MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE, YANGON
Information Sheet
N0. C- 2760( I/L )
9th September, 2003
 

This office is presenting "Myanmar News Bulletin" Issue No.6/2003, September, 2003 by Myanmar Embassy in London for your information.

Rumours, Reality and Credibility

 Since an unfortunate incident in the far reaches of rural Myanmar at Dipeyin in Shwebo district where a group of western supported politicians from the National League for Democracy (NLD), defying government security offer and travelling by night, skirmished with their opponents on May 30th 2003, there have appeared a series of rumours and allegations from major western powers that have been preposterous and even mind-boggling.

When, in fact, the NLD leaders Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and ex-General Tin Oo were rescued by the few government security agents present in the area and kept out of harm's way, the western governments relied on the rumour-mill set up by some delinquent members of the NLD who seized the opportunity to provide nothing less than propaganda to the contrary and hoodwink their mentors beyond their imagination.

To ignore official accounts completely and to rely entirely on the " opposition " sources in Thailand have led to a series of embarrassing situations that are likely to diminish the reputation of the intelligence services of the world's biggest power. Furthermore, the subsequent actions that the powerful Western Governments took based on these so-called "reliable sources '' in hindsight will appear unwise and unnecessary.

If one looks back objectively, the sequence of events since May 30, should go like this:-

Firstly, despite government assurances that DASSK was safe-- the western governments accepted the falsified reports and testimonies given in Thailand that she was severely injured (namely, broken arm and facial injures) and may even have been killed!

Then came independent confirmations first from the United Nations special envoy ("that she was safe and in high spirits") and later by the International Committee of Red Cross (that she was well and her living conditions were" highly satisfactory")

Secondly, Vice-President of the NLD ex-General Tin Oo also reported to be almost fatally wounded was later seen by the ICRC to be completely unharmed, thanks to government rescue and protection provided during and after the clash.

Thirdly, travelling on their own against government advice and arousing anger of the local populace by their unruly behaviour, four persons did lose their lives during the melee that was in fact avoidable had they only been better disciplined and law abiding.

This number was again blown up by some twenty times when the absconders across the border gave harrowing accounts in seemingly realistic details to some Thai parliamentarians. Up to this day, the names and particulars (such as national registration numbers and names of father etc.) of those who were supposedly killed have not surfaced above the rumour waves although much calm has been restored to the frenzy that they caused.

Fourthly, the official statement of the US Government on 3-9-2003 that DASSK was on a hunger strike was the last straw, which, in spite of firm denials from the Myanmar Government, even went on to confirmed their assertion based on their own " reliable " intelligence which necessarily caused the British government to join in and expressed " concern " . But, probably because of skeptics from the local media (such as a BBC reporter), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) minister openly recommended an ICRC visit to either confirm or dispel the rumours. This was also in keeping with the government's intention as evidenced by a previous visit of the ICRC a month ago. The ICRC visit, in fact, took place on 6-9-03.

The Government's statement on this matter reads -- " according to the ICRC, they found her well and also that she was not on hunger strike as alleged by some quarters". The ICRC communications delegate Jean-Pascal Moret confirmed the government's statement was accurate. He said " two persons visited her and the visit lasted for about an hour" and " we completely agree with the press release and we cannot elaborate more".

Be that as it may, as a consequence of the U.S Government decision concerning Myanmar based on their own sources of information -- the damage has been done in terms of innocent civilian workers losing their jobs with attendant socio-economic problems for their families including thousands of young children.

The number of lives lost, the jobless and material destruction in the middle east will easily overshadow what it has caused to Myanmar, but the trend of acting on dubious intelligence reports that turns out to be repeatedly wrong is certainly a great danger to innocent people of the developing countries.

In the context of such actions against Myanmar, the livelihood of thousands will be compromised and even the health and wellbeing of DASSK could be adversely affected if the "wishful thinking" of her being on a hunger strike did somehow take place.

If indeed for no other reason, the Government of Myanmar will deplore the possibility that the daughter of General Aung San herself may become a sacrificial lamb in a bigger end-game scenario of the big powers for East Asia and taking all measures to protect her.

It should be noted that the neighbourly and well-meaning Government of Thailand demonstrated their superior intelligence over the U.S. when it rejected the latter's allegation even before the ICRC visited DASSK to deliver family messages on 6-9-2003.

At a time when the western media is buzzing with arguments about " sexed-up dossiers" and overplaying of foreign threats to justify military interventions abroad and their credibilities are being questioned by their own citizens, no government however big and powerful, should continue to allow spin doctors to supervene over the credible intelligence networks to suit their political designs over smaller developing countries if their prestige and credibility are to be preserved.