George's Little rangoon in uproar o

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George?s Little Rangoon in uproar over general?s visit

By SEEMA MUSTAFA

>From The Asian Age newspaper, dated November 16, 2000

New Delhi, Nov. 15: ?You want to speak to the Burmese students,? asked
the obliging member of defence minister George Fernandes? staff at his
official residence, and promptly connected the line to the president of
the All Burma Students? League, Mr Kyaw Than, who attacked the Vajpayee
government for playing host to the second-most powerful man in the
Burmese military junta. Mr. Kyaw Than, who lives with Mr. Fernandes
along with several other students, did not mince words in questioning
the Indian government?s decision to ?join hands with the oppressors? in
laying out the red carpet for the vice-chairman of Burma?s ruling State
Peace and Development Council and chief of the armed forces, General
Maung Aye. ?We are worried, we are very concerned,? said the student
leader, adding, ?We are very disturbed to see democratic India joining
hands with the military junta as this will not be fruitful in the
long-term interests of both countries.?

Mr. Kyaw Than did try to defend his long-tern host, Mr. Fernandes,
saying, ?He is personally supporting our cause but what can he do about
the government?s policy? He has to accept it even though he has said he
is extending us his fullest support.? He said, however, that the
students and the ?democratic forces? were very worried about the
possibility of arms sales by India to Burma.

The students? league leader, however, laughed in embarrassment when it
was pointed out that he should take up the matter with the defence
minister at home as the defence deals would go through his office. The
same argument was offered by Samata Party spokesperson Shambu
Srivastava, who insisted that Mr Fernandes had to officially welcome
Gen. Aye but, politically, ?we are all opposed to the military regime.?
The defence minister obviously has carved out a dual role for himself:
officially he does what is required for him as a minister of the
government, unofficially he continues to support causes, even those
which his government is working against.

Significantly, it was left to Mr. Kyaw Than to speak of late Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru?s foreign policy wherein India had decided to
support the cause of the oppressed and victimized in the world. It is
perhaps a coincidence that the visit by the military chief of Burma has
coincided with Nehru?s birth anniversary. The foreign office maintained
its usual stoic silence on the brewing controversy. When contacted by
The Asian Age, MEA spokesperson Raminder Jassal remained unavailable for
comment. The Burmese students? leader pointed out that there had been a
distinct shift in policy with the government diluting its full support
of the Palestine issue to a neutral stand in the present
Palestine-Israel crisis. He said, after persistent questioning, that
they might take up the matter with Mr Fernandes ?at the appropriate
time.?

The Burmese students will hold a demonstration in New Delhi on Thursday
to protest against India?s decision to welcome Burma?s military chief.
General Aye has arrived with a high-profile delegation and will be
accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He will also
address Indian industrialists at the CII in a bid to further economic
ties between New Delhi and Rangoon, apart from meeting government
leaders and attending banquets in his honour. Officially, however, India
continues to oppose the military regime. The decision has drawn flak
from political parties, with CPI leader D. Raja pointing out that the
government was obviously trying to cultivate relations with the military
junta in a complete reversal of foreign policy. There is concern in
foreign policy circles about the undeclared shift, with experts
wondering at the government?s refusal to articulate its policy on Burma.




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<b><font size=+1>George?s Little Rangoon in uproar over general?s visit</font></b>
<p><b>By SEEMA MUSTAFA</b>
<p>From The Asian Age newspaper, dated November 16, 2000
<p>New Delhi, Nov. 15: ?You want to speak to the Burmese students,? asked
the obliging member of defence minister George Fernandes? staff at his
official residence, and promptly connected the line to the president of
the All Burma Students? League, Mr Kyaw Than, who attacked the Vajpayee
government for playing host to the second-most powerful man in the Burmese
military junta. Mr. Kyaw Than, who lives with Mr. Fernandes along with
several other students, did not mince words in questioning the Indian government?s
decision to ?join hands with the oppressors? in laying out the red carpet
for the vice-chairman of Burma?s ruling State Peace and Development Council
and chief of the armed forces, General Maung Aye. ?We are worried, we are
very concerned,? said the student leader, adding, ?We are very disturbed
to see democratic India joining hands with the military junta as this will
not be fruitful in the long-term interests of both countries.?
<p>Mr. Kyaw Than did try to defend his long-tern host, Mr. Fernandes, saying,
?He is personally supporting our cause but what can he do about the government?s
policy? He has to accept it even though he has said he is extending us
his fullest support.? He said, however, that the students and the ?democratic
forces? were very worried about the possibility of arms sales by India
to Burma.
<p>The students? league leader, however, laughed in embarrassment when
it was pointed out that he should take up the matter with the defence minister
at home as the defence deals would go through his office. The same argument
was offered by Samata Party spokesperson Shambu Srivastava, who insisted
that Mr Fernandes had to officially welcome Gen. Aye but, politically,
?we are all opposed to the military regime.? The defence minister obviously
has carved out a dual role for himself: officially he does what is required
for him as a minister of the government, unofficially he continues to support
causes, even those which his government is working against.
<p>Significantly, it was left to Mr. Kyaw Than to speak of late Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru?s foreign policy wherein India had decided to support
the cause of the oppressed and victimized in the world. It is perhaps a
coincidence that the visit by the military chief of Burma has coincided
with Nehru?s birth anniversary. The foreign office maintained its usual
stoic silence on the brewing controversy. When contacted by The Asian Age,
MEA spokesperson Raminder Jassal remained unavailable for comment. The
Burmese students? leader pointed out that there had been a distinct shift
in policy with the government diluting its full support of the Palestine
issue to a neutral stand in the present Palestine-Israel crisis. He said,
after persistent questioning, that they might take up the matter with Mr
Fernandes ?at the appropriate time.?
<p>The Burmese students will hold a demonstration in New Delhi on Thursday
to protest against India?s decision to welcome Burma?s military chief.
General Aye has arrived with a high-profile delegation and will be accorded
a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He will also address Indian
industrialists at the CII in a bid to further economic ties between New
Delhi and Rangoon, apart from meeting government leaders and attending
banquets in his honour. Officially, however, India continues to oppose
the military regime. The decision has drawn flak from political parties,
with CPI leader D. Raja pointing out that the government was obviously
trying to cultivate relations with the military junta in a complete reversal
of foreign policy. There is concern in foreign policy circles about the
undeclared shift, with experts wondering at the government?s refusal to
articulate its policy on Burma.
<br>&nbsp;
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