Safe passage
While the decision of the Manipur government to withdraw its earlier directive to officials prohibiting the extension of any help to the refugees from Myanmar is welcome, much more needs to be done by India as a nation (Page 1, “Manipur retracts letter on refugees” and ‘World’ page, “Myanmar crackdown death toll crosses 500”, both March 31). In this context, the statement of the Additional Solicitor General in the Supreme Court recently, arguing that India cannot become the refugee capital of the world, was in bad taste. We must remind ourselves that other countries take far more refugees than we have amidst us. Moreover, it is not that people from across the world are seeking refuge to flood India. Indeed, it was odd that we were in the not-so exalted company of democratically-challenged countries which participated in the Myanmar Army’s parade, whereas certain other countries not only skipped that event but also released a joint statement of condemnation of the Myanmar Army’s crimes against humanity. It is obvious that there is an increasing global trend to keep humanitarian and just concerns subservient to the so-called strategic and economic interests of the powerful.
The deathly silence of the neighbourhood and the lack of intervention by the world at large, including the beatific UN, regarding the ongoing massacre in Myanmar is proof of the ethical morass we are in today.
Firoz Ahmad,
New Delhi
There has been increasing outrage around the world over the bloodshed in Myanmar resulting from the use of lethal force against the protesters. This humanitarian gesture by India will definitely be seen as a positive one by people around the world and will raise our esteem, just as the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out to other countries did.
Dr. Thomas Palocaren,
Vellore, Tamil Nadu
The exiles from Myanmar could get killed if they return to Myanmar. In light of the Mizoram government’s gesture, the refugees will not feel guilty that they are a burden on India as they are earning their wages only after putting in labour. However, this arrangement cannot go on forever and an amicable political solution has to be arrived at between Myanmar and India.
A. Jainulabdeen,
Chennai
It raises a new question. If the situation in Myanmar in the forseeable future does not improve and the number of such hapless people migrating to India swells significantly, can the northeastern States afford the widespread exodus into their territory? It may also happen that undeserving people may trickle in. Welcoming persecuted people with open arms in no uncertain terms is a magnanimous act and in the spirit of humanity, but in tandem, measures have to be taken so that these subjugated migrants are sent back in a dignified way as soon as there is some semblance of peace in the neighbouring country.
The new development has saved the Centre embarrassment in the world’s eyes just after it has earned praise for its vaccine diplomacy.
Deepak Singhal,
Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Pandemic treaty
A pandemic treaty (‘World’ page, “Global leaders push for new pandemic treaty”, March 31) — a novel suggestion, no doubt — will be pointless if nations do not cooperate and provide vital information in a timely manner.
Currently, we are witnessing vaccine-virus nationalism; a scramble for a vaccine along with unreliable information on the origins of the novel coronavirus. Even under the aegis of the World Health Organization (WHO), it took over a year for it to visit China after bypassing hurdles. Even now China still maintains that the virus did not originate from China. The findings in the WHO report only leave many questions unanswered. All accept the need for an international political and scientific effort to ensure that the world does not experience another pandemic. The pandemic now has shown how our lives and economies can be overturned in a very short span of time.
H.N. Ramakrishna,
Bengaluru
