U.S.-Burma Dialogue: Encourage Burma’s Democratization

In Yangon, Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the Burmese democracy movement, and Hillary Clinton shook hands and dined together. It’s an image that was unimaginable half a year ago.

After meeting with Burmese President Thein Sein, Clinton announced that she would consider an upgrade of diplomatic relations between the United States and Burma, welcoming a series of steps such as releases of some political prisoners and talks with the democracy movement.

On the other hand, the removal of sanctions was not realized as Clinton asserts the reform has just begun. Burma’s military alliance with North Korea was strongly pointed out.

Clinton’s visit can be seen as the first step of President Obama’s new security strategy, which places the Asia-Pacific region as the “priority.” If the democratization of Burma, a country where the military government has dictated for a long time, is successfully realized, the U.S. and its allies would benefit a great deal.

However, because the future of the current regime remains largely unclear — as its major posts are still dominated by former military leaders — the U.S. government’s decision not to yet lift sanctions is appropriate.

The U.S. also aims to put a brake on the growing Chinese influence in Burma, which is of geopolitical importance. While the U.S. is enforcing sanctions, China has built ports in southern Burma and has been setting up a natural-gas pipeline leading to Unnan province.

In September, the Burmese government made a decision to freeze a dam project in the northern region, which China helped finance. The U.S. and its allies accepted this move, seeing a sign of change in Burma’s Chinese-exclusive stance.

If this new stance of the Burmese government to aggrandize its foreign relations — balancing between China and the U.S. — results in further democratization, it should be welcomed.

The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Suu Kyi, registered as a party after a recent legal reform. Suu Kyi announced her candidacy in a by-election to Parliament next year.

However, due to the fact that NLD’s landslide victory in the 1990 general election was ignored and that NLD would make less than 1/10 of the seats in Parliament even with the possible win in the by-election, there are doubts about Suu Kyi’s decision even amongst the democracy movement.

If the opportunity is missed, however, prospects will remain unclear. One can imagine what an agonizing decision it must have been. Beyond that, the aim must be the victory in the election in 2015.

To conclude that democratization is completed, releases of all political prisoners and peace with minority peoples in addition to modifications in the Burmese constitution, which currently supports the military dictatorship, must be done. Bold compromises are to be expected of the new administration.

Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba and Economy Minster Yukio Edano plan to visit Burma. It should be pointed out that the confirmation of steady progresses on democratization should be required for aid and economic cooperation.