In retrospect of US-Burma Relations in 2012 By
Features 22:25
By Nehginpao Kipgen
United States-Burma relations in 2012 were an outcome of years of diplomatic maneuvering since the downgrading of U.S. representation in Burma from ambassador to charge d'affaires in the aftermath of 1988 democracy uprising and the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) military government's refusal to acknowledge the 1990 general election results. It was also a result of the U.S. government's dual-track policy, using carrots and sticks.
As a condition to normalizing bilateral relations, the U.S. government made some fundamental demands: the release of all political prisoners (approximately over 2,000 held in different prisons across Burma in the beginning of 2012), inclusive dialogue with opposition parties and ethnic minorities, adherence to the U.N. nonproliferation agreements on nuclear weapons and to end any illicit cooperation with North Korea, greater accountability on human rights issues, and to end violence against ethnic minorities. The U.S. government also asked the Burmese government to hold free and fair by-elections.
Firstly, a total of 651 political prisoners were either released or offered presidential pardon by the Burmese government on Jan. 13. Those released included prominent political prisoners, including leaders of the 1988 democracy uprising, the ex-military intelligence chief and deposed Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt, and ethnic Shan leaders Hkun Htun Oo and Sai Nyunt Lwin, who were sentenced to 93 and 85 years prison sentences respectively.
Secondly, the Thein Sein government signed ceasefire agreements with several ethnic armed groups: Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), Chin National Front (CNF), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), Karen National Union (KNU), Karen Peace Council (KPC), National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Khaplang (NSCN-K), New Mon State Party (NMSP), Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA), and Shan State Army-North (SSA-N).
Thirdly, the government held April by-elections successfully. The NLD won in 43 of the 44 seats it contested. One seat each was won by the ruling USDP and the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP). The USDP candidate captured the seat where the NLD candidate was disqualified. The SNDP won a seat from the Shan state. The participation of NLD and other political parties associated with ethnic minorities boosted the government's claim for legitimacy and credibility of its seven-step “roadmap” toward democracy that initially began in 2003.
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