Myanmar Removes 2,082 Names from Blacklist

The 2011-2012 Burma Democratic Reforms takes another step towards the path of democracy as its government has today removes thousands of individuals from a government-sanctioned blacklist, presumably consisting of persons considered as undesirables and persona non-grata.

Major steps taken in the massive reform program was the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house detention in 2010 and just two weeks ago, press censorship had been greatly eased there.

The blacklist contains exactly 2,082 names which includes some highly distinguishable names such as the late Corazon C. Aquino. Other names include former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, U.S. singer-turned-politician Sonny Bono and Kim and Alexander Aris, the sons of Nobel laureate Aung SanSuu Kyi.

Other notable persons in the black list were CNN reporter Dan Rivers and British investigative reporter John Pilger. Most notable is American John Yettaw, who had swum across a lake 2009 in order to inform Aung San Suu Kyi of an assassination plot against her.

The majority of those in the list were Burmese activists, journalists, academicians and human rights campaigners, who are mostly exiled from their country.

According to the New Light of Myanmar, a government publication, the total number of persons in the blacklist is 6,165. Thereon, nearly 4,000 persons remained in the blacklist.

These reforms were commenced in relation to its aim for ASEAN chairmanship on 2014. It should be taken into consideration that ASEAN as a collegial body of nations, one that is becoming more and more relevant in international relations area, both in socio-political and economic terms, strongly pursues the principle of consultation and democracy as evoked in its three-pronged ASEAN Way.

This recent move by the government in Myanmar was also based upon the desire by President Thein Sein for exiles to come back to their home country, especially foreign-trained experts that could help in the development and reform programs of the country.

The reforms have received applause from the international community that Japan for one had resumed its aid programs towards Myanmar. But the United States remains wary and demands more palpable actions such as the release of all political prisoners, as a condition for lifting economic sanction it had imposed on the Southeast Asian country.