INDIA AND ROHINGYAS: Security or Altruism? By Anurag Sharma

India historically has been a supporter of Myanmar and didn’t even shy from dealing with Myanmar’s dictatotrial Military Junta government despite US objections.It is because India can’t let it’s eastern neighbour slip into Chinese hands which is looking for influence there.

​Though it’s quite heartening to see that the same award wapsi brigade which once declared India intolerant for minorities is asking to give Rohingyas refuge in this country exhorting and venerating it’s pluralistic and secularist ethos.

With out delving too much into political rhetoric I want to focus on geopolitical and security aspect of this.India gave refuge to Tamils of Sri Lanka and refrained from condemnation of Tamil terrorism in Sri Lanka for a long time. Even when it recognised LTTE a terrorist organisation it kept ostracizing Sri Lanka on human rights violations.It even voted against Sri Lanka in UNHRC on implemantation of 13th amendment of Sri Lankan constitution.

India Vs China in Sri Lanka

On the other hand China and Pakistan continued to support Sri Lanka military and morally.Result was Pakistani subs and ships docked in Sri Lanka in 1965 and 1971 wars and in recent times growing influence of China on Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka’s has become a victim of loan warfare of Chinese and it’s HAMBANTOTA port has become a diamond in China’s string of pearls. Though Sri Lanka’s has recently announced its not for Chinese military allaying the growing resentment of locals but it continues to give severe headache to Luteyns Hawks designing India’s Defense and foreign policy. Feel how throttling it is to have your enemy around every corner of your house and in this case at your doorsteps.

India Vs China in Myanmar

Same goes with Myanmar , India historically has been a supporter of Myanmar and didn’t even shy from dealing with Myanmar’s dictatotrial Military Junta government despite US objections.It is because India can’t let it’s eastern neighbour slip into Chinese hands which is looking for influence there.Earlier this year China has sought over 80% stake in a port in Rakhine province in  Myanmar .Now those who know a iota of foreign policy matters won’t deny that it’s all about give and take.India has high stakes in Mynamar and its stability is crucial for India because it has invested a lot in sittwe Island and infrastructure including highways and hyder power plants.It’s crucial for India’s Act East policy and is India’s natural gateway to southeast Asia.

Now Mynamar in wake of this Rohingya crisis has now sought China’s help in blocking the UNHRC sanctions against it.China being a permanent memeber of security council can come quite handy to Myanmar given its history of playing down India’s interests.Also India’s rebuttal of Myanmar in its fight against terrorism at this crucial stage of the crisis may not go down well with Myammar govt. and it will only result in sabotaging India’s relentless efforts to counter Chinese influence in IOR region.

The origin of conflict goes back to 1943-44 when British armed the Rohingyas to wage a guerrilla war against the occupying Japanese

The origin of conflict goes back to 1943-44 when British armed the Rohingyas to wage a guerrilla war against the occupying Japanese.The Rohingya leadership howerver turned on local Buddhists and triggered a civil war .In 1947-1948 the Rohingya leadership sought the merger of Rakhine with the erstwhile East Pakistan , an I’ll considered move that opened the community to the charges of disloyalty and separatism.Since 1980’s Rohingyas separatism has steadily acquired an Islamic dimensions.

“According to an international crisis group report of 2016 , Harakah-al-Yaqin(HaY) is controlled by 20 man group of Rohingya expatriates based in Mecca and Medina .Many of them have recieved military training by ISI in Pakistan , this is the another reason why India doesn’t want to whittle down it’s tough stand on Rohingyas extremism.”

Those who remain unremindful of the fact that 1st surgical strike by the MODI govt. was against the NSCN-K terrorists in Myanmar which couldn’t have been possible without Myanmars military assistance.In the past also Myanmar army has launched offensive against north east separatists who take refuge in border areas of Myanmar on India’s insistence.

” India can’t afford the dichotomy of preaching Myanmar on human right violations in its fight against Islamic terrorism also when she keeps raking up the issue of Pakistan sponso

red Islamic terrorism at each and every International faura.”

Around 40,000 Rohingyas have illegally entered in India,half of them living in Jammu and Ladakh.Most of these have entered during last few years that is during Modi’s rule and will continue to do so and there is no way India can deport them back because they are stateless according to UN conventions and but this ‘proverbial’ tough stand against them will serve a strong blow to nefarious designs of separatists in Kashmir who dont want Indians to settle in their own land and Hindu refugees from Pakistan but are garlanding Rohingyas.

“It is high time that India calls separatist’s bluff and expose this facade called ‘Azaadi’ which is nothing but Islamisation of Valley”

Another important factor is the demographical changes brought by Bangladeshi refugees in ASSAM and West Bengal.Assam riots in 2012 were a result of  resentment among indegenous Assamese Bodo population accusing Bangladeshi refugees of illegally settling in the state.On parting note this govt. is known for not mincing the words and calling a spade a spade and despite being lampooned by Islamists over recent historical visit to Israel it made a point that it will not carry the historical baggage of placating Indian Muslims over Palestinian cause because Nation and it’s interests are above all and everything. National security and human rights can and will have to walk hand in hand and policy on Palestanine and Rohingyas bears a testimony to this fact.

This article was written by Anurag Sharma and published on his blog : https://anuragtalks.wordpress.com/2017/09/08/india-and-rohingyas/