Journalism of Courage
India is keenly watching the developments in Myanmar,as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton touched town in Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday,the first such visit since 1955.
South Block officials told The Indian Express that moves are afoot to plan a high-level visit from Delhi to Myanmar in the coming months,as they described the changes in Myanmar as real and pointed to the red-carpet for Myanmar President Thein Sein in October this year. Myanmar had extended invitations to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pratibha Patil during that visit.
Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran echoed South Blocks assessment as he described the changes in Myanmar as substantive and significant. The question is whether these changes could be sustained, Saran said at a talk organised by the Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia on Wednesday.
Saran said ,An influential group of Myanmars army,mostly mid-level and well-educated officers,have been behind the changes in Myanmar. They were of the view the change was needed.
Myanmars military-backed civilian government has ushered in reforms,released political prisoners including the iconic pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi,in the last one year.
