Criticism of UN Secretary-general, Ban-Ki-moon’s failure to achieve any positive outcome from his recent Burma visit have been rife and even overwhelming. But, in fact, he should be credited for putting the message straight, face to face, with General Than Shwe and other junta’s top brass.
During his two days visit, Ban proposed the usual, much needed reconciliation process through dialogue, adherence of universal human rights and all-inclusiveness leading to democratisation, among others.
Ban’s request to meet imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi and his pleas for the government to release its 2,000-plus political prisoners were rejected and ignored.
Although Ban was clearly disappointed, on 4 July, he delivered remarks on Burma to diplomatic missions, United Nations agencies, international and non-governmental organisations, where he spelled out, loud and clear, to the Burmese junta on what needed to be done to be legitimate, democratic and acceptable to the international community.
Ban’s remarkable rare rebukes in front of a local audience, which were distributed by the United Nations, is something the junta could ill-afford to ignore.
"We want to work with you so your country can take its place as a respected and responsible member of the international community. We want to help you achieve national reconciliation, durable peace and sustainable development. But, let me emphasize: neither peace nor development can thrive without democracy and respect for human rights.... Peace, development and human rights are closely inter-related. Failure to address them with equal attention will risk undermining the prospects."
If the junta and its supremo, General Than Shwe, choose to continue monopolising decision-making power with tyrannical rule, disregard universal human rights, resist popular demand of the people for better change, fail to accept and practice the real nature of a real multi-ethnic state structure in form of genuine federalism, there is little or no chance for the regime to be accorded with respect and legitimacy.
As Ban clearly indicated, in process, Burma will miss out every development, prosperity and real democratisation process, which is undergoing within the region and the world at large.
The junta would need to come to its sense and jump out of its narrow "group survival mentality" and tread the path of good governance, transparency and accountability, which are the hallmark of genuine democracy and not just cling on to its brand of self-indulge and make-believe "discipline flourishing democracy".
While the junta refused to accommodate Ban’s wish this time around and “failed to take a unique opportunity to show its commitment to a new era of openness”, as Ban put it, when talking to reporters, on his way back from Burma, at Bangkok's international airport, there is still opportunity to reverse its stance by doing just what Ban has suggested: the release of the more than 2,000 political prisoners, a dialogue between the military and Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy and "the need to create conditions conducive to credible elections next year."
It is high time now for the junta to transform itself from villain image to champion and hero of the people, before it is too late.
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(Sai Wansai is the General Secretary of the exiled Shan Democratic Union - Editor)
