Do China and India hold key to Myanmar reform?

[ajtr]

Do China and India hold key to Myanmar reform?​

Aung San Suu Kyi arrives at the National League for Democracy HQ in Yangon on Monday -- she is calling for dialogue.

(CNN) -- Freed activist Aung San Suu Kyi has made a passionate plea for dialogue and reconciliation to build democracy and improve human rights in Myanmar, calling for her country to back her as she cannot "do it alone."
But long-term fundamental political and economic reforms will not just depend on shifting internal dynamics, but also on the stance of its neighbors, particularly the regional superpowers China and India.
Both countries are significant investors in Myanmar, also known as Burma, and both are also competing for influence in the state, with neither country taking a genuine interest in reconciliation or democracy in Myanmar, some analysts say.
Maung Zarni, a research fellow on Myanmar at the London School of Economics, told CNN: "China and India both have a serious influence on Burma... both provide billions of inward investment into the country and they are dealing with a junta that is not accountable to anyone, and that serves the interests of Chinese and Indian investors."

But according to Debbie Stothard, of the Thailand-based Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, the competition between India and China serves only to stymie the cause of democracy in Myanmar.
China has been Myanmar's closest ally since the hardline military took control in a bloodless coup in 1962. China has in the past refused to back Suu Kyi, saying the matter of her trial was an internal affair.
China is building pipelines to ship oil and gas from Myanmar to Yunnan province and is Myanmar's second-largest trading partner -- it is keen to tap Myanmar's mineral, timber and other natural resources needed for its booming economy, analysts say
India also has been investing in Myanmar's power sector as it looks to secure future energy supplies.
Many regional observers say that the generals of the Myanmar military junta, who have remained largely isolationist for 50 years, are more likely to listen to and accept pressure from China and India than either the West, the U.N. or ASEAN, the political and economic organization.
"Economics is one of the external enablers that have permitted the Burmese regime to stay the course. I am extremely skeptical of what the ruling elite in India and the communists in China will do to assist the Burmese people," said Zarni.
Both China and India have had a difficult relationship with Suu Kyi, who won a landslide election victory in 1990 with the National League for Democracy party. The military junta rejected the results and despite the recent freeing of Suu Kyi, the regime is still holding an estimated 2,200 political prisoners according to Amnesty International.
Mark Farmaner, director of the Burma Campaign UK, told CNN: "Chinese officials were reluctant to talk to her [Suu Kyi] and Indian government officials didn't want to upset the [Myanmar] government. Ordinary people in Burma feel betrayed by India and they see China as backing the generals."
Thailand, another Myanmar neighbor, buys about 30 percent of its gas from Myanmar, estimated to have been worth $3.3 billion in 2008.
The sales are giving Myanmar a financial cushion, rendering ineffective economic sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union designed to pressure the junta. Suu Kyi recently indicated she might be willing to support an easing of these sanctions.
"The Thais now feel vulnerable because they are so reliant on Burma for energy so it would not be in their interests to upset the regime. India's main concern is China and its potential dominance of Burma... India doesn't want Burma to become another Chinese outpost," said Farmaner.

 

[Vajra_Yuddh]

Perhaps so. We are not poster boys for democracy even though we happen to be the world's largest; it is USA. They care about the type of ruling any country has in its own hands. We are a neutral country and hence want to cooperate with regional players.

I think Burma can become and excellent third neutral point between us and Chinese. Right now both economies need resources that Burmese have in ample; of we both can help Burmese economy in our own ways, even they gain and thus join the band of Asia's emerging countries into a new world order.

IMPO, I was never concerned whether junta ruled Burma or Suu Kyi. Except for junta's crackdown on Buddhist monks, I don't have any complaints against them and don't see any reason why any Indian should have an issue with them at all. Burmese troops helped us kill and capture numerous terrorists on the border of both countries. And I think we should show our gratitude for their support in a rewarding manner.

 

[true_indian]

I think we should back democracy in Burma..after all we wouldn't give up our freedom if it was us..

 

[muse]

History has come to the agents of Western power, they are irrelevant - The problems of countries such Myanmar are not "democracy", the problems are related to development - development that carries more and more of the populace to lives of dignity, instead of a small group of families associated with particular foreign power.

As far as the article is concerned, really, isn't it just a plea to get Western economic interests inserted into the equation using politics as a mask to achieve that?

Lets move past these people in the West, this idiot mind set that thrives only on conflict and instability - Myanmar needs "reforms" ? really? What kind of reforms?? Let me guess, those that let Western economic interests an inside shot??

Look, yes, it's an interconnected inter-dependent world, no one is denying that, but shouldn't we move past this transparent muscling in by western business interests in the guise of politics?

While the West was busy unleashing the Israeli to keep Al-Brince types in line (losing influence and creating enemies), other powers built trust and mutually profitable relationships - now, Indian friends have been offered a choice, more "well done" pats on the back or the pursuit of Indian interests - fool all the people all the time. Really?

 

[Vajra_Yuddh]

I think we should back democracy in Burma..after all we wouldn't give up our freedom if it was us..

Wrong. This is exactly the same reason why we screwed up in Nepal. According to our family friends from Nepal, same obsession with being Western postboy wannabe ruined our government ties with Nepali people (even before Maoists or Communists came during king Gyanendra's rule).

India should not back any specific type of government and should focus on helping Burma as a country. That strategy is being used in Africa by our businesses who are providing facilities to Africans and winning the people's hearts rather than appeasing any form of government.

We need to focus on increasing trade with Burma regardless of any form of government that it rules. Junta is fine by me barring the attacks on Buddhist monks which I didn't like at all being a Buddhist myself.

But Burmese have helped our military in rooting out terrorist and drug trafficking gangs across our borders with them and we must reward them for this help despite our "cold" ties with them till now. And increasing commercial trade by easing tariff regulations is the best start.

If we can help develop Burma even if it means alongside Chinese, it means we earn a neutral country that has been solely developed due to joint efforts of both us and Chinese--free from any external meddling.

 

[luckyyy]

the whole article is fabricated such as that , both india and china could not do any good to Myanmar people and that the people of Myanmar should look at US ..

 

[applesauce]

anyone else thinks she looks kinda creepy? stare at these eyes for a bit

 

[Vajra_Yuddh]

the whole article is fabricated such as that , both india and china could not do any good to Myanmar people and that the people of Myanmar should look at US ..

U.S is welcome to try if it can. I mean there's enough trouble for them without getting involved in some other country. I think 2 Asian giants are sufficient to help the country get up and breathe a new lease of life. In fact, countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia etc should also open up slowly to Burma.

Suu Kyi will stay or junta will, that's not the issue. If we can get Burma to open up to the world, we can help it come out of isolation and become another emerging country.

 

[luckyyy]

U.S is welcome to try if it can. I mean there's enough trouble for them without getting involved in some other country. I think 2 Asian giants are sufficient to help the country get up and breathe a new lease of life.

did anybody notice , now a days US calling it Burma inplace of Vietnam..