Arakanese oppose Burma-India gas pipeline project

Mizzima News

February 15, 2005

Guwahati: Alleging that the proposed tri-nation gas pipeline project would only enable the military rulers in Rangoon to buy weapons to be used against the innocent people of Burma, the Arakan League for Democracy (exile) has urged to stop the project. 

The league representing the people of Arakan province of Burma opposes the project, through which India is expecting to export gas from Burma through Bangladesh. The Arakan League for Democracy (exile) vice president San Hla Pru has read out a written statement in Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Saturday, where he argues that the military junta want to sell the gas discovered in Arakan province to India through Bangladesh only to "buy weapons that would be used for suppressing the people". 

The league leaders, living in exile in Dhaka also maintained their appeal to the international community to pressurize the military government in Rangoon to liberate Aung San Suu Kyi with other political leaders without putting any conditions. They have also argued that international community should force the Burmese government to put off the so called national convention scheduled on Feb 17.

"The convention is aimed nothing but at legitimizing the military rule in Burma," said San Hla Pru.

After India, Burma and Bangladesh agreed for the 290-km gas pipeline project in a Petroleum Ministers meet held in Rangoon in December last, the Begum Khaleda Zia government in Dhaka started pursuing for trade rout to Nepal and Bhutan through India's territory.

Taking the advantage of the need of the natural gas for India, Bangladesh government has also argued to decrease to trade imbalance between the two countries. It may be mentioned that India imports around $100 million worth of products from Bangladesh, where as they imports over $1400 million from their giant neighbour.

The proposed gas pipeline will start from Arakan to enter Northeast Indian states of Mizoram and Tripura. It will penetrate Bangladesh through Brahmanbaria area and run to Rajshahi border to reach Kolkata in India.