Senior United Nations envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, has been in Burma since Thursday. He was to have already met Foreign Minister Nyan Win and Science and Technology Minister U Thaung. Today he will meet with Senior General Than Shwe in the new capital of Naypyidaw and then apparently meet with Aung San Suu Kyi,
On his first trip to Burma in May, Gambari was allowed to meet Aung San Suu Kyi - the first foreigner to do so in two years. According to the U.N., he has been given assurances that he will be able to do so again this time around.
Just about two months ago once Burma was put on the United Nations Security Council agenda at the protest of China, US Ambassador to the UN Bolton said he would wait to see what this visit by Gambari produced before the United States takes further steps with the UNSC regarding Burma. We shall have to wait and see if that rings true. It is odd that Gambari would be assured he could visit Aung San Suu Kyi considering recently she was suddenly denied a visit from her doctor, right after the press was assured she would be seen by her doctor after continued vague reports concerning her health.
In a press release yesterday Gambari -
stressed the need for a more inclusive and transparent political process in Myanmar, one in which all of Myanmar’s people can find their voices, including those groups not represented at the Convention
What the Generals in Burma want from Gambari is his "endorsement for the National Convention, which is the first step on the road map". The National Convention has been criticized by pro-Democracy groups in and out of Burma as a pseudo-road map which leads only to assuring the junta's strong hold.
While this so called National Convention pleads the case for the right direction for Burma, and even while Gambari is present in Burma, attacks on Karen's continue,
Border sources say that fighting in Karen State happens on a daily basis. According to the Karen National Union, Burmese troops from battalion 35 of Light Infantry Division 66 on November 7 destroyed property of ethnic Karen villagers in Taungoo District, Pegu Division valued at more than 2.2 million kyat (nearly US $1,667)..............The KNU said that the ongoing attacks have focused on northern Karen State and Pegu Division, where troops attack villagers hiding in the jungles nearly every day
Still, support for the National League for Democracy continues to grow strong reports DVB. All the recent attention to Than Shwe's daughters wedding video is certainly helping their cause. Right now there is a growing momentum among the people for a need for change. The junta continues to target students in Burma. Last year private tutoring was banned for fear that students would have an opportunity to discuss democratic reform behind closed doors. Typically only those who volunteer for junta based government program are permitted the best education. Now students are being arrested under the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act. Some believe the junta stepped up campaigns are designed to force the NLD and minority factions to take stronger action, in turn giving the junta an excuse to "defend itself" with harsher measures.
The junta is countering attention to political oppression through the arm of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA). In a sign of desperation blanketed with nonsense,
USDA members entered Mandalay Jail and took pictures of prisoners, and showed them to their loved ones at home and told them that the prisoners are being looked after well and given a 10,000 Kyat (Approx US$7) grant each.
Bribery works for the military, why wouldn't it work for civilians? Than Shwe recently addressed the USDA and spoke about the nobelity of their project, that is the type of country they are building with Burma citizens as the manual work force. Than Shwe stated,
The duty of building a new nation is to be handed down from one generation to the next. And it is required to discharge such a fine duty constantly at present and in future so as to shape the brighter future of the nation.The background history of Myanmar shows the citizens who were endowed with unity, economic and defence capabilities and fully equipped with nationalistic fervour and who tried to enhance their code of ethics.
The code of ethics Shwe speaks of mandates habitual extortion, forced labor and the burning down of villages thought sympathitc to democratic ideas, or which are simply in the way.
