Ever since the military regime of Myanmar disregarded the results of the national election of 1990, tension between the military governing party(now known as the National Peace and Development Council-NPD), which holds onto power, and the party which won the election at the polls (known as the National League for Democracy-NLD), led by Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Su Kyi, has been growing.
Daw Aung San Su Kyi seems to have international moral support through various groups lobbying for restoration of democracy in Myanmar. But the ruling military government seems to have a more substantial and tangible support because they represent a full-fledged member of the UN, an active member of ASEAN, and a state with a very thorough and strategic relationship with China.
The military government seems to know very well how to deal with the dynamics of world power politics. They have studied these lessons in the more than half century that has passed since independence from Britain.
The international lobbying community should realize that giving backing to Daw Aung San Su Kyi, and her NLD Party, and praising whatever she does, while at the same time criticizing and downgrading all the actions of the military government, is a dead end. Myanmar's history is not that clear-cut and simple.
Both the NLD and the military government should realize that the destiny of their nation and people depends on their critical collaboration. They need to do their own homework. Outside people can only advise. Until and unless they learn to work together, there seems to be no hope at all.
What specific role outsiders could or should take in Myanmar's political evolution is a very crucial matter. The only appropriate role for outsiders is to help the country's two powerful political groups to recognize their responsibility for finding a platform, a common ground on which they can work together - nothing else.
Christians and Christian churches, as a minority in Myanmar, find themselves in quite a difficult position when it comes to exercising the imperatives of peace and justice issues. Moreover, as the churches have been identified with the former colonial system, it puts the Christian community in Myanmar in quite a peculiar situation.
However, it is very encouraging that Myanmar Christian people of good will, like Archbishop Andrew Mya Han (Primate of Myanmar Anglican Church) and the Reverend Saboi Jum (General Secretary of Kachin Baptist Convention),lend their support as mediators between the military government and armed resistance groups led by Christian leaders of KNU (the Karen National Union) and KIO (the Kachin Independence Organization).
The effort of Archbishop Andrew Mya Han in 1993 and 1994 resulted in the formation of a 6 member team of Karen leaders who acted as mediators between the military government and the KNU. There were several rounds of talks held in Yangon. Some groups of the KNU entered into peace accords with the military government.
Based on the initiatives taken by those concerned Christians, the Myanmar Council of Churches (MCC) has recently formed a Public Relations cum Reconciliation/Peace Commission, whose key members are Archbishop Andrew Mya Han and the Rev. Saboi Jum.
It is envisaged that this commission will deal with any issues related to peace and justice concerns by submitting factual reports to the authorities concerned.
The new commission will be primarily concerned with issues that are related to religious concerns, e. g religious freedom, press freedom, rights of the religious minority, etc.
The commission is still in its infancy but it is hoped that by thorough careful planning and good programs it can perform quite an effective ministry. The cooperation of all the churches in this ministry will become a very crucial witness of the church in Myanmar.
