Burma’s Continuing Human Rights Challenges

One year ago Burma conducted tightly controlled elections that transferred power from a ruling military council to a nominally civilian government in which the president and senior government officials are all former generals. In 2011 the new government has taken a number of positive actions, enacted new laws that purport to protect basic rights, and promised important policy changes. The real test, however, will be in the implementation of new laws and policies and how the government reacts when Burmese citizens try to avail themselves of their rights.

Meanwhile, the main elements of Burma’s repressive security apparatus, and the laws underpinning it, remain in place. In ethnic areas, the human rights situation remains dire. While there are grounds for hope that fundamental change will come to Burma, it is too early to conclude that it has in fact begun.

Since President Thein Sein assumed power on March 30, the rhetoric of the government has been markedly different from the unyielding State Peace and Development Council government, which brooked no dissent. Media restrictions have relaxed and a number of bills passed in the second session of parliament since August suggest a new commitment, on paper at least, to protect some basic rights. The new government has pledged additional reforms and made significant gestures to the political opposition. Senior members of the government have talked about pursuing widespread economic reform, promoting democracy, respecting human rights, sponsoring peace talks with ethnic armed groups to end the civil war, and permitting democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi a level of freedom she has hitherto not been permitted since 1989. She has met regularly with senior government officials, and described these talks as more substantive and hopeful than any past rounds of dialogue.

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This post is in: Human Rights