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Friday, November 9, 2012

Obama to Visit Myanmar as Part of First Postelection Overseas Trip to Asia

Obama to Visit Myanmar as Part of First Postelection Overseas Trip to Asia

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Published: November 8, 2012 53 Comments
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WASHINGTON — President Obama will make Asia his first overseas destination since his re-election, with a trip this month that is to include a historic visit to Myanmar and underscore his desire to reorient American foreign policy more toward the Pacific during his second term.
Doug Mills/The New York Times
President Obama will attend an economic meeting in Cambodia and will add to the trip visits to Myanmar and Thailand.
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The White House announced on Thursday that the newly re-elected Mr. Obama would head to an annual international economic summit meeting in Cambodia and stop in Thailand and Myanmar. No sitting American president has visited either Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, or Cambodia, allowing Mr. Obama to reinforce his commitment to the region.
The trip fits into a larger geopolitical chess game by the Obama administration, which has sought to counter rising Chinese assertiveness by engaging its neighbors. China was Myanmar’s main international patron during the final years of military rule there, and the long-isolated country’s opening to the West comes amid a popular backlash against Beijing’s perceived influence and its role in extracting natural resources.
But the planned trip drew criticism from human rights advocates who worried that a presidential visit to Myanmar as it moves toward democracy was premature given its continuing insurgency, ethnic violence and detention of political prisoners. Likewise, some in Congress expressed concern that Mr. Obama’s stop in Cambodia not be seen as validating a harsh authoritarian government that has cracked down on dissidents.
The trip from Nov. 17 to 20 will be a quick one, squeezed in just before Thanksgiving, as Mr. Obama focuses most of his energy on confronting tax and spending issues that must be addressed by the end of the year and rebuilding his team for the next four years. The White House said that while in the region, the president would discuss “a broad range of issues,” including economics, security and human rights.
The most symbolically potent part of the trip will be the stop in Yangon, where Mr. Obama will meet with the two driving forces behind Myanmar’s dramatic emergence from decades of military dictatorship, President Thein Sein, who came to power last year, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning opposition leader freed from house arrest and allowed to run for and win a seat in Parliament.
Mr. Obama met with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi when she visited Washington in September, and he has eased sanctions to encourage the evolution in Myanmar. But critics said he was going too far by rewarding Yangon with a visit of his own without extracting additional concrete progress like freedom for hundreds of political prisoners still held there.
“This is an incredibly delicate process that’s still at a very early stage,” said Tom Malinowski, the Washington director of Human Rights Watch. “It would have been better, I think, to reserve some leverage before the incredibly difficult decisions that the government has yet to make.” He added, “It would not be a good thing if the president leaves Burma and there are still political prisoners there.”
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), an advocacy group, lists 283 political prisoners whose whereabouts it has verified, and said that even as the government has released many others, it has detained more activists arbitrarily. During a visit last winter, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton seemed to say that additional relationship building seemed to depend on the release of the prisoners. “That would have to be resolved before we could take some of the steps that we would be willing to take,” she said then.
The U.S. Campaign for Burma, an exile group that has been critical of the government, urged Mr. Obama to cancel the trip. “This government has continuously failed its own responsibilities in serving the people of Burma,” said Aung Din, the group’s director and a former student activist who fled a bloody crackdown by the military in 1988.
Others disagreed. “It’s a good time to show American support for what has taken place,” said Gordon Hein, vice president of the Asia Foundation, a nongovernmental organization that is returning to Myanmar 50 years after being forced out. “It’s true there’s still unfinished business to be done in the reform process, but if one waited until every major issue was successfully resolved, that would be a long wait for any country.”
In a similar vein, the Cambodia stop has generated concern. Mr. Obama is visiting Phnom Penh to attend a meeting of the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. A bipartisan group of 12 members of Congress sent Mr. Obama a letter on Oct. 31 saying they saw the value of attending but urging him to condemn human rights violations by the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has held power for 27 years.
The prime minister’s party “uses various forms of coercion, including violence and manipulation of national institutions, to limit the freedoms of ordinary citizens,” said the letter, whose authors included Senator John McCain of Arizona, a conservative Republican, and Senator Barbara Boxer of California, a liberal Democrat.
Helene Cooper contributed reporting from Washington, and Thomas Fuller from Bangkok.
A version of this article appeared in print on November 9, 2012, on page A4 of the New York edition with the headline: Obama to Visit Myanmar as Part of First Postelection Overseas Trip to Asia.



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    • j. von hettlingen
    • Switzerland
    • Verified
    Flag
    With his trip to Asia Obama wants to kill two birds with one stone: to attend the summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations in Cambodia, which leaders from China, Japan and Russia will also attend, and to honour Thailand and Myanmar with his visit. Obama will meet Putin and perhaps the new Chinese leaders. A decade or two ago, it was quite unthinkable that a US president would visit a country of litte signifcance in Asia. Perhaps China's rise to power was the incentive.
    • Yasmin
    • Yangon
    NYT Pick
    Flag
    I am an American living in Myanmar for the past four years and I am extremely happy that President Obama is planning to visit this country.

    President Obama in his 2012 Acceptance speech said that “We can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today”. Myanmar is one of those distant nations where people have fought and died to forge the path towards democracy. Yes, it is messy and yes, the road is long. However, the President Obama is a global figure and his reelection has been closely followed in Myanmar by the ordinary folks huddled together in teashops or monks chanting for peace. Myanmar is at a crossroad, violence threatens to rip apart its vision in the Rakhine and in Kachin. The visit of President Obama will not only shore up the many pathways towards democracy but also urge citizens to accept differences and work together as one nation whether old or young, Muslim or Buddhist, politician or activist.
    • Madan Menon Thottasseri
    • Chennai,India
    Flag
    It is appreciable that U.S President Barack Obama who is the celebration mood upon getting reelected is dashing to Myanmar and Thailand for snap visits. He will successfully attend the task in Myanmar, to iron out the differences between the President Thein Sen and the icon of democracy Aung San Suu Kyi who has now become a member of parliament. Being the largest democracy, it is the really a honor to U.S when he launches the formal U.S partnership for the astounding reform process initiated by Thein Sen. Obama is expected to deliver a speech to the civil society groups too. Of course his trip to Thailand is to attend the East Asia summit to be held in Cambodia.

    Though Obama is not visiting India this time, let me put forth the following for President Obama to take a proactive initiative for ensuring peace in Asia and especially in the Indian subcontinent.

    When U.S President Barack Obama undertook his maiden visit to India in 2010 and addressed the Joint-Session of our Parliament on 8th November, 2010 he had acknowledged U.S support India for a permanent seat in UNSC. Incidentally India was one of the non permanent members then in 2010 for the two years’ term of 2010-2012.
    • C P VIJAYAN
    • INDIA
    Flag
    There is no harm in a Democrat President visiting a country which has been under military rule for long but craves to become a democracy. A well read and erudite man Obama is, he has his fundamentals on every place on earth and Myanmar or Asia may not be out of his ambit. He might have something up his sleeve for China, which is part of a big game US is currently engaged in. The changed scenario in Asia where US has got plenty of interests at stake against a resurgent China , this visit is going to be a fillip of sorts . With the backdrop of the big mess in Vietnam and Combodia behind , another misadventure of the kind is unlikely however much another Henry Kissinger or someone of his mold might try. We already see changes happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan and let the same trend continue in the other Asian nations and if an Obama visit helps the cause, well , let it.
    • Jason
    • Cambridge, MA
    Flag
    Guys, he is going to an "annual international economic summit" in the region. He is focusing on the economy. The problem is, the economy does not just depend on what the president does in the Oval Office. He needs to build trade alliances and be up to date on the world economy. So that's what he's doing. It's amazing that a three day trip to an economic summit is already drawing criticism as not being focused on the economy! Read!!!
    • KV
    • Fairfax, CA
    Flag
    I have never understood what caused Myanmar dictators to suddenly change course. What happened? First Hillary made an appearance, and now the Prez. There seems to be more brewing than what's on the surface. Anyone have an insight? If you read 'Finding George Orwell in Burma' you'll know that the regime's policies were cruel and relentless. I can't help but deeply distrust this sudden shift.
    • Rolloffdebunk
    • Calgary, AB
    Flag
    Umm no sorry son. Until we get the economy back on track it's no and I mean no foreign visits. We need all hands on deck for this next chapter in our collective lives!
    • MR
    • Boston
    Flag
    The fiscal clif and he's going to Asia. When will we see that it's all about Obama not us. The next 4 years are about his world image.
    • Wsch
    • Central Location
    Flag
    There are many activists who are good at protests...but not governance. The Burmese people should be cautious with "house arrested" protestors and freedom fighters suddenly being put on a pedestal...especially by some Westerners who have their own agenda with the borders between Burma and China.

    Aung Sung Chi is a nice elegant lady, and her protest should be admired. She deserves the Nobel price...but she is no intellectual or intelligent for that matter. She also has that quiet ego that few see. I hope all this attention from the US does not go to her head, making Burma another Western colony.

    I don't know much about her family, and nobody should pin her with what goes on between ethnic groups. That is not fair to her.

    She also has to handle some serious economic problems. She needs to ask some Burmese in the US to come back and serve objectively and fairly. Southeast is growing...but Burma has been left behind.

    I love Burmese music and artists...best in the world. Few know that. See it on a video about the Tsunmi.
    • annj
    • Ann Arbor, MI
    NYT Pick
    Flag
    Pressing matters on the home front (that pesky looming fiscal cliff for example) and our newly reelected president decides to spend precious time (and taxpayer money) galavanting about Asia and visiting Myanmar. Not that Asia and Myanmar and official US recognition of human rights advances abroad aren't important but as the saying goes, "timing is everything" and this trip, in my opinion, is badly timed. There is no immediate urgency to embark upon this tour. If the American people have spoken and bestowed upon President Obama the privilege of another term then he in turn should honor the responsibility that comes with that privilege. President Obama - please get your priorities straight.
    • Ben
    • Hanoi, Vietnam
    NYT Pick
    Flag
    I'm an expat living in Yangon and all I can say is we're excited! Locals are always excited to hear I'm an American. This trip is going to be well received. I'm so happy my President is visiting this fantastic country.
    • Benny
    • the bronx
    Flag
    I was hoping that the President would put non-essential international travel on the back burnder. He almost lost his job because he didn't focus on what is upsetting this country - the lack of good paying jobs, the exteme economic inequality, the absence of any narrative about poverty. The last time he had this job he was bequeated the nobel peace prize. I thought he learned a lesson that needs to take care of his home first before getting invovled again in his neighbors drama.
      • sortanerdy
      • DC
      Flag
      we live in a globalized economy and to think that international travel is non-essential is sophomoric, at best. you think the US economy would be where it is today if not for the european crisis?

      burma is different, obviously but in terms of soft power promoting democracy is something we need.
      • Jack
      • Illinois
      Flag
      He'll be gone 3 days. Exaggerate much?
    • Walter Hassan
    • NZ
    Flag
    AungSung's dad General Aung introduced ethnic cleansing to Myanmar when he was premier of Burma. He declared war on the Karen hilltribes as a way of increasing the popularity of his regime whjich was under pressure from Burmese nationalists concerned at Aung`s deference to england. The english had installed Aung in the top job before granting`independance` to Burma.
    So the current ethnic violence in Myanmar`s north wextern provinces is just history repeating. England are regaining control of Myanmar`s still considerable hydrocarbon & mineral resources so Ms Aung and her co-marionettes are cranking up english colonialisms tried and true divide and rule strategy once again.
    Obama wilbe goin to give her a pat on the back for a job well done.
    US anti-colonialist foreign policy ended in the 80's after europe and Turkey finally accepted US demands for the biggest wedge of the imperial pie. Now watch the friction when european colonialism smashes between US energy dominance and Turkey's neo-Ottoman claims on chunks of the ME.
    • John
    • Missouri
    Flag
    A strong alliance with Burma is vital for American interests given Burma's location. There is also the added benefit that the Burmese people are strongly pro-American. The Burmese love American values and ideas.

    We should try to improve our relationship with Burma.
    • lauralynn
    • nyc
    Flag
    We have a huge economic crisis and he is off to Asia. Does he have his priorities correct. We need jobs today.!! Isn't this something Hilary can handle?
      • Jack
      • Illinois
      Flag
      A 3 day trip. The POTUS is different from the SOS. Job market's been coming back, haven't you paid attention?
    • Maggie
    • Indiana
    Flag
    Must the US muddle in every pary of the world?
    • AmericanObserver
    • Southeast
    Flag
    While I praise the trip, I wonder about the timing.

    The President's efforts would be better spent working on domestic issues that will surely affect us in 2013.
    • Matt
    • New York, NY
    NYT Pick
    Flag
    There are still serious problems in Myanmar, as mentioned in the article, but the country has made remarkable strides in the past two years. Until recently it was unthinkable that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would have any power, or that dissidents could speak openly without fear of imprisonment.

    I think this trip is indicative of Obama's forward-looking foreign policy. If the relationship is cultivated responsibly, Myanmar could be an important ally. And more importantly for the Burmese, a closer relationship with the US will encourage the Myanmar government to continue to open up. That's good for everyone.
    • Peter Byck
    • Hollywood, CA
    Flag
    Sen. Mitch McConnell is a big, long time supporter of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi. Will President Obama invite Sen. McConnell on this trip? I hope he does. That flight over would be an excellent time for them to get to know each other, and to find common ground - most people may think this would be futile, but I firmly believe this would be extremely fruitful.
      • Barbara
      • Venice, CA
      Flag
      The President might, but I wouldn't advise him to. McConnell has done nothing but treat the President with disdain. His efforts to keep his own job and tear the country apart instead of helping Americans is disgraceful. I hope McConnell is gone in 2014. That said, this President is kinder than I am.
    • Izzyeddy
    • Tucson, AZ
    Flag
    Whatever Mr. Obama can do to shore up support for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her opposition group. She is someone I have followed for quite some time now and have come to embrace her and all she stands for.
    • Jim
    • New Jersey
    NYT Pick
    Flag
    All I can say is yeah!!!!
    I anticipate the President bwill receive a warm welcome both in Burma (Myanmar) and Cambodia. The respect and admiration both these countries hold for the US is sincere and humbling. I fervently hope that this solidifies the tenous gains made in the last year for the Burmese people.
    • Katie Matlack
    • Austin, Texas
    Flag
    It's necessary for the US to engage with Burma. It's been long overdue, and the sanctions only ended up hurting regular people who would've benefited from tourism and the flow of outside ideas. I was there in 2008 while sanctions were still in place, as one of probably 50 independent foreign tourists in the entire country (excluding the border popover towns).

    President Obama should ask the government to be very clear about their policies towards ethnic minorities. Until very recently the military has carried out ethnic cleansing against minority groups in the north. In these campaigns the military used systematic rape and torture as weapons of war, employed child soldiers, and would often burn entire villages to the ground. See this Frontline video, for example: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/burma601/interview_reporter.html

    The US should also be aware of the country's strategic importance as a critical public health battleground against HIV disease and tuberculosis. Trucking routes from China to the coast stop over in Burma in remote towns that cater to truckers or miners on R&R, providing easy access to prostitution and heroin--both of which create high-risk situations for the spread of HIV.

    Because Myanmar was sanctioned for so long Myanmar is far behind in terms of public health awareness and education. Many taboos exist around sex ed, both as a result of the country's isolation and also because its Buddhist society places a premium on modesty.
      • rabbit
      • nyc
      Flag
      While I agree with your recommendation about policies regarding minorities, it's important to note that it's not "until recently"-- the minorities still face massive amounts of violence and repression, as the Times reported this week in their story on Doctors Without Borders. The violence comes from both from military and local ethnic leaders and this crisis may require outside peacekeeping forces.
      • John
      • Missouri
      Flag
      Katie,

      Burma had over 250,000 tourists in 2008. I'm not sure how you came up with 50 as your magical number. Burma is one of the top 50 largest countries in the world in size. Given its size, I think you must have missed a few hundred thousand tourists in your impromptu count.

      It is true that sex is taboo in Burma, as it is in many Asian countries. I am reluctant to attribute this taboo to religion. Thailand is also a Buddhist. Thailand and Burma both practice Theravada Buddhism. Yet, in Thailand sex isn't taboo. You will find sex shops and lady boys all over the place in Thailand. Modesty is an Asian cultural value and not necessarily a byproduct of religion. Speaking of taboos, I'm sure that you will agree that sex ed is a touchy subject in your home state of Texas.

      I agree that AIDS is a big problem in Burma. This is a result of sanctions and the lack of adequate healthcare. Education is an important aspect of improving healthcare. Even with improvements in healthcare, Burma's AIDS infection rate will not decrease unless contraceptives are widely available and the treatment of gays in Burma improves.
    • alanfdn
    • San Francisco
    Flag
    Interesting choice to travel half way around the world, to do what? How about a trip to New Jersey or New York and see what still needs to be done.
    Like to believe that he is going to deal with the immediate issues of unemployment debt, tax rates but it hard to support that conclusion when 2nd announcement out of the White House is a trip to a country that needs to sort out it own problems on its own.
      • Emily
      • Brooklyn, NY
      Flag
      Um, his trip to the disaster zone was somewhat covered by the news media... perhaps you missed it? Given that FEMA seems to actually be in good hands now, its not his job to micromanage the continued federal storm response. And given our economic interest in Asia (both with China and emerging markets like Burma), and our strategic need to remain committed to international organizations such as ASEAN (his ultimate destination), never mind our commitment to human rights in repressed countries such as Burma (which it still is, despite the recent openings), I'd actually say this is a pretty important trip and worth a couple of days on his agenda. The president has many priorities, domestic and international, that require and deserve his attention.
      • Chantel
      • By the Sea
      Flag
      "a country that needs to sort out it own problems on its own"

      ------

      Too bad the Republicans didn't feel that way about Iraq.

      By the way, why is it so difficult to accept a president who can multitask? Obama improved FEMA to the extent that it can manage without him. That's what a president does. For him to return to NY and NJ, with Secret Service detail and everything else that would have to accommodate him, he'd be more of a hindrance then a help.

      But then, this president needn't worry about ridiculous micro-criticisms, and that's a good thing.
      • alanfdn
      • San Francisco
      Flag
      No answer given as to what is the agenda, maybe because there is none.
    • Jack
    • Illinois
    Flag
    I anticipate that Burma will have a great outpouring of affection for President Obama. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did the important work to visit the country last year, the first for a U.S. official in more than 50 years. Her work will be missed when she retires the post, her shoes will be difficult to fill. (Senator John Kerry? NOT!)
      • LarryB111
      • Oregon
      Flag
      WHY not?

      He's still carrying around a chunk of lead from his Vietnam hitch. Gives him some level of 'investment' in the region, I would say.
    • Anthony TK Goh
    • Singapore
    Flag
    Obama's historic trip to Myanmar is reminiscent of Nixon's
    surprise trip to Chin with Kissinger.
    Nixon opened up a whole new world for the eventual new market of more than a billion people for America. Thereafter
    China's new leader Deng Xiao Ping began his "Kaifang"
    and followed by three decades of prosperity for American as well as for China.
    With this trip to Myanmar and Asean come November 16
    President Obama must take this great opportunity to open up
    trade with the entire Asia and usher in another period of prosperity for America and Asia.
      • Robert F
      • Seattle
      Flag
      But we haven't had three decades of prosperity...
      • Amy
      • Brooklyn
      Flag
      Obama doesn't come close to matching Nixon's vision.
      • Max Cornise
      • New york
      Flag
      To Amy: Nixon's vision forced him to resign in disgrace.
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