Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to 18 month of house arrest. What should she do? Go on a hanger strike or call for popular uprising?

U Win Tin: She never believed in things like hunger strikes. Of course, she’s going to find different ways of having political influence. There are many ways.For example, just recently, she met with diplomats. She didn’t have much time to meet with them because it was during the trial. And she made a statement whereby she reasserted that she was in favor of national reconciliation. And if there is a real political will, things such as national reconciliation become possible. In this way, she can have political influence by meeting people and through making statements.

What do you think when some say that she is no longer capable of negociating and that she should be excluded from the political process?

U Win Tin: No, that is not true. It is possible that some feel differently, but only Aung San Suu Kyi has in her hands the power to negotiate. Of course today, she is in prison, behind bars. So how could she negotiate without playing a political role, without any leverage?

Do you think Aung San Suu Kyi will lead the LND again?

U Win Tin: Yes, of course, she has been our leader and will be for long time. Not only in the future, but today she is our leader, she is the only leading force in the party. Without her, the LND could not survive. If she left the country to go abroad, there would be no political movement in the NLD. She IS the party, since always, she has been the leading force of the party. Without her, I cannot imagine that the LND could still exist.

What about the sanctions? Are they effective and are they enough?
 
U Win Tin: The sanctions are relatively effective, as far as I can see, but they aren't enough. As to sanctions against the junta, of course, the junta always tells us that the santions penalize the people, but that is false. The sanctions are aimed at those who are in power. Sanctions to keep them from doing what they want, what they would like to do. Sanctions are mainly economic and political restrictions. They are relatively important and effective.
They are important, but until now the sanctions have not been enough. Why? Because
these sanctions only involve certain economic aspects, and they restrict the travel of the junta, of the leaders and their allies. But they are not as effective as all that, because they are not severe enough.  You must be aware that some people in the US and other Western countries, wish to participate in the Burman economy, wish to play a role, and don't want to relinquish their economic influence in the country. In addition, they don't want China to move in and control the Burman economy. Because of all of these pretexts, and all of these reasons, there is a great deal of dumping on the part of Western nations. A case in point is the powerful French oil company, Total, which even today continues to do business with the junta. And the French government is incapable of forcing Total to withdraw from the Burman economy. Total plays an important role in the Burman economy. What I mean is that, in the case of Total, we need more severe sanctions on the economic level.

 
If some members of the LND decide to participate in elections, do you think the party can win like in 1990?

U Win Tin: In these elections, everything depends on the role that the NLD is going to play.  If we participate in these elections without playing a real political role, for example demanding the release of all political prisoners, constitutional amendments, and fair and impartial elections under international supervision, it would be useless. We will have no political force if we have no political demands. If we have survived in the Burman political landscape, it is because we have strong political positions and demands. Without political demands, the members of the NLD would only be ordinary candidates. They might win, but not as a political force. There would be individual victories, here and there, but nothing more. And it would be practically impossible for the NLD, as a political force, to win broadly as in 1990.

Is the LND divided?

U Win Tin: Of course the NLD is divided, I can see that. It is divided as a political force. There is a group of hard-liners, more radical in their political demands. On the other hand, there is a more conciliatory group, less radical in their requirements. This is the case in all political parties. There is always deviciveness. Things are like that throughout the world, in all countries. Many political parties are divided, this is natural. But I do not see a breakup in the NLD. You cannot hope that the NLD will fall apart.

 So what is the future for the LND?

U Win Tin: What I can see is that the NLD has a future. But this future might be great or small,
 bright or dim, I do not know. Becuse everything depends on the leaders and their stragtegy.  If the NLD stays as it is, without a strong political direction, it will
not be a significant political force int the Burma of tomorrow. If the NDL simply
makes statements, here and there, from time to time, they will not be a force to be reckoned with. But if the NLD changes political leaders, a new generation with new ideas, with new political demands, and if the party starts real activities in the party organization, then we may hope for a great future for the NLD. Today, we cannot even leave Rangoon. We are not allowed to. If you leave Rangoon, after 50 km, you are harassed and stopped from going further. No one can leave.

 
If you were leading the LND, what would you do?

U Win Tin: I will never be in charge of the NLD. But if you are asking me what I would do If I were in charge, I would organize actions in reaction to the decisions of the junta.Because we cannot remain silent and do nothing. That would be impossible for me. I would organize one-day strikes, I would ask members of the NLD to go on strike one day every week, the strike would be every Tuesday, the birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi. You see, if we can organise actions slowly but surely that would give momentum to our actions. In this way, we can show the junta that we are not alone, and that we do not agree with their politics. There could be harder and more far-reaching actions.