India condemns Myanmar violence
India condemned the ongoing violence in Myanmar that has caused hundreds of deaths over the past months ever since the military coup toppled the elected government in February. India urged all parties to exercise ‘restraint’.
Myanmar has seen bloodshed and upheaval ever since a military coup deposed the democratically elected government on February 1, thereby reversing the country’s hard-fought democratic transition. According to a local monitoring group called the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, more than 600 civilians have so far been killed in the military crackdown.
Speaking at the Arria Formula UNSC meeting on Myanmar in New York, Deputy Permanent Representative of India at the United Nations (UN) Nagaraj Naidu said, “India condemns the use of violence in Myanmar and deeply condoles the loss of lives. It is essential to observe maximum restraint. It is equally important to uphold humanitarian principles.”
Nagaraj Naidu emphasised the importance of democracy and ‘rule of law’. He stated, “The first and most immediate step in this regard is the release of detained leaders. India will continue to engage on measures to accelerate and support the democratic transition in Myanmar under which the hopes and aspirations of the people of Myanmar are fully respected and met.”
India’s stakes in Myanmar
As a border state, India’s stakes in ensuring a peaceful resolution of the situation in Myanmar are very high.
“We are cognizant of the serious impact of political instability in the country and the potential of its spillover beyond Myanmar’s borders,” Naidu said.
Seeking a UN intervention to avert further deepening of the crisis, the Indian envoy said, “We welcome the efforts of ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] in finding a solution to the issue. We also firmly believe that the UN should play its role and not be found wanting during this crucial phase. The Security Council has repeatedly expressed its hope that the secretary general’s special envoy would visit Myanmar as soon as possible.”
Rohingya crisis
Nagaraj Naidu also stated that the effort to repatriate Rohingya refugees currently in Bangladesh to Rakhine State in Myanmar needs to be expedited. “We cannot afford to have a slowdown of this process and call on both sides to engage actively,” he said.
When the Rohingya people fled Myanmar fearing for their lives in 2017, India refused entry to them while Bangladesh took them in. India does, however, provide assistance in Rakhine State to ensure the community can return home.
“We commend Bangladesh for hosting a million displaced persons in its territory. It is important for the international community to recognize and understand the humanitarian burden that Bangladesh continues to face and the efforts it has undertaken to ensure the well-being of the displaced persons,” the Indian diplomat said.
Naidu continued, “India has extended on-the-ground support for the displaced persons in the camps in Bangladesh. The international community must further support, financially and otherwise, efforts of the Government of Bangladesh and also assist in ensuring that issues relating to radicalization in the camps and other security challenges are addressed in an expeditious manner.”
India continues to provide developmental and humanitarian assistance in Myanmar by extending support under the Rakhine State Development Programme which endeavours to create infrastructure for the Rohingya community. Over 140 projects have also been implemented by India under the Border Area Development Project in several remote areas of Myanmar.
Source: India Today
