Editorial
March of the monks in Myanmar
World must promote democratic change
THERE are reasons to think that world leaders gathering in New York for the UN General Assembly session might bring pressure to bear on the Myanmar junta to introduce democratic reforms in the country. The United States and the European Community could be taking a lead in drawing attention to the latest development in Myanmar. There is little question that this new interest in what happens in the isolated country has been sparked by what has been happening over the past several days in Yangon. Thousands of monks have marched, in pouring monsoon rain, in the streets, first to protest the abnormal, sudden rise in fuel prices decreed by the junta and then to demand a return to democracy. Even the detained Aung San Suu Kyi, the symbol of the democratic struggle in her country, has watched the monks march before her residence.
Since 1962, when General Ne Win overthrew the civilian government of Prime Minister U Nu, the country has been under army rule. Although Ne Win's departure, in the face of public unrest in 1988, was seen as an opening to democracy, it was only the beginning of a new phase of authoritarian rule. This fact was confirmed when the junta refused to honour the results of the 1990 elections, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won handsomely, and instead entrenched itself in power. Suu Kyi has been interned since then and all forms of dissent have been muzzled. It is therefore intriguing, perhaps even inspiring, for the people of Myanmar that the monks have now acted in their unique way.
And yet there is hardly any way of telling whether the monks protest will revive the movement for democracy or, as its wont, the junta will move in with force to snuff it out. Many are the instances when protests in the country have been silenced. It is now up to the international community to play a purposeful role in asking for democratic change in Myanmar.
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