came from her adamant captors in uniform.
Thousands of birthday cards were sent to her and Irish musician Damien Rice released a song, "Unplayed Piano," dedicated to the piano-playing 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrote to her that her courage "in the face of the junta's brutal repression" inspires people around the world.
Statements of concern were issued by numerous "Free Suu Kyi" campaigners across the world in efforts to arouse public opinion and press politicians to make a move on the occasion of her 60th birthday. However, there was no action of substance from any government and the ruling military junta's own response was to arrest protesters at a peaceful rally around a pagoda.
The U.S. and European Union's economic sanctions have proved futile as there are too many loopholes that allow Asian and European enterprises to do business with Burma's public and private companies. As long as Burma retains the ignoble title as Asia's poorest country and its military leaders have no desire to cast it off, being content with a per capita GDP of $150, trade and investment bans against it by any number of advanced economies will have little effect in pressing Rangoon for political concessions and improvment of human rights.
As for the United States which has had no significant security or economic stake in Burma except for cooperating with it for opium control, there is little reason to be overly enthusiastic about the embargo. Officials also know sanctions in fact strengthen the hands of the ruling authorities by creating a scapegoat for their own internal policy failures and restricting the opportunity for the people of Burma to expand their economic, social, and cultural contacts with the West.
There seems to be growing skepticism among Burmese exiles and foreign supporters about the role of Suu Kyi in the struggle for democracy, particularly her non-violent, Gandhi-like resistance against the ruthless military. She began leading the popular pro-democracy movement in 1988 and led it to a landslide election victory in 1990, but the military refused to recognize the election result and detained Suu Kyi and her followers. After a few years of freedom, Suu Kyi was again put under house arrest following a bloody attack on her group by a pro-government mob in May 2003.
Respect for the woman opposition leader is still widespread among the Burmese people but her international fame dimmed in the face of the increasingly emboldened military, which has proved most adept in withstanding foreign criticism and economic sanctions all these years. With her National League for Democracy nearly decimated, Suu Kyi is turning into a frail symbol rather than a torch-bearer for a viable challenge against the junta.
When and whether the people of Burma will be able to establish democracy will depend entirely on how much they can share the courage of Suu Kyi and be ready to sacrifice themselves for it. Releasing doves and flying balloons on her birthday would not even raise the eyebrows of the generals in the State Peace and Development Council in Rangoon.
More....