Conference in Berlin discusses future of Burma

( Posted by Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com) on 28 November 2002) 

 Berlin, November 28, 2002: German media (Die Tageszeitung) on Thursday   reported on a conference in Berlin, organised by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, bringing together members of the Burmese government in exile   and members of the German government, social scientists and NGO   representatives to discuss Burma's future under the heading of "Paths to   Democracy". At the heart of the discussion was the question of the   effectiveness and justifiability of economic sanctions. 

The prime minister of the exiled government, Sein Win, assessed the current situation, saying that hopes aroused by the end of the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi had been superceded by bitter reality. Two weeks ago, UN Special Representative Razali Ismali had been received for merely fifteen minutes by General Than Shwe. Only by exerting political and economic pressure could the international community force the military not to ignore it. 

The representative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation defended an equally strict position towards Burma. While humanitarian aid was contemplated, economic cooperation would continue to be rejected as merely supporting the military. Political scientist Werner Pfennig asked whether boycotts made sense at all: "Do the generals first have to start building weapons of mass destruction?", he asked with reference to humanitarian aid given to North Korea despite its political system. 

Tay Tay of the women's network, SWAN, reported on innumerable cases of  rape and the systematic use of rape by the military to undermine any  oppositional efforts. A representative of the German Federal Foreign Ministry announced a positive development in this regard: the UN is reported to plan an inquiry into rape cases in Burma. How this inquiry is to be financed is still unclear though. [Top]