Myanmar is in the midst of changes unparalleled in our history. Expectations are high, but the needs of our people are even greater. We must succeed in our transition to peace, democracy and inclusive economic development. And for this to happen we need the rest of the world to appreciate the complexity of the challenges that the Burmese government faces.
We live in the shadow of our past — a past shaped by colonial occupation and military dictatorships, and by our unique geography between Asia’s giant civilizations of India and China, a geography that must be carefully managed. We suffer from extremely limited institutional capacity and even more from the mind-sets and mentalities that emerged under isolation and authoritarian rule. These are things that cannot change overnight.
One of our most important tasks at the moment is bringing about a just and sustainable end to 70 years of armed conflict — one of the longest-running internal conflicts in the world. We are committed to a federal union formed under the principles of democracy, equality and self-determination. We have been in talks with nearly two dozen different ethnic-based armed groups with the goal of a nationwide cease-fire agreement. We want an end to fighting that will allow displaced people to return home and resume their livelihoods. We wish to open space for dialogue at all levels — including political talks at the highest levels — aimed at a final peace accord. These talks may well lead to constitutional reforms, including in the area of civil-military relations.
We are also determined to end the humanitarian crisis in our western Rakhine State, a site of recent communal violence. We will very soon release a final action plan to address the totality of issues in Rakhine State, one that conforms to accepted international standards in all respects, including on issues of humanitarian access, resettlement, livelihoods and citizenship. We are committed to heightened security to prevent any further violence and will take the toughest measures under the law to prosecute those responsible for violence or incitement to violence. There will be no forced resettlement of people.
All people in Myanmar, regardless of ethnicity or religion, deserve the same fundamental rights and freedoms.
In a year’s time we will hold general elections. We are committed to an electoral process that is totally free and fair, and are working hard to ensure the elections will be a major step forward in building our democracy. We are in constant dialogue with political parties and hundreds of civil society organizations. We will not only allow domestic monitors but international election observers as well. We hope for elections that are not only free but that encourage substantive debates of policies, offering people real choices for the future.
We are committed as well to a free media. The newly established Myanmar Press Council is working hard to make this a reality and we understand fully the importance of a free, independent, and responsible media as a key component to any democratic society.
Alongside all these political efforts, we are working as hard as possible on developing our economy. Reducing poverty is a task that can be second to none. This requires many different reforms — from currency reform to the creation of a central bank to establishing a more liberal trade and investment system than previously existed. It is essential that we expand our economy in an inclusive way and in a way that protects our natural environment at the same time as we embark on our political changes.
We are encouraged and heartened by the support given by governments and international institutions. America — both the United States government and American friends and organizations — has played a critical role in moving us away from decades of dictatorship to a place where we can now at least see the light at the end of the tunnel. President Obama — who arrived in our country on Wednesday and leaves for Australia on Friday — and Secretaries of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Kerry have all been important, but so too have senators and representatives from both sides of the aisle in Congress.
Our interest is not in aid funding for our reforms. What we want more than anything is that friends of Myanmar around the world understand the nuances of what is happening and be aware of the big picture: that we are a small nation between giant neighbors, poor and isolated for decades, with entrenched systems and views that have grown up over generations, now trying decisively to move toward peace and democracy. It is a grand experiment, but we are determined to succeed.
U Soe Thane, a retired admiral, is a minister in the office of the president of Myanmar.