Burma in anticipation

The desperate steps taken by the military government in Burma to detain Aung San Suu Kyi has only made the voices calling for her release louder. However, the constant pressure on them from the United Nations and many other countries and societies all around the world have yet failed to bring about a fair end to the ‘fake trial’. As the world awaits the verdict with bated breath, the people of Burma live in anticipation, fear, hope and despair.

India’s indifference to the whole issue is alarming since it involves its own interests. Also, being the largest democracy in the world and a proud protector of human rights, the silence from India is unfathomable. A petition has been sent to the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister of India only yesterday on behalf of 118 Indian M.P.s to urge the government to help Burma. It remains to be seen whether it has any effect.

“India’s patience is admirable,” remarks Dr. Tint Swe, an exiled Member of Parliament of National League for Democracy (NLD), who has lived in India for the past 19 years and has failed in his attempts to make the Indian government act. “India thrives on petty party politics. The moment a political party offers a supporting hand to you, the opposition party will decide not to. Further, it is nearly impossible to seek an appointment with the top authorities here,” he fumes. Like millions of other Burmese nationals, he wants the agony to end, and end quickly.

There are more than 2100 odd political prisoners living in the worst possible conditions in the jails in Burma. Three M.P.s have already died in custody due to the torture. The public is weak and afraid, and desperately in need of change.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s release thus becomes quintessential in order to restore the long lost democracy in the country, through non-violent means.

The daughter of democracy, who has selflessly fought for a secure and prosperous future for her countrymen, is currently kept in the infamous Insein Prison during the course of her trial. Not allowed a single visitor apart from her witnesses, she is cut off from the rest of the world. Foreign ambassadors who have witnessed the trial have themselves confessed that the verdict seems predetermined.

San Suu Kyi was alleged to have welcomed a visitor to her home, thus violating the terms of her house arrest. American John William Yettaw is said to have been received by her and offered food and drink. Sources suggest that the ‘visitor’ was not stopped at the gate by the guards, who on their part deny having seen him entering her gate.

“The regime is clearly afraid that her release would cause their downfall. It is simple – they want to keep her out of active politics for as long as possible,” says Dr. Tint Swe, who hopes against hope that the pressure from the world community as a whole would compel the officials to announce the judgment in her favour.

The Burmese people are unable to effect a united opposition since the military regime crushes the uprisings with a heavy hand. Even then, there are found slogans on government institutions demanding the release of Suu Kyi in Rangoon and other cities in the nation.

It is clear that mere vocal support is not enough. Till San Suu Kyi remains in prison and countries like India do not interfere in the ‘internal affairs’ of the country, it is feared that the fate of Burma will remain that of Zimbabwe.