Three Important Points on Burma's Transition --

With Steven Hansch, Professor, American University and Mike Haack, Volunteer and Grassroots Activist, US Campaign for Burma, I was a panelist yesterday (October 19th,
2007) on Burma: Prospects for Social Activism at the School of International Studies Lounge on AU Campus.

3 important points which came out of this session:

From me – I made this point before during BBC Hardtalk Interview –
Dr. Gambari, the UN Envoy’s mandate needs to be broadened and deepened.
A fine-tuned mix of sanctions, diplomacy and second track diplomacy should be used in Burma. President Bush extended sanctions on Burma and announced it himself, on Oct. 19th.
From Dr. Steven Hansch and Dr. David Hirschman (who told me he is from S. Africa – Dr. Hirschman is Director of the International Development Program at AU)
There needs to be something like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in S. Africa in Burma –
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_and_Reconciliation_Commission_(South_Africa)

Dr. Hirschman said that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission granted amnesty to some who had committed human rights abuses under apartheid and the ANC’s record was also examined. The Commission was headed by Bishop Tutu.

I am going to study transition in S. Africa some more.

From Dr. Hansch: The NCGUB (National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma) (The Democratic Government in Exile) – now does an effective job as roving ambassadors. But for Transition, they need to be more empowered, they need the promise that they will be part of the Transition Government.

This reminded me that former Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto went back to Karachi after working out a power sharing agreement with Musharaf’s government.

At the AU session, I spoke about the political and economic background of the August and September demonstrations in Burma, talking about systemic factors to do with the command economy and the military dictatorship.

Mike Haack spoke of the US Campaign for Burma’s political activism and AU students.

Dr Hansch spoke of democratic transitions in different countries including East Timor.

Dr. Hirschman recommended a book (fiction) by Antjie Krogh, The Country of my Skull which has also been made into a film, see Wikipedia entry above. Other novels which address conditions in Africa and S. Africa are:

Alan Paton’s Cry the Beloved Country.

Uzodinma Iweala, Beasts of No Nation, about a child soldier.

Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s Wizard of the Crow.