By LALIT K JHA
WASHINGTON — The Indian Noble Prize laureate economist Amartya Sen on Wednesday blasted China and two democratic neighbors of Burma for their relationship with the military junta, calling their foreign policies “exceptionally crude and valuationally gross.”
The policies of the three countries—India, China and Thailand—were criticized by Sen during a seminar at John Hopkins University in the United States.
In his keynote address, Sen said the military junta is not serious in making any meaningful changes in Burma. “Nothing perhaps is more important right now as the day of the phony electoral event approaches than global public discussion of the real nature of the forthcoming electoral fraud," Sen said. "The expressions of pious hope that things can change after the election are totally contrary to reasoned analysis about what's going on in Burma."
The conference, titled “A Return to Civilian Rule? The Prospects for Democracy and Rights in Burma After the Election,” was organized jointly by the Johns Hopkins Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and Human Rights Watch.
Sen said international pressure on Burma to move towards democracy and protection of human rights could come only from three of its neighbors—China, India and Thailand. “There is real need for insisting that concrete steps be taken by the government right now,” said Sen, who said that he spent some years of his childhood in Mandalay where his father was a visiting professor.
He said India and Thailand have not played their part in defense of real democracy in Burma.
Referring to the calls for establishing a UN Commission of Inquiry on Burma to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity, he said it is time to set up a commission.
Sen was in particularly critical of his own country – India.
“I have to say that as a loyal Indian citizen, it breaks my heart to see the prime minister of my democratic country—and one of the most humane and sympathetic political leaders in the world—to engage in welcoming the butchers from Myanmar [Burma] and to be photographed in a state of cordial proximity," he said.
“When our power to influence the world was zero, we spent our time lecturing the world on morality. And when we get a bit of power, although not as much as China, then we completely abdicated that responsibility,” Sen said, reflecting his displeasure with India's current Burma policy.
He said he is also concerned that public discussion in India on the Burmese situation has been nearly absent in India, but not because of any government restriction on such discussions.
“The problem arises rather with the change in the political climate of India in which narrowly defined national interests—what is taken to be the national interests—gets much loyalty,” Sen said, which stifles debate.
The Noble laureate called for targeted sanctions on Burma including an arms embargo on the junta and removal of any military assistance that the government receives in a direct or indirect way. The roles of its three neighbors are important for the operation of the Burmese military regime, he observed.
“The Chinese government is the most important player in this area both because it has done business with the regime for a long time and has provided indirect patronage to the regime,” he said, adding that given its veto power in the UN Security Council, China has more influence on Burma than any other neighboring country. In addition, China, India and Thailand have extensive business relationships with Burma, he noted.
The conference also included Burmese analysts Win Min and Min Zin and Prof. David Steinberg of Georgetown University.
While Sen called for more political and economic pressure on Burma, Steinberg expressed hope that the United States, which is trying to engage with the Burmese military regime,would have a meaningful dialogue with the new government after the elections.
"You're going to have a new government coming in sometime in early 2011. Wait and see what happens. Pressure to me implies a kind of arrogance, that we think we have the right answers for these people,” he said.
WASHINGTON — The Indian Noble Prize laureate economist Amartya Sen on Wednesday blasted China and two democratic neighbors of Burma for their relationship with the military junta, calling their foreign policies “exceptionally crude and valuationally gross.”
The policies of the three countries—India, China and Thailand—were criticized by Sen during a seminar at John Hopkins University in the United States.
 |
| Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen addresses a press conference in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 3 (Photo: AP) |
The conference, titled “A Return to Civilian Rule? The Prospects for Democracy and Rights in Burma After the Election,” was organized jointly by the Johns Hopkins Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and Human Rights Watch.
Sen said international pressure on Burma to move towards democracy and protection of human rights could come only from three of its neighbors—China, India and Thailand. “There is real need for insisting that concrete steps be taken by the government right now,” said Sen, who said that he spent some years of his childhood in Mandalay where his father was a visiting professor.
He said India and Thailand have not played their part in defense of real democracy in Burma.
Referring to the calls for establishing a UN Commission of Inquiry on Burma to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity, he said it is time to set up a commission.
Sen was in particularly critical of his own country – India.
“I have to say that as a loyal Indian citizen, it breaks my heart to see the prime minister of my democratic country—and one of the most humane and sympathetic political leaders in the world—to engage in welcoming the butchers from Myanmar [Burma] and to be photographed in a state of cordial proximity," he said.
“When our power to influence the world was zero, we spent our time lecturing the world on morality. And when we get a bit of power, although not as much as China, then we completely abdicated that responsibility,” Sen said, reflecting his displeasure with India's current Burma policy.
He said he is also concerned that public discussion in India on the Burmese situation has been nearly absent in India, but not because of any government restriction on such discussions.
“The problem arises rather with the change in the political climate of India in which narrowly defined national interests—what is taken to be the national interests—gets much loyalty,” Sen said, which stifles debate.
The Noble laureate called for targeted sanctions on Burma including an arms embargo on the junta and removal of any military assistance that the government receives in a direct or indirect way. The roles of its three neighbors are important for the operation of the Burmese military regime, he observed.
“The Chinese government is the most important player in this area both because it has done business with the regime for a long time and has provided indirect patronage to the regime,” he said, adding that given its veto power in the UN Security Council, China has more influence on Burma than any other neighboring country. In addition, China, India and Thailand have extensive business relationships with Burma, he noted.
The conference also included Burmese analysts Win Min and Min Zin and Prof. David Steinberg of Georgetown University.
While Sen called for more political and economic pressure on Burma, Steinberg expressed hope that the United States, which is trying to engage with the Burmese military regime,would have a meaningful dialogue with the new government after the elections.
"You're going to have a new government coming in sometime in early 2011. Wait and see what happens. Pressure to me implies a kind of arrogance, that we think we have the right answers for these people,” he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Masha langai ngai a tingkyeng shinggyim ahkaw ahkang hpe hkra machyi shangun ai zawn re ai Gasi ,Ga hkum ni,Kyinsha Lasha re ai Gasi,Ga hkum ni hpe koi gam ga