By Sanjay Kumar
The red carpet welcome India offered Burma’s leader is aimed at countering China’s influence. He’s holding the two to ransom.
For better or worse, countries will often sacrifice their principles at the altar of geopolitics. It’s a fact no more evident lately than with India, which appears to be disregarding the muzzling of democracy in eastern neighbour Burma (Myanmar) to cosy up to the ruling military junta there.
Just a few years ago, India would’ve made an issue out of the illegal detention of popularly elected National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for long stretches over the past 20 years. In early 2008, for example, an Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed that Burma had been advised that there was now a greater urgency for political reform and that this process ‘had to be broad-based to include all sections of society including Aung San Suu Kyi.’
But just two years later, such pressure appears to have been abandoned as the world’s largest democracy forgets its place and deepens its relationship with the junta.
The dynamics of this new relationship were on full display during the visit of Burmese leader Gen. Than Shwe, who was in India late last month and met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. During Than Shwe’s visit, the two leaders issued a joint statement and announced a number of deals, including five accords on counter-terrorism co-operation and soft loans from India that included $60 million for a road construction project and about $10 million for machinery purchases.
Such agreements are ostensibly aimed at winning over the regime in a nation that Freedom House found this year to be among the nine least free countries in the world. Indeed, last year the organisation specifically called on India to exert pressure over Suu Kyi’s trial—in which she was accused of breaking the terms of her house arrest—with Executive Director Jennifer Windsor arguing that:
‘As the world's largest democracy and a regional leader, India has an obligation to defend Suu Kyi and at least attempt to influence the actions of Burma’s ruling junta.’
Photo Credit: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
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win
Dictator’s strategy win on India. India took the bribe from dictator for whatever the reasons. How can they sell their value & dignity? How can they neglect justice, freedom and right of 50 million Burmese people and leave to dictator’s hand because they afraid communist china? India should not be coward! Everyone reaps and consumes what one sows and plants. I hope it’s not too late for everyone.
Arjun
China supported, financed and propped up the Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia which killed millions in genocide. Similarly China supports the Kim Clan in North Korea whihc has killed million in hunger starvation. China support Dictators in Pakistan who hang elected representatives. China supports Dictators and Warlords all over Africa to get lucrative mineral contracts. China fully supports Burma’s military and supplies all its weapons and in return has obtained bases in Bay of Bengal to spy on India and further its policy of ‘String of Pearls’
For India, Burma is an important neighbour which cannot be allowed to dangerously go under total Chinese Control. So why should not India engage Burma in diplomacy ? Should India ignore Burma and hand over Burma on a silver platter to China for it to use Burma against India ?
How is it wrong to engage an important neighbour in diplomacy. Compare it with China’s support for the brutal and genocidal Khmer Rouge.
Nathan
India has a democratic dressing on a soil which is undemocratic in culture and religion. Democracy was a good word until India came along. It is a failed state and a sham democracy. An opportunistic western lackey and stooge!
Mitra
You should have discussed the strategic context a little more. Of course, India’s support for the despicable military regime in Burma is shameful. But China is setting up military bases in all neigbouring countries around India. China is already a strong supporter of Pakistan and helped it build nuclear weapons. It is rapidly improving relations with Nepal and Bangladesh and it aims to establish a military base in every country which is a neighbour of India. The Indian government is extremely concerned about this. India supported democracy in Burma for a long time, but that didn’t lead to anything- except loosing out to China in the competition for influence. When their strategic interests are involved, the Western countries behave in exactly the same fashion- so they hardly have the right to lecture us. But from the human rights standpoint, it is still very unfortunate- I agree with you on that.
David
Indian: Shame on you for trying to censor the opinions of a journalist in a free country.
Indian
Shame on you David that u r trying to blank out the views of an avid reader. Nothing is absolute and “freedom”, “liberty” are no exceptions. Btw, what is your take on Obama’s obsession with Ahmedinijad’s “ambition” of making Iran a “nukie”? R u with Ahmedinijad, the duly elected leader of a sovereign country or are you with Obama who has no locus standi on matters Iranian? Bother to respond to this first, then I will gauge how “shameful” or otherwise u r.