Suu Kyi and Than Shwe Still Critical Players

Win Tin, a senior leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), talks to journalists at its headquarters on Nov. 13. (Photo: AP)

By Irrawaddy

As the world awaits Suu Kyi's release, senior NLD leader Win Tin talks to The Irrawaddy reporter Ba Kaung about what lies in store for 'The Lady.'

Question: Do you think the Burmese junta is still in a dilemma over Aung San Suu Kyi's release?

Answer: Yes, I think so. The country's latest political atmosphere is rife with huge public resentment—people saying how this regime is such a crook and a cheat. People feel insulted by the election fraud.

So, in this situation, anything can happen depending on what action Daw Suu would takes regarding these fraudulent election results. Another issue is the  recent fighting on the border and ethnic tensions in Karen, Mon and Shan states. So the junta might guess that these ethnic issues will assume a particular dimension when Daw Suu is released.

A third factor is that our party has been officially disbanded for not registering for the election. So Daw Suu will have to cope with this issue. These are the worrying issues for the junta related to her release.

On the other hand, there are high expectations from the public and the international community. The demand for her release is so high that the junta might wish to release her. Another factor is the release might improve the regime's plans for a new parliament and a civilian government. Anyway, she must be released legally since she is serving a criminal sentence.

Q: Do you think Suu Kyi will try to re-consolidate with the opposition parties that contested the polls, including the NLD splinter group, the NDF?

A: We have said that we wish to cooperate with all political forces for democracy. I have to say that we have even been willing to talk with the regime. But the Constitution and the elections have already divided us and the splinter group—which is part of the government's current program. These government loyalists are now on the other bank of the river. But with her political clout, Daw Suu will be able to bridge these differences, we hope.

Q: There were some old NLD leaders like NLD chairman Aung Shwe who disagreed with the party's decision not to participate in the election, but who remain in the party. What will be the relationship between Suu Kyi and them?

A: I think they are invalid now, because U Aung Shwe is 94 years old. Another leader, U Lwin, is 88. Earlier this year, Daw Suu was allowed to pay respect to them. I think she has asked them to leave the party, as you know, and later she asked the regime for a separate meeting with all the members of the party's Central Executive Committee.

Q: She rejected the National Convention which produced the junta's Constitution. Now she will face the election results when she is released. Will she continue to call for a dialogue with the junta?

A: There is no alternative to dialogue. We have a duty to offer dialogue or else we might end up becoming involved in an armed struggle and an underground movement. We offered dialogue to the regime on Oct. 31, 1988, and we will continue to do so.

Q: Some ethnic leaders wish to call for a second Panglong Conference. What do you think Suu Kyi's take will be on that?

A: All the ethnic leaders wish to call for a second Panglong Conference. That shows how much the call for dialogue remains very relevant. In this situation, Daw Suu and Snr-Gen Than Shwe are still critical players. Please remember that Suu Kyi and the rest of us called for a genuine union, although we are cautious about using the term 'federal state' since the junta might call us 'separatists'.

Q: Are you worried for Suu Kyi's life after she is released?

A: We did not have any particular worries about that until she faced an assassination attempt in 2003 in Depayin.