军政府威胁昂山素季、重新考虑制裁
仰光（亚洲新闻）—缅甸民主派领导人昂山素季及其领导的政党如胆敢无视缅甸新时代、擅自谈制裁，那么“下场将会很惨”。今天，缅甸官方媒体对去年十一月才获得自由的诺奖得主发出了这一威胁。此举，似乎旨在强迫她保持低调、不得跳过军政府建立国际性的往来和接触。
事实上，缅甸反对派继续在讨论西方国家制裁的有效性问题。昂山素季建议修改美国和欧盟的制裁方式，但部分持不同政见者坚称制裁是打击军政府利益的唯一方式。
丹瑞大将领导的缅甸军政府高调宣扬其新的民主体系，称这是二O一O年十一月七日选举、新议会正式运行的成果。但同时，继续流放犯人、军人继续剥削平民、任意逮捕百姓。周末，军政府下令扣留了原籍澳大利亚的《缅甸时代》责任编辑罗斯·邓克利。
以下为仰光一名记者、经济与社会问题专家作出的分析阐述。为了作者的安全，文章采用了假名。英文版如下：
In recent weeks the issue of sanctions promoted by the United States and European Union against Myanmar has returned to the fore. Among the differing positions, the most reasonable is that of Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the main opposition movement in Burma. The opening to a possible "change" is right, because those who believe that they have no effect on the population are wrong, the impact exists and contributes to the continued suffering of an already impoverished population.
In recent years the government grown wealthy thanks to revenues from oil, electricity and natural gas, and the sanctions imposed by U.S. and EU have had little effect. Nations like China, Thailand and India have replaced the Western bloc and promoted trade with the junta, enriching the military leadership in power. Instead, the poor, the labourers who work in factories and earn less than one euro a day, with economic sanctions do not receive even the minimum wage and are destined to starvation.
Small farmers are excluded from big business, which remains in the hands of entrepreneurs, but an opening to the European market would allow them access to the minimum to secure a meal. If the foreign trade with the EU is null, the landowners will have an excuse to pay land labourers even less, while they continue to do business with neighbouring countries. The result is that the poor become even poorer and the suffering of the Burmese increases.
We often talk about democracy, but without a proper economy, electricity, essential goods for survival, the people have no reason to believe in a more just reality. Only growth in the economy, will provide full development and contribute to greater education. The point is crucial: without a proper education, people can never understand what true democracy is, and in order to improve education, basic economics must be strengthened.
Reports published by the United Nations show that the Myanmar government does not educate people in order to keep them in a state of ignorance. The abandonment of school is very high and only 20% of young people reach secondary education. The majority of households are landless peasants, who work as a seasonal labourers and earn just enough to eat. If the harvest goes well, the proceeds are used for food but there is no money left over to invest in education. In the Irrawaddy delta, the situation is even worse: out of 10 families, only 3 or 4 can send their children to school without the monasteries or foreign humanitarian, the children - even children under 10 years - become slaves of child labour.
Aung San Suu Kyi is right when she asks for a "modification" of economic sanctions and the opening of the country to the world. Myanmar should also promote tourism, by which the people can also have their eyes opened through getting to know different realities. The children must learn English at least, language, culture and economics. This promotes dialogue and openness with the outside. Without a hope, an economic perspective, we will remain forever in a situation of poverty, suffering under the yoke of military dictatorship.
An article published in a Burmese newspaper in recent days show that the salaries of junta leader and the president will be increased up to 4.5 million, salaries of the workers will be at levels of ASEAN countries (Association which brings together the nations of the South-east Asia). But in a country like Myanmar, where 70% of the population is devoted to agriculture, it cannot ensure the survival of the population. The people will be left with nothing but the crumbs.
