Vom Ende einer Illusion. Zur aktuellen Lage in Myanmar

Abstract The release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest in May 2002, after a series of secret talks raised hopes that Myanmar's long political deadlock between the ruling military junta and the opposition led by the daughter of the country's national hero could come to an end. The re-arrest of the opposition leader in connection with a violent clash between followers and opponents of the ruling regime at the end of May 2003 made it quite clear that such hopes were based on the mistaken assumption that the military had accepted the opposition and her leader as an equal political partner. The events connected with Aung San Suu Kyi's travels during the period under review show that the government regarded the result of the confidence-building talks as the opposition's subordination under the paramount leadership of the military headed by Senior General Than Shwe. On the other hand, the opposition saw the outcome of the secret talks as an acknowledgement of her status as a "government in waiting". The government's concept of political leadership is still greatly influenced by the royal tradition of a "benevolent tyrant" who rules the country in accord with Buddhist morality, assisted by advisers, members of a "loyal opposition" included. Ironically, most followers of the opposition in Myanmar share this concept, but are longing for a different leadership.