The Debate Over Aid and Engagement
Any debate over the appropriateness of providing aid inside Burma takes place within the broader context of the debate over how to achieve political change. Various governments and international agencies have tried different approaches to bring about an improvement in the political situation. Some have imposed comprehensive sanctions while others have opted for sanctions which allow humanitarian assistance. Many nations are engaging with the regime and a few have tried to initiate political change in Burma by providing aid that is linked to democratic reform. The Burmese government has consistently resisted international efforts, which have been fragmented and incoherent, to convince it to change its policies and end internal oppression. The humanitarian crisis and displacement in Burma will continue as long as the political situation remains unresolved. Those opposed to sanctions point out that the greatest weakness of the Burma sanctions is that they are far from universal. With neighbors providing economic and military aid to Burma, sanctions, such as those imposed by the United States and the European Union, will not bring about a change in the country’s governance. While the NLD has endorsed the US embargo, some of its members acknowledge that it has not been very effective. According to a senior NLD member, “exports are continuing to increase... India and china will buy anything we sell. They demand a lot of our raw materials and agricultural materials.”63 Since the United States first introduced sanctions the Burmese government has made no moves in a democratic direction; instead “moderates” like Khin Nyunt have been purged. As for the effectiveness of sanctions in the South Africa case, to which the Burma sanctions are often compared, South Africa was deeply integrated in the international economy and its government came under pressure from domestic business and neighboring states.64 Conversely, Burma has an internationally isolated agrarian economy, running decades behind the rest of the region. The SPDC does not depend on external economic linkages for its survival.65 It is the people of Burma who suffer from sanctions while the junta survives through the support of Asian neighbors. Advocates of sanctions have noted that the US and EU sanctions are relatively new and will take some years to have the desired effect. They maintain that sanctions have symbolic value and give moral support and leverage to the NLD and Burmese pro-democracy forces. Sanctions may also have encouraged the SPDC to adopt the terminology, if not the practice, of democracy and human rights, and to invite individuals and institutions like the UN Special Envoy, ICRC and amnesty international into the country.66 Those opposed to engagement point out that Burma has been a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since 1997, and while ASEAN countries have tried various forms of engagement to bring about reform, they have failed in their endeavors. They argue that even China, with all its interests and involvement in Burma, cannot influence the regime beyond a certain limit. The removal of Khin Nyunt supports this claim, as he was widely regarded as having very close relations with Beijing. In this context, humanitarian interventions, or lack thereof, have political overtones. A recent example is the withdrawal of the global fund which had been providing funding for health projects. According to the fund the pull-out was due to travel restrictions imposed by the SPDC, making it impossible for the agency to oversee the implementation of grants outside Rangoon and ensure that money would reach those who need it most. Some NGOs have argued that the withdrawal decision was political.67 Frank Smithuis, Burma director of Doctors Without Borders-Holland, said that rather than canceling the program Global Fund should have delayed the funding and used it as leverage to win better government performance in health care.68 |
Main Page Executive Summary Introduction Types of Displacement and Conditions of the Displaced Population Humanitarian Response Inside Burma The Debate Over Aid and Engagement Rationale for International Assistance Inside Burma Towards a More Effective Response to Internal Displacement Refugees International's Recommendations --------------- Acknowledgements Glossary Notes |
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Ending the Waiting Game: Sanctions vs. Engagement
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