US Senator Makes Landmark Visit to Myanmar

Webb’s visit is a landmark one. It’s the first time in 10 years that a member of the US Congress has come to Myanmar, also known as Burma.

Webb is a Vietnam veteran and chairs the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific affairs. He represents a school of thought that thinks the US should be more engaged in Myanmar and Southeast Asia.

He recently pointed out that China’s role had grown exponentially in the region during the time that the US had isolated Myanmar because of its human rights abuses and its detention of political prisoners.

Release of John Yettaw?

Although diplomats have played down suggestions that the senator will obtain an amnesty for John Yettaw, who earlier this week was sentenced for illegally visiting pro-democracy leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in May, he is expected to raise the issue when he meets General Than Shwe.

Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to 18 months in jail for supposedly breaching the terms of her house arrest by allowing Yettaw to stay for some time after he swam across a lake to her home.

He wanted to warn her that she might be assassinated.

“Serious concern” only

On Thursday, after some deliberation and reluctance on China and Russia's part to issue a stronger statement of condemnation, the UN expressed “serious concern” about the court’s verdict.

Britain’s ambassador to the UN, John Sawers, read out the statement in New York: “The members of the Security Council reiterate the importance of the release of all political prisoners. In this context, the members of the Security Council express serious concern at the conviction and sentencing of Aung San Suu Kyi and its political impact.”

“The members of the Security Council note the decision the government of Myanmar to reduce Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence and urge the government of Myanmar to take further measures to create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation.”

US policy should look beyond political prisoners

However, political experts think that the international community and especially the US should not only focus on political prisoners.

Pavin Chachavalpongpon, from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, said: “Burma is heading toward a general election in 2010. One should not look only at Aung San Suu Kyi. One should look beyond that at what will come after the general election. Even if they free, Aung San Suu Kyi, I don’t think that will solve any problem. We should look at who will be in power after the election and start from that point.”

The new White House administration under President Barack Obama has indicated it wants to review its approach towards Myanmar.

Last month, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hinted that there would be investment if Suu Kyi was released. She did however express her concern that Myanmar and North Korea had developed nuclear cooperation.

Senator Webb’s landmark visit might well be a turning point in US-Myanmar relations.

Author: Bernd Musch-Burowska/Anne Thomas
Editor: Disha Uppal