UN hopes India could influence parties in Myanmar conflict to negotiate: Senior official

“India is a nation of influence” in Myanmar, the official said on Monday, adding that the situation in the country is “diabolical” with the earthquake adding to the already dire political and insurgency crises.

United Nations: The world organisation hopes that India could use its influence to get the Myanmar military regime, the National Unity Government and the ethnic groups to negotiate a peaceful solution to the conflict there, according to a senior UN official.

“India is a nation of influence” in Myanmar, the official said on Monday, adding that the situation in the country is “diabolical” with the earthquake adding to the already dire political and insurgency crises.

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“The challenge with this conflict is that it’s multifaceted, it’s not one side and an opposition: There is the Myanmar military and numerous ethnic armed organisations, people’s defence forces, and, also a more organised opposition through the former NLD” [the National Liberal Democracy Party, whose civilian government was overthrown by the military junta].

The official said only negotiations among the various parties to the conflict can bring peace to Myanmar, but every side believes in a military solution.

The sides in the conflicts have a “zero-sum mentality” expecting a total military solution to the problem and it favours them, the official said.

Failing that, they expect that the more territory they capture, the more influence they will have in the negotiations, the official added.

“I’m hoping that India can be part of the cohort of neighbours that bring some sense to this senseless conflict”, the official said.

According to the official, the UN was disappointed by the hardline stance India has taken with regard to the Rohingya who are leaving Myanmar and seeking refugee status elsewhere.

However, the official added, the UN was hoping “to continue to engage closely with India to see if there are some constructive things we can do with India in relation to humanitarian support and treatment of Rohingya”.