In a corner
Myanmar's generals are in a difficult spot.
They arranged the killings of about 40 supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi, perhaps by soldiers in civilian dress because nobody else would dare to kill in cold blood. The generals then tried to ban Ms Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy from politics.
But surprisingly there was an international outcry. The UN and many countries demanded that Ms Suu Kyi and her followers be freed. Asean, hitherto non-interventionist, criticised Myanmar. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad suggested that if the generals refused to free Ms Suu Kyi, Asean expel Myanmar. Japan stopped financial aid and the US banned imports from Myanmar, worth US$300 million a year.
The generals are in a corner. They issued a photo of Ms Suu Kyi and junta leader General Than Shwe shaking hands. Why wasn't this photo issued before?
They are encircled by democracy forces, internationally (watch China, under pressure from the US) and internally, with no way out. They will have to surrender to the Burmese people. Their time is very limited.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
