Afghanistan, Myanmar Crises Test India’s ‘Neighborhood First’ Policy

The Irrawaddy
JAYANTA KALITA
26 August 2021

Myanmar military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing (left) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet in New Delhi in 2019. / Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing’s website

Two of India’s key neighbors—Myanmar to the southeast and Afghanistan to the northwest—are in turmoil. The biggest South Asian power and the world’s largest democracy, India has over the years engaged with these two nations to varying degrees to aid in their democratic transitions.

But coincidentally, history is repeating itself and democracy is in disarray in both countries—the military has seized power in Myanmar by overthrowing a democratically elected government and the Taliban insurgents have taken over in Afghanistan.

India and Myanmar: A Chequered Relationship through History

MONEY LIFE

Saket Hishikar 

30 June 2021

Personal encounters, at times, have the power to draw one’s attention to events in far-flung lands. The news of a military coup in Myanmar in February this year reignited the memory of my personal encounters and an attempt to make sense of the event and its implications for India.

Anyone familiar with Mumbai suburbs knows about the magnificent Golden Pagoda at Gorai. The local tour guide at the centre informs visitors about the founder of the Vipassana Kendra and his promise to his guru in Myanmar to take back the technique of Vipassana to India as a mark of Myanmar’s gratitude towards India. But the Vipassana founder in his own style paid a tribute to Myanmar for preserving this Indian technique for over 2,000 year by constructing the golden pagodas in the traditional Myanmar interlocking style.

Adani Ports to abandon Myanmar project if US classifies it as 'sanctioned country'

Business Today

BusinessToday.In
June 23, 2021

Adani Ports, which is India's largest port operator, has been facing criticism from various international investors over its plan to construct a container terminal in Yangon, Myanmar, on land leased from a Myanmar military-owned conglomerate.

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited has said it'll abandon its project in Myanmar and write-down its investments in full if the country is classified as a sanctioned country by the US. Adani Ports' statement comes following reports that Norwegian pension fund KLP is divesting its stake in the company as its links with Myanmar military breaches the fund's responsible investment policy.

Why did India abstain from voting on the Myanmar resolution at the UN General Assembly?

Scroll.in

Angshuman Choudhury
Yesterday 

The resolution calls on the country’s military to end the state of emergency and to reopen the ‘democratically elected parliament’, among other things.

A demonstration against the military coup in Dooplaya district in Myanmar's Karen state. | Handout / KNU Dooplaya District / AFP

On June 18, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution on the “situation in Myanmar” with a vote of 119-1. Although not legally binding on member states, the document carries significant political heft.

56 shanties gutted in fire at Rohingya camp in southeast Delhi

Hindustan Times

By Sadia Akhtar and Karn Singh, Hindustan Times, 

New Delhi
UPDATED ON JUN 14, 2021

New Delhi Around 56 shanties housing Rohingya refugees in Madanpur Khadar were gutted in a fire late on Saturday night.

Rohingya refugees look for their belongings amid the charred remains of their camp following a fire incident that broke out earlier today in New Delhi.(AFP)

Around 56 shanties housing Rohingya refugees in Madanpur Khadar were gutted in a fire late on Saturday night. No casualties were reported in the incident.

“It has been revealed that around 56 jhuggis of Rohingyas having a total population of around 270 people were burnt to ashes in the fire. The cause of the fire is not known yet and appropriate legal action is being taken,” said DCP (southeast) RP Meena.

India: Fire rips through Rohingya camp, leaving hundreds homeless

Aljazeera
By Zafar Aafaq
13 Jun 2021

Hundreds of Rohingya rendered homeless after a massive fire razes Rohingya camp in the Madanpur Khadar area of Delhi.

Firefighters douse the flames as fire rips through a Rohingya camp, reducing it to ashes in New Delhi [Meer Faisal/Al Jazeera]

New Delhi, India – A massive fire has destroyed a Rohingya refugee camp in the Indian capital, New Delhi, leaving hundreds of people homeless.

The blaze broke out at about 11:30pm on Saturday and quickly spread through the camp, reducing 55 ramshackle shelters to ashes in the Madanpur Khadar area in the capital city’s south. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported in the fire – the second time the camp has been reduced to ashes since 2018.

Fire at Rohingya Refugee Camp in Delhi: 230 People Left Homeless

THE QUINT
Updated: 14 Jun 2021,

Rohingya refugee Ali Johar says that in the year 2018 also there was a fire in the refugee camp

Video Producer: Mayank Chawla
Video Editors: Kanishk Dangi, Mohd. Irshad Alam

A massive fire broke out at the Rohingya refugee camp in the Madanpur Khadar area near Delhi's Kalindi Kunj, in which around 55 shanties were gutted. The fire started around 11:30 pm on Sunday, 13 June.

Delhi: 56 shanties gutted in blaze at Rohingya refugee camp, 300 residents homeless

The Indian Express

Jignasa Sinha | New Delhi 
Updated: June 14, 2021 

In 2018, many of them lost their homes in a fire at a nearby camp in Madanpur Khadar. The families then moved to the new camp in the same area, which was destroyed on Saturday.

At the refugee camp in Kalindi Kunj, Sunday. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)

A massive fire broke out at a Rohingya refugee camp in Southeast Delhi’s Kalindi Kunj on Saturday night, destroying 56 shanties and leaving more than 300 people homeless. The fire broke out at 11.55 pm inside a house before it engulfed the entire camp.

7,000 Myanmar Refugees Seek Safety in India

PERSECUTION
06/10/2021

Myanmar (International Christian Concern)- Thousands have fled the violence in Myanmar, where a military junta has ruled since a coup on February 1. The months following have seen escalating bloodshed and worsening attacks on civilians as a growing pro-democracy protest movement sweeps the country. Since the military took over, it has resulted over 800 deaths due to the violence of the coup.

Much of the violence today centers around the pro-democracy movement, but Myanmar has been torn by political, ethnic, and religious conflicts for years, leading well over a million refugees to flee the country and causing the internal displacement of hundreds of thousands more. The Tatmadaw has long persecuted Rohingya Muslims and ethnic-minority Christians, including with bombings, torture, and attempts to forcefully convert minorities to Buddhism.

53 Rohingya test positive at Kathua jail facility

THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Arun Sharma
Jammu
May 27, 2021

Pointing out that they were found Covid-positive during a three-day special test drive at the centre, Kathua Chief Medical Officer Dr Ashok Choudhary said all of them are asymptomatic.

There are nearly 220 Rohingya, detained from Jammu following a verification drive, at the holding centre -- the J&K administration had set up the centres under the Foreigners Act in March.

Fifty-three Rohingya detained at a “holding centre” in a sub-jail in Kathua’s Hiranagar town have tested positive for Covid, officials said. They have been isolated from other inmates and health officials are keeping a watch on their condition.

Pointing out that they were found Covid-positive during a three-day special test drive at the centre, Kathua Chief Medical Officer Dr Ashok Choudhary said all of them are asymptomatic. “We have isolated them and provided them with corona kits…our doctors are visiting the holding centre daily and keeping a watch on their condition.”

Global Islamophobia: China, India, and Beyond

INTERNATIONAL POLICY DIGEST
Mohamed Elshekh
MAY 10, 202

State-sponsored persecution and unlawful vigilantism characterize the sociopolitical conditions of many Muslim minority communities. The French Senate’s latest proposal to ban the hijab in public settings and the ongoing exodus of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar spotlight only a few manifestations of Islamophobia in countries across the globe. The laws and rhetoric against Islam and Muslims have led to violent killings, mass migration, and even genocide. These are not merely isolated case studies of Islamophobia but global trends that need to be challenged. Governments have mobilized targeted efforts against the beliefs and practices of Muslims, effectively rejecting international standards which safeguard religious pluralism and the freedom to worship.

Why India is struggling to respond to Myanmar crisis

THE WEEK

By Mandira Nayar 

May 02, 2021

The nights have been endless in the Rohingya camp in Delhi since the Myanmarese military overthrew the country’s democratically-elected government on February 1. Watching the images of the violence on their tiny phone screens, the 360 residents in the camp testify that their decision to flee their home was justified. “The world never believed the Rohingyas,’’ said a young man who left Myanmar nine years ago. “Now, the truth is out for everyone to see.”

S Jaishankar, US Secretary Of State Discuss Security Issues In Afghanistan, Myanmar

NDTV

All IndiaPress 

Trust of India
April 20, 2021

Antony Blinken spoke with Mr Jaishankar to reaffirm the importance of the US-India relationship and cooperation on regional security issues, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to mutual support for restoration of democracy in Myanmar

Washington: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his American counterpart Tony Blinken on Monday discussed on phone bilateral and regional issues including Afghanistan, Myanmar, and climate change.

"Had a warm and productive conversation with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to reaffirm the importance of the US-India relationship. We discussed regional security issues of mutual concern in Afghanistan and Burma and global challenges such as climate change," Mr Blinken said in a tweet.

India’s Adani Faces Scrutiny for Port Deal in Myanmar

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Dieter Holger

April 19, 2021 

Adani Group says it halted transactions with a Myanmar military-linked company for a port project that it says doesn’t violate U.S. sanctions

An Adani Group building on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India.PHOTO: AMIT DAVE/REUTERS

A major index provider and some investors are distancing themselves from the marine-ports operator controlled by Indian conglomerate Adani Group over past business transactions with a company linked to the military regime in Myanmar.

Financial data firm S&P Global Inc. last week said it would remove Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd. from its Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, which consists of various different regional indexes holding companies that rank highly on environmental and social affairs. Adani Ports was among around 100 indexed companies in the emerging markets category.

Refoulement, Rohingya and a Refugee Policy for India

THE WIRE

Devika Nair and Sangram Chinnappa

17/APR/2021

India may continue to take cover under the fact that it is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention of the UN. But, at a time when it seeks to be a major global power, it cannot shy away from the humanitarian responsibility.

Representative image of Rohingya refugees. Photo: Reuters

On March 31, 2021, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued a statement calling all countries neighbouring Myanmar to offer refuge and protection to all those fleeing the country for their safety. This came in response to the escalation in violence towards protestors in Myanmar since the coup led by the Myanmar military overthrew the democratically elected government.

A Rohingya Girl Stuck Between Three Countries

THE I DIPLOMAT

By Rajeev Bhattacharya
April 15, 2021

The 14-year-old was about to be deported to Myanmar from India when authorities refused to admit her back. Meanwhile, she wants to be reunited with her parents in Bangladesh.

On April 1, Indian authorities were greeted with a surprise when their request to deport a Rohingya girl was turned down by Myanmar.

Immigration officials in Myanmar refused to accept the 14-year-old girl on the ground that the border gate between the two countries had been shut for the last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the situation in their country was not suitable for the proceedings to take place.

Will Supreme Court Apply Rohingya Case Logic to CAA?

THE LEAFLET

MIHIR DESAI
APRIL 11, 2021

The Supreme Court has refused to stay the deportation of Rohingyas from Jammu, as it ‘cannot comment’ on events taking place in another country. Will the court refuse to decide whether Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, and Parsis fleeing Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are persecuted minorities on the same ground? MIHIR DESAI writes in the context of the CAA, 2019.

What Is Keeping India on the Wrong Side of History With Myanmar?

THE WIRE
11 April 2021

India’s recent track record does not inspire confidence that democratic or humanitarian considerations will outweigh MEA’s perception of geo-strategic rationale and increasingly independent business interests.

Demonstrators are seen before a clash with security forces in Taze, Sagaing Region, Myanmar April 7, 2021, in this image obtained by Reuters. Photo obtained by Reuters

Why is India so defiantly indifferent to shaming to the point of attempting to deport a Rohingya girl child back to a Myanmar convulsed by violent turbulence?

And to compound that, the Supreme Court has legitimated Centre’s contentious directive of deporting the Rohingya refugees, holding inapplicable the legal principle of non-refoulement and turning its back on the genocide like situation in Myanmar.

What geo-economic and strategic compulsions are aligning democratic India on the wrong side of history with brutally repressive military dictators in Myanmar?

‘Supreme Court has signed our death warrant’: Rohingya in India

Aljazeera
Aakash Hassan
9 Apr 2021

Supreme Court refuses to stop deportation of about 170 Rohingya detained in the Indian-administered Kashmir region’s Jammu area last month.

India's Supreme Court also underlined government’s claim that Rohingya posed a 'threat to internal security of the country' [File: Altaf Qadri/AP]

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir – India’s Supreme Court has refused to stop the deportation to Myanmar of about 170 Rohingya refugees detained in the Indian-administered Kashmir region’s Jammu area, with the members of the beleaguered community calling it a “death warrant” issued by the court.

“Possibly that is the fear that if they go back to Myanmar, they will be slaughtered. But we cannot control all that,” the top court said on Thursday, stating that the fundamental right to settle in India is available only to its citizens.

Seeking Refuge in India a Crime? The Rohingya Crimmigration Story

the quint

KARAN TRIPATHI
Published: 08 Apr 2021, 

India’s crimmigration policy dehumanises Rohingyas as security threats, subjecting them to detention & deportation.

Sound sleep has become folklore for Minra Begum. For the past two months, she just can’t put her running thoughts to rest, and rest her head without fear. She doesn’t want to lose sight of her three children, two girls and one boy, as they sleep quietly lying next to her. A moment of slumber, just a blink, she believes, might separate her from her children forever.

Minra Begum is haunted by the fate of her aunt Husseina, an 85-year old partially blind woman, who was picked up by the police on 21 January 2021. As Husseina was escorted to a police van by three officers, all men, the plea of her 26-year-old son fell on deaf ears. Minra was aware of her aunt’s destination; after all, that’s where they took her father 11 years ago. But, she still asked, with a quivering voice, “why are you taking her, she’s so old, she has a family... where are you taking her.”