Mahatma would have insisted that India stand by us: Suu Kyi

[nrj]

Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi today said had Mahatma Gandhi been alive he would have been "vocal" about his "disapproval" of India's stand regarding her country.

"I think Mahatma Gandhi would have been very vocal about his disapproval," the Noble Prize winner, for whom Gandhi has been one of the greatest influences, said at CNN-IBN's Devil's Advocate programme.

"I think he (Gandhi) would have stood by us... he would have insisted that India stand by us because that was the kind of man he was," she said.

Suu Kyi said she felt "saddened" about India's stand particularly because she felt close to India. "I was sad about it".

In Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial lecture yesterday, she had said that she was saddened that India had drawn away from Myanmar in its "most difficult days" and hoped New Delhi will stand by her country in achieving democracy.

However, Suu Kyi said today that one has to be pragmatic about it because "I know that government sometimes take a path which is best for their country rather than best for others."

Asked if she felt betrayed given her long association in India, the chairperson of the National League for Democracy replied in negative.

"No... No, I never felt like that. I don't think we have the right to demand loyalty or support from anybody. We have to work for that loyalty and support. I felt saddened by it... that was all. It did not stay on my mind. There are many other things we have to think about and many quarters from the globe from where we have to try to get support," she said.

To a poser, Suu Kyi, who has strongly advocated amendments in Myanmar's constitution for free and fair elections, said she has no hesitation of standing for the presidency in the next elections due in 2015.

"I don't have any hesitations. What is his democratic politics about if we don't try to win for our party and if my party wins, obviously I would like to be the leader of that party which means the leader of that government," Suu Kyi said.

She said support of the army was crucial for taking her country to the "right path of democracy" without violence.

The pro-democracy leader also expressed her desire to see it "again as the kind of army my father wished it to be".

"The powers of the army over the civilian government are woven into the Constitution. So its only with the willing cooperation of the army that we can move Burma along the right path to democracy without violence," she said.

Mahatma would have insisted that India stand by us: Suu Kyi - Indian Express

 

[Yusuf]

Someone tell her India forgot MKG long back. India could not have waited by te wayside and let China get all over Myanmar. Hard luck. Geopolitics is a bitch.

 

[roma]

her remarks though unfortunate from her point of view nevertheless are a sign that goi is being realistic in its approach to mmar - Daw Aung San is part of a tiny minority that harks back to the days of MKG and the special links between the two nations - how many of todays mmarese do so ?

aung san is likely to be a leader for another 10 years , 15 at the most - so connecting with her for the time being is important - but longer run when the next generation takes over they will no longer be burmese but myanmarese . - with a decidedly different view of the past and the future too

goi has to have flexibility in al that - i think they do and will handle it well - her remarks above are a sign of it !

 

[uvbar]

Operation Leech: Surrounded by Arakans and dense forest, Myanmar had always been a worrisome point for Indian intelligence. As the major player in the area, India has sought to promote democracy and install friendly governments in the region. To these ends, RAW cultivated Burmese rebel groups and pro-democracy coalitions, especially the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). India allowed the KIA to carry a limited trade in jade and precious stones using Indian territory and even supplied them weapons. It is further alleged that KIA chief Maran Brang Seng met the RAW chief in Delhi twice. However, when the KIA became the main source of training and weapons for all northeastern rebel groups, RAW initiated an operation, code named Operation Leech, to assassinate the leaders of the Burmese rebels as an example to other groups. in 1998, six top rebel leaders, including military wing chief of National Unity Party of Arakans (NUPA), Khaing Raza, were shot dead and 34 Arakanese guerrillas were arrested and charged with gunrunning.[3][89]

Research and Analysis Wing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

i think shes unaware of this

 

[sob]

MKG, never operated when India was an independent country. As Yusuf has pointed out he never had to face the Geopolitics of the day. To counter the Chinese we had to engage with the Generals but we never gave up support for Ms.Suu Kyi.