Is CHANGE in BURMA UNTHINABLE?

By: Anna Malindog

BURMA is a homeland that has been sick and wounded for a long time. It is a land with rivers that are flowing sores. It seas and oceans is full of poisons. It is a home to men and women who are scattered, families and friends who became desolate and uncertain wanderers parched by the various toxics of social unrest, economic hardships, a long standing civil war between the ethnic revolutionary groups and the Burmese military regime, political turmoil, human rights violations and abuses, and many other problems of the same nature. It is like a wilderness home to frightened and desolate people, – the ethnic peoples of Burma, who are governed by vile and vicious vultures, – the ruling military generals in Nayphitaw, – the manipulators of illusions and deceit, who are blinded and devil possessed by their quest and pursuit for power and the preservation of status quo. Burma is a land home to countless Burmese people who have died and suffered in fighting against its atmosphere filled with oily smoke of countless hellish fires of anguish, torment and misery.

This is the image of Burma figuratively speaking that was ingrained not only in my mind but I guess in the minds of the world as well. This is the very image of Burma that drove me among others to be serious and committed in our activism and advocacy to change the political landscape of the country, and for democracy and development, freedom and justice to flourish in Burma. I do believe that all these aspirations will come true sooner or later. I earnestly believe that the military regime in Burma is not an indestructible polity no matter how huge and large its military capacity. It will in a matter of time trek the path of change no matter how much the Burmese generals would want to avoid this to happen in the country. Change is Inevitable in Burma. It will happen. But the most relevant question is when and how could the process of change be induced and be further encouraged in Burma sooner rather than later.

working on Burma issues for more than a decade now, I would say has always been a life changing experience and a worthy cause for me. Among those countries I have been to and worked for, Burma is one country that has a special spot in my heart. It will always be special to me. This is I guess because of the fact that I spent so much of my professional and even my personal time working directly with its people. In my more than a decade commitment to work for Burma issues, I have never imagined myself changing my stands and positions in the various debates and policy issues revolving around Burma, such as the coercive sanctions and pressures imposed by Western countries, the no engagement/isolationist stance and policy by the international community, and the recent no to Burma chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014, nor did I imagine Burma as a polity under the grip of the military regime to experience political burst through exemplified by in- progress small political openings proceeding in Burma, such as the recent November 7, 2010 Election, which I know was not fair and free, nonetheless, opened up political spaces for other contending forces in the country including forces from the opposition groups, and the opportunity for the Burmese people at large to practice and exercise their rights to suffrage and to run for political posts, which for quite a long time had never been exercised. This for me is already a positive development given the political impasse in Burma for the past 20 years or more. If I am not mistaken, the last time the Burmese were able to exercise the right to suffrage was in 1990. It took more than two decades for the Burmese people to matter and to be relevant again in the political affairs of the country, since for the most part, even until now, they are always sidelined and silenced.

As a passionate activist and avid sympathizer of the Burma debacle, I am very much aware of the clamor of the international community and the democratic forces of Burma for the current government, first and foremost, to address the gross human rights violations among other social unrests and problems permeating the country, and to release the 1, 200 political prisoners as a sign of goodwill that the current government is sincere and serious in its commitment towards a genuine democratization in Burma. YES, these are significant issues that need to be resolved and be prioritized by the contemporary government in Burma the soonest possible time.

But honestly and bluntly speaking, do we really think that a seven week government in transition, that is much more concern on building its new image to the international community, a government more concern about how the whole new political structure could be in placed well running, a government that is testing the water if it could be accepted by its own constituencies and by the international community, a so-called seven week newly installed civilian government that, even if they wouldn’t admit it, is very much struggling in trying to even learn and be familiar on how a civilian form of governance will be handled both substantially and procedurally speaking, a government that is according to some news report is having a hard time following simple parliamentary procedures in conducting sessions when parliament is convened due to the fact that since time immemorial, it’s only now that Burma will actually, hopefully, be running a civilian government, and the mere attempt to do so is already for me an encouragement and a small light in this darkened and conflict prone country, a government which is an exist ground for the top most generals like Gen. Than Shwe, and most of all, a government in Burma typified to be extremely defensive in its entire demeanor, do you think those who are behind it would bend to the demands of the international community and the opposition groups that quickly, easy and that early?

Again, bluntly and sensibly speaking, I DON’T THINK SO!. I think we all palpably know this. However, this doesn’t mean that they will not yield to these demands. Who knows? They might bend if we find the right carrot not so much of the stick to entice them to say yes and to give in. For me, there are two important complementing factors that need to be nurtured and fostered. First is to rear and cultivate the on-going positive minute political developments thriving in Burma. The establishment of the so-called “civilian government”, and the self initiated reclining rule of General Than Shwe in the political affairs of the country, are just among some of the baby steps and diminutive breathing spaces that are happening in Burma. YES, I am very much aware that these are not the determining factors, or not the substantial conditions through which a meaningful democratization process in Burma could take effect. Nonetheless, these are already seeds that we can all nurture to grow and bear the fruits of democracy, freedom and justice in Burma in the long haul. Second, is to find the right incentive, the right tactic that could be employed which could possibly hasten and accelerate the prospects of modifying the course of Burma’s political configuration from that of military authoritarianism to a democratizing polity. In so doing, it is imperative to revisit, deliberate further and thoroughly think over the existing tools, interventions, tactics, strategies and the nature of our engagement towards the Burma fiasco, which more often than not, has been duress and coercive and more importantly a FAILURE. Without any doubt! There is a need for more RE-THINKING.

As I have stated earlier, to my amazement I am experiencing a sea change in my perspectives and views on how I look and treat the whole Burma issue. I am relatively departing from the usual populist and mainstream position of being pro-economic sanctions, and to “no engagement policy” with the Burmese government, to a standpoint of being more open to the possibility of positive engagement with the Burmese government, that lifting of sanctions is a step ahead to more opportunities and possibilities in creating a more productive and pro-active stance in initiating change in Burma. I do believe that these isolationist policies towards Burma have failed, are not and will never be effective as instruments in facilitating both structural and substantial change in Burma. These tools actually had driven and will only continuously drive the Burmese government farther from the diplomatic discourse. These policies would only push back farther the Burmese generals to hide and be sheltered by the shells of the military apparatus and would further encourage them to be more defensive in their interactions with the rest of the world that would cause a reverse flow on the current small and fragile political openings in the country, which are unprecedented since the last 20 years.

An isolationist policy on Burma on whatever grounds, may it be through an advocacy for tourists not to visit Burma, economic sanctions imposed by western countries, or via the restrictions and travel bans imposed against high ranking military officers including members of their families, are in whatsoever way never been effective in forging change to happen in Burma. Why? Because these kind of policies in real terms are only pushing back Burma to backwardness and stagnation of thoughts, ideas, knowledge, and most of all, had devoid Burma of the positive influences of the outside world, which could have impacted and influenced the reversal of the conventional and existing mindset of the Burmese, including those who are part and parcel of the so-called “civilian government” or that of the former military regime. Why do you think the leaders of North Korea, China, Cuba, and the like imposed upon their countries an isolationist policies? Is it not because they would want to shelter their constituencies from being influenced by the outside world, for they know that these external forces and influences are detrimental to their rule and most likely will trigger changes that would eventually challenge the existing political status quo leading to their demise. We should not underestimate the CHANGING POWER, VIGOR and IMPACTS of external forces and influences on both the “LEADERS’ and NATIONS’ LEAGUE of HERMITIC STATES” like North Korea, Burma and the like. 

If only Burma and the Burmese people will be given the chance to be frequently exposed to these external trends and events may it be through travels to other countries, or through those tourists they can meet and interact with, without a doubt, Burma as a nation will gain and be exposed to more opportunities, knowledge and insights which would enable and endow them to reflect more on their own particular situation and hopefully in a collective manner, will lead them to clamor for more changes to take effect in their country. This kind of realization I would presume will not only be possible among ordinary Burmese, but this could also be a process of enlightenment for those Burmese who are part and serving the military institution, the entity primordially responsible why the whole Burma is under military authoritarianism. This process could be long and probably will bloom in a gradual manner. Nonetheless, I believe that once it blossom, there is no stopping to it. This phenomenon will sweep throughout Burma and will affect every aspects of the Burmese life. This I believe will eventually aid and hasten the on going whatever processes of change therein in Burma. If this will be the case, why not let this whole new huge and positive possibility be given the chance to prosper in Burma? WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY NOW? WHY NOT GIVE IT A CHANCE NOW BEFORE IT’S LATE.

This isolationist posture towards Burma by most western countries actually negated the near possibility for Burma to be influenced by outside forces, events and progress, may it be the influences of globalizing trends and prospects sweeping across the globe, may it be the tides of various economic and socio-political developments taking place in other nations, may it be the kind of standard of living of other nationalities who are far more affluent than the Burmese, may it be the technologies present and accessible to other nationalities but not in Burma and not known to the Burmese, may it be the kind and level of education and certain luxuries that are quite just an arms length and could easily clutch by other citizens of other nations, but so hard to grapple and grasp by the Burmese. All these are potential factors and pressures which could be consequentially induced in Burma the moment the country will be exposed to the outside world, may it be through the tourists across the globe who would visit the country, or through the exposure of Burma to global economic and political conjunctures brought about by foreign direct investments and overseas development assistance, or even financial and business investments by corporations and institutions that are more or less, are consciously in agreement to the principles and ethics of “social corporate responsibility”, and these entities are at the moment restricted and constrained to invest in Burma because of the economic sanctions imposed upon the country.

If we look at the current corporate investment configuration in Burma, we can see that most people, countries and corporations who are doing business in the country are basically those who care less of the plight of the Burmese people, and those who thrive in operating business activities in secluded and authoritarian states for the obvious reasons that they don’t want to be accountable in how they conduct their businesses, and they are not at all concern about their social corporate responsibility. If we want to see this configuration altered, then it is but imperative for Burma to open up its playing field for more competition to take place, which would mean, more business investments coming from diverse sources as against to the influential business monopoly of the Chinese, the Thais, the Russians, and the Indians among others, who are not only players devoid of concerns for the plight of the Burmese people, actors who would most likely want to see the persistence of the military regime for their own economic interests, and a troupe of opportunists who have been extracting the country’s natural wealth in higher magnitude for a long time now, without regard and consideration in whatsoever way to the state of Burma’s environmental condition. Opening the playing field in Burma would not only revolutionize the business arrangement of the country, but it will also modify the China centered geo-political balance of power to a more diversified and globally receptive Burma. These kind of developments are only possible through the opening of the Burmese markets to a whole new array of international players, and one way of insinuating these kind of dynamics is by lifting the unilateral economic sanctions and isolationist policies imposed upon the country.

Actually, it has been for sometime now that I have realized these things. But for awhile I hesitated to acknowledge these realizations and reflections because I know that it will challenge my long standing positions on the different issues of Burma which are shared by most people. I was afraid of the idea that I will be less of an activist for Burma and for human rights issues if I would bring myself to embrace my new stands, perspectives and analysis on the Burma issue. But then, I said to myself that, true activism comes when you try to be critical, to be questioning, to be debating, to be diagnostic and to be analytical of your own understandings, thinking and viewpoints on issues you have been working on, even it means heading off from the populist stands and positions you commonly share with your colleagues and friends.

Letting go of my conventional, fashionable, trendy, emotional and passionate outlook on the Burma issue was extremely hard and something that I really don’t like to let go and even change. But I guess to be more progressive and to be more effective in curing the ills and sickness that pervade our world, like that of the Burma case, we need to adapt to the winds of change taking place around us. We need to be more flexible, pragmatic and realistic in the way we confront issues and problems surrounding us. And if it comes to a point that we need to change our stands and viewpoints in looking at and working on issues at hand, of course, with much thought and thorough analysis, though it will be hard for us, we need to take that step of faith to change for us to be more effective in the way we do our work, and in this particular situation, our advocacy and work for the Burma issue, without necessarily losing our most treasured ideals and principles, and that would still mean freedom, justice and democracy in Burma. The fight and battle towards change in Burma should not be look upon as a zero sum game. It’s not a black and white thing. Rather, it is a continuum of different tactics, strategies and responses vis- a-vis the existing and current political trends in Burma. On this note, I would say that the small political openings and breathing spaces currently present in Burma are small steps that could serve as impetus, which we all can capitalize on in furthering a change in Burma’s current political landscape.

Moreover, I would just like to clarify and emphasize that the whole dynamics in the change of outlook and standpoints by some people like myself in the way we look and interact with the whole Burmese ignominy is not in whatsoever way a change in principles, ideals and moral standards vis-à-vis the aspiration for a democratic and free Burma. Why? Because, I myself is very much strong in my belief that Burma as a nation deserves to be uplifted from the bondage of authoritarianism and must in a matter of time traverse the path of genuine and meaningful democratization. These waves of change in outlook and views by some people like myself on the whole Burma issue is rather a change and a shift in tactics, strategy and paradigms that are more pragmatic, flexible, realistic and alternative than the mainstream existing tools and policies used in the struggle towards political change in Burma that FAILED in achieving the said goals. The budding and burgeoning unbolted small opening of political spaces currently taking place in Burma are positive avenues through which changes in the political conjunctures of the country could be introduced and could be positively exploited to put forward a careful and critical political maneuverings, that could be the conduits to a more flourishing and widening political and civic activities in Burma. These developments should not be neglected, nor be ignored or disrupted. These developments should be recognized, encouraged, and should be complemented with efforts and activities that would sustain and broaden them.

To answer the question if CHANGE IN BURMA IS UNTHINKABLE? NO, CHANGE IN BURMA IS UNEVITABLE!