'The people of Myanmar feel betrayed by India'

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sun Oct 7, 2007 6:32 AM EDT

Article Source: Tehelka.com

world-news, china, india, energy, protests, myanmar, burma, junta, ulfa

India is supporting the generals, financing the generals, defending them in the international arena. So the people of Myanmar, and especially the political opposition, feel that India has let them down. They feel betrayed by the Indian government.

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6.2

{"commentId":1086766,"authorDomain":"mridulchadha"}

Mridul Chadha

India has also opposed any santions on Myanmar & it continues to supply arms to Myanmar even after the EU has stopped exporting arms to the country.

{"commentId":1086766,"threadId":"160023","contentId":"1008118","authorDomain":"mridulchadha"}

1 vote

#1 - Tue Oct 9, 2007 9:46 PM EDT

{"commentId":1086995,"authorDomain":"backroadsbubba"}

backroads

India is in a fix. Opposing the generals may injure India's economy and security.

Apart from the China factor, India has another very crucial stake in keeping the Burmese regime in good humour. The past two decades have seen an alarming rise in insurgency all across India's north-eastern States. Countries like Bhutan and Burma have been key for New Delhi in dealing with this burning internal security issue.

{"commentId":1086995,"threadId":"160023","contentId":"1008118","authorDomain":"backroadsbubba"}

1 vote

#2 - Tue Oct 9, 2007 11:50 PM EDT

{"commentId":1087319,"authorDomain":"mridulchadha"}

Mridul Chadha

Yaah you are right but I wish India could act bit morally right way. You are right the situation is very complex. Theres the energy factor, the insurgency factor & then the China factor. Still India can do much more than statting that it's an internal issue. When you are the world's largest democracy & have human rights credentials better than most people (& countries) do expect something from you and unfortunately India (for some reasons) isn't delivering.

{"commentId":1087319,"threadId":"160023","contentId":"1008118","authorDomain":"mridulchadha"}

2 votes

#2.1 - Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:22 AM EDT

{"commentId":1089107,"authorDomain":"backroadsbubba"}

backroads

Complex and terrible. Moral may mean the death of Indian people. For all we know, there are secret negotiations. Open meetings may not be realistic or useful.

{"commentId":1089107,"threadId":"160023","contentId":"1008118","authorDomain":"backroadsbubba"}

1 vote

#2.2 - Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:44 PM EDT

{"commentId":1089518,"authorDomain":"mridulchadha"}

Mridul Chadha

I think it was a chance for India to play a bigger part in the region & show the world its might, although the situation was highly coplex but India could certainly have done more. A crucial balancing act was required & according to me India didn't even try.

{"commentId":1089518,"threadId":"160023","contentId":"1008118","authorDomain":"mridulchadha"}

1 vote

#2.3 - Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:37 PM EDT

{"commentId":1089581,"authorDomain":"backroadsbubba"}

backroads

We may not learn all the particulars for years. India may still play a key role.

{"commentId":1089581,"threadId":"160023","contentId":"1008118","authorDomain":"backroadsbubba"}

1 vote

#2.4 - Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:58 PM EDT

{"commentId":1089605,"authorDomain":"mridulchadha"}

Mridul Chadha

I hope India does, it will be instrumental in bringing back democracy in Myanmar.

{"commentId":1089605,"threadId":"160023","contentId":"1008118","authorDomain":"mridulchadha"}

2 votes

#2.5 - Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:07 PM EDT

{"commentId":1090132,"authorDomain":"vaidya"}

Gaurav Vaidya

Hi backroads,

Soe Myint answers your statement in the article:

There are three things. First, the need to counter Chinese influence in the region. Since 1988, China has a heavy presence in Myanmar, which India is has been trying to counter with little success; China has had the upper hand for over a decade. Meanwhile, the junta is playing both these countries against each other. The second factor is the need for military cooperation, due to the presence of insurgents from India's Northeast in Myanmar. The junta takes advantage of this, and occasionally they make symbolic crackdowns on insurgents to keep India happy. But they don't attack the big groups like ULFA and PLF.

India has always given specific information; here are the camps, these are the leaders, and they say, we'll get back to you, and do nothing about it. When they're asked about it, they say we have no weapons, and India has to give them weapons; this despite spending nearly half the national budget on arms. So, India is being played, and to this date, India hasn't got any effective military cooperation from Myanmar. The third factor is trade and India's need for Myanmarese resources like oil. But there too India is the loser. For Myanmar, India is the 4th largest importer, while India has a huge deficit in trade with Myanmar. So even from the point of view of realpolitik, of strategic national interest, India is getting a bad deal with the junta.

(emphasis mine)

{"commentId":1090132,"threadId":"160023","contentId":"1008118","authorDomain":"vaidya"}

2 votes

#2.6 - Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:17 AM EDT

{"commentId":1091098,"authorDomain":"backroadsbubba"}

backroads

Howdy, Gaurav. Yes, it's complicated and convoluted. Glad to meet you.

{"commentId":1091098,"threadId":"160023","contentId":"1008118","authorDomain":"backroadsbubba"}

#2.7 - Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:43 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"160023","isPrivate":false}

MRIDUL CHADHA

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'The people of Myanmar feel betrayed by India'

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