Thursday, January 27

Whatever Happened To Military Intelligence?

There have been a number of changes in Myanmar in the past year. None of them rival the changes in Iraq either in scope or direction, but there are some reports coming from that part of the world. Ron Corben of the Voice of America reports,



Burma has begun holding trials of associates of former Prime Minister Khin
Nyunt. Most of the defendants are accused of corruption and economic crimes.
The trials are expected to last six weeks.
[snip]

Several members of Khin Nyunt's family, including his two sons, were detained
and are reported to be among the dozens of people on trial. In addition to
members of the military, some police officers are being tried.

Of course, it is far too early to say that this is some sort of move toward democracy. What is far more likely is that these trials are intended to consolidate power in the hands of the present ruling junta, led by Sr. General Than Shwe. Khin Nyunt was head of MI (military intelligence), and with his fall from power the MI has lost some of its internal grip. However, there were some who regarded Khin Nyunt as something of a reformer. This trial may reflect more of a Stalinist type purge than anything else. It was shortly after Suu Kyi's re-arrest that Khin Nyunt was first accused of corruption.

Meanwhile the UN's darling, Aung San Suu Kyi remains incommunicado under house arrest.

At the end of the day, Myanmar's hope does not lie with reformers like Khin Nyunt or democratic leaders such as Suu Kyi. The only hope for Myanmar is in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The leaders of the country have lost hope; the would-be reformers are aging away in prison. The answers to the questions of the Burmese people are answered only by the sovereign salvation of God and it is only as the gospel permeates the thinking of the Burmese that they will have any hope for the future.

Please continue to pray for my visa. It still has not arrived as of this morning (1/27).

RB


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