Did Hope Come to Burma Today?
Today Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Burma, the country also known as Myanmar. This is the first time a high-ranking U.S. official has been in the country for over 50 years. In 1962, Burma closed its doors politically and economically to most of the outside world. However, one year ago, the military leaders of the country laid aside their military fatigues for suits in an effort to not be left behind by the quickly advancing outside world. Though many have been unconvinced that the change is genuine, the countries leaders have held a successful election, released over 500 political prisoners, and allowed space for a vocal public opinion. These actions have intrigued many key leaders in the United Nations and U.S government, including President Obama and Sec. Clinton.
Today, Sec. Clinton will sit with the elected leaders of Burma and attempt to poke holes in the democratic system they have adopted, seeing if they aregenuine about reform. The country has been wrought with 60 years of civil war, is rumored to have one of the worlds largest drug cartels, and has become a major hub for human trafficking inAsia. If they convince Sec. Clinton of their sincerity, it could mean major things for the country, among which could be open doors into the United Nations and help from the U.S., including many American companies interested in Burma’s rich natural gas and mineral resources.
Tomorrow, Sec. Clinton will meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Prize laureate and political activist in Burma who was recently released from 15 years of house arrest imposed by the Burmese military leaders for peaceful protests held in 1990. She has been very outspoken about her beliefs that the elections held a year ago were rigged, but gave her blessing on the phone last week to Pres. Obama, of Sec. Clinton’s meetings with the government leaders.
All of this speaks to potentially amazing things for the future of Burma. We here at Project: AK-47 have strong hopes in this week’s encounters between America and Burma.
We believe that where there are ripples, there can be waves. We believe that where there are waves, there can be a flood. Today there are ripples of hope for the people of Burma. We have a hope that as the leaders of Burma sit down across from Sec. Clinton and look her in the eyes, a hope beyond hopes will grip them to see what they can become. They will see what kind of leaders they are meant to be. We believe that they will catch a vision of what they can accomplish for the future of the country. We believe that they will start the ripples, and with their children, will come the waves, and with their grandchildren, the floods.
Today is a day to hold strong to our hopes for Burma and its future. We must hold strong to our hope in the leaders the country. We must hold strong to our hope for the future of its children.
Today is a day of Hope for Burma.
Extended Reading and Resources:
www.cfob.org/HistoryofBurma/historyOfBurma.shtml
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-us-myanmar-20111130,0,1487872.story