Views of opposition and other politicians on junta's reshuffle

DVB ( August 27, 2003 )

U Hlaing Aye, the NLD MP of No.2, Pakokku Township Constituency, Magwe Division
(DVB 27 August)

DVB : Many people believe that the SPDC is gradually heading towards a form of civilian government by this reshuffle because of the international pressures after the Dipeyin incident. As a MP, what are your views on the changes?

U Hlaing Aye : In my view, it is too early to comment. It is hard to say. Sec-1 became the Prime Minister. Is he still remaining as a member of the main body of the SPDC? We don’t know clearly about this. If they are having just a new form, nothing has changed. They are the same people. The same people are ruling the country. There is no change. It is the same as when General Ne Win became ‘U’ Ne Win.

DVB : Do you see it as a political trickery?

U Hlaing Aye :We want them to have the desire of change for the better. If they don’t have the desire of change for the better and have only a made-up change, I think things will be the same. It all depends on what they are continuing to do. We have to know that. In fact, we need to have a meeting among the authority, the people and the NLD. We need to exchange views. We must trust and respect each other. We must not ignore the desires the people and the majority. Basically, we need to have ‘metta’ [loving kindness]. If we could do that, I don’t think there could be no unsolvable problems.

DVB : Many political observers believe that the regime will detain Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and top NLD leaders for a long time, and it will try as hard as it could to make people like you and other NLD members to be on their side and destroy the NLD gradually. This is their first step for this, say some people…

U Hlaing Aye :They could well try this method and they have been trying this and they have done so…But that method doesn’t have the potential for success because like the fact that you won’t be able to convert a Christian or a Buddhist.

DVB : During the 14 years of the NLD, they have been detaining Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for several times. This is the worst. Whenever she was released, the activities of the NLD were accelerated and its members are very enthusiastic. Whenever they arrest and detain Daw Aung San Suu Kyi thus, the NLD’s activities are quiet, say commentators abroad. What should the remaining NLD leaders and members like you should do to avoid this scenario where there is no activity when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is being detained?

DVB : The situation is like this. It is not only Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is being detained. All CEC members [of the NLD] are being detained. The situation for the NLD had never been that bad. This is the worst. …We still have divisional leaders. They are going to keep on doing what they have to do. We have to consult each other…

U Hlaing Aye : What do the divisional and regional NLD leaders including you have to do if they don’t release the top leaders immediately?

DVB : We have to try harder for their releases. We have to keep on persuading them [authorities] until they agree with us. We want them to act and walk on the right tract. If we could persuade the people who are most responsible, things will work out. That is a very difficult task. We have to do this. If they could choose the best way for themselves, we like them. That’s what I want. If they choose the best way for themselves and the authorities by talking to the NLD and the ethnic nationals, I think it is the best way.

U Aung Saw Oo – a political activist
(DVB 27 August)

U Aung Saw Oo : This change is just the never changing change. During 43 years of the military rule, they have often done changes like that. But there is no change of the military rule which is the essence. We don’t want the change of people, we want the change of policy. I see the reshuffle as the scrambling for power among themselves.

DVB : Some people are saying that the appointment of General Khin Nyunt as the PM is the regime’s move to become a civilian government. What do you think?

U Aung Saw Oo : I have no faith in them to this day. If they are moving towards a civilian government, the first thing to do is to reconvene the people’s parliament. They don’t have that right. As they are not an organisation that bravely accepted the decision of the people, they have no right to do it.

DVB : If the reshuffle is an effort to strengthen their power, what do you think why they are doing this?

U Aung Saw Oo : It is to confuse the people of Burma and to deceive the world. The coming 16 September is the 5th anniversary of the formation of the CRPP [Committee for Representing People’s Parliament]. The sub-committees were to submit their reports. And the CRPP is working for the emergence of the people’s parliament and this action could damage them [the generals] legally and they are reshuffling thus as a precaution to prevent these things from happening.

DVB : At the moment, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is being detained. CRPP members are also being detained. Does the CRPP pose a threat to the power of the generals at the moment?

U Aung Saw Oo : But the CRPP has the mandate and they could reconvene the parliament with the people they have, if they like.

DVB : Some people think that General Khin Nyunt is less powerful now that he is a ‘PM’. What do you think?

U Aung Saw Oo : The loss or gain of power is no use to the people. Whoever is in promoted or demoted or sidelined, they are the same beans from the same stinking basket. They are sets vulture twins hatched from the same egg. There is no benefit for the people.

DVB : What about the remaining members of the SPDC?

U Aung Saw Oo : The remaining members will never give up military rule either. They all have the same purpose to propagate military generations forever and ever.

DVB : To sum up, is the reshuffle good for democracy?

U Aung Saw Oo : I have to say that it is not good. If it is good for democracy, the junta must immediately reconvene the people’s parliament.

Thakhin Thein Pe, a veteran politician
(DVB 26 August)

I am quite reluctant to comment the army. If they want to form a cabinet, they should leave the army and become civilians. It would be better but now the army is forming the cabinet. People will always see the military junta as the military junta, and everyone will be criticising them. From the point view of a spectator, with this change, they are drifting away from the original matter, though some people think that they might be closer to the matter. They have two purposes in this reshuffle, I think.

Firstly, since the world is calling the SPDC, a military junta, in order to counter the accusation, they are forming the cabinet.

Secondly is due to pressure from the international community.

But what the world wants to see and demand is the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. If they want to clear the problem, they should release her. Then, they should go on to the dialogue.

U Khun Tun Oo, the chairman of Shan NLD
(DVB 26 August)

If I have to say clearly, there are people who see the change as bad or some as good. Some people think that General Khin Nyunt is being sidelined for getting the PM position. Some people think that he was promoted to have the tripartite dialogue, to deal with the US pressure and to negotiate with political parties and ethnic nationals within the country. Whatever it is, we hope that the change would herald changes for the better of our country politically, economically and socially.

Dr. Thein Lwin, the MP of Meikhtila
(DVB 26 August)

As far as I understand, the government should not be a burden to the people. It is more important to change the policies more than the form and the people. It is very important that power and rights are in the hand of the people who really want and are capable of substantiating democracy and human rights in the current rulers. It is not good for us if there are more hardliners…we will be far away from democracy. If they have the dialogues after the change, they will be welcomed by both the people of Burma and the world. At the moment, the whole world is condemning the regime and the country is facing economical, political and social problems. It will be a mistake if the hardliners are still in power…it won’t be good for them and it won’t be good for anyone.

U Myat Hla, the MP of No.2 Pegu Township Constituency
(DVB 26 August)

U Myat Hla : We have to know whether they are changing the form or the essence. The present change is the change of form not the essence. The reason is – first, the military junta is still in power. They have changed the form a bit. Secondly, people are arguing whether General Khin Nyunt is being demoted or promoted as he became the PM. All the seasoned political observers are saying that General Khin Nyunt is being demoted and defeated. The reason is – he once was the main secretary of the military junta. He is not a secretary anymore. He is a prime minister. The cabinet is a group under the SPDC control. The ministers are not ruling the country. The SPDC is ruling the country. He has no role in the SPDC anymore. Therefore, people are saying that he is defeated.

DVB : General Soe Win is known to be a hardliner. He gained the Sec-1 position. Could you say that it [SPDC] is the union of hardliners?

U Myat Hla : Yes, that is the truth. All the hardliners gained the positions. To sum up, they are stating that they would never relinquishing power. That’s it.

DVB : What are the prospects for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the dialogue?

U Myat Hla : It won’t be easy. It won’t be easy in their hands. Power is in the hand of the extremists and it is not a good prospect for the good of the country.

Thakhin Aung Myint of Veteran Politicians
(DVB 25 August)

Thakhin Aung Myint : It is quite surprising that General Khin Nyunt becomes the Prime Minister because they do not have the Office of Strategic Studies anymore. Another fact is Maj-Gen Kyaw Win is becoming more prominent than Gen Khin Nyunt concerning the military intelligence apparatus. So, the changes are quite extraordinary in that sense. Then again, Lt-Gen Soe Win, who became [SPDC] Secretary-2 very recently, is now Secretary-1. We have to wait and see who will become Secretary-2.

DVB : Is General Khin Nyunt not going to be in the SPDC anymore?

Thakhin Aung Myint : I am not sure about it. It hasn't mentioned anything in the statement. All we know is that he is no longer Sec-1 anymore. I won’t be able to say whether he will be a normal member.

DVB : If he won't be a normal member, does it mean that he is demoted?

Thakhin Aung Myint : It could be like that, but sometimes, things are not that clear. They might still consult each other.

DVB : Do you think the shift is connected to the Dipeyin incident?

Thakhin Aung Myint : If it is connected to the incident, Lt-General Soe Win is mainly to be blamed. He is the main player in the Dipeyin incident.

DVB : How would you comment on the current development? Is it good or bad?

Thakhin Aung Myint : I think it is not that good because people being promoted are quite tense. We can assume that they are hardliners.

DVB : Is Rangoon quite quiet with the changes?

Thakhin Aung Myint : No one has talked about it yet as it has just been announced. Probably people will be talking about it tomorrow.

DVB : How about the security measures?

Thakhin Aung Myint : Security measures have been tight for a long time.

DVB : Not many ministers are being fired like that since they have changed their name from the SLORC [State Law and Order Restoration Council] to the SPDC?

Thakhin Aung Myint : No. It has only started today. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. As I said before, you have to ask where the Forestry Minister has gone. Where the major has gone? There will be problems. There will also be problems for who will become Sec-2. I can’t say what the consequences will be.

U Htay Aung Burmese Army expert based in Thailand
(DVB 25 August)

DVB : How do you see the current situation?

U Htay Aung : Most people are thinking that the military junta has to change because of what is happening around the world and what is happening inside Burma after the Dipeyin incident. We have to wait and see whether the changes are only on surface or from within.

DVB : What do you think of General Khin Nyunt becoming the Prime Minister?

U Htay Aung : When they changed from being the SLORC to the SPDC in 1997, and when they were originally the SLORC, General Than Shwe was the chairman of War Council and he was also a joint PM. Now, General Khin Nyunt has become the PM from being Sec-1. But what we are not clear is whether General Khin Nyunt is working as a member of the War Council and is working jointly with the cabinet. Or is he completely responsible for the government? If General Than Shwe is still existing as the chairman of War Council, I think that the junta is preparing to separate the War Council and the government.

DVB : If General Khin Nyunt is no more in the party but in the government wholly, doesn’t that mean he is being demoted?

U Htay Aung : Even during the BSP (Burma Socialist Programme Party)period, if you are sent from War Council down to the government, you can regard that you are being demoted. But if General Khin Nyunt is in the government and he is still in the War Council with a position, you can’t say that he is demoted. It could be that he is responsible for both sides.

DVB : Most people think that General Soe Win is a hardliner. What are your view if he becomes Sec-1, a powerful position?

U Htay Aung : It is quite difficult to say because the junta makes life difficult for outsiders. For example, when Lt-General Soe Win gained the Sec-2 position, we assumed that he would be the most powerful man in the War Council after the chairman, the deputy chairman and Sec-1, but he is always behind Lieutenant-General Shwe Mann in newspaper articles. They seem to be sharing power among themselves regardless of the positions they are in. For example, if you look at either the War Council or the army itself, at the moment, the army has grabbed power and the people who are powerful and hold powerful positions in the army are more powerful.