Myanmar matters -- here's why

By Petunia Mpoza

“Please use your liberty to promote ours” has been the entreaty to the world at large by Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s democracy icon and the 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate. The country is also known as Myanmar, a name bestowed on it by its military rulers. The name is opposed by the country’s popular democracy movement, which has the moral authority of having been democratically elected even if it has not been allowed to take office. Burma has been ruled by the military for almost 50 years. Military rule has not only given the country one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships but has also ruined what was once Asia’s most promising country.

In 1988, following years of corrupt and inept military rule, peaceful protests lead by the country’s students lead to a popular uprising that was brutally crushed with more than 3 000 killed. Nevertheless, the protests helped give birth to the country’s democracy movement of which Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of General Aung San, the country’s independence hero, became its rallying figure and leader. In 1990 the regime held elections in order to legitimise its rule. The National League for Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi won the elections by a landslide but the results were simply ignored by the military regime.

The military regime has justified its authoritarian rule by arguing that an iron fist is necessary to hold the country together. The many years of authoritarian rule have created a widespread system of crony capitalism that has led to Burma being ranked alongside Afghanistan as the second most corrupt country in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. The regime is also extremely xenophobic and paranoid. This has an adverse effect on healthy relations with other countries.

According to The Economist it has been estimated that military spending constitutes 40% of the budget. This is more than six times the health and education budgets combined. Unsurprisingly this has resulted in widespread suffering. For instance, Burma has the third highest infant mortality rate in Asia. According to The Economist, the World Food Programme has estimated that one third of Burmese children are “chronically malnourished”.

A number of reports from such reputable sources such as Harvard Law School, The University of Galway and Amnesty International have stated that there is a prima facie case for Burma’s military rulers being referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC), a permanent tribunal that tries people for serious human abuses such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The reports have suggested that the UN Security Council set up a commission of inquiry with regard to referring Burma’s military rulers to the ICC. Such an inquiry is a necessary prerequisite for referring Burma’s military rulers to the ICC. The UN Special Rapporteur on Burma has himself suggested such an inquiry.

However; both China and Russia wield vetoes. China in particular has vested and growing economic interests in Burma. Furthermore it has been engaging in diplomatic efforts to influence other countries to oppose such moves.

Among countries that have experienced colonialism and imperialism there is measure of resentment against what is perceived to be the using of international bodies, such as the UN, by wealthier countries against governments they simply do not like.

But vested economic interests and knee-jerk ideological responses fail to address the very real suffering of Burma’s people and the extreme violations of their rights as enshrined in international law.

The recent release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should be reason enough for active intervention from all, be it global civil society, state leaders or international institutions, together demand the release of 2 202 political prisoners who are still in detention. After all, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s freedom is not enough; a guarantee of her safety is also expected along with the freedom to continue to participate in political affairs within Burma, as well as the right to exercise her natural freedom of movement that grants her the right to move freely within and outside the borders of Burma.

We call on all South Africans as we celebrate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s freedom to use their hard-earned freedom for the freedom of the people in Burma, after all we are all born free, let’s safeguard that freedom for all.

Petunia is a Mandela Rhodes Scholar and Free Burma’s South African ambassador.