Burmese Shan leader cautiously welcomes Thai road map initiative

DVB ( July 25,2003 )

Members of the Burmese democracy forces have cautiously been welcoming the road map initiative of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The united front of opposition organizations in exile, the National Council of the Union of Burma, issued a press release yesterday reminding the Thai government that prior consultations should be held with the National League for Democracy which won the national elections and the ethnic nationality representatives before a road map was drafted.
When political organizations inside Burma were contacted about their views on the matter, ethnic leader U Khun Tun Oo said he accepted the Thai proposal in principle. U Khun Tun Oo is a member of the Committee Representing People's Parliament, chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, and spokesperson for UNA [United Nationalities Alliance], formed by nine ethnic nationality groups.

The following is interview with U Khun Tun Oo:

U Khun Tun Oo : With regard to what Thailand has done, I believe that since the process that the United Nations had been facilitating has stalled, the Thai proposal can be considered as another option. Of course, even though it does not have the mandate of the United Nations, it involves the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations], the European Union, and countries like Japan and China, so I think that road map could be effective to a certain extent. I see it as an option for us to think about.

DVB : Yes, I see, but what is not clear is that you accept the Thai option in principle, but there is also one more option being initiated by the United Nations and [UN Special Envoy] Razali which called for a tripartite [National League for Democracy, ethnic nationalities, and the military] dialogue. So, there are two options. Do you think the Thai initiative is practicable because it is something just proposed?

U Khun Tun Oo : Of course, there are some differences. The United Nations' option has more authority because Secretary-General Kofi Annan was assigned the task in accordance with the resolution of the UN General Assembly and the secretary-general had appointed Mr Razali as his envoy and sent him to Burma. That initiative is authoritative and more official, because it has the mandate of the United Nations. That does not mean the other option is not unofficial. It is just that the scope [preceding word rendered in English] of that option is limited. The national reconciliation process being undertaken by Mr Razali is no longer viable since the Tabayin incident of 30 May. It has been somewhat sidelined. If the process is to continue, the Tabayin incident needs to be cleared up first. From my understanding, the Tabayin incident has negated the national reconciliation and dialogue processes. Under that situation, the emergence of the Thai road map... [changes thought] we can consider about the procedures and the contents of that road map if we are given the opportunity to study it. It is better than nothing, and better than the stalled talks. We can study it and consider about the options available.

DVB : Yes, I see. I don't know how to put it, but from past experience, can the Thai option be just rhetoric without substance? When the United States took the lead and initiated plans for the Middle East, it has the capability and the tradition. We do not know if ASEAN would accept the Thai plan for Burma, of course, it is said that they would be meeting Razali. What I mean is that Thailand is trying to do something like the United States and since their historical backgrounds are different, do you think that it could succeed? Will the SPDC accept the proposal?

U Khun Tun Oo : Of course, it is difficult for Thailand. This is because Thailand and Burma traditionally have had conflicts. So, the first point to think about is whether Burma will have confidence in Thailand, and the second point is, he - I mean Thaksin - will be meeting with Mahathir, and they will have to discuss and smooth out the difference between themselves. This is a Thai initiative and the question is whether Mahathir and the others will agree to it. Whatever it may be, the bottom line is, something is still remaining, and that is not bad. It is better than having nothing.

That was an interview with U Khun Tun Oo about the road map proposed by Thailand. Although Thailand has been saying that the proposal will be presented to the opposition groups, U Khun Tun Oo said nothing so far had been presented to the political circles inside Burma.

(BBC Monitoring Service)