India urged to take a stand on Myanmar

Though its not from Nepal and for Nepal but we support democratic struggle anywhere in the world. But some quaters remain quite. They claim to be democratic nation and try to interfare in other countries internal matters but in some cases they don't, isn't it diplomacy?

New Delhi: Hundreds of refugees from Myanmar on Friday took out a march in New Delhi to protest against the military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in the neighbouring country and sought India's intervention in stopping the bloodshed. The protesters, including a large number of women and children, carried posters and photographs of jailed pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and shouted slogans against Myanmar's ruling junta.
"The movement for restoration of democracy in Myanmar needs the solidarity of people across the globe," Neng Boi, a spokesperson for the refugees, told reporters after the peaceful march.
After the September 26 crackdown in Rangoon, India's external affairs ministry gave a guarded statement earlier this week, expressing concern over the recent turmoil in Myanmar at a time when people all over the globe are condemning the brutal attacks on the protesting monks.
"As a close and friendly neighbour, India hopes to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous Myanmar, where all sections of people will be included in a broad-based process of national reconciliation and political reform," an Indian foreign office statement had said.
The Myanmar refugees are disappointed with India's lukewarm response to the developments in their homeland.
"It is indeed shocking to find one of the world's largest democracies adopting a nuanced approach although we still expect India to take a bold stand," said Min Maung, an exiled Burmese student leader, who is now a correspondent for the BBS (Burmese Service) in New Delhi. He pointed out that even Communist China had come down heavily on the military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement.
New Delhi's diplomatic tightrope walking on the issue has been criticised by civil rights activists in India as well. "We cannot have democracy at home and support military tyrants in the neighbourhood. India must do all it can for the restoration of democracy in Burma," said Nandita Haksar, a prominent human rights lawyer.
Asian Centre for Human Rights, a New Delhi-based rights body, came out with an official statement that the Burmese junta deserved more denigration and the UN must not remain a mute spectator to the recent developments in Burma.
In separate statements, a group of Parliamentarians and religious leaders condemned the violence unleashed by the Myanmar government on protestors there and asked them to immediately release political prisoners, including Suu Kyi.
Political observers said India's cautious approach was dictated by its economic and strategic interests but conceded that this was bound to evoke criticism.
Until the mid-1990s, India was openly supporting pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. It was only in 2004 that New Delhi changed track and welcomed military strongman Gen Than Shwe during his visit to the Indian capital.
India invited criticism from international communities recently when Petroleum Minister Murli Deora visited Myanmar on September 23 — the day that there were massive protests against the junta in the country — and signed three bilateral agreements for oil exploration.
India's Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee also found himself in an awkward position during an interactive session with the diplomats and intellectuals in Bangkok a week earlier when he was asked what India was doing to restore democracy in Burma. Mukherjee reiterated New Delhi's foreign policy of "non-interference in the internal matters of any country."
(By Sify Correspondent Saturday, 29 September , 2007, 19:21)