Archive for January 2009
လက္ခုပ္တီးမလား၊ ဒါမွမဟုတ္ လက္ေဖ်ာက္တီးမလား
အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရး၊ အမ်ိဳးသားရင္ၾကားေစ့ေရးအတြက္ အမ်ိဳးသားဒီမိုကေရစီအဖြဲ႔ခ်ဳပ္နဲ႔တကြ ႏိုင္ငံေရးပါတီေတြ၊ တိုင္းရင္းသားကို္ယ္စားလွယ္ေတြ၊ အတိုက္အခံ ဒီမိုကေရစီအင္အားစုေတြဟာ ႏွစ္ပြင့္ဆိုင္၊ သံုးပြင့္ဆိုင္ ဆိုၿပီး နအဖစစ္အစိုးရနဲ႔ အက်ိဳးရွိရွိ ေတြ႔ဆံုေဆြးေႏြးၾကဖို႔ ေတာင္းဆိုတာ၊ ကမ္းလွမ္းတာ၊ တိုက္တြန္းတာ၊ ကုလသမဂၢ အေထြေထြညီလာခံက ဆံုးျဖတ္ခ်က္ခ်ေပးတာ စတဲ့ နည္းလမ္းအမ်ိဳးမ်ိဳးနဲ႔ ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံ ျပည္တြင္းျပည္ပမွာ ႏွစ္ေပါင္းမ်ားစြာ တစိုက္မတ္မတ္ ႀကိဳးပမ္းေနခဲ့ၾကပါတယ္။
ဒါကိုၾကည့္လိုက္ရင္ လက္ရွိျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံရဲ႕ ႏိုင္ငံေရးအၾကပ္အတည္းဟာ အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရးအတြက္ တာဝန္ရွိသူေတြ သက္ဆိုင္သူေတြအားလံုးမွာ ေတြ႔ဆံုေဆြးေႏြးဖို႔လမ္းကလြဲၿပီး အျခားမရွိဘူး။ ဒါမွ မဟုတ္ အဆင္သင့္မျဖစ္ေသးဘူး ဆိုတာ အတိအလင္း ေဖာ္ျပေနပါတယ္။
ဘယ္လိုပဲ ႀကိဳးပမ္းေနခဲ့ေပမယ့္လည္း အခုအခ်ိန္ထိ မေအာင္ျမင္ရေသးတာကေတာ့ “နအဖ”လို႔ အမည္တပ္ထားတဲ့ စစ္အာဏာရွင္လူတစုေၾကာင့္ ျဖစ္တယ္လို႔ ရာႏႈန္းျပည့္ လက္ညွိဳးထိုးလုိ႔ရတဲ့အထိ ရွင္းရွင္းလင္းလင္း ျဖစ္ေနပါျပီ။
တိုင္းျပည္ ျပန္လည္ထူေထာင္ေရးနဲ႔ ဖြံ႔ၿဖိဳးေရးအတြက္ တန္ဖိုးရွိလွတဲ့ ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံသားေတြဟာ သူတို႔ ေတာင့္တတဲ့ ဒီမိုကေရစီကို ခံစားႏိုင္ဖို႔အေရးထက္ အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရးအတြက္ သူတို႔ရဲ႕ အသက္၊ ေသြး၊ ေခြ်းနဲ႔ အခ်ိန္ကို အဆမတန္ ရင္းႏွီးေပးဆပ္ရင္း ေနလာခဲ့ၾကရတာက အနည္းဆံုး ၁၉၉ဝ ေရြးေကာက္ပြဲ ၿပီးကတည္းကပါ။
အဲဒီအရင္ ရွစ္ေလးလံုး လူထုလႈပ္ရွားမႈကတည္းက ျပတ္ျပတ္သားသား ရွိခဲ့တဲ့ လူထုရည္မွန္းခ်က္ကေတာ့ ဒီမုိကေရရစီ ရရွိေရး ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
လက္ရွိႏိုင္ငံေရးအေျခအေနဟာ အဲဒီမူလရည္မွန္းခ်က္ကေန တဆင့္ေလွ်ာ့ၿပီး အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္ သင့္ျမတ္ေရး ဆိုတဲ့ ရည္မွန္းခ်က္ကို ေမွ်ာ္လင့္ခ်က္နည္းနည္းနဲ႔ လုပ္ေနရၿပီလို႔ ယူဆရပါတယ္။
ဒီမိုကေရစီ ရရွိဖို႔ အတြက္ အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရးကို အေျခခံရမယ္ဆိုတဲ့ ေရရွည္အက်ိဳးကိုၾကည့္ၿပီး အေကာင္းဘက္က ေတြးခဲ့ၾကတဲ့အတိုင္း မူလရည္မွန္းခ်က္ကို တဆင့္ေလွ်ာ့ခဲ့ၾကတယ္လို႔ သံုးသပ္စရာျဖစ္လာပါတယ္။
အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရးအတြက္ လမ္းစရွာမေတြ႔ႏိုင္ေအာင္ ခ်ဳပ္ကိုင္ထားတဲ့ နအဖဟာ ဘာေတြ လုပ္ထားႏိုင္လို႔ သူတို႔ရပ္တည္ခ်က္ကို ေျပာင္းလဲမသြားသလဲဆိုတာ သံုးသပ္ခန္႔မွန္းရပါမယ္။ တကယ္လို႔ သံုးသပ္ခန္႔မွန္းႏိုင္ၿပီဆိုရင္ တစံုတရာ အက်ိဳးရွိခ်င္ရွိႏိုင္ပါမယ္။
ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံတြင္းမွာ အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရးကို ဆန္႔က်င္ကန္႔ကြက္တယ္ဆိုတဲ့ ႏိုင္ငံေရး ခံယူခ်က္နဲ႔ မားမားမတ္မတ္ ရပ္တည္ဟစ္ေႂကြးေနသူ တဦးမွမရွိပါဘူး။ ႏိုင္ငံတကာမွာလည္း ဒီလိုမ်ိဳး အက်ိဳးယုတ္ေစမယ့္ လမ္းညႊန္တိုက္တြန္းခ်က္ေတြကို လုပ္ေဆာင္ေနခဲ့တာ မရွိပါဘူး။
ဒါေပမယ့္ ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံမွာ အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရးကို အသံတိတ္ ဆန္႔က်င္ကန္႔ကြက္ေနတာကေတာ့ နအဖ စစ္အာဏာရွင္ အစိုးရနဲ႔ သူ႔ကိုမွီၿပီး စီးပြားျဖစ္ေနၾကတဲ့ ျပည္တြင္းျပည္ပ ကိိုယ္က်ိဳးရွာသူေတြ၊ ႏုိင္ငံေတြပဲ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
နအဖက စစ္အာဏာရွင္ပီပီ တိုင္းျပည္မွာ အမ်ိဳးသား ျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရး မရွိမွ အာဏာကို ဆက္လက္ ခ်ဳပ္ကိုင္လို႔ရမယ္ ဆိုတဲ့ သီအိုရီကေန လံုးဝအေလွ်ာ့မေပးခဲ့ပါဘူး။ ဒါဟာ အရင္ ေတာ္လွန္ေရးေကာင္စီနဲ႔ မဆလမွာ ၪကၠဌလုပ္ခဲ့တဲ့ စစ္အာဏာသိမ္းေခါင္းေဆာင္ ဦးေနဝင္းရဲ႕ သေဘာတရားေတြအတိုင္း ျဖစ္တယ္လို႔ ဆိုႏိုင္စရာရွိပါမယ္။
အာဏာရွင္နဲ႔ေပါင္းၿပီး ႀကီးပြားေနၾကတဲ့ ျပည္တြင္းျပည္ပ ကိုယ္က်ိဳးရွာသူေတြ၊ ႏိုင္ငံေတြကလည္း အစားရေခ်ာင္ေနတာကို အထိအခိုက္ မခံႏိုင္တဲ့အတြက္ အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရးကို ေရငံုႏႈတ္ပိတ္ ေနခဲ့ၾကပါတယ္။
နအဖစစ္အာဏာရွင္ဟာ သူ႔ရဲ႕သီအိုရီကို ကာကြယ္လိုတဲ့အတြက္ သူတို႔အာဏာ ဆက္ကိုင္ႏိုင္ေအာင္ လမ္းဖြင့္ေပးႏိုင္မယ္လို႔ ယံုၾကည္ေနတဲ့ “အမ်ိဳးသားညီလာခံအား ထိခိုက္ပ်က္ျပားေစတဲ့ ဥပေဒ ၅ / ၉၆” ကို တခ်က္လႊတ္အမိန္႔နဲ႔ ျပဌာန္းလိုက္ပါတယ္။
ဒါဟာ အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရး မလုပ္ေဆာင္ႏိုင္ေအာင္ သူတို႔ စစ္အာဏာရွင္အဖြဲ႔ကို သေဘာထားတင္းမာတဲ့ ေဘာင္အတြင္းမွာ ထိန္းလိုက္ရံုသာမက တတိုင္းျပည္လံုး၊ တကမာၻလံုးက ေတာင္းဆိုေနတာေတြကိုလည္း ျပတ္ျပတ္သားသား ပယ္ခ်လိုက္တာပဲ ႁဖစ္ပါတယ္။
ဒါေႂကာင့္ အဲဒီတခ်က္လႊတ္အမိန္႔ ၅ / ၉၆ ကို မဖ်က္သိမ္းသေရြ႕ အမ်ဳိးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရး ရဖို႔ လံုးဝ မျဖစ္ႏိုင္ပါဘူး။
အဲဒီတခ်က္လႊတ္အမိန္႔ ၅ / ၉၆ ကို ဖ်က္သိမ္းႏိုင္ဖို႔ နအဖဟာ အရင္က ျပဌာန္းခဲ့တဲ့ တခ်က္လႊတ္အမိန္႔ေတြ ထဲက တခုခ်င္းကို ပယ္ဖ်က္ရုပ္သိမ္းေပးေၾကာင္း ေၾကညာေပးရပါမယ္။
ဥပမာ နဝတ ေၾကညာခ်က္ ၁ / ၉ဝ အပိုဒ္ ၁၉ (က) ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။ ဒီလိုမ်ိဳး တစတစ ဖ်က္သိမ္းလာၿပီဆိုရင္ အမ်ိဳးသားညီလာခံအား ထိခိုက္ ပ်က္ျပားေစတဲ့ ဥပေဒ ၅ / ၉၆ ကို ဖ်က္သိမ္းဖို႔အတြက္ လမ္းခင္းေပးလာတာလို႔ ဆိုႏိုင္ပါလိမ့္မယ္။
အဲဒီေတာ့မွ ယေန႔ထိတိုင္ ေတာင္းဆိုေနၾကတဲ့ ေဒၚေအာင္ဆန္းစုၾကည္၊ ဦးတင္ဦး၊ ဦးခြန္ထြန္းဦးတို႔နဲ႔တကြ ႏိုင္ငံေရးသမားေတြ ျပန္လည္လြတ္ေျမာက္လာႏိုင္မွာ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
တခ်က္လႊတ္ အမိန္႔ ၅ / ၉၆ ကို မဖ်က္သိမ္းပဲ ႏိုင္ငံေရးသမားေတြ ျပန္လႊတ္ေပးလိုက္ရင္ နအဖဟာ သူတို႔ ေရးဆြဲထားတဲ့ ဥပေဒ သူတို႔ကိုယ္တိုင္ ေျခနဲ႔ျပန္နင္းသလို ျဖစ္ေနမယ့္ကိစၥကို လုပ္မွာမဟုတ္ဘူးလို႔ ထင္ရပါတယ္။
ဒါေၾကာင့္ အစကနဦးမွာ နအဖရဲ႕ အျခား တခ်က္လႊတ္အမိန္႔ေတြကို အရင္ဖ်က္သိမ္းပစ္ဖို႔က အဓိက အခ်က္ ျဖစ္ရပါမယ္။
အျခားျဖစ္ႏိုင္စရာ လမ္းေၾကာင္းခြဲတခုကေတာ့ အေထြေထြလြတ္ၿငိမ္းခ်မ္းသာခြင့္ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။ ဒါေပမယ့္ အေထြေထြလြတ္ၿငိမ္းခ်မ္းသာခြင့္ေပးရင္ အက်ဥ္းေထာင္ လူေလွ်ာ့တာမ်ိဳးမဟုတ္ပဲ ႏိုင္ငံေရးအက်ဥ္းသမား အားလံုးကို ခြၽင္းခ်က္မရွိ လႊတ္ေပးရမွာ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
ဒီလိုႏိုင္ငံေရးအရိပ္အေရာင္ကိုျမင္ရမွ ျမန္မာ့ႏို္င္ငံေရး တိုးတက္ေအာင္ စစ္အာဏာရွင္ေတြဘက္က စလုပ္ၿပီ လို႔ ပိုင္ပိုင္ႏိုင္ႏိုင္ေျပာလို႔ရပါမယ္။ စစ္အာဏာရွင္ေတြဘက္က စလုပ္လာမွလည္း ပိတ္ဆို႔ခံေနရတဲ့ တရားဝင္ ႏိုင္ငံေရးပါတီေတြက တုန္႔ျပန္ေပးလို႔ ရႏိုင္ပါမယ္။
လက္ခုပ္ႏွစ္ဘက္တီးမွ အသံထြက္တဲ့ အမွန္တရား ရွိပါတယ္။ ဒါေၾကာင့္ စစ္အာဏာရွင္ေတြဟာ ႏိုင္ငံေရး အတိုက္အခံအင္အားစုေတြနဲ႔ အတူလက္တြဲႏိုင္မွသာ အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရးနဲ႔ စစ္မွန္တဲ့ ဒီမိုကေရစီ ရရွိေရး ဆိုတာ ျဖစ္လာပါလိမ့္မယ္။
စစ္အာဏာရွင္ေတြေရာ၊ ႏိုင္ငံေရးပါတီေတြ ႏွစ္ဘက္စလံုးက သေဘာတူတာမရွိပဲ အမ်ဳိးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရး မျဖစ္ႏိုင္ပါဘူး။ အရင့္အရင္အခ်ိန္ေတြမွာ အမ်ားစဟာလည္း ဒီအမွန္တရားကိုအေျခခံၿပီး ခ်ဥ္းကပ္ႀကိဳးစားေနခဲ့ၾကတာ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
အကယ္၍ ေစာေစာက ႏိုင္ငံေရးအရိပ္အေရာင္ကို မျမင္ရေသးလို႔ ျမင္ဖို႔လမ္းစ မရွိႏိုင္ေတာ့ဘူးလို႔ အေသအခ်ာ တြက္ခ်က္ဆံုးျဖတ္လိုက္ၿပီ ဆိုပါေတာ့။ ဒါဆိုရင္ ဒီမိုကေရစီအင္အားစုေတြဟာ လက္တဘက္ လႈပ္ရွားရံုနဲ႔ အသံျမည္ႏိုင္မယ့္ နည္းလမ္းကို ရွာေဖြအသံုးခ်ရဖို႔ပဲ က်န္ေနပါေတာ့တယ္။ ဒီနည္းလမ္းကေတာ့ လက္ေဖ်ာက္တီးတာပဲ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
လက္ခုပ္တီးၾကမလား။ ဒါမွမဟုတ္ လက္ေဖ်ာက္တီးမလား။ တခုခုကို ေရြးရပါေတာ့မယ္။ တိုင္းျပည္ရဲ႕ အနာဂတ္ကံၾကမၼာကို ေျပာင္းလဲသြားေစမယ့္ လမ္းဆံုလမ္းခြ (Crossroads) ေရာက္ေနပါၿပီ။
ဒါမွမဟုတ္ လမ္းဆံုလမ္းခြမွာ ႏိုင္ငံေရးပရိယာယ္ ႂကြယ္ဝစြာ လုပ္ႏိုင္မယ့္ အျခားလမ္းခြဲတခု ရွိပါတယ္။ အဲဒါကေတာ့ လက္ခုပ္တီးဟန္ေဆာင္ၿပီး လက္ေဖ်ာက္တီးဖို႔ အားယူေနတာပဲ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
လက္ခုပ္တီးတာကေတာ့ အမ်ိဳးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရးအတြက္ တာဝန္ရွိသူ သက္ဆိုင္သူ အားလံုးတို႔က ႏိုင္ငံေရးကို ႏိုင္ငံေရးနည္းလမ္းနဲ႔ ေျဖရွင္းတာ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
လက္ေဖ်ာက္တီးတာကေတာ့ တာဝန္ရွိသူ သက္ဆိုင္သူအားလံုးတို႔က ႏိုင္ငံေရးကို လူထုနည္းနဲ႔ အၾကမ္းမဖက္ ေျဖရွင္းတာပဲ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
စစ္အာဏာရွင္ေတြ သေဘာတူလိုက္ေလ်ာလာမယ့္အခ်ိန္ကို ေစာင့္မေနေတာ့ပဲ သူတို႔က ေနာက္ဆံုးမွာ မျဖစ္မေန သေဘာတူ လိုက္ေလ်ာလာရမယ့္ ႏိုင္ငံေရးအေျခအေနကို ဒီမိုကေရစီ အင္အားစုေတြက လူထုနည္းနဲ႔ ဖန္တီးတာပဲ ျဖစ္ပါတယ္။
တနည္းအားျဖင့္ဆိုရင္ မိမိတို႔ပန္းတိုင္အတြက္ လိုအပ္မယ့္ ႏိုင္ငံေရး အေျခအေနကို မိမိတို႔ကိုယ္တိုင္ ရယူဖန္တီးလိုက္တာပါပဲ။
ကိုယ့္အားကိုယ္ကိုးပါ (Self-reliance)လို႔ တိုက္တြန္းအားေပးတဲ့စကားသံေတြ ၾကားရတာ အားရွိလွပါတယ္။ မိမိတို႔ႏိုင္ငံေရးရည္မွန္းခ်က္အတြက္ အျခားသူေတြကို အားမကိုးပါနဲ႔၊ သူတို႔ အကူအညီကို ေစာင့္မေနပါနဲ႔၊ သူတို႔သေဘာတူခြင့္ျပဳလာတဲ့အထိကို ေစာင့္မေနပါနဲ႔လို႔လည္း အဓိပၸာယ္ေကာက္ရပါတယ္။
လက္ေဖ်ာက္တီးသံကို နားစြင့္ေနမယ့္ ျပည္သူေတြ အဆင္သင့္ရွိေနမယ့္အခ်ိန္ ေရာက္လာပါေတာ့မယ္။ လက္ေဖ်ာက္တီးမယ့္အခ်ိန္မွာ ႏိုင္ငံေရးကို လူထုနည္းနဲ႔ အၾကမ္းမဖက္ ေျဖရွင္းႏိုင္ဖို႔ မဟာဗ်ဴဟာနဲ႔ နည္း ဗ်ဴဟာေတြကို အထိုက္အေလ်ာက္ ေရးဆြဲျပင္ဆင္ ေလ့က်င့္ၿပီးျဖစ္ရပါမယ္။
လက္ေဖ်ာက္တီးမယ့္သူကေတာ့ လူထုၾကားကထြက္ေပၚလာမယ့္ လူထုေခါင္းေဆာင္ပါပဲ။
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လြင္ေအာင္စိုး
၁ဝ-၂-၂ဝဝ၇
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(မွတ္ခ်က္။ လြန္ခဲ့သည့္ (၂)ႏွစ္နီးပါးခန္႔က ေရးခဲ့သည့္ သံုးသပ္ထင္ျမင္ခ်က္ ေဆာင္းပါးကို ျပန္လည္ေဖာ္ျပလိုက္ပါသည္။ ဤအေတာအတြင္း အဓိက ႏိုင္ငံေရးျဖစ္ရပ္မ်ား သိပ္မရွိလွပါ။ ၂ဝဝရ ခုႏွစ္တြင္ ေရႊဝါေရာင္ ေတာ္လွန္ေရး၊ (၈၈) မ်ဳိးဆက္ေက်ာင္းသားမ်ားႏွင့္ ေရႊဝါေရာင္ေတာ္လွန္ေရး လႈပ္ရွားသူမ်ား အဖမ္းခံရမႈ၊ ၂ဝဝ၈ ခုႏွစ္ နာဂစ္မုန္တိုင္းအၿပီး နအဖ၏ ႏိုင္ငံဖြဲ႔စည္းအုပ္ခ်ဳပ္ပံု အေျခခံဥပေဒမူၾကမ္းအေပၚ လူထုဆႏၵ ခံယူပြဲ က်င္းပျခင္း၊ ေဒၚေအာင္ဆန္းစုၾကည္အား ေနအိမ္အက်ယ္ခ်ဳပ္ျဖင့္ ဖမ္းဆီးခ်ဳပ္ေႏွာင္ထားသည္မွာ ဥပေဒအရ (၅)ႏွစ္ျပည့္သြားေသာ္လည္း နအဖ စစ္အစိုးရက ျပန္မလႊတ္ေပးေသးျခင္းတို႔သာ ရွိေနခဲ့သည္။ ယခုခ်ိန္ထိ အမ်ဳိးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရး လုပ္ငန္းစဥ္ကို အမွန္တကယ္ ပါဝင္ထိုက္သူမ်ားျဖင့္ မစတင္ႏိုင္ေသးေသာ္လည္း အခ်ိန္မေႏွာင္းေသးပါ။ ျမန္မာ့တပ္မေတာ္က အျခားေသာ ျပည္တြင္း လက္နက္ကိုင္အဖြဲ႔အစည္းမ်ားႏွင့္ ၿငိမ္းခ်မ္းေရးယူရန္ ႀကိဳးပမ္းျခင္းသည္ လကၡဏာေကာင္းတရပ္ ျဖစ္ေသာ္လည္း ဤကိစၥမွာ အမ်ဳိးသားျပန္လည္သင့္ျမတ္ေရး ႏိုင္ငံေရးလုပ္ငန္းစဥ္ မဟုတ္သျဖင့္ ၿငိမ္းခ်မ္းေျပလည္စြာျဖင့္ ဒီမိုကေရစီအသြင္ေျပာင္းေရးကို အေထာက္အကူျဖစ္ေစမည္ မဟုတ္ပါ။ ႏိုင္ငံ ေရရွည္တည္တံ့ခိုင္ျမဲမည့္ အေျခခံအုတ္ျမစ္ကို တည္ေဆာက္ႏိုင္ရန္မွာ သက္ဆိုင္သူအားလံုးတို႔က လူထုတရပ္လံုးကို ကုိယ္စားျပဳလ်က္ ႏိုင္ငံေရးအရ ပူးေပါင္းလက္တြဲၾကရသည့္ နည္းလမ္းတခုတည္းသာ ရွိသည္ကို သတိျပဳအပ္သည္။ ၂၈-၁-၂ဝဝ၉ )
World focus on Burma (28 January 2009)
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Junta summons Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer to Naypyitaw
Mizzima.com, India -
by Solomon New Delhi (Mizzima) – Detained pro-democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer said he was summoned to the attorney-general’s office in Burma’s …
Junta steps up military presence in Arakan
Mizzima.com, India -
Burma’s state-run newspaper the ‘New Light of Myanmar’ on Wednesday said Prime Minister General Thein Sein on Tuesday flew to Sittwe, capital of Arakan …
‘Six million Burmese need food’
BBC News, UK -
When Cyclone Nargis wiped out Burma’s rice-bowl, the Irrawaddy Delta, last year, it was widely assumed that the country would face severe food shortages. …
Thailand to deport 78 Myanmar boat people: police
AFP -
BANGKOK (AFP) — Dozens of migrants from Myanmar who washed up in Thailand this week were convicted Wednesday of illegal entry and will be deported, …
Southeast Asia: U-Turns, downturns
ISN, Switzerland -
Without even mentioning the ongoing tragedy that is Burma/Myanmar, Southeast Asia’s democratic progress has been piecemeal and fluctuating. …
Harwich: Barrie off to help families in need
Harwich and Manningtree Standard, UK -
Barrie Samson, commanding officer of the Salvation Army in the town’s George Street, is going to Myanmar (formerly Burma) on Friday. …
Danish Minister Visits Burma
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Burma’s state-run-newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, reported on January 22 that the two ministers held a meeting with the Myanmar Red Cross Society, …
Tensions Between Wa, Junta Continue to Rise
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
By LAWI WENG Tensions between the Burmese military and the United Wa State Army (UWSA) have been mounting since a 30-member Burmese delegation led by Lt-Gen …
NCGUB conference draws to a close
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Bo Hla Tint said the group had brainstormed ways to achieve freedom for detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, …
Chins Face Human Rights Abuses: HRW
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Burma’s military regime is perpetrating widespread abuse of the mainly-Christian Chin ethnic group, who face famine, forced labour, torture and persecution, …
Chin Christian minority victim of persecution by Myanmar dictatorship
AsiaNews.it, Italy -
Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Myanmar’s military regime is committing widespread abuses against the mainly Christian Chin ethnic group, who face forced …
Burma Jade Law amended
JCK India, India -
According to the act, all rubies and jadeite originally from Burma (Myanmar) or jewellery containing these gemstones cannot be brought into the US even if …
Burmese refugees seek new life in US army
Radio Australia, Australia -
LAMEY: Why is that a lot of the young refugees from Myanmar find the prospect of joining the military appealing? SCHERER: I think it’s an interest of young …
Chin Christian minority victim of persecution by Myanmar dictatorship
AsiaNews.it, Italy -
Human Rights Watch releases report substantiating situation. It contains 140 interviews collected over a three-year period highlighting cases of abuse, …
‘Second Chance City’ Welcomes another Leading Burmese Monk
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
“We did not demand a handover of power by the military to us or Aung San Suu Kyi. We just requested the military to treat people fairly and kindly. …
THAILAND: The Military Gets Taken Care Of
Strategy Page -
There are nearly 150000 refugees from Myanmar (Burma) in Thailand, nearly all of them from tribes that have been fighter the Burmese government for …
Indian govt. should protect Chin refugees: HRW
Hindu, India -
… force them back into Myanmar. “For too long, ethnic groups like the Chin have borne the brunt of abusive military rule in Burma,” said Elaine Pearson, …
Chin refugees in India “forced back” to Myanmar
Reuters India, India -
The New York-based rights said local authorities and community organisations in Mizoram frequently targeted Chin migrants, one of the former Burma’s many …
Thailand accused of mistreating Burmese asylum seekers
ABC Online, Australia -
But the Rohingyas are essentially stateless and have few options but to flee Burma in the hope of a better life. And as the Thais try to deal with the …
BANGLADESH: Mohammad Ismail: “Nobody wants us”
IRINnews.org, NY -
KUTUPALONG, 28 January 2009 (IRIN) – Since the early 1990s, thousands of Muslim Rohingya have fled repression in Burma/Myanmar and sought asylum in …
NLD youth members attend law seminar
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Jan 28, 2009 (DVB)–More than 200 National League for Democracy youth members attended a talk on the Burmese legal system led by Thein Nyunt of the central …
Daw Suu’s lawyer summoned to Naypyidaw
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Jan 28, 2009 (DVB)–The lawyer for detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been summoned to the attorney-general’s office in Naypyidaw, …
Persecution, devastation a ‘double whammy’ in Burma
OneNewsNow, MS -
The new guidelines in the Union of Myanmar (the official name of Burma) mean that several major churches in Rangoon will no longer be able to hold services. …
UN: Burma to Face Food Crisis
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
“Access to food remains the critical challenge for the poorest people and for vulnerable populations in remote areas of Myanmar [Burma],” said Chris Kaye, …
Artillery Battalion Shifter to Northern Arakan from Burma Proper
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
Buthidaung: An artillery battalion was recently moved to northern Arakan from Burma proper to provide reinforcement of military forces on the western …
Junta Promises to Address Rohingya Exodus
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Maung Aye said authorities will try to prevent the Rohingya from leaving Burma for other countries. Burma’s state-run newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, …
Human rights group calls on India to give access to Chin refugees
Earthtimes (press release), UK -
“ASEAN, the EU and the US should tell Burma and India that it is long past the time for these abuses to end,” she said, referring to the 10-member …
Burma’s ‘abused Chin need help’
BBC News, UK -
By Jonathan Head The US group Human Rights Watch has called for better protection of the Chins, one of Burma’s least known and most persecuted minorities. …
[ANN]No more silence over Rohingyas
Korea Herald, South Korea -
Asean has been largely silent, for instance, over Burma’s treatment of the protesting monks last year and it has been definitely mute over Burma’s rotten …
… the brunt of abusive military rule in Burma,” said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, referring to Myanmar by its former name. …
Report: Myanmar’s Chin people persecuted
The Associated Press -
“The Chin are unsafe in Burma and unprotected in India,” a report from the group said. The report said the regime in Myanmar, also known as Burma, …
Indian blockade exacerbates Chin food crisis
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Min Thang Nga of the Zomi Human Rights Foundation said the rats were eating bamboo seeds and also attacking rice crops. “They continue to face the threat of …
Rohingya migrants go before Thai court
The Associated Press -
“They told us there are no Muslims in Burma, and they continued to beat us,” he said. Myanmar was previously called Burma. After being detained for 10 days, …
Rohingya refugees face deportation
Aljazeera.net, Qatar -
A group of Rohingya refugees who say they were beaten and burned by Myanmar soldiers as they tried to flee on boats to Thailand are facing possible …
More boat people caught off Phangnga
Bangkok Post, Thailand -
The boat people told naval officers they were heading to Malaysia from Burma. The migrants, all male, were sent to Ranong police, who would refer them to …
Officials probe lead poisoning among refugees
MSNBC -
Fort Wayne is home to thousands of expatriates from Myanmar, also known as Burma. A recent spike in cases of lead poisoning among Burmese children has led …
Thailand says Rohingya do not face persecution
Reuters -
The junta does not recognize the Rohingya as one of the former Burma’s 130-odd ethnic minorities, and those in the northwest are restricted from travel …
Burma/India: End Abuses in Chin State
Human Rights Watch (press release) -
For too long, ethnic groups like the Chin have borne the brunt of abusive military rule in Burma. It is time for this brutal treatment to stop and for the …
Voice of desperation from Mandalay
Mizzima.com, India -
In the mid 1990s the Police Academy, which is the only police training school in Upper Burma, engaged private construction companies to build several …
Burmese opposition eyes U Lin Myaing’s US visit
Mizzima.com, India -
With the Burmese junta intensifying its repression against political dissidents and activists by more arrests, doling out harsh prison terms to them, …
Burmese refugees seek new life in US
Radio Australia, Australia -
LAMEY: Why is that a lot of the young refugees from Myanmar find the prospect of joining the military appealing? SCHERER: I think it’s an interest of young …
Concerns Over Potential Drug Resistant Malaria
RedOrbit, TX -
To prevent a recurrence with artemisinin, the United States has approved a malaria monitoring center in Myanmar, formerly Burma. The Bill and Melinda Gates …
UN envoy to ‘test waters’ in Myanmar
The National, United Arab Emirates -
This visit signals the UN’s renewed efforts to engage directly the military regime in Myanmar, once known as Burma, after months of debate about how best to …
Global Currency and Gold
Gold Seek -
Myanmar (Burma) requires a special note. Cross-country money supply comparisons rank Myanmar very high. This apparent paradox arises from the discrepancy …
Burmese refugees struggle to resettle in Canada
Vancouver Sun, Canada -
Originally from Burma (also known as Myanmar), they fled the ethnic and religious suppression of the Burmese military junta in the late 1970s and 1980s. …
Thailand denies dumping refugees at sea
MarketWatch (press release) -
Most of the refugees, including 78 people who washed up in a boat Tuesday, are from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, and are fleeing persecution from the …
reported in refugees
WTHI, IN -
Fort Wayne is home to thousands of refugees from Myanmar, also known as Burma. A recent spike in cases of lead poisoning among Burmese children has led …
Is Burma’s former Prime Minister Khin Nyunt to be freed soon?
Mizzima
| by Salai Pi Pi |
| Monday, 26 January 2009 22:20 |
.
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Rumours that Burma’s military junta will soon free its detained officers above the rank of Colonel to involve them in the ensuing election, is making the rounds in military circles in Burma, a source in the military establishment said.
The source said the junta is planning to release former Military Intelligence (MI) officers of ranks above Colonel, who were arrested, charged and detained along with the MI chief and former Prime Minister Khin Nyunt.
“Some family members of former MI officials are expecting their release,” the source told Mizzima.
The source added that the release is likely to include the former MI chief Khin Nyunt, who is currently under house arrest.
According to the source, who declined to be named, General Khin Nyunt, who was dismissed and arrested on charges of corruption in 2004, will be used to contest the election along with the recently release Sandar Win, daughter of former military dictator General Ne Win.
Khin Nyunt was tried in a Special Tribunal inside Insein prison in Rangoon and was sentenced to 44 years on corruption charges in 2005. However, it is widely believed that he is being put under house arrest instead of being detained in prison.
While Mizzima was unable to make an independent verification of the rumours, sources said it is spreading like wild fire in military circles in Rangoon.
A Thailand based Burmese military expert Htay Aung said, while he is unaware of the rumours, he does not rule out the possibility of the release of Khin Nyunt as the ruling junta does not act in keeping with the law.
“Since the law of the country is in the hands of regime, they can do whatever they want to. Sometimes speculations could also be true,” Htay Aung said.
In Burma, whose military rulers keep a tight hold over freedom of expression and information flow, rumours are common, and in many cases, tends to bear a high percentage of truth.
Htay Aung said he has heard that the regime had occasionally secretly allowed the former Intelligence Chief Khin Nyunt to go out despite being kept under house arrest.
“I have heard that the regime often allowed him [Khin Nyunt] to meet some guests,” Htay Aung added.
Link to 2010 election
According to the source, rumours are spreading that the military regime is convincing General Khin Nyunt and the recently freed Sanda Win, daughter of the former dictator General Ne Win, to form a political party to contest in the ensuing 2010 elections.
Khin Nyunt, after he took over as Prime Minister in 2003, announced the seven-step road map to democracy that the present regime is still implementing.
According to the roadmap, a general election is in slated for 2010.
Htay Aung, however, dismissed speculations on Sanda Win and Khin Nyunt teaming up to form a political party to contest the elections, saying, “The regime will not allow their enemy to take over power.”
According to him, the Generals in power including Snr. Gen Than Shwe consider Khin Nyunt dangerous for the military rulers, and does not prefer having him on their side.
He, however, said, if Khin Nyunt is to be freed, the generals might be thinking of using him to negotiate with cease-fire groups, whom Khin Nyuint, during his tenure as the MI chief, convinced to stop fighting.
“Compared to the leading generals of the regime, he [Khin Nyunt] has strong influence over the cease-fire groups,” said Htay Aung. “So they might want to reuse him to handle them [cease-fire groups].”
Sources close to the ceasefire groups said, the Burmese military regime has recently stepped up pressure on cease-fire groups to disarm and form political parties to contest the elections.
However, major ceasefire groups such as the Kachin Independent Organization (KIO) and United Wa State Army (UWSA) said they will not surrender their arms though they do not oppose the junta’s planned elections.
Possible Fresh crackdown
The source, further said, while rumours of the possibilities of Khin Nyunt being freed are spreading, military supremo Snr. Gen Than Shwe is still nervous about the possibilities of Khin Nyunt’s followers remaining in the army.
Than Shwe’s fresh suspicions about Khin Nyunt followers, might lead to another brutal operation within the military in the form of a crackdown on Khin Nyunt’s associates, the source added.
World focus on Burma (27 January 2009)
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Crucial asean bills pass in rowdy house session
เดอะ เนชั่น, Thailand -
Bilateral agreements on matters such as human trafficking with Burma and labour cooperation with South Korea were also approved. An ad-hoc committee of 36 …
asean documents of vital interest
เดอะ เนชั่น, Thailand -
As the host of the Asean Summit, we could raise a number of topical issues as far as human rights are concerned, such as the unrest in southern Thailand; …
NLD holds lecture on Law Affairs in Rangoon
Mizzima.com, India -
Thingangyun constituency (1) NLD MP and Central Legal Aid Committee member advocate U Thein Nyunt, delivered his lecture on the title ‘Burmese Laws and …
Burmese Opposition Views Gambari Visit with Skepticism
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
“He [the Secretary General] has, therefore, asked Mr Gambari to return to continue his discussions and engagement with the Myanmar government, …
ILO concerned by jailing of labour activist
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
“ILO’s priority in Burma is to end forced labour in the country and to stop the use of child soldiers. Other issues are outside our mandate, but we will do …
Thailand Burma Border Consortium e-Letter: Issue no 6, Dec 2008 …
ReliefWeb (press release), Switzerland -
Certainly 2008 was a dreadful year for Burma with the devastating Cyclone Nargis in May and renewed political oppression and human rights abuses as the …
Excellent jump start for Thai-Cambodian relations
เดอะ เนชั่น, Thailand -
The recent calls from Singapore and Burma to boycott the upcoming Asean Summit in Thailand were a bit silly. The postponement of the Asean summit from last …
A royal mess: Why Sweden can’t have its own Obama
The Local, Sweden -
… to Guatemala and Burma to Zimbabwe, elect democratic heads of state. But for a country that prides itself as being something of a beacon of democracy, …
At least four years for full recovery from Nargis devastation: UN
Mizzima.com, India -
The ruling junta changed the country name from Burma to Myanmar in 1989. Cyclone Nargis which lashed Irrawaddy delta and Rangoon in May 2 and 3 killed …
More Rohingya boatpeople arrested in Thailand
Mizzima.com, India -
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Burma’s state-run newspaper, New Light of Myanmar reported that Burma will assist Thailand in stemming the inflow of Rohingya boat …
Thailand detains 78 more migrants caught at sea
The Associated Press -
The plight of the Rohingyas — a Muslim ethnic group who fled persecution in Myanmar — was highlighted earlier this month following accusations some of them …
Thai police arrest migrants as scandal continues
ABC Online, Australia -
They come from western Burma, but are not accepted as citizens in their home country. The new Thai Government is on the defensive about the issue, …
OIC says protection of Rohingya refugees Thai’s legal responsibility
http://www.worldbulletin.net, Turkey -
The Rohingya refugees were fleeing oppression and dictatorial rule in Myanmar. Thai coast guards pushed Muslim Rohingyas back at sea in decrepit boats and …
Thailand changes tack on refugees
BBC News, UK -
The latest boatload of Burmese migrants to arrive in Thailand has been handed to the police rather than the military, after an outcry over their treatment. …
At least four years for full recovery from Nargis devastation: UN
Mizzima.com, India -
The ruling junta changed the country name from Burma to Myanmar in 1989. Cyclone Nargis which lashed Irrawaddy delta and Rangoon in May 2 and 3 killed …
Between impotency & bosoms: the other news
Thought Leader, South Africa -
… is doing here): In Burma or Myanmar — and not your ma se — tyranny and authoritative rule continues to terrorise the local population and non-violent …
IPI to Davos: Burying News Hurts Crisis Response
International Press Institute (press release), Austria -
Reports from IPI and other media and human rights groups cite crackdowns on journalists in China and Burma (Myanmar) who tried to file field reports on …
Global Money Supply and the Value of Gold
The Market Oracle, UK -
Myanmar (Burma) requires a special note. Cross-country money supply comparisons rank Myanmar very high. This apparent paradox arises from the discrepancy …
Mired in mediocrity
Frontline, India -
He also offers a startling piece of information: the largest concentration of Indian settlers is in Myanmar (erstwhile Burma) and is double the size of the …
Commentary: Constitution and the ethnic nationalities
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Eight Shan leaders including Khun Tun Oo were sentenced to between 75 and 106 years in prison for trying to protect the rights of ethnic nationalities with …
Burmese Monk Talks about Compassion, Obama in Mahachai
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
A week after Cyclone Nargis hit the Irrawaddy delta, Sitagu Sayadaw set up emergency relief centers and clinics in Ka Don Ka Ni, Amar, Set San and Kunthi …
Myanmar, children exploited for less than 30 cents a day
AsiaNews.it, Italy -
Among those worst hit are children in the Irrawaddy delta region, badly hit by cyclone Nargis last May. Burmese businessmen, fishermen, and farmers use male …
Training programme shut down in Pyapon
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
… member of the Rangoon division Head Monks’ Association, rebuilt a school in Kyonku village, Pyapon township, which had been destroyed by Cyclone Nargis. …
NLD member’s relatives jailed after being assaulted
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Jan 27, 2009 (DVB)–The mother and uncle of a National League for Democracy member from Hlegu township in Rangoon who were beaten up by a local family have …
Global Crisis Hits Burmese Overseas Workers
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, Ye Min Tun from the Malaysia-based Burma Workers’ Rights Protection Committee said that more than 700 Burmese migrants …
Junta Promises to Address Rohingya Exodus
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Maung Aye said authorities will try to prevent the Rohingya from leaving Burma for other countries. Burma’s state-run newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, …
Army Airbase Built in Northern Arakan
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
The military junta is reportedly building the airbase to accommodate fighter jets. The construction of the airbase began after the Burmese junta found …
UN envoy to visit Myanmar soon, UN says
MSNBC -
By EDITH M. LEDERER UNITED NATIONS – The UN special envoy to Myanmar will be returning soon to pursue a dialogue between the country’s military rulers and …
Asia-Pacific Business & Finance News: Chinese Lunar New Year – 1 …
FinFacts Ireland, Ireland -
The Far Eastern Economic Review also says that the Burmese junta’s disgraceful nonresponse to Cyclone Nargis last year called international attention to the …
On this day
News24, South Africa -
1995 – Burmese soldiers win a key battle against one of the world’s oldest insurgencies, capturing the base of Burma’s largest Karen rebel army in the …
Burmese refugee escapes death, regroups in US
High Point Enterprise (subscription), NC -
Pau is among the Chin people of Myanmar, known for being the only Christian ethnic group in the almost 90 percent Buddhist country, and he attributes his …
Myanmar to help Thailand on Rohingyas minority
Thai News Agency MCOT, Thailand -
BANGKOK, Jan 27 (TNA) – Myanmar’s military leaders agreed to help Thailand to solve the problem of the Rohingya, an ethnic Muslim minority group from …
Malaysian cyber-paper at vanguard of media revolution
AFP -
“Malaysiakini could only have existed in places like Malaysia, Singapore or Burma, simply because the mainstream press have no credibility,” the political …
A Military Out of Control
Asia Sentinel, Hong Kong -
While Thailand’s military has come under fire in the last few weeks for the navy’s treatment of Bangladeshi and Burmese Rohingya Muslims, the fact is that …
Demarcation talks to start in February
Radio Australia, Australia -
ABBANY: Thailand has mentioned that it wants to sort of get to grips with Burma as well, but do you think that this dispute with Cambodia would top Burma in …
Tiger mauls ex-Gisborne woman on mission work
Gisborne Herald, New Zealand -
While here they were members of the Mangapapa Union Parish, members of which still support them in their work in the Myanmar-Thailand border area. …
Situation in Burma critical, says exiled prime minister
Irish Times, Ireland -
Aung San Suu Kyi, still under house arrest in Burma, is occasionally able to get a message out to the exiled cabinet. Dr Win, who is her first cousin, …
The war heroes forced to live on rice and beans
Independent, UK -
Initially, many Burmese – including General Aung San, the father of the currently imprisoned pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the man who would …
More go hungry as world food prices rise
Stock Journal, Australia -
The Humanitarian Action Report says the devastation caused by cyclone Nargis in Burma last May has meant about 20000 children still suffer food shortages. …
Error of judgment
guardian.co.uk, UK -
Even the cyclone appeal for Burma had profoundly political implications, as the military junta blocked access of aid agencies to the Irrawaddy Delta. …
OBI Reaches Milestone with Food Delivery
Christian Broadcasting Network, VA -
After Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar last year, OBI was able to enter the country even after Burma authorities had blocked the aid of several international …
UN envoy to visit Myanmar
Straits Times, Singapore -
UNITED NATIONS – THE UN special envoy to Myanmar will be returning soon to pursue a dialogue between the country’s military rulers and the opposition led by …
War, disasters cause an extra 100 million hungry
Australia Network News, Australia -
UNICEF’s 2009 Humanitarian Action Report says Africa is in the most dire situation, and communities in Burma and East Timor are also finding it harder to …
Pictures ‘prove’ that Burma refugees were left to die at sea
Times Online, UK -
Pressure is mounting on the Thai Government to reveal the truth about allegations that its military towed hundreds of Burmese refugees out to sea and …
Spread of Malaria Strain Feared as Drug Loses Potency
New York Times, United States -
… the United States has put aside political considerations and approved a malaria monitoring center in military-run Myanmar, formerly Burma. …
UN envoy to visit Myanmar soon, UN says
eTaiwan News, Taiwan -
By EDITH M. LEDERER AP The UN special envoy to Myanmar will be returning soon to pursue a dialogue between the country’s military rulers and the opposition …
Asean pacts ‘on track’ for passage
Bangkok Post, Thailand -
Mr Kasit was a leader of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) that led protesters in their blockade of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports last …
Customs clarifies rules on banned Burmese gems
National Jeweler Network, NY -
In September 2008, the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act of 2008 became law, specifying that all rubies and jadeite originally from Myanmar (formerly called …
UN envoy Gambari to visit Myanmar for talks on democracy
Monsters and Critics.com -
New York – The United Nations envoy for Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, will soon visit Myanmar to continue discussions on the democratic process in the Southeast …
Feds Update Burma Jade Law
Jewelers Circular Keystone Online, NY -
The Act specifies that all rubies and jadeite originally from Burma (also known as Myanmar) or jewelry containing these gemstones cannot enter this country …
UNHCR concern for 126 Rohingya boat people
The New Nation, Bangladesh -
“Given the new Thai government’s commitment to human rights, we are eager to discuss with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya ways that this crisis can be …
Fiat’s Ad Features Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi (Video included)
mediabistro.com, NY -
Democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has spent the last 12 years under house arrest in Myanmar, her home country. She’s the leader of the National League for .
From Arms to Art
The Epoch Times, NY -
Imagine hip-hop artists in Iran, slam poets in Moscow, video artists in Burma. Forget about weapons of mass destruction; let’s unleash artists of mass …
Burmese Boat People Scandal Exposes Thai PM’s Debt to Army
Jakarta Globe, Indonesia - 6 hours ago
In his one month as Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva has made much of the need for human rights and the rule of law at the heart of government. …
Rohingyas face ‘slow burning genocide’: Activist
Mizzima.com, India -
Migration of Rohingyas, who mainly reside in parts of Burma’s western Arakan state, in search of greener pastures will persist until the root cause is …
First ever political journal to be published soon
Mizzima.com, India -
… army veteran and former government mouthpiece daily paper ‘New Light of Myanmar’ Vice Editor-in-Chief U Thiha Aung. “Burma is heading towards democracy. …
Government in exile urged to negotiate with opposition groups
Mizzima.com, India -
Dr. Sein Win, a cousin brother of detained opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has served the NCGUB as Prime Minister since its formation in 1990. …
Is Burma’s former Prime Minister Khin Nyunt to be freed soon?
Mizzima.com, India -
Khin Nyunt, after he took over as Prime Minister in 2003, announced the seven-step road map to democracy that the present regime is still implementing. …
A New U.S. Strategy for Burma
Mizzima
by Zo Tum Hmung
Sunday, 25 January 2009 19:46
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States will mark major changes in policy in many areas at home and internationally. However, the Obama administration is highly likely to continue the Bush policy of pushing for restoration of civilian democratic rule in Burma. The new administration should try a new strategy toward the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the ruling military regime in Burma by finding a common ground among key international players on the situation in Burma.
Because time is of the essence, now is the time to think differently – before Burma’s 2010 election.
The United States has pursued bilateral sanctions against the SPDC for years. Burma’s powerful neighbors, China and India, have frustrated this. People close to the Indo-Burma Kaladan project, a $100 million port project in Burma, have confirmed to me that India is fully funding it to foster closer ties with Burma. In order to pursue economic recovery on domestically, Washington will need closer ties with both Beijing and Delhi. Neither India nor China will abandon their strategic relations with Burma, until the United States works with them as equal partners in solving Burma’s problems.
The Bush administration began to engage with members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China and India bilaterally to put pressure on the Burmese military regime. The new administration should convene a multilateral talks involving all the parties concerned.
The Bush administration also put Burma on the agenda of the UN Security Council – an idea initially pushed by a June 2003 report from the Council on Foreign Relations task force. The Council members including Senators Richard Lugar (then the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee), Diane Feinstein, and Mitch McConnell, and the late Congressman Tom Lantos. The report by Vaclav Havel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu in September 2005 reinforced the notion of Burma as a threat to international peace and security. When a draft resolution finally made it to the Security Council in January 2007, both Russia and China vetoed it. In October 2007, however, Russia and China agreed to a Presidential Statement from the Security Council, condemning violence against protests in Burma and calling for concerned parties to form a dialogue on national reconciliation.
In addition to the unitateral sanctions and working through the Security Council, the United States has supported the efforts of the UN Special Envoys. When Suu Kyi was released in 2002, the United States was hopeful for change. However, the Special UN Envoy Ismael Razali was soon frustrated by the lack of progress and resigned. In 2003, Suu Kyi was arrested again and has remained under house arrest ever since. The appointment of Ibrahim Gambari as a UN envoy led to further hopes, but has yet to produce meaningful results.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also convened an informal consultation of “Friends of the Secretary-General on Burma,” 14 nations, to discuss the matter but not pursue specific action. The Secretary General was almost on the right track with his “Friends,” but the process was informal and there were too many nations involved.
Michael Green, former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council, recently wrote in Foreign Affairs that the UN approach has failed. In September 2007, I wrote in Mizzima News that the UN approach had failed to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
The realistic prospect of regime change either through the support of opposition groups in the 2010 election or through the support of internal uprisings is very slim. The military regime has already reserved 25 percent, of the parliamentary seats for the Army, giving themselves the upper hand before a single vote has been cast. They are determined not to repeat the 1990 election, when Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide victory. The military regime will protect its power by any means necessary.
The current strategy has failed for years to produce any meaningful results. Pursuing it further has even less chance of success. This argument does not suggest abandoning this course completely, especially pursuing a Security Council resolution. Rather, it is suggesting coordination of all the concerned parties through a formal framework which could eventually lead to a Security Council resolution.
Given the frustrations of the current, unilateral, uncoordinated approach, Washington should redouble its efforts, and lead all the parties concerned with Burma’s future in a formal, multilateral framework to find a common ground. There are three keys to a successful process.
First, President Obama should appoint a U.S. Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma as called for by Rep. Lantos’ Block Burmese JADE Act of 2008 as soon as possible. The Representative should be someone with extensive experience in negotiations and diplomacy.
Second, the Representative should take the lead in framing formal “Seven-Party Talks” involving China, India, ASEAN, the European Union, and the United Nations. I suggested in September 2007 in Mizzima News that a framework similar to the negotiations over North Korea would be the most effective way of reaching a negotiated settlement on Burma’s future. After he left his post with the Bush administration, Michael Green suggested six-party talks, leaving out the United Nations.
Third, the Representative should lead the Seven Parties in sending a common message to the SPDC. It will not be easy, but it is crucial to speak with one voice. The message should include the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as other political prisoners, along with democratic reforms. In delivering this message, the carrot offered to the SPDC should be reassurance that they are part of solution for Burma. The stick should be the promise of punitive action against them and the prospect of holding them accountable for all their actions.
There is no easy solution. But the new administration should launch a new strategy immediately. Given President Obama’s strength and popularity abroad and at home, and bipartisan Congressional support for action on Burma, Obama has a unique opportunity to forge a new path to reform.
Zo Tum Hmung is a former president of the Chin Freedom Coalition. He received a master’s degree from Harvard University, where he concentrated on foreign policy.
http://www.mizzima.com/edop/commentary/1600-a-new-us-strategy-for-burma.html
World focus on Burma (26 January 2009)
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Win Tin rejects election talks with UN envoy
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
During his last visit, he was not able to meet with junta leader senior general Than Shwe or detained NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and was criticised for the …
Event celebrates Burmese culture
News Sentinel, IN -
The dictatorship renamed the country Myanmar. Dr. Nora E. Rowley, a member of the US Campaign for Burma, said she witnessed the abuses of the regime against …
Photos show refugees cast adrift
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia -
THE first pictures have emerged showing hundreds of refugees who had fled Burma being towed into international waters on the order of the Thai Army and …
Netaji: The Undying Legend
Mainstream, India -
He collected Rs 25 crores from Indians in Burma, now Myanmar. A Muslim businessman gave away all his worldly possessions worth over a crore of rupees. …
RIGHTS-MALAYSIA: Malaysian, Thai Officials Trafficking Burmese …
Inter Press Service, Italy -
“They are left stranded, unable to return to Myanmar (official name for Burma) where they face certain persecution by the military regime and rejected from …
More go hungry as world food prices rise
The Age, Australia -
The Humanitarian Action Report says the devastation caused by cyclone Nargis in Burma last May has meant about 20000 children still suffer food shortages. …
Soaring Kyat Means More Economic Turmoil for Burmese
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Falling world prices and slack demand are hitting Burmese rice farmers especially hard. Already struggling to cope with the effects of Cyclone Nargis, …
Sein Win Re-elected PM of Government-in-Exile
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Sein Win is a cousin of Aung San Suu Kyi, the symbolic leader of the NLD. His new term of office is four years. Bo Kyi, a leading Burmese dissident in Mae …
Obama Speech Censored in Burma
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Last week, the Agence-France Presse (AFP) news agency reported that the Burmese junta hopes that the new US president will change Washington’s tough policy …
8 Bangladeshis Kidnapped by Arakanese Insurgents
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
The DPA is a small armed group fighting against the Burmese military government and is a member of the Arakan National Council. The Arakan National Council …
Labour activist jailed for 10 years
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Jan 26, 2009 (DVB)–Labour activist Zaw Htay, who helped farmers file a report to the International Labour Organisation on land seizure in Magwe’s Nat Mauk …
Rice Traders’ Association chair dismissed
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
The remaining 18000 kyat was spent on providing aid for Cyclone Nargis victims, Win Kyaing said. “He said the association had spent 2 million kyat over the …
NCGUB appoints three new ministers
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Senior National League for Democracy member Win Tin said he supported all efforts for democracy in Burma but warned that the establishment of a new …
Residents Forced to Clean Town for PM’s Trip
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
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Australia Day honours list
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World focus on Burma (25 January 2009)
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A New US Strategy for Burma
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Dr. Sein Win re-elected PM of government in exile
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We must know that the root cause of this problem is the Burmese junta. As long as the junta rules Burma, these migrant workers will flow to Thailand. …
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President Obama’s inauguration address
Full Transcript
President Obama’s inauguration address
January 20, 2009, 19:55
It was an historic day for the United States of America: President-elect Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president, and the first African-American president in the nation’s history. Speaking to the hundreds of thousands present at the National Mall, and millions watching on television, President Barack Obama delivered his inauguration address.
U.S. President Barack Obama delivers his speech after taking the Oath of Office to become the 44th President of the United States, during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history.
The following is the full text of U.S. President Barack Obama’s inauguration address on Tuesday. Obama, a Democrat, was sworn in on the steps of the Capitol as the 44th U.S. president around noon EST (1700 GMT), taking over from President George W. Bush, a Republican.
“My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking
America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act – not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans.
Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
More Pictures
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.
And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet.
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.”
http://www.welt.de/english-news/article3062276/President-Obamas-inauguration-address.html
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Obama – the first 100 hours
Obama – the first 100 hours
At 4pm today, Barack Obama will have been president for 100 hours. From ordering the closure of Guantánamo Bay to approving missile strikes, we take a look at the first 100 things he did in office
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The Guardian, Saturday 24 January 2009
Article history
1 Said: “So help me God.” The phrase is not required by the constitution, so it’s arguable that he, Barack Obama, was president by the time he said it, making these his first words in office.
2 Delivered a 17-minute inauguration address, telling the crowds it was time to “pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America”.
3 Invoked biggest cheer of the day from the 2 million-plus crowd with the words: “Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many … But know this, America – they will be met.”
4 Then the words: “We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.” George Bush, sitting to his left, looks decidedly uncomfortable.
5 With his wife, Michelle, escorted George and Laura Bush to the waiting helicopter, where the two men hugged before the former president began his journey home to Texas.
6 As the helicopter disappeared into clear skies, Obama now had Washington, and the United States, all to himself. His relief was palpable.
7 Inside the Capitol building, signed his first documents as president, including cabinet nominations.
8 “I’m a lefty. Get used to it,” he said, as he signed. Obama is the fourth southpaw, or left-handed, president out of the past five (Dubya is right-handed).
9 Signed a proclamation declaring 20 January 2009 a national day of renewal and reconciliation.
10 Completed the signing session, looking wistfully at the object in his left hand. “I was told not to swipe the pen,” he said.
11 Attended a lunch with congressional leaders, where he dined on a menu from Lincoln’s day: pheasant, duck and apple cake served on replica Lincoln White House china.
12 Addressed the assembled crowd, minus Ted Kennedy, who was removed on a stretcher with medical difficulties.
13 Entered his limousine, nicknamed The Beast, to begin the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to his new home at number 1600.
14 The armour-plated Beast has tinted windows, but through them Obama could be seen clearly practising his military salute.
15 Walked two stretches of the 1.7-mile route, waving at the crowds lining the street.
16 Briefly entered the White House with his family – the Obamas’ first moments in their new home.
17 As he entered the North Porticoe into the central entrance, he passed a portrait of the elder George Bush on his left and Bill Clinton on the right. Straight ahead of him, above the door to the Blue Room, was the seal of the US president. His seal.
18 Took his position in the reviewing stand outside the White House, to watch 40 bands and other groups parade past, including the World Famous Lawn Rangers from Illinois, who pushed decorated lawn mowers.
19 Tried out that salute, as cadets marched by. Not bad, though he needs to keep his hand straight.
20 Instructed military prosecutors to seek a 120-day halt to legal proceedings involving detainees at Guantánamo Bay.
21 Issued an order instructing government agencies to halt all pending regulations signed by Bush – a way of combating efforts by the outgoing administration to force through last-minute changes without congressional approval.
22 Danced with Michelle to Beyonce’s rendition of At Last, by Etta James, as the opening dance of the Neighbourhood Ball.
23 Appeared to step on the train of Michelle’s custom-designed gown by Jason Wu, but otherwise showed himself to be a decent dancer.
24 Gave a brief interview to ABC News, whose reporter said: “Mr President – sounds good, doesn’t it?” “It’s got a certain ring to it,” he replied.
25 Danced and spoke again at the Home State Ball, for Illinois and Hawaii.
26 A quick transfer to the Commander-in-Chief ball, with many military attendees, and a satellite link to war zones. Obama danced with Army Sergeant Margaret Herrera of Texas, who burst into tears.
27 Visited the Youth Ball, for people aged between 18 and 35.
28 Visited the Home State Ball for Delaware and Pennsylvania, in honour of Joe Biden, his vice-president.
29 Briefly visited the Mid-Atlantic Ball.
30 … And the Western Ball …
31 … And the Midwestern Ball …
32 … And the Southern Ball …
33 … And the Eastern Ball. The couple looked increasingly exhausted as the evening progressed, and sped up their appearances, ending the night ahead of schedule.
34 Back to White House at 12.55am to spend his first night there.
35 The Obamas slept in the master bedroom in the private residence on the first floor of the White House. Their daughters, Malia and Sasha, who were treated to a treasure hunt by White House staff on their first evening culminating with a surprise visit by their favourite music act the Jonas Brothers, slept in bedrooms over the corridor once occupied by Amy Carter, Tricia Nixon, Luci Johnson and Caroline Kennedy.
36 Four hours of sleep and he was up and at it on his first full day. Lights were reported in the private residence at 5am.
37 Obama probably squeezed in a visit to the exercise room on the second floor. He has daily 45-minute gym sessions.
38 Spent his first 10 minutes alone in the Oval Office.
39 Got to sit for the first time behind the Resolute desk, a gift from Queen Victoria to America in 1880.
40 Read the letter that Bush had left for him, according to tradition, in the top drawer of the desk, marked: “To #44, From #43″. Its contents have not been revealed.
41 Discussed the day’s events with his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. It’s their first Oval Office meeting.
42 Posed for pictures taken by his personal White House photographer of him and Emanuel in deep discussion. Press photographers later expressed their anger that they weren’t invited to capture the moment.
43 Briefly spoke with his wife, Michelle, in the Oval Office.
44 Attended morning-after post-inauguration service with his family, the Bidens, and the Clintons, at the Washington National Cathedral.
45 Laughed when Rev Samuel Lloyd proclaimed: “This is their first full day on the job and the best way we can imagine to begin is by praying for them.”
46 Listened, with head bowed, to the first sermon at a president’s inaugural church service delivered by Rev Sharon Watkins.
47 Telephoned the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas – according to Abbas’s spokesman, the call was Obama’s first to a foreign leader.
48 Phoned the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
49 Phoned King Abdullah of Jordan.
50 Phoned Egypt’s president, Hosni Mubarak. The Middle Eastern calls, Obama’s press spokesman said, were intended “to communicate his commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace from the beginning of his term”.
51 Issued executive order limiting the powers of former presidents and vice-presidents to block the release of sensitive records of their time in the White House. It would allow the administration to approve release of former vice-president Dick Cheney’s records, among others, against his objections.
52 Issued instruction to government agencies to be more responsive to freedom of information requests.
53 Announced a tightening of rules on ex-lobbyists working in government.
54 Announced a pay freeze for his staff earning $100,000 (£73,000) or more. “Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington,” he said.
55 Witnessed the swearing-in of about 50 senior members of White House staff.
56 Told his top team that “transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency”.
57 Biden made a joke about Chief Justice Roberts’s flubbing of the presidential oath as he prepared to lead the swearing in. Obama did not look amused. Was this one transparency too far?
58 Personally greeted each of the newly sworn-in staff.
59 Obama hosted an “open house” in the White House for 200 people who had been granted tickets on a first-come, first-served basis; some were in tears.
60 “Welcome, enjoy yourself,” the president told one young man. “Roam around. Don’t break anything.”
61 Met the joint chiefs of staff and other members of his national security team to discuss Iraq and Afghanistan. His first chance to check out the wizardry in the Situation Room, with its screens receiving satellite images from around the world and its banks of incoming top-secret messages.
62 Met economic advisors to discuss his stimulus package, which could be worth $900bn.
63 Re-swore the oath of office in the White House Map Room out of an “abundance of caution”. Or alternatively as a way of killing off the storm of right-wing agitprop that has been tearing through the internet suggesting that the first botched attempt at the oath means Obama is not rightfully president.
64 This time they got it right. Roberts asked “Are you ready to take the oath?” Obama replied: “I am, and we’re going to do it very slowly.”
65 “We decided it was so much fun.” Obama joked to reporters after the event. “The bad news … is there’s 12 more balls.”
66 Ate dinner with his family at the White House on Wednesday evening in the private dining room on the first floor.
67 Was waited upon by the 95-strong White House staff. Barack and Michelle will not have to make their own bed for as long as they are in the mansion, though Malia and Sasha will, at their mother’s insistence.
68 Gave a speech at a Wednesday night Thank You Ball for campaign workers at the Washington DC Armoury. “You guys dress a lot sharper than you did in Iowa!” he told the crowd.
69 Walked up and down the rope line shaking campaign workers’ hands – officially, the final act of the inauguration celebrations.
70 On Thursday morning, said goodbye to his daughters, Sasha and Malia, who were returning to Washington’s Sidwell Friends school after two days off for the inauguration.
71 Back to the gym for likely work-out.
72 Absorbed the news that the specially commissioned piece of music by John Williams played “live” at his inauguration by a quartet of world-class musicians had in fact been recorded two days’ previously.
73 Released statement on the 36th anniversary of the landmark Roe v Wade supreme court judgment, reaffirming his commitment to protecting abortion rights.
74 To applause, signed executive order requiring the closure of the military prison at Guantánamo within one year.
75 Obama said: “The message we are sending around the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism … and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals.” Was Bush watching on TV at home in Dallas cringing?
76 Signed second executive order requiring the closure of the CIA’s network of secret overseas prisons, and making a commitment to not using torture in interrogations.
77 Signed third executive order establishing an interagency taskforce on detainees, including Hillary Clinton and the defence secretary, Robert Gates, to decide what to do with the remaining Guantánamo inmates.
78 Signed directive to delay proceedings in the case of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, currently awaiting a hearing at the supreme court, so that the president’s team can review it. Marri is accused of being an al-Qaida sleeper agent.
79 Visited the state department, where Clinton had earlier made an introductory address to staff.
80 Watched, with impassive face, as Clinton said that she had appointed two special envoys to world trouble zones. The appointments had previously been billed as Obama’s own. Was this a taste of rivalry to come?
81 Endured second gaffe by his vice-president in a week. Biden stepped into the tension between Obama and Clinton, saying at first that the president would announce the envoys and then hurriedly saying Clinton would present them.
82 Clinton got to name George Mitchell, the former Senate majority leader and Irish peace negotiator, as special envoy to the Middle East peace process. Obama later claimed him as his envoy. Who is in charge here?
83 Clinton named the former UN ambassador Richard Holbrooke as special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama later names him as his envoy. Bully to you, secretary of state!
84 Called on Hamas to end its rocket fire into Israel, and for Israel to “complete the withdrawal of its forces from Gaza”, adding that Gaza’s borders should be opened to humanitarian aid.
85 Paid brief surprise visit to the White House press area, startling journalists. “Good to see you guys. I just wanted to make sure that I had a chance to say hello,” he said. “I gotta say, it’s smaller than I thought.”
86 Observing that CNN and Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News had adjacent booths, he likened them to the goal for Israel and the Palestinians: “Living side by side in peace and security,” he noted.
87 Slight tetchiness entered the proceedings when a reporter asked a serious question about his nomination of a former lobbyist as number two at the Pentagon. “I can’t come in and shake hands if I’m gonna get grilled every time,” Obama said.
88 Said that he had won his fight to keep a Blackberry. The president will be given a $3,000 special version with encryption to secure his email exchanges with a very limited number of vetted correspondents.
89 Convened meeting with congressional leaders on the economic crisis.
90 Invited Republican leaders into the White House to air their discontent over the bail-out package. He is proving himself to be adept in defusing potential enemies.
91 Sat in on the daily briefing of the National Security Council giving updates on threats around the world.
92 Approves first American missile strikes under his presidency on tribal areas of Pakistan.
93 Started the first of what will now be a new daily series of briefings on the economy led by Larry Summers.
94 Budget meeting. With projections of an annual deficit of more than $1tr this year, there was plenty to talk about.
95 Rounded off a gruelling first three days with a meeting in the Oval Office with Timothy Geithner, his nominee for treasury secretary who is still embroiled in a drawn-out confirmation process in the Senate.
96 The Obamas had a choice of possible entertainments to round off their week. The choicest of all, most past presidents agree, is the private theatre, where they can watch Hollywood films before they are put on general release.
97 Back to the gym. There is no way Obama would miss his work-out on a Saturday.
98 Finally, a chance to take in the White House and its grounds at a slightly more relaxed tempo. The Obamas have said they will continue to spend weekends in their Chicago home, but this weekend is likely to be a time for acclimatising in their new residence.
99 Obama may take the opportunity to test out the White House basketball court. The court has been modified to put up two nets, allowing for a full game.
100 Obama retreats to his office on the first floor, puts his feet up on the desk, leans back and goes to light one of the cigarettes he has been struggling to give up. But alas smoking is banned in the White House.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/24/barack-obama-inauguration
