Causecast

by ASHISH SHARMA, Causecast Editor

Democratic Senator Jim Webb of Virginia arrived in Burma today with the hopes of meeting the ruling military Junta and General Than Shwe, their leader, later this weekend. Webb, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific affairs, is at the start of a two-week tour of five Asian nations. Webb is scheduled to meet with General Than Shwe in Naypyidaw, Burma’s new remote capital.

Webb’s tour of Asia comes days after Aung San Suu Kyi’s 18 month prison sentence and could be seen as a new round of negotiations with Burma. Both Senator Webb and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have been critical of sanctions and believe that opening up U.S. policy towards Burma will be more effective. Depending on the outcome of this tour, it could mean a different approach to relations with Burma. Economic sanctions have been in place since 1990 as a response to the arrests of more than 2,000 political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

However, some organizations are still skeptical with this weekend’s upcoming meetings and sent Senator Webb a letter voicing their concerns. The All Burma Monks’ Alliance, the 88 Generation Students and the All Burma Federation of Student Unions are concerned that General Than Shwe and the ruling Junta will use propaganda to justify their imprisonment of over 2,000 people. On July 14, 2009, all three groups released a joint statement that warned to the international community to stop expecting a positive response from Burma’s ruling generals. The regime has not given any indication of cooperation within the past 20 years and it has no reason to comply with international demands now.

The State Department helped arrange Webb’s travel to Asia, but it is still not clear if he will be relaying an official message to Burma’s rulers. One certainty is that the senator will try to secure the release of American John Yettaw. Yettaw, 54, swam across a lake to reach Aung San Suu Kyi’s home and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Webb’s trip, if successful, can hopefully shed some light on why Yettaw swam to Aung San Suu Kyi’s home near the completion of her previous sentence.

Photo by kalexnova, Flickr