Obama criticises mockery of election process in Myanmar

NEW DELHI - The United States President, Barack Obama, here on Monday criticised the way political freedom is being suppressed in Myanmar and a mockery of election process is being done in full public view of the international community.

Addressing the Indian Parliament’s Joint Session, Obama talked about the right of every nation to nurture its values but at the same time called upon international community, particularly India, to not to shy away from condemning any compromise of human rights occurring in its neighbourhood, Myanmar (Burma).

“Every country will follow its own path. No one nation has a monopoly on wisdom, and no nation should ever try to impose its values on another. But when peaceful democratic movements are suppressed - as in Burma - then the democracies of the world cannot remain silent. For it is unacceptable to gun down peaceful protesters and incarcerate political prisoners decade after decade,” the U.S. President said.

“It is unacceptable to hold the aspirations of an entire people hostage to the greed and paranoia of a bankrupt regime. It is unacceptable to steal an election, as the regime in Burma has done again for all the world to see,” he added.

Obama called upon the international community to speak up against the injustice being done in any part of the world by compromising on human rights.

“Faced with such gross violations of human rights, it is the responsibility of the international community - especially leaders like the United States and India - to condemn it, he said, adding: “If I can be frank, in international fora, India has often avoided these issues.”

The U.S. President said speaking up for those who cannot do so for themselves is not interference in the affairs of other countries, it’s not violating the rights of sovereign nations.

“It’s staying true to our democratic principles. It’s giving meaning to the human rights that we say are universal. And it sustains the progress that in Asia and around the world has helped turn dictatorships into democracies and ultimately increased our security in the world,” he stated.

Obama said, “Promoting shared prosperity, preserving peace and security, strengthening democratic governance and human rights - these are the responsibilities of leadership.”

“And, as global partners, this is the leadership that the United States and India can offer in the 21st century,” the U.S. President stated. (ANI)