Collective Effort of Asean and Major Regional Power (india and China) Can Restore Democracy in Myanmar

Collective effort of ASEAN and Major regional Power (India and China) can restore democracy in Myanmar

By Vikash Anand ( scholar  of International Politics, Delhi, India)

Some days ago, ASEAN has expressed “deep disappointment” over Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi`s detention in a meet of bloc`s 10 foreign ministers. The statement issued by ASEAN is   one of its strongest statements yet on the issue. Only verbal swipe will not bring change in the attitude of junta and can make Burmese people free from world’s most closed and repressive military government.

Multiparty election in 1990 gave the NLD a decisive victory, but the military junta refused to relinquish power to democratically elected party NLD (National league for democracy) and its leader Aung San Suu Kyi`s. Aung San Suu Kyi`s has remained in government custody since May 2003. Since 1990 Myanmar is being pressurized for bring democracy and release of Aung Suu Kyi and other political leaders.

 The people of Myanmar desperately want to get rid of authoritarian regime of military junta. Because   their condition is becoming worse and worse. Myanmar is inviting China and other countries for quenching their thirst of oil and gas. But irony is that Burmese people receive only two hours of electricity in town from military government. Paraffin and wood are major sources of light and heat. In September 2007  a largest protest was launched by Monks against unreasonable fuel hikes by military junta. This protest was violently crushed by military government. Above 3000 people were killed by government forces and 2100 were detained. Whatever government, whether military or civilian, is in reign , they(Governments) use the power. Without power, a government would be useless as a car without a engine. The main thing is that how to use the power and for which purpose power is being used. American sociologist Talcott Parsons (1967) has mentioned ‘power to’ approach. It emphasizes on power to rather than power over-on the capacity to achieve goals, rather than to exercise control over other countries or people. He interpreted power as the capacity of a government to draw on the obligation of its citizen so as to achieve collective purposes such as law and order ,protection of the rights of citizen and environment. Generally power to approach is perceived as common phenomena in Democratic government. Burmese military government is applying Power over approach to run the country. Military government in Myanmar is using power to exercise control over their people not for achieving collective purposes (requirement of citizen). In Myanmar only return of democratic leader in power can change deteriorating condition of its citizens.

   Without pressure and cooperation of ASEAN member and regional power China and India,  it doesn’t seems possible to bring changes in attitudes of military junta  and accelerating the country  towards democracy. ASEAN is  getting fail on the issue of security in this region. ASEAN appears unable to achieve its goal of conflict management. Right from the beginning ASEAN was a mechanism of confidence building and conflict management, a mechanism of regional security. ASEAN`s Security community strongly emphasizes on democracy, development, human rights and fundamental freedom. But they should take hard step(in lieu of verbal criticism) against Military government for human rights violation and violation of fundamental freedom of Burmese people.

Civil society is emerging as major might to remove or change undemocratic forces all over the world. . But in Myanmar when military junta took the power since then it clamped down and suppressed the  civil society . September protest by monks was one of the brutal way of suppressing civil society. Rarely any free media institution exist in Myanmar now and days. ASEAN member with the help of United Nations can cooperate in promotion of civil societies in the country.

 America has imposed sanction on Myanmar. Sanction can only boosting moral of Burmese people. In fact, economic sanction  is making weak to Burmese people to fight against authoritarian reign of military junta. They (Burmese) have to do struggle for a square meal,  in this situation how is it  possible for them fighting to restore democracy.

If we look into Chinese engagement with Myanmar, it seems that China is not much interested in restoration of democracy in Myanmar. The resolution brought by US in UNSC against military government of Myanmar was opposed by China and Russia. It (China) seems reluctant toward saving Burmese people `s fundamental right, and restoration of democracy. Actually China`s involvement with military government is only exploiting oil and gas of Myanmar and selling arms to military government.

 That is why one women of Myanmar stated “China is good friend of Burmese government, not its people. They are like brother and brother in law.”  It shows that China backing Myanmar only it’s economic benefiting.

 India is also regional power like china. So India, too, is important for change in Myanmar.

 India enjoyed good relation with Myanmar during 1948 to 1962 . But after taking over power of Myanmar by undemocratic military government in 1962 , relation with India became sour . This sort of relation, more and less , remained continue till  Rajiv Gandhi regime. But during Narshimaha Rao`s tenure India have to be soft towards Myanmar’s military government due to three important reason- first, containing china, second controlling insurgency in India’s nearth – east region  and third, India’s look east policy because Myanmar is center player of  ASEAN .

 But Pranab Mukherjee`s visit was not good indication for democratization of Myanmar and its people. It means to give morally support to military junta.

 India and China are major regional power of this region. If both power do work to gether, with the full support of ASEAN, Surely, at one point of time , Burmese people will  breath in democratic environment.