tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32792170504968615572024-03-05T18:55:55.494+07:00The Irrawaddy BlogXero Futurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01289193967183402078noreply@blogger.comBlogger1367125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-19567869019553120042010-09-27T19:44:00.007+07:002010-09-27T19:56:14.442+07:00The enemy is in sight: Attack!By HARN LAY / THE IRRAWADDY<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycKJ3XSzzxbn24VzCBBgi34ipzyIynX7FMa1NPyIiA4Mj30e8mJhpmZmJYzhwiAmuhb5UgITuh4UDSf9DwXCh2gxsnLxmrCRf3t9TiTJn4bWLQVNhuImr8W9VsyeGCsMvMVSX6rcmoCEa/s1600/cartoon_harnlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycKJ3XSzzxbn24VzCBBgi34ipzyIynX7FMa1NPyIiA4Mj30e8mJhpmZmJYzhwiAmuhb5UgITuh4UDSf9DwXCh2gxsnLxmrCRf3t9TiTJn4bWLQVNhuImr8W9VsyeGCsMvMVSX6rcmoCEa/s320/cartoon_harnlay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZbJI818HOXGLp95hQ9WKZwCaOYo_QEmKz-gNnukrsz31yJq0ERM8gSp_RacP4iN74qW6yJujD4OIb5k7Ife1fGLCM-985mjJX-lDLEfy3WvZISxmMxhyphenhyphenN2ew0rCMh1vr8m_xjPOW7CLv/s1600/cartoon_harnlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycKJ3XSzzxbn24VzCBBgi34ipzyIynX7FMa1NPyIiA4Mj30e8mJhpmZmJYzhwiAmuhb5UgITuh4UDSf9DwXCh2gxsnLxmrCRf3t9TiTJn4bWLQVNhuImr8W9VsyeGCsMvMVSX6rcmoCEa/s1600/cartoon_harnlay.jpg" style="color: blue;"><b>Click Here to Enlarge</b></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-10790371500143045952010-09-27T19:39:00.001+07:002010-09-28T11:09:49.688+07:00262 Monks and Nuns Still in Burmese PrisonsBy WAI MOE <br />
Three years after Burma's military regime crushed monk-led protests, at least 262 Buddhist monks and nuns remain behind bars.<br />
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Three years after Burma's military regime crushed monk-led protests in September 2007, at least 262 Buddhist monks and nuns remain behind bars, according to an exiled human rights group based in Thailand.<br />
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At an event marking the third anniversary of the uprising, known as the Saffron Revolution, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners—Burma (AAPP) said that there are currently 256 monks and six nuns still in the country's notorious prisons, including some who are old and in poor health.<br />
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“According to our data, Burma holds more clerics behind bars than any other country. It is quite unfortunate that the Burmese military regime often claims it is promoting Buddhism,” said Bo Kyi, the joint-secretary of the AAPP. <br />
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“We have learned that the well-known leading monk Ashin Gambira, who is currently being held in Kale Prison [near the Indian-Burmese border], is not well due to torture and other mistreatment during interrogation and in prison,” he added. <br />
Ashin Gambira was arrested in November 2007 and later sentenced to 63 years in prison for his role in the protests. <br />
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His sentence is second only to that of Ashin Nanda Vantha in its severity. Ashin Nanda Vantha, who is currently being held in Lashio Prison, in northern Shan State, is serving a 71-year sentence after being found guilty of a variety of charges related to the uprising.<br />
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More than 30 people are believed to have been killed when the military moved in to end the demonstrations, including Japanese photojournalist Kenji Nagai. No Burmese military official has ever been charged in connection with Nagai's murder, and despite repeated requests from the Japanese government, his belongings—including video footage of the military assault on protesters—have never been returned.<br />
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None of the victims' families are likely to see justice anytime soon. It has recently been learned that several of the leading commanders responsible for the crackdown have been promoted and may be in line to hold high-level positions after this year's election, which will see a return to ostensibly civilian rule.<br />
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It is believed that the crackdown was overseen by former Lt-Gen Myint Swe under the orders of the office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army). Assisting him in carrying out the orders was Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win, the then commander of the Rangoon Regional Military Command, and Brig-Gen Win Myint, the former commander of Light Infantry Division 77. <br />
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Myint Swe retired from his military post as part of a reshuffle in late August and is now a candidate of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) for the Rangoon regional parliament, running in Seikgyi Khanaungto Township. <br />
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Observers in Rangoon say he is tipped by junta head Snr-Gen Than Shwe to become chief minister of the Rangoon region, where Burma’s largest city and chief commercial hub are located, after the Nov. 7 election.<br />
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Hla Htay Win has also risen significantly since the crackdown. A year after the uprising was crushed, he was promoted from major general to lieutenant general and reappointed chief of armed forces training and made a member of the ruling State Peace and Development Council. <br />
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Win Myint, whose LID 77 was responsible for killing Nagai and an unknown number of protesters on Sept. 27, 2007, subsequently became Hla Htay Win's successor as Rangoon regional commander post and was promoted to major general. In the latest reshuffle, he was promoted to the position of military appointment general.<br />
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Marking the third anniversary of the Saffron Revolution—Burma's largest mass uprising against military rule in two decades—New York-based Human Rights Watch called for “an open and impartial investigation into the violence.”<br />
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In its statement, the group also called on the United States and Southeast Asian leaders to press the Burmese junta to end its escalating campaign of repression, release more than 2,100 political prisoners and start a genuine dialogue with the democratic opposition.<br />
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However, the regime shows no signs of relenting in its efforts to snuff out dissent. In February, it sentenced former political prisoner and monk Ashin Nyana to 22 years in prison for writing a Buddhist tract calling on monks to be more involved in worldly affairs. Currently held in Myitkyina Prison in Kachin State, he also served sentences in the 1980s and 1990s.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-60640303590656687312010-09-27T19:37:00.004+07:002010-09-27T20:04:18.761+07:00NLD Marks 22 YearsBy BA KAUNG<br />
<img height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13HttXx-p-eK2mjI5071kBe02tyGE1LXOesT8IB11PUFwJ0tyRflx0W26Z_RyNGT8ZA4XLZq1Pnzs2MpHB7lj9GogxP9ad1DUakj1w9IyYgUZvi847uFA1V4YpV8fPE6PA9VUFVh6MzBz/s200/NLD+22.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 6px 6px 6px 0px;" width="200" />At an event marking the NLD's 22nd anniversary, Vice-chairman Tin Oo says the party is reconsolidating and will be revitalized when Suu Kyi is released from detention.<br />
<a name='more'></a>As it marks its 22nd anniversary on Monday, the disbanded National League for Democracy (NLD) party has claimed that it is currently reconsolidating and will be revitalized when its leader Aung San Suu Kyi is released from detention.<br />
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Under the surveillance of plainclothed security forces, the anniversary event was held at the home of party vice-chairman Tin Oo in Rangoon and was attended by 300 party members and some veteran politicians.<br />
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“The NLD will become stronger when Daw Suu is released,” said Tin Oo, 83, who founded the party in 1988 together with Suu Kyi. “We are now consolidating our forces on a steady basis.” <br />
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Although the party was disbanded last month for failing to register for the Nov. 7 election, senior party officials claim that the party still exists and will continue its struggle for democracy in Burma. <br />
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Party officials said the party's headquarters in Rangoon still opens every day, but that meetings are held in its members' homes in order to avoid confrontation with the regime. <br />
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“We will continue to march forward with the principle of nonviolence guided by Daw Suu,” Tin Oo said. <br />
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Despie jail threats, the NLD has sent its representatives out to spread the message among the electorate that Burmese citizens have the right not to vote and that they can exercise that right should they find no alternative to the NLD.<br />
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Over the past 22 years, the NLD has frequently come under criticism for its unsuccessful struggle against the regime and for its aging leadership. But over the past few months, the party has undergone some changes. <br />
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Party Chairman Aung Shwe, who wanted the NLD to contest the election, has not appeared at a party gathering since March 29 when a majority of party members made a decision to boycott the polls. <br />
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Aung Shwe and some other top leaders, including party secretary U Lwin, were known for their cautious approach and were often frowned upon by party's active members at the township and regional levels. <br />
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They also reportedly discouraged party members from joining in the 2007 monks' protests. Thus, the party has been long infamous for acrimonious relations between the “elders” and the active members at the grassroots level. <br />
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This problematic relation has almost been solved since Aung Shwe and U Lwin no longer come to the party meetings, and several party members who were suspended under their leadership have been brought back within the party's fold again, according to Aye Thar Aung, the secretary of the Committee Representing the Peoples' Parliament, an alliance of several political parties which won seats in the last election in 1990. <br />
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Asked how the NLD will respond if another mass uprising occurred, Tin Oo said, “We will provide the leadership this time around.”<br />
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Led by charismatic Suu Kyi, the NLD won the 1990 election by a landslide, however the results were never honored by the regime.<br />
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“Nowadays, U Tin Oo and U Win Tin are effectively leading the party. Daw Suu is also advising them,” Aye Thar Aung said.<br />
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Myat Hla, the NLD party chairman of Pegu Township, said that the party's structure is now “more horizontal than vertical.” He was one of the party members who were suspended but recently reinstated. <br />
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Although four members of party's Central Executive committee quit the party to form the National Democratic Force NDF to contest the election, both Tin Oo and Win Tin dismiss the idea of restructuring the leadership.<br />
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“We cannot carry out a purge within the party,” Win Tin said.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-80417545890268116452010-09-27T19:34:00.001+07:002010-09-27T19:34:39.322+07:00Ethnic Leaders Discuss Military CooperationBy SAW YAN NAING and LAWI WENG <br />
Representatives of major ethnic cease-fire groups meet in Chiang Mai to consolidate their alliance and discuss military tactics.<br />
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As expectations grow of an armed conflict with Burmese government forces, ethnic leaders met in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand last weekend to exchange military skills and tactics, sources told <i>The Irrawaddy</i>.<br />
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The ethnic leaders attending the conference were from the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the Shan State Army–North (SSA –North), the New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Chin National Front (CNF), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and the Karen National Union (KNU). <br />
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The secret meeting reportedly took place with the aim of consolidating an ethnic alliance to oppose the Burmese army and to develop military training techniques which can be deployed in the field. <br />
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“The KNU and the NMSP have an agreement to cooperate if the Burmese government forces attack one or the other,” said a source who requested anonymity.<br />
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Four leaders of the NMSP, including party chairman Nai Htaw Mon and army chief Nai Joi Ya, participated in the meeting. <br />
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The NMSP, the KIO and the SSA-North have each signed cease-fire agreements with the Burmese regime, but recently rejected joining the junta's border guard force (BGF) plan. <br />
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Kachin sources said that KIO leaders who participated in the meeting actively sought suggestions and military cooperation from their fellow ethnic representatives in Chiang Mai as tensions escalate in the northern region.<br />
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Earlier this month, several KIO leaders visited China and asked the Chinese authorities to accept Kachin people that seek refuge in China should a war break out between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which is the military wing of the KIO, and Burmese government troops, the sources said. <br />
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KIO leaders have also launched a campaign in Kachin State asking Kachin civilians, including housewives and the elderly, to help KIA troops if hostilities break out in the area. The KIO leaders also warned the Burmese government not to send its soldiers into KIO-controlled areas and advised Kachin people not to invite Burmese friends to their homes. <br />
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Earleir this month, KIA soldiers fired a warning shot at a Burmese military helicopter as it flew over a KIA-controlled area in northern Burma. <br />
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In an interview with <i>The Nation</i>, Bee Htoo, the military chief of the KNPP who also attended the meeting, said, “We are now working closely together, both politically and militarily. I have personally met leaders of the SSA three times this year and we have an exchange committee with the KNU.<br />
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“I think there is no other way but to join hands and units and fight together. All groups and factions should know that we have a common enemy,” he said. <br />
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No official statement about the meeting has been made by the ethnic groups. <br />
Similarly, a secret meeting was held in Chiang Mai in May at which ethnic representatives discussed avenues of cooperateration, both military and political. <br />
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The ethnic sources said that United Wa State Army (UWSA), the strongest ethnic armed group, which has also rejected the BGF proposal, has become the main source of weapons for the other ethnic armies. <br />
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NMSP leaders also issued a warning to the regime not to try to deploy troops within five miles of their 14 NMSP-controlled areas. They said they would open fire if Burmese soldiers entered their territory without permission. <br />
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There are 17 ethnic cease-fire groups, all of which have been under pressure by the Burmese government since April 2009 to transform their battalions into BGF units.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-15728977767452083352010-09-27T19:30:00.001+07:002010-09-28T11:11:17.160+07:00An Anniversary Written in BloodBy THE IRRAWADDY<br />
On the third anniversary of the violent suppression of the “Saffron Revolution,” the international community should consider taking immediate concerted and focused actions to secure the human rights, dignity and future of Burma's 54 million people.<br />
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Three years ago, Buddhist monks overturned their alms bowls during their morning rounds of the streets of Burma's old capital, Rangoon, and other principal cities and refused to receive offerings from the Burmese ruling generals and their families—historically seen as an act of defiance.<br />
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Thus began the protests that came to be known as the “Saffron Revolution”—which reached its climax on Sept 27, when troops put a violent end to the monk-led demonstrations.<br />
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The outside world hasn't forgotten the blood-stained anniversary. But neither has the regime—shortly after midnight on Monday, a cyber attack was launched against the Web sites of activist movements and of media organizations, including <i>The Irrawaddy</i>. The exiled media is now accustomed to these crude displays of censorship, which fail to silence the voices of freedom for very long. <br />
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The immediate cause of the Sept. 2007 protests was a sudden, government-ordered cut in fuel subsidies, which increased the price of gasoline by as much as 500 percent overnight and led to a spike in the cost of food and other necessities.<br />
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The price rises sparked demonstrations that were initially led by a charismatic political group, the 88 Generation Students. The junta cracked down on the movement by arresting many demonstrators, including 13 prominent leaders such as Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Min Zeya, Jimmy, Pyone Cho, Arnt Bwe Kyaw and Mya Aye.<br />
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On September 5, 2007, Burmese troops forcibly broke up a peaceful demonstration by Buddhist monks in Pakokku, injuring three monks. <br />
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The society of Buddhist monks, the Sangha, demanded an apology by the regime, setting a deadline of Sept. 17. The junta refused, and the monks began their protest, taking to the streets of major cities. Soon they were joined by pro-democracy activists, nuns and local residents. <br />
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Within a few days, thousands of demonstrators from all walks of life were pouring onto streets across Burma, demanding political and economic reforms from the military government.<br />
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The ruling generals responded by sending soldiers on nighttime raids of dozens of monasteries. Eyewitnesses reported that monks were beaten and arrested.<br />
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Despite the raids, hundreds of thousands of Rangoon residents, led by monks, took to the streets of Rangoon on Sept. 27, again demanding political and economic reforms.<br />
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The regime response was again a violent one. Soldiers opened fire on the crowds, killing at least nine unarmed protesters. A Japanese photojournalist, Kenji Nagai, also died in the gunfire, his death captured on video and beamed around the world.<br />
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The September 2007 peaceful protests and the violent crackdown created new dynamics inside Burma. The country's young, technologically advanced generation acquired a role as publishers of text, audio, and video files illustrating the brutal events within their country.<br />
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Suddenly, Burma was attracting the full attention of such international media as the <i>BBC</i>, <i>CNN</i> and <i>Al Jazeera</i>. Condemnation of the regime’s suppression of the protests followed from regional and international governments.<br />
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Under the increasing pressure, the head of Burma’s military junta, Snr-Gen Than Shwe, announced in March 2008 that he would allow a civilian government to assume control of the country after a general election. <br />
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In present-day Burma, however, all segments of the population have grown hostile to the regime, and the country’s future is still unknown, just weeks ahead of the election, slated to take place on Nov. 7.<br />
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The reason for the continued unpopularity of the government is clear—the abuses committed by the junta haven't ceased during the past three years. Oppression of pro-democracy activists continues.<br />
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The level of fear, but also anger, among the general population remains unprecedented, fueled by actions taken against religious leaders and also the government indifference to the plight of survivors of the 2008 Cyclone Nargis.<br />
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Meanwhile, Burmese jails still hold more than 2,200 political prisoners, including 256 monks and six nuns—more than double the number imprisoned before the 2007 protests. <br />
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The junta has sentenced more than 230 political detainees to lengthy prison sentences, some as long as 68 years, for their leadership roles in the “Saffron Revolution.” In effect, the Burmese junta is mocking the UN Security Council, which issued a statement in Oct. 2007 calling for the release of all political prisoners, including Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest. Despite the regime's indifference, the Security Council has taken no action.<br />
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International attention in recent months has focused on the power-play between the military and the government’s proxy parties on the one hand and the armed ethnic minority groups, the National League for Democracy, and a small number of new opposition parties on the other, according to Amnesty International.<br />
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In a statement on the third anniversary of the violent crackdown on the “Saffron Revolution,” Benjamin Zawacki, Amnesty International’s Burma researcher, said: “While the international community, including Burma’s Asean neighbours, has been calling for free, fair and inclusive elections there, the plight of thousands of political prisoners has been overlooked.” <br />
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The political prisoners are being punished merely for peacefully exercising their rights to free expression, assembly and association. Without their voice, peace, human rights and democracy in Burma are meaningless. <br />
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The lives, human rights, dignity and future of Burma’s 54 million people require immediate concerted and focused commitment and actions from the international community.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-76971945302552351152010-09-27T19:26:00.003+07:002010-09-27T19:30:38.669+07:00US, China and Asean: A new strategic triangleBy KAVI CHONGKITTAVORN<br />
If Asean and China again fail to overcome their difference over the guidelines for their proposed conduct in the disputed sea in the near future, it could be attributed to the US factor.<br />
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Do not let the festive mood of "zhong qiu jie"—the mid-autumn festival in Beijing—fool you. Throughout last week's holidays, officials at Chaoyangmen—the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—worked around the clock following the body language and every word of the Asean and US leaders before, during and after their second meeting in New York on September 24. Beijing wanted to know whether they were ganging up against the Middle Kingdom or not.<br />
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The joint statement released after Friday's summit between President Barack Obama and Asean leaders was rather comprehensive and a positive one, demonstrating both sides' paramount goodwill, without antagonising their friends and alliance. It contains two clear messages.<br />
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First of all, from now on Asean and the US are strategic partners in principles and policies. This represents a great-leap-forward commitment, given the condescending view Washington used to have towards the grouping and its stands on global issues.<br />
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This collaborative effort, which still has a long way to go, will have far reaching consequences in shaping the future strategic landscape in Asia. To accomplish this task, an eminent persons' group will be set up to prepare a five-year action plan (2011-15) by the end of next year when they meet again in Indonesia.<br />
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Secondly, the Asean-US strategic partnership is not aimed at China but for peace and stability in the region. It avoided the mentioning of the problem in the South China Sea and the US positions made in Hanoi in July. The earlier draft proposed by the US,specifying the dispute and ways to resolve it, was eventually suppressed at the Asean leaders' request. Kudos should go to them for their strong resistance and solidarity in warding off pressure from the US side.<br />
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It was replaced by a more general statement of intention (paragraph 18) which reaffirms the importance of unimpeded commerce, freedom of navigation and relevant international laws including the peaceful settlement of disputes. To foreign policy analysts, this self-explanatory paragraph does not need any elaboration as it automatically refers to the South China Sea and an existing code of conduct promoted by Asean.<br />
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After the draft joint statement was leaked to the US media ahead of the New York meeting, China's diplomatic mechanism went into full operation. Beijing issued a directive to its embassies based in all Asean countries urging their host countries to reject the US prepared document, otherwise it would have dire consequences for their ties. For the Chinese side, the mere naming of the conflict, which it argues has nothing to do with the US, is tantamount to an attempt to internationalise this sensitive issue.<br />
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At least for the time being, the Asean leaders have been wise to heed China's concern with seriousness. Likewise, the US also plays along. After all, it has succeeded in raising the profile of the South China Sea and the importance of Asean-US strategic relations. Given the current effort by the US and China to work out their delicate relations over currency and other economic issues, insisting on the maritime dispute would render destructive impacts on the world's most important bilateral relations.<br />
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Throughout its Asean chair, Vietnam has been instrumental in discussing the issue in discreet ways, knowing full-well any displayed enthusiasm would raise China's eyebrows. Previous Asean chairs, Singapore and Thailand—both were non-claimants—avoided it altogether. It is interesting to note that even with Hanoi's extreme caution, the China-Vietnam relations have continued to take a beating. Although several top Vietnamese leaders have visited China this year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, none of the top Chinese leaders has yet set foot on Vietnam.<br />
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For the past 15 years after the Mischief Reefs incident in March 1995, Asean and China have been quite successful in containing the conflicts as a mere bilateral matter. Then, exactly 64 days ago, the US entered the fray by commenting on the international aspect of the longstanding territorial conflict—freedom and safety of navigation. While this concern is not new, the timing and way the US expressed it is. By pinpointing its backing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (2002) between Asean and China, Washington has indeed waved an international red flag—not to mention recent disputes China has ahd with Japan and South Korea.<br />
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Washington's dual decisions to sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation last July and to join the East Asia Summit recently have levelled out its strategic level playing field on par, if not greater, with the level of China's long-held preference. That explains why Beijing has reacted strongly the way it has. Despite the current cordial Asean-China ties, there is one dark spot - no progress made on joint cooperation related to the South China Sea.<br />
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Judging from the Asean leaders' performance, they think they have what it takes to invite major powers to play real-politic in their backyard. In the past four decades, Asean was happy to serve as a fulcrum for these players to exchange views and build up confidence. They like Asean because it is a non-threatening entity and causes no harm. Now, with the wind of change shifts to East Asia, Asean wants to increase its stake and become a player too—no longer a sitting duck—as in the Cold War. Shaping the future strategic environment affecting the region of these powers is their common objective.<br />
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As great powers, big and small, are fully imbedded inside the Asean structure and political culture, the frequently asked questions these days are: Can Asean handle all these players at once? Is Asean a key player or just a mere bystander? Will the US-China cooperation and competition undermine Asean solidarity? How can Asean escape being a tool of the US or China?<br />
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With Asean, China and the US engaged in triangular relations, it would be hard to predict the outcome. For instance, if Asean and China again fail to overcome their difference over the guidelines for their proposed conduct in the disputed sea in the near future, it could be attributed to the US factor. That would further harden positions of Asean and China. Beijing has already said its sovereignty in the South China Sea is unchallengeable as, like Taiwan, it is one of its core national interests.<br />
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In more ways than one, the outcome of the New York meeting could now provide a much need impetus for China and Asean to work closely to break the impasse and make some progress on this front.<br />
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Both sides must compromise and agree on the language acceptable to all so that the guidelines can move forward. Indeed, to divert external involvement in this dispute, the two sides will have to demonstrate their efficacy in preventing, containing and resolving together their common challenges in the region. <br />
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<i>Kavi Chongkittavorn is senior editor and columnist at the Bangkok-based English-language daily newspaper, </i>The Nation<i>. This article appears in </i>The Nation<i> on Monday.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-44787615530680910832010-09-27T19:23:00.002+07:002010-09-28T11:12:10.104+07:00Harn Lay Creates Free Animated WorkBy KO HTWE<br />
Harn Lay, <i>The Irrawaddy'</i>s illustrator and cartoonist, has created an animated work in video that pokes fun at Burmese junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe, which is now available to all without charge to mark the third anniversary of the monk-led mass demonstration called the “Saffron Revolution.”<br />
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The three-minute animated feature was done in cooperation with the Dai Artist Group and can be viewed and downloaded at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifEs53qkjsA">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifEs53qkjsA</a>.<br />
Harn Lay, 44, an ethnic Shan artist, is a graduate of the Rangoon School of Fine Arts Academy.<br />
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“We distribute this work free to mark the anniversary of the Saffron revolution,” he said. “To this day, the regime has failed to apologize to the Sangha, the most revered institution in our country.” <br />
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Harn Lay has specialized in satirizing Snr-Gen Than Shwe, the head of the Burmese military junta. His work regularly appears in <i>The Irrawaddy</i> online website and in the monthly print magazine, where he frequently illustrates magazine cover stories and articles. He also exhibits fine art oil paintings, mostly in portraiture and landscapes.<br />
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In April, Harn Lay received a Hellman/Hammett grant for his political cartoons and art penned against the Burmese regime. <br />
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The Saffron Revolution began after a brutal crackdown on monks in Pakokku in central Burma, after they refused to accept alms from the families of regime officials. Outrage at the attacks on the monks spread to Rangoon and Mandalay, the country’s two largest cities, as well as to other urban areas.<br />
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There are more than 400,000 monks in Burma. There are more than 2,183 political prisoners in Burmese jails including 262 monks and nuns, according to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoner—Burma.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-75277436020814907752010-09-27T14:43:00.000+07:002010-09-27T14:43:36.481+07:00Cyber Attack Shuts Down Irrawaddy Websites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTxpuqRrrCiuRelcCBDv027_a0bnIL2HMp2TI0NE__jI1km9uzIQW48unJ_Y_dSohq4IAIcTTa_IVzxuOcJaEzNGTg2iUYklDKzBV6FzyKuugk-TSFK30XdYyir9q0aJYNOGwwdPdBOFZ/s1600/irr_underattack.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTxpuqRrrCiuRelcCBDv027_a0bnIL2HMp2TI0NE__jI1km9uzIQW48unJ_Y_dSohq4IAIcTTa_IVzxuOcJaEzNGTg2iUYklDKzBV6FzyKuugk-TSFK30XdYyir9q0aJYNOGwwdPdBOFZ/s200/irr_underattack.gif" width="200" /></a></div>The websites of The Irrawaddy were under attack on Monday morning, shutting down its English and Burmese online editions. We are now working to restore service to our readers worldwide.<br />
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The attack came on the third anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, the monk-led demonstrations in 2007. <br />
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According to an e-mail sent by the website host in the US to The Irrawaddy webmaster team, the website was attacked in a high volume attack which overloaded its capacity to provide service. The attack is called a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. <br />
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A DDoS attack is defined as an attack in which a multitude of compromised systems attack a single target, thereby causing denial of service for users of the targeted system. A flood of incoming messages to the target system essentially forces it to shut down, thereby denying service to the system by legitimate users. <br />
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In September 2008, the website was also attacked by a DDoS attack. The volume of the DDoS attack on Monday was 2 gigabytes, one gigabyte larger than the attack in Sept. 2008, according to Win Thu, the general manager of The Irrawaddy. <br />
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Win Thu said that the attack would be short-term, but it has disrupted the daily news production and access by our readers.<br />
Hackers began the attack on the English and Burmese website address: www.irrawaddy.org at 1 a.m on Monday and later attacked The Irrawaddy's mirror website: www.irrawaddymedia.com. <br />
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The Irrawaddy web team is now trying to recover the websites. In 2008, it took three days to recover the website, according to technicians.<br />
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Two other Burmese news websites, Mizzima and the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), were also attacked on Monday.<br />
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The Irrawaddy, DVB, Mizzima and a fourth site, Khitpyaing, were all attacked by DDoS in September 2008, on the anniversary of the Saffron Revolution.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-6403344120111976542010-09-27T13:25:00.003+07:002010-09-27T13:26:29.358+07:00Ban Convenes 'Friends of Burma' MeetingBy LALIT K JHA <br />
Monday, September 27, 2010<br />
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WASHINGTON—UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has convened a meeting of his 14-nation “Group of Friends” on Burma to discuss the current situation in the country and the Nov. 7 general election, which most of the Western world said lacks legitimacy.<br />
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The meeting on Monday evening in New York will be attended by several top diplomats, including some foreign ministers who are currently attending a General Assembly session at the UN headquarters. However, diplomatic sources said that the Burma meeting is unlikely to yield any results. <br />
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It is expected that the UN will issue a statement expressing its concern over the current situation in Burma and reiterate its call to the military junta to ensure that the election is free and fair. The meeting will be attended by Ban’s Chef de Cabinet Vijai Nambiar, who is temporarily overseeing the Good Offices of the Secretary-General on Burma.<br />
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Nine months after the secretary-general removed Special Envoy on Burma Ibrahim Gambari, Ban is yet to find a suitable replacement. <br />
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Reflecting the disappointment of the pro-democracy Burmese people living in exile in the United States, Aung Din of the US Campaign for Burma said he does not expect anything from the UN Friends of Burma meeting. He said there will be division as usual among the 14 members of this group: Australia, Indonesia, Russia, the US, China, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, France, Norway, Thailand, India, Portugal and the United Kingdom.<br />
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“As long as Ban Ki-moon does not assert his moral authority and demand these nations exercise a collective and effective pressure on the regime, this meeting will be nothing more than another public relations show by the UN,” Aung Din told The Irrawaddy.<br />
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“The military regime in Burma does not care about their hollow voices. It cares only about actions, such as a UN Commission of Inquiry and a total rejection of its sham election,” he said. The US Campaign for Burma, along with several other organizations, has been pressing the world body for a Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity against the military junta, which has of late gained support from a host of Western countries including the US, Britain, Canada and France.<br />
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Meanwhile, US State Department Spokesman P J Crowley said that, at this point of time, it was not clear if this issue would be brought up for discussion at the Friends of Burma meeting at the UN on Monday. “I don't know if that's going to be brought up at this meeting or not. Let's wait and see,” he said, adding that that US plans to go through a “full range of issues” at the meeting.<br />
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Following his meeting with the leaders of the Association of Southest Asian Nations (Asean) in New York last week, US President Barack Obama renewed his call for the Burmese junta to release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi.<br />
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“The president believes in the importance of democratic reform and protection of human rights and renews his call on Burma to embark on a process of national reconciliation by releasing all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and by holding free and fair elections in November,” the White House said in a statement after the meeting.<br />
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Obama and the Asean leaders agreed on the importance of stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and highlighted their concerns about North Korea and Iran in the joint statement they issued, the White House said.<br />
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Last week in his meeting with Asean leaders, the UN secretary-general made a passionate appeal to help move Burma toward democracy. “I count on your support in encouraging Myanmar’s engagement with my Good Offices,” he said. “I am sorry that I have to specifically have one visional issue among 10 Asean countries, but this has become somewhat of a common concern among all issues.”<br />
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Noting that the UN and Asean share the aim of stability and development in Burma, the secretary-general said they all agree on the critical need for a democratic transition and national reconciliation, and for ensuring free, fair and inclusive elections.<br />
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“Failure to meet these expectations could undermine the credibility of the process, which, in turn, could reflect on Asean’s collective values and principles,” Ban said. “At the same time, we must also help Myanmar, so that they can address these humanitarian and development challenges.<br />
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“With Asean's support, I am committed to continue working with the government and people of Myanmar to enable a successful transition to civilian and democratic rule,” he added.<br />
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Earlier this month, Ban voiced his concern at the decision by Burma's election commission to dissolve 10 political parties, including Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. He called on the authorities to ensure that November’s elections are fully inclusive.<br />
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In August, Ban called on the military junta to release all remaining political prisoners so that they could fully participate in Burma’s November polls.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-27048930595153165282010-09-27T13:19:00.005+07:002010-09-27T13:27:30.794+07:00Burmese Election Campaigns Officially BeginBy THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<br />
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RANGOON—Campaigning has begun officially in Burma for the November elections, with state television and radio broadcasting the first sanctioned party announcements.<br />
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The National Unity Party, the descendant of the party that ruled under late strongman Ne Win, who held power from 1962 until 1988, made the first broadcast on Friday night. A transcript was printed in state-run newspapers on Saturday.<br />
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The ruling junta plans to hold general elections on Nov. 7, the first in 20 years. Detained Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a landslide victory in the 1990 polls, but was not allowed to take power by the military. It decided to boycott this year's elections, charging that the process is unfair and undemocratic.<br />
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The government announced last week that the 37 political parties contesting the elections will each be allowed 15 minutes of airtime to describe their party platforms.<br />
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Parties have to apply for permission seven days ahead of time and submit the texts of their party policies for approval by the Election Commission.<br />
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During the National Unity Party's 15-minute broadcast, joint secretary Khin Maung Gyi presented its policies and urged people to "correctly choose reliable candidates."<br />
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He said the party would ensure basic human rights such as freedom of expression, assembly and religion within the framework of the Constitution and would combat bribery and corruption.<br />
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The party is not especially popular because of its association with the late dictator. However, it is well funded, and with nearly 990 candidates running, it is the only party that can come close to fielding the same number as the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, which has more than 1,100 candidates.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-41514618465315228812010-09-27T12:14:00.003+07:002010-09-27T13:15:38.518+07:00Ban Seeks Asean Support on BurmaBy LALIT K JHA<br />
The UN secretary general urges Southeast Asian leaders to work together with the world body to ensure that Burma makes a transition to genuine democracy.<br />
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<a name='more'></a> United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday made an appeal to the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to help him move Burma towards genuine democracy.<br />
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Speaking to the Asean leaders at his annual gathering with them at the UN headquarters in New York, Ban noted that the UN and Asean both want stability and development in Burma and agree on the critical need for a democratic transition and national reconciliation in the country, and for ensuring that this year's election is free, fair and inclusive.<br />
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“Failure to meet these expectations could undermine the credibility of the process—which, in turn, could reflect on Asean’s collective values and principles. At the same time, we must also help Myanmar [Burma], so that they can address these humanitarian and development challenges,” Ban said.<br />
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“With Asean’s support, I am committed to continue working with the government and people of Myanmar to enable a successful transition to civilian and democratic rule,” he said.<br />
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“I count on your support in encouraging Myanmar’s engagement with my good offices,” said the secretary general, who has yet to appoint a new special envoy for Burma—a post that has been vacant since January.<br />
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Ban, who has visited Burma and met with the head of the ruling junta, Snr-Gen Than Shwe, has not been able to move the regime any closer to restoring democracy or releasing opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.<br />
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Last week, he voiced concern at a decision by the regime-appointed Union Election Commission to dissolve 10 political parties, including Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. He called on the authorities to ensure that November’s election is fully inclusive.<br />
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In August, Ban called on the military junta to release all remaining political prisoners so that they could fully participate in Burma’s first election in 20 years, due to be held on Nov. 7.<br />
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Ban also discussed the current situation in Burma with Philippine President Benigno Aquino.<br />
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“With regard to Myanmar, the secretary-general and the president underscored the need to ensure a credible electoral process and, in this regard, the importance of engagement by the countries in the region,” said a UN statement.<br />
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In an interview on Thursday, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said that Burma's political system must become “more inclusive” after the election and that Suu Kyi should be allowed to participate.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-14841890019348219252010-09-27T12:10:00.003+07:002010-09-27T13:16:17.189+07:00Obama Urges Burma to Embark on Process of ReconciliationBy LALIT K JHA<br />
The US president repeats his call for a free and fair election in Burma and the release of all political prisoners following a meeting with Asean leaders in New York.<br />
WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama on Friday urged the Burmese leadership to embark on a process of national reconciliation by releasing all political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.<br />
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Obama renewed his call during a meeting with the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in New York, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting was attended by Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win, but there was no direct contact between him and the US president.<br />
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“The president believes in the importance of democratic reform and protection of human rights and renews his call on Burma to embark on a process of national reconciliation by releasing all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi and by holding free and fair elections in November,” the White House said in a statement after the meeting.<br />
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In a joint statement issued together with their US counterpart, the Asean leaders said they “welcomed the continued US engagement with the government of Myanmar [Burma]” and expressed hope that “Asean and US engagement encourages Myanmar to undertake political and economic reforms to facilitate national reconciliation.” <br />
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Reiterating a call made at the first US-Asean meeting in Singapore last November, the statement said this year's election in Burma must be “conducted in a free, fair, inclusive and transparent manner in order to be credible for the international community.”<br />
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“We emphasized the need for Myanmar to continue to work together with Asean and the United Nations in the process of national reconciliation,” the joint statement said. <br />
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Meanwhile, in Washington, the State Department reiterated that the US does not believe that the election in November will be legitimate.<br />
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“We have made it clear all along that we think the Nov. 7 elections are going to lack legitimacy,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. <br />
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“We obviously remain concerned about the oppressive political environment in the country and we urge the authorities to release all the political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and I believe there’s 2,100 additional political prisoners,” he said. <br />
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“We don’t believe those elections can be free or fair, and we continue to urge the Burmese authorities to begin a genuine political dialogue with the democratic opposition … and also the ethnic minority leaders, as a first step towards national reconciliation,” Toner said.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-89837423139015298042009-05-20T11:59:00.000+07:002009-05-29T12:03:23.508+07:00Is it Time to Take Than Shwe to International Criminal Court?By ARKAR MOE<br /><br />East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta and the Burma Lawyers’ Council have announced they are ready to appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to charge Snr-Gen Than Shwe with criminal acts.<br /><br /><span id="fullpost">The ICC was established in 2002 as a permanent international tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The court’s Pre-Trial Chamber can authorize its Prosecutor’s Office to open an investigation on the basis of information received from outside sources.<br /><br />Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said he would appeal to the ICC to investigate Burma’s ruling junta if it fails to free Aung San Suu Kyi, who was arrested last week and is standing trial on what many say are trumped up charges.<br /><br />The Burma Lawyers’ Council (BLC) said on Saturday it will seek to restore the rule of law to Burma by asking the ICC to launch an investigation into human rights abuses and violations of international law in Burma.<br /><br />Nan Shan Hpound, a team leader of the BLC Working Team for the International Criminal Court, told The Irrawaddy, "Now we are gathering evidence and collating information on how to prosecute the military generals in the International Criminal Court.” <br /><br />Ramos-Horta said he will urge the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC to investigate and prosecute Sen-Gen Than Shwe and other responsible leaders of the State Peace and Development Council for crimes committed under their leadership.<br /><br />The ICC has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute crimes which have been committed or are being committed if a given state’s judicial system is unable or unwilling to investigate and take legal action to ensure justice.<br /><br />Aung San Suu Kyi, who is now being tried for violation of her house arrest, is being detained under the State Protection Law of 1975. The government is permitted to detain her for five years under that law. Contrary to law, they have already held her in detention for almost six years.<br /><br />The Women’s League of Burma (WLB) said it also supports a move to appeal to the ICC and called for the international community to join in referring Snr-Gen Than Shwe and others to the ICC.<br /><br />Lway Aye Nang, the general-secretary of the WLB, told The Irrawaddy, "The time has come to say enough is enough. The United Nations should invoke its responsibility-to-protect mechanism and establish a commission of inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity in Burma. The Burmese military ignores all international laws and uses rape as a weapon of war. Snr-Gen Than Shwe is a real criminal.”<br /><br />International condemnation against the Burmese military government has increased as a result of its recent arrest and prosecution of Suu Kyi, who faces a five-year prison sentence if she is found guilty of violating the terms of her house arrest. She has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-71854730423588076902009-05-20T11:58:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:59:50.351+07:00Yettaw Isn’t the Only Fool in this Bizarre AffairBy AUNG ZAW<br /><br />World attention is focused on Rangoon and the trial there of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a man who appears to be responsible for her appearance in court—the American intruder John W Yettaw.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />Exiled Burmese and Suu Kyi’s colleagues accuse Yettaw of recklessness and plain stupidity. Suu Kyi’s lawyer has called the American a fool.<br /><br />Yettaw is by no means the only fool in this bizarre affair, however. Consider for a moment the question: who is behind the affair, and why did junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe dare to go this far?<br /><br />Than Shwe, it must be remembered, was implicated in the Depayin massacre in 2003, when Suu Kyi’s motorcade was attacked by pro-regime thugs. In September 2007, he was again implicated in the killing of monks and activists who peacefully took to the streets.<br /><br />The September crackdown and subsequent arrests could not have occurred without Than Shwe’s approval.<br /><br />Under Than Shwe’s command, Burmese Army forces have been guilty of countless crimes against ethnic minorities. The reports of forced labor, conscription, extortion, torture and other human rights abuses are endless.<br /><br />On this record, Than Shwe is the one who should now be standing trial.<br /><br />Than Shwe commits his crimes with impunity, in the knowledge that previous protests quickly die away. The former psychological warfare officer knows how to manipulate international opinion and is fully aware of the meaning of global hypocrisy.<br /><br />Perhaps Than Shwe anticipated the short-lived outcry and outrage that greeted his action against Suu Kyi. He was confident he could get away with the preposterous charge that has now been brought against her—knowing that his confidence could be placed in a company of fools and idiots.<br /><br />They include hypocritical leaders in the West and Asia and officials sitting comfortably in their UN offices in New York. They acted swiftly, trotting out their customary condemnation of the regime—like so many times in the past.<br /><br />These people—not just Yettaw—should be nailed. The UN “special envoys,” including Ibrahim Gambari, even UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon himself, all those who put their name to statements hailing Burma’s “progress” and calling for a “new page” of national reconciliation to be turned.<br /><br />When these crackpots take the podium, don’t they consider consequences of what they say?<br /><br />Nail, too, their “partners in crime,” who insisted all along that the generals were just misunderstood men who were willing to cooperate with the international community. These misguided experts, scholars, diplomats and apologists—where are they hiding now?<br /><br />Until Suu Kyi’s arraignment in the prison court, they had been loud enough, defending the regime’s human rights record and belittling Suu Kyi and her movement.<br /><br />The question of Suu Kyi’s relevance in Burmese politics crops up constantly in discussions I participate in. Perhaps Than Shwe has now shown those who doubt Suu Kyi’s relevance that she remains a force to be reckoned with. Ironically, Than Shwe has caused them to lose face, as they can no longer even justify a policy of engagement.<br /><br />We have no shortage of fools—not only activists but also some diplomats, government officials and self-appointed experts on Burma. They talk nonsense on Burma—a western ambassador recently told me: “You’ll all be going home after the 2010 election.” What naïve rubbish!<br /><br />Instead of writing an open letter to Suu Kyi, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown would do better to address large oil companies like US-based Chevron, French Total, Malaysia’s Petronas and South Korea's Daewoo International Corp, which do so much to prop up Than Shwe and his regime.<br /><br />US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy could offer moral support by wiring letters to the leaders of China, India, Russia and Thailand, countries which are among the principal backers of the regime.<br /><br />The truth is that Than Shwe is still in the driver’s seat. Asean, the UN, China, and the rest of the world are again just reacting to Than Shwe’s latest dirty trick. All the statements of support for Suu Kyi and condemnation of her tormentors will soon evaporate into thin air. Global outrage will then turn into global hypocrisy.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-20133692215472120012009-05-20T11:57:00.001+07:002009-05-29T11:58:45.521+07:00Asean’s Human Rights DilemmaBy WAI MOE<br /><br />KUALA LUMPUR —Thailand announced a statement as chair of Asean on Tuesday that expressed grave concern over the arrest and trial of Aung San Suu Kyi. As Asean chair, it said that it was ready to play a mediation role in Burma’s “national reconciliation process” and a “peaceful transition to democracy” in the country.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />But, the arrest and trial of Aung San Suu Kyi, coupled with the international outrage in the West, has clearly put Asean’s human rights charter in the spotlight, which is now undergoing its first major test. Its response appears to be a carbon copy of its reactions and statements prior to its creation of a human rights charter.<br /><br />So far only Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand have expressed their concern over Burma’s worsening political situation in recent weeks. Another founding member country, Malaysia, and other four countries including the next Asean chair, Vietnam, have remained silent.<br /><br />Analysts agree that Burma continues to be an embarrassment for Asean. As a member country, shouldn’t Burma abide by the intent of Asean’s human rights charter, and, if it doesn’t, what should be the consequences?<br /><br />A Thai member of parliament, Kraisak Choonhavan, told reporters at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand on May 15 that the junta’s current action is totally against the Asean Charter.<br /><br />Many think the Burmese military regime is in violation of article 14 of the Asean Human Rights Body (AHRB). A draft of the forthcoming AHRB states that one of purposes of the human rights body is to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Asean.<br /><br />Thitinan Pongsuhirak, the director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, said that Burma’s 2010 election is a violation of the Asean Charter because it is not a free and fair democratic election, but a rigged process to establish the regime as “legitimate.”<br /><br />Since military-ruled Burma became a member of Asean in 1997, it has been a contentious issue for Asean, which is often forced to equivocate and haul out its oft-mentioned “non-interference policy” in internal matters of member states. The European Union and the United States are strong critics of Burma’s absolute lack of human rights and rule of law.<br /><br />The Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) had been postponed several times because of Burmese issues and the EU’s common position on the country, which bans EU visas for officials of the Burmese junta and official visits of EU officials to Burma.<br /><br />On Monday, Suu Kyi’s first day of trial, EU foreign ministers discussed the Burma issue in Brussels. After the meeting, ministers denounced the Suu Kyi trial and called for Burma’s neighbors to push the junta for positive change in the country. It also warned of further sanctions against Burma.<br /><br />Czech President Václav Klaus will chair the EU-China Summit in Prague on May 20. At the meeting, the EU is expected to bring up Burma with its Chinese counterpart. Recently, China modified its Burma policy to include the principle of stability, development and national reconciliation.<br /><br />ASEM foreign ministers and Asean foreign ministers will meet in Hanoi on May 22-25 to discuss bilateral issues between the two groupings. EU ministers have said they will raise the Burma issue when they are in Hanoi.<br /><br />However, Asean, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, will avoid taking a critical stand, citing its core principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of member countries.<br /><br />The principle is enshrined in article 2 of the Asean Charter, which critics say effectively makes the Asian grouping toothless in terms of human rights issues.<br /><br />By 2015, the Asean goal is full integration of all 10-member nations under an EU- style single market region.<br /><br />Commenting on Asean integration, Latheefa Koya, a leading human rights advocate, said many Asean countries still lack a democratic civil society and an independent press.<br /><br />Asean’s integration motto is: “One Vision, one Identity, one Community.” How that will accommodate human rights abuses is anyone’s guess.<br /><br />Some observers note the motto’s similarity to the Burmese military regime’s motto of “One Blood, one Voice, one Command.”<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This story was written under a 2009 Southeast Asian Press Alliance Fellowship.</span><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-27513289781747217402009-05-20T11:56:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:57:21.757+07:00Lawyer: Burma Possibly Rushing Suu Kyi's TrialBy THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<br /><br />RANGOON — Burma's military regime appeared to be rushing through the trial of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.<br /><span id="fullpost">Suu Kyi, who has been in detention without trial for more than 13 of the past 19 years, is accused of violating the terms of her house arrest by allowing a visitor to stay at her home without official permission. The offense is punishable by up to five years' imprisonment.<br /><br />She is standing trial with two female members of her party who live with her, and John W. Yettaw, the American man who triggered the charges by swimming to Suu Kyi's property under the cover of darkness earlier this month and sneaking uninvited into her home.<br /><br />Suu Kyi had been scheduled to be freed May 27 after six consecutive years under house arrest. The charges against her are widely seen as a pretext for her to stay in detention during polls scheduled for next year—the culmination of the junta's "roadmap to democracy," which has been criticized as a fig leaf for continued military rule.<br /><br />Burma has been under military rule since 1962. It last held an election in 1990, but the junta refused to honor the results after a landslide victory by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party.<br /><br />Nyan Win, a party spokesman and one of her four lawyers, said five of the prosecution's 22 scheduled witnesses testified Tuesday.<br /><br />"Now it is very clear that they are trying to speed up the trial," he told reporters at party headquarters. "If it goes on at this rate, it could even be over by next week."<br /><br />Asked what the motive might be for speeding up the trial, he said "They must have their plans, though I don't know." Nyan Win had speculated Monday that the trial could last up to three months.<br /><br />Suu Kyi's arrest last week reignited criticism of Burma's military rulers and led to renewed calls by world leaders for her immediate release.<br /><br />US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the charges against Suu Kyi were "unjustified" and called for her unconditional release and that of more than 2,100 other political prisoners.<br /><br />Suu Kyi's arrest could well derail a "softer" approach that the Obama administration had been searching for to replace sanctions and other get-tough policies that have done nothing to divert the junta's iron-fisted rule.<br /><br />China, which as Burma's closest ally probably has the most influence with its ruling generals, has shown no signs it will exert pressure on Burmese military government.<br /><br />"Myanmar's [Burma's] issue should be decided by the Myanmar people," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said at a regular news briefing. "We hope that the relevant parties in Myanmar could realize reconciliation, stability and development through dialogue."<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-7708820500016175792009-05-20T11:55:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:55:56.999+07:00Prices Rise in Burma during Suu Kyi TrialBy THE IRRAWADDY<br /><br />The price of basic commodities, fuel and gold has risen in Rangoon following the arrest and trial of Aung San Suu Kyi, according to local residents.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />According to a gold shop owner in downtown Rangoon, the price of gold in Burma reached 528,000 kyat (US $493) per tical (6.4 grams) on Tuesday, rising from 515,000 kyat ($481).<br /><br />“Buyers are still increasing, especially buyers from the countryside,” said a gold shop owner. “The price of gold will go up in the coming days.”<br /><br />The price of gold on the global market is currently $925 per ounce; diesel oil is $2.231 per gallon (3.8 liters); and gasoline is $2.30 per gallon. A black market fuel trader in Rangoon said that one gallon of diesel currently costs 2,200 kyat ($2.05) and a gallon of gasoline is 3,000 kyat ($2.8o).<br /><br />Burma has a quota system for the allocation of fuel to car owners, allowing them to receive up to 60 gallons of fuel each month at a cost of 3,000 kyat ($2.8o) a gallon for diesel and 2,500 kyat ($2.3o) for gasoline.<br /><br />The ongoing instability of Burmese politics contributes to the cost increases in basic commodities, because people tend to stock up on goods in troubled times, said a Rangoon business man.<br /> <br />A Rangoon foreign currency dealer said that Burmese currency prices have decreased in recent days because people tend to buy more foreign currencies, mainly the dollar. <br /><br />A dollar is now at 1,070 kyat, depreciating from 1,050 on Friday. A Foreign Exchange Currency (FEC) is equal to 1,015 kyat, according to the currency exchange market in Rangoon.<br /><br />According to a trader at the Bayint Naung Wholesale Market in Rangoon, standard-quality rice is currently priced at 26,000 kyat ($24) for one basket (approximately 20 kilograms per basket) and low-quality rice is 15,000 kyat ($14).<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-64182132591626393912009-05-20T11:53:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:55:00.957+07:00Asian Property May Keep Sliding, Analysts SayBy ALEX KENNEDY / AP WRITER<br /><br />SINGAPORE — Asian property values may keep sliding this year as the global credit crisis and economic slowdown undermine investor confidence, investors and analysts said.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />"It's going to be another year of pain," Stuart Labrooy, chief executive at real estate investment trust Axis-REIT in Kuala Lumpur, said Tuesday at an industry conference in Singapore. "Asia is in for a fairly lean spell."<br /><br />Markets such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore have already seen large price drops since last year after years of cheap credit lured a flood of foreign money into the region's real estate, especially high-end residential and office space.<br /><br />As credit conditions tightened last year and the global appetite for risk waned, speculative money fled the region's stock and property markets.<br /><br />Investors who chased hot markets last year have absorbed big losses, and new buyers now shouldn't expect to make a quick profit, said Blake Olafson, head of the Asia real estate group for Bahrain-based investment firm Arcapita.<br /><br />"Those who made investments last year have had significant writedowns," Olafson said. "You can't have a trading mentality, but rather a five- to seven-year view."<br /><br />Markets that soared the most during the years leading up to 2008 have subsequently plunged and may not have bottomed yet, analysts said.<br /><br />Singapore, for example, has seen private residential property prices fall about 20 percent from their peak in the second quarter last year after jumping 31 percent in 2007.<br /><br />Along with the broader global downturn, each Asian market may face its own particular challenges.<br /><br />In Thailand, the prospect of renewed violent anti-government street protests paired with overbuilding in Bangkok could send property prices lower, said John Evens, managing director of Bangkok-based consultancy Tractus Asia.<br /><br />"I expect to see a considerable drop in the value of residential prices," Evens said. "Thailand hasn't yet fully realized the impact of the global economic crisis or political instability."<br /><br />In Singapore, the city-state's growing status as a regional finance and wealth management hub left it vulnerable as banks and investment firms shed workers amid the credit crisis. Offices here that rented for $3,000 a square foot last year are now available for $1,800, Olafson said.<br /><br />Asian property values will probably bottom by the end of this year but may not start to rise again until the economies of U.S. and Europe have consistent growth and boost investor confidence, Labrooy said.<br /><br />"In Japan, the real estate industry depended on foreign money coming in to sustain growth," Labrooy said. "A lot of that money is gone and won't return for a long time. We all have to get back to reality."<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-6546779964958767582009-05-20T11:50:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:53:52.726+07:00Journalists Attend Suu Kyi TrialBy SAW YAN NAING<br /><br />Ten journalists were allowed inside the courtroom on Wednesday to cover the trial of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, said journalists in Rangoon.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />Five journalists working for foreign news media were chosen by lot. Three were Japanese journalists and two work for <span style="font-style: italic;">Reuters</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Agence France-Presse</span>.<br /><br />The remaining five were chosen by Burmese authorities. Sources believe they represent state-backed newspapers and publications associated with the regime.<br /><br />A journalist who was chosen to report on the trial said it was not clear whether the authorities will allow the journalists to bring recorders and cameras into the courtroom. In the past, he said, journalists have not been able to use recorders or cameras when covering sensitive events.<br /><br />A Burmese journalist in Rangoon confirmed that one journalist from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Myanmar Times</span> was chosen to cover the trial.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Associated Press</span> writers, who participated in the draw, lost out to the luck of the draw, sources said.<br /><br />Wednesday is day three of the trial of Suu Kyi, who has been charged with violating the terms of her house arrest by allowing a US citizen, John William Yettaw, to stay overnight at her compound on Inya Lake. If convicted, she could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison.<br /><br />Yettaw, 53, who allegedly swam across the lake to the compound, which is under 24-hour guard, is also on trial for violating Burmese security laws and immigration laws, along with two housekeepers who live with Suu Kyi.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-23105609588726858792009-05-20T11:48:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:49:59.512+07:00Security Council Members Hold Informal Discussions on BurmaBy LALIT K JHA<br /><br />WASHINGTON — Members of the UN Security Council have informally begun discussions on the possibility of issuing a statement on the current situation in Burma, especially the ongoing trial of Aung San Suu Kyi, following an initiative by the United States, France and Britain.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />Members of the Security Council and UN secretary-general have been under pressure during the past one week following a global outcry against the detention and trial of Aung San Suu Kyi by the Burmese military government.<br /><br />The Burmese community and its pro-democracy leaders have sought intervention from the Security Council, along with 72 former prime ministers and presidents, more than 40 global celebrities and 11 Nobel laureates in statements and letters urging the Security Council to take up the matter on an urgent basis.<br /><br />However, because of resistance by China and Russia—two veto-wielding members—the 15-member UN body is not expected to be able to make much headway. Informed sources at UN headquarters in New York said the other three permanent members of the Council —the US, Britain and France—have made a fresh move on the need to issue either a press statement or a presidential statement by the Security Council.<br /><br />The Security Council could have a formal meeting on Burma, if an agreement is reached among its 15 members. China is opposed to such a move, saying it would be considered as interference in the internal affairs of a country. Russia and Japan too are believed to have adopted a cautious approach in this regard.<br /><br />On the other hand, the US, Britain and France argue that the current situation in Burma and the ongoing trial of Aung San Suu Kyi deserves the immediate attention of the Security Council. In a Presidential Statement issued in October 2007, the Security Council called for the release of all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi.<br /><br />Meanwhile, two Noble laureates—the Dalai Lama and Jose Ramos Horta—joined nine other recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize in writing to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the issue. “We urge you to discuss this matter with the members of the United Nations Security Council and to do so as expeditiously as possible,” the Noble laureates said in a letter dated May 18.<br /><br />In a related development, the US State Department said that a consular officer from the US Embassy in Rangoon has been permitted to observe the joint legal proceedings against Aung San Suu Kyi and an American national, John W. Yettaw, who was arrested for allegedly staying overnight at the house of the Burmese leader.<br /><br />The State Department said that its Burma policy continues to be under review. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated during her trip to Asia in February, neither sanctions nor engagement alone have succeeded in bringing about change in Burma, the State Department said in a written response to a question from reporters.<br /><br />“The goal of our policy is to encourage progress toward democracy and the protection of human rights. We are reviewing all elements of our policy to assure that we are pursuing the most effective means of achieving that goal,” the State Department said.<br /><br />In another statement, Rep Joe Crowley urged the Burmese military regime to release Aung San Suu Kyi and abandon their campaign of intimidation against her.<br /><br />“I am also concerned about her current state of health, and the military junta should allow her doctor to examine and provide her with the necessary medical treatment. This is another example of the Burmese dictatorship's attempt to stay in power at all cost— including at the expense of the people of Burma," Crowley said.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-74887065091904920152009-05-20T11:16:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:48:55.324+07:00Indonesian Plane Crashes, At Least 93 DeadBy NINIEK KARMINI / AP WRITER<br /><br />JAKARTA — An Indonesian military plane carrying more than 100 people crashed into several homes and burst into flames Wednesday, killing at least 93 people, officials said.<br /><br /><span id="fullpost">Dozens were injured and more were feared dead, with local television flashing footage of fire engulfing the mangled wreckage. Black smoke billowed in the air, as soldiers carried badly burnt bodies on stretchers to waiting ambulances.<br /><br />Air force spokesman Bambang Sulistyo said at least 93 people were killed when the C-130 Hercules crashed near a base in East Java province early Wednesday. There were 112 passengers and crew on board.<br /><br />Military spokesman Sagom Tamboen said the aircraft was transporting troops and their families, including at least 10 children, when it tumbled from the sky near an air force base in East Java province.<br /><br />It smashed into a row of houses in Geplak village, killing three on the ground, before skidding into a rice field.<br /><br />The tail of the plane and several large parts of its charred body were scattered in the paddy and nearby bushes.<br /><br />It was not clear what caused the crash, the latest in a string to hit the air force.<br /><br />But several witnesses described hearing a large explosion while it was still in the air and then seeing it split apart.<br /><br />"One of the wings fell off," Agus Yulianto, a villager, was quoted as saying on the Web site of Kompas newspaper. "Then the plane nose-dived into the houses."<br /><br />The accident occurred 325 miles (520 kilometers) east of the capital, Jakarta.<br /><br />The country's air force has long complained of being underfunded and handicapped by a recently lifted U.S. ban on weapons sales. It has suffered a series of accidents, including a Fokker 27 plane that crashed into an airport hangar last month, killing all 24 onboard.<br /><br />A series of commercial airline crashes in recent years has killed more than 120 people in Indonesia.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-61300883082738536262009-05-19T11:15:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:16:45.944+07:00Suu Kyi Court Continues Hearing Prosecution WitnessesBy MIN LWIN<br /><br />Prosecution witnesses continued to give evidence on the second day of Aung San Suu Kyi’s trial before a special court in Rangoon’s Insein Prison on Tuesday.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />Sources within her National League for Democracy (NLD) said Suu Kyi and other defendants were not allowed to testify.<br /><br />Evidence was heard on Tuesday from five government officials, including police Lt-Col Maung Muang Khin of the Criminal Investigation Department, and immigration officer Myat Twin, according to the NLD sources.<br /><br />The sources said Suu Kyi was brought into the courtroom by women security officers.<br /><br />Speaking on Tuesday to The Irrawaddy, one of Suu Kyi’s former lawyers, Aung Thein, who has been barred from defending her, challenged the official account of the circumstances leading to the NLD leader’s arrest and arraignment.<br /><br />State-run newspapers reported on Tuesday that an American citizen, John William Yettaw, swam twice across Inya Lake to Suu Kyi’s home, in November 2008 and again this month.<br /><br />On his second visit, Suu Kyi had allowed him to stay for two nights, giving him food and drink, the official reports said.<br /><br />Aung Thein described the official version of events as “a story.” Suu Kyi’s house was well guarded by security men, who were also posted on the banks of the lake, he said.<br /><br />Another lawyer, Kyi Win, said Suu Kyi had told Yettaw to leave her house, but he had refused. She did not report him to the authorities because she did not want anybody to get into trouble, Kyi Win said.<br /><br />Suu Kyi’s doctor, Tin Myo Win, was also arrested last week and accused of knowing about Yettaw’s visit, but he was later released.<br /><br />“Why didn’t they [the authorities] take action when Dr Tin Myo Win informed them that a US citizen had entered the house?” he asked.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-22008372345599608112009-05-19T11:14:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:15:56.473+07:00Who is John W. Yettaw?By SAW YAN NAING<br /><br />John William Yettaw, 53, spent more than a month at a hotel in Mae Sot in November 2008, after he had traveled to Rangoon and visited Aung San Suu Kyi’s compound for the first time.<br /><br /><span id="fullpost">While in Mae Sot, people recall him saying that he planned to return to visit Suu Kyi again, which led to his second, fateful encounter with Suu Kyi in May, according to Burmese and Thai sources.<br /><br />Suu Kyi, Yettaw and two others are now standing trial in Insein Prison in Rangoon on charges that they violated her terms of house arrest. Suu Kyi has entered a plea of innocent, saying she had no control over Yettaw’s visit to her compound, where she has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years.<br /><br />Burmese security forces provide a 24-hour guard around her compound on Inya Lake.<br /><br />Press reports suggested that when Yettaw went to Rangoon in November of last year he was forced to lay over in Burma due to the closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, which was seized by Thai protesters led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy. <br /><br />While in Mae Sot, Yettaw stayed at the Highland Hotel, where he spoke to several people about Burma and made brief comments about Suu Kyi. He openly told people about his first visit to her compound.<br /><br />He said he was coming back to Mae Sot in April, said a Burmese source. <br /><br />Sources said that while in Mae Sot, he was frequently accompanied by a Thai woman, and he visited refugee schools where he met children and took notes. <br /><br />One Burmese source said that few people paid much attention to Yettaw, seeing him as a typical tourist.<br /><br />Thai security officials are now gathering information on Yettaw, said a Burmese activist who requested anonymity.<br /><br />According to his family members, Yettaw is still in debt for the expenses he incurred from his first trip to Burma in 2008. Before leaving his home in Falcon, Missouri, Yettaw told his wife, Betty Yettaw, that he planned to visit Asia for a book he is writing, according to an Associated Press story.<br /><br />Betty Yettaw said she was surprise after hearing that her husband had swam nearly two kilometers across Inya Lake in Rangoon, because he suffers from asthma and diabetes. <br /><br />Publications and blogs which are closely associated with Burmese authorities of information ministry, such as tharkinwe.com and myanmarnargis.org, posted photos of Yettaw, but there have been no photographs showing the spot where he was arrested by Burmese police.<br /><br />One conspiracy theory on a Burmese opposition blog, www.niknayman-niknayman.co.cc, contends that Yettaw in fact walked into Suu Kyi’s compound after a taxi driver dropped him in front of Suu Kyi’s home. <br /><br />The blog alleges that Yettaw walked into the compound after he showed a red card to the guards in front of the democracy leader’s house.<br /><br />Yettaw, a Mormon, reportedly does not hold strong political views. He receives disability payments from the US Veteran’s Affairs office for Vietnam-related injuries and has pursued studies in psychology.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-48502875030181940572009-05-19T11:12:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:14:23.399+07:00It’s All Going According to PlanBy AUNG ZAW<br /><br />Inside sources in Naypyidaw have revealed that Snr-Gen Than Shwe held a meeting with his top brass in the remote capital in March. The meeting was convened for one reason only—to discuss the thorny issue of Burma’s most famous prisoner, Aung San Suu Kyi. <br /><span id="fullpost"><br />Than Shwe reportedly asked five of his advisers, including Deputy Snr-Gen Maung Aye and Gen Shwe Mann, how they thought the regime should tackle the <span style="font-style: italic;">“kaung ma lay”</span> (little girl).<br /><br />The answers he received were vague and sycophantic with some generals reportedly advocating that Than Shwe continue ignoring the international pressure to release Suu Kyi and keep her under house arrest indefinitely.<br /><br />Apparently, Than Shwe was not satisfied with the suggestions from his subordinates. He wanted to create a legal case against her. He saw Suu Kyi as the biggest threat to the junta and took the decision to order the Ministry of Home Affairs to design a case that would nail her.<br /><br />Of the possible scenarios to frame the democracy leader for breaking the terms of her house arrest, the use of John William Yettaw was perhaps a long shot.<br /><br />It was known that he had sneaked into Suu Kyi’s compound when he was in Rangoon in November. Suu Kyi’s personal physician Dr Tin Myo Win had informed the police of Yettaw’s intrusion, but authorities decided not to take action against him at that time.<br /><br />According to former intelligence officers, it is easy to trace foreigners who apply for Burmese visas. If the authorities did not want Yettaw to return to the country, they would simply inform Burmese embassies to put him on the black list. They didn’t.<br /><br />Yettaw is known to have been in Thailand speaking to Burmese exiles. He had let it slip that he had secretly entered Suu Kyi’s compound and that he wanted to interview Suu Kyi for a book he was writing on heroism and how people react under pressure.<br /><br />His mother is reported to have said he has mental problems, and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. His wife described him as a “peace-loving” man. <br /><br />This misguided individual fitted the profile that Than Shwe needed. If he could be coerced (or permitted) into repeating his act of intrepidness, he would unwittingly be giving the regime the legal loophole they needed to charge Suu Kyi with breaking the law, in this case Section 22 of the “Law to Safeguard the State Against the Dangers of Those Desiring to Cause Subversive Acts.”<br /><br />Of course it was not a foolproof plan; perhaps one of several pawns that Than Shwe was maneuvering. But since the morning the police fished Yettaw out of Inya Lake, the authorities have moved with a conviction that strongly suggests they were confident that this pawn sacrifice had swung their game plan into a checkmate position.<br /><br />Sources in Naypyidaw said that when Than Shwe heard the news of the arrest of an intruder at Inya Lake, he was “elated.”<br /><br />Although Yettaw’s intrusion can in no rational way be attributed to Suu Kyi—on the contrary, it points to a gaping hole in the junta’s security—it is now being used as the foundation of a legal case against her.<br /><br />This is not the first time that the regime has tried to find a petty incident to tie up the NLD leader in legal red tape.<br /><br />In 2001, Burma’s military authorities exploited a family feud between Suu Kyi and her brother, Aung San Oo, who lives in the United States and holds American citizenship. They fast-tracked an opportunity for the disgruntled brother to sue his sister for control of half of the residential compound that has been her home since 1988.<br /><br />Aung San Oo said that if he won the case, he would donate half of the land to the government, as his late mother Daw Khin Kyi had expressed a desire to open her house as a museum.<br /><br />In the end, the court dismissed his case on the grounds that, according to Burmese law, foreigners don't have the right to own land in Burma. But Than Shwe’s intentions were clear—to cast doubts over Suu Kyi, to humiliate her and to cause her pain.<br /><br />In February 2003, Suu Kyi faced a light jail term after refusing to pay a fine handed down by a Rangoon divisional court. Suu Kyi’s cousin, Soe Aung, had reportedly punched her at the lakeside compound where he was also living. Suu Kyi and Soe Aung both filed charges over the incident. Soe Aung filed charges against Suu Kyi for illegally ejecting him from the compound.<br /><br />The court offered Suu Kyi the choice between a week in jail or a 500 kyat (US $0.50) fine. Suu Kyi refused to pay the fine and said that she would rather go to jail for seven days. The case was subsequently dropped.<br /><br />But in trapping John William Yettaw at Inya Lake, this time Than Shwe thinks he has caught a bigger fish.<br /><br />The regime is moving quickly now to move the trial along. Suu Kyi faces a sentence of up to five years imprisonment if found guilty of violating the terms of her house arrest by supposedly “harboring” the American.<br /><br />In conducting a kangaroo court in Insein Prison, Than Shwe may have underestimated the swiftness of international reaction and the extension of sanctions from the US and EU. However, he can shrug that off as long as his old benefactors—China, Russia, India and Asean—stand by him.<br /><br />He will also be measuring the amount of time and energy world leaders allot to Suu Kyi’s case, assuming the hullabaloo will die down as soon as a new crisis unfolds somewhere else in the world.<br /><br />In any case, he knows he can ride the storm of disapproval from abroad.<br /><br />In the meantime, sources say, back in Naypyidaw Than Shwe is happily following the proceedings from the trial in Insein, no doubt licking his lips in anticipation of the kill. <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Additional reporting by correspondents in Burma.</span><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279217050496861557.post-52965749533975339292009-05-19T11:11:00.000+07:002009-05-29T11:12:52.562+07:00British PM Sends Open Letter to Suu KyiBy THE IRRAWADDY<br /><br />In an open letter of support to detained Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that people around the world “are heartened by your tremendous courage, your inspirational leadership, and by the knowledge that no oppression is so great that the forces of liberty cannot prevail.”<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />Addressing the democracy icon as “Daw Suu,” the British premier consoled Suu Kyi for her predicament, saying, “... from the deepest wells of despair can come the greatest triumphs of human endeavor.”<br /><br />He reiterated British support for “tough and targeted” sanctions and called for the release of her and all other political prisoners in Burma. In a reference to the generals who are imprisoning Suu Kyi, he stated: “The time for a transition to democracy is now.”<br /><br />To read the full letter on the official Web site of the British prime minister’s office: http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19355<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0