A Strategic Partner Above Moral Grounds by Simi Sunny

After two long decades of a repressive military regime, Myanmar took the road to democracy with the November 7^th elections. The validity of the election results are already considered dubious with the junta-backed USDP declared the winners garnering 76.5% of the votes. Many were skeptical of the election process from the beginning itself because of the ban on many of the important parties like NLD (National league for Democracy) headed by Aung San Suu Kyi and parties representing ethnic minorities but still the formation of parliament after 22 years is being looked up by most of the world as a move towards reform. Even the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest for more than fifteen years, on November 13^th was welcomed by the world especially the West. This isolated nation has been an interesting facet of south East Asian politics. Myanmar has had one of the most repressive and abusive regimes in the world and constantly faced scrutiny for gross human right violations since years. Despite so it has got a varied response in the international policy from the world nations.

The U.S has been one of the biggest critiques of the policies of the nation since the military coup of 1962. It has till recently followed a policy of complete non engagement and imposed sanctions on the country time and again. It was under the pressure of U.S and United Kingdom that the Myanmar issue was first taken up in the Security Council of the United Nations for the first time in 1995. Myanmar’s nuclear programme with the support of Russia has also been one the contentious issues between the two nations. Concerns were also raised about high prevalence of drug trafficking in the country. Thus U.S and Europe has had a history of strained relation with Myanmar and always urged a move towards Democracy and release of the political prisoners.

But the failure in this regard has been the full commercial engagement of two of the biggest nations in Asia- China and India. China has been an ally of the junta regime since 1988 due to its strategic significance. Myanmar not only provided China the much needed trading outlet to the Indian Ocean but also was large resource of oil and natural gas. It was of vital military importance safeguarding the trade routes and could also act as a check on India’s growing influence in the region. Around 1993 India in its effort to counter the growing alliance between the two countries revaluated its pro-democracy stance to enter into several bilateral trade agreements and state visits by heads of the state. Since then India has built major roads, highways, ports and pipelines in the region to increase its influence in Indo-China peninsula.

There have been many critics of the policies of both China and India for ignoring its moral responsibility for its trade profits, the most recent one being President Obama who condemned India for remaining silent in face of violent suppression of the democratic movements in Myanmar. China has come under immense pressure from both the ASEAN and the UN to encourage a democratic government in the country. But both the countries have continued to ignore them. Myanmar has been ravaged by mass killings and brutal economic policies of the junta recording the worst GDP rate. Sanctions have failed to make an impact and India and China’s crude economic and political cooperation makes it even more difficult for the people of Myanmar to see the light of a peaceful regime.