Saffron on Ice

Burma sentences dozens of pro-democracy dissidents to lengthy prison terms.

AFTER THE brutal crushing of last year's Saffron Revolution, the military rulers of Burma sought to deflect international repercussions by promising to stop arresting the monks and other dissidents who had led the peaceful protests. They hinted at opening a dialogue with the opposition, including pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Long ago it became clear that these pledges were lies -- the arrests have continued, and there has been no dialogue. But the regime's final answer to the demands of Western governments and the U.N. Security Council, and to appeals from would-be conciliators such as Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, came yesterday. According to the Web site Irrawaddy, 40 opposition leaders have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms by a closed court.

Those punished included 14 leaders of the 88 Generation Students group, each of whom received the draconian term of 65 years. According to Irrawaddy, 25 other activists who joined the September 2007 uprising, including five monks and several women, were given terms of up to 26 years, while the labor activist Su Su Nway was sentenced to 12 1/2 years. The charges included such "crimes" as posting information about the revolt on Web sites and having contacts with foreign media. No lawyers represented the accused; several lawyers were imprisoned last month for complaining about the unfairness of the legal process, and others were banned from the court.

The regime had its reasons for turning its back on Mr. Ban and others seeking a change in its behavior. It is deeply wedded to a domestic political process that calls for holding national elections in 2010 -- a vote that the generals, including aging leader Than Shwe, believe will institutionalize their rule. As the regime discovered in 1990, the winner of any genuinely free election would be Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters. Hence the determination to destroy the opposition well ahead of the elections by locking up its senior leaders and intimidating others with those lengthy sentences.

Some of those imprisoned weren't cowed. According to Irrawaddy, activist Min Zeya responded to his sentence by sarcastically asking, "Only 65 years?" Another, Mie Mie, shouted: "We will never be frightened!" But what of Mr. Ban or the Western nongovernmental organizations that have lately been advocating more aid and cooperation with the regime? The generals' action mocks them. Mr. Ban said only last week that Burma "is going to be my priority issue." Progress, he said, would require "coordinated efforts from all the countries in the region, particularly India and other neighboring countries, including China." The U.N. chief has his work cut out for him -- to say the least.