Suu Kyi Visit Brings Hope To Local Myanmar Community

[Mod]

Suu Kyi Visit Brings Hope To Local Myanmar Community

BANGKOK: -- Myanmar's migrant workers, refugees, exile activists and ethnic groups were excited ahead of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to Thailand.

They said her attending a high-profile forum here raised hopes of a future of peace, democracy and reconciliation in their home country.

Thailand was the right place for her first international trip in 24 years, they said, as it would give her a chance to meet many people from Myanmar. She is here until Sunday.

"This visit is more important for strengthening ties between the Burmese democratic opposition and Thailand. It's also an acknowledgement for border-based ethnic groups, refugees and migrants that they are not alone," activist Soe Aung said.

Suu Kyi was invited to the World Economic Forum on East Asia to meet leading international business figures and express her vision for reform and the future of her country.

Foreign investors looking for business opportunities want to hear from her about Myanmar's political development. Migrant workers in Mahachai will be the first group she will meet today.

She will visit a market to see their working conditions, as well as Samut Sakhon's National Verification Centre and a learning centre at a migrant worker office, where she will deliver her speech.

Thailand has been a workplace for millions of documented and undocumented migrant labourers from Myanmar for a long time. They have contributed a lot to the Thai economy as well as sent a lot of remittances back home.

Many migrant workers told local media that Suu Kyi's visit would mean a lot to them, as it would give them courage and support. Some said they could not believe they would get to meet Suu Kyi in person.

After her session at the World Economic Forum tomorrow and Friday, Suu Kyi will travel to the border districts of Mae Sot and Tha Song Yang on Saturday to see refugees who fled from conflict and war at home, some nearly three decades ago.

The highlight in Mae Sot will be a meeting with ethnic leaders whose groups took up weapons against the military junta of the country previously called Burma for more than half a century.

Representatives of at least six ethnic groups, including the Karen, Karenni, Arakan, Kachin and Shan, will attend the planned meeting, according to Timothy Laklem, an executive member of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Peace Council member.

Representatives from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) run by Saw Ler Pwe, aka Na Kham Mwe, would be also at the meeting with Suu Kyi, he said.

The rare meeting between Suu Kyi and the many ethnic minority groups recalls the spirit of the Panglong Agreement which her father, national hero General Aung San, reached with ethnic groups in 1947, said Laklem, who organised the meeting.

"We hope that the daughter of Gen Aung San will carry on the spirit of the Panglong Agreement to move forward in genuine peace and democracy," Laklem said. "The meeting would be something like a second Panglong conference."

The KNLA Peace Council executive member did not expect concrete outcomes from the first meeting with Suu Kyi at the border town but hoped the gathering would create good and close relations between them.

Many groups have reached peace agreements with the government and are implementing ceasefires, although the Kachin are a notable exception. However, some groups fear the Myanmar army will not uphold the peace process.

Laklem said they would urge Suu Kyi to play a bigger role in helping facilitate peace talks between them and the government.

"Aung San Suu Kyi could help to guarantee that we would sit and talk with the government on an equal basis," he said.

Many other groups of Myanmar people and members of ethnic groups, notably refugees, expressed hope to see and meet Suu Kyi and expected she would share their concerns about their plans to return home. Thailand has a clear plan to repatriate hundreds of thousands of refugees after reaching truces with the many groups.

Nan Dah Eh Kler, secretary of the Karen Women Organisation, issued an open letter to Suu Kyi yesterday inviting her to meet the group at a refugee camp in border of Thailand and Myanmar.

"The refugee communities are currently living with a great deal of uncertainty and worry due to the changing position of the international community regarding support and possible repatriation during these fragile peace negotiations," she said. "You [Suu Kyi] have long been a beacon of hope for many," the Karen woman said.

The Nation 2012-05-30