Than Shwe’s India Visit Slammed

Exiles from Burma on Friday criticized a visit to India next week by the head of Burma’s military government, saying it sends a wrong signal shortly after the generals replaced a more moderate prime minister with a hardline officer.

Than Shwe

Sr-Gen Than Shwe starts a six-day visit on Sunday—the first to India by a Burmese leader in 24 years.

Relations between the military dictatorship and the world’s largest democracy have warmed over the past four years, reversing the strains of 1988, when Burma’s military rulers violently crushed a pro-democracy uprising.

“The visit will send a wrong signal to people of Burma and the international community, which supports democratic forces in Burma,” said Soe Myint, editor of the New Delhi-based Mizzima Internet news site, which publishes news about Burma.

Thi Law, a spokesman for the Students’ Youth Congress of Burma, said his group and other exile organizations would hold a rally in central New Delhi on Saturday to demonstrate support for pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner has been in detention since an attack on her and her followers by a pro-government mob last year.

The Indian government said late Thursday it expects to sign agreements with Burma on cooperation in security, a hydroelectric project and cultural exchanges. 

The visit will send a wrong signal to people of Burma and the international community, which supports democratic forces in Burma. 1  |  2  next page » COMMENTS (0)   Please read our policy before you post comments. Click here Name: E-mail:   (Your e-mail will not be published.) Comment: You have characters left. Word Verification: Type the characters you see in the picture.   more articles in this section 'My Wife Died From Police Abuse,' Says Husband US Says Observer Conditions Don't Meet Int'l Standards 159 Observers to Monitor Burma Election Govt to Address Breaches of SSA-South Ceasefire: Aung Min Burma Investors Pin Hopes on Seminal Sunday Malaysia PM Leads 50-Strong Delegation to Burma US Congress to Assess Burma's Political Prisoner Issue Rangoon Woman in Police Station Death Plunge Burmese Legal System Remains Tool of Govt: AHRC Burmese Army Chief Defends Political Role Code of Ethic Privacy Copyright RSS Facebook Twitter Contact Us About Us Work for Us Irrawaddy Store Photo Store Donation Copyright (c) 2008 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.