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Former rebel tells Myanmar to look into democracy in Indonesia
Myanmar should look into Indonesia in term of democracy and how to deal with existence of different cultures, a former rebel leader told a discussion
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yanmar should look into Indonesia in term of democracy and how to deal with existence of different cultures, a former rebel leader told a discussion.
Kwee Htoo Win, general secretary of former rebel group Karen National Union (KNU), said on Tuesday that Indonesia with a wide range of cultures had successfully maintained its democracy.
'So why can't we be united if Indonesia can. Of course it depends on the government's leadership and the ethnic groups,' he said during a public dialogue held by The Habibie Center (THC).
Myanmar's government signed a cease-fire agreement with Karen rebels in January 2012, ended the rebels' more than 60 years of rebellion. The group had been fighting in a guerrilla campaign in eastern jungles that precedes Myanmar's independence from Britain. It had been the only Myanmar's major ethnic groups that had never reached a peace agreement with the government.
The Indonesia'Myanmar dialogue was the last part of a two-day event preceded by a closed roundtable discussion attended by, among others, Myanmar's Deputy President's Office Minister U Aung Thein, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Agus Widjojo and representatives from THC.
There were several issues discussed in the closed talk including national reconciliation, military's role and conflict settlement between Indonesia and the former Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
In the public discussion Thein said that Myanmar wants to improve ties with Indonesia as a part of its effort to strengthen relationship with its neighbors.
As the country's political system made them feel isolated, "now we need help from countries like Indonesia to strengthen our relationship in ASEAN.'
Later this year Myanmar, which joined ASEAN on Jul. 23, 1997, was scheduled to chair the 10-member regional association.
Thein also said that Myanmar was trying to increase tolerance among its people and ensured that they live without fear.
Myanmar has often been in the spotlight for the treatment of its ethnic and religious minorities, including the latest attacks on Muslims. Around 300 minority members, mostly Muslim Rohingya were killed in attacks and displaced hundreds of thousand of people since June.
Indonesian Muslim militants, angered over sectarian violence in Myanmar, have threatened to attack Buddhists here. In May, two men were arrested for allegedly plotting to bomb the Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta.
THC chairwoman Dewi Fortuna Anwar said that Indonesia and Myanmar shared a lot of similarities as both undergone long colonial power, Indonesia by the Netherland and Myanmar by the UK, before the World War II.
She said that from the close relations, both Indonesia and Myanmar could learn a lot from each other and promoting democracy.
'I hope from a discussion like this we could be strong partners to promote democracy.' (idb)
