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Posted at 8:42 a.m., Thursday, October 11, 2007

Visiting diplomat hopes spotlight on Myanmar helps

By AUDREY McAVOY
Associated Press

HONOLULU — The top U.S. diplomat in Myanmar said she hopes the international attention being showered on the Southeast Asian nation will pressure its military rulers to open the country and reconcile with pro-democracy advocates.

Shari Villarosa spoke to reporters and scholars Wednesday during visit to Hawai'i for a conference of U.S. diplomats. Her remarks came just weeks after the Myanmar's military junta brutally cracked down on demonstrators, firing shots into crowds and rounding up government critics.

The regime said 10 people were killed, but dissident groups put the toll at up to 200 and say thousands of students, Buddhist monks and others were arrested.

Villarosa said many believe the junta leaders have been able to stay in power so long because few people on the outside have heard much about the country.

But that's changed after coverage of the pro-democracy protests hit global airwaves and images of soldiers beating demonstrators were beamed around the world.

"What has become clear in the last couple of weeks is everything's not OK. These people are very unhappy," Villarosa said. "They need the support of the international community."

The diplomat said the United States can rally nations together to pressure the regime. But she noted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which often refrains from criticizing its own members, has already taken the "unprecedented" step of sharply criticizing the violent crackdown.

Singapore's prime minister, the current chairman of the bloc, this month sent a letter to the junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, saying video and photographs from Myanmar have "evoked the revulsion" of Southeast Asia and the world.

"That the international community is paying more attention is hopeful," Villarosa said. "Hopefully this will help mobilize pressure not only from the United States but from all the countries in the region."

She said nations needed to "push it and push it and push it some more."

Washington has threatened to impose more sanctions on Myanmar, also known as Burma, if the government doesn't loosen its grip on the country. But the U.S. trades little with the country and any penalties it imposes aren't expected to have much effect.

China, India and Russia, which have much to gain from trading with Myanmar, have meanwhile opposed slapping U.N. sanctions on the country.

Dr. Eddie Lim, an overseas Burmese who listened to Villarosa speak at the East-West Center in Honolulu, said he supported the diplomat's calls for increasing international pressure on Myanmar.

"People in Burma are helpless, voiceless and in fear and in shock and in anger," Lim said. "And they also are afraid the international community will soon forget them."