From MIZZIMA News Group (r)

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Burma rebels at home with George

19 February, 1999
The Asian Age Newspaper


Dissident Burmese students, who describe defence minister George Fernandes
as a father figure, have almost complete run of his official residence.

The Delhi headquarters of the All Burma Students League is located in the
outhouse of Mr Fernandes' official bungalow at 3, Krishna Menon Marg, near
the South Block, and four members of the organisation have been living in
a room in the outhouse for the last few years.

Persons wishing to make telephonic contact with ABSL members are even
connected to them when they call up the defence minister's residential
number. The contact address given in the official stationery of the ABSL,
as well as visiting cards of its members, is that of the defence minister.

Mr Myint Aye, joint general secretary of the ABSL, said: "Mr Fernandes is
like our father. He is always there with us in spirit, even though he
could do much more to support Burmese pro-democracy activists when he
wasn't a minister."

Burmese dissident groups first established an office in Mr Fernandes
residence in 1992, and this was later converted into the headquarters of
the ABSL when that organisation was formed in 1994. The ABSL has some 30
members in New Delhi, and a total of about 100 members spread out all over
India.

The BJP-led Union government, which has never opposed the activities of
Burmese pro-democracy activists based in India, came in for some
embarrassment when Burma's militunta recently lodged an official protest
against Mr Fernandes' alleged support to the dissidents. In a meeting of
senior home ministry officials of the two countries held in Burma last
month, Burmese officials complained about financial assistance allegedly
provided by Mr. Fernandes to members of Burmese student groups who were
"absconding" from the country.

That Rangoon attached a great deal of importance to the issue was obvious
from the fact that it was listed as the first item on the agenda drawn up
for the meeting by the Burmese authorities. Such meetings between home
ministry officials of the two countries are usually a forum for discussing

matters like insurgent activities, trans-border crimes, drug trafficking
and smuggling.

"The Indian officials were taken aback when the matter was raised by the
Burmese," government sources said. Mr Aye, however, denied the allegations
about financial assistance provided by Mr Fernandes. "These allegations
are totally wrong. He has only given us political support, and we survive
on subsistence allowances provided by the UNHCR, collections taken up by
our supporters within Burma and donations from friendly Indian
organisations," he said. Mr Aye also said the BJP-led Union government's
stand on the pro-democracy movement in Burma did not appear to be very
clear. "We don't know about their higher policy, as the Indian government
appears to be supporting the pro-democracy movement and trying to build
gook relations with the military junta at the same time, as it is
concerned about the economic and military activities of the Chinese within
Burma," he said.

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