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Ties with Myanmar
Letter to Editor
The Hindu, Saturday, April 27, 1996.
"Ties with Myanmar"
Sir,
This is with reference to Mr. V. Jayanth's article "Ties with
Myanmar" (The Hind, March 1996). The rational for justifying the
proposed Indian trade with SLORC military regime is one which
has been severely criticized by the pro-democracy movement in
Myanmar. Though the article claims that it is possible for Indian
traders "without mixing politics with business" to "establish
strategically important (development) relationship for the benefit of
both people" of Indian and Myanmar, such a view is criticized by
pro-democracy campaigner, Tun Myint. He says that those who
believe money making business has nothing to do with politics of
Myanmar are giving an excuse to themselves.
It has been suggested that too much time has been lost already an
India can engage itself "constructively" without offending the pro-
democracy movement, which will not oppose the benefits that the
people of Myanmar may get out of such ties. But the pro-democracy
leader, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition has been (essentially
only) to "showpiece" projects like hotels and office complexes. She
recently reiterated that business and other organizations which
considered trading with the SLORC regime were clearly "taking
sides against democracy". She also stated that the policy of
"constructive engagement " with the military regime is "flawed"
because it concentrates on current economic prospects at the expense
of political change. The p-democracy movement is actively opposed
to "constructive engagement", to the point of calling for "sanctions"
and boycott" of those firms. Lobbying initiatives by the Myanmar
pro-democracy groups in the United States, Japan, Europe and
South East Asia seek to enforce tough sanctions legislation against
business outlets seeking to trade with the SLORC junta.
Desmond Fernandes, London
Camp: Bangalore