Roadmap to Oppression in Burma

Anything’s possible, even fair elections in Burma. But let’s not kid ourselves.

Burma’s leader, Than Shwe, who claims to be guiding his country along a “Roadmap to Democracy,” has promised elections “soon.” A peak over the General’s shoulder should reveal that the regime is charting a path to continued oppression and military control. Unfortunately, some do not see it coming.

In an op-ed published in the International Herald Tribune last week, Stanley Weiss argued that the elections, likely to be held in October, may represent a “step forward” for the country, a “light at the end of the Irrawaddy.” In doing so, he cited a military official who spoke (vaguely) about preparing the way for the emergence of a “new generation” of political leaders. The regime’s assurances need to be taken with a giant grain of salt.

Let’s not forget the junta’s performance in polls over the past two decades. In 1990, the opposition won more than 80 percent of parliamentary seats only to have the results flatly ignored. Two years ago, the regime held a national referendum on its own handcrafted constitution, which provides impunity for human rights abuses by the military and entrenches its position in government. Despite the devastation of Cyclone Nargis — which left more than 130,000 people dead or missing — a mere week before the poll, the military claimed near universal participation and an astounding 92.4 percent approval of the military’s constitution.

Weiss is right to say that “change needs to start somewhere.” But elections need to effect real change — not just rubber stamp military rule and continuing oppression. This is the danger of Weiss’ optimism.

An election must mean more. Meaningful change must not leave accountability off the table. If the leaders do not act themselves, the UN should. Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch, in a letter to the editor responding to Weiss’s article, reminds us that part of the equation has to be a UN “inquiry into decades of massive human rights abuses by the military.” Ascribing pre-determined legitimacy — or democratic significance — to the upcoming elections will only help to mask impunity and oppression.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons