My response to Zarni's Case for Careful Engagement, in Irrawaddy.

8-21-09


"I didn’t just advocate engagement. I walked the walk. I gave up my US asylum voluntarily and returned home to Burma, having left my 5-year-old daughter in California in her American mother’s care. . . I tried to work on confidence building measures and substantive issues . . ."

True, I observed this first hand, much to my dismay and concern, mainly for Zarni's welfare and safety. It all came to nought because Khin Nyunt was purged shortly after, in November of 2004. The outcome was that Zarni "lost FBC" -- the DC part becoming USCB, and more importantly, he lost so many supporters. Someone in the State Department told me "that's what happens to those who go first. They get a lot of arrows in the back."

"Some kind of self-censorship is prevalent among the writers and analysts who are currently pushing for engagement with the regime for fear of reprisal or in exchange for entry visas."

True. So very true.

Not true that during BSPP most scholars were sent to West. Most sent to Eastern Bloc. I am living example of this. First stint was in Poland. Only opened up a crack in 1982 when Ne Win's daughter Sandar Win failed her medical grad school entry exams in UK. Then crack closed again.

Burma's tragedy is going to be compounded by the outside apologists' heavy handed attempts at "policy making."

God help us.

Kyi May Kaung (Ph.D.)