Myanmar baby ban has to go

Myanmar baby ban has to go

Myanmar has shown again that 50 years as a dictatorship will lead to awkward moments in rejoining the world community of nations. Last weekend, the government did something completely outlandish and unacceptable. It decreed that Rohingya Muslim women must have no more than two children in their lifetime. No country, ever, has instituted such a policy, and Myanmar must immediately rescind it.

Myanmar officials foolishly defended the indefensible policy when it became public. Win Myaing, the government spokesman in western Rakhine state, home to most Rohingya, said the "rapid population growth" of Rohingya was a main cause of Buddhist attacks and ethnic riots that left hundreds dead in the state. You read that right _ Rohingya births caused Buddhists to kill. Win Myaing also made it clear the restrictive birth policies do not apply to Buddhists.

With anti-Muslim violence spreading far beyond Rohingya centres, this is a policy the government cannot afford to enforce. No country in the world has ever decreed a birth limit on religious grounds. And even China, with the most vicious one-child policy in the world, has special exceptions for minorities. Myanmar has slapped an onerous restriction on its most endangered minority.

The ban on births by religion finally stirred Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize winner joined rights groups and Myanmar Islamic leaders who condemned the government's action. Mrs Suu Kyi said the order was discriminatory, a violation of human rights and _ under the country's constitution _ illegal. It was a welcome statement. Since her election to parliament 14 months ago, Mrs Suu Kyi has backed away from almost every human rights case. One hopes she will start speaking up boldly again against the many flagrant abuses of human rights by both radical Buddhists and the government. Without her, Myanmar will lose an important _ no, a vital voice in its reform process.

We also should be aware of the dangers that could result if US President Barack Obama allows his Myanmar counterpart Thein Sein to slide on human rights and drug violations. Mr Obama issued a token sentence that violence directed at Rohingya "needs to stop". But he spent most of Thein Sein's recent visit to the White House praising him as a democratic reformer. Obviously, his brief message about violating the Rohingya had no effect.

However, while Mr Obama was wrong to gloss over such serious problems, the first responsibility must fall to Myanmar and its immediate neighbours.

Thailand, India and China have enormous collective influence on Thein Sein and his government. So, too, does the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Myanmar is to assume some leadership roles within Asean this year. It will not deserve them without a rapid and effective reversal of the two-child policy.

But that only must be the start.

Myanmar has simply ignored both the nationwide violence against Muslims and its responsibility to end drug trafficking by cartels operating openly inside the country.

The failure of Thein Sein to step up and condemn violence and drug trafficking is a major black mark on the country.

If Myanmar's neighbours also refuse to step up, it will be far worse. Friends of Myanmar must stop the government from doing irreparable harm to itself, its minorities and its chances of becoming a democratic nation.

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