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The
civil society in India may be divided on continued support to
the pro-democracy Burmese icon Aung San Suu Kyi, but the
government in New Delhi is determined to enhance the strategic  relationship
with the military rulers of Myanmar. Though the largest
democracy in the world nurtures various socio-political
organizations, which support the cause of Suu Kyi, the
government pursued partnership with the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) that rules today's Myanmar, earlier
known as Burma. The SPDC is reported not only as one of the
worst human rights violators in the globe, but also found
directly responsible for keeping the Nobel laureate and National
League for Democracy chief Suu Kyi under detention for the last
three years. Many Indian and international organizations have
been tirelessly raising voice against the ties with the Burmese
junta, but New Delhi maintains its strategy to continue liaison
with SPDC with its own arguments that is prompted by national
interest and obligation as well.
The recently concluded India-Myanmar Army Car rally, which was
inaugurated on December 5 in New Delhi (and returned to the
national capital in the last week of 2006), carries importance
for enhancing bilateral military relationship between the two
neighbouring countries. The rally, first of its kind crossed
through various Indian states including UP, Bihar, West Bengal,
Asom, Nagaland,Manipur and Myanmarese towns like Tamu, Kalewa,
Monywa, Mandalay, Taungoo to reach Yangon (earlier known as
Rangoon).
Flagged off by Indian Defence Minister A K Antony at India Gate,
the joint car rally was primarily organized to honour 20,000
martyr (soldiers) of India and Myanmar who sacrificed their
lives during the World War II while fighting under the British
flag in Burma in 1942. Visiting Burmese Army general Thura Shwe
Mann and Indian Army chief Gen JJ Singh with other senior
officials were also present at the flag-off ceremony. "The
rally is aimed for close cooperation between the two countries
in general and the armed forces of India and Myanmar in
particular," said Indian Defence Minister while
inaugurating the rally.
Participated by the Indian and Myanmarese soldiers, the rally
consist of 12 vehicles with 45 members including 12 Myanmar Army
personnel, had covered nearly 8000 kilometers from New Delhi to
Yangon and back. In Yangon, the team paid homage to the World
War II martyrs, who were laid to rest at Taukkyan War Cemetery,
Myanmar and then they started return journey through the same
route to enter India through Moreh in Manipur.
It may be mentioned that this is the same route (up to Mandalay
in Myanmar) that was used for the India-ASEAN Car Rally two
years back from Guwahati. The car rally touched Tamu, Kalewa,
Monywa to arrive in Mandalay and then turned eastern way to
cross through Kyaukse, Taunggyi, Loilem and Kyaingtong to reach
the border town (with Thailand) named Tachilek. The rally,
another first of its kind, was aimed at highlighting the
relationship between India and the Association of South East
Asian Nations and also exposing the old land route, which was
under cover for various political reasons.
For most of the people living in India, Myanmar is a land of
atrocities, human right violation and of course under notorious
press censorship. The media in the country is not allowed to
cover the activities of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been kept
under house arrest since 2003 by the Senior General Than Shwe
led SPDC. Many news portal, which are traditionally critical to
the military regime are banned in Myanmar. The local media
(mostly in Burmese) are tightlipped while reporting the ongoing
atrocities and human rights violation by the military on the
common people throughout the country. The foreign media
correspondents based in Yangon are kept under strict vigil by
the authority and the only English daily of the country, The New
Light of Myanmar is run by the government, which is used simply
as its mouthpiece.
Even then New Delhi had signed an agreement with Yangon (the new
capital of Myanmar is Piynmana, nearly 400 kilometers north of
Yangon) on border trade in 1994. The trading activities under
the agreement, which had been operational since April 1995,
provide the buyers of both the countries to take delivery of the
marketed goods in freely convertible currencies. Under this
agreement, a wide and pitch road connecting Moreh to Kalewa town
in Sagaing division of Myanmar was built and inaugurated in
2001. The 165-km highway was built by the Border Roads
Organization (of India) with the cost of around Rupees 1
billion. Named as Indo-Myanmar Friendship Road, the highway
connects India's National Highway 39 at Moreh.
New Delhi , though facing criticism from international
communities for maintaining relationship with the present
Myanmar regime, cannot afford to snap ties primarily for three
reasons. First, Myanmar can play an important role in realizing
India's Look East policy, where New Delhi proposes land
connectivity with various South East Asian countries like
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam (through Myanmar) for
trades. Secondly, the government of India is very much concerned
with the presence of Northeast based insurgents in northern
Myanmar. It believes that many armed outfits namely NSCN (both K
and IM factions), ULFA, PLA, PREPAK, UNLF, KYKL, KCP etc run
their training camps inside Myanmar and also use the
neighbouring country as their safe hide outs. Thirdly, New Delhi
remains equally concerned with more and more Chinese presence in
Myanmar. With an aim to prevent China's involvement in Myanmar
that leads to geo- strategic implications for India, New Delhi
wants to involve the military rulers in greater economic
cooperation.
After series of meetings between India and Myanmar in different
levels during the last ten years, the visit by SPDC chief Than
Shwe to New Delhi in October 2004 was most significant. Than
Shwe, who is also the Head of the State of Myanmar became the
first top officials to India in more than two decades. The
spirit was maintained and reciprocated by the visit of none
other than the Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam in April 2006.
It was also reported as the first ever visit by an Indian Head
of the State to Myanmar since independence.
Meanwhile, the India and Myanmar forces had agreed to share the
military intelligence along the 1600 mile international border
with an aim to check the cross border terrorism, drug
trafficking and smuggling. The Golden Triangle in general and
Myanmar in particular remained a mater of concern for India as a
huge source of illegal drugs smuggled to bordering northeastern
states of Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram. Both the countries had
signed a number of agreements since 1993 to strengthen the fight
against the border crimes. The car rally by the soldiers of
India and Myanmar signify the emphasis on cooperation between
the armies of both the countries that might reflect in the
future course of actions in respective meadow.
The author is a senior journalist and based in Guwahai,
Northeast India. He edits an Asomiya weekly 'Natun Somoy'.
navathakuria@gmail.com
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