Guwahati: A recently concluded India-Burma conference batted for more people to people contact between the two neighboring countries, more precisely, the residents of northeastern India and its adjacent Myanmar localities. The two-day conference titled ‘India-Myanmar Relations: Looking from the Border’ also highlighted the pain of various communities of the region, who were divided by the international border and urged the Union government in New Delhi to provide adequate space for those communities to interact and share vital information as and when needed. Organized by the New Delhi based Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) and Burma Centre Delhi (BCD) with supports from Heinrich Böll Stiftung (HBS) India on 28 and 29 September 2015 at ISS auditorium, the meeting witnessed the speakers, including those from Myanmar (formerly Burma), were unanimous that the northeastern region had to play an important role in New Delhi’s newly launched Act East Policy.
However, the speakers opined that the sense of alienation of various communities in the region should be addressed properly, such that they can join in the process of development and take advantage of the enhancement of the India-Myanmar economic relationship. In his keynote address, former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Rajiv K Bhatia argued that India’s Act East Policy is not a mere replacement of the Look East Policy. The policy switched focus on action and implementation. If the earlier emphasis was on economic cooperation, now the accent is on strategic cooperation, he added.
Pointing out that Myanmar is going to play the role of a reliable window to India’s increasing trade and commerce with southeast Asian nations, Ambassador Bhatia, who has authored ‘India-Myanmar Relations: Changing Contours’, also hoped that a liberal democratic Myanmar will emerge after the 8 November 2015 general elections.
The former diplomat also batted for an inclusive growth in the northeastern region, which has the potential to become India’s trade gateway to ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries, so that the relationship with Myanmar could be sustained without any hindrance.
Participating in the conference, another former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Preet Mohan Singh Malik emphasized on efficient connectivity with Myanmar. Expressing his concern over the increasing clout of China over Myanmar, Malik insisted on India’s extensive presence in the neighbouring country. He argued that Myanmar remains a vital country for India from the security perspective.
Tapir Gao, former parliamentarian from Arunachal Pradesh, highlighted the presence of northeast Indian militants inside Myanmar, lack of concrete border between the neighbouring countries and the potential of India’s rail connectivity with southeast Asian nations through Myanmar.
Mentioning Indian PM Narendra Modi’s strategy for re-orienting India’s ties with all ASEAN neighbours, the pro-active politician expressed hope that a new era in India-Myanmar relations would dawn very soon. The soft-spoken gentleman urged the civil society, media and other stakeholders to help providing a clear blueprint as to how the northeastern region can act as the game changer.
Lian Bawi Thang of Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) welcomed India’s engagement including in the Kaladan Multi-modal Project, but also called for transparency. He narrated that over 50 million people are living in India-Myanmar border areas who share their histories. He also expected New Delhi’s active move for the development of these people.
Highlighting Myanmar’s abundant natural resources, the CHRO activist threw light on the probable engagement of Indian agencies in his country, but expected more transparency and accountability in the exercises.
Ting Oo from Arakan Rivers Network and C Lalremruata from Zo Indigenous Forum also alleged that the Kaladan project, which has been patronized by New Delhi inside Myanmar, went ahead without disseminating vital information to the local people of the Arakan and Chin provinces. They raised the issue of forced labour and land confiscation in the Kaladan project, where the local Burmese even today know Sittway as an Indian port inside Myanmar.
The conference was also addressed by Khin Maung Win (Democratic Voice of Burma, Yangon), Myat Thu (Yangon School of Political Science), Alec Blyth Scott (Kaladan Movement), Dr Shwe Hein (Chinland Development Co Ltd), Zeya Thu (The Voice), L.Bawm Nu (HBS,Yangon), Rual Lian Thang (HBS Myanmar) and more.
The New Delhi based strategic expert Rahul Bhonsle highlighted that Myanmar has its own problems as a sustainable peace is lacking inside the country. He urged for proper and timely implementation of all previous Indo-Myanmar agreements, information sharing between the two nations and also joint patrolling in the border areas.
Prof Sanjoy Hazarika from Centre for Northeast Studies & Policy Research in Jamia Millia Islamia University of course appreciated that the Myanmar government had achieved a lot while dealing with various ethnic insurgents there. He also opined that any policy without the interest of the people is useless and New Delhi must propagate policies considering the people of the border areas. Prof Hazarika also strongly demanded that the AFSPA 1958 should be repealed from the Northeast, otherwise it would counteract with the Act East Policy.
W Nabachandra Singh of Indo-Myanmar border traders’ union argued that once the relationship with Myanmar is resolved, adequate fresh fish, rice and other items could be brought from the country and that would be tremendously helpful for the neighbouring States including Manipur. The Imphal based trader pointed out that the frequent Bandh-strike- shutdowns as well as the unseen tax (read money collected by the armed militants) have crippled the economic activities in the border area. Singh also asserted that the banking facilities in those localities should be developed urgently.
RK Shivachandra Singh representing Indo-Myanmar fraternal alliance asserted that China has invested in Myanmar in a bigger way, where India continued to be lagging behind. The Manipur based social activist argued that New Delhi should formulate appropriate policies to exploit the abundant unexplored natural resources of Myanmar. Singh placed emphasis on the road connectivity of India with Myanmar on the way to Thailand. However Dr Walter Fernandes of North-eastern Social Research Centre argued that India should avoid obsession with China relating to Myanmar affairs. The Guwahati based research scholar, who had recently returned from Yangon after working there for more than two years, batted for independent foreign policy of India towards the far eastern neighbour.
Other participants from northeast India included Dr Sabyasachi Dutta (Asian Confluence, Shillong), Dr Biswajit Mohapatra (NEHU, Shillong), Dr Ambuj Thakur (independent researcher from Dibrugarh), Rajkumar Bobichand (Change & Peace-building Action, Manipur), Dr Bhabananda Takhellambam (Manipuri academician), Dr Malem Ningthouja (Campaign for Peace and Democracy, Imphal), Witoubou Newmai (Dimapur based journalist) etc. Similarly the conference was also made enriched with the inputs from Dr Axel Harneit-Sievers (HBS India), Dr Namrata Goswami (Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses, New Delhi), Dr Sonu Trivedi (Zakir Hussain College, New Delhi), Ramya PS (South Asian University), CS Kuppuswamy (South Asia Analysis Group, New Delhi), Prof Srikanth Kondapalli (JNU, New Delhi), Dr Puyam Rakesh Singh (Centre for East Asian Studies, JNU), Prof Manmohini Kaul (Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, JNU), Dr Udai Bhanu Singh (New Delhi), Sanjay Pulipaka (New Delhi) etc.
Earlier, in his welcome address, ISS director Dr Ash Narain Roy said that the India-Myanmar dialogue at the level of civil society is critically important for the success of Act East Policy. However, there exist huge gaps between the government’s policy pronouncements and intent and the reality on the ground.
BCD director Dr Alana Golmei argued that the people of northeast India stand to benefit the most from the connectivity corridors and civil society engagements. This engagement will be of equal benefit to the people of Myanmar particularly those residing in the neighbouring regions of India, asserted Golmei adding that at a time when Myanmar is gradually consolidating its democracy and putting institutions in place, people in Myanmar look to India for a sharing of its best practices.
