‘Humanitarian Space’ Still on the Agenda

By THE IRRAWADDY

The Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) called this week on the international community to build on relations with Burma’s military regime in the wake of coordinated efforts made following the Cyclone Nargis disaster.

"The massive devastation caused by cyclone Nargis has prompted a period of unprecedented cooperation between the government and international humanitarian agencies to deliver emergency aid to the survivors," the ICG said in a report titled ‘Burma/Myanmar after Nargis: Time to Normalise Aid Relations.’ The report urged the international community to "seize this opportunity to reverse longstanding, counterproductive aid policies."

In the meantime, with the support of regime apologists and business circles, some so-called experts have naively come to believe that a “space” would be opened up following the 2010 election and the enactment of provisions of the constitution.

It’s still far from clear, however, whether these expectations can be met.

Instead, because of the junta’s mishandling and mismanagement, there is little hope of a dramatic increase in the amount of aid. UN and NGO assistance, for instance, will run out at the end of April 2009.

Burma's political stakeholders, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, believe that the release of detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners is the key to an improved, all-inclusive, substantive and time-bound dialogue as a turning point in the country's political development. “There is no alternative to dialogue to ensure that all stakeholders can contribute to the future of their country,” Ban said.

It should be noted that junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe announced a referendum on a new constitution and plans for a general election in 2010 after coming under international and regional pressure because of the regime’s brutal crackdown on last September’s demonstrations.

The "humanitarian space"—or what the ICG calls "unprecedented cooperation" between the Burmese junta and the international community—opened up in the Irrawaddy delta because of international and exiled Burmese media pressure on international governments and the UN to act to save the victims of Cyclone Nargis.

In the absence of any significant achievement, the ICG called for more comprehensive engagement with the Burmese regime rather than pressure and sanctions. It furthermore called on Western governments to "lift political restrictions on aid."

The Burmese people are pawns in the hands of the junta led by Than Shwe. Burma is a closed society strictly controlled by the military authorities, and the balance of power is still heavily weighted in favor of the army. There also is still a lack of willpower within the military towards political and economic reform.

So aid sent directly to the Burmese junta must be subject to transparency and accountability. If this is not assured it would be a big insult to those Burmese who have sacrificed their entire lives for the betterment of their homeland.