Question : DEMOCRACY IN MYANMAR

(a) whether the Myanmarese leader Aang Sang Su Kyi has recently expressed her sadness over India’s attitude towards the pro- democracy movement in her country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and

(c) the policy of Government towards the present regime in Myanmar?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRIMATI PRENEET KAUR)

(a) to (c) The Chairperson of the National League for Democracy of Myanmar, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, visited India from November 13 to 17, 2012 to deliver the Nehru Memorial Lecture. In her public remarks, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was reported as having said that she was “saddened to feel that we had drawn away from India, or rather that India had drawn away from us, during our difficult days, but I always had faith in the lasting friendship between our two countries.” She also conveyed that she would like India to assist Myanmar on the “path of democracy”.

During her visit, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi called on the Vice President, Prime Minister, Speaker Lok Sabha and External Affairs Minister. Her visit enabled an exchange of views on matters of mutual interest, including India’s continuing support for the ongoing democratic transition in Myanmar. Daw Aung Suu Kyi was informed of India’s engagement with the multiparty polity in Myanmar, including through support for democratic institutions, capacity building efforts and facilitation of people to people contacts.

High level exchanges between India and Myanmar over the past year, including the State visits of the Prime Minister to Myanmar in May 2012 and that of the President of Myanmar to India in October 2011, have strengthened the close and friendly relations between the two countries. Several new initiatives have been agreed upon by the two sides in the fields of border area development, trade and investment, connectivity, security, health, agriculture, information technology, infrastructure development, border management, culture, capacity building and human resource development.

During his visit to Myanmar in May 2012, the Prime Minister had reiterated India`s readiness to extend all necessary assistance in developing the capacity of democratic institutions. In this context, the Prime Minister conveyed India’s readiness to provide training programmes for Myanmar Parliamentarians and staff, in which endeavour orientation courses have been organised by the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training in India for Myanmar Parliamentarians in July and October, 2012.