On the 12th January 2007 the United National Security Council had an opportunity to pass a motion on the Burma Military Dictatorship and ultimately ensure that the world comes in on behalf of the people of that country and save them from violence and human rights abuse. The primary objective of the motion was on the violation of Human Rights and a demand for the release of political prisoners in Burma by the dictatorship. The motion was tabled by the US, and was supported by five countries, with three abstentions and three against (with SA amongst the latter). The main purpose of the vote was to facilitate an intervention by the Security Council.
What did SA vote against?
Burma has been ruled by an unelected Military dictatorship since 1990. The country was colonized by Britain in 1886 and later by Japan. In 1948 the country negotiated its independence from Britain and Japan after the pressure of armed forces by the people led by the Communist Party of Burma which was founded by Aung San. Aung San left the country for military training underground in the early 20's. He facilitated the establishment of the party and became the first General Secretary of the Communist Party. Aung San was assassinated in 1947, a year earlier before the independence, during negotiations period.
After the process of negotiations there was a democratically elected government by the people of Burma led by U Nu for 10 years. In 1958 there was a coup led by Ne Win and a caretaker government was formed and elections undertaken in 1960.
The elections were again won by U Nu and later in 1962 Ne Win waged another coup and forcefully took over the government. The country deteriorated economically and as a result there were high levels of poverty. Young people and student, like in South Africa in 1976, rose against the dictatorship of the military government in 1988. The military responded by brutal killing, harassment and torturing of young people.
Most activists were forced to flee the country to neighboring countries. Ultimately Ne Win was pressured by the situation in the country and resigned. The interim government was put in place to run the country. The following year there was another coup by General Saw Maung, who also promised to hold elections. Due to internal and international pressure he was forced to hold elections in 1990. The National League for Democracy led Aung San Suu Kyi (Aung San's daughter) won election by majority of 82% votes.
The military government refused to hand over administration to the elected government. The NLD was forced to go to exile as a result of harassment, torturing and killing of the leadership of NLD by government. The elected president Aung San Suu, has been in and out of jail and currently in house arrests for 10 years. There were a number of attempts to kill her by the Military Junta. Lately, the deputy President of the NLD has been in house arrest as well.
The communist Party of Burma is currently operating from China. and is mobilising all progressive forces behind the National Liberation Struggle, mobilize international support behind the struggle for freedom in Burma.
UN Security Council Sitting
On the 12th January 2007 an opportunity was presented for the people of Burma to get intervention from the UN Security Council on the situation. The matter was put to the UN Security council meeting by the US. The motion could not pass because China, as a permanent member, raised an objection, and thus, no discussions could take place.
With the history of struggle for liberation in our country, the people of Burma hope that we will support their course for national democracy.
One of the key demands raised in the resolution was for the release of political prisoners, which is central for any progress to be made in that country. There is continuous harassment of ordinary people by the military dictatorship. People are forced to emigrate to neighboring countries. With these conditions in Burma, clearly our country should have thought twice and made their priority to be against human rights violation anywhere in the world. One of the pillars of our struggle against Apartheid was around the mobilization of international support and call on the apartheid government to release our leaders who were unjustly jailed.
Burma today is what SA was yesterday.
Clearly the whole drama that happened in the UN Security Council was about power between the US with Britain on the one hand and China with Russia on the other. The US has its motives on the matter beyond an open and participatory democratic process. It is motivated by their extension of power in that region. The Chinese government is one of the major suppliers of arms of the current military regimes.
Are our reasons justifiable?
Our government is justifying their support of China and Russia is that the issue should be dealt with by the UN Human Rights Council because it is a human rights issue. South Africa should have compromised, if this was the case, by abstaining from the entire voting process as a matter of principle as their vote signified support for the military dictatorship. The justification by Foreign Affairs and the Presidency that the sovereignty of some of the countries should be respected is way out of line, as some of the countries that supported our own democracy did not respect the sovereignty of an illegal and oppressive Apartheid regime.
Secondly matters of Human Rights violations were discussed and there are resolutions that were taken before by the UN Security Council. It would have never been for the first time.
The Young Communist League will continuously engage and lobby support on the matter both in the country and internationally. Our task as internationalists is to take a direct political duty to engage and attempt to sway the balance in relation to the liberation of the people of Burma.
George Raphela is the National Organizer of the Young Communist League
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