Protestors demand India to shun non-intervention policy towards Myanmar

Dozens of demonstrators thronged the streets of New Delhi today shouting slogans against Myanmars military junta even as United Nations special envoy to Yangon, Ibrahim Gambari, met top leaders of India to discussion the situation there.

New Delhi, Oct 23 : Dozens of demonstrators thronged the streets of New Delhi today shouting slogans against Myanmar's military junta even as United Nations' special envoy to Yangon, Ibrahim Gambari, met top leaders of India to discussion the situation there.

Pro-democracy activists, a mix of Indian people and Myanmarese refugees staged demonstrations against the 'brutal repression' carried out by military junta there.

They also called for India's intervention into the internal affairs of Myanmar, and said that they did not appreciate the 'non-interference' stand taken by New Delhi.

"There has been military rule in their country for 45 years now. Whenever they have raised their voices for human rights and women's rights, they have been fired upon or killed or just mistreated. In 1988, the entire population of the country came out onto the streets in protest and the old military regime was replaced by a new one," said T.D. Singh, a demonstrator.

The protestors also demanded immediate release of Nobel laureate Aung Suu Kyi of the National League for Democracy.

Gambari, who today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is here to ask New Delhi to take a tough stand against the military junta in Myanmar.

After India, Gambari will visit China on a regional tour meant to drum up support for a united front against Myanmar's generals in Asia, fearing that the situation may go out of control in that country.

On October 19, US President George W. Bush urged both China and India to step up pressure on their neighbour. He also expanded American sanctions against Myanmar's rulers.

Last week, Singh was quoted as saying that India needed to "cooperate" with Myanmar.

Singh said insurgent groups from north-eastern India could take advantage of any estrangement between the neighbours.

ANI