Nava Thakuria / Guwahati: It was an intense, but intriguing session, where a group of conscious people got together and discussed about the present socio-political turmoil in Burma and also the probable ways, by which the people from Northeast India can extend support for the cause of democracy in the neighbouring country.

The meeting on ‘India’s Policy on Burma: A Northeastern Perspective’, was organized jointly by Burma Centre Delhi and Journalists’ Forum Assam at Guwahati Press Club on July 4, where Dr. Tint Swe, exile member of parliament, National Coalition Government of Union of Burma, joined as a main speaker.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Tint Swe, an exile Member of Parliament, National Coalition Government of Union of Burma, argued that New Delhi should pursue with the military rulers for the release of pro-democracy Burmese icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and finally play a major role in democratization of Burma. The elected Parliamentarian (in 1990 general election of Burma), who has been living in India for more than a decade, did not forget to mention about the help and cooperation from Indian people in general and the Northeastern in particular in their endeavor.

“India being the largest democracy in the globe should review its policy on Burma and make it as pro-democratic movement,” insisted Dr. Tint Swe adding, “New Delhi should also review its Look East Policy, as the military dictators of Burmawill never support the initiative to be successful.”

“Burma and India has a strong historical and geographical link where Northeast shares a very close connection in terms of trade, political beliefs and culture. In 1988, during democracy uprising in Burma, New Delhi as well as the people of Indiastrongly supported the movement and provided shelter to those who fled to Indo-Burma border by setting up refugee camps in Mizoram and Manipur,” highlighted M. Kim, another Burmese exile in India.

Kim, who is living in New Delhi for two decades, also added, “However, from the mid 1990s, a shift took place in New Delhi’s attitude when it launched its Look East Policy and began engaging the military junta in bilateral cooperation.”

Today New Delhi maintains a sustained strategic relationship with the ruling State Peace and Development Council, under which a series of agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed. More over, the government of India remains silent on the issue of Suu Kyi’s re-arrest and trail, even though the great Lady was hounoured with Jawaharlal Nehru Peace Prize and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose award. The daughter of Aung San, the father of modern Burma, Suu Kyi was also awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize.

Mentionable that Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for nearly 13 years out of 19 years stay in her country. More recently, Suu Kyi was shifted to the Insein prison of Rangoon, where she has been tried at a special court with the charge of violating rules under her house arrest. Suu Kyi is recognized as one of the world's most renowned freedom fighters and the SPDC is understood to try its best to prevent her (with her party National League for Democracy) participating in the forthcoming general election during 2010.

“Asia had given birth to many great women leaders. But it can be said without doubt that Suu Kyi will be regarded as one of the greatest heroic women not only of Asia but of the world. While presenting the Congressional Medal of honor to Suu Kyi, Washington formally recognized her a status equal to other non-American recipients of the medal like Sir Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Mother Theresa,” commented Rajen Barua of Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters (FASS).

Speaking to this writer from Houston, Barua also added, “For the Burmese people, Suu Kyi represents their best and perhaps only hope that one day there will be an end to the country's military repression. Today, from the isolation of her house arrest Suu Kyi radiates a moral authority that exposes the illegitimacy of the Burmese regime and all of its pretensions to appear different from what it really is.”

Earlier in an official message to the organizers, the FASS argued that the people of Northeast ‘as a neighbour of Burma need to keep in touch with the people of Burma and especially the enlightened Burmese who are living outside their counrty’.

“We in the Northeast have more important roles to play. After all, we are very much concerned about the hardship that Suu Kyi is going through. We also urge the government of China, Russia and other countries with strong ties with Burma, to pressurize the military rulers for immediate release of Suu Kyi, so that she can freely move in Burma for advancement of democratic values and human rights,” the message, which was read out by Jayanta Barman in the Guwahati meeting, added.

The meeting meanwhile urged New Delhi to stop forthwith sales of all arms to the military rulers of Burma, who use the weapons to suppress the ever-growing movement for democracy in the country. It also demanded immediate release of over 2000 political prisoners in Burma including Suu Kyi. In another resolution, the participants argued that India should have a non-discriminatory refugee policy as early as possible.

The speakers including Dr Alana Golmei, Htun Htun from Burma Centre Delhi and journalists Rupam Baruah, Hiten Mahanta, Biman Hazarika, RK Goswami with others were of the opinion that trade relations between India and Burma should not be at the cost of the democratic movement in that country. Mentionable that, both the neighboring countries did business to the tune of nearly US $ 900 million in the 2007-08 fiscal year.

Meanwhile, in a message sent to the organizers of Guwahati meeting, the All Assam Students’ Union and the North East Students’ Organization leader Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya expressed their support to the pro-democracy movement in Burma and demanded release of Suu Kyi.

The major outcome of the meeting was the proposal to form a regional forum to pursue democracy inBurma. The proposed ‘Northeast India Forum for Democracy in Burma’ is supposed to provide space for the people of Northeast and Burma to join hands with an aim to raise voice for the release of Suu Kyi and also continue the campaign against the Burmese junta.

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