US to send mission to Myanmar
AFP - Wednesday, October 21
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States said Wednesday it would send a rare mission to Myanmar in the coming weeks as it pursues engagement with the reclusive regime.
Kurt Campbell, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said the trip would follow up on his talks last month with a senior official in New York -- the highest-level US contact with the military regime in nearly a decade.
"We intend to go to Burma in the next few weeks for a fact-finding mission," Campbell testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Campbell did not state who would take part in the trip to Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. A State Department spokeswoman had no immediate information on the mission.
"During our trip, we will talk to the Burmese government, representatives of the ethnic nationalities and the democratic opposition including the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi and others," he said.
The National League for Democracy, headed by democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, swept the nation's last elections in 1990 but was never allowed to take power.
The junta has kept Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate, under house arrest for most of the past two decades.
President Barack Obama's administration has sought to engage US adversaries including Iran, Cuba and Sudan.
The Obama administration, in a policy review, concluded that longstanding US policy of isolating Myanmar had said it would not ease sanctions without progress on democracy and human rights.
In August, Myanmar's military leader Than Shwe held an unprecedented meeting with a visiting US senator, Jim Webb, a leading advocate of engaging the junta.
AFP - Wednesday, October 21
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States said Wednesday it would send a rare mission to Myanmar in the coming weeks as it pursues engagement with the reclusive regime.
Kurt Campbell, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said the trip would follow up on his talks last month with a senior official in New York -- the highest-level US contact with the military regime in nearly a decade.
"We intend to go to Burma in the next few weeks for a fact-finding mission," Campbell testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Campbell did not state who would take part in the trip to Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. A State Department spokeswoman had no immediate information on the mission.
"During our trip, we will talk to the Burmese government, representatives of the ethnic nationalities and the democratic opposition including the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi and others," he said.
The National League for Democracy, headed by democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, swept the nation's last elections in 1990 but was never allowed to take power.
The junta has kept Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate, under house arrest for most of the past two decades.
President Barack Obama's administration has sought to engage US adversaries including Iran, Cuba and Sudan.
The Obama administration, in a policy review, concluded that longstanding US policy of isolating Myanmar had said it would not ease sanctions without progress on democracy and human rights.
In August, Myanmar's military leader Than Shwe held an unprecedented meeting with a visiting US senator, Jim Webb, a leading advocate of engaging the junta.
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Report: Myanmar timber still smuggled to China
By GRANT PECK, Associated Press Writer – Tue Oct 20, 11:56 pm ET
BANGKOK (AP) – There has been a sharp decline in timber illegally imported into China from Myanmar, but smugglers are still supplying Chinese companies that export the wood to Europe, America and throughout the world, an environmental watchdog agency said Wednesday.
The British-based group Global Witness, in a report issued Wednesday, called on Chinese and Myanmar authorities to step up efforts to stop illegal logging in northern Myanmar and crack down on illicit cross-border trade.
"Clearly action taken by authorities in China and Burma to combat illegal logging in Kachin state has had a significant positive impact," Global Witness quotes its forest policy expert, Jon Buckrell, saying. "But they should do more to close down the remaining industry, which is almost wholly reliant on the illegal timber supply from Burma."
After an October 2005 report by Global Witness alleged that vast stretches of virgin forest were being destroyed to feed China's growing demand for wood, Beijing sought to curb the trade by closing border crossings to timber trucks from its southern neighbor. The military government of Myanmar — also known as Burma — announced it had suspended timber cutting, transport and shipments to China.
In the 2005 report, Global Witness described the area where the forests were being cut as "very possibly the most bio-diverse, rich, temperate area on earth" — a place home to red pandas, leopards and tigers. It said that China depended largely on imported lumber from Malaysia, Russia, Myanmar, Indonesia and Gabon after it banned the felling of its own old-growth trees in 1998.
China became the biggest foreign investor in Myanmar this past year, and is the closest ally of its military regime, which is shunned by the West because of its poor human rights record and failure to hand over power to a democratically elected government.
The new report, "A Disharmonious Trade," said trade data showed that imports of logs and sawed wood from Myanmar to China fell by more than 70 percent between 2005 and 2008, confirming a trend found by the group's own field investigations.
But smugglers use "bribery, false papers, transportation at night and avoiding checkpoints" to get around the restrictions on sending the wood to China, the report said.
China's Foreign Ministry and Myanmar's Forestry Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Global Witness said its researchers had visited flooring companies on China's east coast to gauge the availability of timber from Myanmar, and found widespread use of teak from Myanmar, along with other high value species such as black walnut.
Global Witness said its investigators were told by 13 of the 14 firms visited that it was still possible for them to obtain timber from Myanmar despite the import restrictions, and that several admitted that their supplies were obtained through smuggling.
The report said the Chinese companies export worldwide, including to the United States and Europe. It said some U.S. based companies advertise wood flooring from Myanmar, although under a U.S. law amended by Congress last year, the Lacey Act, it is illegal to import illegally obtained plants and their products, including timber and wood products.
By GRANT PECK, Associated Press Writer – Tue Oct 20, 11:56 pm ET
BANGKOK (AP) – There has been a sharp decline in timber illegally imported into China from Myanmar, but smugglers are still supplying Chinese companies that export the wood to Europe, America and throughout the world, an environmental watchdog agency said Wednesday.
The British-based group Global Witness, in a report issued Wednesday, called on Chinese and Myanmar authorities to step up efforts to stop illegal logging in northern Myanmar and crack down on illicit cross-border trade.
"Clearly action taken by authorities in China and Burma to combat illegal logging in Kachin state has had a significant positive impact," Global Witness quotes its forest policy expert, Jon Buckrell, saying. "But they should do more to close down the remaining industry, which is almost wholly reliant on the illegal timber supply from Burma."
After an October 2005 report by Global Witness alleged that vast stretches of virgin forest were being destroyed to feed China's growing demand for wood, Beijing sought to curb the trade by closing border crossings to timber trucks from its southern neighbor. The military government of Myanmar — also known as Burma — announced it had suspended timber cutting, transport and shipments to China.
In the 2005 report, Global Witness described the area where the forests were being cut as "very possibly the most bio-diverse, rich, temperate area on earth" — a place home to red pandas, leopards and tigers. It said that China depended largely on imported lumber from Malaysia, Russia, Myanmar, Indonesia and Gabon after it banned the felling of its own old-growth trees in 1998.
China became the biggest foreign investor in Myanmar this past year, and is the closest ally of its military regime, which is shunned by the West because of its poor human rights record and failure to hand over power to a democratically elected government.
The new report, "A Disharmonious Trade," said trade data showed that imports of logs and sawed wood from Myanmar to China fell by more than 70 percent between 2005 and 2008, confirming a trend found by the group's own field investigations.
But smugglers use "bribery, false papers, transportation at night and avoiding checkpoints" to get around the restrictions on sending the wood to China, the report said.
China's Foreign Ministry and Myanmar's Forestry Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Global Witness said its researchers had visited flooring companies on China's east coast to gauge the availability of timber from Myanmar, and found widespread use of teak from Myanmar, along with other high value species such as black walnut.
Global Witness said its investigators were told by 13 of the 14 firms visited that it was still possible for them to obtain timber from Myanmar despite the import restrictions, and that several admitted that their supplies were obtained through smuggling.
The report said the Chinese companies export worldwide, including to the United States and Europe. It said some U.S. based companies advertise wood flooring from Myanmar, although under a U.S. law amended by Congress last year, the Lacey Act, it is illegal to import illegally obtained plants and their products, including timber and wood products.
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Reuters - EU announces 35 million euros in aid to Myanmar, country still underfunded
21 Oct 2009 12:02:00 GMT
Written by: AlertNet correspondent
BANGKOK (AlertNet) - Myanmar will be given 35 million euros ($52 million) in aid to tackle food insecurity and livelihood issues in the poorest areas of the country in the next five years, the European Union (EU) has announced.
The EU has been a major source of funding for recovery after Cyclone Nargis left more than 140,000 dead and 2.4 million destitute in May 2008 in the Irrawaddy delta, an area once dubbed the country's rice bowl.
The EU has provided funding for about two thirds of recovery projects but money has been mostly spent on the worst-affected delta region. The new money, channelled through the EU's LIFT (Livelihood and Food Security Trust Fund) will see aid being expanded beyond the the delta through United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations.
David Lipman, the EU regional ambassador, who has returned from a recent trip to Myanmar where he met senior government and opposition figures, said he had detected a new mood among the ruling generals.
"The (Myanmar) government is being much more cooperative," Lipman told journalists.
Lipman said the EU hoped contributions from other donors such as Britain and Australia eventually would increase the amount of money in LIFT to $100 million.
Almost 18 months after the disaster, tens of thousands of survivors are still living in makeshift shelters. Many farmers are also struggling with crippling debts after the cyclone destroyed their crops and killed livestock.
The program will cover, in addition to the delta, Chin, Shan, Rakhine and Kachin states as well as the dry zone in central Myanmar.
The four states are political hotspots - home to many of Myanmar's ethnic minorities and beset by problems ranging from poverty and lack of infrastructure to government restrictions and discrimination and insurgency.
It is unclear though whether the programme will extend to ceasefire areas or areas where insurgents are active.
The EU's announcement came after a flurry of diplomatic and political activities on Myanmar in the past few weeks, starting with the United States' disclosure that it would be talking to the junta, a move which opposition leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi said she supported.
Since then, she has also met foreign diplomats on the issues of sanctions, blamed by some to have contributed to the country's dire living conditions.
Aid agencies in Myanmar welcomed the announcement but said more funding was needed.
Andrew Kirkwood, country director in Myanmar for aid agency Save The Children, told AlertNet the funds, at $20 million a year, will mean a 10 percent increase in humanitarian assistance to Myanmar. Currently Myanmar receives about $200 million a year.
"But it still leaves the total assistance to Myanmar at about $4 per person inside the country per year," said Kirkwood.
He pointed out that Myanmar received less overseas development assistance than any of the poorest 55 countries in the world. The average assistance to those 55 poorest countries in the world is more than $42 per person, Sudan receives $51 per person, Zimbabwe $41 per person and Laos $58 per person, said Kirkwood.
"The fund is hugely welcome. It's going to focus on a very important issue for children in Myanmar," added Kirkwood. "But it's not going to address on its own the continued under funding of assistance activities in Myanmar."
Written by: AlertNet correspondent
BANGKOK (AlertNet) - Myanmar will be given 35 million euros ($52 million) in aid to tackle food insecurity and livelihood issues in the poorest areas of the country in the next five years, the European Union (EU) has announced.
The EU has been a major source of funding for recovery after Cyclone Nargis left more than 140,000 dead and 2.4 million destitute in May 2008 in the Irrawaddy delta, an area once dubbed the country's rice bowl.
The EU has provided funding for about two thirds of recovery projects but money has been mostly spent on the worst-affected delta region. The new money, channelled through the EU's LIFT (Livelihood and Food Security Trust Fund) will see aid being expanded beyond the the delta through United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations.
David Lipman, the EU regional ambassador, who has returned from a recent trip to Myanmar where he met senior government and opposition figures, said he had detected a new mood among the ruling generals.
"The (Myanmar) government is being much more cooperative," Lipman told journalists.
Lipman said the EU hoped contributions from other donors such as Britain and Australia eventually would increase the amount of money in LIFT to $100 million.
Almost 18 months after the disaster, tens of thousands of survivors are still living in makeshift shelters. Many farmers are also struggling with crippling debts after the cyclone destroyed their crops and killed livestock.
The program will cover, in addition to the delta, Chin, Shan, Rakhine and Kachin states as well as the dry zone in central Myanmar.
The four states are political hotspots - home to many of Myanmar's ethnic minorities and beset by problems ranging from poverty and lack of infrastructure to government restrictions and discrimination and insurgency.
It is unclear though whether the programme will extend to ceasefire areas or areas where insurgents are active.
The EU's announcement came after a flurry of diplomatic and political activities on Myanmar in the past few weeks, starting with the United States' disclosure that it would be talking to the junta, a move which opposition leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi said she supported.
Since then, she has also met foreign diplomats on the issues of sanctions, blamed by some to have contributed to the country's dire living conditions.
Aid agencies in Myanmar welcomed the announcement but said more funding was needed.
Andrew Kirkwood, country director in Myanmar for aid agency Save The Children, told AlertNet the funds, at $20 million a year, will mean a 10 percent increase in humanitarian assistance to Myanmar. Currently Myanmar receives about $200 million a year.
"But it still leaves the total assistance to Myanmar at about $4 per person inside the country per year," said Kirkwood.
He pointed out that Myanmar received less overseas development assistance than any of the poorest 55 countries in the world. The average assistance to those 55 poorest countries in the world is more than $42 per person, Sudan receives $51 per person, Zimbabwe $41 per person and Laos $58 per person, said Kirkwood.
"The fund is hugely welcome. It's going to focus on a very important issue for children in Myanmar," added Kirkwood. "But it's not going to address on its own the continued under funding of assistance activities in Myanmar."
***********************************************************
US, Europe demand fuels illegal China-Myanmar timber trade
Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:19am EDT
By Martin Petty
BANGKOK, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The United States may have imported $3.8 billion of illegal timber products from China last year, much of it likely smuggled from neighbouring Myanmar, where illegal logging is rapidly destroying forests, a report showed.
China and Myanmar have made progress in tackling illegal logging but more must be done to stamp out corruption fuelling the trade, London-based Global Witness, an environmental watchdog, said in a report on Wednesday.
China cut its imports of logs and sawn wood from its neighbour by 70 percent between 2005 and 2008, but trade was still thriving due to bribery, falsified documents and poor law enforcement, the report said.
The group said illegal logging was still causing rapid destruction of Myanmar's northeastern forests, with 270,000 cubic metres (9.5 million cubic ft) of logs and 170,000 cubic metres of sawn timber, most of which was illegal, smuggled into China's Kunming province last year.
The report estimated the United States, Japan, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Russia were the chief export destinations of the timber, mostly as wooden furniture.
Government crackdowns, it said, had a "significant positive impact" on the flow of wood into China, which is responsible for 10 percent of global trade in illegal timber.
"But (China and Myanmar) should do more to close down the remaining industry, which is almost wholly reliant on the illegal timber supply from Burma," it said, referring to Myanmar's former name.
Global Witness, which seeks to tackle illegal trade and exploitation of natural resources, said one truck carrying 15 tonnes (tons) of illegal logs crossed the China-Myanmar border every seven minutes in 2005.
However, from 2006 to now, very few were to be seen, although official border checkpoints were still being bypassed and truckers were choosing to transport by night to avoid detection, it said.
Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:19am EDT
By Martin Petty
BANGKOK, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The United States may have imported $3.8 billion of illegal timber products from China last year, much of it likely smuggled from neighbouring Myanmar, where illegal logging is rapidly destroying forests, a report showed.
China and Myanmar have made progress in tackling illegal logging but more must be done to stamp out corruption fuelling the trade, London-based Global Witness, an environmental watchdog, said in a report on Wednesday.
China cut its imports of logs and sawn wood from its neighbour by 70 percent between 2005 and 2008, but trade was still thriving due to bribery, falsified documents and poor law enforcement, the report said.
The group said illegal logging was still causing rapid destruction of Myanmar's northeastern forests, with 270,000 cubic metres (9.5 million cubic ft) of logs and 170,000 cubic metres of sawn timber, most of which was illegal, smuggled into China's Kunming province last year.
The report estimated the United States, Japan, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Russia were the chief export destinations of the timber, mostly as wooden furniture.
Government crackdowns, it said, had a "significant positive impact" on the flow of wood into China, which is responsible for 10 percent of global trade in illegal timber.
"But (China and Myanmar) should do more to close down the remaining industry, which is almost wholly reliant on the illegal timber supply from Burma," it said, referring to Myanmar's former name.
Global Witness, which seeks to tackle illegal trade and exploitation of natural resources, said one truck carrying 15 tonnes (tons) of illegal logs crossed the China-Myanmar border every seven minutes in 2005.
However, from 2006 to now, very few were to be seen, although official border checkpoints were still being bypassed and truckers were choosing to transport by night to avoid detection, it said.
***********************************************************
EarthTimes - Dhaka rejects reports of souring relations with Yangon
Posted : Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:04:44 GMT
Dhaka - The government of Bangladesh on Wednesday rejected media reports of mounting tension with Myanmar over Yangon's bid to erect barbed-wire fencing on the border between the two countries. "There may have been provocation from some quarters to bitter the relations between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Their motive is to capitalize on souring relations," Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni told journalists.
Bangladeshi newspaper reports have suggested that Myanmar had been trying to push-in thousands of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh. The reports also said Bangladesh reinforced paramilitary troops on its part.
Posted : Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:04:44 GMT
Dhaka - The government of Bangladesh on Wednesday rejected media reports of mounting tension with Myanmar over Yangon's bid to erect barbed-wire fencing on the border between the two countries. "There may have been provocation from some quarters to bitter the relations between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Their motive is to capitalize on souring relations," Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni told journalists.
Bangladeshi newspaper reports have suggested that Myanmar had been trying to push-in thousands of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh. The reports also said Bangladesh reinforced paramilitary troops on its part.
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EarthTimes - US assistant secretary of state to visit Myanmar, says opposition
Posted : Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:16:42 GMT
Yangon - United States Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell plans to visit Myanmar soon, opposition sources said Wednesday. "US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Larry Dinger told us that Mr Kurt Campbell is to visit here but he did not say exactly when (the visit) will be," National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman Nyan Win said.
Political observers in Yangon said the visit may be an effort to continue the dialogue between the Myanmar junta and United States that was initiated in New York last month.
"They (US embassy officials) told us that Campbell will also meet us during his visit here," Nyan Win said after Dinger visited the opposition party's headquarters.
The US diplomats explained the administration's new policy towards Myanmar during the meeting, he said.
US President Barack Obama has expressed a desire to "engage" with Myanmar, one of the world's pariah nations.
Myanmar's ruling junta is widely condemned for keeping opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi under detention for 14 of the past 20 years and for refusing to introduce democratic reforms.
The country has been ruled by the military since 1962. The victory of the NLD in the 1990 general election has been ignored by the military.
Posted : Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:16:42 GMT
Yangon - United States Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell plans to visit Myanmar soon, opposition sources said Wednesday. "US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Larry Dinger told us that Mr Kurt Campbell is to visit here but he did not say exactly when (the visit) will be," National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman Nyan Win said.
Political observers in Yangon said the visit may be an effort to continue the dialogue between the Myanmar junta and United States that was initiated in New York last month.
"They (US embassy officials) told us that Campbell will also meet us during his visit here," Nyan Win said after Dinger visited the opposition party's headquarters.
The US diplomats explained the administration's new policy towards Myanmar during the meeting, he said.
US President Barack Obama has expressed a desire to "engage" with Myanmar, one of the world's pariah nations.
Myanmar's ruling junta is widely condemned for keeping opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi under detention for 14 of the past 20 years and for refusing to introduce democratic reforms.
The country has been ruled by the military since 1962. The victory of the NLD in the 1990 general election has been ignored by the military.
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MYANMAR: Rohingya youth face bleak future
MAUNGDAW, 21 October 2009 (IRIN) - Hla Moe, 25, has a university degree but it is worthless in the eyes of Myanmar's military government. Thus, he and other Rohingya youth have no choice but to till the land just as their ancestors have done for generations in Northern Rakhine State.
"There is no difference between the educated and uneducated young men here," Hla Moe said, outside his parents' farm near the town of Maungdaw, not far from the Bangladeshi border.
"We [Rohingya youth] have two options: live a suffocating life or flee the country."
There are some 800,000 Rohingya in Rakhine today, most of whom live in abject poverty. Barred from civil service jobs, as well as from travelling freely to secure work elsewhere, most are casual labourers, farmers and fishermen.
Although the Rohingya comprise about 85 percent of Rakhine's population - this ethnic, linguistic and religious minority is de jure stateless, according to the laws of Myanmar.
A report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) says forced labour and expropriation of property are a daily reality.
"The state orchestrates violence either directly, to force the Rohingya to leave, or foments discriminatory attitudes and practices whose ultimate aim is to push the Rohingya out," the report states.
Restrictions
While many young people do try to leave - often via smugglers to Bangladesh, Thailand or elsewhere in the region - those who remain struggle to eke out a living under very challenging conditions.
In addition to arbitrary taxation, the Rohingya require permission for everything from travelling from one town to the next to carrying out simple home repairs and marriage.
Many couples attempt to flee the country, while others marry in secret, running the risk of prosecution and even imprisonment.
"We applied for permission three years ago, but we still haven't heard," one 24-year-old Rohingya in Maungdaw said.
Their children - they are only allowed two - may have even fewer opportunities in Myanmar.
"Young people don't see a future for themselves or for their children in this country," Chris Lewa, coordinator of the Arakan Project, an NGO involved in research-based advocacy in the country, said.
Education is possibly the greatest obstacle, as it is often poor or sub-standard, even though it is available at primary and secondary level, she said, and attendance is low due as additional school costs are often too high for many Rohingya families.
Many families spend between 80 and 100 percent of their income on food and other basic essentials. Others routinely keep their children at home to help with household chores, or to contribute to farm work or other activities to supplement the family's income.
As the Rohingya speak a dialect of Bengali with no written form, some 80 percent of the population is estimated to be illiterate - leaving them no choice but to learn the Burmese or Rakhine languages.
Travel restrictions
The ongoing travel restrictions imposed by the government have a particularly onerous impact on young people seeking education and employment opportunities outside the state.
One 19-year-old Rohingya girl was repeatedly denied permission by the authorities to register for university entrance exams - so she works in her parents' shop in Maungdaw instead.
Even if they gained admission as well as the necessary travel permits to attend classes, under Burmese law they are effectively barred from studying certain subjects, including engineering and medicine.
In 2008 alone, more than 400 Rohingya students were prevented from attending colleges and universities, according to the Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO).
"Lives have become unbearable and suffocating for the Rohingya," Nurul Islam, ARNO president told IRIN, citing instances of young people being arbitrarily detained or arrested, often on trumped-up charges for extortion purposes.
MAUNGDAW, 21 October 2009 (IRIN) - Hla Moe, 25, has a university degree but it is worthless in the eyes of Myanmar's military government. Thus, he and other Rohingya youth have no choice but to till the land just as their ancestors have done for generations in Northern Rakhine State.
"There is no difference between the educated and uneducated young men here," Hla Moe said, outside his parents' farm near the town of Maungdaw, not far from the Bangladeshi border.
"We [Rohingya youth] have two options: live a suffocating life or flee the country."
There are some 800,000 Rohingya in Rakhine today, most of whom live in abject poverty. Barred from civil service jobs, as well as from travelling freely to secure work elsewhere, most are casual labourers, farmers and fishermen.
Although the Rohingya comprise about 85 percent of Rakhine's population - this ethnic, linguistic and religious minority is de jure stateless, according to the laws of Myanmar.
A report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) says forced labour and expropriation of property are a daily reality.
"The state orchestrates violence either directly, to force the Rohingya to leave, or foments discriminatory attitudes and practices whose ultimate aim is to push the Rohingya out," the report states.
Restrictions
While many young people do try to leave - often via smugglers to Bangladesh, Thailand or elsewhere in the region - those who remain struggle to eke out a living under very challenging conditions.
In addition to arbitrary taxation, the Rohingya require permission for everything from travelling from one town to the next to carrying out simple home repairs and marriage.
Many couples attempt to flee the country, while others marry in secret, running the risk of prosecution and even imprisonment.
"We applied for permission three years ago, but we still haven't heard," one 24-year-old Rohingya in Maungdaw said.
Their children - they are only allowed two - may have even fewer opportunities in Myanmar.
"Young people don't see a future for themselves or for their children in this country," Chris Lewa, coordinator of the Arakan Project, an NGO involved in research-based advocacy in the country, said.
Education is possibly the greatest obstacle, as it is often poor or sub-standard, even though it is available at primary and secondary level, she said, and attendance is low due as additional school costs are often too high for many Rohingya families.
Many families spend between 80 and 100 percent of their income on food and other basic essentials. Others routinely keep their children at home to help with household chores, or to contribute to farm work or other activities to supplement the family's income.
As the Rohingya speak a dialect of Bengali with no written form, some 80 percent of the population is estimated to be illiterate - leaving them no choice but to learn the Burmese or Rakhine languages.
Travel restrictions
The ongoing travel restrictions imposed by the government have a particularly onerous impact on young people seeking education and employment opportunities outside the state.
One 19-year-old Rohingya girl was repeatedly denied permission by the authorities to register for university entrance exams - so she works in her parents' shop in Maungdaw instead.
Even if they gained admission as well as the necessary travel permits to attend classes, under Burmese law they are effectively barred from studying certain subjects, including engineering and medicine.
In 2008 alone, more than 400 Rohingya students were prevented from attending colleges and universities, according to the Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO).
"Lives have become unbearable and suffocating for the Rohingya," Nurul Islam, ARNO president told IRIN, citing instances of young people being arbitrarily detained or arrested, often on trumped-up charges for extortion purposes.
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Updated : 5:02 PM, 10/21/2009
RADIO THE VOICE OF VIETNAM
VOV News - Laos, Myanmar support Ketsana storm victims
The Party and Government of Laos have decided to present 1,000 cubic metres of wood to help Vietnamese people in the central region overcome the aftermath of tropical storm Ketsana.
On the occasion, the Myanmar government has also decided to donate US$50,000 as emergency aid to the victims, and the money has been transferred to the Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar.
Storm Ketsana, which swept across the central region three weeks ago, killed more than 160 locals and caused major damage to property and crops.
RADIO THE VOICE OF VIETNAM
VOV News - Laos, Myanmar support Ketsana storm victims
The Party and Government of Laos have decided to present 1,000 cubic metres of wood to help Vietnamese people in the central region overcome the aftermath of tropical storm Ketsana.
On the occasion, the Myanmar government has also decided to donate US$50,000 as emergency aid to the victims, and the money has been transferred to the Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar.
Storm Ketsana, which swept across the central region three weeks ago, killed more than 160 locals and caused major damage to property and crops.
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OCTOBER 21, 2009, 9:27 A.M. ET
Wall Street Journal - Summit to Test Japan-China Supremacy
By JAMES HOOKWAY
BANGKOK – This weekend's summit meeting in Thailand between Asia's main economies is likely to morph into a carefully worded contest between China and Japan over who will exert the greatest influence in expanding trade ties in the region as its recovers from the global economic slump.
China has been the powerhouse guiding trade in the region for several years, analysts and diplomats say. It has supplanted Southeast Asia's old role as the world's factory floor, and, together with South Korea and Japan, contributes to a regional financial support fund. "China's role in the region is very well entrenched," says Rodolfo Severino, a former secretary-general at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, the 10-member regional group that is hosting the meeting this weekend.
Japan, though, is looking to shake things up. Since taking office in September, new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has put forward the view that Asia – and Japan – needs to broaden its outlook beyond exporting goods to the U.S. and look for ways to stoke up consumer demand within the region as the purchasing power of American buyers fades.
To that end, Mr. Hatoyama argues that the East Asian Summit group – an embryonic economic cooperation bloc that has emerged in recent years to include India, Australia and New Zealand as well as the Asean countries, China, South Korea and Japan – should form the basis of a new regional trade bloc patterned along the lines of the European Union. The group, which accounted for nearly a quarter of global economic output last year, is viewed by Japan as potentially superseding the existing economic and trade ties between Asean and China, South Korea and Japan.
China has responded cautiously. After meeting in Beijing Oct. 10, the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea said they would explore the idea of a deeper trade relationship in the region.
"Until now we have tended to be too reliant on the United States," Mr. Hatoyama told reporters after the meeting, although Japanese diplomats have also said that China has been relatively cool to the idea of an expanded trade bloc.
The United States is looking on with some concern. Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific affairs, said on Japanese television last month that it isn't in Washington's interests to be left out as East Asia's vibrant economies forge stronger ties.
The Obama administration already has clearly signaled its intention not to be left behind on any movement toward greater economic integration in Asia. Two immediate measures to strengthen ties are Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's announcement this summer that the U.S. will appoint an ambassador to Asean's secretariat in Jakarta, and President Barack Obama's plans to hold a summit with Asean leaders – America's first – in Singapore next month.
Some U.S. politicians are trying to take the process further. Senator Dick Lugar, the Republican Party leader on the U.S. Senate foreign relations committee, has urged Obama administration officials to begin looking into a free trade agreement with Asean, which groups 560 million people and a wide range of countries, from tiny, oil-rich Brunei to the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, and regional economic powerhouses such as Singapore and Vietnam as well as the repressive military regime of Myanmar.
The U.S. already has a free trade pact with Singapore, and has been working on one with Malaysia for several years. Opening negotiations with the entire region would be difficult considering "the varying levels of economic development and open markets among Asean countries," Sen. Lugar said earlier this month. American sanctions on Myanmar would also likely be a complicating factor.
Sen. Lugar, though, pointed out that China, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea have already finalized free trade deals with Asean, "and are sharpening a competitive edge over the U.S. in Southeast Asia".
Hosts Thailand, meanwhile, will be eager to see the meetings pass without any more of the violent anti-government protests that disrupted a similar summit in April. The government has authorized the use of draconian security laws to prevent demonstrations in Bangkok and at the summit venue in Hua Hin.
Analysts said government leaders may also use the meetings to exert further pressure on Myanmar to ease back on human rights abuses ahead of polls that the military regime plans to hold next year.
In addition, governments may also look at ways to improve their disaster response capabilities in the wake of the typhoons and storms that damaged large areas of the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in recent weeks, as well as the earthquake that struck Padang, Indonesia earlier this month.
Wall Street Journal - Summit to Test Japan-China Supremacy
By JAMES HOOKWAY
BANGKOK – This weekend's summit meeting in Thailand between Asia's main economies is likely to morph into a carefully worded contest between China and Japan over who will exert the greatest influence in expanding trade ties in the region as its recovers from the global economic slump.
China has been the powerhouse guiding trade in the region for several years, analysts and diplomats say. It has supplanted Southeast Asia's old role as the world's factory floor, and, together with South Korea and Japan, contributes to a regional financial support fund. "China's role in the region is very well entrenched," says Rodolfo Severino, a former secretary-general at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, the 10-member regional group that is hosting the meeting this weekend.
Japan, though, is looking to shake things up. Since taking office in September, new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has put forward the view that Asia – and Japan – needs to broaden its outlook beyond exporting goods to the U.S. and look for ways to stoke up consumer demand within the region as the purchasing power of American buyers fades.
To that end, Mr. Hatoyama argues that the East Asian Summit group – an embryonic economic cooperation bloc that has emerged in recent years to include India, Australia and New Zealand as well as the Asean countries, China, South Korea and Japan – should form the basis of a new regional trade bloc patterned along the lines of the European Union. The group, which accounted for nearly a quarter of global economic output last year, is viewed by Japan as potentially superseding the existing economic and trade ties between Asean and China, South Korea and Japan.
China has responded cautiously. After meeting in Beijing Oct. 10, the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea said they would explore the idea of a deeper trade relationship in the region.
"Until now we have tended to be too reliant on the United States," Mr. Hatoyama told reporters after the meeting, although Japanese diplomats have also said that China has been relatively cool to the idea of an expanded trade bloc.
The United States is looking on with some concern. Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific affairs, said on Japanese television last month that it isn't in Washington's interests to be left out as East Asia's vibrant economies forge stronger ties.
The Obama administration already has clearly signaled its intention not to be left behind on any movement toward greater economic integration in Asia. Two immediate measures to strengthen ties are Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's announcement this summer that the U.S. will appoint an ambassador to Asean's secretariat in Jakarta, and President Barack Obama's plans to hold a summit with Asean leaders – America's first – in Singapore next month.
Some U.S. politicians are trying to take the process further. Senator Dick Lugar, the Republican Party leader on the U.S. Senate foreign relations committee, has urged Obama administration officials to begin looking into a free trade agreement with Asean, which groups 560 million people and a wide range of countries, from tiny, oil-rich Brunei to the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, and regional economic powerhouses such as Singapore and Vietnam as well as the repressive military regime of Myanmar.
The U.S. already has a free trade pact with Singapore, and has been working on one with Malaysia for several years. Opening negotiations with the entire region would be difficult considering "the varying levels of economic development and open markets among Asean countries," Sen. Lugar said earlier this month. American sanctions on Myanmar would also likely be a complicating factor.
Sen. Lugar, though, pointed out that China, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea have already finalized free trade deals with Asean, "and are sharpening a competitive edge over the U.S. in Southeast Asia".
Hosts Thailand, meanwhile, will be eager to see the meetings pass without any more of the violent anti-government protests that disrupted a similar summit in April. The government has authorized the use of draconian security laws to prevent demonstrations in Bangkok and at the summit venue in Hua Hin.
Analysts said government leaders may also use the meetings to exert further pressure on Myanmar to ease back on human rights abuses ahead of polls that the military regime plans to hold next year.
In addition, governments may also look at ways to improve their disaster response capabilities in the wake of the typhoons and storms that damaged large areas of the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in recent weeks, as well as the earthquake that struck Padang, Indonesia earlier this month.
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Myanmar, Sri Lanka to boost bilateral trade, investment
www.chinaview.cn 2009-10-21 11:52:57
by Feng Yingqiu
YANGON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's biggest business organization of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and diplomats of Sri Lanka have recently met here to seek ways of boosting bilateral trade and investment.
Their discussions focused on tapping potential markets in Sri Lanka for Myanmar agricultural produce, enhancing cooperation between businesses of the two countries and holding trade fair to show their products.
On the sidelines of the Joint Committee of Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) of Myanmar and Sri Lanka in early August, meetings between entrepreneurs of the two countries were held to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
In June this year, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa paid a state visit to Myanmar on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
During the visit, Myanmar and Sri Lanka signed in Nay Pyi Taw an agreement on mutual exemption of visas for diplomatic passport and service passport holders of the two countries and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in tourism.
Moreover, the Myanmar government made a cash donation of 50,000U.S. dollars as a humanitarian assistance to the Sri Lanka for that country's internally displaced people in the northern part, while Sri Lanka helped establish a village, called Mitta, in Myanmar's cyclone-hit Kungyangon township in Yangon division.
The two countries set up the JCBC in 1996 which met first in July 2007 when Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama visited Myanmar.
Besides, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have recently formed a business relation group in a bid to increase their bilateral trade.
In November last year, Myanmar and Sri Lanka agreed to establish direct air and sea links to effectively boost bilateral trade ties.
Currently, trade between Myanmar and Sri Lanka is transacted through Singapore.
According to the Directorate of Trade under the Ministry of Commerce, Sri Lanka mainly imports forestry products and beans and pulses from Myanmar via brokers in Singapore and the country has expressed interest in also importing Myanmar gems and selling its own products in the Myanmar markets.
Moreover, Myanmar is seeking gem trade with Sri Lanka in a bid to develop its gem industry.
Myanmar and Sri Lanka, which established diplomatic relations on June 7, 1949, have enjoyed cultural and religious ties since the 11th century.
Both Myanmar and Sri Lanka are members of the subregional grouping of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) which also comprises Bangladesh, India and Thailand.
Myanmar remains as an observer of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
www.chinaview.cn 2009-10-21 11:52:57
by Feng Yingqiu
YANGON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's biggest business organization of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and diplomats of Sri Lanka have recently met here to seek ways of boosting bilateral trade and investment.
Their discussions focused on tapping potential markets in Sri Lanka for Myanmar agricultural produce, enhancing cooperation between businesses of the two countries and holding trade fair to show their products.
On the sidelines of the Joint Committee of Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) of Myanmar and Sri Lanka in early August, meetings between entrepreneurs of the two countries were held to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
In June this year, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa paid a state visit to Myanmar on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
During the visit, Myanmar and Sri Lanka signed in Nay Pyi Taw an agreement on mutual exemption of visas for diplomatic passport and service passport holders of the two countries and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in tourism.
Moreover, the Myanmar government made a cash donation of 50,000U.S. dollars as a humanitarian assistance to the Sri Lanka for that country's internally displaced people in the northern part, while Sri Lanka helped establish a village, called Mitta, in Myanmar's cyclone-hit Kungyangon township in Yangon division.
The two countries set up the JCBC in 1996 which met first in July 2007 when Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama visited Myanmar.
Besides, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have recently formed a business relation group in a bid to increase their bilateral trade.
In November last year, Myanmar and Sri Lanka agreed to establish direct air and sea links to effectively boost bilateral trade ties.
Currently, trade between Myanmar and Sri Lanka is transacted through Singapore.
According to the Directorate of Trade under the Ministry of Commerce, Sri Lanka mainly imports forestry products and beans and pulses from Myanmar via brokers in Singapore and the country has expressed interest in also importing Myanmar gems and selling its own products in the Myanmar markets.
Moreover, Myanmar is seeking gem trade with Sri Lanka in a bid to develop its gem industry.
Myanmar and Sri Lanka, which established diplomatic relations on June 7, 1949, have enjoyed cultural and religious ties since the 11th century.
Both Myanmar and Sri Lanka are members of the subregional grouping of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) which also comprises Bangladesh, India and Thailand.
Myanmar remains as an observer of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
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Traffic returns to normal after repair of insurgent-destroyed bridges in Myanmar
www.chinaview.cn 2009-10-21 10:43:21
YANGON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Traffic has returned to normal after three weeks of repair of three bridges on a section of motor road in eastern Myanmar's Kayin state destroyed by insurgents, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.
The three bridges on the Papun- Kataingti- Kamamaung motor road in Papun township of the state were burnt to the ground on Sept. 20 by unidentified terrorist insurgents, the report said.
The prompt repair of the damaged bridges was made to ensure that it would not cause traffic delay in the area, the report added.
The authorities blamed that "insurgent terrorists are constantly committing destructive acts although the government is fulfilling requirements of improving transport facilities in all parts of the country."
Meanwhile, the authorities have stepped up security measures in industrial zones in suburban Yangon following seven series of bomb explosions within two days in Yangon's three industrial zones mid-last month.
A series of seven small bombs blast in different outskirts in Yangon on Sept.16 to 17 without causing casualties but slight damage.
The bombs exploded at different locations in the industrial zones of Hlaingtharya, Shwepaukan and Mingalardon townships at some intervals within four hours' duration from mid-night to next morning.
www.chinaview.cn 2009-10-21 10:43:21
YANGON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Traffic has returned to normal after three weeks of repair of three bridges on a section of motor road in eastern Myanmar's Kayin state destroyed by insurgents, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.
The three bridges on the Papun- Kataingti- Kamamaung motor road in Papun township of the state were burnt to the ground on Sept. 20 by unidentified terrorist insurgents, the report said.
The prompt repair of the damaged bridges was made to ensure that it would not cause traffic delay in the area, the report added.
The authorities blamed that "insurgent terrorists are constantly committing destructive acts although the government is fulfilling requirements of improving transport facilities in all parts of the country."
Meanwhile, the authorities have stepped up security measures in industrial zones in suburban Yangon following seven series of bomb explosions within two days in Yangon's three industrial zones mid-last month.
A series of seven small bombs blast in different outskirts in Yangon on Sept.16 to 17 without causing casualties but slight damage.
The bombs exploded at different locations in the industrial zones of Hlaingtharya, Shwepaukan and Mingalardon townships at some intervals within four hours' duration from mid-night to next morning.
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The Philippine Star - EDITORIAL:One small step
Updated October 22, 2009 12:00 AM
The regional grouping started by Southeast Asia’s authoritarian rulers unveils this weekend a landmark inter-governmental human rights commission. Aware of its limitations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is setting modest goals for the commission: promoting instead of protecting human rights. The commission cannot impose sanctions for human rights violations within ASEAN.
That sits well with the ruling junta in Myanmar, which has gone along with the creation of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. Before the annual ASEAN summit in Thailand this weekend, the junta released several political prisoners but also arrested many others in the previous weeks. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been kept under detention for most of the past two decades, was also allowed to meet with Western diplomats.
Such minor concessions continue to give ASEAN hope that engagement with one of the most repressive regimes in the world might yet lead to democratic reforms. The junta has made it clear that it would not allow foreign interference in its internal affairs under any condition. When a powerful typhoon battered the country, the junta turned away humanitarian aid from governments critical of its rights record and confined foreign aid volunteers to the old capital Yangon.
Still, the mere creation of the human rights commission, with the approval of all ASEAN members, should bode well for the promotion of human rights in a region where Myanmar is only the most blatant violator of civil liberties. Even in the Philippines, whose government projects itself as a champion of democracy in the region and likes to lecture Myanmar on human rights, militant activists and journalists have been killed with impunity in the past decade, pulling down the country’s ranking in the Press Freedom Index. There are also continuing complaints about torture and the summary execution of suspected criminals.
The creation of the commission is expected to lead to a departure, however gradually, from the long-standing ASEAN policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of member countries. The commission can help promote the welfare of women and children. Transparency and good government can also receive a boost through the promotion of access to information and freedom of expression. The creation of the human rights commission may be a small step, but it’s headed in the right direction.
Updated October 22, 2009 12:00 AM
The regional grouping started by Southeast Asia’s authoritarian rulers unveils this weekend a landmark inter-governmental human rights commission. Aware of its limitations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is setting modest goals for the commission: promoting instead of protecting human rights. The commission cannot impose sanctions for human rights violations within ASEAN.
That sits well with the ruling junta in Myanmar, which has gone along with the creation of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. Before the annual ASEAN summit in Thailand this weekend, the junta released several political prisoners but also arrested many others in the previous weeks. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been kept under detention for most of the past two decades, was also allowed to meet with Western diplomats.
Such minor concessions continue to give ASEAN hope that engagement with one of the most repressive regimes in the world might yet lead to democratic reforms. The junta has made it clear that it would not allow foreign interference in its internal affairs under any condition. When a powerful typhoon battered the country, the junta turned away humanitarian aid from governments critical of its rights record and confined foreign aid volunteers to the old capital Yangon.
Still, the mere creation of the human rights commission, with the approval of all ASEAN members, should bode well for the promotion of human rights in a region where Myanmar is only the most blatant violator of civil liberties. Even in the Philippines, whose government projects itself as a champion of democracy in the region and likes to lecture Myanmar on human rights, militant activists and journalists have been killed with impunity in the past decade, pulling down the country’s ranking in the Press Freedom Index. There are also continuing complaints about torture and the summary execution of suspected criminals.
The creation of the commission is expected to lead to a departure, however gradually, from the long-standing ASEAN policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of member countries. The commission can help promote the welfare of women and children. Transparency and good government can also receive a boost through the promotion of access to information and freedom of expression. The creation of the human rights commission may be a small step, but it’s headed in the right direction.
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CNA News - Expo shows China's growing leadership in Southeast Asian region
By Channel NewsAsia's East Asia Bureau Chief Maria Siow | Posted: 22 October 2009 0017 hrs
NANNING, Guangxi: The 6th China-ASEAN Expo has opened in China's southern city of Nanning, with China and the 10 members of the regional grouping pledging to forge closer economic ties.
As host of the expo in the midst of the global economic downturn, China's leadership role is unmistakable.
Beijing has pointed out that strengthening regional cooperation will help to increase the region's competitiveness and sustain economic growth.
This year, the agricultural sector - especially agriculture materials and agro-based products - is the focus at the expo.
Renato Remanes, senior agriculturist at the Philippines Department of Agriculture, said: "We encourage the Philippine producers of products to produce more, so our products can be competitive in the China market. But our banana chips are also being produced by Thailand and China. There could be problems that will arise later."
China has pledged to create a US$10 billion investment fund earlier this year and to offer US$15 billion in credit to Southeast Asian countries.
The expo, which is the brainchild of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, has played an important role in helping to establish the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, which is expected to be operational next year.
The FTA will create a combined GDP of nearly US$6 trillion to become the third largest FTA in the world, after the North American and European FTAs.
With it, the ties binding China with its regional neighbours will become even more enduring as the rising economic power exerts its soft diplomacy in the Southeast Asian region.
By Channel NewsAsia's East Asia Bureau Chief Maria Siow | Posted: 22 October 2009 0017 hrs
NANNING, Guangxi: The 6th China-ASEAN Expo has opened in China's southern city of Nanning, with China and the 10 members of the regional grouping pledging to forge closer economic ties.
As host of the expo in the midst of the global economic downturn, China's leadership role is unmistakable.
Beijing has pointed out that strengthening regional cooperation will help to increase the region's competitiveness and sustain economic growth.
This year, the agricultural sector - especially agriculture materials and agro-based products - is the focus at the expo.
Renato Remanes, senior agriculturist at the Philippines Department of Agriculture, said: "We encourage the Philippine producers of products to produce more, so our products can be competitive in the China market. But our banana chips are also being produced by Thailand and China. There could be problems that will arise later."
China has pledged to create a US$10 billion investment fund earlier this year and to offer US$15 billion in credit to Southeast Asian countries.
The expo, which is the brainchild of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, has played an important role in helping to establish the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, which is expected to be operational next year.
The FTA will create a combined GDP of nearly US$6 trillion to become the third largest FTA in the world, after the North American and European FTAs.
With it, the ties binding China with its regional neighbours will become even more enduring as the rising economic power exerts its soft diplomacy in the Southeast Asian region.
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The Age - Qantas rejects calls to axe Burma service
October 21, 2009 - 2:57PM
Qantas Airways has indicated it will reject calls for its 49 per cent-held budget arm Jetstar Asia to cease flight services to Burma.
About a dozen protesters demonstrated outside the national carrier’s annual general meeting in Perth today, saying Jetstar should end its three flights-a-week service to Burma because it was helping to prop up a military dictatorship.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce told shareholders that Jetstar had a ‘‘policy of constructive engagement’’ with Burma.
He said the airline provided a valuable service by providing charities with access to Burma.
‘‘World Vision’s Tim Costello says Jetstar should provide the link there because it provides access to the country,’’ Mr Joyce said.
Burma has been under military rule since 1962.
Its democracy icon, the Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has spent 13 of the past 19 years in detention since the junta refused to recognise her National League for Democracy’s landslide victory in the last elections in 1990.
October 21, 2009 - 2:57PM
Qantas Airways has indicated it will reject calls for its 49 per cent-held budget arm Jetstar Asia to cease flight services to Burma.
About a dozen protesters demonstrated outside the national carrier’s annual general meeting in Perth today, saying Jetstar should end its three flights-a-week service to Burma because it was helping to prop up a military dictatorship.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce told shareholders that Jetstar had a ‘‘policy of constructive engagement’’ with Burma.
He said the airline provided a valuable service by providing charities with access to Burma.
‘‘World Vision’s Tim Costello says Jetstar should provide the link there because it provides access to the country,’’ Mr Joyce said.
Burma has been under military rule since 1962.
Its democracy icon, the Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has spent 13 of the past 19 years in detention since the junta refused to recognise her National League for Democracy’s landslide victory in the last elections in 1990.
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American Chronicle - Myanmar Nuke : Fact or Rumor?
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
October 19, 2009
Most of the military power states in the world aspire to become a nuclear power especialy in this highly competitive world. The most recent participant in the race to become a nuclear state is Myanmar. After getting independence in 1948, Myanmar has claimed that it has only acquired weapons for internal security and defense against external enemies. Myanmar was among the first countries to become a State Party to the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty [PTBT]. It has also signed the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and is a State Party to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NPT]. Myanmar has signed, but not yet ratified the 1972 Seabed Test Ban Treaty. Since 1988, adherence to these international agreements have been confirmed by the State Law and Order Restoration Council [SLORC] and State Peace and Development Council [SPDC] governments.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently voiced concern that Pyongyang was transfering weapons and nuclear technology to Myanmar.
According to Sydney Morning Herald, two defectors from Myanmar named Moe Jo and Tin Min made ´confessional statement´ saying, North Korea is helping Myanmar, formerly Burma, build a secret nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction plant to build an atomic bomb within five years.
The nuclear complex is hidden inside a mountain at Naung Laing, in Myanmar´s north, and runs parallel to a civil reactor being built at another site by Russia.
Moe Jo, a former Myanmar army officer, allegedly told he was trained for a 1,000-man "nuclear battalion" and that Myanmar had provided yellowcake uranium to North Korea and Iran.
"He said that the army planned a plutonium reprocessing system and that Russian experts were on site to show how it was done."
Moe Jo said part of the army´s nuclear battalion was stationed in a local village to work on a weapon, and a secret operations centre was hidden in the Setkhaya Mountains.
"[It was] a set up including engineers, artillery and communications to act as a command and control centre for the nuclear weapons program."
Tin Min was said to have been a book keeper for Tay Za, a close associate of the junta´s head General Than Shwe, and told in 2004 he had paid a construction company to build a tunnel in the Naung Laing mountain "wide enough for two trucks to pass each other".
Tin Min said book keeper Tay Za negotiated nuclear contracts with Russia and North Korea and arranged the collection and transport, at night and by river, of containers of equipment from North Korean boats in Yangon´s port.
Tin Min reportedly said Tay Za told him the junta knew it couldn´t compete with neighbouring Thailand on conventional weapons, but wanted to "play power like North Korea".
"They hope to combine nuclear and air defense missiles," Tay Za said, according to Tin Min. Heretofor Russia has been a willing supplier with anyone who can pay their price.
While Sydney Morning Herald alleged Pyongyang for supplying nuclear weapons to Myanmar, in several reports published in international media, such allegation goes against Russia.
Michael Sullivan, an eminent analyst said, There is no doubt Myanmar has a nuclear program. It sent scientists, technicians and army officers to Russia for training in recent years. And Moscow has agreed to supply Myanmar with a small nuclear reactor for civilian use. None of this is disputed. The question is do the Burmese generals want a nuclear weapon too.
Another eminent writer Bertil Lintner, who has extensive knowledge on South Asian affairs said, It is quite clear, I think, that although the Burmese may not have a bomb or even a nuclear capability - no, not yet - they're certainly interested in acquiring one.
Mr. Lintner has written extensively about Myanmar from his base in Thailand.
On 18 May 2007, Asia News Agency reported, Russia will provide Myanmar with it´s first nuclear reactor.
Quoting Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency [Rosatom], Asia News Agency said it had reached a deal with the military junta to build a nuclear research centre. The plant will have a light-water reactor with a capacity of 10MW. It will use 20 per cent-enriched nuclear fuel.
Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency insisted Myanmar had a right to peaceful nuclear technology - and said that there was "no way" it could use the reactor to develop nuclear missiles. It was further learnt that, the Nuclear Reactors would be set at Pwint Phyu, a small city in the centre of the country, in the region of Magwe.
Moscow claimed that construction of the Burmese nuclear power plant would take place under the strict supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA].
On August 3, 2009, Phil Thornton, an Australian journalist based on the Thai-Myanmar border said, Yangoon is building a secret nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction facility with the assistance of Pyongyang and Yangoon is also joining hands with Moscow for further growth of this project.
Meanwhile, Myanmar´s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affair, U. Khin-Marng said the reactor would be used to train to produce radio isotope, which have a range of uses, including in medicine and agriculture science. He also pointed that the rector would be for peaceful purpose in the interest of the people of Myanmar´.
The present Junta in Yangoon strongly believes that , Myanmar´s interest in nuclear power is not a wrong purpose. David Albright, the head of the Washington based Institute for Science and International Security, which monitors nuclear proliferation, said, there´s no hard evidence, just suspicions right now. Although, Albright pointed out that visit to Myanmar by executive from the North Korean firm, Namchongang Trading Corporation, which is under the sanctions for its role in trading nuclear technology can be a pointer to the growing suspicion. On 30th June ,2009, According to Burmanet News, Japanese police arrested three top businessmen on suspicion of attempting to export to Burma a measuring instrument that could be used to develop long-range ballistic missile systems. Japan is also believed that North Korea was attempting to promote the transfer of missile technologies, such as its Taepodong system, to Myanmar. According to the police, the three conspired to export the magnetic measuring device to Burma via Malaysia around January 2009 at a price of about 7 million Japanese Yen [US $73,000].
Interestingly, Myanmar has become buffer state between four nuclear power states in Asia: China, India, Pakistan and North Korea. The military Junta has good tie with North Korea. On the other hand China and Pakistan who shares nuclear knowhow have also good relation with Myanmar. In a peculiar set up, New Delhi which abandoned support for Pro-democracy forces in 1993 and has embarked upon multifaceted relationship with the eastern neighbor. On the wake of Myanmar´s nuclear ambition seems to be both direct or indirect threat to the security of India.
The revelation of Myanmar´s link with Pakistan nuclear establishment also assumes significance in the recent purchase of nuclear reactor for research purposes. Pakistan also has been providing small conventional weapon and training to the myanmarises armed force, and has joined China in concluding an intelligence sharing agreement with Myanmar regarding India´s force deployments in the northeast and Bay-of-Bengal.
It is also learnt that considering Myanmar´s anti-US stand, terror patron nation Iran is also extending secret support to Yangoon in building its nuclear strength. Tehran is also using all our efforts as well its propaganda machinery as well as its own terrorist group named Hezbollah in spreading rumors in the world that Israel and India are extending millitary and nuclear assistance to Myanmar.
In response to my recent article titled ´Crisis in South Asia and rise of Islamist-leftist militancy´, a leader of Iranian Hezbollah based in Bangladesh in an email message said, "According to our sources, Burma is trying to build Nuclear Reactor with the help of North Korea.
"According to many source they [Myanmar] are serious to produce nuclear bomb.
"Myanmar is enjoying very good relation with India.
"Myanmar and Israel have very good relation. Isreal sold arms to Myanmar and giving training on Intelligence and agriculture sector."
This particular email sent by the Iranian Hezbollah clearly proves that, Tehran is trying to mislead the world by spreading false information on Myanmar´s ongoing efforts in building Nuclear Bomb. Tehran is trying to put blame on both New Delhi and Jerusalem.
Such propaganda centering India and Israel was purposefully made by the members of Iranian terror outfit with the ulterior motive of instigating anti-Indian and anti-Israel sentiment in all Muslim nations, including Bangladesh.
Iran has been funding anti- Israel activities for decades. It even patronizes Islamist millitancy under the umbrella of ´Al-Quds Society´ in many Muslim nations. For years, Iranian terror outfit Hezbollah is continuing to spread wings in a number of Muslim nations while recruiting and traning Jihadists with anti-West brain-wash.
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
October 19, 2009
Most of the military power states in the world aspire to become a nuclear power especialy in this highly competitive world. The most recent participant in the race to become a nuclear state is Myanmar. After getting independence in 1948, Myanmar has claimed that it has only acquired weapons for internal security and defense against external enemies. Myanmar was among the first countries to become a State Party to the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty [PTBT]. It has also signed the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and is a State Party to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NPT]. Myanmar has signed, but not yet ratified the 1972 Seabed Test Ban Treaty. Since 1988, adherence to these international agreements have been confirmed by the State Law and Order Restoration Council [SLORC] and State Peace and Development Council [SPDC] governments.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently voiced concern that Pyongyang was transfering weapons and nuclear technology to Myanmar.
According to Sydney Morning Herald, two defectors from Myanmar named Moe Jo and Tin Min made ´confessional statement´ saying, North Korea is helping Myanmar, formerly Burma, build a secret nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction plant to build an atomic bomb within five years.
The nuclear complex is hidden inside a mountain at Naung Laing, in Myanmar´s north, and runs parallel to a civil reactor being built at another site by Russia.
Moe Jo, a former Myanmar army officer, allegedly told he was trained for a 1,000-man "nuclear battalion" and that Myanmar had provided yellowcake uranium to North Korea and Iran.
"He said that the army planned a plutonium reprocessing system and that Russian experts were on site to show how it was done."
Moe Jo said part of the army´s nuclear battalion was stationed in a local village to work on a weapon, and a secret operations centre was hidden in the Setkhaya Mountains.
"[It was] a set up including engineers, artillery and communications to act as a command and control centre for the nuclear weapons program."
Tin Min was said to have been a book keeper for Tay Za, a close associate of the junta´s head General Than Shwe, and told in 2004 he had paid a construction company to build a tunnel in the Naung Laing mountain "wide enough for two trucks to pass each other".
Tin Min said book keeper Tay Za negotiated nuclear contracts with Russia and North Korea and arranged the collection and transport, at night and by river, of containers of equipment from North Korean boats in Yangon´s port.
Tin Min reportedly said Tay Za told him the junta knew it couldn´t compete with neighbouring Thailand on conventional weapons, but wanted to "play power like North Korea".
"They hope to combine nuclear and air defense missiles," Tay Za said, according to Tin Min. Heretofor Russia has been a willing supplier with anyone who can pay their price.
While Sydney Morning Herald alleged Pyongyang for supplying nuclear weapons to Myanmar, in several reports published in international media, such allegation goes against Russia.
Michael Sullivan, an eminent analyst said, There is no doubt Myanmar has a nuclear program. It sent scientists, technicians and army officers to Russia for training in recent years. And Moscow has agreed to supply Myanmar with a small nuclear reactor for civilian use. None of this is disputed. The question is do the Burmese generals want a nuclear weapon too.
Another eminent writer Bertil Lintner, who has extensive knowledge on South Asian affairs said, It is quite clear, I think, that although the Burmese may not have a bomb or even a nuclear capability - no, not yet - they're certainly interested in acquiring one.
Mr. Lintner has written extensively about Myanmar from his base in Thailand.
On 18 May 2007, Asia News Agency reported, Russia will provide Myanmar with it´s first nuclear reactor.
Quoting Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency [Rosatom], Asia News Agency said it had reached a deal with the military junta to build a nuclear research centre. The plant will have a light-water reactor with a capacity of 10MW. It will use 20 per cent-enriched nuclear fuel.
Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency insisted Myanmar had a right to peaceful nuclear technology - and said that there was "no way" it could use the reactor to develop nuclear missiles. It was further learnt that, the Nuclear Reactors would be set at Pwint Phyu, a small city in the centre of the country, in the region of Magwe.
Moscow claimed that construction of the Burmese nuclear power plant would take place under the strict supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA].
On August 3, 2009, Phil Thornton, an Australian journalist based on the Thai-Myanmar border said, Yangoon is building a secret nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction facility with the assistance of Pyongyang and Yangoon is also joining hands with Moscow for further growth of this project.
Meanwhile, Myanmar´s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affair, U. Khin-Marng said the reactor would be used to train to produce radio isotope, which have a range of uses, including in medicine and agriculture science. He also pointed that the rector would be for peaceful purpose in the interest of the people of Myanmar´.
The present Junta in Yangoon strongly believes that , Myanmar´s interest in nuclear power is not a wrong purpose. David Albright, the head of the Washington based Institute for Science and International Security, which monitors nuclear proliferation, said, there´s no hard evidence, just suspicions right now. Although, Albright pointed out that visit to Myanmar by executive from the North Korean firm, Namchongang Trading Corporation, which is under the sanctions for its role in trading nuclear technology can be a pointer to the growing suspicion. On 30th June ,2009, According to Burmanet News, Japanese police arrested three top businessmen on suspicion of attempting to export to Burma a measuring instrument that could be used to develop long-range ballistic missile systems. Japan is also believed that North Korea was attempting to promote the transfer of missile technologies, such as its Taepodong system, to Myanmar. According to the police, the three conspired to export the magnetic measuring device to Burma via Malaysia around January 2009 at a price of about 7 million Japanese Yen [US $73,000].
Interestingly, Myanmar has become buffer state between four nuclear power states in Asia: China, India, Pakistan and North Korea. The military Junta has good tie with North Korea. On the other hand China and Pakistan who shares nuclear knowhow have also good relation with Myanmar. In a peculiar set up, New Delhi which abandoned support for Pro-democracy forces in 1993 and has embarked upon multifaceted relationship with the eastern neighbor. On the wake of Myanmar´s nuclear ambition seems to be both direct or indirect threat to the security of India.
The revelation of Myanmar´s link with Pakistan nuclear establishment also assumes significance in the recent purchase of nuclear reactor for research purposes. Pakistan also has been providing small conventional weapon and training to the myanmarises armed force, and has joined China in concluding an intelligence sharing agreement with Myanmar regarding India´s force deployments in the northeast and Bay-of-Bengal.
It is also learnt that considering Myanmar´s anti-US stand, terror patron nation Iran is also extending secret support to Yangoon in building its nuclear strength. Tehran is also using all our efforts as well its propaganda machinery as well as its own terrorist group named Hezbollah in spreading rumors in the world that Israel and India are extending millitary and nuclear assistance to Myanmar.
In response to my recent article titled ´Crisis in South Asia and rise of Islamist-leftist militancy´, a leader of Iranian Hezbollah based in Bangladesh in an email message said, "According to our sources, Burma is trying to build Nuclear Reactor with the help of North Korea.
"According to many source they [Myanmar] are serious to produce nuclear bomb.
"Myanmar is enjoying very good relation with India.
"Myanmar and Israel have very good relation. Isreal sold arms to Myanmar and giving training on Intelligence and agriculture sector."
This particular email sent by the Iranian Hezbollah clearly proves that, Tehran is trying to mislead the world by spreading false information on Myanmar´s ongoing efforts in building Nuclear Bomb. Tehran is trying to put blame on both New Delhi and Jerusalem.
Such propaganda centering India and Israel was purposefully made by the members of Iranian terror outfit with the ulterior motive of instigating anti-Indian and anti-Israel sentiment in all Muslim nations, including Bangladesh.
Iran has been funding anti- Israel activities for decades. It even patronizes Islamist millitancy under the umbrella of ´Al-Quds Society´ in many Muslim nations. For years, Iranian terror outfit Hezbollah is continuing to spread wings in a number of Muslim nations while recruiting and traning Jihadists with anti-West brain-wash.
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THE NATION - Overland trade route with China wanted
Published on October 20, 2009
The Agriculture Ministry will ask China to open a border checkpoint to facilitate shipment of agricultural products along Highway R3, linking northern Thailand with that country via Burma.
"Thailand will raise the topic of increased cooperation in trade facilities with China at the third Thai-Chinese Joint Trade Committee to be held on October 24," said Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut.
He said this would be beneficial to exporters of both nations in terms of time saved and result in better freshness of agricultural products.
Theera said the government would ask China to open a land-route checkpoint at Highway R3, which links northern Thailand with Kunming, China via Tachilek and Kengtung in Burma.
"This meeting will address all issues regarding trade and transportation between Thailand and China and seek to reach a conclusion for shipments between the two countries more conveniently," he said.
If negotiations are successful, exports of agricultural products from Thailand, especially fruits, will benefit, due to the shorter shipment time, and Thai exporters of agricultural products to China will have another option at their disposal.
China also wants to transport products via Highway R3 to Thailand and other Asean countries along the Mekong River route.
Meanwhile, the Mae Sai Customs House in Chiang Rai province enjoyed a robust cross-border trade between Thailand and Burma in fiscal 2009.
Chuchai Udompoj, head of the customs house, said cross-border trade at the Mae Sai-Tachilek checkpoint amounted to Bt4.62 billion for fiscal 2009, up 16.9 per cent from fiscal 2008 and beating expectations by 10 per cent. Most of that, Bt359.42 million, was from imports.
Chuchai said products from Burma included logs, garlic, fresh fruits, clothing and hats.
Exports to Burma included consumer products, fuel oil, foreign liquor, auto tyres and tin-coated steel sheets.
Chuchai said cross-border trade at his checkpoint could double next fiscal year if Highway R3 was opened for trade with China.
Published on October 20, 2009
The Agriculture Ministry will ask China to open a border checkpoint to facilitate shipment of agricultural products along Highway R3, linking northern Thailand with that country via Burma.
"Thailand will raise the topic of increased cooperation in trade facilities with China at the third Thai-Chinese Joint Trade Committee to be held on October 24," said Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut.
He said this would be beneficial to exporters of both nations in terms of time saved and result in better freshness of agricultural products.
Theera said the government would ask China to open a land-route checkpoint at Highway R3, which links northern Thailand with Kunming, China via Tachilek and Kengtung in Burma.
"This meeting will address all issues regarding trade and transportation between Thailand and China and seek to reach a conclusion for shipments between the two countries more conveniently," he said.
If negotiations are successful, exports of agricultural products from Thailand, especially fruits, will benefit, due to the shorter shipment time, and Thai exporters of agricultural products to China will have another option at their disposal.
China also wants to transport products via Highway R3 to Thailand and other Asean countries along the Mekong River route.
Meanwhile, the Mae Sai Customs House in Chiang Rai province enjoyed a robust cross-border trade between Thailand and Burma in fiscal 2009.
Chuchai Udompoj, head of the customs house, said cross-border trade at the Mae Sai-Tachilek checkpoint amounted to Bt4.62 billion for fiscal 2009, up 16.9 per cent from fiscal 2008 and beating expectations by 10 per cent. Most of that, Bt359.42 million, was from imports.
Chuchai said products from Burma included logs, garlic, fresh fruits, clothing and hats.
Exports to Burma included consumer products, fuel oil, foreign liquor, auto tyres and tin-coated steel sheets.
Chuchai said cross-border trade at his checkpoint could double next fiscal year if Highway R3 was opened for trade with China.
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Wednesday, 21 October 2009
The Statesman - Democracy in Myanmar
Where Does India Stand?
Jayita Mukhopadhyay
While India has been celebrating Durga Puja - the triumph of good and justice over the forces of evil - a frail woman with an indomitable spirit has been fighting for the deliverance of her countrymen from exploitation and oppression perpetrated by the military of neighbouring country Myanmar. Yet, we in India, particularly our government, are oblivious to the trials and tribulations of Aung Sung Suu Kyi, leader of that country’s peaceful pro-democracy movement and an icon of the democratic aspirations of the downtrodden the world over.
Suu Kyi has been placed under house arrest by the military dictators. Recently, she faced fresh trial on the flimsy charge of breaching the conditions of her detention after the bizarre incident in which an American, John Yettaw, swam to her lakeside residence in May this year. After a farcical trial condemned worldwide, she has been found guilty and her house arrest has been extended by another 18 months.
It is quite evident that the junta is determined to keep her out of the public domain during the election next year. However, India maintains an intriguing silence over the whole episode. The government’s response to the brutal crackdown on the pro-democracy rallies, led by the Buddhist monks in September 2007, was also quite lukewarm. Indeed, India’s policy towards Myanmar has undergone a sea-change since the nineties. The Rajiv Gandhi government had expressed full solidarity with Suu Kyi and the pro-democracy movement, extending every possible support. Refugee status was granted to those who had left their hearth and home, taking shelter in the North-east.
Shift in policy
However, a paradigm shift in policy took place towards the early nineties. With the introduction of economic reforms by the Narasimha Rao government, India started treading the path of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. Foreign policy priorities were rejigged as Delhi wanted to emerge as a global power. Protection of national interests was accorded greater importance than commitment to the values of democracy, popular governance, protection of human rights and so on.
To gain the status of a global power, India needs to achieve a dominant position in Asia, ensure its territorial security and suitably protect and enhance its military might. China has historically been its main contender in the race to gain hegemonic status in Asia.
Myanmar is strategically important to India as it acts as a buffer between the two countries, preventing an accidental collision. Since the beginning of the junta rule, Myanmar started moving closer to China. Pakistan also boasts cordial relations with China. This geo-political scenario has created the possibility of “encirclement of India” by countries close to China, whereas our interest lies in “limiting the zone of influence” of China.
Beijing is playing a substantial role in the industrial development of Myanmar. It has set up a maritime reconnaissance and electronic intelligence station in the Coco Island off Myanmar. It is a site from where it can keep a close watch on the vital military installations on our eastern shore. China is reportedly building a base at this strategic location.
To counter-balance this growing Chinese influence in Myanmar, our foreign policy establishment decided to court Myanmar as well, particularly to develop military cooperation so as to offset the advantages China has gained. There has been an exchange of visits by the chiefs of the army, navy and air force. There have been joint manoeuvres too with the Myanmar navy.
It was also felt that to tackle insurgency in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, the cooperation of Myanmar would be useful. Tribal groups, involved in secessionist movements in the North-east, have ethnic ties with similar groups within Myanmar and receive training in bases operating there. It is necessary to bust these bases to curb these movements, and this can only be done if the junta cooperates.
It was also felt that intensification of legalised border trade between the two countries would provide new sources of livelihood to people of this land-locked region. That will also curb the volume of drug-peddling and arms smuggling across the border, and may also help control the spread of AIDS in the region.
The success of India’s “Look East Policy” (initiated by Narasimha Rao), with its emphasis on expanding trade relations with South-east Asia, presupposes friendly relations with Myanmar. It is India’s gateway to ASEAN. It is the only ASEAN country with which India shares a land border. The proposed Trans-Asian Highway, if implemented, will link India with Bangkok via Myanmar and is likely to open up new vistas in trade and commercial exchanges between India and other countries of this region.
Fear factor
Myanmar offers a veritable source of energy at our doorstep. China is already ahead of us in exploring and using Myanmar’s natural gas. ONGC Videsh Ltd and the Gas Authority of India hold 30 per cent and 10 per cent equity shares respectively in companies exploring oil and gas at Rakhine coast off Myanmar.
Our policy-makers believe that India cannot afford to turn its back on a regime which does not measure up to international norms. The country’s security and economic stakes are much too high to allow such a stand. Recently, India has signed agreements with Myanmar for the development of Sittwe port and the implementation of the Kaladan transit transport project that links India’s North-east with Bay of Bengal. The strategic and commercial benefits are likely to be considerable.
In its obsessive concern with national interest, India appears to have forgotten its hallowed tradition of respecting values of liberty and extending support to national liberation movements. While abandoning “constructive engagement” with the junta would perhaps not be a pragmatic option under the prevailing circumstances, India can try to be a little more assertive about what she expects from the junta in terms of respecting democratic norms. The junta also has a stake in improving relations with India.
Instead of being in perpetual fear of losing ground to China, India should make the best of the situation by taking concrete steps to make interaction with Myanmar beneficial for both. We should persuade the junta to follow the path of reconciliation with Suu Kyi so that democracy is eventually restored in Myanmar. If India fails to raise a voice against the harassment faced by Suu Kyi, its credibility as the largest democracy on earth stands questioned.
As Suu Kyi herself has observed: “It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who yield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it”. (Freedom from Fear).
The Statesman - Democracy in Myanmar
Where Does India Stand?
Jayita Mukhopadhyay
While India has been celebrating Durga Puja - the triumph of good and justice over the forces of evil - a frail woman with an indomitable spirit has been fighting for the deliverance of her countrymen from exploitation and oppression perpetrated by the military of neighbouring country Myanmar. Yet, we in India, particularly our government, are oblivious to the trials and tribulations of Aung Sung Suu Kyi, leader of that country’s peaceful pro-democracy movement and an icon of the democratic aspirations of the downtrodden the world over.
Suu Kyi has been placed under house arrest by the military dictators. Recently, she faced fresh trial on the flimsy charge of breaching the conditions of her detention after the bizarre incident in which an American, John Yettaw, swam to her lakeside residence in May this year. After a farcical trial condemned worldwide, she has been found guilty and her house arrest has been extended by another 18 months.
It is quite evident that the junta is determined to keep her out of the public domain during the election next year. However, India maintains an intriguing silence over the whole episode. The government’s response to the brutal crackdown on the pro-democracy rallies, led by the Buddhist monks in September 2007, was also quite lukewarm. Indeed, India’s policy towards Myanmar has undergone a sea-change since the nineties. The Rajiv Gandhi government had expressed full solidarity with Suu Kyi and the pro-democracy movement, extending every possible support. Refugee status was granted to those who had left their hearth and home, taking shelter in the North-east.
Shift in policy
However, a paradigm shift in policy took place towards the early nineties. With the introduction of economic reforms by the Narasimha Rao government, India started treading the path of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. Foreign policy priorities were rejigged as Delhi wanted to emerge as a global power. Protection of national interests was accorded greater importance than commitment to the values of democracy, popular governance, protection of human rights and so on.
To gain the status of a global power, India needs to achieve a dominant position in Asia, ensure its territorial security and suitably protect and enhance its military might. China has historically been its main contender in the race to gain hegemonic status in Asia.
Myanmar is strategically important to India as it acts as a buffer between the two countries, preventing an accidental collision. Since the beginning of the junta rule, Myanmar started moving closer to China. Pakistan also boasts cordial relations with China. This geo-political scenario has created the possibility of “encirclement of India” by countries close to China, whereas our interest lies in “limiting the zone of influence” of China.
Beijing is playing a substantial role in the industrial development of Myanmar. It has set up a maritime reconnaissance and electronic intelligence station in the Coco Island off Myanmar. It is a site from where it can keep a close watch on the vital military installations on our eastern shore. China is reportedly building a base at this strategic location.
To counter-balance this growing Chinese influence in Myanmar, our foreign policy establishment decided to court Myanmar as well, particularly to develop military cooperation so as to offset the advantages China has gained. There has been an exchange of visits by the chiefs of the army, navy and air force. There have been joint manoeuvres too with the Myanmar navy.
It was also felt that to tackle insurgency in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, the cooperation of Myanmar would be useful. Tribal groups, involved in secessionist movements in the North-east, have ethnic ties with similar groups within Myanmar and receive training in bases operating there. It is necessary to bust these bases to curb these movements, and this can only be done if the junta cooperates.
It was also felt that intensification of legalised border trade between the two countries would provide new sources of livelihood to people of this land-locked region. That will also curb the volume of drug-peddling and arms smuggling across the border, and may also help control the spread of AIDS in the region.
The success of India’s “Look East Policy” (initiated by Narasimha Rao), with its emphasis on expanding trade relations with South-east Asia, presupposes friendly relations with Myanmar. It is India’s gateway to ASEAN. It is the only ASEAN country with which India shares a land border. The proposed Trans-Asian Highway, if implemented, will link India with Bangkok via Myanmar and is likely to open up new vistas in trade and commercial exchanges between India and other countries of this region.
Fear factor
Myanmar offers a veritable source of energy at our doorstep. China is already ahead of us in exploring and using Myanmar’s natural gas. ONGC Videsh Ltd and the Gas Authority of India hold 30 per cent and 10 per cent equity shares respectively in companies exploring oil and gas at Rakhine coast off Myanmar.
Our policy-makers believe that India cannot afford to turn its back on a regime which does not measure up to international norms. The country’s security and economic stakes are much too high to allow such a stand. Recently, India has signed agreements with Myanmar for the development of Sittwe port and the implementation of the Kaladan transit transport project that links India’s North-east with Bay of Bengal. The strategic and commercial benefits are likely to be considerable.
In its obsessive concern with national interest, India appears to have forgotten its hallowed tradition of respecting values of liberty and extending support to national liberation movements. While abandoning “constructive engagement” with the junta would perhaps not be a pragmatic option under the prevailing circumstances, India can try to be a little more assertive about what she expects from the junta in terms of respecting democratic norms. The junta also has a stake in improving relations with India.
Instead of being in perpetual fear of losing ground to China, India should make the best of the situation by taking concrete steps to make interaction with Myanmar beneficial for both. We should persuade the junta to follow the path of reconciliation with Suu Kyi so that democracy is eventually restored in Myanmar. If India fails to raise a voice against the harassment faced by Suu Kyi, its credibility as the largest democracy on earth stands questioned.
As Suu Kyi herself has observed: “It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who yield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it”. (Freedom from Fear).
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The Irrawaddy - Burmese Pro-democracy Leaders Visit US Sen. Webb
By LALIT K JHA - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
WASHINGTON — A delegation of pro-democracy leaders met US Sen. Jim Webb to present their views on the current situation in Burma and their perspective on the way forward, in particular with regard to sanctions and restoration of democracy in Burma.
The delegation was led by Maung Maung, the general secretary of the exiled National Council of the Union of Burma, and Bo Hla Tint, the foreign minister of the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. They were accompanied by legal advisers from the Public International Law and Policy Group.
Webb, who recently became the first US law maker to visit Burma in a decade, has emerged as a key player in the Obama administration in shaping America’s Burma policy. He met with Snr-Gen Than Shwe and the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit.
Maung Maung said the meeting helped them to understand each other’s points of view, and they learned that they share the same goals.
“He [Webb] clarified that his stand on sanctions was not lessening sanctions. He emphasized that he was misquoted by the media,” Maung Maung told The Irrawaddy. “He is not for the lifting of sanctions right now, at the moment. This is what we learnt from him.”
Maung Maung said Webb told the delegation that he wants more economic development, peace and prosperity in Burma. “He wants to help us,” he said.
He said they advised Webb that the present US policy of not lifting sanctions but working to increase diplomatic contacts is a sound policy.
“We are in support of the present Burma policy,” he said, adding that it needs to be continued with consistent and concentrated effort on the part of the US.
The delegation gave the senator reports on the issues of national reconciliation and ethnic nationalities.
By LALIT K JHA - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
WASHINGTON — A delegation of pro-democracy leaders met US Sen. Jim Webb to present their views on the current situation in Burma and their perspective on the way forward, in particular with regard to sanctions and restoration of democracy in Burma.
The delegation was led by Maung Maung, the general secretary of the exiled National Council of the Union of Burma, and Bo Hla Tint, the foreign minister of the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. They were accompanied by legal advisers from the Public International Law and Policy Group.
Webb, who recently became the first US law maker to visit Burma in a decade, has emerged as a key player in the Obama administration in shaping America’s Burma policy. He met with Snr-Gen Than Shwe and the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit.
Maung Maung said the meeting helped them to understand each other’s points of view, and they learned that they share the same goals.
“He [Webb] clarified that his stand on sanctions was not lessening sanctions. He emphasized that he was misquoted by the media,” Maung Maung told The Irrawaddy. “He is not for the lifting of sanctions right now, at the moment. This is what we learnt from him.”
Maung Maung said Webb told the delegation that he wants more economic development, peace and prosperity in Burma. “He wants to help us,” he said.
He said they advised Webb that the present US policy of not lifting sanctions but working to increase diplomatic contacts is a sound policy.
“We are in support of the present Burma policy,” he said, adding that it needs to be continued with consistent and concentrated effort on the part of the US.
The delegation gave the senator reports on the issues of national reconciliation and ethnic nationalities.
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The Irrawaddy - Is the US Ready to Challenge China's Asean Influence?
By WILLIAM BOOT - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
BANGKOK — Proposals by a prominent Washington senator to push the US government into a free trade agreement with Asean may be no more than a political prod to get President Barack Obama more engaged in Southeast Asia.
The same senator, Richard Lugar, prompted legislation in Washington in 2006 that forced President George W. Bush to appoint a US ambassador to Asean.
Bush called in US State Department career diplomat Scot Marciel and merely extended his title—to become Deputy Assistant Secretary East Asia and Pacific Bureau and Ambassador for Asean Affairs.
Nothing else changed beyond that.
After eight years of Bush neglect, Asean is only the US's fifth-largest trading partner, behind Canada, Mexico, China and the European Union.
US exports to the 10 Asean countries reached US $ 68.4 billion in 2008, about the same as US exports to China but still three times larger than exports to India.
These figures come from the US-Asean Business Council, a private industry-to-industry organization which has existed for more than 20 years.
What concerns Lugar, the Republican Party leader in the influential US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is that during the Bush years China's economic influence in Asean greatly outgrew that of America.
China's overall trade and investment with the region mushroomed 20-fold between 2003 and 2008 to around US $200 billion—to reach about the same overall level as the US.
And this is before China fully implements a three-pronged fair trade agreement (FTA) with Asean, expected to happen during 2010. It is the first free trade agreement signed by China, according to the official news agency Xinhua, and will embrace trade, services and investment.
Lugar fears that such a development will put the US at a serious disadvantage in the region, but numerous political analysts take the view that the Bush years have already disadvantaged the US in Asia.
Two examples of China creep in Southeast Asia which might have seemed unthinkable a decade ago: Beijing has built a key Indian Ocean-facing strategic port on the coast of Burma which among other uses will transship oil from Africa and the Middle East through a pipeline into southwest China. The Singapore government has decreed that Mandarin should be taught alongside English in schools because of the strategic island-state's rising economic ties with China.
Beijing now also has an Asean "ambassador." Xue Hanqin recently spoke about "cooperative projects" in agriculture, telecommunications, energy, transport and tourism and—or particular concern to five members of Asean—"Mekong River exploitation."
An Asean-China investment agreement signed in August will expand "bilateral investments by 40 to 60 percent over the next two years," Thai Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai said when signing the deal on behalf of Asean.
Given the weak and underdeveloped condition of almost half of the bloc's members, the bulk of this investment will flow from China.
The US has an FTA in place with Singapore and has held talks with Malaysia on the subject. Negotiations with Thailand ended abruptly in 2006 after initiator Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted as prime minister in a military coup.
The US last year signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with Asean—known as a TIFA—which many see as a precursor to a full free-trade pact.
Lugar acknowledges that achieving an FTA would be "complex and have possible challenges to negotiation given the varying levels of economic development and open markets among Asean countries," he said in a statement outlining his proposal.
The European Union has been negotiating an FTA with Asean since May 2007 and has faced numerous stumbling blocks, given the huge disparity in economic development among Southeast Asian countries. Europe also has problems with including Burma, where it has a number of economic sanctions in place—as does the US.
But despite that hurdle, Washington "should proceed to develop a comprehensive strategy toward engaging Asean," Lugar said.
Observers think that if the US government is keen to pursue the idea, the perfect opportunity to trigger talks will be on the sidelines of the Asean annual summit, to be held this year in Singapore from November 18-22.
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab is expected to be present.
She might "inject life" into the floundering TIFA, suggested the chairman of the Institute of Policy Studies in Singapore, Tommy Koh.
The Asean summit is also being held back-to-back with the Asia-Pacific cooperation forum known as APEC, which President Obama is scheduled to attend.
Washington has made noises about Burma, but the US's economically weakened condition in the wake of the global financial crisis, and its preoccupation with Afghanistan, has made some in Asean question American commitment to Southeast Asia.
"The new US administration will have to signal soon how it intends to engage Asia, and vice-versa," Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and Schwartz Fellow at the Asia Society in the United States, said in a recent commentary.
By WILLIAM BOOT - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
BANGKOK — Proposals by a prominent Washington senator to push the US government into a free trade agreement with Asean may be no more than a political prod to get President Barack Obama more engaged in Southeast Asia.
The same senator, Richard Lugar, prompted legislation in Washington in 2006 that forced President George W. Bush to appoint a US ambassador to Asean.
Bush called in US State Department career diplomat Scot Marciel and merely extended his title—to become Deputy Assistant Secretary East Asia and Pacific Bureau and Ambassador for Asean Affairs.
Nothing else changed beyond that.
After eight years of Bush neglect, Asean is only the US's fifth-largest trading partner, behind Canada, Mexico, China and the European Union.
US exports to the 10 Asean countries reached US $ 68.4 billion in 2008, about the same as US exports to China but still three times larger than exports to India.
These figures come from the US-Asean Business Council, a private industry-to-industry organization which has existed for more than 20 years.
What concerns Lugar, the Republican Party leader in the influential US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is that during the Bush years China's economic influence in Asean greatly outgrew that of America.
China's overall trade and investment with the region mushroomed 20-fold between 2003 and 2008 to around US $200 billion—to reach about the same overall level as the US.
And this is before China fully implements a three-pronged fair trade agreement (FTA) with Asean, expected to happen during 2010. It is the first free trade agreement signed by China, according to the official news agency Xinhua, and will embrace trade, services and investment.
Lugar fears that such a development will put the US at a serious disadvantage in the region, but numerous political analysts take the view that the Bush years have already disadvantaged the US in Asia.
Two examples of China creep in Southeast Asia which might have seemed unthinkable a decade ago: Beijing has built a key Indian Ocean-facing strategic port on the coast of Burma which among other uses will transship oil from Africa and the Middle East through a pipeline into southwest China. The Singapore government has decreed that Mandarin should be taught alongside English in schools because of the strategic island-state's rising economic ties with China.
Beijing now also has an Asean "ambassador." Xue Hanqin recently spoke about "cooperative projects" in agriculture, telecommunications, energy, transport and tourism and—or particular concern to five members of Asean—"Mekong River exploitation."
An Asean-China investment agreement signed in August will expand "bilateral investments by 40 to 60 percent over the next two years," Thai Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai said when signing the deal on behalf of Asean.
Given the weak and underdeveloped condition of almost half of the bloc's members, the bulk of this investment will flow from China.
The US has an FTA in place with Singapore and has held talks with Malaysia on the subject. Negotiations with Thailand ended abruptly in 2006 after initiator Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted as prime minister in a military coup.
The US last year signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with Asean—known as a TIFA—which many see as a precursor to a full free-trade pact.
Lugar acknowledges that achieving an FTA would be "complex and have possible challenges to negotiation given the varying levels of economic development and open markets among Asean countries," he said in a statement outlining his proposal.
The European Union has been negotiating an FTA with Asean since May 2007 and has faced numerous stumbling blocks, given the huge disparity in economic development among Southeast Asian countries. Europe also has problems with including Burma, where it has a number of economic sanctions in place—as does the US.
But despite that hurdle, Washington "should proceed to develop a comprehensive strategy toward engaging Asean," Lugar said.
Observers think that if the US government is keen to pursue the idea, the perfect opportunity to trigger talks will be on the sidelines of the Asean annual summit, to be held this year in Singapore from November 18-22.
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab is expected to be present.
She might "inject life" into the floundering TIFA, suggested the chairman of the Institute of Policy Studies in Singapore, Tommy Koh.
The Asean summit is also being held back-to-back with the Asia-Pacific cooperation forum known as APEC, which President Obama is scheduled to attend.
Washington has made noises about Burma, but the US's economically weakened condition in the wake of the global financial crisis, and its preoccupation with Afghanistan, has made some in Asean question American commitment to Southeast Asia.
"The new US administration will have to signal soon how it intends to engage Asia, and vice-versa," Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and Schwartz Fellow at the Asia Society in the United States, said in a recent commentary.
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EU diplomats’ fact-finding mission extends to USDA
by Salai Pi Pi
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 21:00
New Delhi (Mizzima) – As part of its fact-finding mission, European Union diplomats last week met the Chairman of Burma’s military junta-backed civilian outfit, the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA).
Diplomatic sources as well as the junta’s mouthpiece the New Light of Myanmar newspaper on Wednesday said the Swedish Ambassador to Thailand Lennart Linner along with European diplomats based in Rangoon and Bangkok on October 16 met USDA, General Secretary Htay Oo.
“Htay Oo explained to them about USDA and its state and rural development work. He also discussed with them the issue related to the present political condition in the country,” the paper said.
While the Swedish embassy in Bangkok refused to comment on the meeting, David Lipman, the EU regional ambassador, who returned from a five-day visit to Burma told journalists in Bangkok on Tuesday that he had detected a new mood among the Generals.
“I think the government is being a lot more cooperative than in the past. They are basically engaged,” reports quoted Lipman as saying.
Earlier on October 14, the EU delegation visited Burma’s opposition party headquarters in Rangoon’s Shwegondine Street and met National League for Democracy’s Central Executive Committee members.
During the meeting, the delegation asked the NLD about its stand on the junta’s planned 2010 elections, Aung San Suu Kyi’s cooperation and fact finding on sanctions, and whether the party is demanding a power-sharing arrangement by asking the junta to revise its 2008 constitution.
Khin Maung Swe, a CEC member of the NLD, who attended the meeting, told Mizzima that the NLD is willing to work in harmony with the international community and it does look for power but demands a revision of the 2008 constitution to a constitution that reflects the will of the people and guarantees the rights and equality of all Burmese citizens.
However, Win Min, a Thailand-based Burmese analyst on Wednesday, said the European Union delegations’ meeting with the USDA, a group widely known as the junta’s puppet organisation, could be a compromise between the junta and the EU diplomats, who were also allowed to meet the NLD.
“Apparently it is a kind of ‘give and take’ between the regime and the EU,” Win Min said.
“The regime wanted them to meet the USDA when they [EU diplomats] approached them for permission to meet NLD members,” he added.
The USDA, formed in 1993, is proclaimed by the ruling junta as the largest civilian organisation in the country having about 24 million members across the country. Burmese military junta supremo Senior General Than Shwe is a patron of the organization.
Observers said the USDA seems to be preparing to run for office in the forthcoming 2010 elections, but said it is still not clear whether the group will transform into a political party or will float a separate party.
“It seems that EU diplomats also wanted to know the USDA’s position on the 2010 election,” Win Min said.
Since the United States in September announced its new policy of engaging the military junta, while maintaining the existing sanctions, the European Union said it is conducting a fact finding mission to analyse its position on Burma and in order to help the Southeast Asian nation into a smooth transition that will be inclusive, the EU diplomats told NLD leaders during their meeting.
Earlier in April, EU renewed its sanctions on the Burmese military junta, which was first imposed in 1996.
However, the London-based Burma Campaign UK had earlier said members of the EU had long been divided over sanctions, with several countries including Germany not favouring sanctions, while British led other groups wanting to follow the US path of sanctions.
Despite the disagreement, EU stepped up its sanctions by adding to the list of targeted sanctions the members of the judiciary responsible for sentencing pro-democracy leader Aung San SUu Kyi on August 11.
However, EU has left a channel open for providing humanitarian assistance to Burma. On Tuesday, the EU announced that it will provide €35m as the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust fund (LIFT) for humanitarian assistance to Burma.
“I think the fund apparently will go for relief work in the delta region and other areas of the country,” a western diplomat based in Rangoon told Mizzima.
“This time we tried to cover the whole area in the country,” he added.
by Salai Pi Pi
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 21:00
New Delhi (Mizzima) – As part of its fact-finding mission, European Union diplomats last week met the Chairman of Burma’s military junta-backed civilian outfit, the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA).
Diplomatic sources as well as the junta’s mouthpiece the New Light of Myanmar newspaper on Wednesday said the Swedish Ambassador to Thailand Lennart Linner along with European diplomats based in Rangoon and Bangkok on October 16 met USDA, General Secretary Htay Oo.
“Htay Oo explained to them about USDA and its state and rural development work. He also discussed with them the issue related to the present political condition in the country,” the paper said.
While the Swedish embassy in Bangkok refused to comment on the meeting, David Lipman, the EU regional ambassador, who returned from a five-day visit to Burma told journalists in Bangkok on Tuesday that he had detected a new mood among the Generals.
“I think the government is being a lot more cooperative than in the past. They are basically engaged,” reports quoted Lipman as saying.
Earlier on October 14, the EU delegation visited Burma’s opposition party headquarters in Rangoon’s Shwegondine Street and met National League for Democracy’s Central Executive Committee members.
During the meeting, the delegation asked the NLD about its stand on the junta’s planned 2010 elections, Aung San Suu Kyi’s cooperation and fact finding on sanctions, and whether the party is demanding a power-sharing arrangement by asking the junta to revise its 2008 constitution.
Khin Maung Swe, a CEC member of the NLD, who attended the meeting, told Mizzima that the NLD is willing to work in harmony with the international community and it does look for power but demands a revision of the 2008 constitution to a constitution that reflects the will of the people and guarantees the rights and equality of all Burmese citizens.
However, Win Min, a Thailand-based Burmese analyst on Wednesday, said the European Union delegations’ meeting with the USDA, a group widely known as the junta’s puppet organisation, could be a compromise between the junta and the EU diplomats, who were also allowed to meet the NLD.
“Apparently it is a kind of ‘give and take’ between the regime and the EU,” Win Min said.
“The regime wanted them to meet the USDA when they [EU diplomats] approached them for permission to meet NLD members,” he added.
The USDA, formed in 1993, is proclaimed by the ruling junta as the largest civilian organisation in the country having about 24 million members across the country. Burmese military junta supremo Senior General Than Shwe is a patron of the organization.
Observers said the USDA seems to be preparing to run for office in the forthcoming 2010 elections, but said it is still not clear whether the group will transform into a political party or will float a separate party.
“It seems that EU diplomats also wanted to know the USDA’s position on the 2010 election,” Win Min said.
Since the United States in September announced its new policy of engaging the military junta, while maintaining the existing sanctions, the European Union said it is conducting a fact finding mission to analyse its position on Burma and in order to help the Southeast Asian nation into a smooth transition that will be inclusive, the EU diplomats told NLD leaders during their meeting.
Earlier in April, EU renewed its sanctions on the Burmese military junta, which was first imposed in 1996.
However, the London-based Burma Campaign UK had earlier said members of the EU had long been divided over sanctions, with several countries including Germany not favouring sanctions, while British led other groups wanting to follow the US path of sanctions.
Despite the disagreement, EU stepped up its sanctions by adding to the list of targeted sanctions the members of the judiciary responsible for sentencing pro-democracy leader Aung San SUu Kyi on August 11.
However, EU has left a channel open for providing humanitarian assistance to Burma. On Tuesday, the EU announced that it will provide €35m as the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust fund (LIFT) for humanitarian assistance to Burma.
“I think the fund apparently will go for relief work in the delta region and other areas of the country,” a western diplomat based in Rangoon told Mizzima.
“This time we tried to cover the whole area in the country,” he added.
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