World Focus on Burma (10 Mar 08)

Internet connection disrupted in Rangoon Mizzima.com, India - The net slowed down in Rangoon over the last three days coinciding with the visit of UN special envoy to Burma Mr. Ibrahim Gambari to the country. …   Gambari back to square one on Myanmar Merinews, India - The UN special envoy to Myanmar left the country this evening without making much headway in his mission to persuade an obdurate military junta to see …   UN special envoy ends Myanmar visit People’s Daily Online, China - United Nations Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari ended his five-day visit to Myanmar Monday afternoon after meeting some government officials and a wide range …

UN envoy meets Aung San Suu Kyi, departs Burma Bangkok Post, Thailand - Gambari, who left Burma Monday after arriving Thursday, failed to persuade the ruling junta to allow for an amendment to a draft constitution that would …

UNPO Putting the UNHRC System to Work UNPO, Netherlands - … such as China, Russia and Burma/Myanmar, let alone that this would be enough for all NGOs to summarize all human rights violations. …

On Rambo and Burmese politics ISN, Switzerland - … Distinguished Professor, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. His latest volume is Turmoil in Burma: Contested Legitimacies in Myanmar (2006).

UN Special Adviser departs Myanmar Radio Netherlands, Netherlands - Nay Pyi Taw – Ibrahim Gambari, Special Adviser to the United Nations, has concluded his five-day visit to Myanmar. He made no statement before his departure …

Singapore Dominates Asia Region as Best Place to Live Voice of America - “Singapore played a major role, especially when the charter was signed in [on] 20th November 2007 in Singapore, in convincing countries like Burma, Myanmar, …

Trying to honor Asians who died building Burma-Thailand rail in WWII International Herald Tribune, France - The construction of what is sometimes called the “Death Railway” linking Thailand with colonial Burma in the 1940s became a symbol of the cruelty inflicted …

Junta’s Snub Signals Failure of Gambari’s Mission The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand - By WAI MOE Burma’s military junta has spoken: there will be no role for the United Nations in determining the course of the country’s political transition …

Burma rejects UN proposal for referendum observers Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway - Mar 10, 2008 (AFP)–Burma‘s military government has rejected a UN proposal for the regime to allow observers at its constitutional referendum planned for May …

UN envoy meets Myanmar’s Suu Kyi again Reuters India, India - The Nigerian diplomat then left the former Burma for Singapore, ending his third visit since September’s brutally crushed pro-democracy marches. …

Gambari continues his efforts of political reconciliation in Myanmar AsiaNews.it, Italy - Asked by Gambari to consider releasing political prisoners—estimated by the United Nations and human rights groups to total more than 1100—he said Burma had …

March 10 in history Viet Nam News, Vietnam - Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar), falls to Japanese forces in World War II. 300 US B-29 bombers devastate Japan’s capital in what became known as The Great …

UN envoy leaves Myanmar Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates - YANGON – UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari left Myanmar for Singapore on Monday, ending a five-day mission that included two meetings with democracy leader Aung San …

UN envoy meets Suu Kyi at end of Myanmar mission AFP - YANGON (AFP) — Detained Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi met UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari for a second time Monday in three days, …

UN envoy meets Suu Kyi at end of Myanmar mission AFP - YANGON (AFP) — UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari left Myanmar on Monday, ending a five-day mission with a last-minute meeting with democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi …

Gambari’s Burma visit over Mizzima.com, India - The United Nations Information Center in Rangoon reports this evening that “Mr. Gambari has left Myanmar and will be reporting to the Secretary General on …

Envoy Meets Democracy Leader in Myanmar The Associated Press - YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The UN’s special envoy to Myanmar met detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday before wrapping up his latest trip to the …

Famous Singer Sai Htee Saing Dies The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand - He proved his musical talent when young: in 1969, the government-owned Burma Broadcasting Service—now Myanmar Television and Radio Department—aired his …

Reuters World News Highlights at 1000 GMT, Mar 10 Guardian, UK - PYIN U LWIN, Myanmar – With a twinkle in his eye and the cheeky grin of a man half his age, 84-year-old Taw Paya does what few in Myanmar are prepared to …

UN special envoy meets Myanmar opposition leader again Thaindian.com, Thailand - Myanmar, March 10 (DPA) UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari Monday met detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi for the second time during his five-day …

Second meeting with Suu Kyi in the works Mizzima.com, India - … saying that there is already enough expertise in Burma to conduct these works, according to the state-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar. …

Myanmar envoy to leave empty-handed Aljazeera.net, Qatar - The UN special envoy to Myanmar has held a second meeting with the country’s detained opposition leader, but his requests for a meeting with the top general …

FACTBOX: Five facts about southeast Asia’s troubled Myanmar Reuters - Having won independence in 1948, what was then called Burma was roiled by political feuding and ethnic guerrilla conflicts until a 1962 coup. …

Refugees find a home in St. Charles church Chicago Sun-Times, United States - All are members of the Karen ethnic group, found mostly in the eastern region of Myanmar, formerly Burma. The Karen have been fighting for an independent …

UN special envoy meets with Suu Kyi CNN International - YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — UN special envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari met with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon on Monday, a UN representative …

UN envoy meets Burma’s Suu Kyi again Bay Post/Moruya Examiner, Australia - The Nigerian diplomat was due to leave Burma, also known as Myanmar, on Monday evening, ending his third visit since September’s brutally crushed …

On this day News24.com, South Africa - 1942 – Rangoon, Burma – now Yangon, Myanmar, falls to Japanese forces in World War II. 1948 – The body of the anti-communist foreign minister of …

WLB Bangladesh Marches to Burmese Embassy in Dhaka Narinjara News, Bangladesh - Dhaka: The Women’s League of Burma in Bangladesh staged a demonstration in front of the Burmese embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Saturday to mark the date of …

In Myanmar, dissidents beat junta gags with gags Reuters - By Ed Cropley SAGAING, Myanmar (Reuters) – There is an old joke in Myanmar about the man with chronic toothache who travels to neighboring Thailand to see a …

Epiphanies on the road to ‘Someplace Else’: Journeys into the … Minda News, Philippines - (*Myanmar has been adopted by the military junta as the country’s official name replacing Burma.) “My life had always been one of fear and running. …

Day three of USG Gambari’s visit to Myanmar ReliefWeb (press release), Switzerland - On the third day of his visit to Myanmar , The Secretary General’s Special Adviser, Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, General Secretary of …

Day four: USG Gambari’s visit to Myanmar ReliefWeb (press release), Switzerland - Yangon, 9 March 2008 – Special Advisor to the Secretary General, Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, met with HE U Soe Tha, Minister for National Planning and Economic …

Myanmar’s last royal laments a crumbling nation Reuters - … have transformed Myanmar from the rice bowl of Asia into a deeply impoverished international pariah. “There’s nothing good in Burma any more,” he said, …

UN envoy extends Myanmar mission after vote setback Tehran Times, Iran - YANGON (AFP) — UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari extended Sunday his mission to Myanmar by one day, officials said, after his efforts to include democracy leader …

Myanmar: UN envoy holds talks with senior Government ministers UN News Centre - 9 March 2008 – Continuing his latest mission to promote democratization and national reconciliation in Myanmar, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser …

Gambari continues to pursue Yangon The Daily Star, Bangladesh - UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari extended a mission to Myanmar by one day yesterday but appeared to have made little progress in persuading its defiant …

Myanmar women rally in Dhaka against referendum on constitution Independent-Bangladesh, Bangladesh - A unit of the Women’s League of Burma on Saturday went out on demonstrations in front of the Myanmar embassy in Dhaka, demanding that the newly drafted …

Dine out, buy a glass of water, help a thirsty world The Register-Guard, OR - So far, Thirst-Aid operates in Thailand and Myanmar, formerly Burma, with plans to expand to India later this year. Bree Ervin, a Eugene resident and …

Concrete action needed on burma Nation Multimedia, Thailand - It should not come as a surprise that Burmese military rulers gave the cold shoulder to UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, who arrived in Rangoon on Thursday …

PGMA laments Myanmar’s rebuff of UN bid on referendum observers Philippine Information Agency, Philippines - Myanmar rejected the proposal made by UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari Saturday, saying it infringed on Myanmar‘s (formerly Burma) sovereignty. …

Burma rebuffs United Nations Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari has extended his mission to Burma by a day after efforts to include democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the polls process were …

UN envoy to Myanmar continues diplomatic mission despite setbacks International Herald Tribune, France - AP YANGON, Myanmar: The UN’s special envoy to Myanmar resumed meetings with the military government Sunday despite the junta’s rejection of his efforts to …