Undemocratic Neighbours

The former prime minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had once said

We can choose our friends, but not our neighbors

Look at the current state of the four big neighbors of India where the rights of the people are suppressed by their own governments.

Pakistan - is under military rule

Bangladesh - is under military rule

China - is under communist dictatorship

Burma (Myanmar) - is under military dictatorship

and in the midst of these countries is our vibrant democratic India!

Pakistan for the most of its post-independence period has been under military rule, and so has been Bangladesh with more than two decades of military rule..

Now look at the similarity between the communist and military dictators of Burma and China.

In China, the fight for democracy was fueled by the students as early as 1989, and the communist government called in military tanks to fire on its own students. Who can forget this infamous Tianenmen Square incident? The memories of this barbaric act in which according to the red cross atleast 5000 people were killed, stays as long as the communist regime is in power in China.

In Myanmar, the military junta started their oppression long before the Chinese did. In 1962 the military fired on and killed over 200 students at the Rangoon university! Why? Because they were peacefully protesting against the military rule and its oppression. Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader in Myanmar has spent most of her lifetime under house arrest. Today, the pro-democratic movement in Myanmar is rejuvenated by the Buddhist monks, on whom the military junta is conducting violent crackdowns.

Note that there are no opposition political parties in either China or in Burma. Any opposition invites death in these countries.

The question is how long can India be a mute spectator?
When our ancient vedic culture says that Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu, May all the humans live happily… isnt it our duty to ensure that our neighbors have the freedom which is a basic requirement to live happily..

Pakistan and Bangladesh returning to democracy is just a matter of time.. they will hopefully soon..
But, what about China and Myanmar?

Better to die than not to be free. A lone protester in China at Tiananman, a day after the crackdown on students by the communist military

Crackdown in Myanmar on pro-democracy activists

Crackdown on Buddhist monks in Myanmar