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Date: Tue, 30 Jan 1996 20:03:52 +0000
Subject: BURMA IN NEW DELHI'S PAPERS: 30 JAN 1996
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Organization: Forum for Democracy and Human Rights
January 30, 1996
INA VETERANS RETRACE "DILL CHALO" ROUTE
>From Our Staff Reporter
New Delhi, Jan. 29: The route of "Dilli Chalo", the historic march of the Indian
National Army (INA) led by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose 50 years ago, was
retraced by an 18-member expedition which reached the Capital last evening
from Singapore.
Completing the route in 43 days in five year jeeps which retraced the
800-km-long tortuous route, the expedition passed through Malaysia, Thailand
and Myanmar before touching the Indian soil on North-Eastern States. The team
consisted of INA battle-scarred veterans _ Col. G. S. Dhillon, Col. (Dr.)
Lakshmi Seghal and Capt. S. S. Yadava _ besides Mr. Sunil Dutt, MP and
veteran film artist.
Led by Mr. Akhil Bakshi, President of Yuva Shakti, a voluntary organisation,
the expedition was flagged from Singapore on December 17 last. It set sail from
the island of Penang on the West Coast of Malaysia and reached Moulmein in
Mon region of lower Myanmar. Fifty years ago, the INA troops had sailed
across the same waters on their to erstwhile Burma where they launched the
military operations for the liberalization of India from British rule.
The expedition was airlifted from Yangon to Imphal, abroad an IL-76
transport aircraft and only second flight in the region since 1954, said Mr. Akhil
Bakshi, at a press conference today.
Col. Dhillon and Col. Lakshmi Sahgal, along with the three-member film crew,
stayed back in Myanmar to visit the historic battle fronts at Meiktila, Bagan,
Monywa, Mount Popa and the operational headquarters of the INA at
Mandalay where Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak were lodged in jail.
The members also hoisted the tricolor at Moirang at the same site where
the national flag was unfurled for the first time on Indian soil by the INA on
April 14, 1944.
Talking about their experience, Col. Dhillon, Col. Sehgal and Capt. Yadava,
said they were overwhelmed by emotions when they visited battle fronts in
Myanmar. "Some of the areas looked exactly the same as we have left them 50
years ago. It was really surprising and nostalgic too," said Col. Dhillion.
He said that it was unfortunate that the role played by the INA in the
country's freedom struggle had never been evaluated by the Indian
historians.
Mr. Sunil Dutt said the expedition was sponsored by the people of India and
the purpose behind it was to make an attempt to recreate the same feelings of
patriotism and nationalism that had prompted hordes of people to join the
"Dilli Chalo" march of Netaji.
He said throughout the rout the expedition was greeted warmly by the people
who offered all help. The film-star-turned-politician said that at several
stretches they could hardly cover 12 to 14 km in an hour owing to the massive
response of the public.
In a separate function, the expedition was felicitated by the Indo-Thai
Friendship Association. Among those who paid rich tributes to Netaji and
lauded the expedition included Mr. Harkishan Singh Surjee, CPM leader, Dr.
Farooq Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, and Mr. Om
Prakash Chautala, former Haryana Chief Minister.
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January 30, 1996
BURMA SEEKS AID TO PUSH ECONOMY
By Michael Cooper
Rangoon, Jan. 29
Burma's trade minister Tun Kyi said on Monday that economic cooperation
with other nations would not only boost this country's economy but also
promote democracy.
Addressing a symposium on fostering interdependency with neighboring
countries and Japan, Lieutenant General Tun Kyi said Burma had managed to
achieve an average annual growth rate of 7.5 per cent with assistance from only
a few friendly countries.
"If we could get financial and technical cooperation substantially from abroad,
I firmly believe that the economy of Myanmar would be skyrocketed within a
few years time," he said. Myanmar is the official name of Burma, preferred by
the ruling Junta, known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council.
"Democracy will flourish with the prosperity of the nation," Tun Kyi told
the one-day symposium, organized by the UN Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific and funded by Japan. Saying that the
pro-democracy demonstration of 1988-89 were "mainly because of economic
difficulties," he added: "Political stability goes hand in hand with economic
development."
On the economy, Mr. Tun Kyi said that with more than $3 billion already on
the books in investment commitments, he believed the figure could be boosted
to four billion "in the near future". He noted that since the time of Burma's
kings, through the colonial period and until today, Asian nations accounted for
80 per cent of Burma's foreign trade.
"We believe in trade liberalization. We want free and fair trade in the world,"
he said. Japanese ambassador Yoichi Yamaguchi hailed economic reforms to date
in Burma, but stressed the need to pursue further reforms.
"There are still several challenges for Myanmar to face," he said. Mr.
Yamaguchi did not identify areas of reform, but these were believed include the
dual exchange rate, considered a significant block to economic expansion. The
currency is exchanged at around six Kyats to the dollar at the official rate.
(AFP)
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