Myanmar’s military ruler arrives on India visit

Myanmar's military ruler General Than Shwe on Sunday began a five-day India visit with plans to pray at the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya in Bihar. The general landed at the Gaya aiport around 10.30 am. Shwe, 77, is scheduled to pray and then visit the Bodi tree under which Lord Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment.

He will reach New Delhi on Monday to meet the Indian leadership, including President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna.

Amid intense international scrutiny, Myanmar's chairman of ruling State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe, who has doggedly clung on to power and refused to shed his uniform all these years, is willing to make a rare exception during his visit to New Delhi.

Striking a positive note, as well as sparing Indian authorities a last-minute hiccup, the military strongman has agreed to visit Rajghat on Monday in civvies.
Earlier, authorities had officially requested Than Shwe, who has rarely been seen without uniform, to shed his military attire for the visit to Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi.

The visit has already elicited protests from human rights groups and Myanmarese nationals in India, who are opposing the government's decision to host the military junta ruler, known for his scant regard to democracy and dissent. Democracy icon Suu Kyi continues to be under detention and is barred from contesting elections being held for the first time since 1990. Several of the top military rulers, however, have done away with their uniforms, at the behest of Than Shwe, to take part in the electoral process, which has given rise to fears that the military will not let go of power that easily.

Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962. Thane Shew has been described by the "Foreign Policy" magazine as the world's third-worst dictator, who has been holding the reins of power for the past 18 years.

Indian Government sources, however, said his visit should be seen in the context of the fact that Myanmar is at least showing signs of ushering in a democratic process -- even though under the garb of the military rule -- and also India's own strategic interests in the region, considering the growing Chinese influence in the country. Myanmar also has huge oil and gas reserves, which are being eyed by many Asian countries.

Than Shwe rarely travels abroad and his visit is also being seen in the light of the recent differences between Myanmar and China over the issue of armed ethnic groups in the northern part of Myanmar. "China may have supported some of these groups to keep them under its control, and this has irked the military," said a government official.

India is hoping to expand engagement at all levels, but mainly economic, with Myanmar during talks with the Senior General. PM Manmohan Singh is expected to tell Than Shwe that any process of national reconciliation and political reform should include each one of the close to 20 ethnic groups in the country.

Apart from security and border issues, India is looking forward to cooperation in cross-border developmental projects, oil and gas, power, railways, telecommunications, education and training. During foreign secretary Nirupama Rao's visit to Myanmar this year, the two sides stressed the need for greater vigilance at the border, and also agreed to enhance security cooperation to combat insurgent groups and arms smuggling.

- Asian Tribune -