US woman legislators fault India for dealing with Burma

The 16 senators cited recent arms and energy deals between the two countries in a letter addressed to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton was among the signers.

 They cited a visit by India's Petroleum Minister Murli Deora to Myanmar (Burma) "even as the protests were reaching a crescendo" and reports that India has supplied field guns, howitzers, surveillance aircraft and other weapons to the Burmese military.

 "As the world's largest democracy, India should use its influence to put pressure on the regime to stop the violence against pro- democracy activists, release all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi, and begin a true national dialogue on national reconciliation that will lead to a restoration of democratic government," the Senate Women's Caucus on Burma (Myanmar) wrote.

  The Burmese government interceded with massive force last month against escalating but peaceful street demonstrations led by Buddhist monks. The government's official death toll has been put at 10, but other sources within the country estimate the toll at up to 200.

 US President George W Bush has levied sanctions against  the government and First Lady Laura Bush has led public agitation for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

 The president has also pressured China and India to lean on Burma to liberalize. The United Nations special envoy this week Ibrahim Gambari travelled to New Delhi to meet with Singh and India's Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, and to China, to discuss increasing pressure on Burma.

 Also this week, Denmark's largest pension scheme ATP said it would sell its stakes in companies that have interests in Burma Oil or cooperate with the state-owned group, and Australia has increased its sanctions.

 The US Senate women said they understood India's "geopolitical imperatives" in keeping "good neighbourly relations" with Burma, but suggested India would be better off dealing with a democratically-elected government in Burma.//dpa