by MAIR DUBOIS
A recent outpouring of common sense from Myanmar’s ruling elite, hard on the heels of a transition to nominally civilian government and release of Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, creates the disconcerting impression of a tiger changing its spots.
Among glimpses of a mutating government unusually acknowledging realities: President Thein Sein this month met Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the political opposition released late last year after 15 years of house arrest; on August 27, a general amnesty for political prisoners was proposed in parliament (one of the key moves required if United States sanctions are to be eased); Thein Sein earlier urged citizens who had fled abroad to return home and work for the country’s development.
One incentive for folks to return would be signs of a rational economy. A unified exchange rate would be big step towards that goal – at a practical level it would reduce the need for honest people to play around in the black market – and may be the next step. A flurry of announcements this month suggests some urgency.
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