Observer Research Foundation (ORF) organised a brainstorming session on "Possible Approaches for India's policy towards Myanmar" on October 18, 2007. The meeting discussed a gamut of issues including India's Myanmar policy, sanction regime, the China factor, Myanmar's political transition, and international community's response to the recent uprising in Myanmar.
Observer Research Foundation (ORF) organised a brainstorming session on “Possible Approaches for India’s policy towards Myanmar” on October 18, 2007.
The meeting discussed a gamut of issues including India’s Myanmar policy, sanction regime, the China factor, Myanmar’s political transition, and international community’s response to the recent uprising in Myanmar.
The general assessment was that the military regime in Myanmar had reestablished control. It would continue to be in place at least in the short term. Hence, the military regime cannot but be part of the political solution in Myanmar.
The participants felt that sanctions have not worked in Myanmar and the new sanctions will make no difference. The Westerns sanctions have only hurt the ordinary Burmese people and not the military junta. The Myanmar regime has evolved a self-sustaining economy for itself. On the contrary Western sanctions have heightened Myanmar nationalism.
It was felt that India is needed to continue its engagement with the junta. India also needs to explore other forms of engagement beyond the government-to- government level.
It was also noted that China will not welcome a democratic change in Myanmar and that China’s policy in Myanmar poses a security threat to India.
Myanmar’s political transition will take place through a process of evolution. In that process it was recognized that India needs to play a role. India needs to work with ASEAN, Japan and hopefully China in any regional forum. The forum should not adopt a hardline posture but an engagement approach which would be seen non-threatening to Myanmar. This could support the dialogue being established by the UN Secretary General’s special envoy on Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari.
Assessing the response of international community on the recent uprising in Myanmar, it was felt that India is not out of step with Myanmar’s Asian neighbours. However, some participants were of the view that India was out of step with its own ethos. Participants felts that the recent uprising has made Myanmar an emotive issue in the West. Being bracketed with China regarding Myanmar is damaging for India’s image and standing.
Participants included former diplomats, former military and intelligence officers, senior journalists and academicians.
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