Burma Dialogue

Rather quietly, India has answered the call to fulfill it's part in it's relations with Burma and has halted arms sales to the junta.

The Indian government's decision has not been officially announced, but diplomatic sources said it has been privately confirmed by New Delhi to top U.S. officials in recent weeks. In a little-noticed statement, first lady Laura Bush noted the decision in a video teleconference she held on Dec. 10 in recognition of International Human Rights Day. Ticking off actions taken by countries around the world in response to the crackdown, Bush said, "India, one of Burma's closest trading partners, has stopped selling arms to the junta."

If true, this would be a direct reaction from the violent crackdown on the peaceful September Protest in Burma.

According to the Hindustan Times, the second largest newspaper in India, on November 26 the South Block office (India's prime minister's office, the ministry of defense and ministry of external affairs) told the newspaper that India "believes contact with the junta is in its strategic interest, but also wants to send out a message that it is not quite business as usual any longer."

Official confirmation has yet to come for one reason or another. If this turns out to be the case indeed, India's actions would send a strong international message to the generals in Burma. They will still be able to acquire arms from China and Russia. No one is thinking there can be a halt to that. But by this move India defines itself as a nation in their approach to dealing with Burma, and it would be a tremendously positive step forward.

Really.

"What I think is that our policy is important for the people who are struggling inside Burma. We don't follow policy necessarily to try to impact the generals; they are fairly impervious--impermeable even-- to outside pressure, for good or bad, it seems.

"Even some of the countries that people call 'enablers' or their 'closest protectors' or whatever--it's unclear, at the end of the day, just how much influence even they can have."

This is nonsense of course, it is he is talking about China and Russia and it is very clear how much influence that have. He also contradicts himself saying

He admitted that the Chinese were more influential in the region; however, he welcomed the strides China had taken.

"I think that Chinese diplomacy is very active in the region, as it should be," he said. "Some people call it the emergence of China; it's really the re-emergence of China. It's a more natural state of things."

When asked about the meetings between U.S. and Burma officials in Beijing

"We engaged in Beijing--meetings that the Chinese brokered between the [Burmese] regime and ourselves; and as long as those discussions can produce something substantive as opposed to just 'talk'--talking past each other--then I think we're always ready to engage."

But that can hardly be the case when the rest of this interveiw is just diplomatic speak for: 'we are not interested in getting involved at this time or striking any new level of involvement'.

Kuala Lumpur is one of the capitials for Burmese refugees. A recent U.S. report stated Burma led third in the world of nations with the largest refugee migration, behind Iraq and Afghanistan. They escape to Malaysia, to India, to Thailand, to Bangladesh and to China. The total number of Burmese refugee's is estimates to be between 700,000 and a million. Some refugee's are subject to random arrest as illegals as it is sometimes extremely difficult to obtain U.N. refugee status.

This article points out that living conditions in cities of refuge can sometimes be as hostile as the homeland left behind.

I don't know if the camps in Kuala Lumpur are actually some of the worst as the article reports.

past an almost completed luxury housing project, over hilly and mosquito-infested terrain, through an illegal rubbish dump and across a riverbed reeking with sewage.

In a clearing, the Chin refugees huddle into eight huts made with sheets of zinc and cardboard, and draped with pieces of plastic.

I do know they are "harassed by Malaysia's controversial volunteer security corps which hunts down illegal migrants". Suram in Malaysia help to fight this.

Michael Boak Tun Thang, a 26-year-old farmer from northern Chin state, came to Malaysia in early 2006 and has been hiding in various jungle camps ever since.

"The junta came to my village with rifles. Because there were only a few men, they ordered all the boys and also the women to become porters and carry their foods and boxes," he says.

"They raped all the women, even my sister, but I could not do anything. We carried the heavy things but they never paid us or gave us any meals."

Some very informative and detailed reports have been put together on these subjects are are relatively up to date. State of Terror: The ongoing rape, murder, torture and forced labour suffered by women living under the Burmese Military Regime in Karen State (pdf) and Unsafe State: State-sanctioned sexual violence against Chin women in Burma. (pdf)

Debbie Stothard from human rights group Altsean Burma stated,

"Malaysia has become one of the worst places for Burmese asylum seekers because of the way the government and its enforcers have brutalised and abused refugees,"

Here is Altsean's November Bulletin

Once again ASEAN, the UN, the US and the EU all seem to be under pressure to bring the regime under grand consequence, or the future will simply have no hope for us humanitarians. If my sarcasm is not onbvious let me point it out for you. Negligence is the statue in which we embark to resolve.

Though we have done one thing I suppose. The United States passed a Bill ending financial support for the flow of Burmese rubies and timber. A novel statement. China will be happy to oblige. The real Burma timber market is going to China anyways.

The always reliable Telegraph (yes, more sarcasm) stated that in 2007 blogs helped the Burmese revolution. They stated three, only one of which is actually a blog.

What the uprising of 2007 has taught me is that it is not the action or inaction of any government or institution that plays any real role in the fight for freedom for the people of Burma. It is the individual, inside or outside of Burma that makes the case for his and her own freedom according to that which they are prepared to lay down. I have done a little here and there. I would like to do more. But no one has done as much as those in Burma who were seen publicly, had their puctures taken and their names put on a list for questioning and imprisonment as thoroughly as the Nazi's did it.

But Time hides such human courage in the back pages, and names Putin, one of the junta's largest supprters Man of the Year. It is clear we are on our own in this fight. I'm not saying anything new. Others know and are simply waiting for the right....Time.

A bill authored by New York Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley and co-sponsored by 280 lawmakers may be considered to give Daw Aung San Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal. According to the bill, Daw Suu should be recognized for "her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace".

Just two month ago China expressed her disappointment that the US awarded the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal, no dount Aung San Suu Kyi resides on much more delicate territory.

Crowley's office said Friday that the House could vote early next week on the bill, which praises Suu Kyi's fight for democracy "despite an assassination attempt against her life, her prolonged illegal imprisonment, the constant public vilification of her character and her inability to see her children or to see her husband before his death."

UPDATE:
The House voted to approve legislation to bestow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi with the Congressional Medal of Honor today. The Senate still has to approve bill H.R. 4286.

Supporters of the legislation, which passed 400-0, made clear the award was meant to send a message to the military leaders in Myanmar, or Burma, who have suppressed political freedoms in that Asian country the past two decades. By honoring Suu Kyi, said Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., "we will continue to pressure the junta to release her and bring freedom and democracy to the people of Burma."