Nava Thakuria

The exile Burmese activists based in India have started demonstrating their angers against the Burmese President U Thein SeinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s visit to India. The head of present Burmese regime in Nay Pyi Taw has arrived in Buddhagaya (Bihar) on October 12 for a three day goodwill visit.

The Burmese Democratic Forces in India has organised a rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on October 13 and they have also sent a memorandum to the Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. The memorandum claims that Thein Sein led Burmese government does not genuinely represent the 50 million people of Burma.

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Politically conscious section of Burmese society has not accepted the Burmese Army framed 2008 Burmese constitution and all major political parties which won in 1990 general election did not participate in the last November 2010 polls. Keeping Daw Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest and thousands of political prisoners in prison the last was simply manipulated by the military people,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ stated in the memorandum.

It also added the visiting president U Thein Sein and his government officials had announced themselves as the winners of the polls. So any agreement signed by the visiting president will definitely lack in credibility as it happened to many MoUs signed by New Delhi with the previous military regime of Burma.

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We, Burmese pro-democracy movement fully support Suu KyiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s efforts for democracy, national reconciliation and peace. We are still doubtful of changes made by the government side,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ asserted in the memorandum signed by Dr Tint Swe on behalf of Burmese democratic forces in India.

Dr Swe, a National League for Democracy (led by Nobel laureate Ms Suu

Kyi) leader observed that there are some good news from Burma as the authority has released many political prisoners and assured to do so in the coming days, but it might be too early to expect that the present regime of Burma has sincere intention as the regime has not done enough for the people of Burma.

Mr Kim, a Burmese activist based in the Indian capital city said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The visit comes at a time when Burma is going through a crucial phase since the last elections in November 2010 and the subsequent formation of new government. However, the new form of civilian government in Burma led by President Thein Sein has not yet established a genuine democratic system to achieve a national reconciliation that would bring about peace and tranquility in the country.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Burma is one of India’s vital strategic partners and close neighbor in the east which shares 1,643 km boundary with four northeastern States including Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. New Delhi has adopted its foreign policy taking consideration to its national interest, which often goes against the spirit of pro-democracy movement in the southeast Asian country.

He also added that the largest democracy in the globe should ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”encourage President Thein Sein and his new government to demonstrate its magnanimity and positive attitude and affirm its commitment to democratic practices by engaging in a meaningful dialogue with the people of Burma including ethnic nationalities to bring an end to decades of war and suffering in BurmaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

Earlier Burma Centre Delhi, a forum of pro-democracy Burmese and Indians, in a memorandum on October 12 urged Indian Premier Dr Singh to pursue for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”releasing all political prisoners in Burma immediately and unconditionally, declaring nation-wide ceasefire between the Tatmadaw and armed ethnic groups, resolving political conflict through dialogue and create conditions that would enable individuals living as refugees in various countries abroad to return to Burma with dignityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

Dr Alana Golmei, coordinator of BCD insists that they welcome the goodwill visit of Thein Sein and feel this visit is important in the context of strengthening ties between the two countries where both have a long history of friendship and deep cultural ties, which are greatly cherished by India and Burma.

The BCD memorandum expressed concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country since the last elections in November 2010. It clamed that the Burmese Army continues their offensive attack against ethnic civilians at a time when the regime in Burma is talking about peace and national reconciliation, the government break ceasefire agreements in Karen, Kachin and Shan State, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.