Above: U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wave upon landing in Rangoon, Burma, November 19, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]
next photo

Above: President Obama discusses potilical reform with Burmese President Thien Sien.
prev photo

US President, Barack Obama visited Burma during his Southeast Asian trip, and met with Burmese President Thein Sein as well as Nobel laureate and opposition leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. As he boarded on this trip with Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, Obama makes history as a new relationship embarks between the United States and this once isolated country, Burma, also known as Myanmar. Burma is a major factor in Obama’s foreign policy of engagement as it has shown incremental changes towards democracy.

On November 19^th, Obama recalled his promise to Burma, in his speech at Yangon University that the US will extend its hand if the government who once ruled with an iron fist, will unclench. Obama stated, “ Above all, I came here because of America’s belief in human dignity. Over the last several decades, our two countries became strangers. But today, I can tell you that we always remained hopeful about the people of this country, about you…As a dictatorship of five decades has loosened its grip, under President Thein Sein –the desire for change has been met by an agenda for reform.”

This trip was the first time that a serving American President visited the country, but rights groups such as Amnesty International have raised concerns on Obama’s visit. Before Obama left for his trip to Southeast Asia, Amnesty International held a rally in front of the White House, calling on President Obama to urge the Burmese government to respect the rights for all ethnic groups in Burma, particularly for the Rohingyas living in Western Burma. The ethnic strife between Rohingya Muslims and Rakhine Buddhists rose in Rakhine state in June and has escalated, amidst the government’s talks of reforms.

During the protest, Amnesty International Advocacy Director, T. Kumar said, “ We came to tell Obama that going to Burma as the first US President visiting, he can’t be silenced on human rights especially about the plight of Rohingyas there. So we want him to talk forcefully, and to send a strong message for the US to be engaging Burma. Human rights should be one of the top priorities.”

The sectarian violence in Rakhine state as well as other human rights violations in Burma- did not go unnoticed. President Obama addressed rights of the people and each citizen, emphasizing diversity, " And I stand before you today as President of the most powerful nation on Earth, but recognizing that once the color of my skin would have denied me the right to vote. And so that should give you some sense that if our country can transcend its differences, then yours can, too. Every human being within these borders is a part of your nation's story, and you should embrace that.”

Myra Dahgaypaw, an ethnic Karen from Burma who works at the United States Campaign for Burma, believes that Obama’s trip to the US is premature, considering that, “ little changes have happened in the country. Massive human rights abuses like rape, torture, arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killing, torture, extortion and
looting, land grabbing are still committed in the ethnic minority areas, particularly in Kachin and Rakhine states. All these gross human rights abuses happen with impunity. The Burmese military is still above the law.”

Critics of Burma say that the US should be better at monitoring Burma and leverage whether the Burmese government is truly committed to genuine reform. Dahgaypaw states, “ It might be a good sign for US- Burma relation in terms of future economic projects. At this point, this visit is not a very good sign for
the people who have been suffering at the hands of the Burmese military
for decades.”

AI’s Kumar affirms, “ We hope that by the time President Obama leaves, the Burmese President and the Burmese government will get a strong message that the US is not a silent partner in terms of human rights abuses.”

Although Burma has shown incremental changes –from the banning of forced labor to the release of political prisoners- most notably, the release of the most famous political prisoner, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who now serves as a member of parliament, there are still many troubles that lie ahead for this once authoritarian country. Burma has embarked on steps to open the country, and hopefully this momentum towards democracy builds up, for the sake of the people of Burma- who are hungry for change, and for the friendship of Burma’s old foe, the United States.