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 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 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 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 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 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> wrote: > >> > > >> >> Forwarding. > >> >> > >> >> Dilip&Dil Deka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 > >> >> 20:58:13 -0700 (PDT) > >> >> From: Dilip&Dil Deka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> >> Subject: Re: [Assam] Los Angeles Times on Northeast India > >> >> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> >> > >> >> 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 > >> >> > >> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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 > >> >> >> [email protected] > >> >> >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > _______________________________________________ > >> >> > assam mailing list > >> >> > [email protected] > >> >> > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > >> >> > > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> _______________________________________________ > >> >> assam mailing list > >> >> [email protected] > >> >> 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 > >> >[email protected] > >> >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> assam mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> 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 > >[email protected] > >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > 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 [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
