Amartya: Speak up for Burma
Noble laureate Amartya Sen has expressed displeasure over India’s silence on the issue of restoring democracy in Burma and supported US President Barack Obama’s criticism of New Delhi not speaking for Aung San Suu Kyi and democratic forces there.
“India should speak up. It is for India to take action. The US has woken up. I would like it (New Delhi) to take more action. I would like to have speech and action from both (countries).”
Dr Sen was also critical of the reports that India is maintaining silence in return for support to the military junta there, to curb Bodo and Mizo rebels in the Northeast.
Asked if India’s stand was understandable or a Faustian bargain, he said, “It is not understandable. It is a terrible bargain”.
The Nobel laureate was talking during a TV programme.
Dr Sen was reminded of his remarks that his heart “broke” to see the Prime Minister of his “democratic country” welcome the “butchers from Myanmar”.
Asked if he raised this issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the renowned economist said, “I told him. He listened to it. He didn’t reply. I wasn’t saying change the policy right now. It would be something I hope he would consider. He would think about and place it before the government.”
The 77-year-old Nobel Prize winner also expressed confidence that the dictators in Burma would eventually “disappear”. But the silence of India and other countries like Thailand and China would “continue to linger for long”, he remarked.
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