Elders leave empty chair as Aung San Suu Kyi turns 65
Thu Jun 17, 1:09 pm ET
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – A group of global statesmen founded by Nelson Mandela urged Myanmar's neighbours Thursday to boost pressure on the reclusive state, to mark democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's 65th birthday.
The Elders, who include former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan, ex US president Jimmy Carter and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, made the appeal after leaving a seat symbolically empty for Aung Sang Suu Kyi at a meeting in South Africa.
Elections are planned in the southeast Asian country for the end of this year, but critics have dismissed them as a sham due to laws that have effectively barred Aung San Suu Kyi from participating.
"National processes in Burma have been usurped by the military government -- they do not serve the people. The elections due later this year will not be any different," said Elders chairman Tutu.
"With such deep fractures in society, the country needs an avenue for dialogue. Without a way to talk and reconcile with one another, the people will never achieve the peace and prosperity they deserve," he added.
At a recent meeting in Johannesburg, the Elders kept an empty chair draped in Burmese silk to symbolise the absence of "Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's thousands of political prisoners."
Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, was dissolved last month after refusing to re-register as a political party, a move that would have forced it to expel its own leader because she is serving a prison term.
Former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari said Myanmar's neighbours and partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should also help put pressure on the military junta.
"Neighbouring countries have already experienced the effects of conflict in border areas and have the greatest interest in trying to prevent future instability," he said.
"The international community should also make every effort to help Burma/Myanmar?s divided peoples to find a peaceful and prosperous way forward," he added.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who will be 65 on Saturday, "is a global symbol of moral courage in the face of repression," said Carter.
"As she spends yet another year in captivity, we urge the world, and especially Burma/Myanmar?s partners in ASEAN, to recognise that it is an oppressive and misguided regime that excludes her and thousands of other political activists from playing a part in their country?s future."
Thu Jun 17, 1:09 pm ET
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – A group of global statesmen founded by Nelson Mandela urged Myanmar's neighbours Thursday to boost pressure on the reclusive state, to mark democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's 65th birthday.
The Elders, who include former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan, ex US president Jimmy Carter and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, made the appeal after leaving a seat symbolically empty for Aung Sang Suu Kyi at a meeting in South Africa.
Elections are planned in the southeast Asian country for the end of this year, but critics have dismissed them as a sham due to laws that have effectively barred Aung San Suu Kyi from participating.
"National processes in Burma have been usurped by the military government -- they do not serve the people. The elections due later this year will not be any different," said Elders chairman Tutu.
"With such deep fractures in society, the country needs an avenue for dialogue. Without a way to talk and reconcile with one another, the people will never achieve the peace and prosperity they deserve," he added.
At a recent meeting in Johannesburg, the Elders kept an empty chair draped in Burmese silk to symbolise the absence of "Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's thousands of political prisoners."
Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, was dissolved last month after refusing to re-register as a political party, a move that would have forced it to expel its own leader because she is serving a prison term.
Former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari said Myanmar's neighbours and partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should also help put pressure on the military junta.
"Neighbouring countries have already experienced the effects of conflict in border areas and have the greatest interest in trying to prevent future instability," he said.
"The international community should also make every effort to help Burma/Myanmar?s divided peoples to find a peaceful and prosperous way forward," he added.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who will be 65 on Saturday, "is a global symbol of moral courage in the face of repression," said Carter.
"As she spends yet another year in captivity, we urge the world, and especially Burma/Myanmar?s partners in ASEAN, to recognise that it is an oppressive and misguided regime that excludes her and thousands of other political activists from playing a part in their country?s future."
*****************************************************
Suu Kyi supporters worldwide mark 65th birthday
Fri Jun 18, 12:31 am ET
YANGON (AFP) – From tree planting in Myanmar to a solidarity rally in Washington and flash mobs in Britain, people around the world are holding events to mark the 65th birthday Saturday of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Supporters of Myanmar's iconic democracy leader plan to throw a small party for her at one of their houses in northern Yangon, but Suu Kyi won't be there.
Instead the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in detention for almost 15 years, is expected to spend a quiet day at her lakeside mansion where she is kept without telephone or Internet access, cut off from the outside world.
Members of her National League for Democracy are planting about 20,000 saplings around Myanmar to mark her birthday.
"It's difficult without Daw Suu in a leading role. But we try our best with our belief because we have seen Daw Suu struggling for the people," Min Zaw Oo, a 29-year-old NLD youth member, told AFP.
"She's our role model. So we will continue to believe in her. We always pray for her release. Not only on her birthday."
Nandar Lin, 22, said women NLD youth members would recall Suu Kyi's past speeches on Saturday "as a birthday present to her".
"I haven't seen Daw Suu in person since I joined the party in 2007," she lamented. "Daw" is a term of respect in Myanmar.
Suu Kyi's soft voice and demeanour belie her status as the biggest threat to the ruling junta ahead of elections planned for sometime this year.
Her party won the last vote in 1990 but was never allowed to take office, and she is barred from standing in the upcoming polls -- the country's first in two decades.
"Aung San Suu Kyi is a global symbol of moral courage in the face of repression," said former US president Jimmy Carter, who attended a recent gathering in South Africa of eminent former leaders to mark her birthday.
Critics say the elections are a sham aimed at simply entrenching the generals' power, and a UN working group this week pronounced her detention a breach of international human rights law, prompting new calls for her release.
Suu Kyi's NLD is no longer recognised by the junta as an official party after refusing to meet a May 6 deadline to re-register -- a move that would have forced it to expel its leader and other members in detention.
Under election legislation unveiled in March, anyone serving a prison term is banned from being a member of a political party and parties that fail to obey the rule will be abolished.
Even so the woman known in Myanmar simply as "The Lady" remains the most powerful symbol of freedom in a country where the army rules with an iron fist.
"As long as she's in Burma and she's alive she's always going to be a threat to military rule," said David Mathieson of New York-based Human Rights Watch.
"She's always going to be standing up for the rights of her people and be the embodiment of the promise of a better future for the country," he said.
Among events planned worldwide, activists will stage a rally on Saturday outside the Capitol Building in Washington, while in London campaigners plan a demonstration on Friday in front of the Myanmar embassy.
Elsewhere in Britain, supporters are calling for flash mobs -- large groups of people who mass suddenly in public places -- to gather Saturday in different locations with Suu Kyi face masks to raise awareness of her plight.
And in Bangkok, opposition groups held a ceremony where they cut a birthday cake and delivered impassioned speeches calling for her release.
"She will spend another birthday under house arrest as a political prisoner," said Zipporah Sein, the general secretary of the Karen National Union, one of the biggest ethnic groups fighting Myanmar's junta.
"It is very sad that the upcoming sham election and the undemocratic election law have isolated her from the people of Burma. It is because of her vision, her courage -- her vision for freedom and democracy for Burma."
Suu Kyi had her incarceration lengthened by 18 months in August last year after being convicted over a bizarre incident in which a US man swam to her lakeside home, and there are fears her detention may be extended again.
"I think that they can constantly find reasons to extend it," said Mathieson of Human Rights Watch. "They'll only ever release her when they have the confidence that they can contain her."
Fri Jun 18, 12:31 am ET
YANGON (AFP) – From tree planting in Myanmar to a solidarity rally in Washington and flash mobs in Britain, people around the world are holding events to mark the 65th birthday Saturday of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Supporters of Myanmar's iconic democracy leader plan to throw a small party for her at one of their houses in northern Yangon, but Suu Kyi won't be there.
Instead the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in detention for almost 15 years, is expected to spend a quiet day at her lakeside mansion where she is kept without telephone or Internet access, cut off from the outside world.
Members of her National League for Democracy are planting about 20,000 saplings around Myanmar to mark her birthday.
"It's difficult without Daw Suu in a leading role. But we try our best with our belief because we have seen Daw Suu struggling for the people," Min Zaw Oo, a 29-year-old NLD youth member, told AFP.
"She's our role model. So we will continue to believe in her. We always pray for her release. Not only on her birthday."
Nandar Lin, 22, said women NLD youth members would recall Suu Kyi's past speeches on Saturday "as a birthday present to her".
"I haven't seen Daw Suu in person since I joined the party in 2007," she lamented. "Daw" is a term of respect in Myanmar.
Suu Kyi's soft voice and demeanour belie her status as the biggest threat to the ruling junta ahead of elections planned for sometime this year.
Her party won the last vote in 1990 but was never allowed to take office, and she is barred from standing in the upcoming polls -- the country's first in two decades.
"Aung San Suu Kyi is a global symbol of moral courage in the face of repression," said former US president Jimmy Carter, who attended a recent gathering in South Africa of eminent former leaders to mark her birthday.
Critics say the elections are a sham aimed at simply entrenching the generals' power, and a UN working group this week pronounced her detention a breach of international human rights law, prompting new calls for her release.
Suu Kyi's NLD is no longer recognised by the junta as an official party after refusing to meet a May 6 deadline to re-register -- a move that would have forced it to expel its leader and other members in detention.
Under election legislation unveiled in March, anyone serving a prison term is banned from being a member of a political party and parties that fail to obey the rule will be abolished.
Even so the woman known in Myanmar simply as "The Lady" remains the most powerful symbol of freedom in a country where the army rules with an iron fist.
"As long as she's in Burma and she's alive she's always going to be a threat to military rule," said David Mathieson of New York-based Human Rights Watch.
"She's always going to be standing up for the rights of her people and be the embodiment of the promise of a better future for the country," he said.
Among events planned worldwide, activists will stage a rally on Saturday outside the Capitol Building in Washington, while in London campaigners plan a demonstration on Friday in front of the Myanmar embassy.
Elsewhere in Britain, supporters are calling for flash mobs -- large groups of people who mass suddenly in public places -- to gather Saturday in different locations with Suu Kyi face masks to raise awareness of her plight.
And in Bangkok, opposition groups held a ceremony where they cut a birthday cake and delivered impassioned speeches calling for her release.
"She will spend another birthday under house arrest as a political prisoner," said Zipporah Sein, the general secretary of the Karen National Union, one of the biggest ethnic groups fighting Myanmar's junta.
"It is very sad that the upcoming sham election and the undemocratic election law have isolated her from the people of Burma. It is because of her vision, her courage -- her vision for freedom and democracy for Burma."
Suu Kyi had her incarceration lengthened by 18 months in August last year after being convicted over a bizarre incident in which a US man swam to her lakeside home, and there are fears her detention may be extended again.
"I think that they can constantly find reasons to extend it," said Mathieson of Human Rights Watch. "They'll only ever release her when they have the confidence that they can contain her."
*****************************************************
US expert sees widening resistance to malaria drug
(AFP) – 8 hours ago
HANOI (AFP) - Resistance to new anti-malarial medication appears to be spreading beyond the western Cambodia area where it was first detected, according to a US health official.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned early last year that parasites resistant to the drug artemisinin had emerged along the border between Cambodia and Thailand.
Artemisinin-based medication has been largely credited in recent years with increasing recovery rates from the mosquito-transmitted disease that kills nearly one million people a year worldwide.
Timothy Ziemer, the US government's global coordinator against malaria, said that after first being spotted in western Cambodia in 2007, "there are now indications of artemisinin resistance in other parts of the region".
Signs of resistance to artemisinin had been found in southern Myanmar and possibly on the Chinese-Myanmar border, and in southern Vietnam near Cambodia, the retired rear admiral told a regional conference that ended Friday.
The WHO warned last year that emergence of the resistance could "seriously undermine" efforts to bring malaria under control.
Artemisinin-based medication was regarded as a replacement for older drugs that were fast becoming useless in several areas of the world as the malaria parasite developed resistance to them.
Ziemer said the number of malaria cases had still fallen. In Vietnam, for example, they were down from about 190,000 in 1991 to 15,000 by 2008, he said.
"But it is essential that national governments remain focused to contain and eventually eliminate these multi-drug resistant strains," he told the conference on international cooperation against infectious diseases.
Important to that strategy is the elimination of fake and substandard medicines, which increase resistance, he said in a speech Thursday.
(AFP) – 8 hours ago
HANOI (AFP) - Resistance to new anti-malarial medication appears to be spreading beyond the western Cambodia area where it was first detected, according to a US health official.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned early last year that parasites resistant to the drug artemisinin had emerged along the border between Cambodia and Thailand.
Artemisinin-based medication has been largely credited in recent years with increasing recovery rates from the mosquito-transmitted disease that kills nearly one million people a year worldwide.
Timothy Ziemer, the US government's global coordinator against malaria, said that after first being spotted in western Cambodia in 2007, "there are now indications of artemisinin resistance in other parts of the region".
Signs of resistance to artemisinin had been found in southern Myanmar and possibly on the Chinese-Myanmar border, and in southern Vietnam near Cambodia, the retired rear admiral told a regional conference that ended Friday.
The WHO warned last year that emergence of the resistance could "seriously undermine" efforts to bring malaria under control.
Artemisinin-based medication was regarded as a replacement for older drugs that were fast becoming useless in several areas of the world as the malaria parasite developed resistance to them.
Ziemer said the number of malaria cases had still fallen. In Vietnam, for example, they were down from about 190,000 in 1991 to 15,000 by 2008, he said.
"But it is essential that national governments remain focused to contain and eventually eliminate these multi-drug resistant strains," he told the conference on international cooperation against infectious diseases.
Important to that strategy is the elimination of fake and substandard medicines, which increase resistance, he said in a speech Thursday.
*****************************************************
Flooding, landslides kill nearly 60 in Myanmar
Fri Jun 18, 2:08 am ET
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) – Days of flooding and landslides caused by monsoon downpours have killed 57 people in northwestern Myanmar, state media reported Friday.
The torrential rain that started Sunday and ended midweek in Myanmar's northwestern Rakhine state triggered floods and mudslides that washed away homes, damaged schools and bridges, and forced more than 2,000 people to flee, the state-run Myanma Ahlin newspaper reported.
Floodwater levels have receded and relief operations were under way, the report said.
In neighboring Bangladesh, heavy rains killed more than 50 people this week.
Flooding is common in Asia during the monsoon season that typically starts in late May.
Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar in May 2008, leaving more than 140,000 people dead or missing.
Fri Jun 18, 2:08 am ET
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) – Days of flooding and landslides caused by monsoon downpours have killed 57 people in northwestern Myanmar, state media reported Friday.
The torrential rain that started Sunday and ended midweek in Myanmar's northwestern Rakhine state triggered floods and mudslides that washed away homes, damaged schools and bridges, and forced more than 2,000 people to flee, the state-run Myanma Ahlin newspaper reported.
Floodwater levels have receded and relief operations were under way, the report said.
In neighboring Bangladesh, heavy rains killed more than 50 people this week.
Flooding is common in Asia during the monsoon season that typically starts in late May.
Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar in May 2008, leaving more than 140,000 people dead or missing.
*****************************************************
UN: Zimbabweans top asylum seekers worldwide
(AP) – 5 hours ago
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - The U.N. refugee agency says Zimbabweans top the list of people seeking asylum abroad.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said in its latest report 158,200 Zimbabweans sought asylum last year, fleeing political and economic turmoil and uncertainties over a fragile coalition government.
By comparison, about 48,600 people from Myanmar, also known as Burma, applied for asylum.
They were followed by about 39,000 Afghans, 39,200 Colombians and 37,900 Somalis.
The report, available in Zimbabwe's capital on Friday, says nine out of 10 Zimbabwean asylum seekers sought refuge in neighboring South Africa.
(AP) – 5 hours ago
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - The U.N. refugee agency says Zimbabweans top the list of people seeking asylum abroad.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said in its latest report 158,200 Zimbabweans sought asylum last year, fleeing political and economic turmoil and uncertainties over a fragile coalition government.
By comparison, about 48,600 people from Myanmar, also known as Burma, applied for asylum.
They were followed by about 39,000 Afghans, 39,200 Colombians and 37,900 Somalis.
The report, available in Zimbabwe's capital on Friday, says nine out of 10 Zimbabwean asylum seekers sought refuge in neighboring South Africa.
*****************************************************
Published on Friday, June 18, 2010 by The Independent/UK
CommonDreams.org - Aung San Suu Kyi's Desperate Plea to the World
by Andrew Buncombe
As Aung San Suu Kyi prepares to celebrate her 65th birthday tomorrow, confined in the house in which she has spent most of the past two decades, a confidante of the Burmese opposition leader has made a simple but passionate appeal to those in the West to use their freedom to help his country achieve the same.
In a hand-written letter smuggled out of Burma and passed to The Independent, U Win Tin writes: "I want to repeat and echo her own words - 'please use your liberty to promote ours'. I want to add more to it. Please bring more and more liberty to us, to our country, Burma. We are starving for it and we are waiting for someone or some institutions or some countries to bring it to us."
The plea from Ms Suu Kyi's friend and senior political ally, who himself spent almost 20 years in solitary confinement, comes at a desperately difficult time for the opponents of Burma's military junta.
Her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), has been forced to shut down after it decided it could not participate in an election due later this year when she and more than 2,000 political prisoners remain behind bars. While a breakaway group of supporters has decided to contest the polls, most independent analysts believe the election will simply further cement the junta's position.
While Ms Suu Kyi has been permitted occasional meetings with diplomats and her lawyers, she remains imprisoned within the lakeside Rangoon home once owned and occupied by her mother.
Analysts say that in the aftermath of the 2007 democracy protests - when tens of thousands of people took to the streets - the military authorities have made a concerted effort to marginalise the Nobel laureate, both physically and politically. Before the authorities had allowed the NLD and its largely frail and ageing membership to splutter on, although hundreds of its younger political activists, monks and dissidents were jailed. Now, it has been prevented from operating as a political party.
Amid this, the junta has claimed the elections due to be held this year will mark a crucial staging point in Burma's journey to full democracy. It is a claim that has been met with derision by most independent observers.
Just yesterday, The Elders, a group of global leaders called together by Nelson Mandela, used the occasion of Ms Suu Kyi's birthday to denounce the planned election.
"National processes in Burma have been usurped by the military government - they do not serve the people. The elections due later this year will not be any different," said Desmond Tutu, chairman of the group.
Gordon Brown told The Independent last night: "The reason I wrote to both Aung San Suu Kyi and Nelson Mandela as my final two letters as Prime Minister, was to send a message around the world that as long as [she] is not free then we cannot talk about a free world. And as long as [Mr Mandela's] dream of universal education and eradicating poverty is unrealised, then there is no justice. It is our duty, whatever position we are in, to fight for Aung San Suu Kyi to be free, and democracy to prevail."
Despite the junta's efforts to isolate her, experts say Ms Suu Kyi remains the sole person who could perhaps unite Burma. "She remains a powerful icon and, if she were free and there were free presidential elections tomorrow, there's no doubt in my mind that she would win," said author Bertil Lintner.
Aung Din, who also spent time in Burma's jails as a dissident and now heads the US Campaign for Burma, was even more forceful. "The junta are not able to remove the image of 'The Lady' from the hearts of the people. The more the people of Burma see and suffer abuses and injustices by the generals, the more they expect her to save their country".
Ms Suu Kyi - who rose to become leader of Burma's political opposition following massive democracy demonstrations in 1988 that were crushed with the loss of up to 6,000 lives - has been repeatedly jailed and detained by the authorities. Her first imprisonment followed an election in 1990 which the NLD won by a landslide but the military refused to acknowledge. Her current term of detention dates from 2003.
While she is slightly built and is perhaps starting to reflect her age, those who have met her during this time say she remains remarkably vibrant, alert and focused.
David Cameron has said that continuing to press for change in Burma will be a key part of his foreign policy agenda. The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said yesterday: "Her continued detention, and that of more than 2,100 other political prisoners in Burma, contravenes international human rights law and casts a long shadow over planned elections. I urge the military regime to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally."
Ms Suu Kyi's birthday will be celebrated with far more fanfare overseas than in Burma, where it is expected that just hardcore members of her NLD will gather. Paying their respects in person will be utterly impossible; since last year, the road that passes the opposition leader's crumbling house has been permanently barricaded.
Even at the age of 65, the woman inside carries with her a rare, special power that the generals still fear.
CommonDreams.org - Aung San Suu Kyi's Desperate Plea to the World
by Andrew Buncombe
As Aung San Suu Kyi prepares to celebrate her 65th birthday tomorrow, confined in the house in which she has spent most of the past two decades, a confidante of the Burmese opposition leader has made a simple but passionate appeal to those in the West to use their freedom to help his country achieve the same.
In a hand-written letter smuggled out of Burma and passed to The Independent, U Win Tin writes: "I want to repeat and echo her own words - 'please use your liberty to promote ours'. I want to add more to it. Please bring more and more liberty to us, to our country, Burma. We are starving for it and we are waiting for someone or some institutions or some countries to bring it to us."
The plea from Ms Suu Kyi's friend and senior political ally, who himself spent almost 20 years in solitary confinement, comes at a desperately difficult time for the opponents of Burma's military junta.
Her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), has been forced to shut down after it decided it could not participate in an election due later this year when she and more than 2,000 political prisoners remain behind bars. While a breakaway group of supporters has decided to contest the polls, most independent analysts believe the election will simply further cement the junta's position.
While Ms Suu Kyi has been permitted occasional meetings with diplomats and her lawyers, she remains imprisoned within the lakeside Rangoon home once owned and occupied by her mother.
Analysts say that in the aftermath of the 2007 democracy protests - when tens of thousands of people took to the streets - the military authorities have made a concerted effort to marginalise the Nobel laureate, both physically and politically. Before the authorities had allowed the NLD and its largely frail and ageing membership to splutter on, although hundreds of its younger political activists, monks and dissidents were jailed. Now, it has been prevented from operating as a political party.
Amid this, the junta has claimed the elections due to be held this year will mark a crucial staging point in Burma's journey to full democracy. It is a claim that has been met with derision by most independent observers.
Just yesterday, The Elders, a group of global leaders called together by Nelson Mandela, used the occasion of Ms Suu Kyi's birthday to denounce the planned election.
"National processes in Burma have been usurped by the military government - they do not serve the people. The elections due later this year will not be any different," said Desmond Tutu, chairman of the group.
Gordon Brown told The Independent last night: "The reason I wrote to both Aung San Suu Kyi and Nelson Mandela as my final two letters as Prime Minister, was to send a message around the world that as long as [she] is not free then we cannot talk about a free world. And as long as [Mr Mandela's] dream of universal education and eradicating poverty is unrealised, then there is no justice. It is our duty, whatever position we are in, to fight for Aung San Suu Kyi to be free, and democracy to prevail."
Despite the junta's efforts to isolate her, experts say Ms Suu Kyi remains the sole person who could perhaps unite Burma. "She remains a powerful icon and, if she were free and there were free presidential elections tomorrow, there's no doubt in my mind that she would win," said author Bertil Lintner.
Aung Din, who also spent time in Burma's jails as a dissident and now heads the US Campaign for Burma, was even more forceful. "The junta are not able to remove the image of 'The Lady' from the hearts of the people. The more the people of Burma see and suffer abuses and injustices by the generals, the more they expect her to save their country".
Ms Suu Kyi - who rose to become leader of Burma's political opposition following massive democracy demonstrations in 1988 that were crushed with the loss of up to 6,000 lives - has been repeatedly jailed and detained by the authorities. Her first imprisonment followed an election in 1990 which the NLD won by a landslide but the military refused to acknowledge. Her current term of detention dates from 2003.
While she is slightly built and is perhaps starting to reflect her age, those who have met her during this time say she remains remarkably vibrant, alert and focused.
David Cameron has said that continuing to press for change in Burma will be a key part of his foreign policy agenda. The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said yesterday: "Her continued detention, and that of more than 2,100 other political prisoners in Burma, contravenes international human rights law and casts a long shadow over planned elections. I urge the military regime to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally."
Ms Suu Kyi's birthday will be celebrated with far more fanfare overseas than in Burma, where it is expected that just hardcore members of her NLD will gather. Paying their respects in person will be utterly impossible; since last year, the road that passes the opposition leader's crumbling house has been permanently barricaded.
Even at the age of 65, the woman inside carries with her a rare, special power that the generals still fear.
*****************************************************
Daily Telegraph - Britain makes Aung San Suu Kyi birthday plea to Burmese
From: AFP
June 18, 2010 9:13PM
BRITAIN has called for Burma democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be immediately and unconditionally released as she prepares to mark yet another birthday in detention.
"Aung San Suu Kyi is 65 this Saturday, having spent 14 of the last 20 years under house arrest," Foreign Secretary William Hague said.
"Her continued detention, and that of more than 2100 other political prisoners in Burma, contravenes international human rights law and casts a long shadow over planned elections in the country.
"I urge the military regime to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally, and respect the human rights of Burma's people."
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate studied at Oxford University and married a British academic, Michael Aris.
He died in 1999, a decade after she was placed under house arrest for helping set up the National League for Democracy.
The NLD won the last election in 1990 but was never allowed to take office, and Suu Kyi is barred from standing in polls planned for this year.
Jeremy Browne, Britain's minister for southeast Asia, said Burma's military junta should accept the democracy icon's offer of dialogue to help the country move to civilian and accountable government.
"This is more than a human tragedy - it is a tragic waste of talent, vision and leadership for a country that desperately needs all three," he said.
"The people of Burma have suffered enough. A genuine transition to civilian and accountable government is long overdue. I am committed to making sure the UK plays a part in helping them achieve this."
From: AFP
June 18, 2010 9:13PM
BRITAIN has called for Burma democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be immediately and unconditionally released as she prepares to mark yet another birthday in detention.
"Aung San Suu Kyi is 65 this Saturday, having spent 14 of the last 20 years under house arrest," Foreign Secretary William Hague said.
"Her continued detention, and that of more than 2100 other political prisoners in Burma, contravenes international human rights law and casts a long shadow over planned elections in the country.
"I urge the military regime to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally, and respect the human rights of Burma's people."
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate studied at Oxford University and married a British academic, Michael Aris.
He died in 1999, a decade after she was placed under house arrest for helping set up the National League for Democracy.
The NLD won the last election in 1990 but was never allowed to take office, and Suu Kyi is barred from standing in polls planned for this year.
Jeremy Browne, Britain's minister for southeast Asia, said Burma's military junta should accept the democracy icon's offer of dialogue to help the country move to civilian and accountable government.
"This is more than a human tragedy - it is a tragic waste of talent, vision and leadership for a country that desperately needs all three," he said.
"The people of Burma have suffered enough. A genuine transition to civilian and accountable government is long overdue. I am committed to making sure the UK plays a part in helping them achieve this."
*****************************************************
UK ministers call for Suu Kyi's release
By the CNN Wire Staff
June 18, 2010 8:12 a.m. EDT
(CNN) -- British Foreign Office ministers called Friday for the immediate and unconditional release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, detained in Myanmar, on the eve of her 65th birthday Saturday.
Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, has spent 14 of the past 20 years under house arrest.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Suu Kyi's continued detention "contravenes international human rights law and casts a long shadow over planned elections in the country." He urged the military to release her and all other political prisoners immediately.
A similar call came Thursday from U.N. Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana, who is on the U.N. Human Rights Council. He said the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Suu Kyi's detention is a breach of international human rights law.
"Aung San Suu Kyi has made clear her commitment to working with all parties to achieve national reconciliation. It is high time the regime released her and accepted her offer of dialogue," said Britain's minister for southeast Asia, Jeremy Browne.
"In highlighting the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi, we should remember that she is just one of more than 2,100 political prisoners currently detained by the military authorities," he said. "Many are imprisoned far from the support of their families, in harsh conditions, for sentences of 65 years or longer.
"This is more than a human tragedy -- it is a tragic waste of talent, vision and leadership for a country that desperately needs all three," he said.
Suu Kyi has been imprisoned or under house arrest repeatedly since 1990, when her party, the National League for Democracy, won a landslide election victory.
The military junta that rules Myanmar never recognized the results. The junta recently passed a law that made her ineligible to stand in the upcoming election because she had a court conviction.
The Nobel peace laureate's current house arrest was extended by 18 months last August after an incident in which American John Yettaw snuck into her lakeside home uninvited and stayed for two days.
That prompted Suu Kyi to be tried on charges of government subversion. She told the court she didn't know Yettaw, was unaware of his plans to visit, and didn't report his intrusion because she didn't want him to get into trouble.
She was sentenced to additional home confinement after being found guilty of violating the terms of her house arrest.
By the CNN Wire Staff
June 18, 2010 8:12 a.m. EDT
(CNN) -- British Foreign Office ministers called Friday for the immediate and unconditional release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, detained in Myanmar, on the eve of her 65th birthday Saturday.
Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, has spent 14 of the past 20 years under house arrest.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Suu Kyi's continued detention "contravenes international human rights law and casts a long shadow over planned elections in the country." He urged the military to release her and all other political prisoners immediately.
A similar call came Thursday from U.N. Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana, who is on the U.N. Human Rights Council. He said the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Suu Kyi's detention is a breach of international human rights law.
"Aung San Suu Kyi has made clear her commitment to working with all parties to achieve national reconciliation. It is high time the regime released her and accepted her offer of dialogue," said Britain's minister for southeast Asia, Jeremy Browne.
"In highlighting the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi, we should remember that she is just one of more than 2,100 political prisoners currently detained by the military authorities," he said. "Many are imprisoned far from the support of their families, in harsh conditions, for sentences of 65 years or longer.
"This is more than a human tragedy -- it is a tragic waste of talent, vision and leadership for a country that desperately needs all three," he said.
Suu Kyi has been imprisoned or under house arrest repeatedly since 1990, when her party, the National League for Democracy, won a landslide election victory.
The military junta that rules Myanmar never recognized the results. The junta recently passed a law that made her ineligible to stand in the upcoming election because she had a court conviction.
The Nobel peace laureate's current house arrest was extended by 18 months last August after an incident in which American John Yettaw snuck into her lakeside home uninvited and stayed for two days.
That prompted Suu Kyi to be tried on charges of government subversion. She told the court she didn't know Yettaw, was unaware of his plans to visit, and didn't report his intrusion because she didn't want him to get into trouble.
She was sentenced to additional home confinement after being found guilty of violating the terms of her house arrest.
*****************************************************
GMA News - Filipinos mark 65th birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi
06/18/2010 | 02:39 PM
Share About 70 activists demanded the release of detained pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in front of Myanmar's Embassy to mark the Nobel Peace laureate's 65th birthday Friday.
The mostly women demonstrators in the Philippine capital carried large posters of Suu Kyi staring out from barbed wire.
The activists with yellow flowers recited poems, sang songs, and called for democracy in the junta-led country.
Suu Kyi has been detained for 14 of the last 20 years by the ruling generals.
Rally leader Egoy Bans of the Free Burma Coalition urged Philippine President-elect Benigno Aquino III's administration and other leaders of ASEAN countries to step up pressure on Myanmar — also known as Burma — to free Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners so they can participate in this year's election.
"We see her continued detention as an insult to democracy and justice, as women in Burma have long been suffering and continue suffering from sexual abuses and denial of their fundamental rights," said activist Yuen Abana.
"Calling for her immediate release is our best gift for (Suu Kyi) for her birthday," Abana said.
Myanmar's military regime is under economic and political sanctions by many Western nations because of its poor human rights record and failure to hand over power to a democratically elected government.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won the last election in 1990 but was never allowed to take power.
The NLD declined to reregister for Myanmar's elections planned for this year as stipulated by new election laws.
The party said the new laws were unfair and undemocratic because Suu Kyi and other people convicted of political offenses are barred from taking part in the vote.
06/18/2010 | 02:39 PM
Share About 70 activists demanded the release of detained pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in front of Myanmar's Embassy to mark the Nobel Peace laureate's 65th birthday Friday.
The mostly women demonstrators in the Philippine capital carried large posters of Suu Kyi staring out from barbed wire.
The activists with yellow flowers recited poems, sang songs, and called for democracy in the junta-led country.
Suu Kyi has been detained for 14 of the last 20 years by the ruling generals.
Rally leader Egoy Bans of the Free Burma Coalition urged Philippine President-elect Benigno Aquino III's administration and other leaders of ASEAN countries to step up pressure on Myanmar — also known as Burma — to free Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners so they can participate in this year's election.
"We see her continued detention as an insult to democracy and justice, as women in Burma have long been suffering and continue suffering from sexual abuses and denial of their fundamental rights," said activist Yuen Abana.
"Calling for her immediate release is our best gift for (Suu Kyi) for her birthday," Abana said.
Myanmar's military regime is under economic and political sanctions by many Western nations because of its poor human rights record and failure to hand over power to a democratically elected government.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won the last election in 1990 but was never allowed to take power.
The NLD declined to reregister for Myanmar's elections planned for this year as stipulated by new election laws.
The party said the new laws were unfair and undemocratic because Suu Kyi and other people convicted of political offenses are barred from taking part in the vote.
*****************************************************
VOA News - Burmese Activists Fear Extension of Army's Power
Ron Corben | Bangkok 18 June 2010
Burmese women activists fear Burma's military will be entrenched in power after elections later this year and are calling on the international community to reject the outcome. The activists made the calls as they marked Women of Burma Day and the birthday of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Fears over the transparency of Burma's national elections scheduled for this year have led to calls by Burmese political activists for the international community to boycott the election result.
The concern over the election outcome, likely to be in October, comes as Burmese and ethnic communities who support Burma's opposition parties prepare to mark the 65th birthday of opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi on June 19.
The elections, the first in 20 years, are seen by some analysts as a step forward following two decades of stagnant political progress after the military rejected results from an election in May 1990.
Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) won the 1990 vote in a landslide, but the party never assumed power as the military detained dozens of opposition political leaders as well as harassing party members.
In 2008 a new constitution was pressed through by a national referendum and the government recently announced new election laws. The NLD and other ethnic groups have refused to participate in the election.
Lae Lae Nwe, a former political prisoner who served four years of a 21-year jail sentence before fleeing to Thailand, says she fears the outlook for Burma after the elections.
She says the constitution supports the military's position with the allocation of seats in a new parliament while the military's power is supported by recently announced election laws which activists say are biased against the opposition.
"We can see no justice and also the release of the election law," she said. "The election laws are not fair. I would like to say to the international community please wipe out the 2010 elections and don't support military junta."
Her comments came as rights group, the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, released a publication, Burma - Women's Voices for Peace, a compilation of writings by women of Burma who have faced rights abuses.
Lway Aye Nang, a member of the Women's League of Burma says the elections will raise concerns over the military's ongoing influence.
"The election will give legitimacy to the people to the military that they can do whatever they want in officially," she said. "So it will not change, the situation for Burma it will continue to put the people of Burma in danger."
Parties closely associated with the military, such as the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), are able to campaign while other local parties, including those linked to ethnic communities are being restricted. She says the election is not a way forward for Burma.
"People will say something is better than nothing," she added. "But this something is putting the people of Burma in danger. So at the end of the day these people from the military personnel, military community these USDA member - they will take the lead, they will take the position to rule the area like officially."
Burmese communities throughout the world, preparing to mark Augn San Suu Kyi's birthday, are stepping up calls for her release from house arrest along with the more than 2,500 political prisoners officially recorded as being detained.
Ron Corben | Bangkok 18 June 2010
Burmese women activists fear Burma's military will be entrenched in power after elections later this year and are calling on the international community to reject the outcome. The activists made the calls as they marked Women of Burma Day and the birthday of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Fears over the transparency of Burma's national elections scheduled for this year have led to calls by Burmese political activists for the international community to boycott the election result.
The concern over the election outcome, likely to be in October, comes as Burmese and ethnic communities who support Burma's opposition parties prepare to mark the 65th birthday of opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi on June 19.
The elections, the first in 20 years, are seen by some analysts as a step forward following two decades of stagnant political progress after the military rejected results from an election in May 1990.
Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) won the 1990 vote in a landslide, but the party never assumed power as the military detained dozens of opposition political leaders as well as harassing party members.
In 2008 a new constitution was pressed through by a national referendum and the government recently announced new election laws. The NLD and other ethnic groups have refused to participate in the election.
Lae Lae Nwe, a former political prisoner who served four years of a 21-year jail sentence before fleeing to Thailand, says she fears the outlook for Burma after the elections.
She says the constitution supports the military's position with the allocation of seats in a new parliament while the military's power is supported by recently announced election laws which activists say are biased against the opposition.
"We can see no justice and also the release of the election law," she said. "The election laws are not fair. I would like to say to the international community please wipe out the 2010 elections and don't support military junta."
Her comments came as rights group, the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, released a publication, Burma - Women's Voices for Peace, a compilation of writings by women of Burma who have faced rights abuses.
Lway Aye Nang, a member of the Women's League of Burma says the elections will raise concerns over the military's ongoing influence.
"The election will give legitimacy to the people to the military that they can do whatever they want in officially," she said. "So it will not change, the situation for Burma it will continue to put the people of Burma in danger."
Parties closely associated with the military, such as the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), are able to campaign while other local parties, including those linked to ethnic communities are being restricted. She says the election is not a way forward for Burma.
"People will say something is better than nothing," she added. "But this something is putting the people of Burma in danger. So at the end of the day these people from the military personnel, military community these USDA member - they will take the lead, they will take the position to rule the area like officially."
Burmese communities throughout the world, preparing to mark Augn San Suu Kyi's birthday, are stepping up calls for her release from house arrest along with the more than 2,500 political prisoners officially recorded as being detained.
*****************************************************
Alibaba News Channel - Chinese company to explore for oil inland in Myanmar
Published: 18 Jun 2010 02:37:22 PST
YANGON, June 18 - State-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas (MOGE) and North Petro-Chem Corporation Limited (NPCC) of China have signed a contract for the shared exploration and production of inland oil and gas, newspapers reported on Friday.
Officials from the two sides signed the agreement in the new capital, Naypyitaw, on Wednesday, the state-run New Light of Myanmar reported.
"The production-sharing contract is to explore and produce oil and natural gas in inland block PSC-F (Ngahlaingdwin area) on a joint venture basis," the newspaper said.
It gave no more details.
Myanmar has reserves of at least 90 trillion cubic feet of gas and 3.2 billion barrels of recoverable crude oil in 19 onshore and three major offshore fields, government and industry officials say.
Despite being hit by sanctions imposed by some Western governments over human rights, military-ruled Myanmar has attracted significant foreign interest in its energy sector.
Companies from Australia, Britain, Canada, China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam have reached agreements with the government on exploration for gas and oil.
According to official data, Myanmar exported $2.38 billion worth of gas, mainly to neighbouring Thailand, in the 2008-2009 (April/March) fiscal year, compared with $2.53 billion the previous year.
Energy-hungry China is buying gas from two of the country's biggest offshore fields and aims to import it into China through a pipeline which is under construction.
China is expected to become the biggest buyer of Myanmar's gas when the pipeline is finished in 2013.
Published: 18 Jun 2010 02:37:22 PST
YANGON, June 18 - State-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas (MOGE) and North Petro-Chem Corporation Limited (NPCC) of China have signed a contract for the shared exploration and production of inland oil and gas, newspapers reported on Friday.
Officials from the two sides signed the agreement in the new capital, Naypyitaw, on Wednesday, the state-run New Light of Myanmar reported.
"The production-sharing contract is to explore and produce oil and natural gas in inland block PSC-F (Ngahlaingdwin area) on a joint venture basis," the newspaper said.
It gave no more details.
Myanmar has reserves of at least 90 trillion cubic feet of gas and 3.2 billion barrels of recoverable crude oil in 19 onshore and three major offshore fields, government and industry officials say.
Despite being hit by sanctions imposed by some Western governments over human rights, military-ruled Myanmar has attracted significant foreign interest in its energy sector.
Companies from Australia, Britain, Canada, China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam have reached agreements with the government on exploration for gas and oil.
According to official data, Myanmar exported $2.38 billion worth of gas, mainly to neighbouring Thailand, in the 2008-2009 (April/March) fiscal year, compared with $2.53 billion the previous year.
Energy-hungry China is buying gas from two of the country's biggest offshore fields and aims to import it into China through a pipeline which is under construction.
China is expected to become the biggest buyer of Myanmar's gas when the pipeline is finished in 2013.
*****************************************************
Inner City Press - On Myanmar, UNDP's Clark Blames Poverty on Politics, UK Defends Sanctions, UNDP Conflict of Interest in N.Korea?
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, June 17 -- Building the capacity of governments, even dictatorships and military regimes, is the approach taken the UN Development Program. Thursday Inner City Press asked UNDP Administrator Helen Clark to explain what she meant that because "'political factors' restrict what the UNDP can do in Myanmar.. 'it's not so easy to make progress there at this time' on the Millennium Development Goals.
Ms. Clark backtracked, saying that it's not UNDP's restricted action in Myanmar that's to blame, its the politics of aid donors-- apparently meaning, sanctions. Clark emphasized that Myanmar gets the least development aid per capita of any country, including North Korea. "Politics," she said, "has been a complicating factor."
Well, yes. The government of General Than Shwe has dissolved the NLD party of Aung San Suu Kyi, and has stacked the upcoming election for military connected candidates. Is this the government whose capacity UNDP seeks to build?
UK Ambassador Lyall Grant jumped in to say that the sanctions only "target the regime" in what he called Burma.
The UN's Children and Armed Conflict envoy Radhika Coomaraswamy has said that Myanmar entirely stopped working toward an action plan on child soldiers, in the run up to the election. Inner City Press stopped Myanmar's Ambassador to the UN outside the Security Council on June 16 and asked why the country has stopped. The Ambassador insisted that his government works closely with Ms. Coomaraswamy, and wants to be take off her list of recruiters. Perhaps UNDP would support this?
Inner City Press also asked Ms. Clark about UNDP's role in the security sector in Somalia, where the government has been exposed as using 20% child soldiers. "We do not train soldiers," Clark answered. "We are nowhere near that one." Not so fast. UNDP has provided funds for training TFG security; the dispute has been how much they spend. We aim to have more on this.
Footnote: When UNDP re-opened its North Korea program and website, it listed Mr. Vijay Thapa as International Finance Officer. A whistleblower asks, isn't this a conflict of interest since Mr. Thapa has been Finance Officer in DPR Korea since 2003, therefore four years before the discovery of counterfeit? Mr Thapa is among those UNDP Staff of DPR Korea whom declined to talk to US Southern District Attorney on counterfeit and he is part of the "old cast" of UNDP DPRK management responsible for the wrong doings. One wonders, was the appointment of Mr. Thapa a request from DPR Korean Government ? Is this more capacity building?
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, June 17 -- Building the capacity of governments, even dictatorships and military regimes, is the approach taken the UN Development Program. Thursday Inner City Press asked UNDP Administrator Helen Clark to explain what she meant that because "'political factors' restrict what the UNDP can do in Myanmar.. 'it's not so easy to make progress there at this time' on the Millennium Development Goals.
Ms. Clark backtracked, saying that it's not UNDP's restricted action in Myanmar that's to blame, its the politics of aid donors-- apparently meaning, sanctions. Clark emphasized that Myanmar gets the least development aid per capita of any country, including North Korea. "Politics," she said, "has been a complicating factor."
Well, yes. The government of General Than Shwe has dissolved the NLD party of Aung San Suu Kyi, and has stacked the upcoming election for military connected candidates. Is this the government whose capacity UNDP seeks to build?
UK Ambassador Lyall Grant jumped in to say that the sanctions only "target the regime" in what he called Burma.
The UN's Children and Armed Conflict envoy Radhika Coomaraswamy has said that Myanmar entirely stopped working toward an action plan on child soldiers, in the run up to the election. Inner City Press stopped Myanmar's Ambassador to the UN outside the Security Council on June 16 and asked why the country has stopped. The Ambassador insisted that his government works closely with Ms. Coomaraswamy, and wants to be take off her list of recruiters. Perhaps UNDP would support this?
Inner City Press also asked Ms. Clark about UNDP's role in the security sector in Somalia, where the government has been exposed as using 20% child soldiers. "We do not train soldiers," Clark answered. "We are nowhere near that one." Not so fast. UNDP has provided funds for training TFG security; the dispute has been how much they spend. We aim to have more on this.
Footnote: When UNDP re-opened its North Korea program and website, it listed Mr. Vijay Thapa as International Finance Officer. A whistleblower asks, isn't this a conflict of interest since Mr. Thapa has been Finance Officer in DPR Korea since 2003, therefore four years before the discovery of counterfeit? Mr Thapa is among those UNDP Staff of DPR Korea whom declined to talk to US Southern District Attorney on counterfeit and he is part of the "old cast" of UNDP DPRK management responsible for the wrong doings. One wonders, was the appointment of Mr. Thapa a request from DPR Korean Government ? Is this more capacity building?
*****************************************************
UN News Centre - Myanmar: UN rights expert urges release of Aung San Suu Kyi
17 June 2010 – A United Nations independent human rights expert today urged authorities in Myanmar to immediately release the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other prisoners of conscience, saying this will help create the conditions for inclusive elections in the Asian nation.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, said in a statement that the country should “heed the call” of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which recently reiterated earlier calls for Ms. Suu Kyi’s release.
“The Working Group has found that the continuous deprivation of Aung San Suu Kyi’s liberty is arbitrary,” he said in the statement, issued in Geneva.
Ms. Suu Kyi, who will turn 65 on Saturday, is the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD). She has been under house arrest for much of the past two decades.
The Working Group has requested that the Government conforms to the norms and principles set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which forbids arbitrary arrest, closed-court hearings and the suppression of free speech and assembly.
In today’s statement, Mr. Quintana – who serves in an unpaid, independent capacity and reports to the UN Human Rights Council – called on the Government to release all other prisoners of conscience “to create the conditions for an inclusive election process and to demonstrate that it intends to take a more serious and sincere approach to its international obligations to uphold human rights.”
Myanmar is expected to hold polls in October, the first to be held in the country in two decades, as part of a Government-designed timetable towards greater democratization.
Earlier this year, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for the elections to be “fair, transparent and credible” in which all citizens – including Ms. Suu Kyi – can take part freely.
The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Myanmar, his Chef de Cabinet Vijay Nambiar, met last week with officials from India, Singapore and China to discuss the issue.
17 June 2010 – A United Nations independent human rights expert today urged authorities in Myanmar to immediately release the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other prisoners of conscience, saying this will help create the conditions for inclusive elections in the Asian nation.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, said in a statement that the country should “heed the call” of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which recently reiterated earlier calls for Ms. Suu Kyi’s release.
“The Working Group has found that the continuous deprivation of Aung San Suu Kyi’s liberty is arbitrary,” he said in the statement, issued in Geneva.
Ms. Suu Kyi, who will turn 65 on Saturday, is the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD). She has been under house arrest for much of the past two decades.
The Working Group has requested that the Government conforms to the norms and principles set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which forbids arbitrary arrest, closed-court hearings and the suppression of free speech and assembly.
In today’s statement, Mr. Quintana – who serves in an unpaid, independent capacity and reports to the UN Human Rights Council – called on the Government to release all other prisoners of conscience “to create the conditions for an inclusive election process and to demonstrate that it intends to take a more serious and sincere approach to its international obligations to uphold human rights.”
Myanmar is expected to hold polls in October, the first to be held in the country in two decades, as part of a Government-designed timetable towards greater democratization.
Earlier this year, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for the elections to be “fair, transparent and credible” in which all citizens – including Ms. Suu Kyi – can take part freely.
The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Myanmar, his Chef de Cabinet Vijay Nambiar, met last week with officials from India, Singapore and China to discuss the issue.
*****************************************************
People's Daily Online - Lao PM to visit Myanmar
12:12, June 18, 2010
Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh will pay an official visit to Myanmar soon, according to an official announcement from Nay Pyi Taw Friday with no specific date of the visit disclosed.
It will be a reciprocal visit to Myanmar made by Bouphavanh in return to Vientiane visit by his Myanmar counterpart U Thein Sein in November 2007.
In November 2009, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith came to Myanmar, during which, the two countries signed two memorandums of understanding in Nay Pyi Taw respectively on mutual visa exemption for holders of ordinary passport and avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
Sisoulith also attended the 9th meeting of Myanmar-Laos Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation in Taunggyi, the capital of Myanmar's Shan state, discussing with Myanmar Foreign Minister U Nyan Win matters relating to further strengthening cooperation between the two countries as well as enhancing mutual cooperation in regional and international forums.
In May 2009, Myanmar and Laos also reached a memorandum of understanding in Nay Pyi Taw on establishing sister cities between Myanmar's ancient city of Bagan and Laos' Luang Prabang. The establishment of the two sister cities to boost tourism was initiated during Thein Sein's 2007 trip to Laos.
12:12, June 18, 2010
Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh will pay an official visit to Myanmar soon, according to an official announcement from Nay Pyi Taw Friday with no specific date of the visit disclosed.
It will be a reciprocal visit to Myanmar made by Bouphavanh in return to Vientiane visit by his Myanmar counterpart U Thein Sein in November 2007.
In November 2009, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith came to Myanmar, during which, the two countries signed two memorandums of understanding in Nay Pyi Taw respectively on mutual visa exemption for holders of ordinary passport and avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
Sisoulith also attended the 9th meeting of Myanmar-Laos Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation in Taunggyi, the capital of Myanmar's Shan state, discussing with Myanmar Foreign Minister U Nyan Win matters relating to further strengthening cooperation between the two countries as well as enhancing mutual cooperation in regional and international forums.
In May 2009, Myanmar and Laos also reached a memorandum of understanding in Nay Pyi Taw on establishing sister cities between Myanmar's ancient city of Bagan and Laos' Luang Prabang. The establishment of the two sister cities to boost tourism was initiated during Thein Sein's 2007 trip to Laos.
*****************************************************
People's Daily Online - Myanmar, Iran to promote economic cooperation
12:35, June 18, 2010
Myanmar and Iran will work to promote economic cooperation through the establishment of bilateral consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries, said the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar Friday.
The memorandum of understanding on the establishment was reached during a three-day visit to Myanmar by Iranian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Ali Fathollahi from Tuesday to Thursday, the report said.
Besides meeting with Myanmar Foreign Minister U Nyan Win during his visit, Fathollahi discussed with Myanmar Energy Minister U Lun Thi on cooperation in the oil and gas sector and held a bilateral meeting with his Myanmar counterpart U Maung Myint, exchanging views on mutually beneficial cooperation, it said.
The two sides reiterated their desire to further expand the ties of friendship and economic cooperation as well as to increase cooperation in the regional and international forums such as the United Nations and Non-Aligned Movement, it said.
The two sides also agreed to increase contacts between chambers of commerce and industry of the two countries in order to promote trade and economic cooperation, the report added.
In March this year, Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Maung Myint visited Iran and held a bilateral meeting with his Iranian counterpart on enhancing friendship and cooperation.
12:35, June 18, 2010
Myanmar and Iran will work to promote economic cooperation through the establishment of bilateral consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries, said the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar Friday.
The memorandum of understanding on the establishment was reached during a three-day visit to Myanmar by Iranian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Ali Fathollahi from Tuesday to Thursday, the report said.
Besides meeting with Myanmar Foreign Minister U Nyan Win during his visit, Fathollahi discussed with Myanmar Energy Minister U Lun Thi on cooperation in the oil and gas sector and held a bilateral meeting with his Myanmar counterpart U Maung Myint, exchanging views on mutually beneficial cooperation, it said.
The two sides reiterated their desire to further expand the ties of friendship and economic cooperation as well as to increase cooperation in the regional and international forums such as the United Nations and Non-Aligned Movement, it said.
The two sides also agreed to increase contacts between chambers of commerce and industry of the two countries in order to promote trade and economic cooperation, the report added.
In March this year, Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Maung Myint visited Iran and held a bilateral meeting with his Iranian counterpart on enhancing friendship and cooperation.
*****************************************************
I.H.T. Op-Ed Contributor
International Herald Tribune - The Burma-North Korea Axis
By AUNG LYNN HTUT
Published: June 18, 2010
WASHINGTON — This is a sensitive moment in relations between the United States and the world’s most corrupt regime: the military junta that has plundered Burma for decades as if it were a private fiefdom.
The Obama administration has attempted to apply a strategy dubbed “pragmatic engagement.” As it works to rethink its position amid the present cacophony of foreign and domestic crises, there is a danger that Washington might give Burma short shrift and unwittingly soften its stance toward the country’s military leaders. It should be careful not do so. And it should take the junta’s nuclear-weapons ambitions seriously.
The regime in Burma has a history of deceiving American officials. I know; before defecting to the United States in 2005, I was a senior intelligence officer for the war office in Burma. I was also the deputy chief of mission at Burma’s embassy in Washington.
In the autumn of 2003, a senior staff member for a U.S. senator came twice to our embassy in Washington to call on Ambassador U Lin Myaing and me. At about the same time, officials from the U.S. State Department and the National Security Council also met in New York with U Tin Win, from the office of Burma’s prime minister, and Colonel Hla Min, the government’s spokesman.
The American officials were checking reports that Burma had secretly renewed ties with North Korea — one of the three pillars of George W. Bush’s “axis of evil.”
Burma had severed ties with North Korea in 1983, after North Korean operatives attempted to assassinate South Korea’s president, Chun Doo Hwan, during a state visit to Rangoon. Chun was unhurt, but 17 senior South Korean officials — including the deputy prime minister and the foreign and commerce ministers — were killed.
The head of Burma’s junta, Senior General Than Shwe, instructed us to lie to the Americans. We did. We blamed Burma’s political opposition for the “rumors” that Rangoon had renewed ties with Pyongyang. The Americans wanted proof. Than Shwe then ordered Foreign Minister U Win Aung to send a letter denying the reports to Secretary of State Colin Powell. The British government knew the truth. London’s ambassador to Rangoon rightfully called U Win Aung a liar.
Why did Burma renew ties with North Korea? Regime preservation.
In the aftermath of the 1988 nationwide uprising in Burma, many foreign joint ventures for the production of conventional weapons were cancelled. Than Shwe began the secret re-engagement with North Korea in 1992, soon after he took control of Burma’s ruling clique.
He argued that Burma faced potential attack from the United States and India, which at the time was a champion of Burma’s democracy movement. He wanted a bigger army. He wanted more modern weapons. He even wanted nuclear arms. He cared not at all for the poverty of Burma’s people.
Than Shwe secretly made contact with Pyongyang. Posing as South Korean businessmen, North Korean weapons experts began arriving in Burma. I remember these visitors.
They were given special treatment at the Rangoon airport. With a huge revenue bonanza from sales of natural gas to Thailand, Burma was soon able to pay the North Koreans cash for missile technology.
The generals thought that they could also obtain nuclear warheads and that, once these warheads were mounted on the missiles, the United States and other powerful countries would not dare to attack Burma and have much less leverage on the junta.
Than Shwe hid these links with North Korea as long as he could from Japan and South Korea, because he was working to lure Japanese and South Korean companies to invest more in efforts to plunder Burma’s natural resources. By 2006, the junta’s generals felt either desperate or confident enough to publicly resume diplomatic relations with North Korea.
Burma has worked for almost a decade to expand its production of missiles and chemical warheads. General Tin Aye — chairman of the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings, the military’s business arm — is the top manager of ordinance production and main liaison with North Korea.
According to a secret report leaked last year, the regime’s No. 3 man, General Shwe Mann, also made a secret visit to Pyongyang in November 2008. He signed an agreement for military cooperation that would bring help from North Korea for constructing tunnels and caves for hiding missiles, aircraft, even ships.
That this information was leaked by Burmese military officials working on such sensitive activities shows both the degree of Than Shwe’s military megalomania and the existence of opposition within the regime itself.
The words “pragmatic engagement” should not become synonymous with any weakening of Washington’s firm opposition to Burma’s rulers.
The United States and other nations must continue to question the legitimacy of Than Shwe and the regime. They should not believe his promises to hold free and fair elections this year.
Only coordinated pressure from around the globe will be effective in dealing with this master of deceit.
Aung Lynn Htut is a former senior intelligence officer in Burma’s Ministry of Defense. He is working on his memoirs.
International Herald Tribune - The Burma-North Korea Axis
By AUNG LYNN HTUT
Published: June 18, 2010
WASHINGTON — This is a sensitive moment in relations between the United States and the world’s most corrupt regime: the military junta that has plundered Burma for decades as if it were a private fiefdom.
The Obama administration has attempted to apply a strategy dubbed “pragmatic engagement.” As it works to rethink its position amid the present cacophony of foreign and domestic crises, there is a danger that Washington might give Burma short shrift and unwittingly soften its stance toward the country’s military leaders. It should be careful not do so. And it should take the junta’s nuclear-weapons ambitions seriously.
The regime in Burma has a history of deceiving American officials. I know; before defecting to the United States in 2005, I was a senior intelligence officer for the war office in Burma. I was also the deputy chief of mission at Burma’s embassy in Washington.
In the autumn of 2003, a senior staff member for a U.S. senator came twice to our embassy in Washington to call on Ambassador U Lin Myaing and me. At about the same time, officials from the U.S. State Department and the National Security Council also met in New York with U Tin Win, from the office of Burma’s prime minister, and Colonel Hla Min, the government’s spokesman.
The American officials were checking reports that Burma had secretly renewed ties with North Korea — one of the three pillars of George W. Bush’s “axis of evil.”
Burma had severed ties with North Korea in 1983, after North Korean operatives attempted to assassinate South Korea’s president, Chun Doo Hwan, during a state visit to Rangoon. Chun was unhurt, but 17 senior South Korean officials — including the deputy prime minister and the foreign and commerce ministers — were killed.
The head of Burma’s junta, Senior General Than Shwe, instructed us to lie to the Americans. We did. We blamed Burma’s political opposition for the “rumors” that Rangoon had renewed ties with Pyongyang. The Americans wanted proof. Than Shwe then ordered Foreign Minister U Win Aung to send a letter denying the reports to Secretary of State Colin Powell. The British government knew the truth. London’s ambassador to Rangoon rightfully called U Win Aung a liar.
Why did Burma renew ties with North Korea? Regime preservation.
In the aftermath of the 1988 nationwide uprising in Burma, many foreign joint ventures for the production of conventional weapons were cancelled. Than Shwe began the secret re-engagement with North Korea in 1992, soon after he took control of Burma’s ruling clique.
He argued that Burma faced potential attack from the United States and India, which at the time was a champion of Burma’s democracy movement. He wanted a bigger army. He wanted more modern weapons. He even wanted nuclear arms. He cared not at all for the poverty of Burma’s people.
Than Shwe secretly made contact with Pyongyang. Posing as South Korean businessmen, North Korean weapons experts began arriving in Burma. I remember these visitors.
They were given special treatment at the Rangoon airport. With a huge revenue bonanza from sales of natural gas to Thailand, Burma was soon able to pay the North Koreans cash for missile technology.
The generals thought that they could also obtain nuclear warheads and that, once these warheads were mounted on the missiles, the United States and other powerful countries would not dare to attack Burma and have much less leverage on the junta.
Than Shwe hid these links with North Korea as long as he could from Japan and South Korea, because he was working to lure Japanese and South Korean companies to invest more in efforts to plunder Burma’s natural resources. By 2006, the junta’s generals felt either desperate or confident enough to publicly resume diplomatic relations with North Korea.
Burma has worked for almost a decade to expand its production of missiles and chemical warheads. General Tin Aye — chairman of the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings, the military’s business arm — is the top manager of ordinance production and main liaison with North Korea.
According to a secret report leaked last year, the regime’s No. 3 man, General Shwe Mann, also made a secret visit to Pyongyang in November 2008. He signed an agreement for military cooperation that would bring help from North Korea for constructing tunnels and caves for hiding missiles, aircraft, even ships.
That this information was leaked by Burmese military officials working on such sensitive activities shows both the degree of Than Shwe’s military megalomania and the existence of opposition within the regime itself.
The words “pragmatic engagement” should not become synonymous with any weakening of Washington’s firm opposition to Burma’s rulers.
The United States and other nations must continue to question the legitimacy of Than Shwe and the regime. They should not believe his promises to hold free and fair elections this year.
Only coordinated pressure from around the globe will be effective in dealing with this master of deceit.
Aung Lynn Htut is a former senior intelligence officer in Burma’s Ministry of Defense. He is working on his memoirs.
*****************************************************
Radio Australia News - Australian women join calls to release Aung San Suu Kyi
Last Updated: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:58:00 +1000
Prominent Australian women have joined in demanding the release of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Ms Suu Kyi's been under house-arrest since the military junta swept aside her opposition party's victory in elections in 1990.
Today the Minister for Women, Tanya Plibersek, and the Deputy Opposition leader, Julie Bishop, joined others in demanding Ms Suu Kyi be set free.
Ms Bishop says she'll use her status to remind people of Suu Kyi's struggle.
"We must never rest in sending the message that the people of Burma deserve freedom and democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi deserves our absolute total commitment to her cause."
Last Updated: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:58:00 +1000
Prominent Australian women have joined in demanding the release of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Ms Suu Kyi's been under house-arrest since the military junta swept aside her opposition party's victory in elections in 1990.
Today the Minister for Women, Tanya Plibersek, and the Deputy Opposition leader, Julie Bishop, joined others in demanding Ms Suu Kyi be set free.
Ms Bishop says she'll use her status to remind people of Suu Kyi's struggle.
"We must never rest in sending the message that the people of Burma deserve freedom and democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi deserves our absolute total commitment to her cause."
*****************************************************
The Sydney Morning Herald - Politicians send support to Suu Kyi
June 18, 2010 - 2:34PM
AAP
Australian politicians have sent birthday messages of hope and freedom to imprisoned Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek and Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop were among 11 women named as ambassadors for Aung San Suu Kyi at the launch of the program in Sydney on Friday.
Ms Suu Kyi, whose political party won an election in 1990 that was ignored by the military junta, has been under continuous house arrest since 1995.
She celebrates her 65th birthday on Saturday.
Speaking at the launch, organised by Burma Campaign Australia, Ms Bishop said a meeting she had with Ms Suu Kyi in 1995 was a moment she would always treasure.
"I was struck by her resilience, her determination and her courage," she said.
"She is an inspiration to people throughout the world."
Ms Plibersek was unable to attend the launch but sent a message of support praising Ms Suu Kyi's "personal courage in the face of injustice".
"The Australian government consistently calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the release of more than 2000 other political prisoners in Burma," she said.
Other ambassadors named in the program include NSW Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, NSW Legislative Council member Penny Sharpe, Sydney city councillor Meredith Burgmann and Sydney archdeacon for women Narelle Jarrett.
The ambassadors will work to raise awareness of Ms Suu Kyi's plight ahead of the 15th anniversary of her house arrest in October.
June 18, 2010 - 2:34PM
AAP
Australian politicians have sent birthday messages of hope and freedom to imprisoned Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek and Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop were among 11 women named as ambassadors for Aung San Suu Kyi at the launch of the program in Sydney on Friday.
Ms Suu Kyi, whose political party won an election in 1990 that was ignored by the military junta, has been under continuous house arrest since 1995.
She celebrates her 65th birthday on Saturday.
Speaking at the launch, organised by Burma Campaign Australia, Ms Bishop said a meeting she had with Ms Suu Kyi in 1995 was a moment she would always treasure.
"I was struck by her resilience, her determination and her courage," she said.
"She is an inspiration to people throughout the world."
Ms Plibersek was unable to attend the launch but sent a message of support praising Ms Suu Kyi's "personal courage in the face of injustice".
"The Australian government consistently calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the release of more than 2000 other political prisoners in Burma," she said.
Other ambassadors named in the program include NSW Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, NSW Legislative Council member Penny Sharpe, Sydney city councillor Meredith Burgmann and Sydney archdeacon for women Narelle Jarrett.
The ambassadors will work to raise awareness of Ms Suu Kyi's plight ahead of the 15th anniversary of her house arrest in October.
*****************************************************
Mizzima News - Ban Ki-moon called Burma gas pipeline a ‘win-win’
Friday, 18 June 2010 19:50 Thomas Maung Shwe
(Chiang Mai) - Mizzima has learned that while serving as Korea’s foreign minister, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon promoted and publicly praised Daewoo’s controversial Shwe natural gas pipeline project in Burma, calling it a “win-win situation”.
The controversial project that started construction two weeks ago is the effort of a multinational consortium that consists of Chinese, Indian, Burmese and Korean state-owned firms as minority partners, with Daewoo International having the largest stake and taking the lead in its development.
The Korea Herald newspaper in Seoul called the Shwe gas project South Korea’s “largest overseas project”. It is estimated that royalties from it will give the Burmese regime an estimated US$40 billion over three decades, funds that critics fear will empower its army for years to come. Construction of an 800-kilometre pipeline that will send gas from Burma’s west coast to China began last week.
The uncovering of Ban’s pro-Daewoo pipeline comments comes as the UN chief faces intense criticism from international rights advocates who question his commitment to democracy and human rights.
The pro-pipeline comments were made in August 2005 when Ban was in New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart K. Natwar Singh. According to the India press, a high priority for both governments was Daewoo’s collaboration with two Indian state-controlled firms in the Shwe natural gas project: the Gas Authority of India (Gail) and ONGC Videsh, the wholly-owned international subsidiary of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The Press Trust of India citing the agreed minutes of the meeting described it this way:
“Taking note of the model of Daewoo-OVL-Gail partnership in Myanmar [Burma], the two sides agreed collaboration in exploration of hydrocarbon resources between Indian and South Korean companies would lead to a ‘win-win’ situation.”
That Ban had agreed the Shwe project was a “win-win” has outraged human rights advocates and Burmese exiles who have grave concerns about the devastating environmental impact of the project, which they predict will provide billions in foreign currency for the Burmese military to buy weapons to use against their own people .
Wong Aung from the Shwe Gas Campaign, an advocacy group that is strongly opposed to the Shwe project told Mizzima it “is a ‘win win’ for Ban Ki-moon and Korean industry but certainly not the people of Burma, just the killer generals”.
Naing Htoo from Earth Rights International also objected to the controversial project being called a “win-win”, saying that the “Shwe Project will harm Korea’s reputation, Daweoo’s reputation and it poses direct human rights threat to thousands of villagers in Burma, so I’d say it’s a ‘lose-lose’ situation. Unless the junta completely changes the way it manages natural resource wealth and unless it starts to protect human rights rather than violate them, the Shwe project is a disaster.”
When questioned last year by a reporter from Inner City Press about his stance on Daewoo’s Shwe project Ban refused to comment. On Wednesday June 9 the same reporter, Matthew Russell Lee, asked the UN chief’s spokesman, Farhan Haq, if Ban still believed the project was a “win-win”. Haq claimed he would find out. When reached for comment by Mizzima a week later, Haq claimed he was still looking into the matter and failed to provide an answer.
When Ban travelled to Burma last summer in what many observers believed was a half-hearted attempt to show he was doing something, the Burmese regime refused to let him see detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Many Burma opposition activists believed Ban could have pushed harder for a meeting with the world’s most famous political prisoner, but failed to do so out of fear he would risk angering the regime and harm a project important to Korean industry. Several weeks after Ban’s visit, US Senator Jim Webb was allowed to meet the detained Nobel Peace laureate.
Wong Aung from the Shwe gas movement feels that the Ban has never ceased being Korea’s Foreign Minister, “when he served Korea Ban Ki-moon was clearly a supporter of Daewoo’s Shwe gas project, an environmentally destructive pipeline that will be built on land stolen from the citizens of Burma. Its clear that when he became UN secretary general he didn’t stop pursuing Korean business interests and I strongly believe this has a lot to do with his reluctance to challenge the Burmese regime”.
Wong Aung points out that Ban’s friendly overtures to the dictatorial regime of Islam Karimov in Uzbekistan coincide with the massive amounts of Korean investment in that central Asian nation. In addition to Daewoo International, two Korean state-owned firms Korea Gas Corporation (Kogas) and the Korean National Oil Corporation (KNOC) have each invested several billion dollars in the former Soviet republic’s lucrative energy sector. Uzbekistan’s despotic ruler Karimov has been accused by rights groups of jailing and executing large numbers of his opponents. In 2002, Craig Murray, then Britain’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan, commissioned a forensic report concluding that a deceased Uzbek dissident had likely died as a result of his having been boiled alive by his jailers.
He said that he was particularly disturbed to read that spokesman Haq could not confirm if on his April trip to Uzbekistan Ban had raised the conviction in February of a prominent Aids activist who worked closely with United Nations agencies. Human Rights Watch reported that Maxim Popov was sentenced to seven years’ jail for “anti-social behaviour” because he wrote and distributed Aids-awareness pamphlets that were printed with funds from the UN.
The plight of Maxim Popov, Wong Aung believed, was not high on the secretary-general’s list of priorities, if at all. He said: “Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon built up ties between Seoul and places that are priority areas for Korean industry such as Burma and Uzbekistan, helping to make Korea one of the biggest investors in both nations.”
“Evidently Ban Ki-moon thinks he’s still Korean foreign minister and he can’t risk his good standing with Uzbekistan’s dictator by speaking out about the plight of Maxim Popov, a man who was jailed by a paranoid regime for handing out UN-funded material on Aids prevention,” he said.
“Ban Ki-moon’s relationship with Burma’s generals is exactly the same – the rights of Korean business trump human rights. Going by his record as secretary-general it is abundantly clear that Ban Ki-moon is not fit for the job of heading the UN – he really is a disgrace.”
Friday, 18 June 2010 19:50 Thomas Maung Shwe
(Chiang Mai) - Mizzima has learned that while serving as Korea’s foreign minister, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon promoted and publicly praised Daewoo’s controversial Shwe natural gas pipeline project in Burma, calling it a “win-win situation”.
The controversial project that started construction two weeks ago is the effort of a multinational consortium that consists of Chinese, Indian, Burmese and Korean state-owned firms as minority partners, with Daewoo International having the largest stake and taking the lead in its development.
The Korea Herald newspaper in Seoul called the Shwe gas project South Korea’s “largest overseas project”. It is estimated that royalties from it will give the Burmese regime an estimated US$40 billion over three decades, funds that critics fear will empower its army for years to come. Construction of an 800-kilometre pipeline that will send gas from Burma’s west coast to China began last week.
The uncovering of Ban’s pro-Daewoo pipeline comments comes as the UN chief faces intense criticism from international rights advocates who question his commitment to democracy and human rights.
The pro-pipeline comments were made in August 2005 when Ban was in New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart K. Natwar Singh. According to the India press, a high priority for both governments was Daewoo’s collaboration with two Indian state-controlled firms in the Shwe natural gas project: the Gas Authority of India (Gail) and ONGC Videsh, the wholly-owned international subsidiary of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The Press Trust of India citing the agreed minutes of the meeting described it this way:
“Taking note of the model of Daewoo-OVL-Gail partnership in Myanmar [Burma], the two sides agreed collaboration in exploration of hydrocarbon resources between Indian and South Korean companies would lead to a ‘win-win’ situation.”
That Ban had agreed the Shwe project was a “win-win” has outraged human rights advocates and Burmese exiles who have grave concerns about the devastating environmental impact of the project, which they predict will provide billions in foreign currency for the Burmese military to buy weapons to use against their own people .
Wong Aung from the Shwe Gas Campaign, an advocacy group that is strongly opposed to the Shwe project told Mizzima it “is a ‘win win’ for Ban Ki-moon and Korean industry but certainly not the people of Burma, just the killer generals”.
Naing Htoo from Earth Rights International also objected to the controversial project being called a “win-win”, saying that the “Shwe Project will harm Korea’s reputation, Daweoo’s reputation and it poses direct human rights threat to thousands of villagers in Burma, so I’d say it’s a ‘lose-lose’ situation. Unless the junta completely changes the way it manages natural resource wealth and unless it starts to protect human rights rather than violate them, the Shwe project is a disaster.”
When questioned last year by a reporter from Inner City Press about his stance on Daewoo’s Shwe project Ban refused to comment. On Wednesday June 9 the same reporter, Matthew Russell Lee, asked the UN chief’s spokesman, Farhan Haq, if Ban still believed the project was a “win-win”. Haq claimed he would find out. When reached for comment by Mizzima a week later, Haq claimed he was still looking into the matter and failed to provide an answer.
When Ban travelled to Burma last summer in what many observers believed was a half-hearted attempt to show he was doing something, the Burmese regime refused to let him see detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Many Burma opposition activists believed Ban could have pushed harder for a meeting with the world’s most famous political prisoner, but failed to do so out of fear he would risk angering the regime and harm a project important to Korean industry. Several weeks after Ban’s visit, US Senator Jim Webb was allowed to meet the detained Nobel Peace laureate.
Wong Aung from the Shwe gas movement feels that the Ban has never ceased being Korea’s Foreign Minister, “when he served Korea Ban Ki-moon was clearly a supporter of Daewoo’s Shwe gas project, an environmentally destructive pipeline that will be built on land stolen from the citizens of Burma. Its clear that when he became UN secretary general he didn’t stop pursuing Korean business interests and I strongly believe this has a lot to do with his reluctance to challenge the Burmese regime”.
Wong Aung points out that Ban’s friendly overtures to the dictatorial regime of Islam Karimov in Uzbekistan coincide with the massive amounts of Korean investment in that central Asian nation. In addition to Daewoo International, two Korean state-owned firms Korea Gas Corporation (Kogas) and the Korean National Oil Corporation (KNOC) have each invested several billion dollars in the former Soviet republic’s lucrative energy sector. Uzbekistan’s despotic ruler Karimov has been accused by rights groups of jailing and executing large numbers of his opponents. In 2002, Craig Murray, then Britain’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan, commissioned a forensic report concluding that a deceased Uzbek dissident had likely died as a result of his having been boiled alive by his jailers.
He said that he was particularly disturbed to read that spokesman Haq could not confirm if on his April trip to Uzbekistan Ban had raised the conviction in February of a prominent Aids activist who worked closely with United Nations agencies. Human Rights Watch reported that Maxim Popov was sentenced to seven years’ jail for “anti-social behaviour” because he wrote and distributed Aids-awareness pamphlets that were printed with funds from the UN.
The plight of Maxim Popov, Wong Aung believed, was not high on the secretary-general’s list of priorities, if at all. He said: “Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon built up ties between Seoul and places that are priority areas for Korean industry such as Burma and Uzbekistan, helping to make Korea one of the biggest investors in both nations.”
“Evidently Ban Ki-moon thinks he’s still Korean foreign minister and he can’t risk his good standing with Uzbekistan’s dictator by speaking out about the plight of Maxim Popov, a man who was jailed by a paranoid regime for handing out UN-funded material on Aids prevention,” he said.
“Ban Ki-moon’s relationship with Burma’s generals is exactly the same – the rights of Korean business trump human rights. Going by his record as secretary-general it is abundantly clear that Ban Ki-moon is not fit for the job of heading the UN – he really is a disgrace.”
*****************************************************
Burmese tycoon brokered arms deal with China
Friday, 18 June 2010 22:55 Thomas Maung Shwe
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Burma’s richest business tycoon and close ally of despotic ruler Senior General Than Shwe, went to China early this month to broker a deal enabling the regime to buy 50 multi-role jet bombers for its air force, trusted sources said.
Tay Za was also spotted at the Kunming regional trade fare on June 7, in China’s southern province of Yunnan. The purpose of his visit was to help the Burmese regime acquire the K-8 Karakorum, a two-seat intermediate jet trainer and light attack aircraft developed in a joint venture between China and Pakistan.
Estimates for the price of the aircraft vary widely. Last October, Bolivia announced that it would spend US$57.8 million to buy six of the planes. According to Jane’s Defence Weekly the deal also included “two spare engines, a KTS2000BW test vehicle, an Interactive Multimedia Instructor system, initial spare [parts], training and maintenance equipment”.
Since then, Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez had announced on June 7 that his government would spend US$82 million on 18 of the planes. The air force of the country on the northern coast of South America already has at least 200 aircraft.
The Burmese Air Force had bought 12 K-8 Karakorum. Sources close to the air force told Mizzima that Burma’s rulers want more ground attack fighters than strategic fighters such as the Russian-made MiG-29 or its Chinese-built version, the F-5. Such ground attack fighters could be used to intimidate ethnic groups under ceasefire which have refused to bring their troops under the supervision of the junta’s Border Guard Force.
Planes part of a mystery deal announced om September by Hongdu Aviation?
Last year Jane’s Defence Industry (also part of the Jane’s Intelligence group) reported that K-8’s Chinese manufacturer Hongdu Aviation had released a cryptic statement in September saying it had just secured a contract with an “unnamed Asian country” to export 60 K-8 planes. According to Jane’s, the statement disclosed that a deal had been struck between Hongdu, the mystery Asian nation and China’s National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation on September 6 at Hongdu’s offices in Nanchang, Jiangxi province.
Jane’s speculated that the unnamed Asian partner could be Iran or Indonesia, both seeking to upgrade their air forces. While it is possible that the unnamed partner was in fact the Burmese regime, Mizzima was unable to determine if this was the case.
According to Jane’s the statement Hongdu issued in September disclosed that the deal would transpire in three stages. The first stage would involve the export of 12 aircraft. The second stage would involve the customer acquiring K-8 related technologies, equipment and tools. The third would involve the customer producing the final 48 aircraft under licence locally.
Mizzima has learned that Tay Za was looking to buy an ATR-72 twin-turboprop short-haul regional airliner from Chinese Southern Airlines for his own airline, Air Bagan. He had bought two A-310 Airbuses from China but was unable to use the aircraft because they were grounded in Rangoon for safety reasons.
China is one of the few places where Tay Za can now conduct business transactions with relative ease since he was put on the American, European, Canadian, Australian and Swiss financial sanctions blacklists for Burma. The US government, which commonly refers to Tay Za as “an arms dealer and financial henchman”, was the first Western nation to target the portly tycoon on their black list, citing his close financial ties to Than Shwe and the reclusive dictator’s children. Despite the sanctions against him Tay Za is estimated to have amassed a fortune of more than US$10 billon dollars.
Friday, 18 June 2010 22:55 Thomas Maung Shwe
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Burma’s richest business tycoon and close ally of despotic ruler Senior General Than Shwe, went to China early this month to broker a deal enabling the regime to buy 50 multi-role jet bombers for its air force, trusted sources said.
Tay Za was also spotted at the Kunming regional trade fare on June 7, in China’s southern province of Yunnan. The purpose of his visit was to help the Burmese regime acquire the K-8 Karakorum, a two-seat intermediate jet trainer and light attack aircraft developed in a joint venture between China and Pakistan.
Estimates for the price of the aircraft vary widely. Last October, Bolivia announced that it would spend US$57.8 million to buy six of the planes. According to Jane’s Defence Weekly the deal also included “two spare engines, a KTS2000BW test vehicle, an Interactive Multimedia Instructor system, initial spare [parts], training and maintenance equipment”.
Since then, Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez had announced on June 7 that his government would spend US$82 million on 18 of the planes. The air force of the country on the northern coast of South America already has at least 200 aircraft.
The Burmese Air Force had bought 12 K-8 Karakorum. Sources close to the air force told Mizzima that Burma’s rulers want more ground attack fighters than strategic fighters such as the Russian-made MiG-29 or its Chinese-built version, the F-5. Such ground attack fighters could be used to intimidate ethnic groups under ceasefire which have refused to bring their troops under the supervision of the junta’s Border Guard Force.
Planes part of a mystery deal announced om September by Hongdu Aviation?
Last year Jane’s Defence Industry (also part of the Jane’s Intelligence group) reported that K-8’s Chinese manufacturer Hongdu Aviation had released a cryptic statement in September saying it had just secured a contract with an “unnamed Asian country” to export 60 K-8 planes. According to Jane’s, the statement disclosed that a deal had been struck between Hongdu, the mystery Asian nation and China’s National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation on September 6 at Hongdu’s offices in Nanchang, Jiangxi province.
Jane’s speculated that the unnamed Asian partner could be Iran or Indonesia, both seeking to upgrade their air forces. While it is possible that the unnamed partner was in fact the Burmese regime, Mizzima was unable to determine if this was the case.
According to Jane’s the statement Hongdu issued in September disclosed that the deal would transpire in three stages. The first stage would involve the export of 12 aircraft. The second stage would involve the customer acquiring K-8 related technologies, equipment and tools. The third would involve the customer producing the final 48 aircraft under licence locally.
Mizzima has learned that Tay Za was looking to buy an ATR-72 twin-turboprop short-haul regional airliner from Chinese Southern Airlines for his own airline, Air Bagan. He had bought two A-310 Airbuses from China but was unable to use the aircraft because they were grounded in Rangoon for safety reasons.
China is one of the few places where Tay Za can now conduct business transactions with relative ease since he was put on the American, European, Canadian, Australian and Swiss financial sanctions blacklists for Burma. The US government, which commonly refers to Tay Za as “an arms dealer and financial henchman”, was the first Western nation to target the portly tycoon on their black list, citing his close financial ties to Than Shwe and the reclusive dictator’s children. Despite the sanctions against him Tay Za is estimated to have amassed a fortune of more than US$10 billon dollars.
*****************************************************
Than Shwe tells military to aid junta’s favoured party
Friday, 18 June 2010 17:04 Salai Han Thar San
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Senior General Than Shwe recently told regional military commanders at their quarterly meeting to help the Union Solidarity and Development Party win the forthcoming election, according to the sources close to the military.
The meeting with top-ranking military officers was held late last month at the office of the army commander in chief in the Burmese capital Naypyidaw at which Than Shwe issued the directive to aid the party led by Prime Minister Thein Sein.
“He also discussed … the [opposition] National League for Democracy’s attitude to the forthcoming election, and power cuts and water shortages”, a source close to the military said, refusing to disclose details.
State Peace and Development Council members, regional military commanders and cabinet ministers attended.
An analyst on the Burmese military, Aung Kyaw Zaw, who lives on the China-Burma border, corroborated the line that the top junta leader was ordering officers to give a boost to the USDP, formed by members of the junta’s ultra-nationalist organisation, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. He said: “I heard that the Senior General had instructed the regional military commanders to help USDP”.
Other issues discussed were the frequent power cuts and widespread water shortages across the nation despite an abundance of dams and some hydropower projects, a source close to the military in Naypyidaw said, without describing any decisions or plans of action.
Moreover, the officers discussed the issue regarding the decision of the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi, that it would not contest in this year’s elections, but would carry out social work.
The quarterly meeting is usually a forum at which political, economic and military issues are discussed, regional military commanders present reports on developments in their sectors and take directives from their superiors. They are then required to hold divisional meetings and supervise the chairmen of district and township peace and development councils in their regions.
The headquarters of the USDP is in Dakkhina Thiri Township, Naypyidaw. It formally became a political party on June 9.
Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein, based in Thailand, said the polls this year were likely to be one-sided as the junta had denied the people a choice in the May 2008 referendum, especially through vote-rigging.
“They shaped the 2008 referendum according to their preferences. They may conduct the upcoming elections in the same way”, he said.
In the run-up to the referendum, junta leaders at the quarterly meetings told officers to make sure chairmen of district and township development councils changed civilian ballots from “no” votes to “yes” to approve the 2008 Constitution, a former military officer said.
Friday, 18 June 2010 17:04 Salai Han Thar San
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Senior General Than Shwe recently told regional military commanders at their quarterly meeting to help the Union Solidarity and Development Party win the forthcoming election, according to the sources close to the military.
The meeting with top-ranking military officers was held late last month at the office of the army commander in chief in the Burmese capital Naypyidaw at which Than Shwe issued the directive to aid the party led by Prime Minister Thein Sein.
“He also discussed … the [opposition] National League for Democracy’s attitude to the forthcoming election, and power cuts and water shortages”, a source close to the military said, refusing to disclose details.
State Peace and Development Council members, regional military commanders and cabinet ministers attended.
An analyst on the Burmese military, Aung Kyaw Zaw, who lives on the China-Burma border, corroborated the line that the top junta leader was ordering officers to give a boost to the USDP, formed by members of the junta’s ultra-nationalist organisation, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. He said: “I heard that the Senior General had instructed the regional military commanders to help USDP”.
Other issues discussed were the frequent power cuts and widespread water shortages across the nation despite an abundance of dams and some hydropower projects, a source close to the military in Naypyidaw said, without describing any decisions or plans of action.
Moreover, the officers discussed the issue regarding the decision of the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi, that it would not contest in this year’s elections, but would carry out social work.
The quarterly meeting is usually a forum at which political, economic and military issues are discussed, regional military commanders present reports on developments in their sectors and take directives from their superiors. They are then required to hold divisional meetings and supervise the chairmen of district and township peace and development councils in their regions.
The headquarters of the USDP is in Dakkhina Thiri Township, Naypyidaw. It formally became a political party on June 9.
Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein, based in Thailand, said the polls this year were likely to be one-sided as the junta had denied the people a choice in the May 2008 referendum, especially through vote-rigging.
“They shaped the 2008 referendum according to their preferences. They may conduct the upcoming elections in the same way”, he said.
In the run-up to the referendum, junta leaders at the quarterly meetings told officers to make sure chairmen of district and township development councils changed civilian ballots from “no” votes to “yes” to approve the 2008 Constitution, a former military officer said.
*****************************************************
The Irrawaddy - The Relevance of Suu Kyi in Burma
By BA KAUNG - Friday, June 18, 2010
For Aung San Suu Kyi's 65th birthday on Saturday, her supporters in many parts of the world will hold events, rallies and ceremonies, lamenting her ongoing detention and singing her praises.
But back in Burma, Suu Kyi's struggle continues with a plethora of seemingly endless and essentially fruitless legal cases surrounding her detention and repairs to her house.
She must also deliberate statements to the people of Burma and to the outside world at large—messages that will be relayed through her lawyers—but which have become increasingly symbolic since her political party was officially dissolved last month.
Denied the opportunity to hold formal gatherings and meetings, the National League for Democracy (NLD) has been somewhat subdued these days, despite its claim that it will persevere and still has a role to play. The party is now like the character played by Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense who has not yet realized he is dead.
Since its official dissolution, the NLD has had to stand by and watch as some of its senior members split and formed a new party— news that reportedly shocked Suu Kyi to such an extent that she was briefly hospitalized.
Over the past few years, it has become an oft-repeated description that Suu Kyi is more of an idealistic and an iconic political figure rather than a pragmatic politician. That image was sharpened by her historic decision to reject her party registering in Burma's first election for 20 years. Opponents of her decision argued that she deprived the pro-democracy people of Burma the chance to be represented, and that many would simply have to vote for regime-backed parties on polling day.
Even after that controversial decision, Suu Kyi remains widely popular in Burma, and still finds support in the outside world. Shortly after the United States said it will continue to stand behind all those working to support the people of Burma, including the NLD, its neighbor Canada also reaffirmed its continued support for Suu Kyi and Burma's democratic struggle.
On Thursday, an international group of eminent leaders known as “The Elders,” which includes South Africa's national hero Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as former US president Jimmy Carter, kept an empty chair for Suu Kyi to mark her birthday on Saturday.
There is one attribute that Suu Kyi possesses that will never change under any circumstance—her belief in non-violence adorned with a strict sense of morality. Some may say that this mode of conviction is tactless and naïve, but it is the same quality she displayed when she rejected Naypyidaw's election laws, and last year when she requested people at her trial not to mock the eccentric American citizen who had swum uninvited to her lakeside house in Rangoon.
“She would never take the cheap option, even for the sake of democracy,” a dissident in Rangoon said of Suu Kyi's mentality.
There seems little hope that Suu Kyi can significantly influence Burma's unfolding political developments as long as she remains under detention—it is an open question how many people would listen to her even if she called for a boycott of the election.
She recently said through her lawyer that Burmese people have “the right not to vote,” implying the prospect of her call for a boycott of the election in weeks ahead.
Anyway, it seems that her political clout and powerful charisma to rally people remains very much unchanged—qualities that have been recognized as crucial in breaking the political deadlock in Burma by leaders of various ethnic groups.
The regime knows that these qualities will reveal themselves again if she is released and in the public eye again. The generals will continue to view her as a major threat to their hold on power. Even after she is freed—if indeed, she is released— she will undoubtedly be subjected to alternative methods of restrictions to contain her activities.
Many observers speculate that the election will be held in October simply because Suu Kyi's sentence is due to expire in November.
There is lingering hope that one day Suu Kyi might be able to accomplish her dream of democracy for Burma, following in the footsteps of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela.
For now, her incarceration and her relentless commitment to the cause of democracy, coupled with her long separation from her children, will continue to provoke sympathy in many parts of the world. On Saturday, Suu Kyi's popularity will be demonstrated around the world in the form of rallies, marches, birthday parties and even some self-imposed house arrests in her honor.
By BA KAUNG - Friday, June 18, 2010
For Aung San Suu Kyi's 65th birthday on Saturday, her supporters in many parts of the world will hold events, rallies and ceremonies, lamenting her ongoing detention and singing her praises.
But back in Burma, Suu Kyi's struggle continues with a plethora of seemingly endless and essentially fruitless legal cases surrounding her detention and repairs to her house.
She must also deliberate statements to the people of Burma and to the outside world at large—messages that will be relayed through her lawyers—but which have become increasingly symbolic since her political party was officially dissolved last month.
Denied the opportunity to hold formal gatherings and meetings, the National League for Democracy (NLD) has been somewhat subdued these days, despite its claim that it will persevere and still has a role to play. The party is now like the character played by Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense who has not yet realized he is dead.
Since its official dissolution, the NLD has had to stand by and watch as some of its senior members split and formed a new party— news that reportedly shocked Suu Kyi to such an extent that she was briefly hospitalized.
Over the past few years, it has become an oft-repeated description that Suu Kyi is more of an idealistic and an iconic political figure rather than a pragmatic politician. That image was sharpened by her historic decision to reject her party registering in Burma's first election for 20 years. Opponents of her decision argued that she deprived the pro-democracy people of Burma the chance to be represented, and that many would simply have to vote for regime-backed parties on polling day.
Even after that controversial decision, Suu Kyi remains widely popular in Burma, and still finds support in the outside world. Shortly after the United States said it will continue to stand behind all those working to support the people of Burma, including the NLD, its neighbor Canada also reaffirmed its continued support for Suu Kyi and Burma's democratic struggle.
On Thursday, an international group of eminent leaders known as “The Elders,” which includes South Africa's national hero Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as former US president Jimmy Carter, kept an empty chair for Suu Kyi to mark her birthday on Saturday.
There is one attribute that Suu Kyi possesses that will never change under any circumstance—her belief in non-violence adorned with a strict sense of morality. Some may say that this mode of conviction is tactless and naïve, but it is the same quality she displayed when she rejected Naypyidaw's election laws, and last year when she requested people at her trial not to mock the eccentric American citizen who had swum uninvited to her lakeside house in Rangoon.
“She would never take the cheap option, even for the sake of democracy,” a dissident in Rangoon said of Suu Kyi's mentality.
There seems little hope that Suu Kyi can significantly influence Burma's unfolding political developments as long as she remains under detention—it is an open question how many people would listen to her even if she called for a boycott of the election.
She recently said through her lawyer that Burmese people have “the right not to vote,” implying the prospect of her call for a boycott of the election in weeks ahead.
Anyway, it seems that her political clout and powerful charisma to rally people remains very much unchanged—qualities that have been recognized as crucial in breaking the political deadlock in Burma by leaders of various ethnic groups.
The regime knows that these qualities will reveal themselves again if she is released and in the public eye again. The generals will continue to view her as a major threat to their hold on power. Even after she is freed—if indeed, she is released— she will undoubtedly be subjected to alternative methods of restrictions to contain her activities.
Many observers speculate that the election will be held in October simply because Suu Kyi's sentence is due to expire in November.
There is lingering hope that one day Suu Kyi might be able to accomplish her dream of democracy for Burma, following in the footsteps of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela.
For now, her incarceration and her relentless commitment to the cause of democracy, coupled with her long separation from her children, will continue to provoke sympathy in many parts of the world. On Saturday, Suu Kyi's popularity will be demonstrated around the world in the form of rallies, marches, birthday parties and even some self-imposed house arrests in her honor.
*****************************************************
DVB News - Election ‘training’ given to hopefuls
By AHUNT PHONE MYAT
Published: 18 June 2010
Workshops and seminars for politicians and journalists on the upcoming elections in Burma are being provided by non-governmental groups and international experts.
One group holding a series of workshops is Myanmar Egress, one of Burma’s better-known civil society groups co-founded by Nay Win Maung, publisher of both The Voice weekly and Living Colour business magazine.
Nay Win Maung’s role in the training is seen as controversial given his alleged closeness to Burma’s ruling generals. The Washington Post said in a June 2008 article about junta “cronies” that his background is that of “a son of a military officer brought up among Burma’s military elites, giving him good connections to military insiders.”
In 2008 he also reportedly urged opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to agree to the basic constitution that paved the way for elections this year. Ironically, elections laws announced in March effectively forced Suu Kyi’s party to boycott the polls.
The chairman of the Democratic Party, Thu Wei, told DVB that the workshops covered a range of topics, from field campaigning skills to political strategising and management.
The Democratic Party, part of Burma’s political ‘third force’ in which parties are outwardly allied to neither opposition nor incumbent, was one of the first groups to be approved to campaign.
“The election training by Myanmar Egress was for four days until [Wednesday]. It was quite comprehensive – on things such as what to do and what not do in the elections – and a lot of documents,” said Thu Wei. “Some of the things they taught we can apply, such as how to vote. We will apply what we can.”
Reports earlier this week that election training was being given by the Election Commission to the government-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) has concerned Burma observers: the USDA has allegedly been given the task of manning the ballot stations during voting, despite its apparent close ties to the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), headed by Burmese prime minister Thein Sein, which will run for office.
Similar concerns were raised around the time of the 2008 constitution, when the government conducted training workshops for proxy groups to ensure the smooth ratification of what was widely considered an unfair and controversial procedure.
Moreover, the Election Commission head, Thein Soe, said in March that international monitors would not be allowed into Burma during polling, given the country’s “extensive experience” with elections. The last polls to be held in Burma were in 1990.
By AHUNT PHONE MYAT
Published: 18 June 2010
Workshops and seminars for politicians and journalists on the upcoming elections in Burma are being provided by non-governmental groups and international experts.
One group holding a series of workshops is Myanmar Egress, one of Burma’s better-known civil society groups co-founded by Nay Win Maung, publisher of both The Voice weekly and Living Colour business magazine.
Nay Win Maung’s role in the training is seen as controversial given his alleged closeness to Burma’s ruling generals. The Washington Post said in a June 2008 article about junta “cronies” that his background is that of “a son of a military officer brought up among Burma’s military elites, giving him good connections to military insiders.”
In 2008 he also reportedly urged opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to agree to the basic constitution that paved the way for elections this year. Ironically, elections laws announced in March effectively forced Suu Kyi’s party to boycott the polls.
The chairman of the Democratic Party, Thu Wei, told DVB that the workshops covered a range of topics, from field campaigning skills to political strategising and management.
The Democratic Party, part of Burma’s political ‘third force’ in which parties are outwardly allied to neither opposition nor incumbent, was one of the first groups to be approved to campaign.
“The election training by Myanmar Egress was for four days until [Wednesday]. It was quite comprehensive – on things such as what to do and what not do in the elections – and a lot of documents,” said Thu Wei. “Some of the things they taught we can apply, such as how to vote. We will apply what we can.”
Reports earlier this week that election training was being given by the Election Commission to the government-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) has concerned Burma observers: the USDA has allegedly been given the task of manning the ballot stations during voting, despite its apparent close ties to the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), headed by Burmese prime minister Thein Sein, which will run for office.
Similar concerns were raised around the time of the 2008 constitution, when the government conducted training workshops for proxy groups to ensure the smooth ratification of what was widely considered an unfair and controversial procedure.
Moreover, the Election Commission head, Thein Soe, said in March that international monitors would not be allowed into Burma during polling, given the country’s “extensive experience” with elections. The last polls to be held in Burma were in 1990.
No comments:
Post a Comment