Saturday, 06 March 2010 11:55 Mizzima News
(Mizzima) - The launch of the monthly periodical Look East seeks to highlight security interests relating to India’s troublesome northeastern region, including the role neighboring Burma plays in the complex security matrix.
Subra K Gupta, Editor of the Kolkata-based enterprise, told Mizzima that the initiative aims at raising the profile of Indian security issues often neglected or overlooked by the mainstream media, including the impact of Burmese events and policies on Indian interests.
“Our covering area is northeastern India, which includes Bangladesh, Burma, China, Nepal and Bhutan,” explained Gupta, who also stated Look East will try to write at least one Burmese related article each month, though Bangladesh is likely to be the primary focus.
The porous international border between Burma and India has long offered strategic depth to rebel groups operating in the region, with New Delhi repeatedly seeking Naypyitaw’s assistance in flushing out Indian rebels believed to be using Burmese territory as a safe haven.
Additionally, India has come under increasing fire from the pro-democracy Burmese opposition since overtures to the military junta in 1993 consistent with New Delhi’s adoption of its Look East policy, whereby India has sought to cultivate advantageous economic and strategic relations with its easterly neighbors.
The magazine draws contributions from a number of noteworthy authors, including Bertil Lintner, a long-standing respected scholar on Burmese affairs who has already penned his first piece for the aspiring enterprise.
“Few ordinary people inside the country seem to believe that this election will lead to anything more than ensuring the military’s ongoing iron grip on the country,” writes Lintner in his contribution. “The people are saying that it is just another government policy event in which the people are required to participate, not unlike the May 2008 constitutional referendum where people were forced to assemble and recite slogans.”
However, Lintner continues, “The election is not entirely without any significance, it is being used by the military to pressure nearly two dozen former rebel armies, which for the past two decades have had a ceasefire agreement with the government, to finally give up their autonomous status.”
Look East, launched at the Kolkata Press Club on March 3rd, will carry an original run of twenty thousand copies per issue.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Subscribe to email feed
