The proposed opening of two more trade points at Indo-Burma border in Avangkhu in the Indian State of Nagaland and Zowkhathar in Mizoram and inauguration schedule of Centre for Enhancement of IT skills at Rangoon with the help of India’s Pune based Centre for the Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) during the scheduled visit of Indian Minister of State for Commerce & Industry – Mr. Jairam Ramesh to Burma (14th to 16th October) are deplorable act of Indian Foreign Policy establishment, which kills the ethos of common faith of Indo-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation. Over the years, Indian Foreign policy establishment has not learned anything from the failure of policy of constructive engagement with Burma’s military junta, which provides legitimacy to the military rulers at United Nations and ASEAN that world’s largest democracy supports their act of suppression of democratic forces and everything is fine in Burma. Indian Foreign Policy misses the point that, relation of Chinese PLA with Burma’s military Junta can’t be broken with mere opening of trade points and equipping them with IT skills and it is a problem of different form of governance system. Moreover, it doesn’t suit India’s ethos of individual freedom and democracy to provide legitimacy to military dictators particularly when the world is observing International Year of Non-violence and Asia’s leading light of non-violence – Daw Aung San Suu Kyi suffering under Junta rule. Earlier, there was news in ‘Irrawaddy’ that, Mr. Jairam Ramesh had been very happy for his strategic victory over China in his last trip to Burma. Probably, Mr. Jairam Ramesh would have not forgotten his earlier statements about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It is not that, I can’t propose a grand design of economic engagement with Burma’s military junta, perhaps better than those sitting at South Block in New Delhi. But if you preach your people to follow the idealism of Mahatma Gandhi, you also act in those manners; otherwise it would make difference in words and deeds. Ultimately creating problem internally eroding credibility of political leadership and giving strength to unlawful elements, which has already emerged in the Indian States of Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand in a big way and other ten states started following their way? Pragmatism of foreign policy shouldn’t sacrifice the core ethos of nation, otherwise one day we might be left with Skelton of the nation.
In recent months, there has been number of news of hacking democracy websites of – DVB, Mizzima News, Irrawaddy, New Era Journal etc. including Burma Review by interested groups and by equipping with C-DAC’s technical IT skill will invite more number of hacking in future to suppress democratic voices of Burmese people. And, this will ultimately harm India’s long term objective of creating stable nation in neighborhood. For a moment if we consider Burma as a Chinese territory (which it has become under Junta rule), what will happen? whether India would fall? Obviously the answer is strong no. India has already long borders with China and it is not going to make any military strategic difference. The militancy in northeast can be only solved with our own efforts, political will and development programmes and not by the dictates of any military junta. Now imagine the situation after that in world politics, China will turn out to be a single nation state to support the Junta, the other ASEAN nation's would keep silence because Burmese Junta has failed to obey the many official ASEAN resolution of freeing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and engage other political groups for democratic transformation. Russia’s supports to Junta is largely based on India’s engagement with Burma. Lastly even if Russia, Vietnam and China sides with Junta, it is not going to make any difference. However, the result would be immense, if India starts vocally saying against the unlawful detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, which suit nation’s core ethos.
In addition, the so called policy of constructive engagement with Burma’s military Junta under the pretext of ‘Look East Policy’ fails to understand that Burma is not ASEAN and Southeast Asia. The policy of containing China in Burma through constructive engagement or policy of intense economic cooperation has taken a huge cost of loosing trust & credibility of Burmese people without achieving any success. Indian political leadership should understand that India is not known to the world for acquiring few blood stained oil wells in Burma, and world is large enough where India can venture for her energy needs and trade markets. (I’m working on the morality questions of economic sanction in Burma, which will cover this issue in details)
Most importantly, those nations; which are intensely engaged with Burma’s military junta including ASEAN nation’s & India and also those Burmese leaders who left Daw Suu Kyi for the lure of power and money could afford to forget the vital golden words of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. But 'Burma Review' still remembers her words and will never forget one of her thought's expressed in her ‘letter from Burma’ published in the Mainichi Daily News of Japan in July 8, 1996 entitled, “POLITICAL STRUGGLE IS THE TRUE TEST OF FRIENDSHIP: A Friend In Need” inspired from the holy Buddhist Tripitakas.
And for the benefit of Burmese people and nations engaged with Burma’s military junta, Burma Review is reproducing the words of Daw Suu Kyi published in July 8, 1996 in the Mainichi Daily News of Japan. It becomes more important when she is not allowed to meet world press, Burmese people and her party workers:
“POLITICAL STRUGGLE IS THE TRUE TEST OF FRIENDSHIP: A Friend in Need”
By Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
“Many indeed are the uses of adversity, and one of the most valuable is the unique opportunities it offers for discovering little-known aspects of the human society in which we live. The experience gained by those of us who have borne the full force of state persecution is not always comfortable, but it is very enriching. Injustice and cruelty are transformed from the ingredients of a ripping drama to the hazards of everyday existence.
Once poetic concepts such as villainy and honor, cowardice and heroism, become common currency; the stuff of epics is lived through from day to day. Duplicity and treachery cease to be merely the vivid creations of imaginative writers and become instead the trappings of familiars who have basked in one's affections and partaken freely of one's goodwill. The kiss of Judas is no longer just a metaphor; it is the repeated touch of cool perfidity on one's cheek. Those once held in trust and esteem show themselves capable of infinite self-deception as they seek to deceive others. Spines ostensibly made of steel soften and bend like wax in the heat of a high Burmese summer.
But man stripped of all props except that of his spirit is astounding not only in the depths he is capable of plumbing, but also the heights that he can scale. An individual who appears weak turns out to possess adamantine qualities. The easy-going "featherweight" demonstrates a solid capacity for self-sacrifice and integrity.
The most indifferent seeming character unexpectedly proves to be a fountain of warmth and kindness; a caring, meticulous nursemaid to those suffering physical pain or mental anguish. The glaring light of adversity reveals all the rainbow hues of the human character and brings out the true colors of people, particularly those who purport to be your friends.
There is an anthology of pithy sayings, the “Lokaniti”, which has traditionally been regarded in Burma as a guide to prudent behavior. It is a combination of shrewd observations and moral principles intended to help us negotiate the pitfalls of worldly existence. The section of the “niti” devoted to friendship displays a fair degree of cynicism: “In poverty, a friend forsakes you; son, and wife, and brothers too forsake you: Wealth in this world is a great friend.” Then there is a definition of friendship which would set those who have run the gamut of the vicissitudes of political struggle in Burma nodding their heads vigorously in agreement: “The friends who stand by you in severe ailment, in time of scarcity, or in misfortune, when captured by an enemy, at the a king's door, or in the charnel-house, they indeed are good friends.”
During the hectic days of late May and early June, when a series of critical political events were triggered off by the arrests of the members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), a stream of foreign correspondents came to find out how we were coping with the situation. A number of them commented on the fact that we did not appear to be unhappy. “U Tin U is smiling broadly and U Kyi Maung is cracking jokes,” one said. “Why are you not in a state of distress? Isn't the situation rather grim?”
I suppose the situation could have been seen as grim by some, but to us, it was just another challenge; and the knowledge that we were facing it together with proven friends was ample reason for good cheer.
A doctor once recommended thinking happy thoughts as a most effective remedy for diverse illnesses. Certainty one of the happiest of thoughts is of one's friends: old friends with whom you have shared youthful dreams of an ideal world, new friends with whom you are striving to achieve a realistic version of that ideal. It is comforting to know that friends you have not met for several decades, leading secure lives in countries where their rights are protected by law, care as much for your welfare now as they did in the days when the Beatles were young and you argued over Dag Hammarskjold's “Markings”. Friends telephone across continents and oceans to find out how I am and to exchange news.
We never talk about anything world shaking, never discuss anything out of the ordinary, we just make conventional inquiries about each other's health and families and a few light hearted remarks about the current situation. But each unimportant conversation is a solemn confirmation of friendship. I have a friend who, if I happen to be too busy to take the call, leaves a simple message: “Tell her I called.” It is enough to dissolve all the cares of the day.
According to the teachings of Buddhism, a good friend is one who gives things hard to give, does what is hard, bears with hard words, tells you his secrets, guards your secrets assiduously, does not forsake you in times of want and does not condemn you when you are ruined. With such friends, one can travel the roughest road and not be defeated by hardship. Indeed, the rougher the path, the greater the delight in the company of “kalyanamitta”, good and noble friends who stand by us in times of adversity.”
****************************************
In recent months, there has been number of news of hacking democracy websites of – DVB, Mizzima News, Irrawaddy, New Era Journal etc. including Burma Review by interested groups and by equipping with C-DAC’s technical IT skill will invite more number of hacking in future to suppress democratic voices of Burmese people. And, this will ultimately harm India’s long term objective of creating stable nation in neighborhood. For a moment if we consider Burma as a Chinese territory (which it has become under Junta rule), what will happen? whether India would fall? Obviously the answer is strong no. India has already long borders with China and it is not going to make any military strategic difference. The militancy in northeast can be only solved with our own efforts, political will and development programmes and not by the dictates of any military junta. Now imagine the situation after that in world politics, China will turn out to be a single nation state to support the Junta, the other ASEAN nation's would keep silence because Burmese Junta has failed to obey the many official ASEAN resolution of freeing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and engage other political groups for democratic transformation. Russia’s supports to Junta is largely based on India’s engagement with Burma. Lastly even if Russia, Vietnam and China sides with Junta, it is not going to make any difference. However, the result would be immense, if India starts vocally saying against the unlawful detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, which suit nation’s core ethos.
In addition, the so called policy of constructive engagement with Burma’s military Junta under the pretext of ‘Look East Policy’ fails to understand that Burma is not ASEAN and Southeast Asia. The policy of containing China in Burma through constructive engagement or policy of intense economic cooperation has taken a huge cost of loosing trust & credibility of Burmese people without achieving any success. Indian political leadership should understand that India is not known to the world for acquiring few blood stained oil wells in Burma, and world is large enough where India can venture for her energy needs and trade markets. (I’m working on the morality questions of economic sanction in Burma, which will cover this issue in details)
Most importantly, those nations; which are intensely engaged with Burma’s military junta including ASEAN nation’s & India and also those Burmese leaders who left Daw Suu Kyi for the lure of power and money could afford to forget the vital golden words of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. But 'Burma Review' still remembers her words and will never forget one of her thought's expressed in her ‘letter from Burma’ published in the Mainichi Daily News of Japan in July 8, 1996 entitled, “POLITICAL STRUGGLE IS THE TRUE TEST OF FRIENDSHIP: A Friend In Need” inspired from the holy Buddhist Tripitakas.
And for the benefit of Burmese people and nations engaged with Burma’s military junta, Burma Review is reproducing the words of Daw Suu Kyi published in July 8, 1996 in the Mainichi Daily News of Japan. It becomes more important when she is not allowed to meet world press, Burmese people and her party workers:
“POLITICAL STRUGGLE IS THE TRUE TEST OF FRIENDSHIP: A Friend in Need”
By Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
“Many indeed are the uses of adversity, and one of the most valuable is the unique opportunities it offers for discovering little-known aspects of the human society in which we live. The experience gained by those of us who have borne the full force of state persecution is not always comfortable, but it is very enriching. Injustice and cruelty are transformed from the ingredients of a ripping drama to the hazards of everyday existence.
Once poetic concepts such as villainy and honor, cowardice and heroism, become common currency; the stuff of epics is lived through from day to day. Duplicity and treachery cease to be merely the vivid creations of imaginative writers and become instead the trappings of familiars who have basked in one's affections and partaken freely of one's goodwill. The kiss of Judas is no longer just a metaphor; it is the repeated touch of cool perfidity on one's cheek. Those once held in trust and esteem show themselves capable of infinite self-deception as they seek to deceive others. Spines ostensibly made of steel soften and bend like wax in the heat of a high Burmese summer.
But man stripped of all props except that of his spirit is astounding not only in the depths he is capable of plumbing, but also the heights that he can scale. An individual who appears weak turns out to possess adamantine qualities. The easy-going "featherweight" demonstrates a solid capacity for self-sacrifice and integrity.
The most indifferent seeming character unexpectedly proves to be a fountain of warmth and kindness; a caring, meticulous nursemaid to those suffering physical pain or mental anguish. The glaring light of adversity reveals all the rainbow hues of the human character and brings out the true colors of people, particularly those who purport to be your friends.
There is an anthology of pithy sayings, the “Lokaniti”, which has traditionally been regarded in Burma as a guide to prudent behavior. It is a combination of shrewd observations and moral principles intended to help us negotiate the pitfalls of worldly existence. The section of the “niti” devoted to friendship displays a fair degree of cynicism: “In poverty, a friend forsakes you; son, and wife, and brothers too forsake you: Wealth in this world is a great friend.” Then there is a definition of friendship which would set those who have run the gamut of the vicissitudes of political struggle in Burma nodding their heads vigorously in agreement: “The friends who stand by you in severe ailment, in time of scarcity, or in misfortune, when captured by an enemy, at the a king's door, or in the charnel-house, they indeed are good friends.”
During the hectic days of late May and early June, when a series of critical political events were triggered off by the arrests of the members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), a stream of foreign correspondents came to find out how we were coping with the situation. A number of them commented on the fact that we did not appear to be unhappy. “U Tin U is smiling broadly and U Kyi Maung is cracking jokes,” one said. “Why are you not in a state of distress? Isn't the situation rather grim?”
I suppose the situation could have been seen as grim by some, but to us, it was just another challenge; and the knowledge that we were facing it together with proven friends was ample reason for good cheer.
A doctor once recommended thinking happy thoughts as a most effective remedy for diverse illnesses. Certainty one of the happiest of thoughts is of one's friends: old friends with whom you have shared youthful dreams of an ideal world, new friends with whom you are striving to achieve a realistic version of that ideal. It is comforting to know that friends you have not met for several decades, leading secure lives in countries where their rights are protected by law, care as much for your welfare now as they did in the days when the Beatles were young and you argued over Dag Hammarskjold's “Markings”. Friends telephone across continents and oceans to find out how I am and to exchange news.
We never talk about anything world shaking, never discuss anything out of the ordinary, we just make conventional inquiries about each other's health and families and a few light hearted remarks about the current situation. But each unimportant conversation is a solemn confirmation of friendship. I have a friend who, if I happen to be too busy to take the call, leaves a simple message: “Tell her I called.” It is enough to dissolve all the cares of the day.
According to the teachings of Buddhism, a good friend is one who gives things hard to give, does what is hard, bears with hard words, tells you his secrets, guards your secrets assiduously, does not forsake you in times of want and does not condemn you when you are ruined. With such friends, one can travel the roughest road and not be defeated by hardship. Indeed, the rougher the path, the greater the delight in the company of “kalyanamitta”, good and noble friends who stand by us in times of adversity.”
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