BURMA:The Burmese prime minister in exile has urged the international community to continue pressuring Burma's military junta, saying the country is in "a state of fear" following the regime's violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests.
On a visit to Ireland, Sein Win, who is a cousin of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, said reports from Burma indicated the military was "openly terrorising and threatening people" in the wake of last month's demonstrations.
"What we are hearing is that the whole country is in a state of fear, with people worried every night that there could be a knock on the door and family members taken away. People are scared but they are also very angry," he told The Irish Times.
Dr Win welcomed the news that Australia yesterday imposed financial sanctions on Burma. "We have always said the world needs to send a strong message. If not, the military will think they can do anything.
"We need the international community to keep the pressure up and also to continue diplomatic engagement through the UN."
Dr Win said he was heartened that UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari has been allowed to return to Burma earlier than previously announced for a mission the UN hopes will lead to talks between the government and opposition.
"We see it as a good thing that he goes there again and so soon, but we need to have a stronger mandate for Mr Gambari. We want him to have a permanent liaison office in Rangoon and also make sure he can go in and out [of Burma] whenever he wants."
Dr Win said the military junta's offer to open dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi on several conditions, including that she drop her support for international sanctions, was "nothing but a stalling tactic".
His cousin is committed to dialogue, Dr Win said, and always has been. "We are saying don't talk about conditions, just meet and start the process."
Chinese assistant foreign minister He Yafei told Ibrahim Gambari at a meeting in Beijing yesterday that China would fully support his efforts to resolve the crisis in Burma.
Dr Win said China's willingness to engage with the UN envoy was a "positive sign", but queried how much pressure Beijing was willing to exert on a regime with which it had close economic and military links.
"That is the real question, but I think China may take a stronger line on the dictatorship on a gradual basis. We would certainly like China to do much more."
Dr Win will meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, in Dublin today before leaving for a series of engagements in Belfast.