Myanmarese in India displeased with Delhi supplying arms to Burmese military

New Delhi, July 23 : Myanmarese residing in New Delhi staged a demonstration on Friday to express their displeasure over India's decision to supply arms to defence forces of Myanmar.

The protestors complained that the government has recently supplied trucks loaded with various arms and ammunition to Burmese military, which they said would be used against the ethnic minority communities.

"We came to know that the Indian government supplied more than 50 trucks of low mode arms and ammunition's through Moray border to Burma. So, I think this that is not right for the Indian government to supply arms to the notorious region in the Moray. The military government is right now is not true civilian and democratic government, except of the same military General who took off the military uniform and he put on civilian clothes to show the world that they (sic) are truly constitutional civilian government," said Thingthinaung, Board Member of Women's League of Burma.

Some of the protestors apprehended that arming the Myanmar regime could lead to grave consequences in their homeland.

"The situation in Burma is not very good. It is already 100 days now, after Thein Sein has taken over, like a military civilian type of government and then they said that they have installed. But so far we have not heard any good news from Burma and especially in the eastern border. Now many thousands and thousands of people start (have started) fleeing the country. They are now fleeing to their neighbouring countries and then nothing is working out. We are now expecting even a civil war between the military and ethnic groups there," said Alana Golmei, coordinator in Burma Centre, Delhi.

India has received nearly 7,000 Myanmarese after they fled from their homes, alleging that the military junta had tormented them.

India used to support Myanmar's pro-democracy movement before it initiated its 'Look East Policy' in the 1990s in an attempt to solve its insurgency problem in the states of Manipur and Nagaland that border Myanmar.

Recently, the policy has also been seen as an attempt to stem China's growing influence in Myanmar and secure more energy supplies.