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苦境に立つ女性指導者たち
軍事政権下のミャンマーとインドネシアで、野党の女性指導者2人が政府から弾圧を受けている。世界は彼女たちのために、そして彼女たちが救おうとしている人々のために何ができるのか…。
Women Trouble
By Jeff Kingston
Government leaders in Myanmar and Indonesia have women trouble. Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi and Megawati Sukarnoputri are popular opposition politicians in
their respective nations. Both are daughters of the founding fathers and
national heroes of their countries. Due to the power of their appeal and
support for real democracy, both are also victims of political oppression.
One year ago Aung San Suu Kyi was released from six years of house arrest.
In 1990 her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won a landslide
victory at the polls. However, the ruling military junta, SLORC (State Law and
Order Restoration Council), rejected the results.
Since her release, Suu Kyi has peacefully campaigned for democracy. SLORC, intimidated by her moral authority and popularity, recently arrested hundreds of NLD members prior to a party conference. It ws rumored that she would also
be arrested.
The intervention of the Japanese government was apparently what saved her
from incarceration. Government spokesmen called in Myanmar embassy officials
and announced that Japanese aid and investment plans would have to be
reconsidered if she was arrested. Without this strong and timely stance ,
it is likely that Suu Kyi would have been arrested.
Indonesia's Megawati was the leader of the United Democratic Party , a large
opposition group. Recently the government supported a move to oust her from
the leadership of her party. This effort was aimed at denying her a chance to
contest the scheduled presidential elections in 1998.
Current President Suharto, 75, has ruled since 1966. At that time he ousted
Megawati's father, President Sukarno. Fearing that she would oppose him in the
coming elections, Suharto and his minions apparently decided not to risk a
potentially humiliating outcome . Initial demonstrations in her support led
to bloodshed and arrests. Even her closest advisers admit that she has scant
recourse given the power of the government.
It is the overwhelming power of the military in both countries, and the
willingness to resort to violence , which silences democratic forces.
What can the world do to help these women in trouble and the people they
are trying to help? U.S. activists advocate economic sanctions . Putting
pressure on SLORC is viewed as an effective means to encourage reform.
On the other hand, Myanmar's neighbors have advocated constructive
engagement.
By engaging SLORC in dialogue and investing in the country's economic
development, ASEAN seeks to gradually nurture democratic forces. The U.S.
pressure tactics are criticized by some as inappropriate to Asian norms . But
human rights activists criticize ASEAN for profiting at the expense of the
oppressed Myanmarese people.
On Myanmar, Japan has steered a course between the sanctions advocated
by the U.S. and ASEAN's policy of constructive engagement. On Indonesia,
Japanese influence could be enormous but has been used sparingly . In both
cases, the jury is still out on Japan's quiet diplomacy .
Government leaders in Myanmar and Indonesia have women trouble. Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi and Megawati Sukarnoputri are popular opposition politicians in
their respective nations. Both are daughters of the founding fathers and
national heroes of their countries. Due to the power of their appeal and
support for real democracy, both are also victims of political oppression.
One year ago Aung San Suu Kyi was released from six years of house arrest.
In 1990 her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won a landslide
victory at the polls. However, the ruling military junta, SLORC (State Law and
Order Restoration Council), rejected the results.
Since her release, Suu Kyi has peacefully campaigned for democracy. SLORC, intimidated by her moral authority and popularity, recently arrested hundreds of NLD members prior to a party conference. It ws rumored that she would also
be arrested.
The intervention of the Japanese government was apparently what saved her
from incarceration. Government spokesmen called in Myanmar embassy officials
and announced that Japanese aid and investment plans would have to be
reconsidered if she was arrested. Without this strong and timely stance ,
it is likely that Suu Kyi would have been arrested.
Indonesia's Megawati was the leader of the United Democratic Party , a large
opposition group. Recently the government supported a move to oust her from
the leadership of her party. This effort was aimed at denying her a chance to
contest the scheduled presidential elections in 1998.
Current President Suharto, 75, has ruled since 1966. At that time he ousted
Megawati's father, President Sukarno. Fearing that she would oppose him in the
coming elections, Suharto and his minions apparently decided not to risk a
potentially humiliating outcome . Initial demonstrations in her support led
to bloodshed and arrests. Even her closest advisers admit that she has scant
recourse given the power of the government.
It is the overwhelming power of the military in both countries, and the
willingness to resort to violence , which silences democratic forces.
What can the world do to help these women in trouble and the people they
are trying to help? U.S. activists advocate economic sanctions . Putting
pressure on SLORC is viewed as an effective means to encourage reform.
On the other hand, Myanmar's neighbors have advocated constructive
engagement.
By engaging SLORC in dialogue and investing in the country's economic
development, ASEAN seeks to gradually nurture democratic forces. The U.S.
pressure tactics are criticized by some as inappropriate to Asian norms . But
human rights activists criticize ASEAN for profiting at the expense of the
oppressed Myanmarese people.
On Myanmar, Japan has steered a course between the sanctions advocated
by the U.S. and ASEAN's policy of constructive engagement. On Indonesia,
Japanese influence could be enormous but has been used sparingly . In both
cases, the jury is still out on Japan's quiet diplomacy .
Shukan ST: July 26, 1996
(C) All rights reserved
- Daw
- 東南アジアなどで使われる敬称。
- Aung San Suu Kyi
- アウン・サン・スーチー。ミャンマーの野党勢力、国民民主連盟の最有力指導者でミャンマー建国の英雄アウン・サン将軍の娘。
- Megawati Sukarnoputri
- メガワティ・スカルノプトリ。インドネシアの野党勢力、インドネシア民主党の党首で故スカルノ大統領の長女。
- opposition politicians
- 野党政治家。
- respective
- それぞれの。
- founding fathers
- 建国の父。
- real democracy
- 真の民主主義。
- victims
- 犠牲。
- political oppresssion
- 政治的弾圧。
- was released from 〜
- 〜から解放された。
- house arrest
- 自宅軟禁。
- National League for Democracy(NLD)
- 国民民主連盟。
- won a landslide victory
- 大勝利をおさめた。
- polls
- 選挙。
- ruling military junta
- 支配している軍事政権。
- SLORC(State Law and Order Restoration Council)
- 国家法秩序回復評議会。
- rejected
- 無効とした。
- has peacefully campaigned for 〜
- 〜のため平和的な形で運動してきた。
- intimated by 〜
- 〜に脅かされて。
- moral authority
- 精神的な権威。
- prior to 〜
- 〜の前に。
- intervention
- 介入。
- saved her from 〜
- 〜から彼女を救った。
- incarceration
- 監禁。
- aid
- 支援。
- investment
- 投資。
- would have to be reconsidered
- 考え直さざるをえない。
- stance
- 姿勢。
- it is likely that 〜
- 〜していたことだろう。
- United Democratic Party
- インドネシア民主党。
- oust her from 〜
- 〜から彼女を追い出す。
- contest
- (選挙を)争う。
- Current
- 現在の。
- Fearing that 〜
- 〜を恐れて。
- oppose 〜
- 〜に対抗する。
- minions
- 賛同者。
- not to risk a potentially humiliating outcome
- 屈辱的な結果になることもありうるので、それを避ける。
- Initial
- 初期の。
- led to 〜
- 〜を招いた。
- bloodshed
- 流血の惨事。
- scant recourse
- 頼りにするものが少ない。
- overwhelming
- 圧倒的な。
- resort to violence
- 暴力に訴える。
- activists
- 活動家。
- advocate
- 支持する。
- economic sanctions
- 経済制裁。
- nurture
- 養成する。
- pressure tactics
- 抑圧的な策略。
- inappropriate
- 不適当な。
- Asian norms
- アジアのやり方。
- human rights activists
- 人権擁護派。
- at the expense of 〜
- 〜を犠牲にして。
- oppressed
- 抑圧された。
- has steered
- かじをとる。
- sparingly
- 控えめ。
- jury is still out
- まだ評決が決まっていない。
- quiet diplomacy
- 平和外交。