India offers to stand by Myanmar ‘at every step’

[Vikrant]

I am happy to see India standing by its fellow Buddhist country.

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NEW DELHI: Signalling the importance of ties with Myanmar, PM Narendra Modi said on Monday India will stand by Myanmar "every step of the way" as a partner and that the two countries recognise that their security interests are closely aligned.

The first high-level contact after Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) took over saw Modi assuring Myanmar President Htin Kyaw that India will remain a reliable partner in pursuing security and development goals.

The two countries reiterated their commitment not to allow insurgent groups to use their soil for hostile activities, an agreement seen in the light of operations against insurgent groups who have in the past set up safe havens on Myanmarese territory and have hit targets in the northeast.

In an important reference, Modi said, "I have also conveyed India's full support to the peace process initiative under the '21st century Panglong conference'." This is an initiative by Suu Kyi to bring three armed rebel groups to the negotiating table with China's help.

...

To counter China’s clout, India offers to stand by Myanmar ‘at every step’ - Times of India

 

[waltky]

Myanmar dumps gov't. emergency law...

Myanmar scraps stringent emergency law
Wed, 05 Oct 2016 - Myanmar abolishes a stringent law which had been used by the former military leaders to silence its opponents.

The Emergency Provisions Act was introduced in 1950 after independence from Britain. It allowed the authorities to detain people without charge and prescribed jail or execution for a wide range of offences considered treason. It allowed punishments of up to seven years for crimes like disrupting public morality or spreading false news.

MPs on the steps of Myanmar parliament​

The National League for Democracy (NLD), which swept to power in Myanmar earlier this year ending decades of military rule, had been trying to get rid of the law. "This law was used by the socialist dictatorship to arrest anyone who went against them," said Tun Tun Hein, chairman of the parliament's bill committee. "Now we have abolished it because we have a people's government," he told Reuters.

But the move faced opposition from from some of the military, which still holds a mandatory 25% of seats in parliament and who argued the law was still necessary for national security.

Myanmar scraps stringent emergency law - BBC News

 

[Coyote]

Wonder if India will pressure Myanmar to stop abusing the Rohinga.

 

[Vikrant]

^ India is not a superpower and therefore not in a position to put pressure on anyone. If India could put pressure on anyone, it would put pressure on countries like Canada that support Khalistani terrorists.