Posts Tagged ‘Burma’
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 |
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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 -
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)
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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)
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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 …
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The Malaysian Insider, Malaysia -
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Is China’s influence on Burmese generals eroding?
Mizzima
by Mungpi
Tuesday, 20 January 2009 20:57
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Though it may seem to many, including the international community, that China, Burma’s strongest ally, is the only country that can influence the rogue military rulers of Burma, an analyst said, China is also currently facing a tough situation as the Burmese generals are stupid and stubborn and do not do what they are asked to by their elder brother – China.
Mya Maung a long time Sino-Burmese analyst based along the two countries’ border in Ruili, during an interview with Mizzima said China is currently in a tight spot as the Burmese regime is stubbornly refusing to follow its suggestions.
Surprisingly, he said, China’s suggestions to Burmese military rulers include implementing an inclusive political dialogue with opposition groups, as well as to reconsider the constitution, which the junta had claimed was approved during a referendum in May.
“But the problem is China has its own national interests to think of at and they are not in a position to put too much pressures on the junta,” Mya Maung said.
According to him, among many economic ventures that China seeks in Burma, connecting a gas pipeline from Burma’s western Arakan state to Yunnan province and using the Sittwe port as a sea gateway, are crucial.
“China may seem to be endorsing the junta’s roadmap, but it is more concerned that there is some kind of stability in the country,” Mya Maung said.
He said the Chinese government sees that the United Nations’ initiative is ideal for Burma’s political solution as it has strongly opposed the Western nations’ way of pressuring the junta with economic sanctions.
China believes in engagement but would like a strong and stable government that would be accountable, Mya Maung said.
Currently, the United States and European Union has imposed economic sanctions on Burma’s military rulers.
Complimenting Mya Maung’s analysis, a secret document leaked to Mizzima reveals that China’s ambassador to Burma Mr. Juan Mu urged the Burmese Foreign Minister, during one of their meetings in early last year, to cooperate with the UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari and follow his suggestions on political reforms.
The meetings minutes between Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win and Ambassador Juan Mu, reveals that the Chinese ambassador had urged Nyan Win to allow Gambari to play a greater role by allowing him a tripartite meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and liaison minister Aung Kyi, and to allow him multiple-entry Visa to Burma, and to open a liaison office in Rangoon.
Juan Mu also said, China is endorsing the United Nations initiative and would be ready to provide necessary support to the special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
But Nyan Win, yet another puppet Foreign Minister of the Junta’s paramount leader Senior General Than Shwe, refused the request saying a tripartite meeting between Gambari, Aung Kyi and Aung San Suu Kyi is impossible but assured meetings with junior junta officials.
Nyan Win, during the conversation with Juan Mu, also said Gambari cannot be given multiple entry Visa to Burma and the regime could not allow him to have a liaison office in Rangoon.
Juan Mu, representing the voice of China, however, told Nyan Win that China fully understood Burma’s situation and would use its influence to convince the international community particularly the diplomatic community in Rangoon on the junta’s planned roadmap.
Mya Maung said, though China wants to see a stable Burma, in recent days it has failed to influence the junta, led by Senior General Than Shwe, in many areas including its response to the deadly Cyclone Nargis.
“These are signs that China, though it may seem to be the only country with a lot of influence on Burma’s military rulers, are having a tough time with the generals, as they are forced to consider their interest,” Mya Maung concludes.
http://www.mizzima.com/news/regional/1576-is-chinas-influence-on-burmese-generals-eroding.html
