ミャンマー 民政移管を民主化につなげよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (May. 3, 2011)
New Myanmar govt must move toward democracy
ミャンマー　民政移管を民主化につなげよ（5月2日付・読売社説）

A new Myanmar government led by President Thein Sein was inaugurated early last month, ending 22 years of military rule.
　ミャンマーで２２年間続いた軍政が終了し、テイン・セイン大統領率いる新政権が４月初めに発足した。

The new president was elected through two months of parliamentary deliberations that followed national elections for both houses of the parliament in November. But the new administration is designed to give an outward show of "transfer to civilian rule" while leaving military rule in place.
　昨年１１月の上下両院議員選挙と２か月間の国会審議を経て新大統領が選出されたが、「民政移管」の体裁を装うためで、実態は軍事政権と変わらない。

Thein Sein served as prime minister of the military junta, and nearly 90 percent of the ministers in the new Cabinet were ministers or military leaders in the former administration.
　新大統領は軍政時代の首相で、新閣僚３０人のうち９割近くが旧政権の閣僚や軍幹部である。

A quarter of the 224 upper house seats and 440 lower house seats are set aside for military appointees. A constitutional revision is necessary to change this system, but revision requires approval by more than three-quarters of the parliamentary seats. This means the military in effect has veto power over the matter.
　上院２２４、下院４４０の定数のうち、それぞれ２５％の議席が自動的に軍人に与えられた。この制度を変えるには憲法改正が必要だが、定数の４分の３を超える議員が賛成しないと実現できず、軍が事実上の拒否権を握っている。

Than Shwe, supreme leader of the junta, has retired as commander-in-chief of the national armed forces but seems to receive a steady stream of internal military information. He probably intends to continue to exercise his influence over the military.
　軍政時代の最高実力者タン・シュエ氏は国軍司令官を引退したが、依然として軍内部の報告を受けている模様だ。引き続き影響力を行使するつもりなのだろう。

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Ray of hope

Nevertheless, a faint ray of hope is in sight.
　ただ、わずかな光も見える。

A quarter of members in both houses of the parliament belong to pro-democracy or ethnic minority parties. So, it may be said the foundation has been laid in the parliament to represent the voices of people who were ignored during the period of junta rule.
　上下両院議員の２５％は、民主化を求める政党や、少数民族政党の野党議員らである。これまで無視されて来た人々の声が、代弁される仕組みは整ったと言える。

Popular pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was not allowed to run in the election but resumed her activities after being released from house arrest. If the new administration engages in dialogue with Suu Kyi, it will give rise to a move toward national reconciliation.
　選挙に出馬できなかった国民的人気の指導者アウン・サン・スー・チーさんはその後、自宅軟禁状態を解かれ、言論活動を再開した。新政権が彼女との対話に応じるなら、国民融和への機運も生まれるのではないか。

In his speech late last month, Thein Sein said his administration would promote national reconstruction by using Myanmar's natural resources to support the building of power stations and airports, but he made no reference whatsoever to reconciliation with opposition forces. This smacks of a betrayal of the promised transfer of power to civilian control.
　新大統領は４月下旬の演説で、天然資源をテコに発電所や空港などを建設し、国家再建を図るとしたが、野党勢力との融和には一切言及しなかった。これでは「民政移管」が泣こう。

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ASEAN ambitions

The new government has put Myanmar forward as a candidate for the 2014 chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is believed to be aiming at improving relations with neighboring countries by stressing its shift toward civilian government.
　新政権は２０１４年の東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）議長国に立候補した。「民政移管」を周辺国にアピールし、関係改善を図るのが狙いとされる。

China and India are approaching Myanmar to obtain access to its rich natural gas supplies. China in particular has been actively conducting diplomacy with Myanmar as Jia Qinglin, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, visited the country in early April.
　中国やインドなどはミャンマーの豊富な天然ガスを求めて接近を図っている。とりわけ中国は賈慶林・政治局常務委員が４月上旬にミャンマーを訪問するなど、積極的な隣国外交を展開している。

We urge the international community to take advantage of the inauguration of the new administration in Myanmar to encourage the nation's moves toward democracy.
　新政権発足を機に、国際社会はミャンマーの民主化促進を働きかけていくことが求められよう。

The European Union has lifted travel restrictions and financial sanctions against members of Myanmar's Cabinet who are not deeply tied to the military. The EU seems to have judged that simply strengthening sanctions would not produce a favorable effect.
　欧州連合（ＥＵ）は軍との関係の薄い一部閣僚らに限り、渡航制限や金融制裁を解除した。制裁を強化するだけでは効果が得られない、との判断と見られる。

Japan has been continuing its policy of engagement limited to humanitarian aid and personnel exchange. It is now necessary for Tokyo to join hands with Southeast Asian nations in pushing Myanmar forward toward national reconciliation.
　医療など人道支援と人的交流に限った関与政策を続ける日本は、東南アジア諸国などと連携し、ミャンマーを国民融和へと後押ししていく必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 2, 2011)
（2011年5月2日01時14分 読売新聞）