Military Junta that has reduced Myanmar into a land of grinding poverty and repression is hell bent to perpetuate its brutish regime by crushing with an iron hand popular aspirations. It seems to have, for the time being, driven from the streets massive public demonstrations for restoration of democracy and human rights by locking in Buddhist monks ? the most revered section of the Burmese society ? and ransacking monasteries. The army has mercilessly fired at peaceful demonstrators comprising monks, students, concerned citizens and political workers. The Generals, however, need to see the writing on the wall. No amount of repression and use of brute force can kill for all time, more so in the 21st century, the people'sdeep-rooted desire for basic human rights and economic justice. The streets may have been cleared of demonstrators but the movement is not dead. It has gone underground and the frustration and anger will continue to simmer till they get another opportunity, sooner than later, to raise their voice against the regressive rule. Decades of pent-up frustration over the grinding poverty, stifling corruption and denial of human rights during the unbroken rule by military for four and a half decades generated the massive upsurge against the junta. Bracing bullets, tear gas shells and cane charges, citizens in thousands held demonstrations day after day on streets of Yangon (formerly Rangoon) ? the former national capital – and other cities, including Mandalay, in support of the demand for change of regime. Protesters walked down the streets with monks in the middle and other citizens on either side to form a human chain to shield them. There are unconfirmed reports about a plan to mass killing of monks leading to desertion by one of the Burmese General.
The repression let lose by the military junta has attracted worldwide condemnation. The global community is deeply disturbed over the treatment the ruling junta is meting out to its own people. India and other democratic countries need to exercise utmost vigilance over the developing situation and bring pressure to bear upon Yangon to make them understand that what is going on in that country is totally unacceptable. Intimidation of peaceful citizens by the military rulers is disgusting and the administration must refrain from using brute force to trample human rights. A strong message must go to the rulers that such inhuman actions would not go unpunished. Numerous countries have expressed concern over the political developments in Myanmar and cautioned the military rulers against use of brute force against peaceful demonstrators. President Bush has announced tougher sanctions against Myanmar, including freezing of properties of ruling Generals. Expressing their solidarity with the people, USA and European Union called upon the Government to refrain from indulging in violence and to initiate a dialogue with pro-democracy leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, who was denied the opportunity to rule the country even after she had won a popular mandate in 1991 shocking the military Junta that never expected her to win.
In the absence of even a semblance of freedom to the local media and with foreign correspondents almost completely barred from entering the country, the world outside is almost always kept in the dark about the brutalities committed by the rulers. A Japanese cameraman was killed in the line of duty and the forces ransacked the hotel in which foreign correspondents were holed up. However, this time round, technology has come to the rescue of the pro-democracy movement. Secret networks of citizen reporters are using camera phones, satellite uplinks and Internet to send across information and images of the unprecedented mass upsurge.
New Delhi is reluctant to come out openly in support of the dissidents for it can'tafford to antagonise the Generals. Arguably, India has a massive stake in friendly relations with Burma. Developments in that country have a great potential for our security concerns in Northeast. South block claims with some justification that it has succeeded in persuading the Generals to prevent Naga, ULFA and other insurgent groups from operating from Burmese soil. Growing Chinese influence in Burma, particularly after 1988 uprising, is yet another cause of worry for Indian establishment. As of now, China is the main source of supplies, including food grains and weapons, to Burma. Our strategic interests also demand that we learn to deal with who so ever is in power in our neighbourhood even while keeping the flag of democracy and economic justice flying. The US and the EU want India to play a pro-active role in Burma but New Delhi is extremely cautious and didn'tgo beyond expressing concern over the developments in Myanmar and suggesting that country'sprocess of political reform and national reconciliation needs to be more broad based and inclusive. The argument is that India can'tignore the stark reality that the army is well entrenched in Burma and controls each and every lever of power. The transfer of power in that country is more likely to come through sustained negotiations and involvement of civil society at all levels than a revolution. Having said that, one must insist that India as a regional power and torchbearer of democratic values shouldn'tremain a mute spectator and need to use its good offices to influence the course of history in Myanmar.
