[Assam] Fwd: Re: Los Angeles Times on Northeast India
Manoj Das
dasmk2k at gmail.com
Tue Jun 3 09:26:24 PDT 2008
Hi C-da
I really don't understand this diplomacy much! But what I understand is
that, at large, a nation has to behave like a good conscientious citizen in
the comity. It has to be strong yet compassionate, shrewd yet considerate,
should know how to use "*xam dam dondo bhed*" to achieve its goals of
national interest.
I don't know why govt. of India could not win over B'desh to get the transit
rights. Every time a new government takes charge, we enthusiastically talk
of a favorable climate; every time the same story repeats. We are also
reluctant to take any mediator who could show reasons and objectivity to
B'desh.
-mkd
On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 6:54 PM, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
> > >International diplomacy requires more than just dialog. India is not a
> good
> >brother in its neighborhood; disliked by everyone..we may blame
> conveniently
> on foreign hand..:)
>
>
> *** Exactly! And thus B'desh "FRUSTRATING" India's attempts at
> opening up navigation is not an accurate portrayal of the situation,
> is it? It is an attempt to portray B'desh as the bad-guys here. That
> is why I asked the question I did.
>
> That however is NOT to be construed as my holding up B'desh as the
> GOOD guys, as some will surely do. The point is, as you say,
> "---International diplomacy requires more than just dialog". There
> have to be gives and takes.
>
> Question is what has India DONE in that front? Has "democratic" India
> EVER shared with its people, what it has offered B'desh, for what ;
> or what B'desh demanded for what, so that a public dialog can ensue,
> or so the public can gauge its rulers' SINCERITY in these
> 'negotiations'?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> At 9:47 AM +0530 6/3/08, Manoj Das wrote:
> >C-da
> >
> >Well, Govt. of India has been holding talks with Bangladeshi counterparts
> >through direct channel.. Bangladesh could never forgive India for the
> >Farakka barrage.
> >
> >International diplomacy requires more than just dialog. India is not a
> good
> >brother in its neighborhood; disliked by everyone..we may blame
> conveniently
> >on foreign hand..:)
> >
> >mkd
> >
> >On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 6:40 PM, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
> wrote:
> >
> >> M:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> > > Number one is Bangladesh, which is
> >> >constantly frustrating India's efforts to get transit through the male
> >> river
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> *** What do we know about what INDIA has been doing to get B'deshi
> >> co-operation to get river access to Assam and the region ?
> >>
> >> Has Indian govt. told us what it has been doing all these decades,
> >> and how B' or why B'desh has been FRUSTRATING it?
> >>
> >>
> >> As you can imagine, these efforts always involve give and take. Just
> >> demands and/or intimidation does not bring results. Have Indian
> >> officialdom ever brought the people into confidence and shared their
> >> negotiating stances and the B'deshi responses ?
> >>
> >> I am sure the people of Assam would want to know that. Wouldn't you?
> >>
> >> c-da
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> At 9:41 AM +0530 6/2/08, Manoj Das wrote:
> >> >I was thinking this all along!
> >> >
> >> >When I shared this news with a Japanese thinker from ADB, he was
> stunned..
> >> >There are many players in this. Number one is Bangladesh, which is
> >> >constantly frustrating India's efforts to get transit through the male
> >> >river. Secondly a grand politics of undermining Assam's destined
> position
> >> as
> >> >the land bridge between giant Asian land and economic masses.
> >> >
> >> >mkd
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 9:33 AM, Dilip&Dil Deka <dilipdeka at yahoo.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Forwarding.
> >> >>
> >> >> Dilip&Dil Deka <dilipdeka at yahoo.com> wrote: Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008
> >> >> 20:58:13 -0700 (PDT)
> >> >> From: Dilip&Dil Deka <dilipdeka at yahoo.com>
> >> >> Subject: Re: [Assam] Los Angeles Times on Northeast India
> >> >> To: baruah at bard.edu, cmahanta at charter.net
> >> >>
> >> >> Dear Sanjib,
> >> >> You said, "But are they producing or is it only assembling
> products.
> >> I
> >> >> don't know the answer. "
> >> >> Even Assembling products is better than not doing anything. Mexico
> is
> >> >> making a lot of money assembling products for USA. Assembling
> products
> >> >> eventually leads to local production if the local entrepreneurs
> mean to
> >> take
> >> >> part in the process.
> >> >> Car battery industry is a good example. As I understand, back in
> >> seventies
> >> >> batteries were assembled in Assam. I heard that most of the parts
> are
> >> now
> >> >> made in Assam. Is it true?
> >> >> Dilipda
> >> >>
> >> >> baruah at bard.edu wrote:
> >> >> Dear Dilipda and Mahanta,
> >> >>
> >> >> Good hearing from you. I am skeptical, as Mahanta has noted. But
> not
> >> >> because a lot new is not taking place -- but because things that
> are
> >> >> crucial for a breakthrough are not happenning. There is a much more
> > > >> affluent India, and many in Delhi are genuinely committed to doing
> >> >> more. So if earlier we talked about 100 crores, now the language is
> of
> >> >> 1000 crores. But is money enough? Domestic policy and foreign
> policy
> > > >> cannot be separated when it comes to Northeast India. Our
> relations
> >> >> with China may be improving in many ways, but not when it comes to
> >> >> Arunchal Pradesh. Only last summer China has begun referring to AP
> as
> >> >> China's Southern Tibet. So long as the Burmese military regime is
> >> >> there, huge amount of foreign funds are not going to move in to
> build
> >> >> infrastructure in Burma. Indian money or Chinese money can do a
> little
> >> >> bit of this and that, but not the funds that could be mobilized for
> >> >> Northeast india to benefit from India's Look East policy. No matter
> >> >> how much we shout about Bangladesh's animosity, the burden of
> normal
> >> >> relations is on the bigger neighbour as in all such cases of a
> country
> >> >> that is far more resourceful than the aggreived smaller neighbor.
> We
> >> >> may be landocked by India, said a Bangladeshi foreign minister, but
> >> >> Northeast india is landlocked by us. So the military man's vision
> of
> >> >> the Look East policy -- linking up with the Burmese or the
> Bangaldeshi
> >> >> army to get support for their anti-insurgency operations--is a very
> >> >> poor substitute to the huge leap of resources -- material as well
> as
> >> >> intellectual -- that is needed for the task. At the same time I am
> >> >> willing to say that we do not know the implications of some of the
> >> >> huge amount of money that is being spent. There are about 15 daily
> >> >> flights from Delhi to Guwahati -- more than any other comparable
> city.
> >> > > There is much more energetic road-building (and the massive
> >> >> disappearance of trees and of the familiar surroundings around the
> >> >> trunk road) etc etc. I know the planes carry many businessmen
> taking
> >> >> advantage of the tax benefits of investing in the region. But are
> they
> >> >> producing or is it only assembling products. I don't know the
> answer.
> >> >> But we surely need a new language to talk about the region --
> >> >> certainty "neglect" is not what is happenning any more.
> >> >>
> >> >> Hope all is well.
> >> >>
> >> >> With warm regards,
> >> >>
> >> >> Sanjib
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Quoting Chan Mahanta :
> >> >>
> >> >> > Thanks for sharing the article Baruah.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > But I share your skepticism. We have heard these for decades on
> end
> >> >> > now. The politicians attempt to take credit for imaginary
> >> >> > achievements and establishment spokespersons paint rosy
> scenarios, in
> >> >> > the air. But what has the reality been?
> >> >> >
> >> >> > m
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> > At 8:33 PM -0400 5/30/08, baruah at bard.edu wrote:
> >> >> >>
> >>
> http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-india29-2008may29,0,6712115.story
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> From the Los Angeles Times
> >> >> >> Northeast India is poised to tap economic potential
> >> >> >> The eight-state area plans multiple projects to increase its
> trade
> >> >> >> with Southeast Asia.
> >> >> >> By Shankhadeep Choudhury
> >> >> >> Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> May 29, 2008
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> NEW DELHI - India's remote northeast region has been both
> blessed
> >> and
> >> >> >> cursed by its geography. The region is rich in natural resources
> but
> >> >> >> is landlocked and surrounded by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and
> >> Bhutan,
> >> >> >> leaving it impoverished.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> The eight-state region may finally get a chance to start living
> up
> >> to
> >> >> >> its economic potential with several projects to enhance
> connections
> >> >> >> with Southeast Asia and to increase outlets for such commodities
> as
> >> >> >> organic foods, orchids, tea, coal and oil.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Now, the only way to move major quantities of goods between
> >> northeast
> >> >> >> India and Southeast Asia is through Bangladesh.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> But authorities in Myanmar and India are nearing final approval
> of a
> >> >> >> $100-million river project giving northeast India direct access
> to
> > > the
> >> >> >> Indian Ocean through Myanmar, said Abhijit Barooah, chairman of
> the
> >> >> >> northeastern chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry,
> >> India's
> >> >> >> premier business association.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> The project envisages facilitating movement of cargo from
> India's
> > > >> >> Mizoram state to Myanmar's port at Sittwe, via the Kaladan
> River.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> In addition, talks have begun between companies in northeast
> India
> >> and
> >> >> >> Thailand after a trade-promotion conference in Bangkok in
> October,
> >> >> >> said Lemli Loyi, assistant general manager at the state-run
> North
> >> >> >> Eastern Development Finance Corp. Loyi expressed hope that the
> talks
> >> >> >> would result in increased business and possible joint ventures.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> India first enunciated a "look east" policy, an economic and
> >> strategic
> >> >> >> orientation toward Southeast Asia, in 1992. It had its genesis
> at
> >> the
> >> >> >> end of the Cold War, after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
> Having
> >> >> >> lost the Soviet economic and political support on which it had
> >> relied,
> >> >> >> the Indian government embarked on a program of free-market
> >> >> >> restructuring at home and sought new markets and economic
> partners
> >> >> >> abroad.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Officials envisaged that the eight northeast states -- Assam,
> >> >> >> Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura
> and
> >> >> >> Mizoram -- would emerge as a trading hub for two dynamic regions
> >> >> >> connected by a network of highways, railways, pipelines and
> >> >> >> transmission lines. The region is home to about 40 million
> people.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> But progress has been slow. The region's isolation dates to the
> >> 1800s.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> "Nineteenth-century British colonial decisions to draw lines
> between
> >> >> >> the hills and the plains, to put barriers on trade between
> Bhutan
> >> and
> >> >> >> Assam, and to treat Burma as a buffer against French Indochina
> and
> >> >> >> China severed the region from its traditional trade routes --
> the
> >> >> >> southern trails of the Silk Road," said Sanjib Baruah, a
> professor
> >> of
> >> >> >> political science at Bard College in New York and an expert on
> >> > > >> northeast India.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> The British built railways and roads mostly to take tea, coal,
> oil
> >> and
> >> >> >> other resources out of Assam and into the rest of India and also
> to
> >> >> >> Europe.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> The problems increased with the partitioning of India and
> Pakistan
> >> in
> >> >> >> 1947. Bangladesh broke away from Pakistan in the 1970s.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Barooah said trade would be boosted by an expected move by the
> >> Indian
> >> >> >> and Myanmar governments to expand the list of mostly
> agricultural
> >> >> >> commodities allowed to be traded by land between northeast India
> and
> >> >> >> Myanmar, from 27 to 42 items.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> "The northeast is the closest land mass connecting the dynamic
> >> >> >> economies of south and Southeast Asia," said Pradyut Bordoloi,
> >> Assam's
> >> >> >> minister for power and industries. "Besides deep-rooted cultural
> >> >> >> linkages, we can reap multidimensional benefits in this era of
> >> >> >> regional economic cooperation."
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Bordoloi is closely associated with a campaign to reopen the
> World
> >> War
> >> >> >> II-era Stillwell Road, connecting Assam's town of Ledo to
> southwest
> >> >> >> China.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> "If reopened, this would be the shortest surface route to Yunnan
> >> >> >> province of China and other Southeast Asian countries hooking
> onto
> >> the
> >> >> >> trans-Asian highways," he said.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> The road served as the supply line into China during Japan's
> wartime
> >> >> >> occupation, but it was shut after India's independence from
> Britain
> >> in
> >> >> >> 1947.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Bordoloi said his campaign to reopen the road, initiated after
> he
> >> >> >> became a state legislator in 1998, scored a victory when India
> >> >> >> upgraded the road to a full-fledged national highway, developing
> it
> >> up
> >> >> >> to the Indo-Myanmar border.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Officials say infrastructure development, power, bamboo-based
> > > >> >> industries, orchids and organic foods are prospective areas of
> >> >> >> cooperation with Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> But significant hurdles remain, including concerns that booming
> >> trade
> >> >> >> relations may fuel rises in insurgency, narco-terrorism and
> AIDS,
> > > all
> >> >> >> of which plague the northeast. Security in the region is tight,
> with
> >> >> >> the army out in force to combat armed groups battling for
> greater
> >> >> >> autonomy or independence from India.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> "The official restrictions that prevail in northeast India -- in
> >> terms
> >> >> >> of travel, land and labor markets -- are hardly conducive to
> >> intensive
> >> >> >> cross-border economic relations," said Baruah, the political
> science
> >> >> >> professor.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> "Both the reality of insurgencies in the region and the security
> >> >> >> anxiety of the government of India . . . are major obstacles to
> >> >> >> dynamic cross-border economic ties," he added, calling current
> >> efforts
> >> >> >> hardly more than "a bare beginning."
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Also, Baruah said, it was difficult to imagine a big increase in
> >> trade
> >> >> >> given the political situation in military-led Myanmar.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> India's relations with China, a country it has long regarded
> with
> >> >> >> distrust since a 1962 border war, would also have to become much
> >> more
> >> >> >> relaxed, Baruah said.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >> >> assam mailing list
> >> >> >> assam at assamnet.org
> >> >> >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> >> > assam mailing list
> >> >> > assam at assamnet.org
> >> >> > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >> assam mailing list
> >> >> assam at assamnet.org
> >> >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >--
> >> >Manoj Kumar Das
> >> >C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave
> >> >New Delhi 17 India
> >> >0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654
> >> >_______________________________________________
> >> >assam mailing list
> >> >assam at assamnet.org
> >> >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> assam mailing list
> >> assam at assamnet.org
> >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Manoj Kumar Das
> >C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave
> >New Delhi 17 India
> >0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654
> >_______________________________________________
> >assam mailing list
> >assam at assamnet.org
> >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
--
Manoj Kumar Das
C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave
New Delhi 17 India
0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654
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