Archive for the ‘World Focus on Burma’ Category
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 …
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. …
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 -
Maungdaw: Residents in Maungdaw have been forced by district authorities to clean their town in advance of a visit by the Burmese military junta’s prime …
Burmese celebration ‘shows we are united’
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN -
Day 2, we make democracy.” With President Obama taking the reins in the United States, Soe said he hopes the end of the regime in Myanmar can happen soon. ..
SHRF MONTHLY REPORT – JANUARY 2009
Shan Herald Agency for News, Thailand -
… rigging the coming election as it has just done in the May 2008 referendum, perpetuating their suffering under various brutal human rights violations. …
Australia Day honours list
Brisbane Times, Australia -
For distinguished service to the community through the advancement of human rights and social justice, and by raising public awareness and understanding of …
World focus on Burma (25 January 2009)
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A New US Strategy for Burma
Mizzima.com, India -
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. …
Dr. Sein Win re-elected PM of government in exile
Mizzima.com, India -
Mathematics Professor Dr. Sein Win (64) is the cousin brother of detained Nobel peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and he received his doctoral degree from …
Thai government faced with new abuse charges
InTheNews.co.uk, UK -
Thailand’s government has come under criticism again for its alleged mistreatment of Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar. The south-east Asian country has …
Tom Lantos JADE Act Guidelines Released
IDEX Online, Israel -
The Act specifies that all rubies and jadeite originally from Burma (Myanmar) or jewelry containing these gemstones cannot enter the US even if they had …
Zachary Michaelson Seeks to Raise Awareness on Burma
PR-CANADA.net (press release), Montenegro -
… has announced his intention to launch an awareness campaign to further expose the plight of religious and ethnic minority groups in Burma (Myanmar). …
Rights groups demand fair treatment for migrant workers in Thailand
Mizzima.com, India -
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. …
Thais deny boat people abuse claims
Aljazeera.net, Qatar -
The allegations were made as Thailand offered to host a regional conference aimed at stemming the flow of illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh. …
FEATURE: Descendents of ‘Orphan Army’ dream of home
Taipei Times, Taiwan -
… thousands of KMT soldiers who had crossed the border to Thailand and Burma (now Myanmar) were isolated there, eventually becoming known as the “Orphan …
REFUGEES STRUGGLE: Economic situation makes life tougher for newcomers
High Point Enterprise (subscription), NC -
The refugees came from Myanmar (Burma), Iraq, Iran, Cuba, Vietnam, Bhutan, Somalia, Sudan and Burundi, and though currently about 118 refugees are employed, …
‘Women in Pakistan well represented politically’
Daily Times, Pakistan -
Sherry also mentioned Burmese political leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who continued her struggle for democracy and human rights in her country. …
Burma Clamps Down on Christians
Journal Chrétien, France -
A military dictatorship has ruled Burma since 1962. Following the takeover, the government renamed Burma as the Union of Myanmar and the capital city as …
Learn from Rangoon, but do not involve it
Nation Multimedia, Thailand -
Whatever the answer, the red-shirts have mocked Thailand, Burma and themselves at the same time. The pro-Thaksin group was effectively telling the world …
Scientist puts mother tongue on academia threshold
Standard, Kenya -
Then, his father, Mbugwa Mwatha, who had served in the King’s African Rifles and fought in World War II in Burma (now Myanmar) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), …
World focus on Burma (24 August 2009)
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BBC slammed for refusing to air Gaza appeal
The Associated Press -
The appeals have raised millions of pounds (dollars) for victims of war and natural disaster in Congo, Myanmar and elsewhere. BBC director-general Mark …
Thailand and Myanmar’s army leaders compared
Global Voices Online, MA -
by Mong Palatino Rule of Lords insists that Thailand’s army leaders are not better than Burma’s. As Awzar Thi of AHRC says, the Thai military is similar in …
Women in Pakistan well represented politically: Sherry Rehman
Associated Press of Pakistan, Pakistan -
Similarly, the Minister said, Burmese woman political leader Aung San Suu Kyi continues her struggle for democracy and human rights for her country in an …
Indonesia denies asylum to Rohingya survivors
AsiaNews.it, Italy -
The odyssey of hundreds of people who fled from Myanmar and landed in Thailand, where the army loaded them onto boats without motors and towed them onto the …
Gambari to visit Myanmar for the seventh time
Merinews, India -
… Myanmar military junta see reason and usher in political reconciliation at the earliest, the United Nations special envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari is …
Bush should get more credit for fighting terror
Ithaca Journal, NY -
… and action except from a few dictatorial rulers such as those of North Korea, Iran, China, Russia, Burma (Myanmar), Zimbabwe and a few Arab states. …
DRC: ICC’s First Trial Focuses on Child Soldiers
Human Rights Tribune, Switzerland -
Children are currently recruited and used in armed conflict in at least 15 countries and territories: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Central African Republic …
UN envoy to visit Myanmar
International Herald Tribune, France -
YANGON: UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari will visit military-ruled Myanmar next week to try to revive negotiations between the junta and detained opposition …
Robbie Burns at 250
Globe and Mail, Canada -
Agitating for democracy in Scotland in the 1790s was as popular with the authorities as it is today in Burma. In an earlier draft of the poem, …
Burma launches new crackdown on religious groups
Religious Intelligence Ltd, UK -
The crackdown on Christians comes as the government seeks to consolidate its power in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) …
Republican Senators resort to extortion on Holder nomination
Northwest Progressive Institute Official Blog, WA -
If the rule of law were not important, what would separate our nation from countries like Myanmar (Burma) or North Korea? If Eric Holder, or any other Obama …
Thailand calls conference on refugees
The Associated Press -
Foreign Ministry officials met envoys from India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Myanmar to discuss the exodus of refugees from camps in the …
Burma’s junta does not give honor to whom honor is due
Ashin Mettacara, Sri Lanka -
U Thant was born in Pantanaw, Burma (Myanmar) on 22 January 1909. He was the first Asian Burmese diplomat and the third Secretary-General of the United …
Boat people scandal hits Thai army
Aljazeera.net, Qatar -
Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Thai prime minister, who has repeatedly stated a commitment to human rights and the rule of law, said on Thursday there were “quite a …
China says 19 nationals freed from Myanmar kidnap
MSNBC - 18 hours ago
China is one of the few nations that stands by the military junta running Myanmar, also called by its former name, Burma. But Chinese officials have also …
US Treasury Blocks Assets of 25 Pursuant to Burmese JADE Act
Diamonds.net, NY -
The Act forbids import of gemstones from Myanmar, formerly called Burma, to the US, either through direct means or through third-party countries. 1. …
Burma Tightens Restrictions on Christian Worship
Christian Freedom International, MI -
… Christian relief efforts that filtered into the country in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, a hurricane that destroyed much of the region in May 2008. …
Imprisoned monk goes on hunger strike in Myanmar
Taipei Times, Taiwan -
Myanmar’s military rulers have kept 63-year-old Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest in Yangon for most of the past 19 years. …
Zachary Michaelson Seeks to Raise Awareness on Burma
WebWire (press release), GA -
… has announced his intention to launch an awareness campaign to further expose the plight of religious and ethnic minority groups in Burma (Myanmar). …
Indonesia to expel Rohingya boatpeople held at navy base
South China Morning Post (subscription), Hong Kong -
Indonesia will deny political asylum to 193 migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh who are being held at a navy base after they were found stranded off the …
Thai Foreign Ministry invites Ambassadors from concerned countries …
ISRIA (subscription), DC -
… and Malaysia as well as the Charge d’affaires of Myanmar to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for consultations on the issue of Rohingya illegal migrants. …
Another Loss for Burmese Activist’s Family
自由亚洲电视, Washington DC -
BANGKOK—The 23-year-old wife of a Burmese activist involved in helping victims of Tropical Cyclone Nargis has suffered a second-trimester miscarriage in …
55 Films and 31 Filmmakers Slated for 2009 Boulder International …
PR Newswire (press release), NY -
… with Burmese Princess Inge Sargent, author of Twilight over Burma and a recipient of the United Nations Association International Human Rights Award. …
Thailand Asks Neighbors to Cooperate on Illegal Immigration
Voice of America -
Officials from Thailand’s foreign ministry met Friday with ambassadors from Burma, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Malaysia. …
Gambari’s return fails to inspire Burmese Opposition
Mizzima.com, India -
by Mungpi New Delhi (Mizzima) – Burma’s main opposition party – the National League for Democracy – said it does not expect United Nations special envoy …
Will Obama be ready for radical humanitarian intervention in Burma?
Asian Tribune, Thailand -
… undo the Bush’s era human rights violations, and restore America’s lost moral posture, befitted for a democratic superpower. Meanwhile, Burma has been …
Burma VJ turns Sundance’s eye toward government protests
Paste Magazine, GA -
Myanmar, often referred to as Burma, has been under military control since 1962. The film offers a firsthand account of the protests in the capital city of …
Thailand’s new boat people
GlobalPost -
There are about 1 million Rohingya, with roughly 800000 living along Burma’s coast and another 200000 or so in refugee camps across the Bangladeshi border. …
Rohingya Boat People Not to Get Asylum Here
Jakarta Globe, Indonesia -
One of the boat people, Imam Husen, told the Reuters news agency from his hospital bed that he and about 580 other people had set off from Mundu in Burma in …
The bottom of a burst bubble: depravity and the economic turndown
Gauntlet, Canada -
Within the last months of 2008 and stretching into the New Year, hundreds of economic refugees fleeing from Myanmar and Bangladesh have reportedly reached …
Sister Says Jailed Burmese Monk on Hunger Strike
Voice of America -
By VOA News The sister of a Buddhist monk imprisoned by Burma’s military rulers for pro-democracy activities says her brother is on a hunger strike. …
FDA crackdown dramatically cuts availability of Asian food …
Inside Bay Area, CA -
Among them was Zin Nwe, an ethnic Chinese who recently graduated from medical school in her native Burma, also known as Myanmar. …
My portfolio: Ryan Libre
BBC News, UK -
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“The KIO encourages free access to international media, including Human Rights Watch reports.” “The 1994 ceasefire between the KIA and the Burmese military …
Will Obama be able to change things in Burma?
เดอะ เนชั่น, Thailand -
One wonders whether the overtures by the Burmese junta could mean a fresh start for reconciliation and the beginning of a win-win situation. …
World focus on Burma (23 January 2009)
.
Burmese monks and activists mistreated and tortured
AsiaNews.it, Italy -
Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Myanmar’s military junta is making political prisoners live in unhealthy living conditions, depriving them of adequate food and …
Thailand offers to host regional meeting on Rohingyas
เดอะ เนชั่น, Thailand -
… Burma, India, Indonesia and Malaysia. The ministry invited the ambassadors to meet after pres¬sure on the government over the Navy’s alleged humanrights …
You wouldn’t read about it
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia -
On Wednesday, this newspaper reported that the Thai army had – on two separate occasions – pushed about 1000 Burmese boat people back into international …
Rights group: Thais abandoned migrants at sea
The Associated Press -
Thousands of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas — members of a stateless, Muslim ethnic group that fled to Bangladesh to escape persecution in Myanmar — leave …
Thailand proposes regional workshop on Rohingya migrants
Thai News Agency MCOT, Thailand -
… Indonesia, India and the charge d’affaires of Myanmar on the problem of illegal Rohingya migrants fleeing Myanmar by boat in large numbers recently. …
Than Shwe congratulates Obama
Mizzima.com, India -
Burma’s official newspaper New Light of Myanmar on Friday reported in its front page that Senior General Than Shwe “has sent a message of congratulations to …
Thailand says 126 Rohingya boat people ‘escorted’ to sea already
Earthtimes (press release), UK -
On Tuesday the UNHCR requested access to 126 Rohingyas, members of a Muslim minority group from the North Arakan State in Myanmar, and said they should be …
Child Labor Widespread in Delta
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Myo Min lost his mother when Cyclone Nargis slashed through southwestern Burma on May 2-3. He now lives with his brother and works full-time aboard a …
No Great Expectations
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
The former political prisoner, who has been a critic of Burma’s authoritarian rulers since the socialist era of late dictator Ne Win, cautioned against …
On the Road to Labutta
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
One foreigner was wearing Burmese clothes and pretending to be local, but he was easily identified and could not speak Burmese, so he was taken off the bus …
Migrant Crackdown Won’t Solve Problem: Rights Groups
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Adisorn Kerdmongkol, a team organizer with the Migrant Working Group (MWG) based in Bangkok, said, “The root cause of the problem for illegal Burmese …
Weekly Business Roundup (January 23, 2009)
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
… which potentially offer a new buyer for surplus Burmese bean crops in return for much-needed agricultural fertilizer. The Myanmar Federation of Chambers …
Junta collects details from parties to contest 2010 election
Mizzima.com, India -
Ye Tun, a member of ’88 Generation Students and Youth (Union of Burma)’, a junta-backed group, which had announced that it will contest the 2010 elections, …
UN envoy Gambari to revisit Burma soon
Mizzima.com, India -
But during his last visit in August 2008, he failed to meet the Burmese junta supremo Snr. Gen Than Shwe while detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi …
Kolkata celebrates Netaji’s birth anniversary
Thaindian.com, Thailand -
Later, Gandhi released a new paperback edition of Netaji’s collected works titled “In Burma Prisons”. The chief guest at the function was Italian ambassador …
Netaji’s rare letters to be on display
Express Buzz, India -
These and several other rare letters written by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to his father Janakinath Bose from prison cells in India and Myanmar (then Burma) …
‘Superman’ on a crusade to find justice
Metro, UK -
… Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former US President Jimmy Carter, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Burmese human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi, …
UN envoy to test waters in Burma’s political quagmire
Mizzima.com, India -
by Larry Jagan Bangkok (Mizzima) – The United Nation’s special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari will make another visit to Burma at the end of the month on what may …
UN seeks access to Burmese boat people
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia -
The United Nations is concerned over the plight of 174 Burmese boat people in Indonesian custody who were allegedly left to die at sea by the Thai military. …
Dala NLD youth member jailed
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway
Tun Lwin said Htet Soe Linn’s case was another example of the dysfunctional justice system in Burma. “This is a very ugly incident and discredits the image …
UDD asks Asean members to skip summit
Bangkok Post, Thailand -
More than 100 supporters of United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) handed letters to the Burma and Singapore embassies in Bangkok on Friday, …
Monk Gambira began to refuse food ten days ago, said Bo Kyi of the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma. …
Go! Arts Highlights: Jan. 23-29
Times Herald-Record, NY -
… about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a political figure who was placed under house arrest in Burma almost two decades ago because of her political activism. …
DRC: ICC’s First Trial Focuses on Child Soldiers
منظمة هيومان رايتس ووتش – حقوق الانسان -
Children are currently recruited and used in armed conflict in at least 15 countries and territories: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Central African Republic …
2008 one of worst years for natural disasters this decade
CBC.ca, Canada -
The UN estimates that nearly 84000 people died and 54000 went missing after Cyclone Nargis came crashing into Burma, also known as Myanmar, last May 3. …
2008 one of worst years for natural disasters this decade
CBC.ca, Canada -
The UN estimates that nearly 84000 people died and 54000 went missing after Cyclone Nargis came crashing into Burma, also known as Myanmar, last May 3. …
Activists mark U Thant’s centenary birthday
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
“We mark the event because the military junta has been trying to wipe out the memory of the Burmese and world leader U Thant from the consciousness of the …
Ethnic Minorities Hold the Key to Burma’s Future
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
The Burmese junta has accepted this situation for at least three reasons. First, the ceasefire accords have allowed the military to avoid multiple enemy …
‘Partial war’ looming between China, India?
WND.com, OR -
The Burma Road, known to have helped supply China during World War II, passes through the region. Burma, or Myanmar, borders on the East. …
Myanmar junta congratulates Obama: state media
Emirates Business 24/7, United Arab Emirates -
Formerly known as Burma, Myanmar has been ruled by the military since 1962, and is under economic sanctions from the United States and Europe over rights …
Indonesia refuses Rohingya asylum
Aljazeera.net, Qatar -
But according to Human Rights Watch, more than 250000 Rohingyas fled Myanmar to Bangladesh in 1992 amid a campaign of persecution and what many have …
Judgment for Mugabe
Boston Globe, United States -
At present, comparable crimes are being committed by the military junta in Burma and the genocidal regime in Sudan. The best hope to save lives in the …
Burma’s government-in-exile mulls future
Radio Australia, Australia -
Many belonged to Nobel laureate and detained Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, the NLD. Speaker: Dr. Sein Winn, Burma’s prime …
China says 18 nationals freed from Myanmar kidnap
Reuters India, India -
China is one of the few nations that stands by the military junta running Myanmar, also called by its former name Burma. But Chinese officials have also …
Myanmar: UN Envoy To Visit Myanmar At Month’s End, Says Diplomat
Sin Chew Jit Poh, Malaysia -
YANGON, MYANMAR: The special United Nations envoy tasked with promoting political reconciliation in Myanmar will visit the military-ruled country at the end …
Malaysia Crackdown
Buzzle, CA -
In Burma, the Rohingya are considered stateless with few rights. Their circumstances have prompted many to seek a better life in prosperous Muslim Malaysia. …
Burmese refugees fearful of new life in USA
USA Today -
Those who have escaped from Burma, also known as Myanmar, are in many respects a special case: They have fled a military regime that the Bush administration …
Report Says Deaths, Economic Losses Jump in 2008
Voice of America -
The Center for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters reports 2008 was one of the deadliest years on record, with two disasters, Cyclone Nargis in Burma and …
Can the ILO Be Saved from Itself?
Heritage.org, DC -
For example: In Burma, the ILO is the sole UN agency that plays a useful role on the ground. It has been directly responsible for enabling victims of forced …
A Thai Democrat?
Wall Street Journal -
It’s an increasingly important strategic ally for the West as China expands its influence and Burma’s generals drive that country deeper into chaos. …
Interview: Anders Østergaard and Joshua on “Burma VJ”
IFC -
Of course, we have the NLD, which was the official opposition organization spearheaded by Aung San Suu Kyi, but they were out of the game for a good while …
Life in a fishing village behind Myanmar’s walls
Worldfocus, NY -
The SPDC unilaterally changed the name in 1989 from Burma to Myanmar without consulting its citizens. Most opposition groups use Burma, …
PM PROPOSES COASTAL SECURITY UNIT TO PREVENT ILLEGAL MIGRATION
Pattaya Daily News, Thailand -
“This follows our expression of strong concern to the government last week over allegations that large groups of Rohingya boat people from Myanmar were …
World focus on Burma (22 January 2009)
.
Opposition groups expect no change from Obama
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
“We are sure that the basic policy of the United States to support human rights and democracy in Burma will remain the same,” he said. …
Centennial birthday of Myanmar’s former UN chief marked – Summary
Earthtimes (press release), UK -
U Thant, one of the few Burmese to reach international stature, remains a controversial figure in military-controlled Myanmar, also known as Burma. …
PM vows crackdown on illegal immigrants
Bangkok Post, Thailand -
Survivors and a human rights group have accused the army and navy of detaining and beating up to 1000 members of the Rohingya minority from Burma late last …
Burma a workers’ dystopia
Toronto Star, Canada -
The government of Burma is known by an Orwellian antonym – the “State Peace and Development Council,” or SPDC. In truth, Burma, also known as Myanmar, …
The ties that bind Thailand’s Burma policy
United Press International, Asia, Hong Kong -
… slipped through the back door and into the prime minister’s seat in Thailand late last year, exiled democracy advocates from Burma welcomed him. …
Roundtable: A new government in exile?
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the majority of MPs are still there. We have to respect the desire of the people inside the country. We cannot accept a unilateral …
Centennial birthday of Myanmar’s former UN chief marked – Summary
Earthtimes (press release), UK -
U Thant, one of the few Burmese to reach international stature, remains a controversial figure in military-controlled Myanmar, also known as Burma. …
Detained female activist suffers miscarriage in prison
Mizzima.com, India -
Tun Tun, husband of Kathy Aung and a member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), who is on the run from authorities, told Mizzima from his …
Gambira transferred to Hkamti prison: Prison official
Mizzima.com, India -
by Ko Wild Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Detained veteran Monk Gambira, who was allegedly staging a hunger strike in Mandalay prison, has been transferred to the …
Can’t interfere in Lankan affairs: Dalai Lama
Express Buzz, India -
Though I am a Buddhist leader, I am not allowed to enter countries like Sri Lanka and Burma, where there is a large number of Buddhist believers,’’ he said …
Hot Docs: Global Optimism Over President Obama; Women and Cute Babies
U.S. News & World Report, DC -
The eight countries that received the survey’s lowest rankings were North Korea, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Libya, Sudan, Burma, Equatorial Guinea, …
AIDS Patients Forced to Leave Monastery
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
The patients, including two young children, were from various parts of Burma and were too poor to go to a hospital, the source said. …
UN Seeks Interviews with Rohingyas Held by Thailand
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Since the early 1990s, a rising number of Rohingya refugees have taken to boats, many not sea worthy, and fled Burma and Bangladesh for political and …
Men found floating in ice box taken for questioning by Australian …
Visa Bureau, UK -
A helicopter rescued the Myanmar men on Saturday and taken to a hospital on Thursday Island. The pair said they were forced to work aboard a Thai fishing …
Men found floating in ice box taken for questioning by Australian …
Visa Bureau, UK -
A helicopter rescued the Myanmar men on Saturday and taken to a hospital on Thursday Island. The pair said they were forced to work aboard a Thai fishing …
PM vows crackdown on illegal immigrants
Bangkok Post, Thailand -
Survivors and a human rights group have accused the army and navy of detaining and beating up to 1000 members of the Rohingya minority from Burma late last …
U Gambira transferred to Khandee prison
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
The All Burmese Monks’ Alliance leader was reported to have been staging a hunger strike in Mandalay prison last week. Mandalay prison officials told the …
The ties that bind Thailand’s Burma policy
United Press International, Asia, Hong Kong -
… slipped through the back door and into the prime minister’s seat in Thailand late last year, exiled democracy advocates from Burma welcomed him. …
Democracy Activist Released After 5-Month Interrogation
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
“He was hiding in unknown locations for many months after the Saffron Revolution due to fear of arrest by the Burmese military authority. …
Burmese Monk Suffering After UNHCR Rejection
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
… refugees while many other monks and citizens who were victims of the junta had their claims rejected. Many Burmese refugees believe that such decisions …
Pair detained over Burma kidnap scandal
The Age, Australia -
Police in north China have detained two people allegedly linked to the Burma-based kidnapping of at least 50 teenagers whose parents were sent ransom …
Thailand Refuses UN Access To Rohingya Refugees
RTT News, NY -
(RTTNews) – Thailand’s Prime Minister Wednesday refused to grant UN experts access to 126 boat people from Myanmar, following accusations that the Thai …
Obama era challenges SA to change its foreign tune
Business Day, South Africa -
Apart from blocking UN discussions about human rights in Zimbabwe, we voted against imposing sanctions on Burma’s military junta and Iran, for violating …
Thai army admits funding round-up of refugees
The Malaysian Insider, Malaysia -
BANGKOK, Jan 22 – A colonel in the Thai army has confirmed its involvement in a programme to round up boatpeople from Myanmar and Bangladesh and send them …
BURMA: AUTHORITIES CLAMP DOWN ON CHRISTIANS
Compass Direct News, CA -
A military dictatorship has ruled Burma since 1962. Following the takeover, the government renamed Burma as the Union of Myanmar and the capital city as …
SA now a ‘rogue democracy’
The Times, South Africa -
Apart from blocking UN discussions about human rights in Zimbabwe, we voted against imposing sanctions on Burma’s rights-delinquent military junta, …
Burma, Myanmar: Sri Lanka-base Burmese Media Website Attacked
Ashin Mettacara, Sri Lanka -
They are very often hacking the Myanmar news websites because they are scared of monks and medias since last year September. The Indian hackers were also …
A New Government for Burma
Wall Street Journal -
… clusters of Burmese, as well as foreign experts in political, economic, and other fields, to work on a blueprint for a transition to democracy in Burma. …
World focus on Burma (21 January 2009)
.
Human Rights Stagnate in 2008 Say Reports
The Epoch Times, NY -
… China, North Korea, Burma, Vietnam, and Laos. Surprisingly, India, the world’s largest democracy, seems less interested in promoting democracy and human …
Burmese refugees protest in front of UN office in Malaysia
Mizzima.com, India -
by Myint Maung New Delhi (Mizzima) – Nearly three hundred Burmese refugees on Wednesday demonstrated in front of the United Nations High Commissioner for …
Thai government to investigate Rohingya abuse claims
Mizzima.com, India -
The Rohingya live in northern Arakan state, in western Burma, bordering Bangladesh. For decades, many have fled social and religious persecution by Burmese …
9 tips for verboten vacations
CNN -
Going to Myanmar? Add a vaccine for Japanese encephalitis and take your malaria pills, please. “We very rarely tell people that they should not go to a …
Burma, Myanmar: How many of us have to die for your diplomatic game?
Ashin Mettacara, Sri Lanka -
The United Nations has been diplomatically trying to persuade Burma leaders for a long time. They tried by sending envoys. They talked with beautiful …
Obama to discuss war issues on first day in office
Mangalorean.com, India -
Onyango was a cook for a British army officer and had served in Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka and the Middle East during World War II but was incarcerated in a …
From the bench
Register-Herald, OH -
Rather incredibly, the story of Cyclone Nargis, the tropical storm that hit Burma, did not crack the Top Ten. More than 84, 000 people were killed in that …
Victor hails Obama: ‘It’s a great day in America’
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY -
Fifty years ago, Vardon immigrated to the United States from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, and he appreciated Obama’s call for “mutual respect. …
Authorities Suspicious After 2 Men Found Floating In Ice Cooler On …
CityNews, Canada -
It involves two fishermen from Myanmar who claim they survived nearly a month in shark-infested waters floating only in a large ice cooler (top left). …
Working with Democracy
World Sikh News, CA -
Another heroic Asian democrat is Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace laureate, who has spent most of 18 years under house arrest in Burma. …
NLD member jailed for two years for disturbing officials
Mizzima.com, India -
… security and information officers into recording events during the detained Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s political tour in upper Burma in 2003.
Lawyer appeals to PM to meet Suu Kyi
Mizzima.com, India -
The leader of the ‘National League for Democracy’ (NLD) submitted her appeal through her lawyer U Kyi Win to Naypyitaw on October 9 last year objecting …
HEALTH-THAILAND: Burmese Migrant Workers Key to Fighting Bird Flu
Inter Press Service, Italy -
Labour rights activists reveal that the information available for Burmese migrant workers to cope with and respond to bird flu is limited to some material …
Burmese official downplays cold weather warning
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Before Cyclone Nargis hit Burma last year, the department dismissed warnings from its Indian counterparts and the American naval typhoon warning centre in …
Editorial: Pure inspiration
Business Mirror, Philippines -
… or why Burmese students and Buddhist monks risked torture and long jail terms for supporting the democratic cause of Aung San Suu Kyi, …
Thai PM: Gov’t ready to cooperate with int’l bodies on migrant problem
Xinhua, China -
16 dismissed a BBC’s report claiming the Thai Navy had ill-treated the Rohingyas from Myanmar and Bangladesh who sought work or asylum by pushing them out …
Imprisoned Monk Leader Transferred
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Family members are not usually informed about prison transfers in Burma. Gambira’s sister said prison authorities had told them that Gambira had been …
Burmese Hear an Echo of Their Own Hopes in Obama
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
For Burmese, Obama’s sobering message contains echoes of some of Aung San Suu Kyi’s speeches, which have inspired a generation of her compatriots to …
Chinese Youth Kidnapped in Burma
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
By LAWI WENG Chinese reports say there have been numerous kidnappings of Chinese youth in northern Burma, where ethnic insurgent ceasefire groups allow …
Obama’s Inauguration Attracts Big Interest in Burma
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
By SAW YAN NAING A Rangoon monk who watched the entire US presidential inauguration on TV summed up the feelings of countless Burmese when he said …
Chinese teenagers kidnapped by Burma militants
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom -
… when 16-year-old Zhou Dawei told his parents he was travelling to the southern province of Yunnan, which borders Burma – also known as Myanmar – to take …
EU to Give Burma US $52 Million in Aid
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
… Surin Pitsuwan told Radio Australia the regional bloc needs to raise another $700m for a three-year recovery program in Burma, also known as Myanmar. …
Monk given 14-year jail term
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
“We think the court dropped these charges so they could just send him to prison as a common criminal, so that he could be sent off to a prison labour camp …
EU to Give Burma US $52 Million in Aid
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
Meanwhile, the head of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) says Burmese victims of Cyclone Nargis are in desperate need of help. …
Karen revolution and the legacy of General Bo Mya
Mizzima.com, India -
It is also just one day after Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Trumpet of Conscience Award, which commemorates the late Martin Luther King, Jr. US Campaign …
Obama’s tortured grandfather casts shadow over US-British ties
Economic Times, India -
Onyango was a cook for a British army officer and had served in Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka and the Middle East during World War II but was incarcerated in a …
Thai PM pledges to work with UN refugee agency
The Associated Press -
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — International agencies can talk to Thai authorities about their alleged abuse of illegal migrants, the prime minister said …
SA on collision course with Obama administration – Tony Leon
Politicsweb, South Africa -
Apart from blocking UN discussions about human rights in Zimbabwe, we voted against imposing sanctions on Burma’s rights-delinquent military junta and Iran, …
Myanmar Refugees Protest Alleged UN Discrimination
EasyBourse.com, France -
The UNHCR had said there were about 45400 refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia, of whom 40400 are from Myanmar, formerly called Burma. …
Not Right To Link Rohingyas With Southern Insurgency
Bernama, Malaysia -
He said the Rohingyas, a minority group estimated at 800000 in the northern part of Arakan state in Myanmar adjacent to Bangladesh, were running from …
Bird vomit saved our lives – sailors
Independent Online, South Africa -
The pair, who are aged 22 and 24 and thought to be from Burma, said that 18 of their crew mates from Thailand and Burma were lost when the 10m wooden …
“The Myitkyina area is controlled by militants who don’t even listen to the Burmese (Myanmar) government,” the policemen said, according to the China Daily. …
Chinese sites cut ‘communism’ from Obama speech
Ninemsn, Australia -
Doubts over esky tale of survivalA rescue expert has cast doubts over the claims of two Burmese men who say they survived 25 days floating in an esky off …
Security Tight on Western Burmese Border
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
… current Bangladesh government on Burma because some of the leaders have supported the Burmese democracy movement and democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Obama to receive Singapore plea
BBC News, UK -
Mr Chee then spoke of the many men and women around Asia suffering in that struggle, notably Burmese opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under …
Canadian Support for Israel at UN Rights Council May Hurt Review …
Embassy, Canada -
Mr. Machon said Canada’s support for Israel, as well as its strong stands on Darfur and against Burma and Iran, have netted it many enemies. …
Burmese Days
OhmyNews International, South Korea -
The SPDC unilaterally changed the name in 1989 from Burma to Myanmar without consulting its citizens. Most opposition groups use Burma, …
How world leaders see Obama’s coming
The Guardian – Nigeria, Nigeria -
… the support of regional powers as a measure to put pressure on the Burmese junta to release political prisoners and restore democracy in the country. …
America’s Future Is Tied to Asia’s
Far Eastern Economic Review (subscription), Hong Kong -
However, outstanding differences over policy toward Burma and Tibet, along with the continued Chinese military buildup, may make managing relations more …
Do boycotts work?
The Nut Graph, Malaysia -
The Burma Campaign maintains a “Dirty List” of businesses with ties to Myanmar’s military government. It has shamed companies such as PriceWaterhouseCoopers …
Keep Watching the Skies
Headway, Canada -
In a year that saw tens of thousands of deaths in Burma from the cyclone Nargis, that would seem to be an obvious statement, but too often Canadians forget …
Obama’s Speech Impresses His Youngest Citizens
Brandon News and Tribune, FL -
The boy from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, arriv
ed less than two weeks ago and speaks no English but watched the television intently. …
Christians in Rangoon avoid churches
Mizzima.com, India -
… in its report in 2007 said they have received a document that reveals the Burmese junta’s policy to wipe out the Christian population in Burma. …
Travel Troubleshooter: Advice for going to “forbidden places”
Seattle Times, United States -
Going to Myanmar? Add a vaccine for Japanese encephalitis and take your malaria pills, please. “We very rarely tell people that they should not go to a …
European Commission Announces Burma Aid Package
Deutsche Welle, Germany -
The European Commission has agreed to provide 40.5 million euros ($52.4 million) in humanitarian aid to Myanmar this year, with some of the money aimed at …
Thai King, PM congratulate US president-elect Obama
Xinhua, China - 23 hours ago
BANGKOK, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadejand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva have sent congratulation messages to President-elect of …
AQ & A with cartoonist David Rees: Get Your War On!
National Post, Canada -
This isn’t Burma, and it’s not the Soviet Union and so I really am not impressed…In the big picture, whatever great trenchant culture we made that calls …
Opposition Leaders Expect Obama to Stick to Burma Policy
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
… to see the new US administration continue to pressure the Burmese junta to release all political prisoners, including democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, …
World focus on Burma (20 January 2009)
.
Ask yourself: What can I do?
San Antonio Express, TX -
We could have been the Burmese dissident languishing in jail; the child soldier forced to take up arms in Uganda or Sri Lanka; the man dying of AIDS in …
Up Torres Strait without a paddle
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia -
Mr Oo said their 10-metre wooden fishing boat had broken up and sank on December 23, when their 18 crewmates from Burma and Thailand apparently drowned. …
‘We were in icebox 25 days’
The Age, Australia -
Haung Htaik, 24, also from Burma, appeared to be too weak to talk yesterday. Their 18 other crewmates, from Burma and Thailand, apparently drowned when the …
Third Dala township NLD member arrested
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Jan 20, 2009 (DVB)–Dala township National League for Democracy member Min Thike Htoo was arrested by local authorities on 14 January, according to NLD …
Mixed Reactions to Obama in Southeast Asia
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
… with the support of regional powers as a measure to put pressure on the Burmese junta to release political prisoners and restore democracy in the country.
Memories Keep Hope Alive in Insein Prison
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
The regime’s callous decision to send convicted activists to prisons scattered throughout Burma has placed an additional burden on the AAPP, according to Bo …
Opposition Leaders Expect Obama to Stick to Burma Policy
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
… to see the new US administration continue to pressure the Burmese junta to release all political prisoners, including democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, …
European Commission provides 40.5 million euros in aid to Myanmar
Monsters and Critics.com -
Humanitarian aid increased substantially last year in the aftermath of the Cyclone Nargis disaster that hit Myanmar’s Irrawaddy delta.
A Message to President Obama
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
I expect they will continue to place significant pressure on the regime for the release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, …
Fishermen saved off Australia after 25 days at sea
The Associated Press -
23 with a total of 20 crew from Thailand and Myanmar, also known as Burma. Jiggins said the men found refuge inside a large insulated box that held ice on …
Looking back, looking ahead: Press Freedom in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asian Press Alliance, Thailand -
Even without the chaos and violence attendant to electoral exercises in countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, and Burma, …
Burma 101 for Obama; Three quarters rights in military …
Mizzima.com, India -
During the 2008 terrible Cyclone Nargis in Burma, the Burmese military leaders ignored international pleas to let in rescuers for over a month. …
King’s Anti-Imperialism and the Challenge for Obama
Joy Online, Ghana -
… along with Burma (Myanmar), what is now Malaysia, Australia, some part of China, and large swaths of Africa (Egypt, Sudan, Gambia, Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe, …
Tribute to Black’s civil rights legacy is due
San Antonio Express, TX -
Black’s fellow honorees this year are Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung Sang Suu Kyi — who, under house arrest in Burma, was also unable to attend —Sen. …
‘So far, so bad,’ But Nothing is Permanent
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
… one fundamental resolution to work for: The release of more than 2000 political prisoners, including detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. …
Australia says 2 fishermen rescued; report 18 lost
International Herald Tribune, France -
23 with a total of 20 crew from Thailand and Myanmar, which is also known as Burma. Jiggins said the men found refuge atop an insulated box that held ice on …
Two Burmese survive month at sea in an ice box
Reuters UK, UK -
By Rob Taylor CANBERRA (Reuters) – Two Myanmar fishermen have survived for almost a month in shark-infested waters by floating in a large ice box after …
Pres. Bush Uses Authority to Alter Burmese JADE Act
Diamonds.net, NY - 1 hour ago
President George W. Bush waived some provisions in the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act against Myanmar on January 15, less than one week before leaving …
Asia’s Economic Freedom Needs to Improve
PitchEngine (press release), WY -
Meanwhile, Bhutan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, China, Nepal, Vietnam, Laos, Bangladesh and Burma were ranked amongst …
Burmese fishermen drift for 25 days in icebox
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom -
The two Burmese men were saved after drifting hundreds of miles in the red box when crew members patrolling in a Coastwatch aeroplane on Saturday saw them …
Detained Chinese Christian Activist In Life Danger
BosNewsLife, Hungary -
At some point during his travels Peng was lured into neighboring Burma, also known as Myanmar, where he was kidnapped at gunpoint by eight Chinese special …
Sundance Dispatch: Down the Rat Hole of Reality
New York Times, United States -
Up there, posters on the wall promoted the likes of “Boy Interrupted,” a documentary about death and mental illness, and “Burma VJ,” about a Burmese …
Men Rescued After Drifting at Sea for 25 Days in Icebox
FOXNews -
… they will confirm their identities within the next few days. The rest of the ship’s crew — 11 other Burmese men and seven Thai men — have not been found.
Zachary Michaelson Seeks to Raise Awareness of Burma
PRLog.Org (press release), Romania -
… has announced his intention to launch an awareness campaign to further expose the plight of religious and ethnic minority groups in Burma (Myanmar). …
Shipwreck victims spend 25 days drifting in an icebox
Gadling, CA -
by Scott Carmichael Jan 19th 2009 @ 12:30PM After losing their wooden fishing boat off the coast of Indonesia, these 2 Burmese men grabbed the only thing …
Clashes between SSA (South) and Burmese Army
Mizzima.com, India -
SSA(S) forces clashed with the junta’s IB 64 and LIB 513 between January 12 and 15 in Panglong, Hopone, Mongkeung townships in Taungyi District, Shan State. …
Suu Kyi honored with ‘Trumpet of Conscience’ award
Mizzima.com, India -
by Solomon New Delhi (Mizzima) – Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was on Sunday named winner of the ‘Trumpet of Conscience’ award for …
More checkpoints in Rangoon
Mizzima.com, India -
by Phanida Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The Burmese military junta authorities have beefed up security in Rangoon by setting up many checkpoints at busy …
World focus on Burma (19 January 2009)
.
Burmese Army confiscates land for brick kiln: No compensation paid
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
Sittwe: The Burmese Army has confiscated over seven acres of farm land from two farmers in Siittwe Township to set up a brick kiln. No compensation was paid …
2010 election, a game played by Burmese junta
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
It has not allowed the NLD and the ALD to engage in politics in Arakan state but it has allowed the UNP, USDA and the Amyo Thar Yi party to campaign,” he …
Shoot at sight order to BDR on smugglers
Narinjara News, Bangladesh -
A BRD team stationed in Tekaf on the Bangladesh-Burma border fired at a boat carrying fertilizers on January 13. The boat managed to flee to Burmese …
An Open Letter to President Barack Obama
MWC News, Canada -
Democracy and human rights mean nothing if we don’t have a planet where we can enjoy these freedoms. Preserving our fragile biosphere is the precondition …
Fishermen survive almost a month in esky
Ninemsn, Australia -
Two Burmese fishermen survived almost a month floating in a large esky after their small wooden boat sank in the Torres Strait two days before Christmas. …
Lawyer charged with obstructing an official
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
… been released on bail until his trial. San Maung has represented various human rights activists in the past, including fellow Guiding Star lawyer Aye Myint.
Burmese Lawyer Detained
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
… As the Burmese regime intensifies its crackdown on dissidents, Poe Phyu, a young Burmese lawyer, who has represented farmers and labor rights activists, …
Shan: Villager Arrested for Carrying Paper
UNPO, Netherlands -
The newsletter was featuring articles on politics, literature, opinion columns and human rights situation occurring in Shan State and Burma that is …
Lawyer Pho Phyu arrested
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Jan 19, 2009 (DVB)–Lawyer Pho Phyu, who is well known for representing political activists in various trials across Burma, has been arrested by Magwe …
Bangladesh asks border troops to shoot smugglers
Reuters India, India -
Government officials said they feared the price cuts could lead to more smuggling of those commodities to neighbouring India and Myanmar, where prices for …
Suu Kyi Wins ‘Trumpet of Conscience’ Award
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
The award was accepted by Aung Ding, the executive director of US Campaign for Burma, on behalf of Aung San Suu Kyi. “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi epitomizes the …
A challenge to power
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Jan 19, 2009 (DVB)–Professor Josef Silverstein called on the Burmese democracy movement to unite and take action to challenge the military government’s …
U Gambira reportedly on hunger strike
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
Jan 19, 2009 (DVB)–The family of high-profile monk activist U Gambira, who is being detained in Mandalay prison, said they had heard reports the monk had …
Homesick: Vacation on the Thai-Burma Border
Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway -
For me, as an activist turned journalist, I wanted to learn what was going on in the dissident movement in Mae Sot and the rebel-controlled areas. …
King’s Anti-Imperialism and the Challenge for Obama
Agoravox, France -
… along with Burma (Myanmar), what is now Malaysia, Australia, some part of China, and large swaths of Africa (Egypt, Sudan, Gambia, Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe, …
Obama wrestles the ox
ISN, Switzerland -
However, in wrestling with this ox, Obama may have to rein in his lofty human rights rhetoric and keep mum about Chinese-backed tyrants in Burma, Sudan, …
Thai minister calls ambassadors to discuss migrant abuse claims
The News International, Pakistan -
PATTANI: Thailand’s foreign minister said Monday he would meet ambassadors from Malaysia, Myanmar, India and Bangladesh to discuss claims that authorities …
Toward the Union of a Divided Burma
The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand -
“I’ve just come from a meeting at the offices of Myanmar Economic Holdings. They were asking about the jade and comparing the collateral from the mines to …
Army’s opium taxation forays led to clashes
Shan Herald Agency for News, Thailand -
by admin — last modified 2009-01-19 08:38 Ambushes staged by the Shan State Army (SSA) South on Burma Army units on their opium taxing expeditions had …
Aung San Suu Kyi receives Trumpet of Conscience Award
Hindu, India -
Washington (PTI): Burmese democratic icon Aung San Suu Kyi has been presented with the prestigious Trumpet of Conscience Award for leading the people of her …
Cyclone help effort to continue
Bangkok Post, Thailand -
The international community will keep backing Cyclone Nargis rehabilitation efforts in Burma as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations humanitarian task …
Anger Myanmar’s rulers, and lose all
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL -
… to a reporter and a handful of former political prisoners who have settled in this small Thai city on the border with Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. …
