Is Human Rights Watch taking any steps against the military junta?
We don’t take steps against anyone, we document situations as we see it and we advocate with various governments, agencies and communities around the world to improve human rights situations wherever we find them. We are completely independent and basically expose perpetrators of human rights violations, and try to get them ended and to protect people. Our basic function is the promotion of human rights around the world. Do you think that by signing agreements with Than Shwe, India is indirectly supporting military rule? Yes, in merely by doing deals with Than Shwe and bringing him to India; they’re [India’s leaders are] supporting an authoritarian system. But India’s doing this for some kind of self-interest; it’s not as if it loves dealing with dictators. They’re doing it to get trade opportunities and capture the influence from China, which is emerging and growing in Burma. I think India could have a better impact in different ways if a change were to emerge. It could still invest i
