The more recent development from Burma is the fact that more people fled from Burma after the election that view by many international leaders including President Obama as far from fair and repressive. Indonesia President who hosted President Obama visit to Jakarta, has not made likewise statement on Burma election. In fact few years ago, in one of the discussion forum hosted in LSE (London School of Economics) where President Yudhoyono gave a talk on Indonesia role in the region, there was a question from the floor on how he defined leader and leadership. This event was in conjunction with the meeting of G20 in UK that time.
The question was a valid one as President Yudhoyono gave an impression in part of his lecture, to indicate the military junta in Burma as Burmese leader. The question from the floor was a simple but fundamental one as Burma military junta is not elected. Frankly, I was the one who asked this question, as I wanted to see Indonesia can play a more significant and a firm role in democratisation on the region, including Burma. Indonesia therefore has an important role to play. How did President Yudhoyono answer to this question can be another discussion.
It is the intention of this writing to bring Burma into the agenda that international leaders should not hide it into the carpet. Especially when the release of nobel laurate Aung San Suu Kyi is a matter of hours or days. Not to mention that world leaders are having G20 meeting in South Korea.
As we all know how Suu Kyi has been holding a pivotal point on democratization of Burma and her struggle has inspired many people around the world. Especially as she keep on track on non violence and stand firm by her principals, sacrificing her own interest including her family as she knows Burmese people put hope on her. She is the universal symbol of courage and perseverance .
President Yudhoyono should aware about these facts of her. He understood about Burma military junta track record, I suppose. He himself had mentioned that to reform Indonesia military has not been an easy task.
So, Obama ‘home coming’ to Indonesia few days ago has sparked a lots of news. From the infamous ‘hand shake story’ to the ‘Indonesia is a part of me’ buzz word. President Obama visited to some countries in the Asia region including India and Indonesia could have been used as an opportunity to take more firm action to the military junta of Burma, in my opinion. To give more pressure to the junta to free Suu Kyi.
Obama did mention Burma in his speech in Indonesia. He also directly questioned Burma election and stated “the voting neither free nor fair, demonstrated the regime’s continued preference for repression and restriction over inclusion and transparency”.
On the ground, 15.000 people fled Burma to the Thai border because of the conflict that takes place between the military junta’s troop and ethic ‘rebels’. Children including babies, women, men, the elderly are among these people who try to escape the clash. I believe this is not the first one and will not be the last one too if the military junta is still in power.
Meanwhile in Jakarta, there was another important meeting should be noted. The visit of China National People’s Congress chairman, Wu Bangguo to Indonesia should also be highly appreciated. It goes without saying China and US are important countries to Indonesia.
China has been perceived as the one ‘closing its eyes ‘on the acts of Burma military junta to Burmese people’. In fact some people may think China seems like the ‘guardian ‘of this Burma military junta, to balance the power of India which is also a neighbour of Burma. Burma used to be a great nation and it has been declining since the military junta in power. Indonesia as named itself as a democratic country which used to be rule under the “Dwi Fungsi/ Double Roles” of ABRI/ military can was seen as one of the lesson borrowed and picked up by Burmese military junta, is indebted to facilitate the emerging democratic process in Burma. Indonesia can do this role if it focus and determine to do so.
Why Indonesia can do this significant role? It is simply because Indonesia is very strategic, both to China and also USA. This may sounds to simplistic but a good idea tend to be a simple but a rooted one. Indonesia should be able to persuade China on the benefit of democratic Burma. What is the point of China major leap to influence and has a grip in African continent through major investment and business there if China cannot master its influence in Asia region through a peaceful, democratic and in elegant ways?
It has already signal by the China parliamentarian on his visit this week to Indonesia. Bangguo use the term “deepening mutual political trust” on China-Indonesia relation. I hope this is not only a rhetoric and therefore Indonesia should address one of the major issue that has been like ‘pebble of the shoes’ of ASEAN and ASEAN Plus 8 as well is the fact that Burma military junta will not change and does not have good intention to change fundamentally to a better and a democratic system. Simply it will not serve any interest to them as a military junta. Voluntary change should never be expected from this type of government. Military junta type of government in the 21st century is a model of government that should perish and not promoted. Indonesia can spread this point and have a mutual dialogue with China. Indonesia should have equal dialogue about Burma with China and USA while the leaders were hosted in Jakarta.
Indonesia leaders should use this framework of deepening mutual political trust and ask China to re-asses its position and policy towards Burmese military junta. Indonesia should enable the Chinese leaders to see how the military junta in Burma has become liability on the new global world and China should dismantle its connection to this military regime of China truly want to be respected leader of the region. Respect is earned, not come as a free raider. Not feared which is not associated to a true leadership.
Dialogue does not have to be a preaching or with a patronizing tone one. The first visit Prime Minister David Cameron of UK to China recently has shown these skills of diplomacy and dialogue. PM Cameron brought the biggest UK contingent including business and trade people to China few days ago. Yet he was able to set a right tone when he called China on the importance of greater political freedom inside the country. Here, he did not mention for the immediate release of the latest Nobel Peace winner, Mr. Liu Xiaobo in public speech, which to me personally I viewed this as discouraging sign. Although he stated that his visit was not about ‘lecturing or hectoring’ of China government. To be fair, he was able to express his view that ‘the best guarantor of prosperity and stability if for economic and political progress to go in step together’. He persuaded China to play a greater role in international affairs as China is very important. On the other side he urged China for the importance of the rule of law and free press. Why Indonesia could not talk with similar tone to China, to persuade China to seriously re-asses its policy towards Burma military junta when China has already opened the discourse of deepening mutual political trust to Indonesia. Trust is the basic for real dialogue. Why Indonesia does not taste this water of trust between the two countries to discuss why Burma ought to be a democratic country and the military junta of Burma does not part of the picture has they have failed many times, the last one was the unfair election.
The illustration from the two world leaders, UK and USA should have given President of Indonesia a clear idea that it would not be counter productive to bring issue democratization of Burma as a serious and must be dealt immediately.
It is up to President of Indonesia to bring up this agenda and to promote Burma issue in every possible ways and forum. He can seize this opportunity to increase his leverage as a leader of big nation in the region and also to promote the idea of civilian supremacy. Indonesia has this capacity as soft power in the global world. He may not see the end result of this effort on his presidency term, but any steps to minimise the power of undemocratic regime will be appreciated not forgotten. As he is now in G20 meeting, I hope he seizes this opportunity.
So, he can also genuinely welcome the release of Suu Kyi from house arrest and one day if he meets her personally, he can have a mutual dialogue and can face her as he did something when she was detained. As to Suu Kyi as I remember her prim wit and gentle ways when we had tea in her house years ago. She has been unbending person and committed to her cause. Once she said that her release should not bee seen as a major breakthrough for democracy as she viewed only when the people of Burma enjoy basic freedom then we can salute the real democracy is there. Nonetheless, let us cheers for your release, an important step to a better – democratic Burma.
Maria Pakpahan
*This article was written two days before Suu Kyi was released.
