India’s response to Sri Lanka and Myanmar crises is a study in contrast. It shouldn’t be 

Source: The post is based on an article “India’s response to Sri Lanka and Myanmar crises is a study in contrast. It shouldn’t be” published in the Indian Express on 2^nd August 2022.

Syllabus: GS 2 International Relations; Bilateral Relations, etc.

Relevance: India-Myanmar Relations

News: On 1 August 2022, Myanmar is going to mark 18 months of the military coup in the country.

Status of Humanitarian Crisis in Myanmar

According to UN human rights monitors, over 2,000 people have been killed, and around 14,000 are in prison, including 90 lawmakers. Furthermore, over 7,00,000 are refugees, and half a million are internally displaced.

The contrast between the Indian response to the crisis in Sri Lanka and the dawning civil war in Myanmar could not be starker.

India’s response to Myanmar Crisis

Unlike India’s response to Sri Lanka, wherein it has extended $3.5 billion in credits and supplied essential fuel, India’s response to the Myanmar crisis is starkly different in various ways:

(1) The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has refused entry to Myanmar’s refugees.

(2) Further, the Union administration has also not supported the Mizoram government’s aid effort to refugees.

(3) It has been reported that India’s Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is supplying remote air defense and coastal surveillance equipment to the Junta regime.

Response of other countries 

Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN); It took mediation with the Junta. The Junta has agreed to a five-point consensus with the regional grouping. It includes an immediate end to violence and a resumption of negotiations between the ousted administration and the Tatmadaw.

The US, EU, Australia, and Canada have announced targeted sanctions on the junta, and the EU imposed an embargo on arms sales to the country.

The international community has not recognized the National Unity Government as the legitimate successor of Myanmar’s pre-coup elected administration. Also, none of the Asian countries has stepped up to support the National unity government and the People’s Defence Force (PDF).

Even when the National unity government and PDS find funds to buy arms, their access is blocked. For example, Bangladesh and Thailand do not allow arms to cross to the resistance.

The UN Security Council has called for an arms embargo. However, it is mostly acting against the unity government and the PDF.

Both Russia and China continue to provide arms to the junta. Now, both countries are the top arms exporters to the Tatmadaw post-coup.

What are the factors that demand India to work towards the restoration of democracy in Myanmar?

Although India-Myanmar shares land and sea borders. India has faced a troubled history of cross-border insurgencies. And successive Indian administrations have maintained relations with the junta in the hope that they would cooperate against cross–border Indian armed groups. But these insurgencies have mostly petered out in the recent past. Therefore, India can work towards the restoration of our neighbour’s democracy.

In Mizoram, the Mizo people are distressed with the junta’s attack on Myanmar’s elected administration. They wish that the Union government of India must show compassion towards Myanmar’s people and also extend active support to the National Unity Government that formed post-coup.

What should be done?

China and Russia should stop arming the Tatmadaw. It can help a return to some kind of limited power-sharing.

One way in which Myanmar can regain democracy is if the junta is defeated. The 2008 Constitution of Myanmar mandates that around 20% of legislative seats should be reserved for the military.

All Myanmar’s neighbours need to unite together to put sanctions on the Junta government, especially nations such as Japan, Australia, and India that are members of the Quad along with the US.