The authoritarian regime in Burma appears to be genuinely seeking peace, democratization, and progress this time. This is the cautiously optimistic message of Ngun Cung “Andrew” Lian, Indiana-based law scholar and former revolutionary fighter in Burma (also called Myanmar). Based on recent conciliatory gestures from the regime, he believes that Burma may indeed be on the road to real change.
The Burmese regime has made several moves recently that indicate that it is serious about moving the country in a more peaceful and democratic direction. A new law allowing workers to strike has been passed, some 200 political prisoners have been released, a massively unpopular dam building project has been scrapped, and it looks like massively popular opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her previously banned National League for Democracy (NLD) party will participate in the upcoming parliamentary by-elections.
Perhaps even more importantly, although it is given much less press in the West, the regime has also held peace talks with representatives of five different armed ethnic groups, and two have informally agreed to a ceasefire.
While it is easy to meet such moves with skepticism based on the poor track record of the extremely authoritarian Burmese regime, and that the current administration is still staffed by former generals, there is a spreading cautious optimism among both Western and Burmese commentators.
