Burmese rebel voice misses AIR on Myanmar's airwaves

Than Than Nu, the daughter of former Myanmar Prime Minister U Nu and a Burmese rebel voice on All India Radio for 20 years, today expressed regret that AIR which once dominated the country's airwaves is hardly heard these days.
Than, who went to India on exile after her father Nu was overthrown in a military coup in Myanmar in 1969, dominated Myanmar's airwaves as a lead rebel voice on AIR for 20 years against the military junta.
AIR used to broadcast a 20-minute programme which was the most sought after show in those days.
She is now back in her homeland but fondly misses the radio which played a key role in keeping the public informed in the dark years of the prolonged military rule in Myanmar.

AIR is not heard in Myanmar now and the intervention by former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid was not enough for it to be heard again, she told the Indian media here on the sidelines India-China-Myanmar seminar on Panchsheel.
Her father was closely associated with Panchsheel along with former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his Chinese counterpart Zhou Enlai.

The treaty on Panchsheel, signed in 1954, stresses on mutual respect for sovereignty, non-aggression, non- interference in others' internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence.
She was disappointed when AIR Burmese service was abruptly closed in 2000 by the Indian government apparently under pressure from the Burmese military rulers.

"Of course I was disappointed. India is the biggest democracy. It should not have happened," she said.
While her father returned to Myanmar after spending six years in exile in Bhopal, Than along with her husband U Aung Nyein stayed there for 37 years and fondly proclaims herself as an AIR Journalist.
Asked about how China was viewed in Myanmar for its support to the military rule, Than gave a cautious reply, saying that there two sides to the coin and China backed Myanmar when the whole world boycotted it.