IMPHAL, April 28: “If West Bengal is taken into confidence on India’s Bangladesh policy, if Tamil Nadu is taken into confidence on India’s Sri Lanka policy, Manipur and other states bordering with Myanmar must be taken into confidence when India pursues its Look East policy otherwise “Look East” will make no sense”, said well-known journalist and editor of the Seven Sisters Post Subir Bhaumik during an informal interaction with select media persons of the state at the Manipur Press Club here.
The editor was interacting with the select group of media persons after delivering a paper “Burma`s by-election : whither reconciliation” at the National Seminar on India-Myanmar-China Relations, organized by Centre for Myanmar Studies (CMYS), Manipur University, Imphal, earlier in the day.
The interaction was also attended by Dr Tint Swe elected Member of Parliament from Pale constituency, Myanmar.
Further deliberating on the Indo-Myanmar relations, he said Manipur specially and other bordering states like Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh must be important stakeholders in the way Indian foreign policy shape up vis-à-vis Myanmar particularly at a critical time when Burma is making a slow but uncertain transition course for democracy.
“We really don’t know how far this process will be smoothed or where something else can happen, we have to wait and watch. The symptoms are good but in this whole process how India “look east” foreign policy plays out, Manipur and the rest of the North eastern states bordering Burma must be made stakeholders” said the editor.
He further expressed his desire to have media exchange between Manipur and Myanmar as well as civil society exchange between the Manipur and Myanmar.
“We must have more exchange with trading bodies between Manipur and Myanmar” he continued.
Further speaking on the issue of Myanmarese refugees in India, he said India is not a signatory to the 1951 refugee convention but has set up all kinds of refugee camps.
“Why then single out our friends from Burma, they should be allowed to stay here until they feel comfortable to return to their own country. But for heaven shake no push back, no harassment. Everybody wants to go home so the will go by their own when things settle’s down” he added.
Dr Tint Swe said the Look east policy was between the Indian government and the military regime of Myanmar, but now the military regime is not in total control and as things are changing in Myanmar the look east policy should have to be amended or updated to be made practical with the changing times.
He further expressed that relations between Manipur and Myanmar in the fields of health, educational and trade has a very high potential.