Myanmar junta leader to visit Indonesia next week
Lilian Budianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 03/13/2009 9:08 PM
Military-ruled Myanmar’s Prime Minister Gen. Thein Sein will pay an official visit to Indonesia from March 16-17, three weeks before the elections in Southeast Asia’s largest democracy.
Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said Gen. Thein Sein would hold talks with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to “discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues” in his first visit to the country since assuming his present post in 2007.
“Indonesia has regarded Myanmar as a friend, and the bilateral relations between both countries have gone well, as seen in the frequency of visits by officials from both sides,” Dino said in a press release sent to The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Despite the atrocities committed by the military regime in Myanmar, leaders of democratic Indonesia maintain close ties with the junta.
Former president Abdurrahman Wahid visited Myanmar in November 1999, with his successor Megawati Soekarnoputri following suit in August 2001. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited the country in March 2006 as part of his Asian trip and met with Gen. Than Shwe, chief of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Gen. Than Shwe visited Indonesia in 2005 to attend the Asia Africa Summit in Jakarta.
Thein Sein might receive a red carpet welcome at the Presidential Palace, but not from the millions of Indonesians who embrace democracy, human rights and peace. Strong opposition by civil society groups has been voiced over Thein Sein’s visit.
Rafendi Djamin, coordinator for the Human Rights Watch Group (HRWG), said the junta leader’s visit would have an adverse impact on Indonesia, as it would be unlikely to produce any significant results for the rights progress in a country where thousands of people were killed mercilessly and many more people, including democratic icon Aung San Suu Kyi, were detained.
“There is no point holding a dialogue with a country that has no commitment to building a democracy and releasing its political prisoners,” Rafendi said.
“The Myanmar junta might instead use the chance to meet with democratic leaders to justify [its claims of having engaged in the democratic process]. Myanmar can tell the world [its leader] is in Indonesia to learn about democracy as the country prepares for its elections.”
Myanmar has been under severe economic sanctions imposed by Western countries for not recognizing the results of its 1990 elections, which saw Suu Kyi’s party win a landslide victory. Suu Kyi is now under house arrest by the junta. Southeast Asia’s regional grouping ASEAN, of which Myanmar and Indonesia are members, has failed to push for political reform in the impoverished country.
Legislator Djoko Susilo said the government should also discuss the plight of hundreds of Rohingya boatpeople from Myanmar now stranded in Indonesia after attempts to escape prosecution by the junta and economic hardship, during the Myanmar leader’s visit.
“The government must use the chance to urge Myanmar to take the boatpeople back and ensure that they will be treated well,” he said.
“The government should also press Myanmar for a commitment to upholding democracy, especially releasing opposition leader Suu Kyi.”
Thein Sein will lead a 45-person delegation, including five ministers and nine businessmen, Dino said.
Indonesia’s trade with Myanmar has grown at a tremendous pace in recent years. The bilateral trade value surged to US$292.77 million in 2007, a huge jump from the $60.60 million recorded in 2003. In the first 11 months of 2008, bilateral trade surged to $269.6 million, a 1.98 percent increase from the $264.34 million recorded during the same period in 2007.
The infamous Gen. Thein Sein canceled his visit to Indonesia early last year due to concerns over the worsening condition of Indonesia’s late president Soeharto, who led an autocratic regime of his own for three decades.
AFP reported that Gen. Thein Sein will also visit Singapore to meet with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as part of his trip.
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