Review Nepal News

Waiting for the sustained stability in Myanmar

www.reviewnepal.com
  Kathmandu      October 24 2024

 BNJ THAKURIA

Myanmar (also known as Burma and Brahmadesh) passes through a critical phase of civil war and it needs to be noticed carefully from northeast India as the disturbance in the south Asian nation may jeopardize the newly found peace and tranquility in the region. Since February 2021, the land of Golden Pagodas  has been ruled by military dictator Min Aung Hlaing, who ousted Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy government in NayPieTaw. The Buddhist majority nation is also witnessing public uprising which has slowly turned violent. Since the military coup,  over 5,500 Burmese civilians were killed, nearly 27,000 were arrested and more than 30 lakhs inhabitants were  displaced. With relentless airstrikes on populated areas, setting many villages and urban localities on fire, the  junta soldiers have already perpetrated mass atrocities and grave human rights across the country of 55 million population.

Currently the junta has no full control over the entire country as many armed groups and ethnic insurgents have challenged the dictators and the anti-junta forces are systematically targeting the 'men in uniform' and their close relatives. Many towns, precisely bordering India, have gone under the control of armed groups. A number of military bases were abandoned by the soldiers and some of them even joined the anti-junta forces. The frustrated military personnel continue targeting the civilians and even crowded villages are not spared from repeated bombings. Their aggressions have compelled many political personalities, pro-democracy activists and journalists to take refuge in the neighbouring countries.

However, India has to deal with the situation carefully and New Delhi invested in the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. The Kaladan project was termed as a major development initiative inside Myanmar with an aim to connect the land-locked northeast India with the port in Sittwe. Moreover, New Delhi is also looking for the India-Myanmar-Thailand highway for connectivity and business.

Lately, a large number of north-eastern militants have left Myanmar and the Burmese militia want them to come out of the country. These separatist militants are waging a war against New Delhi from their hideouts in northern Myanmar and now they are facing the outrages from common Burmese nationals because the north-eastern militants support the brutal military regime. Lately, New Delhi has invited a number of anti-military outfits from Arakan, Chin, Kachin provinces for a mid-November seminar highlighting Myanmar's democracy.

One can only expect that a stable democratic regime in Myanmar will be established as early as possible.