Myanmarese women seek Sonia's support

New Delhi, Oct 19: Myanmarese women, based in India, staged a demonstration opposite Congress President Sonia Gandhi"s house here today demanding India"s intervention to restore democracy in Myanmar. They have submitted a letter to Sonia Gandhi seeking her support for the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar.

Myanmar military government had cracked down last month on the biggest pro-democracy protests seen in the last 20 years resulting in the death of 10 demonstrators, although many diplomats say the number might have been higher.

'Women's League of Burma' activists carried posters and raised slogans, as they demonstrated outside Sonia"s residence.

Neng Boi, an activist of the Women's League of Burma, said their protest was against the “covert support" being extended by New Delhi to Myanmarese junta.

“Indian officials can be seen shaking hands with the General (Senior General Than Shwe, who is the country's top military leader and heads the SPDC, the body of 12 senior generals that runs the country). We deplore this," Boi said.

India shares a 1,645-km (1,000-mile) border on its east with Myanmar.

India and China, both bordering Myanmar are seen as having some influence over the military junta.

The official media said nearly 3,000 people had been arrested since the army ended the protests earlier this month; and all but 468 were released.

There has been no word yet of the secret trials conducted in Yangon, where soldiers raided more than 20 monasteries, taking most of the monks into custody, in the early stages of the crackdown.

The junta's night raids continue despite United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari efforts to stop them.

Gambari is now touring Asia trying to drum up support for a united front to persuade the military government to talk to the opposition and end the raids.

He even made a plea on Monday, but the same day the New Light of Myanmar, the junta's main mouthpiece, declared that the Generals would not be persuaded to drop their policies.

On Tuesday, relatives said five members of the detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy were jailed for up to seven-and-a-half years. ANI>