Myanmar reforms continue while John Kerry visits

During a week when U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will touch down at Yangon International Airport, the announcement of a new Minister for Information has been met with a mixed response. Appointed by Burma’s president U Thein Sein, of the military’s ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), U Ye Htut has effectively been promoted, as he was previously in the deputy role. While a representative of the Myanmar Journalist Network informed the media on Monday that Htut’s lengthy experience in Burma’s media sector means that he is better suited to the ministerial position than his predecessor, Myanmar’s journalists and press council remain critical of the Htut-supported public service media bill that is perceived as an impediment to private sector media outlets.

Mixed fortunes
Mixed is a word that applies throughout Myanmar in mid-2014, as the nation is grinding through a transitional period that began after the 2010 election. Speaking in September 2012, David Mathieson, a Myanmar analyst from Australia, stated in the Chiang Mai Citylife publication that many observers were surprised by the “openness” that guided the ongoing 2011 democratic reforms; but Mathieson, who was working in the area of land reform at the time, elaborated further and claimed that the progressive changes were only benefiting urban areas, while human rights campaigners were “disappointed in Aung San Suu Kyi and her failure to speak out about the conflict and abuse in the Arakan and Kachin States.”

This week also signifies the end of Myanmar Post and Telecommunications (MPT)’ 20-year monopoly, as Ooredoo Myanmar began selling SIM cards as part of a trial period in the lead-up to the company’s official launch on August 15. Ooredoo is one of the two successful applicants from a post-2010 tender process that will eventually result in four telecom options for the Burman people to choose from; once Norway’s Telenor, the other tender recipient, enters the market in September of this year. However, even though Ooredoo’s trial period is barely a week old, consumers and businesses are dissatisfied with erratic service quality, expensive Internet fees and the incompatibility of the SIM cards with certain handsets.

As for MPT, which previously charged as much US$5,000 (Ks 5 million) for a single SIM card, a spokesperson for the telecom announced that it will separate from the government’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and will follow the two foreign telecoms by obtaining an operating license. As of Monday, though, staff and property matters remained outstanding. The Burman media revealed that the government telecom has already begun work on a sizeable plan for its future, as the agreement MPT signed with Japanese corporations KDDI Corp. and Sumitomo Corp. last month will lead to a US$2 billion investment.

Myanmar’s future and the possibility of pluralism
The Economist published the farewell piece of its Southeast Asian correspondent on August 2 and, according to the article, the difficulties that lie ahead for Myanmar are a product of the country’s history, while one of its foremost concerns is shared with other Asian nations. Especially after the recent Mandalay riot, the continuing hostilities involving Buddhists and Muslims is a problematic situation that the Economist writer fears will not only cause more suffering, but will jeopardize the potential prosperity of a still-impoverished nation. Similar to diversity issues in other Asian societies like Malaysia, Iraq and Indonesia, the divisions between races and religions in Myanmar ignores the highly valuable contributions that immigrant communities continue to provide around the world—the economic decline that occurred after anti-pluralist measures were implemented by Burma’s military leaders during the 1960s is cited as a historical lesson.

Even though Mathieson expressed disappointment with Suu Kyi’s inaction since her release from house arrest, he remained hopeful about Myanmar’s future and used the ruling military’s release of many political prisoners in 2011 as an indication of the potential that exists. Suu Kyi continues to negotiate a precarious and difficult balancing act, as she attempts to retain the favor of the majority of Burmans in order to eventually restore democracy following next year’s elections, which she is expected to win in a landslide victory. While activists implored Suu Kyi, presently the leader of the opposing National League for Democracy (NLD) party, to be more vocal about the Buddhist-Muslim conflict, the Economist‘s correspondent explains that such a move risks her popular reputation with the country’s broader population.

However, in relation to the 2015 general elections, the NLD may not feel as overwhelmingly confident as outside observers. Since its victory at the 2012 by-elections, the NLD has been unsuccessful in its attempt to gain government support for the amendment of the military-drafted constitution that is widely seen as a major impediment to democratic reform. A key concern is an article in the constitution that precludes anyone with a spouse or children who are not Myanmar citizens from becoming president—a criterion that applies to Suu Kyi.

While the outcome of Kerry’s visit this week is not yet known, the world has been given an insight into the current views of Myanmar society. Poll results from the International Republican Institute (IRI), published yesterday in the Wall Street Journal, show that 64% of participants are in favor of repealing the constitutional article that presents a barrier to Suu Kyi and 76% believe that democracy is the best choice of government. Results of another kind, from around this time next year, will reveal whether the majority rules in Myanmar.