Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, on August 19, U.S. Senator Jim Webb (D-Va.) commented on his recent visit to Myanmar, the Southeast Asian nation formerly called Burma.

"When I returned to Bangkok from Myanmar I raised my view at that time, with respect to the issues in Myanmar, that the Chinese government should step forward and show leadership in assisting in solving that situation, and they have not done that yet," said Webb.

Webb, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, was on a five-nation Southeast Asian tour that included — in addition to Myanmar and Vietnam — Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

The senator also noted that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has visited Asia twice this year, showing "how we want to reinvigorate, from the United States' perspective, our relations in this region."

A commentary on August 18 in the government-owned The New Light of Myanmar newspaper, published by the Ministry of Information, described Webb's visit as "the first step towards marching to a 1,000 mile destination."

While in Myanmar, Webb emulated former president and elder Democrat Bill Clinton's recent role in securing the release of two American journalists from North Korea by arranging for the release from jail of U.S. citizen John Yettaw. Yettaw had been sentenced the previous week to seven years hard labor for making an unauthorized visit to the lakeside home of Burmese political opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Yettaw had swum across a lake to meet with Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest and not permitted to have unauthorized visitors. Suu Kyi was also punished for the unauthorized visit: the court extended Yi's house arrest for 18 months, beyond the date of this year's election, in which the opposition leader is expected to be a candidate. The extension effectively bars Suu Kyi — who has been detained for 14 of the last 20 years — from campaigning.

During his visit, Webb became the first U.S. official to speak with the regime's leader, Than Shwe.

AP reported that Webb is not optimistic that Suu Kyi will soon be freed, but quoted him as stating he is "hopeful that, over time, the government of Myanmar will understand that with the scrutiny of the outside world, judging their government very largely on how they are treating Aung San Suu Kyi, that it is to their advantage to allow her to participate in the political process."

An AFP news report observed that China has long propped up the Myanmar regime through trade, arms sales, and by protecting it from UN sanctions levied against the repressive government's rights abuses. China, as a permanent member of the Security Council, possesses veto power of council actions.

The report notes that while the European Union, United States, and other nations have imposed economic sanctions and travel bans against Myanmar, those measures have largely failed to seriously impact the military regime, owing to support from China and some other nations.

Webb has been a critic of sanctions imposed by Congress because, he asserts, they have allowed Beijing to increase "dramatically" its influence in Myanmar. "The sanctions of the past several years have increased Myanmar's isolation from Western governments and culture," he told reporters. "These are major impediments in allowing the Burmese people the kind of access to the outside world that is essential to their economic and political growth."

Meanwhile, Reuters news reports, senior officials from the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) met on August 18 in Jakarta, Indonesia, to debate whether to call on Myanmar to release Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest. The leaders planned to hold more talks the next day, possibly continuing to August 21, to discuss sending a letter to Myanmar's leaders. "They will seek to ask Myanmar to give amnesty but that's in principle only. I don't know exactly how it will be reflected in the letter," Reuters quoted foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah by telephone. Faizasyah added that he was unsure whether the letter would also call for amnesty for other political prisoners: "I suspect it will be Suu Kyi. I don't know if it will touch on all political prisoners."

Suu Kyi was elected as Myanmar's prime minister in the 1990 general election as the candidate of the National League for Democracy Party, which received 59 percent of the vote and 394 of 492 seats in parliament. However, she never assumed office because the military junta nullified the results, refused to hand over power, and detained her. During her arrest, Suu Kyi was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990, and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

Myanmar has been ruled since 1992 by Than Shwe, who was a postman before embarking on a lengthy military career. In an article in Parade magazine last March entitled "The World's 10 Worst Dictators," Than Shwe had the dubious distinction of being ranked number four. The reason? When Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar on May 2, 2008, leaving 146,000 dead or missing and more than 2 million homeless, the junta delayed access to stricken areas by aid groups while it was busy staging a rigged election to approve a new constitution.

A BBC online report published on May 9, 2008 headlined "Burma shuns foreign aid workers" noted:

Burma's military junta says the country is not ready to accept foreign aid workers, amid mounting criticism of its response to the devastating cyclone.

The foreign ministry said Burma was happy to accept aid, but insisted it would control the distribution itself....

The World Food Programme's Paul Risley said the delays were "unprecedented in modern humanitarian relief efforts."

Burma is one of countless examples of what happens to a people burdened by too much totalitarian government. The presence of total government is always a humanitarian disaster.




 

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will said:

... It seems to me this senator is so proud to meet Than Shwe and able to negotiate for the release of Yet Taw, but he did not realize what is initial intention of Burmese junta. The junta did not have a plan to press charge Mr Yet Taw at the beginning and looking the way to release him after he was sentenced for 7 years in prison. Now they have a good chance to release him. More over the show junta is running is quite smooth as they encouraged Mr Yet Taw to enter Ms Aung San Suu Kyi House through the Burmese spy who he met in Measot, Thailand and they can put Ms Aung San Suu Kyi away from the so-called election as a result. What Senator Webb managed to do for the people of Burma and for democracy and Human rights for the country during his trip? nothing.... His voice is louder than what he did, well nothing about democratization and human rights abused in the country. It is not so surprised to me that Than Shwe welcome people like Mr Webb who keep mouth shut on those issues. Enjoy your trip with US Tax Payer money, Mr Webb

August 19, 2009

Myint Lwin said:

Aung San Suu Kyi never elected in any elections held in Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi never elected in any elections held in Myanmar More specifically and importantly what most people do not realize is that in many instances Ms. Suu Kyi is erroneously referred to as an elected person or in some instances as an Elected President or elected Prime Minister. Actually, Ms. Suu Kyi never stood for the election because she was not eligible to contest a seat. It was not this present military government or the previous socialist government that refused Ms. Suu Kyi the right to stand for elections but ironically it was her own father, Myanmar national hero General Aung San, who wrote into the original constitution, subsequently promulgated in 1948, a clause with the provision that "any person who is under any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign power, or a subject or citizen is entitled to the rights and privileges of a subject or citizen of a foreign power." Thus she is not entitled to contest a seat in the country's elections. Ms. Suu Kyi resided abroad for twenty-eight years and married an Englishman (Giving her the rights to U.K. citizenship) and has 2 children both holding British citizenship. This present military government has to, as all the previous successive Myanmar Governments did, continue to honour this clause and the present national convention has also committed itself to continue to honour the said clause. This type of constitutional condition is implemented by many governments including those of developed nations such as Australia, India, Singapore, Malaysia. It is quite understandable that Governments do not wish to have someone in office who could be unduly influenced by any other nation or power. As a preventive measure certain rules and regulations are universally drawn up and put into effect to serve as a mechanism to protect the national security as well as the national interest of the respective countries. to be continued

August 21, 2009

Myint Lwin said:

Aung San Suu Kyi never elected in any elections held in Myanmar While under house restriction the Government of Myanmar consented to Ms. Suu Kyi's request to contest the election representing Bahan Township Constituency (1) and her name was enrolled on 2nd December 1989. Objections were lodged by various individuals and political parties against the permission granted to Ms. Suu Kyi to contest the forthcoming elections with reference to the provisions of the Election Law of 1989. Legally, granting Ms. Suu Kyi the right to contest the election was found to violate and contravene the following 3 articles. (1) Section (8-b) "Law for people residing in the Union of Myanmar." (Ms. Suu Kyi has given her permanent address where she resides with her husband Dr.Michael Aris and 2 sons at 15, Park Town, Oxford, in United Kingdom. Ms. Suu Kyi's name has not been registered at her mother's residence in Yangon which indicates that she is not a permanent resident of Myanmar.) (2) Section (10-e). " Persons who are under any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign power, or are subjects or citizens or entitled to the rights and privileges of a subject or a citizen of a foreign Power." (Ms. Suu Kyi enjoys the right to reside in U.K. indefinitely. Apart from the right to vote, she enjoys all the other privileges of a British Citizen.) (3) Section (10-h)." Members of organization in armed revolt against the State, persons against whom there is sufficient grounds of having links with the said organization or with its members to revolt." (Ms.Suu Kyi was found to be communicating, collaborating and harbouring a member of the armed terrorist group and this terrorist was arrested in her residential compound in Yangon together with substantial evidence. Due to the above mentioned factors Ms. Suu Kyi was found ineligible to contest the 1990 elections.

August 21, 2009

Myint Lwin said:

Sanctions Won't Works Economic sanctions have adverse effects on democratic process of Myanmar, and the drive to inculcate the people with a democratic sense and expedite the democratization. If the our nation lags behind other countries in economic development, the rate of cognitive development of the public will be slow. If all what the people understand regarding democracy is that the decision of the majority is always right, without realizing the real context of democracy, the nation will lead to mobocracy, in which the people decide on cases according to mob rules, and to anarchy. Then, why are hardliners in the West Bloc, Myanmar renegades and local anti-government groups supporting economic sanctions, and calling for renewal and tightening the economic sanctions against Myanmar. They seem to assume that economic sanctions is the only way to show their dissatisfaction, put pressure and punish the government. I wonder whether they know economic sanctions have adverse effects and why they persist in doing so, turning a blind eye to the truth. Anyhow, many of the westerners know the evil consequences of economic sanctions and assume that it is important to boost relations with the Myanmar government. One of them is US Senator Mr Jim Webb, who recently visited Myanmar.

August 21, 2009

Myint Lwin said:

The foundation for friendship and building trust in future Senator Jim Webb paid a visit to Myanmar in 2001. He strongly believes that it is required to strengthen the relations with the Myanmar government. The book “A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America” he published last year recalls his visit to Myanmar in 2001 and a comment that the US trade embargo further deepens and worsens the isolation of Myanmar. He added that prior to his tour of ASEAN, the US State Department did not give any instructions to Senator Webb, but they both shared the same view; and that Mr Webb’s visit would yield fruits if it was a way to make Myanmar authorities know the views and attitude of the US government. Actually, Senator Jim Webb’s visit was positive and fruitful one to improve the bilateral relations. In his announcement, Mr Webb said that that was the first meeting between a US top political official and Myanmar authorities in many years; that he thanked the Myanmar government for complying with his request that the Myanmar government send back Mr Yettaw and allow him to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; and that he hoped that the compliances with his requests could be a way to pave the foundation for friendship and building trust in future.

August 21, 2009

James V. Mottley said:

US Senior Citizen - Veteran Korean Period There are Problems inthe US that need to be handled by our High Leval Representative and Senators like Senator Webb but instead like President Obamar they fly all ovewr the World Making themselves FAmous using US Tax Payers money & Call themeslves Great Americans - while neglecting their US Citizens and not even responding to the Request of the people that pay the bill with TAxes --- shame shame shame Once elected our Senators and Representative become HIGH AND POWERFUL IN THIER OWN RIGHT & HAVE LITTLE RESPECT FOR THEIR VERY OWN US CITIZENS James V. Mottley - SENIOR CITIZEN - VOTER - VETREAN mY SUCCESTIONS IS LETS GET THEM OUT OF OFFICE AND BEGIN TO LOOK AFTER OUR OWN COUNTRY -- AND NOT TAKE AWAY FROM OUR OWN CITIZEN Falls Church, VA

August 25, 2009