Myanmar’s Opposition Calls for Measurable Reform

Marco Werman speaks with Aung Zaw, editor of Irrawaddy, a news magazine about Myanmar (Burma) published in Thailand.

Aung Zaw, a veteran of the 1988 protests in Myanmar, says Hillary Clinton’s visit is welcome, but that the civilian government has to take certain concrete steps, like releasing the remaining political prisoners, before it can say it is serious about reform.

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Lisa Mullins: Aung Zaw is a pro democracy activist in exile. He left Burma after he took part in the 1988 protests against military rule. He’s now the editor of Irrawaddy, which is an independent Burmese news magazine based in Thailand. Aung Zaw says that many Burmese have great respect for the US and welcome Secretary Clinton’s visit, but he says that they want and expect Clinton to use her trip to press for real change in Burma.

Aung Zaw: That’s why they are asking okay, Clinton, you can come to Burma, but at the same time you have to press for meaningful change in the country because the Burmese people cannot express fully what they wish to be. So they want to see Clinton speaking on behalf of these oppressed Burmese people.

Mullins: On behalf of the oppressed people of Burma, I wonder about Aung San Suu Kyi, very celebrated opposition leader, I wonder if you think she should take part in the political process in Burma at all right now even before political prisoners are released?

Zaw: Well, first of all I would like to say that she’s hugely popular. She’s untouchable. She has a huge following in Burma, but at the same time she has decided to resist her party and she even said that she trust president, whom she met a couple months ago. But at the same time I think government wants to have a sense of legitimacy because she’s very important. She’s an international figure who gained the international legitimacy I think the government needs to cooperate with Aung San Suu Kyi. The people…

Mullins: So it sounds like it’s to the government’s advantage to cooperate with her and is it not to her advantage to cooperate with the government so she can make political gains, so the opposition can make political gains?

Zaw: That’s the million dollar question because she doesn’t have a lot of choices. I believe, I think she’s a great leader, but at the same time I think once she shifted a side I think people would start to criticize her and position, and if they’d see her as very compromised. So I think there’s a danger in the future. But at the same time she’s hugely popular. She has a huge following in Burma and we’re lucky to have her.

Mullins: So your fear is if Aung San Suu Kyi gets too close to the government, has any appearance of selling out or being compromised, that’s she’s gonna lose her support as an opposition leader.

Zaw: I think so. I think she could lose a few, but still she’s like a Hollywood figure. She’s a pop star figure. She’s a political figure, a Gandhi type of political status that she has enjoyed so much, so I think she’s still the one who will lead the country who could change the country. That’s why activists, students and also inside the prison, as well as the government try and garner Aung San Suu Kyi the legitimacy in her support, I think.

Mullins: Aung Zaw is the editor of Irrawaddy, an independent Burmese news magazine based in Thailand.

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