Meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and Minister Aung Kyi

 By Htun Aung Kyaw

Burmese opposition leader ASSK and the Burmese regime’s minister Aung Kyi met for the first time when the so called newly elected democratic regime took over power on July 25, 2011 at noon time in the government guest house. Both parties said the meeting was satisfactory and they are willing to cooperate together for the betterment of the Burmese people in future. After the meeting NLD party made a press conference and laid out three points that both parties agreed on.

1. Emergence of the rule of law.

2. Narrow the gap of mistrust.

3. Work for the betterment of the people.

It all depends on the regime court. The regime needs to respect the law that has been written on their one sided 2008 constitution. We need to see how they respect their own law, which heavily favors the military's ability to maintain the upper hand in any interaction with civilians. Even though the constitution was one sided, it supposedly allows citizens to form independent organizations such as labor unions, peasant associations, student unions, and so forth. After the new government's 100 days in power, those organizations still cannot legally exist, nor are they allowed to form in Burma, even after some lawyers and activists tried to form them. 88 Generation leaders who demonstrated against the high consumer prices were put behind bars and are serving 65 year prison term for their believe in good governance. In addition, those people were not recognized as political prisoners, and instead were marked as criminals. Freedom of speech, freedom of organization, and freedom of publishing are still denied. Those issues need to be solved by the regime alone, and not NLD. The regime need to show it has higher tolerance level than the previous regime.

The first way for the regime to build trust is to release political prisoners unconditionally without delay. Then ease the ban on internet, publications, freedom of speech, and open the public forum to listen to the voice of various classes. Let them speak what they want it, and hear it without threat. The government officials need to go to the field and open up to the public as people’s servants, not as power hungry bullies. If some government officials break the law or are using his/her authority to commit a crime, put him/her in jail without hesitation and prove that rule of law exists. Allow the NLD party to organize as they wish if they did not break any laws. Recognize NLD as a political party and stop harassing its members throughout the country. NLD members whose properties were nationalized need reimbursement from the government. Allow Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD leaders to make tours throughout the country without harassment, allow the foreign aid to NGOs and political parties including USDA if the aid was for them. Start working together and helping, not only with the NLD party, but also with other political parties to help cyclone victims and patients who cannot afford to buy medicines. Stop attacking ethnic national areas and start a dialogue together with the help from NLD party to cease bloodshed. If the regime has the guts to do that, mistrust will change and see the government as a trust worthy partner not as an enemy.

No forced labor, no extra-judicial killings, no favoritism, cronyism, or monopoly in the business sector, and most importantly, creation of an independent judicial system which has full power to investigate the president, if he did wrong, are necessary for the betterment of the people. The emergence of independent newspapers, which can publish any news if the facts are correct, should be encouraged. Publishers should also be guaranteed from prosecution for publishing the truth, even if government officials are involved in the crime. Please help and support the NGOs with their social work for people in need, and more to the point, please fund them if necessary. Building schools and hospitals instead of buying tanks and jet fighters. Use 10% to 20% percent of GNP for education and health and reduce defense spending to 20-25% percent.

Htun Aung Gyaw