By WAI MOE Wednesday, November 30, 2011
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began her first trip to Burma by meeting President Thein Sein and other top officials in Naypyidaw on Wednesday with armed ethnic conflicts and political prisoners high on the agenda.
As the first US secretary of state to visit military dominated Burma in 56 years, Clinton was greeted by Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister Myo Myint upon her arrival in the nation's remote capital.
Official sources said Clinton will speak at length with Thein Sein at the Presidential Palace on Thursday morning, and will also meet Upper House Speaker Khin Aung Myint, Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann and Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin before her delegation flies to Rangoon.
Before traveling to Burma, Clinton told reporters in South Korea that she is cautiously optimistic about the tentative reforms shown.
“I am obviously looking to determine for myself ... what is the intention of the current government with regards to continuing reforms, both political and economic,” she said. “But obviously, we and many other nations are quite hopeful that these 'flickers of progress' ... will be ignited into a movement for change that will benefit the people of the country.”
Since Clinton’s trip could open a new chapter of improved Burma-US relations in coming years, officials in Naypyidaw have been talking up her visit.
“Clinton’s trip is a historic landmark for the two countries’ relationship. I hope for the development of this tie following her visit,” Ko Ko Hlaing, a political adviser to Thein Sein, told The Irrawaddy from Rangoon. “After the trip, the picture will be clearer and we can say what we hope to achieve more.”
However, US President Barack Obama made clear in his Burma statement on Nov.18 that three topics remain of concern—peaceful resolution of conflicts in ethnic areas, release of all political prisons and Burma’s nuclear ties with North Korea.
“Regarding these issues, the [Burmese] government will resolve them when it goes towards democratic ways. These efforts do not depend on any country’s pressure or demands,” Ko Ko Hlaing said.
Just a day before Clinton’s trip to Burma, government representatives including secretaries of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party—Aung Thaung, Thein Zaw and Railways Minister Aung Min—met a delegation from the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) led by Chairman Lanyaw Zawng Hra.
Talks took place in China’s border town of Ruli, which lies opposite the Burmese town of Muse, but no agreement was made to end the bloodshed that was sparked when a 17-year strong ceasefire was broken in June.
“The rulers of Burma always think of ethnic issues as armed conflicts and so the conclusion is a ceasefire. But actually the issue is civil war and political problems. Unless the government resolves problems politically, related conflicts can not be solved,” said Brig-Gen Gun Maw, vice chief-of-staff of the Kachin Independence Army, the military wing of the KIO.
“We hope that Clinton will reflect minority voices during her meetings in Naypyidaw,” he added.
But even though the Burmese government has held talks with ethnic groups, Gun Maw claims military operations in ethnic areas have increased at the same time.
“During operations, government troops even target civilians including women,” he said.
Amid Clinton’s landmark visit to Burma, members of the leading 88 Generation Students group sent a letter to the US secretary of state via the US embassy on Tuesday renewing their calls for peace, the release of all political prisoners and political development.
“In the letter, we welcome Clinton’s trip. We also said that there are issues to be resolved by the Burmese government, such as the release of political prisoners and peace, even though President U Thein Sein talks about clean and good government,” said group member Thein Than Tun who was released from jail in October.
Ahead of Clinton’s trip, US Senator Richard G. Lugar, the ranking Republican on the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, announced on Friday that his government has known since 2006 that the Burmese regime intended to develop nuclear weapons with North Korea’s help.
Aung Lynn Htut, a former deputy head of Burmese mission to Washington and counter intelligence officer who defected to the US in 2005, said that, “Lugar raised the issue [in the past] but Burma, then a military junta headed by Snr-Gen Than Shwe, denied the reports.
“As a regional security issue, the North Korea-Burma secret tie might be more important than human rights for Washington. So the Burmese government will have to disclose its relationship with North Korea regarding nuclear and missile programs during Clinton’s trip,” Aung Lynn Htut added.
On Thursday, Clinton will have a private dinner with Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi before holding a formal meeting with her the next day. Clinton is also scheduled to meet other key members of civil society and pro-democracy groups on Friday including a senior monk.
Following the Burmese military's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in the summer of 1988, the US downgraded its head of mission in Burma from ambassador level to chargé d’affaires.
The US also imposed different economic sanctions against the Burmese regime in 1997, 2003, 2007 and 2008 as well as banning high level official visits to Burma.
However, in 2008 the White House and US lawmakers decided to use both sanctions and engagement to achieve change in Burma. A special representative and policy coordinator to Burma, former Deputy Secretary of Defense Derek Mitchell, was appointed on Aug. 15.
A leaked US diplomatic cable dated Feb. 9, 2009, claimed that this new tactic was bearing fruit as, “the most senior generals are looking for an escape strategy … they hate being subject to sanctions and want to be treated with the respect accorded to other world leaders.
“Senior generals are getting old and want assurances that, if they voluntarily step aside, they and their families will retain their assets and not be prosecuted,” the cable continued.
And the Burmese regime has noticeably been attempting to develop good relations with Washington in recent years, including welcoming US officials such as Derek Mitchell, Senator John McCain, Senator Jim Webb and other senior state department figures to the country.
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