Indian envoy speaks on security in Myanmar, seeks end to violence

INDIAN foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has raised matters related to the country’s security with the State Administration Council of the eastern neighbour of Myanmar in a first high-level outreach to the ruling military junta there.

The envoy, who is on a two-day working visit to Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar, emphasised New Delhi’s interest in seeing the neighbour’s early return to democracy and the release of detainees and complete cessation of violence.

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Shringla’s visit is the first high-level outreach from India after Myanmar military deposed the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup in February this year.

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According to India’s ministry of external affairs, the foreign secretary called on the chairman of the SAC, a powerful body headed by general Min Aung Hlaing who seized power in the coup, and other senior representatives and held meetings with members of the civil society and political parties, including the National League for Democracy, the party of Suu Kyi.

During the talks, the Indian envoy emphasised on India’s interest in seeing Myanmar’s early return to democracy; release of detainees and prisoners; resolution of issues through dialogue; and complete cessation of all violence, it said in a statement.

He also reaffirmed India’s strong and consistent support to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) initiative and expressed hope that progress would be made in a pragmatic and constructive manner, based on a five-point consensus, the ministry said.

Myanmar is a member of the ASEAN.

Shringla’s visit also saw matters related to India’s security being raised, particularly in light of the recent incident in Churachandpur district of Manipur which borders Myanmar, the ministry added.

In November, colonel Viplav Tripathi, the commanding officer of the 46 Assam Rifles, was killed along with his wife, eight-year-old son and four Assam Rifles personnel in an ambush in the same district marking a fresh eruption of militant violence in the border state.

The Indian foreign ministry said that Shringla stressed on the need to end violence and maintain peace and stability in the border areas.