On the current situation in Myanmar, the government of India has made it clear to UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari that India, despite supporting pro-democratic movements to establish democratic institutions in Myanmar, it could not be part of any coercive measures against the military Junta in the country.
Despite increasing pressure from the Western countries to use its influence on Military government in Myanmar on the question of democracy, India has decided to skip from taking any coercive steps against Myanmar.
According to the report, India has told Ibrahim in clear words that the use of excessive sanctions against the military regime in Myanmar would create problems for the people of Myanmar because they will have to face the burden ultimately.
Gambari arrived on a brief visit to India to bring about an understanding among the neighboring countries of Myanmar to hold a dialogue with Myanmar military rulers. He was supposed to tell the key neighboring countries to mount pressure on Myanmar Junta to establish the democratic rights to people and to release Aung San Suu Kyi from prison. Before arriving in India, Imrahim Gambari had held meetings with officials of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
India’s Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon told Gambari that India would keep great concern on its interests in Myanmar when it would discuss about reconciliation and democracy in the country. Later, both officials discussed the ways in which Myanmar can accept people’s demand to set up democratic institutions in the country.
Earlier, US President George Bush had urged India and China to take necessary steps to mount pressure on military rulers in Myanmar to restrict the suppression of people demanding democratic political setup in the country. Bush had said:
I ask other counties to review their own laws and policies, especially Burma’s closest neighbours, China, India, and others in the region.
The major question is that why India, as world’s largest democratic country, is so reluctant to take any strong step against the military rulers in Myanmar. Does India fear that the new democratic government would not be as helpful as military rulers in curbing militancy and intrusion in northeastern states?
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