All give and no talk
The Nation :EDITORIAL:Published on Jan 12, 2002
If diplomacy is the art of bargaining, Thailand is quickly becoming morally bankrupt in its dealings with the military government of Burma. It wasn't so long ago when bilateral ties between the two neighbours had reached one of its lowest points following cross-border shelling early last year. The artillery clashes were followed by months of a war of words between the military commanders of both sides who accused their counterparts of taking kickbacks from drug lords and supporting insurgent groups operating along the border.
Today, with the announcement of special GSP treatment for Rangoon for more than 60 items, as well as investments in some agriculture products to be purchased by Thailand, the leaders of both sides are all smiles.
Moreover, there is also talk of funding a Bt20 million model "drug-free village" in an area under the control of the United Wa State Army, a pro-Rangoon outfit whom the Thai government and the international community maintain is responsible for millions of methamphetamine tablets flooding the country and tonnes of heroin on the streets of major cities world wide. But since diplomacy is the art of give and take, the generosity on Thailand's part begs the question as to what the Burmese are putting up. So far, the answer from Rangoon is simple: nothing.
On the issue of refugees, Burma decided to pass up an opportunity at the recently concluded Thai-Burmese Joint Commission meeting to show Bangkok that they, too, can meet Thailand halfway. Instead, Rangoon reiterated what they have been saying for decades - that they agree in principle to take back all Burmese who are displaced by war and currently living on the Thai soil but they must first agree on the definition of "displaced person".
On the issue of drugs, a top priority for this and successive governments, Burma has made it clear that Thailand doesn't have much choice but to handle the demand side of the equation. In other words, Thailand's bad habit is not Burma's top priority.
The message from the Burmese Foreign Minister Win Aung is that Burma does not have a drug problem. It's the consumers and pushers in the streets of Bangkok and other Thai cities who have the problem. And if Thailand wants to change, it is going to have to do something about the demand side of the equation.
The minister has ruled out military options to dismantle the 20,000-strong United Wa State Army, dubbed the world's largest armed drug trafficking group. The Wa army, as well as similar outfits, operates independently from Rangoon. Many set up clandestine labs just a stone's throw away from the Thai border.
A year ago when he came into office, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was determined to make a name for himself. Like others before him, he rode on the back of the methamphetamine problem. An entire "who's who" from all government agencies in the anti-narcotic business were summoned to Chiang Mai for a high-profile meeting.
The gathering was a rude awakening for the Burmese as all fingers were pointed at them. The question of the day was what was Rangoon going to do to curb the illicit activities of the Wa, who had entered a cease-fire agreement with the junta in 1989.
Today, instead of holding Rangoon accountable for the criminal acts of these drug lords, the Thaksin government has reached out to the Wa in a very unprecedented manner. They call it "a goodwill gesture". Many think this "gesture" will free Rangoon from any arrangement in which they, too, would have to be accountable for the Wa's crimes.
For now, it appears that both sides are letting bygones be bygones. But will it last?