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Myanmar too close to ignore Pramit
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Myanmar too close to ignore Pramit Pal Chaudhuri
The Hindustan Times (New Delhi)
November 17, 2000
THE ARRIVAL of the 16-member Myanmarese delegation in the capital on
Friday is tangible evidence that New Delhi recognizes it must deal with
Yangon, irrespective of its domestic circumstances. The delegation
leader, General Maung Aye, is number two in Myanmar's ruling junta.
Prominent Indian sympathizers of Myanmar's pro-democracy movement have
held their tongues. A vocal defence minister, George Fernandes, will not
join the army chief and home minister in calling on Gen Maung. But the
foreign ministry points out the defence minister does not meet every
foreign visitor.
Rashtrapati Bhavan said the first lady, Mrs Usha Narayanan, would be
present when Gen Maung meets the president on Friday. As per protocol,
the vice-president will host a banquet for the visitors. Mrs Narayanan,
an ethnic Burmese, is close to imprisoned dissident, Ms Aung San Suu
Kyi.
India's Myanmar policy took a leisurely dozen years to evolve from
moralizing to engagement. This is only partly because of sympathy for Ms
Suu Kyi. The snail's pace of India's engagement is more about failing to
prioritize interests regarding Myanmar and being overly influenced by
the West.
India's Myanmar interests are threefold. One, getting Yangon's help
against the insurgency which infest the 16,00-kilometre border. The past
five years have seen a number of successful joint military operations
against separatists. New Delhi has helped Yangon against Kachins and
others. Myanmar has reciprocated against Nagas.
Two, making up for lost time on the economic front. Myanmar can be a
major supplier of timber, pulses and gems. It is a potential market for
Indian products. Myanmar manufactures so little it imports Cambodian
goods. India opened its border for trade with Myanmar in 1995 - four
years after China. From the trans-Asian highway to the Mekong Valley
project, ``Myanmar is our land-bridge to Southeast Asia,'' says the
foreign office spokesperson. India is helping construct the
Tamu-Kalemayo road in Myanmar.
Three, concern that isolating Myanmar has created a diplomatic vacuum
being filled by China. Well before India, other Asian countries engaged
Myanmar to counter this. Fortunately, Yangon's xenophobia makes it wary
even of Beijing.
New Delhi has been slow to accept that slamming doors on a non-hostile
neighbour has few plus points. When India isolated Myanmar post-1988, it
was moved by moral zeal. ``A hangover of the 1960s and 1970s,'' a former
Indian diplomat termed it.
But the junta showed no signs of buckling. Around 1990, New Delhi found
Chinese radar facilities on Myanmar's Cocos Islands. The Indian army
also pressed for cooperation with Yangon. India bent enough to initiate
a dialogue in 1994. But New Delhi sent confusing signals: in 1995 it
awarded Ms Suu Kyi the Nehru prize. Isolation was further discredited
when Myanmar joined the ranks of the ASEAN in 1997. The MEA says
relations will now be driven by ?national interest'': belated
recognition that Myanmar is too close for neglect.
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<br><b><font size=+2>Myanmar too close to ignore Pramit Pal Chaudhuri</font></b>
<p><b>The Hindustan Times (New Delhi)</b>
<br><b>November 17, 2000</b>
<p>THE ARRIVAL of the 16-member Myanmarese delegation in the capital on
Friday is tangible evidence that New Delhi recognizes it must deal with
Yangon, irrespective of its domestic circumstances. The delegation leader,
General Maung Aye, is number two in Myanmar's ruling junta.
<p>Prominent Indian sympathizers of Myanmar's pro-democracy movement have
held their tongues. A vocal defence minister, George Fernandes, will not
join the army chief and home minister in calling on Gen Maung. But the
foreign ministry points out the defence minister does not meet every foreign
visitor.
<p>Rashtrapati Bhavan said the first lady, Mrs Usha Narayanan, would be
present when Gen Maung meets the president on Friday. As per protocol,
the vice-president will host a banquet for the visitors. Mrs Narayanan,
an ethnic Burmese, is close to imprisoned dissident, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi.
<p>India's Myanmar policy took a leisurely dozen years to evolve from moralizing
to engagement. This is only partly because of sympathy for Ms Suu Kyi.
The snail's pace of India's engagement is more about failing to prioritize
interests regarding Myanmar and being overly influenced by the West.
<p>India's Myanmar interests are threefold. One, getting Yangon's help
against the insurgency which infest the 16,00-kilometre border. The past
five years have seen a number of successful joint military operations against
separatists. New Delhi has helped Yangon against Kachins and others. Myanmar
has reciprocated against Nagas.
<p>Two, making up for lost time on the economic front. Myanmar can be a
major supplier of timber, pulses and gems. It is a potential market for
Indian products. Myanmar manufactures so little it imports Cambodian goods.
India opened its border for trade with Myanmar in 1995 - four years after
China. From the trans-Asian highway to the Mekong Valley project, ``Myanmar
is our land-bridge to Southeast Asia,'' says the foreign office
spokesperson. India is helping construct the Tamu-Kalemayo road in Myanmar.
<p>Three, concern that isolating Myanmar has created a diplomatic vacuum
being filled by China. Well before India, other Asian countries engaged
Myanmar to counter this. Fortunately, Yangon's xenophobia makes it wary
even of Beijing.
<p>New Delhi has been slow to accept that slamming doors on a non-hostile
neighbour has few plus points. When India isolated Myanmar post-1988, it
was moved by moral zeal. ``A hangover of the 1960s and 1970s,'' a former
Indian diplomat termed it.
<p>But the junta showed no signs of buckling. Around 1990, New Delhi found
Chinese radar facilities on Myanmar's Cocos Islands. The Indian army also
pressed for cooperation with Yangon. India bent enough to initiate a dialogue
in 1994. But New Delhi sent confusing signals: in 1995 it awarded Ms Suu
Kyi the Nehru prize. Isolation was further discredited when Myanmar joined
the ranks of the ASEAN in 1997. The MEA says relations will now be driven
by ?national interest'': belated recognition that Myanmar is too close
for neglect.
<br> </html>
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