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India Pledges $60 Million in Credit to Myanmar Regime |
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Posted 7/29/2010 at 12:22 PM by Bradlee A in Community Blog
Affiliate: World: India |
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Many human rights activists are furious the Indian government recently pledged millions of dollars to Myanmar. The pledge, which will be used for infrastructure projects, came after the military ruler of the country took part in an official state visit with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Agence France-Presse wrote:
Human rights groups have severely criticised India for bestowing a formal state visit on Than Shwe, arguing that it helps legitimise a military regime that has been widely condemned for systematic rights abuses.
The two countries signed a series of pacts Tuesday including one to strengthen security along their common border, where India is struggling to curb ethnic separatists.
India also offered a grant of 60 million dollars to build a road connecting Myanmar with the northeast Indian state of Mizoram. |
The article goes on to say:
AFP wrote:
Once a staunch supporter of Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, India began engaging the junta in the mid-1990s as security, energy and strategic priorities came to the fore.
As well as needing the military regime's help to counter the separatists along the common border, India is eyeing oil and gas fields in Myanmar -- formerly Burma -- and is eager to counter China's growing influence there. |
To read the article in full, click here.
The story comes on the heels of a former CIA agent saying the head of Myanmar's military, Than Shwe, (mentioned above) will only release Aung San Suu Kyi before the country's upcoming elections if there's enough international pressure.
Wai Moe, Irrawaddy wrote:
“If the US and other countries exert strong pressure, he [Than Shwe] may change in mind and release some political prisoners,” wrote Maj Aung Lynn Htut, a former Charge d’Affairs at the Burmese embassy in Washington D.C, in his recent analysis, the “1990 Election to 2010 Election in Burma.”
“He often told us [military officials] that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the last card he can play in Burmese politics,” he said, adding that if the international community fails to exert more pressure, Than Shwe will hold the election without Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD).
He said Than Shwe is worried about calls by democracy activists for him to be tried by the International Criminal Court and reportedly consulted his attorney general on the matter. |
To read that article, click here.
For more information about PeaceJam's Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, please click here. |
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