First, many governments now believe that President U Thein Sein is a reformer, that U Shwe Mann is a reformer, and many others share the same sentiment.
For me, I don't really believe it yet. I want to see more evidence before I call them real reformers.
For me, this is a kind of tactic they are playing. You set up the political system, which allows you to control all the power. The political system you created and designed is now on the ground, up and running. The next step is to make this system credible, legitimate, and try to get international recognition. So now you give some seats to the opposition. You invite the opposition to join into your system, and you allow them a place, with some voice.
For example, now we have the democratic NLDs. They have access to the power, but it's a power that remains unchanged in the hands of the military and the USDP. So you allowed them to join into the system, hear their advice, but they will not achieve anything. You are the one who will hold the power in the end.
This is a kind of tactic. So when President U Thein Sein offered Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to look at the offer...[Inaudible--Editor]...register your party; I will change the language of the political party registration law contesting the election. When you are in the parliament, you can change whatever you want.
This similar offer goes to the ethnic nationality groups. Let's stop shooting, okay? Let's have a cease-fire agreement. Found a party, join in contesting the election, join the parliament, then raise your concerns in the system.
But the system is already designed to make it difficult to amend the constitution.
So where they are, in there, they will be contained, co-opted, and then finally they will not achieve anything.
Maybe they will go further, I'm not sure yet, but at this moment, I cannot believe they are real reformers. I want the world to share my feelings. Let's see more evidence from them before we call them real reformers.
Before we are certain that they are really reformers, I don't want to lose any kind of leverage that we have right now.