When Experts Bat For India’s Productive Engagement In Myanmar

By Nava Thakuria

07 May, 2016
Countercurrents.org

As Myanmar (formerly Burma) is opening up to the world, various Indian
experts come forward advocating for New Delhi’s pro-active initiatives
in this fast changing neighborhood. Recently concluded a discourse at
Guwahati also witnessed the participants in large numbers supported
New Delhi’s involvement in the process of sustainable
development in the southeast Asian nation. Organized by Guwahati
Press Club on 21 April, the session was energized by a Yangon
(formerly Rangoon) based Assamese journalist and political analyst
Bidhayak Das.

Hails from the alienated region, journalist Das emphasized the
immediate role New Delhi needs to play to shape up Indo-Burma
policies with regards to present day needs. Advocating for better ties
with Myanmar, Das asserted that the country had changed its
face rapidly after the 2015 November general election, where Nobel
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi led National League for Democracy (NLD) won
a landslide victory.

The soft spoken analyst observed that Myanmar had been adopting a
quasi-democracy that would directly or indirectly bring enormous
benefits to the people of northeast India. The situation in Myanmar,
which was ruled by the military generals for decades, has been
improved rapidly in recent past.

Commenting over Suu Kyi, Das claimed that the daughter of Burmese
independence struggle hero General Aung San is still respected by all
communities of Myanmar. He argued that she could really do wonders in
reforming her country for a full-fledged democracy after decades of
dictator’s rule.

The NLD earlier won a massive victory in 1990 general elections, which
were largely free & fair, but the brutal & isolationist military
regime did not recognize the voters’ mandate and refused to hand over
power to the elected representatives. The head of the regime Senior
General Than Shwe, who grew enmity towards Suu Kyi, even ordered
brutal crack downs over the NLD activists. Subsequently Suu Kyi was
put under house arrest as a political prisoner.

After 15 years of house arrest, the lady was released, but her party
was not allowed to participate in the last polls for lower house of
Myanmar Parliament that took place in 2010. The military backed Union
Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) swept the polls. The
immediate past President Thein Sein came to the scene in place of Than
Shwe and the reform process started gaining momentum. The media was
also moderately freed from the clutches of censorship.

Journalist Das was however apprehensive about Nobel laureate Suu Kyi’s
roles in the Htin Kyaw led Myanmar government at NayPieTaw, as she
might face an uphill task to deal with the Burmese armed forces
(popularly known as Tatmadaw). Moreover, the 2008 Burma Constitution,
which prevented her to become the President of the country, cannot be
changed without the support of more than 75 percent lawmakers.
At the same time, it is noticeable that the Burmese armed forces have
25 percent Parliamentarians reserved in both the houses of Myanmar
Parliament. Myanmar’s lower house of Parliament (locally known as
House of Representatives or Pyithu Hluttaw) has 440 seats, where 110
Army candidates got appointed by the commander-in-chief of Tatmadaw.
Similarly, the upper house of Parliament (known as House of
Nationalities or Amyotha Hluttaw) has 224 seats, where 56 military
personnel were nominated by the Tatmadaw chief.

With more to it, the ministries of defence, home affairs and border
affairs are kept under the control of the military. Hence, the Yangon
based analyst argued that the Myanmar’s new foreign minister Suu Kyi,
for the time being, might embrace the Tatmadaw as a partner in the
process of democratization of her country.

Speaking about the opportunity of northeast India’s virtual capital
Guwahati as a health, education and tourism hub, the journalist turned
expert on political affairs commented that the political will and
supports from the locals would be essential to materialize the dream.
He also insisted that the Myanmar government should open a diplomatic
office in Guwahati and a direct flight from the city to either
Mandalay or Yangon be operated for the benefit of the commuters.
He however did not to forget to mention about various challenges in
chasing the dream as a number of militant outfits from northeast India
were still taking shelter in the jungles of northern Myanmar. The
rebel outfits are also reportedly enjoying China’s inherent
supports. As Beijing remains influential to the Myanmar government
till now, the northeastern militants may continue enjoying the
privileges there for some more years.

However, Das believes that it would be too difficult for the militant
outfits including Paresh Barua run United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) to
achieve much from their hideouts in Myanmar, even though the militants
from the region recently formed an umbrella of insurgent outfits named
United National Liberation Front of Western South East Asia.

Nava Thakuria is a senior journalist from Assam