New Delhi (Mizzima) – Indian and Burmese pro-democracy forces have urged the Indian government not to sell arms and ammunitions to the Burmese government because of its widespread offensives against ethnic groups in eastern Burma.
More than 100 people representing 46 Indian civil society organizations, and 24 Burmese organizations staged a demonstration in downtown New Delhi on Friday.“We don’t want the Indian government to supply arms to Burma because they are killing innocent people,” Burma Centre Delhi coordinator Alana Golmei told Mizzima.
“[India is] supplying weapons and conducting joint military exercises leading to systematic human rights abuses and criminal hostilities against ethnic groups, political activists, journalists and civilians,” said a joint statement issued at the demonstration.
“You see that they are still willing to give or sell everything that the Burmese government wants in consideration of their national interests. They will continue to give political support and diplomatic protection to the Burmese government as they have done continually in the past,” National Coalition Government of Union of Burma (NCGUB) exile government Information Minister Dr. Tint Swe told Mizzima.
Fifty-two Burmese military trucks carrying weapons from India reportedly crossed the border in Moreh, Manipur State, into Tamu in Burma on July 7 this year, according to the Burmese activists. However, Mizzima was unable to independently verify it.
“If India really sent arms supplies to Burma, it is wrong because the Burmese army is launching military offensives against ethnic organizations in at least three states.” Tint Swe said.
He said India, which is the largest democracy in the world, is a country that upholds the non-violence principle, and a country where Buddhism flourished and it should approach Burma with these values and principles.
“They can sell arms anywhere but they should uphold their own values of non-violence and religious teachings in relations with other countries. I mean Indian should use its own value system and principles in their foreign relations to fulfill their national interests,” he said.
In the past, the Indian government has sold arms and ammunitions to the Burmese government to fight against Indian separatist rebels based on Burmese soil. At that time, Burmese pro-democracy forces protested against the arms sale. Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukerjee denied the arms sale to Burma at the press conference held in Washington D.C. in March 2008 during his tour of the US.
According to researcher Siemon Wezeman of the Sweden- based SIPRI, the Indian government has supplied 75 mm and 105 mm artillery pieces, T55 tanks, armoured personnel carriers, trucks and helicopters to Burma. The sale was also mentioned in Wikileak cables but independent verification is not available.
