As regional governments and those further afield weigh in on the prospects for Burma’s 2010 elections in the wake of the recently announced election laws, Indian media is also entering the fray, with opinions varied as to the pros and cons surrounding the much anticipated polling.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon last week reiterated his call for Burmese authorities to ensure an inclusive political process leading to fair, transparent and credible elections in which all citizens of Burma, including Aung San Suu Kyi, can freely participate. Ban Ki-moon’s statement came a mere two days after Burma’s generals published its initial electoral law for the country’s first election in 20 years.

“The indications available so far suggest that they do not measure up to the international community’s expectations of what is needed for an inclusive political process,” Ban said. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown followed up by asking UN chief to call a special meeting on Burma in New York.

The Philippines, notably among ASEAN countries, has joined ranks with western governments in denouncing the regime’s electoral laws and said the Burmese government via the announcement of its electoral laws broke its promise to democratize the country.

However, and not surprisingly, there has been near complete silence from Burma’s immediate neighbors on the election laws. China, concerned with possible conflicts between Burmese government troops and ethnic ceasefire groups such as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and United Wa State Army (UWSA) on its border with northern Burma, only confirmed the near-future visit of Premier Wen Jaibao to Naypyitaw for bilateral talks on cooperation.

India, touted as the world’s largest democracy, as it has done for some years has remained silent on what is likely to be a flashpoint between the Burmese government and the country’s main political opposition. India had awarded its highest civilian honor, the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding, to Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 1995. However, nowadays the situation has changed, with India’s external affairs ministry answering that they were too busy with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit when repeatedly approached for comments by Mizzima.

Yet, at least one leading Indian daily has broken its relative silence over Burma and termed the junta’s electoral laws a “fraud”.

The Hindu, one of the leading Indian national dailies, in a March 15th editorial argued, “There cannot be a greater fraud on the electoral process, the sole aim of which is to keep the military junta in power.”

“The international community, led by the United Nations, was hoping against hope that the military rulers would see some reason and make the forthcoming elections an inclusive process,” contends the editorial.

Another daily newspaper, Times of India, in a less combatative editorial entitled “Myanmar’s Self-goal”, wrote that the announced election law that bans detained pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from contesting is an “unfortunate development”.

“When the world was hoping that the generals would do more to open up the country, this looks like a giant step backwards,” finds the Times, adding that New Delhi should offer friendly advice to the Burmese government not to turn the clock back in the region.

Another Indian daily, however, sees some hope in the upcoming elections, though admitting true democracy may yet remain a dream. The Pioneer on March 10th wrote that there are two emerging camps, those who find the election a farce and those who perceive it as an opening.

“A democratic election, irrespective of whatever degree of probity, could prove to be crucial for democratic forces in Burma to further their democratic struggle. This will no doubt take time and depend on several factors. But the very fact that the junta is willing to move towards a semblance of democracy means that international pressure and perhaps internal rumblings are getting to the military generals,” postulates The Pioneer.  

Originally a staunch supporter of Burma’s democratic opposition following the 1988 countrywide uprising, India’s foreign policy took a major shift regarding relations with its troubled eastern neighbor as a result of New Delhi adopting its Look East policy, in which India prioritizes the establishment of economic links with the Southeast Asian hinterland.