Knocks on the North-east Rallies, campaigns in North-east support democracy movement in Burma, defying India's Look East policy, ignoring concerns over China's designs
Nava Thakuria / Guwahati The north-eastern part of the country, comprising seven states with a unique culture and tradition, is often termed as a breeding ground for separatist movement. The landlocked region nurtures more than 30 insurgent groups, who are fighting New Delhi with demands ranging from autonomy to self-rule. Surrounded by Bhutan, Tibet (China), Burma and Bangladesh, the region has land connectivity to the mainland India through only 3% of its total boundary line. The Central government has placed many plans and proposals to get the region transformed into a business hub in South and Southeast Asia. New Delhi advocates India's Look East policy for the economic benefit of the indigenous people of the region. The million-dollar Kaladan project, where it is designed to develop the Sittwe port in Arakan coast of western Burma and connect it with Mizoram is on high agenda of the government. Moreover, the Indo-Burma gas pipeline, though now put in cold storage, was also projected as a big opportunity for the Northeast (particularly after Bangladesh showed reluctance in allowing the pipeline to pass through their territory). Everything was usual and encouraging for New Delhi until the sudden uprising in Burma (also known as Myanmar), which is adjacent to Northeast. While New Delhi invited critical comments from international communities including the UN and EU for its junta (Burmese) appeasing policy, the real challenge has surfaced from the alienated region, where public meetings, rallies and other initiatives have found strong grounds condemning the military rulers of Burma and visibly in support of the pro-democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In a recent conference in Manipur, a bordering state in Northeast, it was unanimously decided to extend support to the people of Burma in their struggle for democracy. Organized by the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights on October 13 at Ukhrul, the conference which was attended by different social organisations, representatives from Churches, NGOs and institutions also called upon the Burmese junta to resolve the long pending issues in a democratic and peaceful way. Earlier the state witnessed a solidarity meeting on October 2, which strongly urged New Delhi to withdraw all kinds of its engagement with the junta. More recently, thousands Christians in Manipur joined in a prayer campaign for freedom and democracy in Burma. Organized by the Myanmar Christians Fellowships on October 21, which comprises Burmese Christians in exile too, it expressed solidarity with Suu Kyi. Earlier on October 6, the civil society groups of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Assam observed the global day of action for free Burma. Robert Kharshing, an MP from Meghalaya and one of the organizers of a public meeting in Shillong, said, "We want the government to withdraw its present policy on Burma and extend support to the democratic movement led by Suu Kyi. In Nagaland, another state bordering Burma, indigenous people took out a rally demanding tougher actions against the Burmese group of Generals and raised their voice for immediate intervention by the UN on the prolonged Burmese crisis. Organized by the influential civil society groups like Naga Hoho, Naga Students' Federation, Naga People's Movement for Human Rights, Nagaland Baptist Church Council with others, the October 6 rally showcased placards reading 'Stop Crackdown on Peaceful Demonstrators', 'Free Burmese people from Junta', 'Do not repeat 1988 Massacre' etc. Similarly in Assam, hundreds of people participated in a candle light vigil to express solidarity with the struggling Burmese people. Organized by North East Peoples Initiative, an umbrella organization of various socio-political forums in the state, the programme attracted hundreds to spread the message of support to the Nobel Laureate lady, who is under arrest for the last four years in Rangoon. Guwahati earlier witnessed a citizens meeting on October 4 which urged New Delhi 'to create diplomatic pressure on the Burmese junta to refrain from repressive measures against those carrying on the democracy movement'. Organized by the Journalists' Forum, Assam, the meeting also resolved calling upon the government 'not to remain silent on the happenings in the neighbouring country and do the needful within its powers to facilitate a peaceful transition to democracy'. Likewise the 'Mizoram Committee for Democracy in Burma' appealed to New Delhi to adopt a pro-active role in pursuing the Burmese junta to change its structure to a democratic set-up. At a press meet at Aizawl on October 20, the committee asserted that they wanted democracy in Burma. India, which supported the pro-democracy movement in Burma till early Nineties, is concerned over growing Chinese influence in that country. New Delhi later changed its Burma policy and decided to engage the junta in greater economic cooperation. Another major concern for New Delhi is insurgency in Northeast. Armed groups are using the jungles of northern Burma for their training camps. India's argument is it cannot ignore the junta since it is supporting its efforts in dealing with insurgents along the 1,600-km porous Indo-Burma border http://saharatime.com/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=2874
_______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
