ROAD TO STABILITY PROVING DIFFICULT

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26211, 7 September 1950, Page 6

ROAD TO STABILITY PROVING DIFFICULT

BURMA

(By a Special Correspondent of “The Times" lately in Burma) (Reprinted Arrangement)

The people of Burma, who are learnmg P the hard way that independence aoes not mean Utopia, are ; too engrossed in their everyaay struggle for existence to bother much aoout world Xa But their leaders striving to steer a straight Socialist course between the Scylla of western capitalism and the Charybdis of eastern Communism,.have good reason to worry about the Korean conflict and its implications. lor other Asian countries. Burma, which has 700 nr les of undefended border with Communist China and a still unresolved communist rising m her midst, must navigate cautiously if she is to escape more credit, then, to .TTiakln Nil’s Government for its straight.orward decision to support the United Nations’ cause in Korea. It is a decision which marks a turning point m Burmese post-war policy, and the growth of a new spirit of realism. As the Burmese Prime Minister said recently: ■‘lf we expect to receive the protection of the United Nations in the event of ; our country being attacked, we have a I similar obligation to offer whatever help we can, moral or material, to the United Nations when a member State is subjected to aggression.” This attitude is, of course, consistent with Burma’s desire to maintain corI dial relations with her two great neighbours, India and China. With India she has no ideological difference, .but with China she has. This explains why Burmese opinion tends to follow Indian in urging that the Peonle’s Republic of China be- admitted to the Security Council. Burma rightly belives that the more regular become the relations of the new China with the rest of the world, the less likely is China to embar - on neo-imperialistic ventures, /nd Burma hones that she will be spared foreign intervention in settling her internal political disputes.

Economic Aid From U.S. On the other hand, Thakjn Nu has declared his country’s readiness to accept economic help from any quarter, provided there are no political “strings” attached, for repairing the damage done by two invading armies in the late war and half a dozen rebellions since then. The recent Commonwealth loan of £6,000.000, intended for internal expenditure against currency expansion, is a case in point. Discussions are now going on for its use to the best advantage. Another and more ambitious programme is that sponsored by the United States, which is sending to Rangoon a strong technical and economic mission, headed by Mr A. L. Moffat, till recently deputy chief of the Economic Co-operation Administration in Brita n.

This mission will be charged with rendering aid to Burma under four main heads: health projects such as pi’ot schemes for malaria and tuberculosis control, medicines, and hospital equipment: agricultural orojects, including machinery, fertilisers, and experts for more efficient cultivation and milling of rice and other crops; equipment and technicians for restoring the war-blasted port of Rangoon and for improving rail communications with the interior; and an education programme which will include translation of books and provision of specialists to promote modern learning in Burma. These schemes, which will cost several million dollars (the exact sum is not known), are now in the final stages of discussion between Burmese and American officials. The success or failure of such aid programmes will depend primarily upon the ability of the present Government to restore peace in the country and stabilise the administration. The present state of law and order is far from good. Although the large towns are in the hands of Government forces (who in many cases exercise a form of martial law), the main axes of communication from Rangoon to the interior are held open precariously against sporadic "flack. whii« the countryside is virtuallv “no man’s land.” Neither civil authority nor police dare venture far from the towns. Wandering groups of young bandits, sometimes calling themselves Communists and sometimes members of the People’s Volunteer Organisation, batten on the villagers and

exact toll from them. Their number may be anywhere between 10.000 and 100,000. r lne Government is trying to round them up and put them into “rehabilitation brigades” where tney can be reformed and taught a trede. Some thousands have surrendered in recent aiontiis but many moie ai-e <ocn to yield. Outside observers, with every sympathy for Burmese aspirations reel that only ruthless action by a reinforced national aimy will ena the .nenace o- rural insecurity. . .nd i. v ul probably be severe! years, before the whole country is pacified, even if the present rate of progress—?nd there undoubtedly is progress—is speeded up. The problem is complicatad by the refusal of a large section o. the Karens, a hill tribe number ng 1,500,000, who used to be the backbone of the army, to make their peace with the Government. The Burmese are prepared to grant them a Karen State when they are in the majority, but its demarcation and powers present difficulties. Attempts at Commonwealth mediation having failed, the neutral well-wisher can but hope that out of stalemate will presently em?rge settlement.

State Socialism The Government has in the three years since incependsnce moderated its Marxist ardour until it is now committed to a policy of State Socialism But. in the transition from the former colonial economy, already disrupted by war, the country’s prosperity has suffered severely. Staple exports vhich gave Burma, with a total population of 17,000,000. a surplus economy have dropped or disappeared. Rice, of which Burma used to export 3 500,000 tons annually, is down to an annuel export average of 1.000,000 tons. Petrol and oil, exports of which were worth £10.000,000 annually, are to-day being imported into Burma. Timber, another valuable commodity, is hardly being worked. Minerals such as lead silver tin, and wolfram are not being mined because of disturbed conditions and lack of communications. The picture is gloomy but not desperate. If the forces of law and order can extend their authority over the interior commerce will begin to move It will have to operate under changed conditions, for State Soc’alism will not allow it the same free hand as before. State Socialism is hampered by the inexperience of public servants and the extremism of labour. British business, seeking to come to terms with Burmese nationalism, may be excuspri if vA * eels frustra t e d by unpractical politicians and dilatory departments But it must realise that tinres have changed and the old privileged conditions have gone. If Burma wpnts to give 60 per cent, of all import licences to Burmese citizens, she is entitled to do so, and British importers are loaming to work with newly established Burmese concerns. Indian and Chinese businessman are alreadv entering into partnership with Burmese. The Pattern of trade is changing. The Oil Industry The same is true of industry, and particularly of the important petroleum industry in which the Burmah Oil Company has had a cle-'r field in the pas| To-day it has to deal with an independent- Social’s* Stat?—and ihe adjustment is not easy. If industrial ■ribunals give awards wh’ch appear do deny the company’s right to retrench surplus labour, or which compensate such labour lavishly, that is trying P, ece ? s --. ril 7 fatal- The project? before the industry are basically as good as in pre-war days when the shareholders and the State both profited. The proportion of the may have to change, and so will relations with labour. But no good can come out of the present d’snute between the company and the State, which is in fact poisoning the atmosphere of Burmo-British relations. These relations are. indesd, surprisingly good. British prestige stands high and the English language and culture are potent influences in the new Burma. Given moral and material aid from the western democracies, and * chance to work out her destinv without intervention from across the border, she may yet emerge as a atable force m Asia.