Dear all,

The followings are extracts from BBC talking point in which Aung San Suu Kyi was invited and Lyce Doucet was an animator.It was realied on 12 December 2002.

You can have the whole transcript in: http://burmalibrary.org/docs/Talking-Point_2002-12.htm

I would like you read what Aung San Suu Kyi said in regard to Sanctions and Tourism, and I wish to know your opinions about “sanctions and toursim”

Do you agree or still agree with Aung San Suu Kyi or do you disagree with her and the tourists should come to Myanmar.

Sanctions in general

Lyse Doucet:
We'll take a caller now from Singapore, Si Thu is on the line.

Si Thu:
In your opinion, how have the sanctions affected the people and consequently the nation? Do you think that the plight of the original people has been forgotten in the struggle for democracy?

Aung San Suu Kyi:
When you talk about sanctions, you have to be aware of the fact that the sanctions are very limited. They were imposed by the United States Government and only on future investments. American businesses which had been in Burma before the imposition of the sanctions continued to operate. So the sanctions are very limited in scope and the people in Burma who are affected by it are therefore consequently very few. The reason why there is not as much investment in Burma as there might have been is because the political climate is not healthy.
Si Thu:
Now the military government has conceded, do you think it's time to lift the sanctions?

Aung San Suu Kyi:
I think it is for the people of the United States to decide when they will lift the sanctions. Don't forget that it wasn't the NLD which imposed sanction on Burma, it was the United States Government.
Lyse Doucet:
But Aung San Suu Kyi, do you believe there should be stronger sanctions? A number of e-mails have asked about this.
We heard from Steed in Taiwan he says: Do you believe western countries must put stronger economic sanctions on Myanmar to help the people to improve their life?
You mentioned they were very limited. Should they be wider?

Aung San Suu Kyi:
We have said officially that our policies with regard to sanctions will not change until such time as political dialogue is in place. So our policy remains the same. At the time when the sanctions were imposed, we supported the sanctions. We have not asked for further sanctions but neither have we withdrawn our support for sanctions because there is not yet political dialogue in place.

Sanction and Tourism

Barrie Boulton:
It's my very great pleasure to have this opportunity to talk with you Aung San.
My question is this - it relates very much to what other people have been asking about the many thousands of people out there who want to know whether the time is right to visit Burma.
Do you recognise the role foreign travellers to your country can play by providing your people with an invaluable source of information that they would otherwise be denied? Or do you continue to maintain your view that foreign visitors to your country will be supporting, directly or indirectly, the military regime and therefore should be discouraged from coming at this time?

Aung San Suu Kyi:
Well let me separate your question into two parts. With regard to the NLD stand on tourism - we have not changed. As I said earlier, we are not going to change on matters on policy until such a time as political dialogue is in place.
But the other part of the question, as to whether foreign travellers bring valuable information to the people of Burma. I have to say quite frankly that the people of Burma, in general, do not depend on tourists and foreign visitors to bring them information.
If they are really intent on getting information about what is going on in the world and what is going on with regard to Burma, then they listen to foreign radio programmes such as the BBC and the DVB, the Democratic Voice of Burma, Radio Free Asia and so on. So those who really want information, do you have access - limited as it is - to information.
Lyse Doucet:
Let me just come in here to give you some of the other messages we've received from people making points very similar to Barrie Boulton.
Jeremy Green, London, England: I plan to visit Burma over the Christmas and New Year holidays. I have wanted to visit for many years but have held off because of the record of the military regime. Some people tell me that I'm being morally irresponsible for visiting Burma now as your release has not stopped the abuses of the regime. Is it, therefore, too early for a tourist with a moral conscience to visit your country?
A similar question comes from Malcolm Higgins, Taipei, Taiwan he asks: When can I start planning my trip to Burma?

Aung San Suu Kyi:
As I said, our policy with regard to tourism has not changed which is say that we have not yet come to the point where we encourage people to come to Burma as tourists. But let me say this: Burma is not going to disappear, it's going to stay here. We hope that as things change, Burma will become the kind of country that will be even more of a pleasure to visit than it is now.

Thanks and regards

Dear MHK,

One doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon to see through the strategy of US, to impose sanctions and discourage tourists from visiting Myanmar. It is pure and simple evil strategy.

1. To destroy the economic development of a country, so that it will not be able to govern, provide essential needs of the State and the populace. When the Government is bankrupt, it will have no other options but to succumb to their demands. Thus enabling to install a Puppet Government who would be willing to serve their interest or to bring the country into their orbit of influence. In a way, they can colonize a country without having to fire a shot. Nowadays, all Former Colonial Powers still want to control their former colonies and other emerging young countries by economic power, political power and lastly by military threat when everything fails.
2. Deny the Government of needed revenue to provide services for the people. When standard of living starts to deteriorate and basic services disappear, masses will become disenchanted and discontent with the Government. Then it is easier for them to manipulate behind the scene for uprisings – Orange, Rose, 1988, 2007 Saffron Revolution etc... It will be easier for them to recruit mercenaries, informants and activists to destabilize in the country. It is part of the COMPANY’s work all over the world. The Mighty Dollar can buy anything – traitors, stooges and informants.
3. General Aung San and Thirty Comrades managed to get rid of the British yoke to gain Independence, but Daw Suu Kyi and NLD are doing just the opposite. They are following the policy of fulfill their masters interest.
4. Exiles are still lobbying to the UN, US and EU to impose stronger sanctions etc to bring the Government to it knees. Concerning Sanctions and Tourism, Daw Suu Kyi and the NLD said their policy will not change until such time as political dialogue is in place. They have no considerations for Myanmar. Just to gain political power by any means. They did not object nor disassociate themselves from the Exiles policy.
5. The Opposition Groups get political handouts, so they are alright and comfortable in the liar. The only people suffer are the real people of Myanmar.
6. By tourists (genuine) coming into the country, they can see and make assessment by themselves of Myanmar. They said what they saw in the media abroad and see her on the ground is totally different. There is more security here than in their own country. Quite a few also mentioned to me that they are totally against Economic Sanctions because it only hurt the ordinary people.
7. My strategy is – When a country is economically strong, the country’s will be more stable. Thus, the Government can provide services to all states and its people. All armed group will see it’s to their benefit and will come into the legal fold. When this materialized, the Government can channel more money back into the country. At present about 35/40% of revenue is spent on Defense (National Security) which is a lot.
8. More capital can be spent on improving infrastructures and provide better services to the people...
9. All ethnic groups also should take pride as Myanmar and work hard towards rebuilding the country instead of blaming everything to the Government.
10. So let’s get moving ahead with the Road Map, the referendum and the Election in 2010.

This is my humble opinion. Nice talking to you.

I am Polaris – still in the same position.

Dear MHK,


It's very good of you to publish this BBC's Lyse Deucet inteview to Ma Su Kyi.

I have only one question. That is, what is the difference between an Ayar Gyi and a Kalar Gyi?

If you had ask me that same question I would answer that like this; Ayar Gyi is with Moteseik ( beard ) , Kalar Gyi is without Moteseik. What about that?

I would like to know, what is the difference between not calling to impose economic sanctions on Myanmar, but supporting imposition of economic sanctions on Myanmar.

" Tutt Le Tutt Naing Ja Bar Be De "

Regards,

Thunderbolts.

Dear Forum Participants,

The Lady-in-Waiting answers to questions put at the interviews were as follows:-

Si Thu:
Now the military government has conceded, do you think it's time to lift the sanctions?

Aung San Suu Kyi:
I think it is for the people of the United States to decide when they will lift the sanctions. Don't forget that it wasn't the NLD which imposed sanction on Burma; it was the United States Government.

Her answer ‘-It is for the people of the United States to decide when they will lift the sanctions.
My question – Did you and NLD object or disassociate from imposition of Sanctions. No you did not.

Lyse Doucet:
But Aung San Suu Kyi, do you believe there should be stronger sanctions? A number of e-mails have asked about this.
We heard from Steed in Taiwan he says: Do you believe western countries must put stronger economic sanctions on Myanmar to help the people to improve their life?
You mentioned they were very limited. Should they be wider?

Aung San Suu Kyi:
We have said officially that our policies with regard to sanctions will not change until such time as political dialogue is in place. So our policy remains the same. At the time when the sanctions were imposed, we supported the sanctions. We have not asked for further sanctions but neither have we withdrawn our support for sanctions because there is not yet political dialogue in place.

Her answer ‘- At the time when the sanctions were imposed, we supported the sanctions. We have said officially that our policies with regard to sanctions will not change until such time as political dialogue is in place. So our policy remains the same

My question – You did support Sanctions then and is still supporting more Sanctions right now. Aren’t you!!! It is a matter of syntax because you are an Oxford Educated Lady. Thunderbolts has quite rightly given an analogy of “Ayar Gyi and Kala Gyi “. They are one and the same – one with a beard and the other without a beard. You also discouraged and urged potential tourists to stay away from visiting Myanmar. You are not really concern of the plight of the people but using these leverages to gain your political objects for yourself and your party under the guise of promoting Democracy in Myanmar. One tourist coming in will generate about 15 related jobs – hotel staffs from front desk personals to maids and cleaners, taxi drivers, restaurant workers, tourist guides, souvenirs vendors and craftsman who produce them etc... If an ordinary person like me can have consideration for my Myanmar people why can’t you be as the daughter of our Hero General Aung San.

Barrie Boulton:

Do you recognize the role foreign travelers to your country can play by providing your people with an invaluable source of information that they would otherwise be denied? Or do you continue to maintain your view that foreign visitors to your country will be supporting, directly or indirectly, the military regime and therefore should be discouraged from coming at this time?

Aung San Suu Kyi:
Well let me separate your question into two parts. With regard to the NLD stand on tourism - we have not changed. As I said earlier, we are not going to change on matters on policy until such a time as political dialogue is in place.
But the other part of the question, as to whether foreign travelers bring valuable information to the people of Burma. I have to say quite frankly that the people of Burma, in general, do not depend on tourists and foreign visitors to bring them information.
If they are really intent on getting information about what is going on in the world and what is going on with regard to Burma, then they listen to foreign radio programmes such as the BBC and the DVB, the Democratic Voice of Burma, Radio Free Asia and so on. So those who really want information, do you have access - limited as it is - to information.

Her answer - As I said earlier, we are not going to change on matters on policy until such a time as political dialogue is in place.
The other part of the question, as to whether foreign travelers bring valuable information to the people of Burma. I have to say quite frankly that the people of Burma, in general, do not depend on tourists and foreign visitors to bring them information.
If they are really intent on getting information about what is going on in the world and what is going on with regard to Burma, then they listen to foreign radio programmes such as the BBC and the DVB, the Democratic Voice of Burma, Radio Free Asia and so on.

My question – So you want to prevent and deny tourists from making their own assessment by seeing things on the ground but to rely solely to outside medias like DVB, RFA etc that are funded by slush funds. It is known, to destabilize Iran, US has spent US 75 millions for ‘Regime change’. Opposition groups inside Iran were also funded to provide disinformation and misinformation.

Lyse Doucet:
Let me just come in here to give you some of the other messages we've received from people making points very similar to Barrie Boulton.
Jeremy Green, London, England: I plan to visit Burma over the Christmas and New Year holidays. I have wanted to visit for many years but have held off because of the record of the military regime. Some people tell me that I'm being morally irresponsible for visiting Burma now as your release has not stopped the abuses of the regime. Is it, therefore, too early for a tourist with a moral conscience to visit your country?
A similar question comes from Malcolm Higgins, Taipei, Taiwan he asks: When can I start planning my trip to Burma?

Aung San Suu Kyi:
As I said, our policy with regard to tourism has not changed which is say that we have not yet come to the point where we encourage people to come to Burma as tourists. But let me say this: Burma is not going to disappear; it's going to stay here. We hope that as things change, Burma will become the kind of country that will be even more of a pleasure to visit than it is now.

Her answer - Burma is not going to disappear, it's going to stay here. We hope that as things change, Burma will become the kind of country that will be even more of a pleasure to visit than it is now.

My question – True “ Myanmar is not going to disappear". It’s going to stay here.” However, as a Buddhist yourself, you are not permanent, you will grow old, get sick and eventually will disappear from the face of the Earth. Am I right??

So please do something that will benefit our Myanmar people before it is too late. That's, if still you have a pure moral conscience.

Regards to all,

I am Polaris – happy to put in my little bit.

.