After having personal experience with what 'junta' means, I am pretty sensitive when it comes to dictatorships or any kind of militaristic regimes. I include states like Pakistan and Iran, even though Iran suffers a theocratic dictatorship which makes it even worse; countries where the army is hiding behind puppet politicians like in some South American or African countries and countries like Turkey where the army hasn't realized that they should stay in their barracks with their mouths shut, instead of beholding the democratic future of the country.
However, things seem to get worse in another country, Burma. The military rulers of the country announced their decision to extend the house arrest of the democratic opposition leader Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi. Hopes were even from the UN that the period of expiration of her house arrest would lead to her freedom and a series of changes. It was in vain!
Oddly enough, even the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan appealed to the leaders of Burma's military junta, especially to their leader General Than Shwe, for Mrs. Suu Kyi's freedom, but his words were ignored once more with a raw announcement that her detention remains.
Why should this devilish General obey the UN Secretary General or anybody else after the suffering that goes on in the other countries I mentioned earlier? Has anybody done anything with Pakistan's president, another general, Pervez Musharraf? The man came to power with a military coup, imprisoning and killing any political opposition to his ego. But you see, he is an 'ally' in the war against terror even though his country is host to the Taliban and any other radical Muslim - it seems joining the 'allies' gave him holy forgiveness!
What about Iran's leaders? They made a political mistake by not joining the war against terror because you would see how democratic they would have been; an immediate baptism. There they don't imprison their opposition, they just make it vanish! Send them the fast way to Allah!
Weird as it sounds, the awareness of Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi's situation and the worry for democracy in Burma has started from the international Music Television channel and the efforts of U2 singer Bono. However strange it sounds, the media have proved once more how powerful they are to force the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to feel the need to interfere.
There is no way for these petty generals to listen or negotiate. An international boycott only hurts the people of Burma and those already suffering in poverty. Oddly enough the threat of the 'alliance' should be enough to scare any clown general or petty cleric if it was happening under the umbrella of the UN.
Free Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi now, give democracy back to the Burmese people and Mr UN Secretary you don't need to appeal because you have the power the nations have given to you. Use it for a good reason for once and do it now!
by Thanos Kalamidas
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