Buzz Sociopolitics Malaysia: Myanmar sheds that hermit image

Myanmar sheds that hermit image

November 30, 2011

www.thestar.com.my

Myanmar sheds which cenobite image

Ceritalah
By KARIM RASLAN(11-29-11)

After decades of isolation, Myanmar is being brought behind in to the limelight by the troops rulers led by President Thein Sein.

MYANMAR as good as Malaysia. It's rarely surprising for the dual countries to be mentioned in the same breath all the some-more so given Myanmar's long-standing standing as the "pariah" state. However, with the brand brand new hotly-debated Peaceful Assembly Bill, it would appear which you Malaysians should be checking some-more closely with what's going upon in Myanmar.

Consider Tuesday's closing rite of the SEA Games in Palembang as good as the unusual phrase emblazoned across the stadium: "See you in Myanmar."

President Thein Sein has been carefully testing the waters, releasing domestic prisoners, relaxing media coverage as good as allowing veteran statesman Aung San Suu Kyi increasing freedom of movement.

Moreover, final week's limit in Bali resulted in the once hermit-like state being granted the chairmanship of the increasingly successful ASEAN organisation in 2014. What's some-more is which US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be visiting in Dec the highest-ranking American official to do so in decades.

All these would have been unthinkable behind in 2007, when the troops regime's infamous crackdown upon the Buddhist monk-led "Saffron Revolution" all though reliable Myanmar's renegade status.

At the same time, Myanmar's brand brand new Peaceful Gathering as good as Procession Bill rather loosens restrictions upon open meetings. Thein Sein has been intervening some-more dramatically, halting an unpopular Chinese-funded d! am in My itsone final Sep after internal protests.

Could this be the signs of the responsive government? The generals have additionally done overtures to end Myanmar's decade-old civil fight with the country's racial groups, similar to the Karen, Shan as good as Wa.

What gives these initiatives credibility is which they appear to have the support of Suu Kyi as good as her National League of Democracy (NLD), which won the abrogated 1990 elections. Indeed, NLD has given voiced which it will register as the domestic celebration as good as contest in upcoming by-elections.

A "Myanmar Spring"? There's each reason to be sceptical: Myanmar has tried to open up in the past, only to see the sharp regressive reaction. While the reforms are positively welcome, the lot some-more needs to be done prior to the country is indeed re-integrated in to the general community.

So what's next for Myanmar? Personally, you can think of no improved key to the story as good as probable future than my crony Thant Myint-U's dual books.

Grandson of the celebrated UN Secretary-General U Thant, Myint-U in 2007 published The River of Lost Footsteps: A Personal History of Burma, followed by this year's Where China Meets India: Burma as good as the New Crossroads of Asia.

In The River of Lost Footsteps, Myint-U weaves Myanmar's stately though comfortless story in to his family narrative. It chronicles the many conflicts in between the nation's racial groups as good as attempts by foreign powers to impose order.

It's hardly the cheerful read, though the single is treated with colour to the restraint of Myanmar's heroes, together with independence favourite General Aung San as good as his daughter Syu Kyi, the colourful post-colonial Prime Minister U Nu as good as U Thant.

Myint-U was fortunate enough to know or interview many of his subjects privately as good as indeed the book's strength is the insinuate feel.

Where China Meets India is the some-more geopolitical analysis. It traces China as good as India's long story in Myanmar, quite via bordering regions similar to China's Yunnan range or India's excitable northeast.

Myint-U argues which Myanmar will be the site of the world's next "great game", as China as good as India conflict for change as good as healthy resources in Southeast Asia. This is impressive in light of the ongoing US$ 2.5bil (RM7.99bil), 2,380km-long Sino-Myanmar oil as good as gas tube which will link the pier of Sittwe to Yunnan's Kunming.

China hopes this tube will reduce the dependency upon oil shipped by the Malacca Straits, which it fears India might be means to cut off with the burgeoning navy.

A repeated theme in Myint-U's dual books is which foreign nations cannot keep upon isolating Myanmar, as the rulers have often simply incited their backs upon the world. Indeed, the country's current amicable policy might be redeeming upon the general village continuing to reward the system of administration for the good behaviour.

So whilst it's substantially correct to acquire the latest developments, the studious rendezvous of Myanmar ought to continue. However, the giveaway as good as open Myanmar with the population of 47 million, healthy resources as good as strategic location will be the strong opposition for investment as good as influence.

The " Myanmar Spring" might good outrider the brand brand new adversary in between mainland as good as nautical Southeast Asia. Finally, you Malaysians must ask ourselves: "Do you instruct to fall behind ASEAN's long-lived human-rights laggard?"