Burma occupies a strategic position in South East Asia. But the country is ruled by the Military fro close to half a century. It all started when General Ne Win seized power in a military coup in 1962. He remained in power till 1988, when he was ousted in a series of popular demonstrations against the military regime. But his exit did not bring about the end of military rule and the Army and its generals continued to rule the roost.
People wonder how the Army continues in power, kills its own people without compunction and insures one party rule with no democracy and resultant no visible progress. The reason is the support of its immediate neighbors China and to a lesser extant India.
China is a communist state whose agenda is two fold. Firstly, it would like to encircle India who it considers its arch rival in Asia and secondly it wants an out let into the Indian Ocean through a naval base in Burma. Keeping these aspects in mind China has befriended this nation and established very cordial relations with the Military regime in Burma. It has supplied arms and weapons t the Military, which have been used by the Army in killing their own people. But China has no compunction in supporting the Burmese regime and eggs it on its path. Frankly China is not bothered about the suffering of the Burma people, as it is intent on its own path of creating a niche for itself as a world power.
India is a democracy and in the normal course of events, it would have supported the movement for democracy in Burma. But India is bedeviled by an Insurgency in Naga land and Manipur which shares a contagious border with Burma. In fact tribes from both these regions share an ethnicity with their counterparts along the border in Burma. The result is that India needs the support of Burma in this fight against insurgency. Hence perforce India has to cultivate the military regime. But its support is muted and not as vociferous as that of China.
The result is that United Nations led by the USA are ineffectual in Burma and the Generals continue in power. It will be a mighty difficult proposition to dislodge this regime short of a civil war. Remember peaceful agitations will have no effect and will only lead to a couple of hundred more protesters being shot dead.
People wonder how the Army continues in power, kills its own people without compunction and insures one party rule with no democracy and resultant no visible progress. The reason is the support of its immediate neighbors China and to a lesser extant India.
China is a communist state whose agenda is two fold. Firstly, it would like to encircle India who it considers its arch rival in Asia and secondly it wants an out let into the Indian Ocean through a naval base in Burma. Keeping these aspects in mind China has befriended this nation and established very cordial relations with the Military regime in Burma. It has supplied arms and weapons t the Military, which have been used by the Army in killing their own people. But China has no compunction in supporting the Burmese regime and eggs it on its path. Frankly China is not bothered about the suffering of the Burma people, as it is intent on its own path of creating a niche for itself as a world power.
India is a democracy and in the normal course of events, it would have supported the movement for democracy in Burma. But India is bedeviled by an Insurgency in Naga land and Manipur which shares a contagious border with Burma. In fact tribes from both these regions share an ethnicity with their counterparts along the border in Burma. The result is that India needs the support of Burma in this fight against insurgency. Hence perforce India has to cultivate the military regime. But its support is muted and not as vociferous as that of China.
The result is that United Nations led by the USA are ineffectual in Burma and the Generals continue in power. It will be a mighty difficult proposition to dislodge this regime short of a civil war. Remember peaceful agitations will have no effect and will only lead to a couple of hundred more protesters being shot dead.
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