MYANMAR: Lack of care for landmine victims
YANGON, 15 July 2009 (IRIN) - Hundreds of landmine victims every year never receive adequate rehabilitation assistance, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).
While there are no exact figures, the group says the numbers are "substantial". Myanmar is second only to Afghanistan in terms of landmine casualties in Asia.
NGOs believe the casualty figures over the past five to six years have been increasing.
"The landmine problem in Burma is alarming," Afredo Ferrariz Lubang, regional representative for the NGO Nonviolence International in Bangkok told IRIN, citing at least one case a day.
"Not only does it pose a threat but it is crippling Burma's future on a daily basis," he said.
Access to services remains "inadequate", ICBL said.
Widespread use
Landmines have long been used along the borders with Thailand and Bangladesh where Myanmar's government has been battling armed rebel groups.
In December, ICBL reported widespread landmine use in Karen, Karenni, Rakhine and Shan States and the Tenaserrim and Pegu Divisions.
In addition to domestically produced mines, Myanmar has also obtained and used Chinese, Indian, Italian, Soviet and US-manufactured mines, ICBL says.
"The Burma army continues to use landmines. Not only on the border with Thailand, but all over the Karen, Karenni and Shan states of eastern Burma," David Eubank, director of the Free Burma Rangers, an organisation providing medical and other assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs), told IRIN from Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Some reports suggest that prisoners have been forced to assist in mine-clearing efforts, while Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the government of planting mines around rice crops in areas cleared by the military during counter-insurgency operations.
"It's a fairly common practice - particularly in conflict areas in Karen state," David Scott Mathieson, Burma researcher for HRW told IRIN from the Thai border town of Mae Sot. "The idea is to deter civilians from returning to their villages to collect their belongings or tend their crops."
Despite reporting difficulties, some 438 casualties were recorded in 2007 compared with 243 in 2006, Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan, research coordinator for the Landmine Monitor, which provides research to ICBL, told IRIN. "That's an 80 percent increase."
Of those injured in 2007, the latest figures available, 47 people died, up from 20 deaths in 2006 - although those numbers are also not conclusive.
Access to services
In 2007, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stopped assisting three physical rehabilitation centres run by the Ministry of Health and three centres run by the Ministry of Defence.
It continues, however, to support the Myanmar Red Cross's outreach prosthetic programme in the southeast, the area worst affected by landmines.
According to ICRC's annual report for 2008, 223 amputees who might otherwise have been unable to travel were helped to the Hpa-an centre to receive appropriate care.
In 2008, 5,419 patients (including 694 women and 371 children) received help at the ICRC-supported physical rehabilitation centre, including 1,031 new patients (including 69 women and 30 children).
While prosthetic limbs are available to refugees along the Thai border at refugee camps and at the Mao Tao Clinic in Mae Sot, as well as through Thai hospitals, for those inside the country, access remains poor.
Limited service is available on the Bangladesh and Indian borders.
Myanmar's government remains one of more than 30 countries in the world that has not signed up to the 1997 Ottawa Convention, an international agreement banning the use of anti-personnel mines.
While there are no exact figures, the group says the numbers are "substantial". Myanmar is second only to Afghanistan in terms of landmine casualties in Asia.
NGOs believe the casualty figures over the past five to six years have been increasing.
"The landmine problem in Burma is alarming," Afredo Ferrariz Lubang, regional representative for the NGO Nonviolence International in Bangkok told IRIN, citing at least one case a day.
"Not only does it pose a threat but it is crippling Burma's future on a daily basis," he said.
Access to services remains "inadequate", ICBL said.
Widespread use
Landmines have long been used along the borders with Thailand and Bangladesh where Myanmar's government has been battling armed rebel groups.
In December, ICBL reported widespread landmine use in Karen, Karenni, Rakhine and Shan States and the Tenaserrim and Pegu Divisions.
In addition to domestically produced mines, Myanmar has also obtained and used Chinese, Indian, Italian, Soviet and US-manufactured mines, ICBL says.
"The Burma army continues to use landmines. Not only on the border with Thailand, but all over the Karen, Karenni and Shan states of eastern Burma," David Eubank, director of the Free Burma Rangers, an organisation providing medical and other assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs), told IRIN from Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Some reports suggest that prisoners have been forced to assist in mine-clearing efforts, while Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the government of planting mines around rice crops in areas cleared by the military during counter-insurgency operations.
"It's a fairly common practice - particularly in conflict areas in Karen state," David Scott Mathieson, Burma researcher for HRW told IRIN from the Thai border town of Mae Sot. "The idea is to deter civilians from returning to their villages to collect their belongings or tend their crops."
Despite reporting difficulties, some 438 casualties were recorded in 2007 compared with 243 in 2006, Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan, research coordinator for the Landmine Monitor, which provides research to ICBL, told IRIN. "That's an 80 percent increase."
Of those injured in 2007, the latest figures available, 47 people died, up from 20 deaths in 2006 - although those numbers are also not conclusive.
Access to services
In 2007, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stopped assisting three physical rehabilitation centres run by the Ministry of Health and three centres run by the Ministry of Defence.
It continues, however, to support the Myanmar Red Cross's outreach prosthetic programme in the southeast, the area worst affected by landmines.
According to ICRC's annual report for 2008, 223 amputees who might otherwise have been unable to travel were helped to the Hpa-an centre to receive appropriate care.
In 2008, 5,419 patients (including 694 women and 371 children) received help at the ICRC-supported physical rehabilitation centre, including 1,031 new patients (including 69 women and 30 children).
While prosthetic limbs are available to refugees along the Thai border at refugee camps and at the Mao Tao Clinic in Mae Sot, as well as through Thai hospitals, for those inside the country, access remains poor.
Limited service is available on the Bangladesh and Indian borders.
Myanmar's government remains one of more than 30 countries in the world that has not signed up to the 1997 Ottawa Convention, an international agreement banning the use of anti-personnel mines.
*****************************************************
Myanmar "Jade Land" mudslide uproots 1300
15 Jul 2009 09:41:00 GMT
Bangkok, July 14 (AlertNet) - A landslide in Myanmar has left over 1,300 people homeless after their houses in a jade mining area were swept away or flooded, a U.N. official said.
Many have sheltered in monasteries and schools since the July 4 landslide in the north of the country, which people in contact with the area said last week killed around 30 people.
"There was a series of landslides and one major one, which swept some homes away -- completely destroyed -- and others were swamped by mud," Antonio Massella, deputy head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Myanmar, told AlertNet by telephone from the main city Yangon on Tuesday.
The long, heavy downpour on July 4 swept away a jade miners' settlement in Phakant, an area known as Jade Land about 1,500 km (930 miles) north of Yangon, and flooded surrounding areas.
Local media said over 350 houses were damaged.
A report from Massella's office said 1,351 people -- locals as well as migrant miners -- were staying in four main informal locations, mostly in Buddhist monasteries, but also in surrounding villages.
Some whose houses were standing have started to return.
A local 25 bed-hospital was part-flooded with some of its 50 patients now sleeping on the floor.
Aid agencies operating in the area including Medecins Sans Frontieres-Netherlands have been supporting the hospital, while the U.N.'s World Food Programme is providing emergency food.
Landslides are common in the rainy season in that area, known for Myanmar's famous ruby and jade. At least 20 people were killed in flash floods last year.
Bangkok, July 14 (AlertNet) - A landslide in Myanmar has left over 1,300 people homeless after their houses in a jade mining area were swept away or flooded, a U.N. official said.
Many have sheltered in monasteries and schools since the July 4 landslide in the north of the country, which people in contact with the area said last week killed around 30 people.
"There was a series of landslides and one major one, which swept some homes away -- completely destroyed -- and others were swamped by mud," Antonio Massella, deputy head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Myanmar, told AlertNet by telephone from the main city Yangon on Tuesday.
The long, heavy downpour on July 4 swept away a jade miners' settlement in Phakant, an area known as Jade Land about 1,500 km (930 miles) north of Yangon, and flooded surrounding areas.
Local media said over 350 houses were damaged.
A report from Massella's office said 1,351 people -- locals as well as migrant miners -- were staying in four main informal locations, mostly in Buddhist monasteries, but also in surrounding villages.
Some whose houses were standing have started to return.
A local 25 bed-hospital was part-flooded with some of its 50 patients now sleeping on the floor.
Aid agencies operating in the area including Medecins Sans Frontieres-Netherlands have been supporting the hospital, while the U.N.'s World Food Programme is providing emergency food.
Landslides are common in the rainy season in that area, known for Myanmar's famous ruby and jade. At least 20 people were killed in flash floods last year.
*****************************************************
Huffington Post - China Mounts Defense of Myanmar after Junta Pledges to Free Some Political Prisoners
Evelyn Leopold, Veteran reporter at the United Nations
Posted: July 15, 2009 08:32 AM
United Nations - Beijing broke from its usual uncontroversial statements on Myanmar (Burma) and told the West to stop "picking" on the ruling junta and stop treating it with "arrogance and prejudice."
In a U.N. Security Council session on Myanmar, China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Liu Zhenmin, made clear that Beijing, a major trading partner of Burma, would not use its influence to bring about any major change in the isolated southeast Asian nation.
The meeting on Monday was called so U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon could report on his July 3-4 trip to Myanmar, where he met with the country's leaders, opposition figures and gave a public speech on democracy and human rights. But Ban was unable to see Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel laureate, under house arrest for 13 of the last 19 years and now in prison on trumped up charges.
China's Liu said it was "totally understandable" that Ban was refused a meeting with Suu Kyi because of "legal complications" and that this should "not be used as a criterion" on the success of Ban's visit. Rather the government should be treated "with less arrogance and prejudice."
"It would be unfair to turn a blind eye to the progress Myanmar has made and instead always focus on picking at its government," he said.
The reason for China's criticism, which also emphasized non-interference in the internal affairs of a country, was not immediately clear. Some observers speculated that Beijing was warning Security Council members not to bring up recent clashes between Muslim Uighurs and China's Han ethnic majority that left at least 184 people dead.
Prisoners freed?
The U.N. ambassador of Myanmar, Than Swe, told the 15-nation Security Council that his government was planning to release prisoners before the country's elections next year. But he did not say how many of the more than 2,000 political inmates would be freed.
Than Swe said his country was willing to implement "all appropriate recommendations" of the secretary-general, who went to Burma in an effort to get the ruling junta to release political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, publish an election law and allow opposition groups to open offices nationwide.
"At the request of the secretary-general, the Myanmar Government is processing to grant amnesty to prisoners on humanitarian grounds and with a view to enabling them to participate in the 2010 general elections," Than Swe said.
Ban reacted with caution to the offer: "This is encouraging but I will have to continue to follow up how they will implement all the issues raised during my visit to Myanmar," he told reporters.
The junta intends to organize multi-party elections for 2010. But the military will have an automatic 25 percent of the seats in parliament, control of key ministries and the right to suspend the constitution.
Fear of Suu Kyi?
However, a charter governing elections bans Myanmar nationals from political office if they have foreign spouses or children with foreign passports. The rule appears deliberately aimed at Suu Kyi, whose husband, now dead, was British. The couple also had two sons.
Her National league for Democracy won a landslide election in 1990 but the military refused to let it take office and has ruled the country since a 1962 coup.
Suu Kyi, 64, and in fragile health, was jailed after John Yettaw, an American , swam to her home, saying he had a vision that she would be assassinated by terrorists. She had never met him but is accused of violating terms of her house arrest.
There was no let up from many other Security Council members on Suu Kyi's captivity, which France's U.N. ambassador, Jean-Maurice Ripert called "intolerable and illegal." British envoy Philip Parham called for "robust" action if there was an "unjust outcome" in Suu Kyi's trial.
Rosemary A. DiCarlo, a deputy U.S. ambassador agreed, saying the "authorities are clearly not respecting that popular will by putting the leader of the country's democratic opposition on trial for spurious charges of violating a house arrest that was illegitimate to begin with."
"We are also troubled that the authorities continue to resist addressing the grave human rights challenges facing the country. For example, recent attacks by the Burmese Army and its proxies have forced more than 3,000 ethnic Karen to flee across the border into Thailand."
Some experts believe that engaging the government on humanitarian assistance and other economic development projects might produce more results than the Western-imposed sanctions, which China, backed by Russia, would prevent from being adopted worldwide by the Security Council. Others believe that unless factions within the military rebel, the junta will keep its grip on the country for the foreseeable future.
(The military government changed the name of the country to Myanmar in 1989. The United Nations recognizes that name but the United States and several other countries call the country Burma as does the Burmese democracy movement.)
Evelyn Leopold, Veteran reporter at the United Nations
Posted: July 15, 2009 08:32 AM
United Nations - Beijing broke from its usual uncontroversial statements on Myanmar (Burma) and told the West to stop "picking" on the ruling junta and stop treating it with "arrogance and prejudice."
In a U.N. Security Council session on Myanmar, China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Liu Zhenmin, made clear that Beijing, a major trading partner of Burma, would not use its influence to bring about any major change in the isolated southeast Asian nation.
The meeting on Monday was called so U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon could report on his July 3-4 trip to Myanmar, where he met with the country's leaders, opposition figures and gave a public speech on democracy and human rights. But Ban was unable to see Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel laureate, under house arrest for 13 of the last 19 years and now in prison on trumped up charges.
China's Liu said it was "totally understandable" that Ban was refused a meeting with Suu Kyi because of "legal complications" and that this should "not be used as a criterion" on the success of Ban's visit. Rather the government should be treated "with less arrogance and prejudice."
"It would be unfair to turn a blind eye to the progress Myanmar has made and instead always focus on picking at its government," he said.
The reason for China's criticism, which also emphasized non-interference in the internal affairs of a country, was not immediately clear. Some observers speculated that Beijing was warning Security Council members not to bring up recent clashes between Muslim Uighurs and China's Han ethnic majority that left at least 184 people dead.
Prisoners freed?
The U.N. ambassador of Myanmar, Than Swe, told the 15-nation Security Council that his government was planning to release prisoners before the country's elections next year. But he did not say how many of the more than 2,000 political inmates would be freed.
Than Swe said his country was willing to implement "all appropriate recommendations" of the secretary-general, who went to Burma in an effort to get the ruling junta to release political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, publish an election law and allow opposition groups to open offices nationwide.
"At the request of the secretary-general, the Myanmar Government is processing to grant amnesty to prisoners on humanitarian grounds and with a view to enabling them to participate in the 2010 general elections," Than Swe said.
Ban reacted with caution to the offer: "This is encouraging but I will have to continue to follow up how they will implement all the issues raised during my visit to Myanmar," he told reporters.
The junta intends to organize multi-party elections for 2010. But the military will have an automatic 25 percent of the seats in parliament, control of key ministries and the right to suspend the constitution.
Fear of Suu Kyi?
However, a charter governing elections bans Myanmar nationals from political office if they have foreign spouses or children with foreign passports. The rule appears deliberately aimed at Suu Kyi, whose husband, now dead, was British. The couple also had two sons.
Her National league for Democracy won a landslide election in 1990 but the military refused to let it take office and has ruled the country since a 1962 coup.
Suu Kyi, 64, and in fragile health, was jailed after John Yettaw, an American , swam to her home, saying he had a vision that she would be assassinated by terrorists. She had never met him but is accused of violating terms of her house arrest.
There was no let up from many other Security Council members on Suu Kyi's captivity, which France's U.N. ambassador, Jean-Maurice Ripert called "intolerable and illegal." British envoy Philip Parham called for "robust" action if there was an "unjust outcome" in Suu Kyi's trial.
Rosemary A. DiCarlo, a deputy U.S. ambassador agreed, saying the "authorities are clearly not respecting that popular will by putting the leader of the country's democratic opposition on trial for spurious charges of violating a house arrest that was illegitimate to begin with."
"We are also troubled that the authorities continue to resist addressing the grave human rights challenges facing the country. For example, recent attacks by the Burmese Army and its proxies have forced more than 3,000 ethnic Karen to flee across the border into Thailand."
Some experts believe that engaging the government on humanitarian assistance and other economic development projects might produce more results than the Western-imposed sanctions, which China, backed by Russia, would prevent from being adopted worldwide by the Security Council. Others believe that unless factions within the military rebel, the junta will keep its grip on the country for the foreseeable future.
(The military government changed the name of the country to Myanmar in 1989. The United Nations recognizes that name but the United States and several other countries call the country Burma as does the Burmese democracy movement.)
*****************************************************
Updated : 9:10 AM, 07/15/2009
VOV News - VN backs UN chief’s role as mediator for Myanmar
A senior Vietnamese diplomat at the UN Security Council has hailed the recent visit to Myanmar by the UN chief, saying it was “timely and necessary given the overall situation in Myanmar at this juncture”.
At the briefing on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Myanmar on July 13, Ambassador Bui The Giang, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam, said that the visit further confirmed the role of the UN represented by the Secretary-General as a key mediator as well as its commitment to helping the Government and people of Myanmar with a broad-based forward-looking package.
He highly appreciated the Secretary-General’s meetings with state leaders and representatives of political parties, cease-fire groups, and 300 participants from non-governmental organisations, civil society groups and diplomatic corps.
Ambassador Giang emphasised the Secretary-General’s meeting with the Tripartite Core Group, describing it “as very important, for it again gives added value to the successful cooperation between the United Nations, ASEAN and the Government of Myanmar.”
The diplomat recognised the Myanmar Government’s decision to grant amnesty to prisoners and enable them to participate in next year’s elections.
At the same time, taking into account the complex situation in Myanmar, Ambassador Giang said the UN chief’s visit on July 3-4 proved to be a meaningful step in a process needed for Myanmar to become a peaceful, stable and prosperous country.
“In this process, it is the people of Myanmar who determine their own destiny. The assistance of the international community and the United Nations is extremely important and will be effective once it is based on engagement of and cooperation with the Government and people of Myanmar,” he said.
He stressed Vietnam’s support for a comprehensive approach in helping address the root causes of the challenges Myanmar is facing. He affirmed the establishment of the National Economic Forum with a focus on agriculture will be pivotal and United Nations agencies and donors should and could play a more active role.
“As a country in the region with a high stake in seeing peace, stability and development promoted in Myanmar, we wish to reaffirm Vietnam’s continued support for the Secretary-General’s good will and other efforts conducive to the national reconciliation and democratisation process in this country,” he said.
“In ways that we deem appropriate and productive, we will continue to be a constructive part of this process,” he added.
VOV News - VN backs UN chief’s role as mediator for Myanmar
A senior Vietnamese diplomat at the UN Security Council has hailed the recent visit to Myanmar by the UN chief, saying it was “timely and necessary given the overall situation in Myanmar at this juncture”.
At the briefing on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Myanmar on July 13, Ambassador Bui The Giang, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam, said that the visit further confirmed the role of the UN represented by the Secretary-General as a key mediator as well as its commitment to helping the Government and people of Myanmar with a broad-based forward-looking package.
He highly appreciated the Secretary-General’s meetings with state leaders and representatives of political parties, cease-fire groups, and 300 participants from non-governmental organisations, civil society groups and diplomatic corps.
Ambassador Giang emphasised the Secretary-General’s meeting with the Tripartite Core Group, describing it “as very important, for it again gives added value to the successful cooperation between the United Nations, ASEAN and the Government of Myanmar.”
The diplomat recognised the Myanmar Government’s decision to grant amnesty to prisoners and enable them to participate in next year’s elections.
At the same time, taking into account the complex situation in Myanmar, Ambassador Giang said the UN chief’s visit on July 3-4 proved to be a meaningful step in a process needed for Myanmar to become a peaceful, stable and prosperous country.
“In this process, it is the people of Myanmar who determine their own destiny. The assistance of the international community and the United Nations is extremely important and will be effective once it is based on engagement of and cooperation with the Government and people of Myanmar,” he said.
He stressed Vietnam’s support for a comprehensive approach in helping address the root causes of the challenges Myanmar is facing. He affirmed the establishment of the National Economic Forum with a focus on agriculture will be pivotal and United Nations agencies and donors should and could play a more active role.
“As a country in the region with a high stake in seeing peace, stability and development promoted in Myanmar, we wish to reaffirm Vietnam’s continued support for the Secretary-General’s good will and other efforts conducive to the national reconciliation and democratisation process in this country,” he said.
“In ways that we deem appropriate and productive, we will continue to be a constructive part of this process,” he added.
*****************************************************
Myanmar coordinates with Thailand on recruiting new workers
www.chinaview.cn 2009-07-15 13:16:29
YANGON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has coordinated with Thailand on recruiting new Myanmar workers to the latter after nationality verification, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.
The coordination was made during a recent visit of Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Maung Myint to Phuket, meeting with ThaiLabor Minister Phaitoon Kaeothong last weekend, the report said.
Maung Myint also held talks with more than 300 Thai businessmen in the Thai border town and looked into the provisional passport issuing camp in Kawthoung, a Myanmar border town opposite to Thailand's Ranong.
Myanmar workers, after nationality verification, are being issued with provisional passports by the Myanmar side, while the Thai side would grant two-year work permit visa to them, it said.
Thailand is legally recruiting new workers from Myanmar on its labor demand, according to the report, which also disclosed that there are about 100,000 Myanmars working in Phuket.
The Myanmar authorities have opened temporary passport issuing offices in three border towns linking Thailand since 2006 to facilitate Myanmar workers to work in the neighboring country. The three border towns are Myawaddy, Kawthoung and Tachilek opposite to Thailand's Maesot, Ranong and Maesai respectively.
Temporary passports are being issued within a day for prospective Myanmar citizens to work in Thailand.
The measure was seen as Myanmar's bid to stop domestic illegal migrant workers to work in the immediate neighbor.
Under an agreement between the Myanmar Foreign Ministry and theThai Labor Ministry in 2006, Thailand offered to grant 10,000 Myanmar workers to work in factories and restaurants in the country.
According to earlier Thai statistics, there are 500,000 to 600,000 Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand.
www.chinaview.cn 2009-07-15 13:16:29
YANGON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has coordinated with Thailand on recruiting new Myanmar workers to the latter after nationality verification, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.
The coordination was made during a recent visit of Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Maung Myint to Phuket, meeting with ThaiLabor Minister Phaitoon Kaeothong last weekend, the report said.
Maung Myint also held talks with more than 300 Thai businessmen in the Thai border town and looked into the provisional passport issuing camp in Kawthoung, a Myanmar border town opposite to Thailand's Ranong.
Myanmar workers, after nationality verification, are being issued with provisional passports by the Myanmar side, while the Thai side would grant two-year work permit visa to them, it said.
Thailand is legally recruiting new workers from Myanmar on its labor demand, according to the report, which also disclosed that there are about 100,000 Myanmars working in Phuket.
The Myanmar authorities have opened temporary passport issuing offices in three border towns linking Thailand since 2006 to facilitate Myanmar workers to work in the neighboring country. The three border towns are Myawaddy, Kawthoung and Tachilek opposite to Thailand's Maesot, Ranong and Maesai respectively.
Temporary passports are being issued within a day for prospective Myanmar citizens to work in Thailand.
The measure was seen as Myanmar's bid to stop domestic illegal migrant workers to work in the immediate neighbor.
Under an agreement between the Myanmar Foreign Ministry and theThai Labor Ministry in 2006, Thailand offered to grant 10,000 Myanmar workers to work in factories and restaurants in the country.
According to earlier Thai statistics, there are 500,000 to 600,000 Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand.
*****************************************************
Myanmar second flu-infected patient recovering from illness
www.chinaview.cn 2009-07-15 11:18:29
YANGON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's second new-flu-infected patient is recovering from illness with no fever remained since the last weekend and is to be discharged from hospital soon after intensive care, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.
The second new influenza A/H1N1 case was found with the young man, aged 20, returning to Yangon from Thailand on July 6 by a Thai Air Asia's flight and has been treated in the suburban Waibagi hospital in Yangon.
Four family members, 104 passengers along with him on the same flight and 122 airport staff were kept under quarantine and monitoring but nothing unusual has been found, the report said.
So far, the authorities have given medical check up to over 2 million people at airports, ports and border check points and examined those suspicious of the deadly disease since the outbreak in Mexico on April 28, it said.
Of the over 15,000 people with symptoms of fever and suspected flu, 6,184 have been free from surveillance after 10 days' period of monitoring and a total of 8,825 people remain under surveillance, it added.
Of the 48 people who underwent laboratory test, only two were found infected with A/H1N1 virus, it claimed.
Myanmar reported the first case of new flu A/H1N1 in the country on June 27 with a 13-year-old girl who developed the symptoms after coming back home from Singapore a day earlier.
The first flu-infected 13-year-old girl patient had been discharged from the Yangon General Hospital on July 8 after intensive treatment.
The authorities continue to take preventive measures against the possible spread of the global human flu pandemic, advising all private clinics in the country to report or transfer all flu-suspected patients, who returned from abroad, to local state-run hospitals or health departments for increased surveillance.
www.chinaview.cn 2009-07-15 11:18:29
YANGON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's second new-flu-infected patient is recovering from illness with no fever remained since the last weekend and is to be discharged from hospital soon after intensive care, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.
The second new influenza A/H1N1 case was found with the young man, aged 20, returning to Yangon from Thailand on July 6 by a Thai Air Asia's flight and has been treated in the suburban Waibagi hospital in Yangon.
Four family members, 104 passengers along with him on the same flight and 122 airport staff were kept under quarantine and monitoring but nothing unusual has been found, the report said.
So far, the authorities have given medical check up to over 2 million people at airports, ports and border check points and examined those suspicious of the deadly disease since the outbreak in Mexico on April 28, it said.
Of the over 15,000 people with symptoms of fever and suspected flu, 6,184 have been free from surveillance after 10 days' period of monitoring and a total of 8,825 people remain under surveillance, it added.
Of the 48 people who underwent laboratory test, only two were found infected with A/H1N1 virus, it claimed.
Myanmar reported the first case of new flu A/H1N1 in the country on June 27 with a 13-year-old girl who developed the symptoms after coming back home from Singapore a day earlier.
The first flu-infected 13-year-old girl patient had been discharged from the Yangon General Hospital on July 8 after intensive treatment.
The authorities continue to take preventive measures against the possible spread of the global human flu pandemic, advising all private clinics in the country to report or transfer all flu-suspected patients, who returned from abroad, to local state-run hospitals or health departments for increased surveillance.
*****************************************************
July 15, 2009 21:42 PM
Body Of Murdered Myanmar Hurled From Building
KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 (Bernama) -- A Myanmar was murdered and his body hurled from a 28-storey condominium under construction in Pusat Bandar Damansara here Wednesday.
Bawl Tlung, 38, a construction worker, was believed to have been thrown off the 25th floor of the building.
The building management discovered the body at 1.15pm.
Brickfields police chief ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said initial investigations indicated a criminal motive in the death of the foreigner as there were traces of blood on the floor.
Body Of Murdered Myanmar Hurled From Building
KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 (Bernama) -- A Myanmar was murdered and his body hurled from a 28-storey condominium under construction in Pusat Bandar Damansara here Wednesday.
Bawl Tlung, 38, a construction worker, was believed to have been thrown off the 25th floor of the building.
The building management discovered the body at 1.15pm.
Brickfields police chief ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said initial investigations indicated a criminal motive in the death of the foreigner as there were traces of blood on the floor.
*****************************************************
Christian Post - Myanmar Baptists Plan Major Bicentennial Celebration
By Derick Ho, CP Asia Correspondent
Tue, Jul. 14 2009 10:33 AM EDT
Baptists in Myanmar are laying the groundwork for a “massive jubilee celebration,” to be held in 2013, to mark the 200th year of the founding of Baptist witness in the Southeast Asian country.
According to the news release from Baptist World Alliance (BWA), two key leaders from Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) Mahn San Thein Tun, Treasurer and and A. Ko Lay, the former Treasurer are visiting abroad to encourage members in other countries to participate in the celebration.
The two leaders visited the BWA Center in Virginia in the United States on 2 July where Lay spoke about the bicentennial celebration and told BWA that the celebration will be a time of “honouring those who have sacrificed their lives for the mission in Myanmar.”
According to BWA, Myanmar, which had its name changed from Burma in 1989, has the largest Baptist convention on the Southeast Asia region, with more than 1.1 million members, most of whom are ethnic minorities such as the Chin, Kachin and the Karen. Myanmar Baptists also holds a distinct position as the second largest Baptist convention in Asia continent after India’s which has over 2 million members.
The BWA news says Adoniram and Ann Judson, who were among the first American Baptist missionaries to travel overseas, arrived in what is now Myanmar in 1813. They labored in that country for almost 40 years, establishing a number of Baptist churches and translating the Christian Bible into Burmese.
The celebratory events already begun in 2009 with the theme “Thy will be done in Myanmar.” Each succeeding year will have its own emphasis and theme on faithfulness, transformation, preservation and holiness, culminating in 2013.
Some 10,000 persons are expected to attend the major celebration in Yangon, the country’s former capital, formerly known as Rangoon, the news stated.
In addition, each of the 18 language and regional conventions that make up the Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) will have its own regional celebration. A major publication, a chronicle or history of Baptist witness in the country, will also be published, following on a similar publication several decades ago.
The Myanmar celebration will include Burmese who live in other countries. Tun and Lay are visiting the countries where thousands of Burmese live in exile, many of whom are Baptists, to join the celebration.
In the months of June and July, the Christian leaders visited the cities of Buffalo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, in the United States. There are an estimated 80,000 Burmese, many of them refugees who fled repression in their country, living in the United States.
The two leaders also plan to visit Singapore and Thailand to invite Myanmar Baptists in those countries to come and join in the celebration.
By Derick Ho, CP Asia Correspondent
Tue, Jul. 14 2009 10:33 AM EDT
Baptists in Myanmar are laying the groundwork for a “massive jubilee celebration,” to be held in 2013, to mark the 200th year of the founding of Baptist witness in the Southeast Asian country.
According to the news release from Baptist World Alliance (BWA), two key leaders from Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) Mahn San Thein Tun, Treasurer and and A. Ko Lay, the former Treasurer are visiting abroad to encourage members in other countries to participate in the celebration.
The two leaders visited the BWA Center in Virginia in the United States on 2 July where Lay spoke about the bicentennial celebration and told BWA that the celebration will be a time of “honouring those who have sacrificed their lives for the mission in Myanmar.”
According to BWA, Myanmar, which had its name changed from Burma in 1989, has the largest Baptist convention on the Southeast Asia region, with more than 1.1 million members, most of whom are ethnic minorities such as the Chin, Kachin and the Karen. Myanmar Baptists also holds a distinct position as the second largest Baptist convention in Asia continent after India’s which has over 2 million members.
The BWA news says Adoniram and Ann Judson, who were among the first American Baptist missionaries to travel overseas, arrived in what is now Myanmar in 1813. They labored in that country for almost 40 years, establishing a number of Baptist churches and translating the Christian Bible into Burmese.
The celebratory events already begun in 2009 with the theme “Thy will be done in Myanmar.” Each succeeding year will have its own emphasis and theme on faithfulness, transformation, preservation and holiness, culminating in 2013.
Some 10,000 persons are expected to attend the major celebration in Yangon, the country’s former capital, formerly known as Rangoon, the news stated.
In addition, each of the 18 language and regional conventions that make up the Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) will have its own regional celebration. A major publication, a chronicle or history of Baptist witness in the country, will also be published, following on a similar publication several decades ago.
The Myanmar celebration will include Burmese who live in other countries. Tun and Lay are visiting the countries where thousands of Burmese live in exile, many of whom are Baptists, to join the celebration.
In the months of June and July, the Christian leaders visited the cities of Buffalo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, in the United States. There are an estimated 80,000 Burmese, many of them refugees who fled repression in their country, living in the United States.
The two leaders also plan to visit Singapore and Thailand to invite Myanmar Baptists in those countries to come and join in the celebration.
*****************************************************
Doctors Without Borders - Myanmar: In Kachin State, MSF Provides Assistance After Landslides, Floods
July 14, 2009
Torrential rains caused a major landslide and subsequent flooding in Hpakant, a mining area in northern Kachin State, Myanmar, on July 4. Officials say 24 people are dead, but figures remain unclear. About 1,000 people who have lost their homes have sought refuge in local monasteries and a school. The local 25-bed government hospital has received dozens of injured and part of the hospital has also been flooded.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) runs a clinic to for patients living with HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases in this area, and is now distributing relief items, including soap, blankets, and mosquito nets, as well as food donated by the World Food Program. MSF is also providing support to the government hospital through the provision of medical supplies, and continues to monitor the situation closely, especially the condition of water and sanitation, and are ready to respond as necessary.
Spread of HIV/AIDS persists in Kachin State, throughout Myanmar
At its northernmost reaches, Kachin State borders China and comprises thick jungle, along with Myanmar’s largest mountains. The region contains people from many different ethnic groups, as well as numerous migrant workers attracted by large jade mines. Health issues, notably HIV/AIDS, are fuelled by a prevalence of brothels and opium dens, and compounded by a lack of accessible and affordable health services.
MSF runs eight clinics and numerous mobile clinics providing services in HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention activities such as harm-reduction for intravenous drug users, treatment for reproductive tract infection, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as health education.
The situation for many people living with HIV in Myanmar is critical due to a severe lack of lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (ART). MSF currently provides ART to more than 11,000 people. That is the majority of all available treatment countrywide, but only a small fraction of what is urgently needed.
An estimated 240,000 people are currently infected with HIV in Myanmar. Of these, 76,000 are in urgent need of ART, but less than 20 percent of them receive it. Those who receive ART do so through the combined efforts of MSF, other international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the Government of Myanmar. For the remaining people, the private market offers little assistance as the most commonly used first-line treatment costs the equivalent of a month’s average wage. The lack of accessible treatment resulted in 25,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2007 and a similar number of people are expected to suffer the same fate this year, unless HIV/AIDS services—most importantly the provision of ART—are urgently scaled-up.
The Government of Myanmar and the international community need to mobilize quickly in order to address this situation. Currently, the government spends a mere 0.3 percent of the gross domestic product on health—the lowest amount worldwide—a small portion of which goes to HIV/AIDS. Likewise, overseas development aid for Myanmar is the second lowest per capita worldwide and few of the big international donors provide any resources to the country. Yet, 189 member states of the United Nations, including Myanmar, endorsed the Millennium Development Goals, including the aim to “achieve universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it, by 2010.” As it stands, this is a far cry from becoming a reality in Myanmar.
July 14, 2009
Torrential rains caused a major landslide and subsequent flooding in Hpakant, a mining area in northern Kachin State, Myanmar, on July 4. Officials say 24 people are dead, but figures remain unclear. About 1,000 people who have lost their homes have sought refuge in local monasteries and a school. The local 25-bed government hospital has received dozens of injured and part of the hospital has also been flooded.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) runs a clinic to for patients living with HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases in this area, and is now distributing relief items, including soap, blankets, and mosquito nets, as well as food donated by the World Food Program. MSF is also providing support to the government hospital through the provision of medical supplies, and continues to monitor the situation closely, especially the condition of water and sanitation, and are ready to respond as necessary.
Spread of HIV/AIDS persists in Kachin State, throughout Myanmar
At its northernmost reaches, Kachin State borders China and comprises thick jungle, along with Myanmar’s largest mountains. The region contains people from many different ethnic groups, as well as numerous migrant workers attracted by large jade mines. Health issues, notably HIV/AIDS, are fuelled by a prevalence of brothels and opium dens, and compounded by a lack of accessible and affordable health services.
MSF runs eight clinics and numerous mobile clinics providing services in HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention activities such as harm-reduction for intravenous drug users, treatment for reproductive tract infection, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as health education.
The situation for many people living with HIV in Myanmar is critical due to a severe lack of lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (ART). MSF currently provides ART to more than 11,000 people. That is the majority of all available treatment countrywide, but only a small fraction of what is urgently needed.
An estimated 240,000 people are currently infected with HIV in Myanmar. Of these, 76,000 are in urgent need of ART, but less than 20 percent of them receive it. Those who receive ART do so through the combined efforts of MSF, other international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the Government of Myanmar. For the remaining people, the private market offers little assistance as the most commonly used first-line treatment costs the equivalent of a month’s average wage. The lack of accessible treatment resulted in 25,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2007 and a similar number of people are expected to suffer the same fate this year, unless HIV/AIDS services—most importantly the provision of ART—are urgently scaled-up.
The Government of Myanmar and the international community need to mobilize quickly in order to address this situation. Currently, the government spends a mere 0.3 percent of the gross domestic product on health—the lowest amount worldwide—a small portion of which goes to HIV/AIDS. Likewise, overseas development aid for Myanmar is the second lowest per capita worldwide and few of the big international donors provide any resources to the country. Yet, 189 member states of the United Nations, including Myanmar, endorsed the Millennium Development Goals, including the aim to “achieve universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it, by 2010.” As it stands, this is a far cry from becoming a reality in Myanmar.
*****************************************************
The New Kerala - 3 Myanmar nationals held along IB in Jammu
Jammu, Jul 15 : The Border Security Force (BSF) troops yesterday apprehended three Myanmar nationals while they were trying to ex-filtrate to the neighbouring Pakistan from the forward post of Makwal in Nikki Tawi area on city outskirts, an official spokesman said here today.
''The BSF troops of 141 battalion yesterday noticed a suspicious movement along border. They warned the suspected persons, who were trying to cross over to other side of the border but despite cautions, they did not stop on which troops chased and arrested them,'' the spokesman told UNI.
The accused were arrested on the spot and during preliminary investigations they disclosed that they had paid Rs 20,000 (Burman currency) to a tout Salam in Burma, who helped them to reach Bangladesh border about two months ago.
''They crossed International Border (IB) through Mandu in Myanmar and reached Dhannap in Bangladesh and later Delhi with the help of a tout,'' the spokesman said, adding that afterwards they reached Saharanpur by bus and met one Kamal, 26, of Nadim Colony.
With the help of Kamal, they reached Jammu last month and stayed at a rented accommodation in Nanak Nagar area and worked as casual labourers.
''On Monday, they reached village Chori Chak and further moved to border via Nikka Tawi area to enter Pakistan but were apprehended yesterday,'' he added.
A mobile set without SIM card and Rs 2,415 (Indian Currency) were recovered from their possession. They were identified as Giasuddin, 18, son of Nurul Souda of Barbil, district Aikop; Hussain, 19, son of Mahiyan of Mumdung and Mohammad Salim, 25, son of Mohammad Sadiq of Sonehiprl district Bichidaon.
They have been handed over to the police for further investigation.
Jammu, Jul 15 : The Border Security Force (BSF) troops yesterday apprehended three Myanmar nationals while they were trying to ex-filtrate to the neighbouring Pakistan from the forward post of Makwal in Nikki Tawi area on city outskirts, an official spokesman said here today.
''The BSF troops of 141 battalion yesterday noticed a suspicious movement along border. They warned the suspected persons, who were trying to cross over to other side of the border but despite cautions, they did not stop on which troops chased and arrested them,'' the spokesman told UNI.
The accused were arrested on the spot and during preliminary investigations they disclosed that they had paid Rs 20,000 (Burman currency) to a tout Salam in Burma, who helped them to reach Bangladesh border about two months ago.
''They crossed International Border (IB) through Mandu in Myanmar and reached Dhannap in Bangladesh and later Delhi with the help of a tout,'' the spokesman said, adding that afterwards they reached Saharanpur by bus and met one Kamal, 26, of Nadim Colony.
With the help of Kamal, they reached Jammu last month and stayed at a rented accommodation in Nanak Nagar area and worked as casual labourers.
''On Monday, they reached village Chori Chak and further moved to border via Nikka Tawi area to enter Pakistan but were apprehended yesterday,'' he added.
A mobile set without SIM card and Rs 2,415 (Indian Currency) were recovered from their possession. They were identified as Giasuddin, 18, son of Nurul Souda of Barbil, district Aikop; Hussain, 19, son of Mahiyan of Mumdung and Mohammad Salim, 25, son of Mohammad Sadiq of Sonehiprl district Bichidaon.
They have been handed over to the police for further investigation.
*****************************************************
Wednesday,15 July 2009 12:2 hrs IST
Malayala Manorama - US, France and Britain seeks Suu Kyi's release
- Lalit K Jha Washington: US, Britain and France expressed disappointment over Burma's failure to address concerns of the international community to restore democracy in the country and called on the military junta to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi "immediately and unconditionally."
Participating in a debate on Burma inside the UN Security Council Tuesday after the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon briefed the 15-membered body on his recent visit to the country, US Britain and France asked the junta to match its words with actions.
"As 2010 approaches, the government has repeatedly assured us that next year's elections will be free and fair. But there can be no free and fair elections while key leaders of Burma's democratic opposition-including Aung San Suu Kyi and more than 2,000 other political prisoners-languish in Burma's prisons," Rosemary A DiCarlo, the US Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs, said.
"We are deeply concerned about these proceedings. We call on the regime to cease its actions against Aung San Suu Kyi and to free her immediately and unconditionally," DiCarlo said.
She said the Burmese authorities are not respecting the popular will by putting the leader of the country's democratic opposition on trial for spurious charges.
Authorities continue to resist addressing the grave human rights challenges facing the country, she added.
The british deputy ambassador, philip parham, said the Burmese military junta must understand that their roadmap and the elections they plan will have no credibility if political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, are prevented from playing their full part in the political process.
Noting that Ban's visit was an opportunity for the Burmese Government to transform its relationship with the international community, Parham said the regime's failure to take this opportunity has only served to isolate it further.
"We can only hope that we may yet see progress in the coming days; it is not too late. But if it does not come, and if we see an unjust outcome in Aung San Suu Kyi's trial, the international community will need to follow the Secretary-General's lead and respond robustly," he said.
Hitting hard at the Burmese regime, the French ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert said far from initiating a dialogue with political parties and ethnic groups, the junta has unilaterally implemented a road map which had led to increased politicization.
"Not only has the Government done nothing to meet the Council's demands, it had taken decisions to counter those demands. A genuine process of national reconciliation was a precondition of which the release of Aung San Suu Kyi is an essential part," he said.
"The Council must respond firmly if she was found guilty, but inaction must not be the price of its unity," Ripert said.
Malayala Manorama - US, France and Britain seeks Suu Kyi's release
- Lalit K Jha Washington: US, Britain and France expressed disappointment over Burma's failure to address concerns of the international community to restore democracy in the country and called on the military junta to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi "immediately and unconditionally."
Participating in a debate on Burma inside the UN Security Council Tuesday after the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon briefed the 15-membered body on his recent visit to the country, US Britain and France asked the junta to match its words with actions.
"As 2010 approaches, the government has repeatedly assured us that next year's elections will be free and fair. But there can be no free and fair elections while key leaders of Burma's democratic opposition-including Aung San Suu Kyi and more than 2,000 other political prisoners-languish in Burma's prisons," Rosemary A DiCarlo, the US Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs, said.
"We are deeply concerned about these proceedings. We call on the regime to cease its actions against Aung San Suu Kyi and to free her immediately and unconditionally," DiCarlo said.
She said the Burmese authorities are not respecting the popular will by putting the leader of the country's democratic opposition on trial for spurious charges.
Authorities continue to resist addressing the grave human rights challenges facing the country, she added.
The british deputy ambassador, philip parham, said the Burmese military junta must understand that their roadmap and the elections they plan will have no credibility if political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, are prevented from playing their full part in the political process.
Noting that Ban's visit was an opportunity for the Burmese Government to transform its relationship with the international community, Parham said the regime's failure to take this opportunity has only served to isolate it further.
"We can only hope that we may yet see progress in the coming days; it is not too late. But if it does not come, and if we see an unjust outcome in Aung San Suu Kyi's trial, the international community will need to follow the Secretary-General's lead and respond robustly," he said.
Hitting hard at the Burmese regime, the French ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert said far from initiating a dialogue with political parties and ethnic groups, the junta has unilaterally implemented a road map which had led to increased politicization.
"Not only has the Government done nothing to meet the Council's demands, it had taken decisions to counter those demands. A genuine process of national reconciliation was a precondition of which the release of Aung San Suu Kyi is an essential part," he said.
"The Council must respond firmly if she was found guilty, but inaction must not be the price of its unity," Ripert said.
*****************************************************
The Irrawaddy - Families of Prisoners Don’t Believe Talk of Amnesty
By LAWI WENG, Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Families of political prisoners in Burma have little hope that their family members will be released even after Burma told the United Nations that political prisoners would be released before the 2010 election.
Win Maung, the father of the democracy activist leader, Pyone Cho, said, “How I can trust what they say, because they never do what they say. If I believe, I just hurt myself.”
Pyone Cho received a 65-year sentence and is detained in Burma's southern Kawthaung prison in Tenasserim Division.
Burma's UN ambassador, Than Swe, told the Security Council on Monday Burma plans to grant amnesty to prisoners to enable them to take part in national elections next year, at the request of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
However, the ambassador did not mention the word "political" or say how many prisoners would be released, or when, or whether it would include key figures such as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
According to human rights groups, the junta has more than 2,100 political prisoners behind bars and many are serving long sentences. The number of political prisoners has doubled since the crackdown on the monk-led demonstrations in late 2007.
“The regime never talks about releasing political prisoners. But it sometimes includes a small number of political prisoners in an amnesty," said Tin Tin Win, the mother of democracy activist Ant Bwe Kyaw, who was sentenced to 65 years for his role in the 88 Generation Student group.
"I don’t have much hope for my son," she said.
Ant Bwe Kyaw is serving his sentence at Katha prison in Sagaing Division.
Like other families, Daw Yay, the mother of Ashin Gambira, one of the monks who led the 2007 demonstrations, said: “I think unless they release many political prisoners, it might not include the leaders."
A commentary article in Burma’s state-run media recently claimed that Burma has no political prisoners. "There are only prisoners who breach law from threatened peace [sic] and create instable security in the country," the commentary said.
The article also said that Burma will conduct the election without freeing Aung San Suu Kyi. The article appeared one day after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Burma’s election will be unfair without releasing Suu Kyi, who faces a five-year prison term if found guilty in an ongoing trial.
The article said, “The country’s future is not based on only one person or one party. It is nonsense by saying without Suu Kyi, election is not fair [sic]. ”
Meanwhile, an 87-year-old member of Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, has been sentenced to a two-year prison term for alleged defamation.
Kyaw Khaing was sentenced on Monday by a court in Taungok in northwestern Arakan State. He was sued by an expelled party member for comments he made over fundraising for the party. Kyaw Khaing was given a seven-year prison sentence in 2007 following the pro-democracy uprising, but was released 12 days later.
Some commentators in Rangoon believe that the junta may release some prisoners prior to the upcoming Asean Regional Forum which will hold on Friday in Phuket, Thailand. *****************************************************
By LAWI WENG, Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Families of political prisoners in Burma have little hope that their family members will be released even after Burma told the United Nations that political prisoners would be released before the 2010 election.
Win Maung, the father of the democracy activist leader, Pyone Cho, said, “How I can trust what they say, because they never do what they say. If I believe, I just hurt myself.”
Pyone Cho received a 65-year sentence and is detained in Burma's southern Kawthaung prison in Tenasserim Division.
Burma's UN ambassador, Than Swe, told the Security Council on Monday Burma plans to grant amnesty to prisoners to enable them to take part in national elections next year, at the request of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
However, the ambassador did not mention the word "political" or say how many prisoners would be released, or when, or whether it would include key figures such as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
According to human rights groups, the junta has more than 2,100 political prisoners behind bars and many are serving long sentences. The number of political prisoners has doubled since the crackdown on the monk-led demonstrations in late 2007.
“The regime never talks about releasing political prisoners. But it sometimes includes a small number of political prisoners in an amnesty," said Tin Tin Win, the mother of democracy activist Ant Bwe Kyaw, who was sentenced to 65 years for his role in the 88 Generation Student group.
"I don’t have much hope for my son," she said.
Ant Bwe Kyaw is serving his sentence at Katha prison in Sagaing Division.
Like other families, Daw Yay, the mother of Ashin Gambira, one of the monks who led the 2007 demonstrations, said: “I think unless they release many political prisoners, it might not include the leaders."
A commentary article in Burma’s state-run media recently claimed that Burma has no political prisoners. "There are only prisoners who breach law from threatened peace [sic] and create instable security in the country," the commentary said.
The article also said that Burma will conduct the election without freeing Aung San Suu Kyi. The article appeared one day after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Burma’s election will be unfair without releasing Suu Kyi, who faces a five-year prison term if found guilty in an ongoing trial.
The article said, “The country’s future is not based on only one person or one party. It is nonsense by saying without Suu Kyi, election is not fair [sic]. ”
Meanwhile, an 87-year-old member of Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, has been sentenced to a two-year prison term for alleged defamation.
Kyaw Khaing was sentenced on Monday by a court in Taungok in northwestern Arakan State. He was sued by an expelled party member for comments he made over fundraising for the party. Kyaw Khaing was given a seven-year prison sentence in 2007 following the pro-democracy uprising, but was released 12 days later.
Some commentators in Rangoon believe that the junta may release some prisoners prior to the upcoming Asean Regional Forum which will hold on Friday in Phuket, Thailand. *****************************************************
The Irrawaddy - Ban Should Now Tackle Burma’s Constitution, Says Opposition
By WAI MOE, Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Opposition parties in Burma say UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon didn’t go far enough in urging the military regime to ensure that the 2010 general election is “credible, inclusive and legitimate.”
The UN chief should also have addressed demands to rewrite the constitution drawn up by the regime and enacted in 2008, they say.
Nyan Win, spokesman of the National League for Democracy (NLD), said that even if the 2010 election were to be “free and fair”—as the regime had promised—“the 2008 constitution is undemocratic.”
The NLD disagreed with Ban on this point, Nyan Win said.
The regime claimed the 2008 constitution had been approved by more than 90 percent of voters in a national referendum held shortly after the Cyclone Nargis in May that year. Critics say the constitution had been drafted by handpicked official representatives and that the referendum was anything but free and fair.
The constitution reserves 25 percent of seats in both houses of a new parliament for military representatives, appointed by the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
It also bars any person married to a foreigner from serving as president of the country. Furthermore, presidents must have military experience.
Both restrictions rule out the possibility of Aung San Suu Kyi ever taking office. “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is definitely banned from becoming president under the 2008 constitution,” Nyan Win said.
Burma’s largest ceasefire groups—the Wa, Kachin, Kokang and Mon—also take issue with the constitution, which reserves 25 percent of the seats in state or regional assemblies for non-elected military representatives. The commander-in-chief of the armed forces will have power to abolish the parliaments of ethnic states and autonomous regions.
In a joint letter to the Chinese government, Wa and Kachin leaders said they wanted the 2008 constitution amended because it failed to respect the truth of political history and perpetuated the Burman centric long-term political distrust towards ethnic minorities.
“Mr Ban Ki-moon’s election proposals are totally out of touch with stakeholders in Burmese politics,” said Aye Thar Aung, an Arakan leader and secretary of the Arakan League for Democracy. “The greatest difficulty for Burma’s democracy process is now the constitutional crisis.”
Aye Thar Aung said the UN’s Burma efforts should now be directed at making sure the constitution enshrined democratic principles and ethnic minority rights.
By WAI MOE, Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Opposition parties in Burma say UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon didn’t go far enough in urging the military regime to ensure that the 2010 general election is “credible, inclusive and legitimate.”
The UN chief should also have addressed demands to rewrite the constitution drawn up by the regime and enacted in 2008, they say.
Nyan Win, spokesman of the National League for Democracy (NLD), said that even if the 2010 election were to be “free and fair”—as the regime had promised—“the 2008 constitution is undemocratic.”
The NLD disagreed with Ban on this point, Nyan Win said.
The regime claimed the 2008 constitution had been approved by more than 90 percent of voters in a national referendum held shortly after the Cyclone Nargis in May that year. Critics say the constitution had been drafted by handpicked official representatives and that the referendum was anything but free and fair.
The constitution reserves 25 percent of seats in both houses of a new parliament for military representatives, appointed by the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
It also bars any person married to a foreigner from serving as president of the country. Furthermore, presidents must have military experience.
Both restrictions rule out the possibility of Aung San Suu Kyi ever taking office. “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is definitely banned from becoming president under the 2008 constitution,” Nyan Win said.
Burma’s largest ceasefire groups—the Wa, Kachin, Kokang and Mon—also take issue with the constitution, which reserves 25 percent of the seats in state or regional assemblies for non-elected military representatives. The commander-in-chief of the armed forces will have power to abolish the parliaments of ethnic states and autonomous regions.
In a joint letter to the Chinese government, Wa and Kachin leaders said they wanted the 2008 constitution amended because it failed to respect the truth of political history and perpetuated the Burman centric long-term political distrust towards ethnic minorities.
“Mr Ban Ki-moon’s election proposals are totally out of touch with stakeholders in Burmese politics,” said Aye Thar Aung, an Arakan leader and secretary of the Arakan League for Democracy. “The greatest difficulty for Burma’s democracy process is now the constitutional crisis.”
Aye Thar Aung said the UN’s Burma efforts should now be directed at making sure the constitution enshrined democratic principles and ethnic minority rights.
*****************************************************
The Irrawaddy - Than Shwe and Family Make Offerings at Shwedagon Pagoda
By MIN LWIN, Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Burmese junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his wife Kyaing Kyaing reportedly visited Rangoon’s Shwedagon Pagoda on three successive mornings this week, with symbolic offerings of 35 small, flower-covered pagoda replicas.
The visits, witnessed by traders and pilgrims at Rangoon’s most famous pagoda, came as rumors circulated in Burma’s former capital that the junta’s No 2, Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye, and five senior military generals are trying to persuade Than Shwe to retire.
Other Than Shwe family members helped carry the 1-foot high pagoda replicas. The models were covered in flowers, including sunflowers—which are named nay kyar in Burmese, meaning “long life.”
A shopkeeper at the Shwedagon Pagoda compound said Than Shwe and the other members of his party placed the replicas at eight special posts, each adorned with a symbolic figure representing an individual planet, erected around the Shwedagon Pagoda.
A local astrologer said the ceremony was linked to Than Shwe’s belief, shared by his wife, in the power of yadaya, or magic, to ward off ill luck. “Than Shwe is in trouble, so he tried to avoid his fate,” said the astrologer, on condition of anonymity.
The visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda—ignored by the official media—followed a well-publicized visit to the historic Danok Pagoda, near Rangoon, on May 7, when members of Than Shwe's family hoisted a hti, or sacred umbrella, to the top of the structure. Weeks later, on May 30, the pagoda collapsed, killing several workers.
The military government blamed the pagoda’s collapse on renovation work at the pagoda site.
By MIN LWIN, Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Burmese junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his wife Kyaing Kyaing reportedly visited Rangoon’s Shwedagon Pagoda on three successive mornings this week, with symbolic offerings of 35 small, flower-covered pagoda replicas.
The visits, witnessed by traders and pilgrims at Rangoon’s most famous pagoda, came as rumors circulated in Burma’s former capital that the junta’s No 2, Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye, and five senior military generals are trying to persuade Than Shwe to retire.
Other Than Shwe family members helped carry the 1-foot high pagoda replicas. The models were covered in flowers, including sunflowers—which are named nay kyar in Burmese, meaning “long life.”
A shopkeeper at the Shwedagon Pagoda compound said Than Shwe and the other members of his party placed the replicas at eight special posts, each adorned with a symbolic figure representing an individual planet, erected around the Shwedagon Pagoda.
A local astrologer said the ceremony was linked to Than Shwe’s belief, shared by his wife, in the power of yadaya, or magic, to ward off ill luck. “Than Shwe is in trouble, so he tried to avoid his fate,” said the astrologer, on condition of anonymity.
The visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda—ignored by the official media—followed a well-publicized visit to the historic Danok Pagoda, near Rangoon, on May 7, when members of Than Shwe's family hoisted a hti, or sacred umbrella, to the top of the structure. Weeks later, on May 30, the pagoda collapsed, killing several workers.
The military government blamed the pagoda’s collapse on renovation work at the pagoda site.
*****************************************************
Mizzima News - Aung San Suu Kyi to meet legal team again
by Myint Maung
Wednesday, 15 July 2009 22:14
New Delhi (Mizzima) – To tie up the loose ends and sew up the final argument on the trial of Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, her defence counsels will be meeting her on Friday July 17, in Rangoon’s notorious Insein prison, where she is being detained.
Nyan Win, a member of Aung San Suu Kyi’s legal team and spokesperson for her political party National League for Democracy on Wednesday told Mizzima that they are negotiating with the authorities to allow more meetings with their party leader.
“So far we have confirmed the meeting on Friday. But we are still negotiating with the authorities,” he said.
Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been charged and put on trial since mid-May, for violating her detention laws and ‘harboring’ an American man, who secretly sneaked into her lakeside villa in early May.
The special court in Insein prison has fixed July 24 for the hearing of the final arguments from both lawyers. The court is expected to come up with a verdict after hearing the final argument.
Nyan Win said, the defence team has prepared a 20-page final argument and will seek the approval of the accused, Aung San Suu Kyi.
“This is the second draft of the final argument. We will show it to Daw Suu and if she finds it necessary to amend it, we will do so,” said Nyan Win. But he refused to reveal the contents saying it will be an argument rejecting the charges and to prove Aung San Suu Kyi’s innocence.
Should she be found guilty the Burmese democracy icon could face up to five years in prison. She has spent more than 13 of the past 19 years in detention, mostly under house arrest.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told reporters in New York that the Burmese junta’s proposed general elections in 2010 will lack credibility unless the regime frees Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
Ban, who early this month paid a two-day visit to Burma, on Monday briefed the UN Security Council saying he was ‘deeply disappointed’ over Burma’s military supremo Snr. Gen Than Shwe’s refusal to allow him a meeting with the detained opposition leader.
After Ban’s briefing, Burma’s Ambassador to the UN Than Swe said, the Burmese government is preparing to announce amnesty for prisoners in order to allow them to participate in the 2010 elections. He, however, did not mention how many political prisoners would be released and whether they would include Aung San Suu Kyi.
NLD leaders, however, said they are skeptical about the junta’s declaration saying it could be another ploy to divert the attention of the international community.
“We really do not hope for much from this announcement because even when they released over 9,000 prisoners earlier, only about 30 political prisoners were included. So, even this time, it might just be the same thing,” they added.
by Myint Maung
Wednesday, 15 July 2009 22:14
New Delhi (Mizzima) – To tie up the loose ends and sew up the final argument on the trial of Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, her defence counsels will be meeting her on Friday July 17, in Rangoon’s notorious Insein prison, where she is being detained.
Nyan Win, a member of Aung San Suu Kyi’s legal team and spokesperson for her political party National League for Democracy on Wednesday told Mizzima that they are negotiating with the authorities to allow more meetings with their party leader.
“So far we have confirmed the meeting on Friday. But we are still negotiating with the authorities,” he said.
Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been charged and put on trial since mid-May, for violating her detention laws and ‘harboring’ an American man, who secretly sneaked into her lakeside villa in early May.
The special court in Insein prison has fixed July 24 for the hearing of the final arguments from both lawyers. The court is expected to come up with a verdict after hearing the final argument.
Nyan Win said, the defence team has prepared a 20-page final argument and will seek the approval of the accused, Aung San Suu Kyi.
“This is the second draft of the final argument. We will show it to Daw Suu and if she finds it necessary to amend it, we will do so,” said Nyan Win. But he refused to reveal the contents saying it will be an argument rejecting the charges and to prove Aung San Suu Kyi’s innocence.
Should she be found guilty the Burmese democracy icon could face up to five years in prison. She has spent more than 13 of the past 19 years in detention, mostly under house arrest.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told reporters in New York that the Burmese junta’s proposed general elections in 2010 will lack credibility unless the regime frees Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
Ban, who early this month paid a two-day visit to Burma, on Monday briefed the UN Security Council saying he was ‘deeply disappointed’ over Burma’s military supremo Snr. Gen Than Shwe’s refusal to allow him a meeting with the detained opposition leader.
After Ban’s briefing, Burma’s Ambassador to the UN Than Swe said, the Burmese government is preparing to announce amnesty for prisoners in order to allow them to participate in the 2010 elections. He, however, did not mention how many political prisoners would be released and whether they would include Aung San Suu Kyi.
NLD leaders, however, said they are skeptical about the junta’s declaration saying it could be another ploy to divert the attention of the international community.
“We really do not hope for much from this announcement because even when they released over 9,000 prisoners earlier, only about 30 political prisoners were included. So, even this time, it might just be the same thing,” they added.
*****************************************************
Mizzima News - Burma’s H1N1 cases, could be tip of the iceberg: US medical expert
by Mungpi
Wednesday, 15 July 2009 20:28
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Detection of two persons infected with A (H1N1) virus in Burma could just be the ‘tip of an iceberg’ and there could be many more infected people, who have gone undetected, an US medical expert said.
Dr. Voravit Suwanaichkij, Research Associate at the Centre for Public Health & Human Rights in Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said, given the appalling state of the public health system there could be many more people infected with the virus but are going undetected.
“The two cases detected most likely reflect just the tip of the iceberg, and there are probably far more individuals who are infected but are just not being recognized or treated,” Dr. Vit said.
Burma’s state-run newspaper on Wednesday said, the second person infected with type A(H1N1) virus has been quarantined and is recovering and will soon be discharged from the Waibagi hospital in Rangoon.
According to the ruling junta’s official mouthpiece, the man, aged 20, was admitted to Waibagi hospital on July 8, after he was found to have fever and cough.
But after proper medical treatment, “he has been getting better with no fever since 11 July. Arrangements have been made for him to be discharged from the hospital after the certain period of monitoring his progress,” the paper said.
The man is the second person that Burma’s military government had officially announced of being infected with the H1N1 virus. Earlier, the government said a 13-year old girl was confirmed having been infected with the virus and was quarantined in Rangoon general hospital. She was later discharged.
But Dr. Vit pointed out that the two cases of detecting A(H1N1) that Burma had announced “illustrates the many shortcomings in Burma's public health system.”
He said Burma’s military government spends less than US$ 1 per capita per year on health care, and its deeply flawed economic policies have and continue to drive the country into deeply entrenched poverty.
“Given that almost three quarters of the average Burmese household's budget is spent on food alone that leaves precious little for "luxuries" such as health or education, particularly private education,” he added.
The two cases that the government had announced were people who were better off as they were in Rangoon, where most of the facilities are available.
But with most Burmese living outside Rangoon, where health facilities and personnel are even more limited and poverty even more entrenched, there are much more chances that people could be infected with the virus but have gone undetected, Dr Vit said.
Besides, he said, with neighbouring Thailand confirming extensive spread of the influenza virus, and with the porous border between the two countries, the possibility of the virus spreading to Burma are more.
Thailand has for years been a favoured destination for Burmese migrants as well as refugees fleeing conflicts between the Burmese Army and ethnic insurgents in eastern Burma.
Dr. Vit said these migrants often do not travel by air but cross the border overland. They often avoid being detected by the authorities, which leaves the chances of the virus spreading without being noticed.
But the Burmese government, in its mouthpiece, said they have set-up surveillance measures and have checked a total of 2,001,039 people, which account for screening for the virus among 86,686 flight passengers at the airports, 6,573 at seaports and 1,907,780 at border checkpoints from 28 April to 13 July.
“From 28 April to 12 July, 15,009 people with symptoms of fever and suspected flu had been kept under surveillance at hotels and their residences. Of them, 6,184 are free from surveillance because the 10-day period of surveillance is up,” the paper said.
But Dr. Vit said, in the long-term and on a population-level, there remains no substitute to a good public health system in handling such an outbreak.
A good public health system is one which everyone can access. A system that is adequately funded, and has a cadre of trained personnel and proper laboratory facilities that can independently collect, analyze, and disseminate health-related information.
But Dr. Vit said with Burma's inability to control "traditional" public health challenges including curable diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, and even illegal dyes in its staple food and pickled tea leaves, indicates a poor prospect of controlling any future health challenges including influenza pandemics.
by Mungpi
Wednesday, 15 July 2009 20:28
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Detection of two persons infected with A (H1N1) virus in Burma could just be the ‘tip of an iceberg’ and there could be many more infected people, who have gone undetected, an US medical expert said.
Dr. Voravit Suwanaichkij, Research Associate at the Centre for Public Health & Human Rights in Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said, given the appalling state of the public health system there could be many more people infected with the virus but are going undetected.
“The two cases detected most likely reflect just the tip of the iceberg, and there are probably far more individuals who are infected but are just not being recognized or treated,” Dr. Vit said.
Burma’s state-run newspaper on Wednesday said, the second person infected with type A(H1N1) virus has been quarantined and is recovering and will soon be discharged from the Waibagi hospital in Rangoon.
According to the ruling junta’s official mouthpiece, the man, aged 20, was admitted to Waibagi hospital on July 8, after he was found to have fever and cough.
But after proper medical treatment, “he has been getting better with no fever since 11 July. Arrangements have been made for him to be discharged from the hospital after the certain period of monitoring his progress,” the paper said.
The man is the second person that Burma’s military government had officially announced of being infected with the H1N1 virus. Earlier, the government said a 13-year old girl was confirmed having been infected with the virus and was quarantined in Rangoon general hospital. She was later discharged.
But Dr. Vit pointed out that the two cases of detecting A(H1N1) that Burma had announced “illustrates the many shortcomings in Burma's public health system.”
He said Burma’s military government spends less than US$ 1 per capita per year on health care, and its deeply flawed economic policies have and continue to drive the country into deeply entrenched poverty.
“Given that almost three quarters of the average Burmese household's budget is spent on food alone that leaves precious little for "luxuries" such as health or education, particularly private education,” he added.
The two cases that the government had announced were people who were better off as they were in Rangoon, where most of the facilities are available.
But with most Burmese living outside Rangoon, where health facilities and personnel are even more limited and poverty even more entrenched, there are much more chances that people could be infected with the virus but have gone undetected, Dr Vit said.
Besides, he said, with neighbouring Thailand confirming extensive spread of the influenza virus, and with the porous border between the two countries, the possibility of the virus spreading to Burma are more.
Thailand has for years been a favoured destination for Burmese migrants as well as refugees fleeing conflicts between the Burmese Army and ethnic insurgents in eastern Burma.
Dr. Vit said these migrants often do not travel by air but cross the border overland. They often avoid being detected by the authorities, which leaves the chances of the virus spreading without being noticed.
But the Burmese government, in its mouthpiece, said they have set-up surveillance measures and have checked a total of 2,001,039 people, which account for screening for the virus among 86,686 flight passengers at the airports, 6,573 at seaports and 1,907,780 at border checkpoints from 28 April to 13 July.
“From 28 April to 12 July, 15,009 people with symptoms of fever and suspected flu had been kept under surveillance at hotels and their residences. Of them, 6,184 are free from surveillance because the 10-day period of surveillance is up,” the paper said.
But Dr. Vit said, in the long-term and on a population-level, there remains no substitute to a good public health system in handling such an outbreak.
A good public health system is one which everyone can access. A system that is adequately funded, and has a cadre of trained personnel and proper laboratory facilities that can independently collect, analyze, and disseminate health-related information.
But Dr. Vit said with Burma's inability to control "traditional" public health challenges including curable diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, and even illegal dyes in its staple food and pickled tea leaves, indicates a poor prospect of controlling any future health challenges including influenza pandemics.
*****************************************************
Burmese army troops defect to Karen group
July 15, 2009 (DVB)–Around 70 members from two government-allied militia groups in Burma, along with two soldiers from the Burmese army, have reportedly defected to the opposition Karen National Union.
The move comes during an ongoing offensive by the Burmese army, supported by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), against the Karen National Union (KNU) that began on 2 June.
According to KNU joint secretary Saw Hla Ngwe, the soldiers who joined the KNU’s Brigade 6 were from both the DKBA and the Karen Peace Force (KPF), who split from the KNU in 1997 and allied themselves to the government.
"On 7 July, Saw Er Wah from [the DKBA] came with 12 people, 16 guns and two walkie-talkies,” said Saw Hla Ngwe, adding that around 55 more people had subsequently joined over the ensuing days, and brought with them weaponry and ammunition.
A source close to the KPF confirmed the defection, and said that two troops from the Burmese army had also joined.
“I came to learn about it when people from the DKBA office rang, asking if anyone had found their men who went missing,” he said, adding that KNU Brigade 6 had confirmed the soldiers were with them.
When probed on the reports, an official at the DKBA office in Pa-an said that “it might be true”.
“If they have gone, they have gone. We won’t be able to convince them anyway…maybe they left because it is not good for them here,” he said.
Saw Hla Ngwe said the defection was caused by the Burmese government’s pressure on the ceasefire groups to transform themselves into border guards, and therefore come under the control of the government.
“If they are to take the [government] salary and do as they are told…they will lose their Karen identity and they will lose the right to freely do business,” he said.
A number of armed groups that have signed ceasefire agreements with the government have been pressured to become border patrol groups.
The move would allow the groups to become legal under Burmese law, and thus they would ostensibly be able to participate in the 2010 elections.
Recent fighting between the Burmese army and the KNU has forced around 5,000 civilians from Burma's eastern Karnen state into neighbouring Thailand, with many citing instances of forced recruitment into the army as the reason for fleeing.
Reporting by Naw Noreen
July 15, 2009 (DVB)–Around 70 members from two government-allied militia groups in Burma, along with two soldiers from the Burmese army, have reportedly defected to the opposition Karen National Union.
The move comes during an ongoing offensive by the Burmese army, supported by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), against the Karen National Union (KNU) that began on 2 June.
According to KNU joint secretary Saw Hla Ngwe, the soldiers who joined the KNU’s Brigade 6 were from both the DKBA and the Karen Peace Force (KPF), who split from the KNU in 1997 and allied themselves to the government.
"On 7 July, Saw Er Wah from [the DKBA] came with 12 people, 16 guns and two walkie-talkies,” said Saw Hla Ngwe, adding that around 55 more people had subsequently joined over the ensuing days, and brought with them weaponry and ammunition.
A source close to the KPF confirmed the defection, and said that two troops from the Burmese army had also joined.
“I came to learn about it when people from the DKBA office rang, asking if anyone had found their men who went missing,” he said, adding that KNU Brigade 6 had confirmed the soldiers were with them.
When probed on the reports, an official at the DKBA office in Pa-an said that “it might be true”.
“If they have gone, they have gone. We won’t be able to convince them anyway…maybe they left because it is not good for them here,” he said.
Saw Hla Ngwe said the defection was caused by the Burmese government’s pressure on the ceasefire groups to transform themselves into border guards, and therefore come under the control of the government.
“If they are to take the [government] salary and do as they are told…they will lose their Karen identity and they will lose the right to freely do business,” he said.
A number of armed groups that have signed ceasefire agreements with the government have been pressured to become border patrol groups.
The move would allow the groups to become legal under Burmese law, and thus they would ostensibly be able to participate in the 2010 elections.
Recent fighting between the Burmese army and the KNU has forced around 5,000 civilians from Burma's eastern Karnen state into neighbouring Thailand, with many citing instances of forced recruitment into the army as the reason for fleeing.
Reporting by Naw Noreen
*****************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment