Clinton Should Speak Out on Burma

By THE IRRAWADDY

It is welcome news that Hillary Clinton has chosen Asia for her maiden voyage as US secretary of state. There is no doubt that the time is ripe for the US to refocus on Asia and talk candidly about the hot issues in the region.

She will visit four countries in Asia—Japan, South Korea, China and Indonesia. This is a departure from a previous administration that was preoccupied with Iraq, Afghanistan and its disastrous “War on Terror.”

“Clinton's decision to go to Asia for her first overseas trip underscores the growing geopolitical significance of the region and a strong desire to rebalance American engagement,” wrote Nirav Patel, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

To North Korea, Clinton has offered a peace treaty and asked the Communist regime to eliminate its nuclear program in exchange for aid and normalized relations with Washington.

On China, she said that she won’t shy away from voicing her concerns about human rights.

As we are all familiar with the fact that for more than 20 years Beijing has played a leading role in preserving the military junta and its repressive regime in Burma, we hope that Mrs Clinton finds a voice of concern for the people of Burma as well.

Clinton hasn’t spoken out on the Burma issue yet. However, it was recently reported that President Barack Obama, in a phone conversation with Chinese President Hu Jintao, outlined broad areas for international cooperation, including the world economy, climate change, Iran and non-proliferation, Darfur, North Korea and Burma.

A signal has been made that the US, after entrenching itself in the Middle East for years, will turn its eyes to the peaceful and quiet rise of China.

“On a more straightforward strategic level, because Southeast Asia has become an area of intensive Chinese commercial expansion, the best way for the new administration to subtly and responsibly counter China’s growing influence is by regularly visiting this region, which Indonesia dominates geographically in a maritime sense,” Robert Kaplan wrote in the Atlantic.

“Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and the other countries of the region all quietly appreciate America’s military and diplomatic presence, for it serves as a power buffer against China, while in no way threatening their own sovereignty, since the United States has no territorial claims here,” he added.

Analysts noted that the Bush strategy was to leverage Japan and India militarily and diplomatically against a rising China, even as it sought good relations with Beijing. The Obama team will more than likely apply the same pressure. But, as Kaplan wrote: “The difference will be in the energy applied to the task. ‘Half of life is showing up,’ as the cliché goes, and Secretary Clinton has signaled with her first trip that she plans to show up often in Asia.”

It is also vitally important that Clinton visits and addresses Indonesia. Not only because Indonesia represents a bridge toward the Muslim world, but because it is a leading member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

In a few weeks, Thailand will host its delayed Asean summit. It is essential that the US pass on a strong message the regional body take stronger action on Burma’s military dictators.

The US have already committed themselves by announcing the appointment of an envoy to Burma; now they must spell out their policy.

Clinton also has an opportunity while visiting Indonesia to address the issue of the Rohingya, as several boatpeople have landed or have washed up on Indonesian shores in recent weeks.

Over all, she should call for the regional powers to play a key united role in facilitating genuine transition in Burma.

The current head of Asean, Surin Pitsuwan, has become deeply involved in Burma since deadly Cyclone Nargis slammed the Irrawaddy delta last May. However, he appears shy to mention the arrest of aid workers and the ongoing crackdown in Burma.

Clinton should encourage Asean to engage more on Burma to influence political change, as well as helping the US’s targeted sanctions be more effective.

After the “Saffron Revolution,” the Bush administration further tightened sanctions on Burma’s generals and their cronies. However, it is highly assumed that the targeted individuals are able to hide their money by spreading it around banks in the region—most notably in Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and China.

On a political and humanitarian level, Clinton has a duty to raise the issue of political prisoners in Burma, including the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other prominent activists. She should tie in the issue of human rights with the democratization process, spelling out US expectations for the 2010 elections as well as for humanitarian aid in Burma.

As with North Korea, the US has an opportunity to set fresh conditions for normalizing ties with the regime.

Whatever Clinton says or fails to say about Burma while she’s in Asia will be carefully noted by the junta in Naypyidaw. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that the new US policy on Burma does not play into the hands of the regime.