G8 leaders condemn North Korea, urge Iran respect laws
Sat Jun 26, 12:00 pm ET
HUNTSVILLE, Ontario (Reuters) – The Group of Eight rich nations on Saturday condemned North Korea for an attack that sank a South Korean naval ship and called on Iran's leaders to respect the rule of law and freedom of expression.
In a draft communique seen by Reuters at the summit in Huntsville, north of Toronto, the G8 also asked Afghanistan's government to be ready by a July conference in Kabul to demonstrate to its allies tangible progress that it is taking on greater security responsibility, key to U.S. plans to begin drawing down troops in mid-2011.
The G8 called on Myanmar's military rulers to quickly release all political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate who has spent 15 of the past 21 years in detention.
The G8 signaled support for South Korea, which is pushing for a U.N. Security Council resolution against North Korea over the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan that killed 46 sailors in March.
"We deplore the attack on March 26 that caused the sinking of the Republic of Korea's naval vessel, the Cheonan, resulting in tragic loss of 46 lives. Such an incident is a challenge to peace and security in the region and beyond," the draft communique said.
The incident heightened tensions on the divided Korean peninsula, with Pyongyang denying any involvement and saying South Korea fabricated the incident.
China, North Korea's main backer and a permanent member of the Security Council, has not said who it thinks was responsible.
On Iran, the G8 repeated calls made at its summit last year for Tehran's leaders to respect the rule of law amid a crackdown on opposition supporters that began when government forces crushed 2009 post-election street protests.
"We expect the government of Iran to respect the rule of law and freedom of expression as outlined in the international parties to which Iran is a party," the draft communique said.
Major members of the G8 led by the United States this month pushed through new U.N. sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program, which Western nations fear is aimed at producing atomic weapons. Iran says the program is for peaceful purposes.
The G8 leaders' draft communique said next month's conference in Kabul would be an "important opportunity" for Afghan President Hamid Karzai to show he is making good on pledges to improve governance and security at a pivotal moment in the nearly nine-year-old war in Afghanistan.
The G8 hopes Karzai will be able to present detailed plans and show tangible progress on reinforcing the justice system and taking increased responsibility for security within five years -- both steps seen as essential for an eventual withdrawal of the U.S.-led multinational security force.
The G8 meeting came amid new doubts about the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan following U.S. President Barack Obama's decision last week to sack his Afghanistan commander, General Stanley McChrystal, over inflammatory comments he made that angered the White House.
The G8 added that it "deeply regretted" the loss of life that occurred when Israeli commandos raided an aid flotilla off Gaza in May, killing killed nine pro-Palestinian activists, and welcomed Israel's decision to set up an independent public commission to investigate the events.
The G8 welcomed Israel's decision to relax certain elements of its blockade on Hamas-controlled Gaza, saying "current arrangements are not sustainable and must be changed."
Sat Jun 26, 12:00 pm ET
HUNTSVILLE, Ontario (Reuters) – The Group of Eight rich nations on Saturday condemned North Korea for an attack that sank a South Korean naval ship and called on Iran's leaders to respect the rule of law and freedom of expression.
In a draft communique seen by Reuters at the summit in Huntsville, north of Toronto, the G8 also asked Afghanistan's government to be ready by a July conference in Kabul to demonstrate to its allies tangible progress that it is taking on greater security responsibility, key to U.S. plans to begin drawing down troops in mid-2011.
The G8 called on Myanmar's military rulers to quickly release all political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate who has spent 15 of the past 21 years in detention.
The G8 signaled support for South Korea, which is pushing for a U.N. Security Council resolution against North Korea over the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan that killed 46 sailors in March.
"We deplore the attack on March 26 that caused the sinking of the Republic of Korea's naval vessel, the Cheonan, resulting in tragic loss of 46 lives. Such an incident is a challenge to peace and security in the region and beyond," the draft communique said.
The incident heightened tensions on the divided Korean peninsula, with Pyongyang denying any involvement and saying South Korea fabricated the incident.
China, North Korea's main backer and a permanent member of the Security Council, has not said who it thinks was responsible.
On Iran, the G8 repeated calls made at its summit last year for Tehran's leaders to respect the rule of law amid a crackdown on opposition supporters that began when government forces crushed 2009 post-election street protests.
"We expect the government of Iran to respect the rule of law and freedom of expression as outlined in the international parties to which Iran is a party," the draft communique said.
Major members of the G8 led by the United States this month pushed through new U.N. sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program, which Western nations fear is aimed at producing atomic weapons. Iran says the program is for peaceful purposes.
The G8 leaders' draft communique said next month's conference in Kabul would be an "important opportunity" for Afghan President Hamid Karzai to show he is making good on pledges to improve governance and security at a pivotal moment in the nearly nine-year-old war in Afghanistan.
The G8 hopes Karzai will be able to present detailed plans and show tangible progress on reinforcing the justice system and taking increased responsibility for security within five years -- both steps seen as essential for an eventual withdrawal of the U.S.-led multinational security force.
The G8 meeting came amid new doubts about the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan following U.S. President Barack Obama's decision last week to sack his Afghanistan commander, General Stanley McChrystal, over inflammatory comments he made that angered the White House.
The G8 added that it "deeply regretted" the loss of life that occurred when Israeli commandos raided an aid flotilla off Gaza in May, killing killed nine pro-Palestinian activists, and welcomed Israel's decision to set up an independent public commission to investigate the events.
The G8 welcomed Israel's decision to relax certain elements of its blockade on Hamas-controlled Gaza, saying "current arrangements are not sustainable and must be changed."
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Sunday, June 27, 2010
The Japan Times - Indomitable Karen of Burma
By DAVID BURLEIGH
FOR US SURRENDER IS OUT OF THE QUESTION: A Story from Burma's Never-Ending War, by Mac McClelland. Soft Skull Press, 2010, 388 pages, $15.95 (paper)
This is an impassioned book, the story of an insurgency in Burma drawn from interviews with those who experienced it. The narrative tells how the writer, Mac McClelland, traveled to Thailand to work as a volunteer with a group called Burma Action, and stayed for several weeks, teaching English.
If the trials of a temporary teacher seem slight as a subject, there is much more to it all than that.
For one thing, the name of both the organization, located near the border at Mae Sot, in what is ostensibly a camp for refugees, and the names of all the participants, have had to be disguised. Burma is now called Myanmar by the military government that runs it, and the liaison group for those who have fled from conflict does not exist, at least under the name of "Burma Action." Those involved have all taken part in the insurgency, or are victims of it, but they are not recognized as refugees in Thailand.
The Karen (accent on the second syllable) constitute one of the larger minorities in an incredibly complicated country, "with seven major and a dozen subnationalities, where the minorities collectively are not so minor."
What is remarkable about the Karen is that they have been fighting against their Burmese overlords, who form the majority, since 1949.
Burma became independent in 1948, in a union that rapidly disintegrated. It is now more than 60 years since the Karen National Union declared war on the government, the world's longest-running conflict.
The title of the book, one of their four principles of revolution, suggests their unyielding determination. The book opens with a drinking session at what is in fact the author's leaving party, six weeks after her arrival.
During that time she gets to know the displaced rebels, and hears their stories, sometimes movingly expressed in English compositions. She learns how they are harassed by the Thai police, and are sometimes the victims of cross-border incursions from their own country, to which they secretly return to gather intelligence from time to time.
The insecurity and cramped living conditions that they endure as displaced persons pale beside the sufferings of people in the homeland, at the hands of the Burmese Army.
What is most valuable about this book, which is well reported, is the background information that McClelland interpolates into her tale. We learn, therefore, how brave the Karen are; how they cooperated with the British conquerors, who subsequently abandoned them; how many of them are animist or Christian, and thus at odds with the predominantly Buddhist state.
The long conflict has not been going well for them lately, with the formation of a new group of Buddhist Karen, and several significant defeats. Despite the lack of clear accounts from inside Burma, the scale of violent oppression is well attested to by the tens of thousands who have escaped to Thailand.
Among the subjects usefully aired in the book is whether tourists should go there (and using the old name for the country is one form of protest). Sixty pages of notes support the wealth of information about matters such as health, education, and breaches of basic human rights. But the claim that child soldiers are widely used to fight in Burma is slightly undermined by the fact that this famously includes the Karen, prompting a defensive footnote.
Whether suppression of the Karen insurgency can be properly called "genocide" is not the point — which is rather that they have been forgotten by the outside world. The military government has promised to hold a new election this year, which will certainly be something to watch.
The Japan Times - Indomitable Karen of Burma
By DAVID BURLEIGH
FOR US SURRENDER IS OUT OF THE QUESTION: A Story from Burma's Never-Ending War, by Mac McClelland. Soft Skull Press, 2010, 388 pages, $15.95 (paper)
This is an impassioned book, the story of an insurgency in Burma drawn from interviews with those who experienced it. The narrative tells how the writer, Mac McClelland, traveled to Thailand to work as a volunteer with a group called Burma Action, and stayed for several weeks, teaching English.
If the trials of a temporary teacher seem slight as a subject, there is much more to it all than that.
For one thing, the name of both the organization, located near the border at Mae Sot, in what is ostensibly a camp for refugees, and the names of all the participants, have had to be disguised. Burma is now called Myanmar by the military government that runs it, and the liaison group for those who have fled from conflict does not exist, at least under the name of "Burma Action." Those involved have all taken part in the insurgency, or are victims of it, but they are not recognized as refugees in Thailand.
The Karen (accent on the second syllable) constitute one of the larger minorities in an incredibly complicated country, "with seven major and a dozen subnationalities, where the minorities collectively are not so minor."
What is remarkable about the Karen is that they have been fighting against their Burmese overlords, who form the majority, since 1949.
Burma became independent in 1948, in a union that rapidly disintegrated. It is now more than 60 years since the Karen National Union declared war on the government, the world's longest-running conflict.
The title of the book, one of their four principles of revolution, suggests their unyielding determination. The book opens with a drinking session at what is in fact the author's leaving party, six weeks after her arrival.
During that time she gets to know the displaced rebels, and hears their stories, sometimes movingly expressed in English compositions. She learns how they are harassed by the Thai police, and are sometimes the victims of cross-border incursions from their own country, to which they secretly return to gather intelligence from time to time.
The insecurity and cramped living conditions that they endure as displaced persons pale beside the sufferings of people in the homeland, at the hands of the Burmese Army.
What is most valuable about this book, which is well reported, is the background information that McClelland interpolates into her tale. We learn, therefore, how brave the Karen are; how they cooperated with the British conquerors, who subsequently abandoned them; how many of them are animist or Christian, and thus at odds with the predominantly Buddhist state.
The long conflict has not been going well for them lately, with the formation of a new group of Buddhist Karen, and several significant defeats. Despite the lack of clear accounts from inside Burma, the scale of violent oppression is well attested to by the tens of thousands who have escaped to Thailand.
Among the subjects usefully aired in the book is whether tourists should go there (and using the old name for the country is one form of protest). Sixty pages of notes support the wealth of information about matters such as health, education, and breaches of basic human rights. But the claim that child soldiers are widely used to fight in Burma is slightly undermined by the fact that this famously includes the Karen, prompting a defensive footnote.
Whether suppression of the Karen insurgency can be properly called "genocide" is not the point — which is rather that they have been forgotten by the outside world. The military government has promised to hold a new election this year, which will certainly be something to watch.
*****************************************************
26 Jun, 2010 14:30 PM
Myanmar Stresses Continued Efforts For Drug Elimination
YANGON, June 26 (Bernama) -- Myanmar Home Minister U Maung Oo stressed on Saturday, the need for the country to continue efforts for elimination of narcotic drugs to enable the entire people including youths to enjoy good health and happiness.
"While the whole world is looking towards technological advancement, narcotic drug ranging from plant based to synthetic drugs are still being produced which can undermine mental and physical health of humans," China's Xinhua news agency quoted Maung Oo, as saying in his message on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the motto of which adopted is "Think Health not Drugs ".
"Narcotic drugs pose a great threat to the human society for they wreak havoc on any user," he said.
He said that Myanmar is carrying out its third five-year drug elimination plan after its first and the second have been completed.
He underlined that in collaboration with neighbouring countries such as Thailand, China and Laos, transitional organized crimes could have been exposed in foreign countries and indicted in Myanmar.
He cited some success of the country in drug elimination efforts as saying that giving education talks in schools and student's participation in literature, music, painting, cartoon and poster competitions for drug eradication contributed a great deal to campaigns against drug abuse.
He disclosed that drug users are being given vocational training in three rehabilitation camps after being treated.
Meanwhile, an officially-organided ceremony to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is due to take place in Nay Pyi Taw later on Saturday.
Myanmar Stresses Continued Efforts For Drug Elimination
YANGON, June 26 (Bernama) -- Myanmar Home Minister U Maung Oo stressed on Saturday, the need for the country to continue efforts for elimination of narcotic drugs to enable the entire people including youths to enjoy good health and happiness.
"While the whole world is looking towards technological advancement, narcotic drug ranging from plant based to synthetic drugs are still being produced which can undermine mental and physical health of humans," China's Xinhua news agency quoted Maung Oo, as saying in his message on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the motto of which adopted is "Think Health not Drugs ".
"Narcotic drugs pose a great threat to the human society for they wreak havoc on any user," he said.
He said that Myanmar is carrying out its third five-year drug elimination plan after its first and the second have been completed.
He underlined that in collaboration with neighbouring countries such as Thailand, China and Laos, transitional organized crimes could have been exposed in foreign countries and indicted in Myanmar.
He cited some success of the country in drug elimination efforts as saying that giving education talks in schools and student's participation in literature, music, painting, cartoon and poster competitions for drug eradication contributed a great deal to campaigns against drug abuse.
He disclosed that drug users are being given vocational training in three rehabilitation camps after being treated.
Meanwhile, an officially-organided ceremony to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is due to take place in Nay Pyi Taw later on Saturday.
*****************************************************
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
ABC News - Burma burns $76 million worth of drugs
Posted 9 hours 42 minutes ago
Burma burned drugs worth around $87 million on Saturday as the military government said there were signs of surging narcotics production in the country's restive north-eastern regions.
Around 10 tonnes of illicit substances of all kinds were incinerated in four provinces across the country to mark the United Nations' international anti-drugs day.
Burma has seen a steep increase in seizures of amphetamine since 2008, with the number of tablets captured rising from 1.1 million two years ago to 23.8 million in 2009.
And 7.6 million tablets were found in the first four months of 2010, according to police figures.
"Most of the paraphernalia and chemicals used in manufacturing psychotropic substances were seized in north-eastern parts of Myanmar during 2009," home affairs minister Maung Oo said during a ceremony to mark the UN's International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Naypyidaw.
Some minority groups are believed to be cashing in on drugs amid an increasing sense of vulnerability in the run-up to Burma's first elections in two decades.
Armed minorities in Shan and Karen states continue to fight the government along the country's eastern border, claiming they are victims of neglect and mistreatment.
Burma is also the world's second largest producer of opiates after Afghanistan, although there has been a general decline in trade of these drugs since the 1990s.
"We find that the production of both opium and heroin, compared to that of the last decades, has declined markedly," Maung Oo said.
He said the government is working with China to monitor opium cultivation in northern parts of Burma using satellites.
Posted 9 hours 42 minutes ago
Burma burned drugs worth around $87 million on Saturday as the military government said there were signs of surging narcotics production in the country's restive north-eastern regions.
Around 10 tonnes of illicit substances of all kinds were incinerated in four provinces across the country to mark the United Nations' international anti-drugs day.
Burma has seen a steep increase in seizures of amphetamine since 2008, with the number of tablets captured rising from 1.1 million two years ago to 23.8 million in 2009.
And 7.6 million tablets were found in the first four months of 2010, according to police figures.
"Most of the paraphernalia and chemicals used in manufacturing psychotropic substances were seized in north-eastern parts of Myanmar during 2009," home affairs minister Maung Oo said during a ceremony to mark the UN's International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Naypyidaw.
Some minority groups are believed to be cashing in on drugs amid an increasing sense of vulnerability in the run-up to Burma's first elections in two decades.
Armed minorities in Shan and Karen states continue to fight the government along the country's eastern border, claiming they are victims of neglect and mistreatment.
Burma is also the world's second largest producer of opiates after Afghanistan, although there has been a general decline in trade of these drugs since the 1990s.
"We find that the production of both opium and heroin, compared to that of the last decades, has declined markedly," Maung Oo said.
He said the government is working with China to monitor opium cultivation in northern parts of Burma using satellites.
*****************************************************
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Protest tomorrow to seek end of abuses in Myanmar
Staff reports • June 25, 2010
A protest in Rochester on Saturday will seek the end of human rights abuses in Myanmar.
Refugees plan a nonviolent rally and the signing of a petition for the right to vote in Myanmar — formerly known as Burma — from 2 to 5 p.m. at Maplewood Park, near Lake and Driving Park avenues.
Margie Ishikawa of the Asian-American Centre of Greater Rochester said she is supporting the protest because the Myanmar democracy has been stripped by a military junta. Ishikawa is also concerned with reported human rights abuses by the military.
Some women and families have escaped from Myanmar and currently live in Rochester.
Ishikawa said she is also helping refugees in Rochester with English and helping them as they seek to restore democracy to Myanmar residents who have had their voting rights revoked.
Protest tomorrow to seek end of abuses in Myanmar
Staff reports • June 25, 2010
A protest in Rochester on Saturday will seek the end of human rights abuses in Myanmar.
Refugees plan a nonviolent rally and the signing of a petition for the right to vote in Myanmar — formerly known as Burma — from 2 to 5 p.m. at Maplewood Park, near Lake and Driving Park avenues.
Margie Ishikawa of the Asian-American Centre of Greater Rochester said she is supporting the protest because the Myanmar democracy has been stripped by a military junta. Ishikawa is also concerned with reported human rights abuses by the military.
Some women and families have escaped from Myanmar and currently live in Rochester.
Ishikawa said she is also helping refugees in Rochester with English and helping them as they seek to restore democracy to Myanmar residents who have had their voting rights revoked.
*****************************************************
Brisbane Times - Refugees become citizens in Brisbane
June 27, 2010 - 8:54AM
AAP
Brisbane residents who fled from countries such as Sierra Leone, Sudan and Burma will become Australian citizens on Sunday as part of the World Refugee Day Community Festival.
One of the new citizens, Harry Aung, fled his home in Burma and came to Australia after being granted a humanitarian visa.
He said he was very excited to become an Australian citizen.
"I love the people in Australia, the lifestyle and that this is a multicultural country where you can meet with people from all over the world," Mr Aung said.
Since the end of WWII, nearly 750,000 refugees and others in humanitarian need have been resettled in Australia.
A Department of Immigration and Citizenship spokesman said more than 1,300 people had settled in Queensland under the humanitarian program this year, with many to become Australian citizens in the years to come.
"Australia provides comprehensive support systems for refugees and others in humanitarian need and consistently ranks among the world's top three resettlement countries, along with the United States and Canada," he said.
The special citizenship ceremony, starting at 9am (AEST), will start the World Refugee Day Community Festival at the Annerley Soccer Club fields.
June 27, 2010 - 8:54AM
AAP
Brisbane residents who fled from countries such as Sierra Leone, Sudan and Burma will become Australian citizens on Sunday as part of the World Refugee Day Community Festival.
One of the new citizens, Harry Aung, fled his home in Burma and came to Australia after being granted a humanitarian visa.
He said he was very excited to become an Australian citizen.
"I love the people in Australia, the lifestyle and that this is a multicultural country where you can meet with people from all over the world," Mr Aung said.
Since the end of WWII, nearly 750,000 refugees and others in humanitarian need have been resettled in Australia.
A Department of Immigration and Citizenship spokesman said more than 1,300 people had settled in Queensland under the humanitarian program this year, with many to become Australian citizens in the years to come.
"Australia provides comprehensive support systems for refugees and others in humanitarian need and consistently ranks among the world's top three resettlement countries, along with the United States and Canada," he said.
The special citizenship ceremony, starting at 9am (AEST), will start the World Refugee Day Community Festival at the Annerley Soccer Club fields.
*****************************************************
June 26, 2010 at 09:23:57
OpEdNews - ASEAN must have a specific evaluation on unfair polls in Burma
Zin Linn
The Burmese politicians, who were eager to run in the incoming elections hoping a political space, were in for a big shock when they saw the 'Election Commission's Directive No.2/2010 dated 21 June, 2010' in the state's daily papers. The analysts view the junta's poll process as "Entanglements' for there will be more and more complicated regulations before the unknown election date.
Political parties in Burma that want to assemble and give speeches at a designated place must apply to the Election Commission (EC) for permission at least seven days prior to the event, according to state-run media. The new 'EC Directive No.2/2010 dated 21 June, 2010' was published on 23 June, requiring political parties to provide the specific place, date, starting and finishing time, and the name and address of speakers. The EC will issue a permit or reject the request at least 48 hours before the requested date.
Political parties seeking new members ahead of Myanmar's historic elections were warned in the directive they are not allowed chanting slogans in procession or giving talks and distributing publications tarnishing the image of the ruling junta. The directive also says not to disturb any public places such as government offices, organizations, factories, workplaces, workshops, markets, sport grounds, religious places, schools and people's hospitals.
The restrictions are part of the 14-article directive published by the EC that governs how parties recruit new members. All parties contesting elections planned for later this year are required to have at least 1,000 members within 90 days of being granted registration.
The EC head, Thein Soe, pronounced last month that international monitors would not be allowed to observe the elections. After the 2008 constitutional referendum, the junta announced the bill was allegedly supported by more than 90 per cent of the population, despite complaints of widespread vote rigging and bullying of voters. Candidates from some registered parties have also complained that special privileges are being offered to the Union Solidarity and Development Party headed by Burma's Prime Minister Thein Sein, while other civilian parties are being hindered in their campaign processes.
The junta has not declared an election date. So far, out of 42 new political parties 33 have been approved by the Election Commission and five existing parties have re-registered to contest in the coming elections. International criticism has not succeeded to free detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party overwhelmingly won the last election in 1990, but was never permitted to run the office.
Under current election laws made by the military regime, Aung San Suu Kyi and 2,200 political prisoners are totally disqualified from taking part in the elections.
Her National League for Democracy party has criticized the laws unfair and undemocratic and will stay away from the vote. The NLD was disbanded after refusing to register for the elections by a deadline on 6 May, 2010.
Burma has fallen under military boots since 1962. The regime has earned the distrustful reputation of being one of the world's worst human rights violators.
It brutally suppressed pro-democracy movements in 1988, May 30, 2003, Depayin conspiracy and Saffron Revolution in Sept 2007. There were many more sporadic crackdowns. The junta has arrested around 2,200 political dissidents including Burma's Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been confined to her residence for 15 of the last 21 years.
The regime held a unilateral referendum at gun point on May 10 and 24. The 2008 Constitution, the junta said, was approved by more than 90 per cent of eligible voters during a referendum in May 2008; just a few days after Cyclone Nargis devastated the country. The outcome of the referendum was widely dismissed as a sham, but the regime has ignored calls from the international community and main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, to review the Constitution which will cause trouble upon the Burmese people.
The new elections planned in 2010 will legalize military rule. It is convinced that the procedure will not be free and fair. Just like the referendum held at gun-point.
The socio-economic atmosphere is worsening. The junta will not be able to manage the socio-economic situation, which is failing fast. It will soon come face-to-face with a "desolate" future if it continues to refuse the national reconciliation process being urged by the opposition the National League for Democracy (NLD), the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) and the exile dissident groups.
NLD and UNA point out that the ratification of the constitution staged by the Junta is unacceptable. Both declare that the ratification was carried out against the will of the people and without observing internationally known norms for referendums. The junta also does not show respect the successive resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) calling for return of democratic system in Burma through a tripartite dialogue between the Junta led by Senior General Than Shwe, democratic forces led by Aung San Suu Kyi and representatives of ethnic nationalities. From turn of events it is clear that the junta has no plan to heed the UN call and to release political prisoners, which is a pre-condition to facilitate the tripartite dialogue.
Looking at the fact on the ground, there is more belligerences in these days, more military attacks in the ethnic minority areas, more arrests, more political prisoners, and more restrictions toward media, more control on Internet users and civil societies. So, situation needs to be very cautious and to put more pressure on the regime until the said benchmarks are carried out.
Today's question for regional groupings such as ASEAN and EU - and International Community is to think over whether Burma is planning to become a tyrannical or a democratic state? According to a Burmese saying, a tiger is a tiger and it never lives on grass. Then, if someone says a dictator would build a democratic country, it may be an object of ridicule for the Burmese populace.
There are still arguments for ASEAN to abandon its long standing policy of non-interference in another country's internal affairs if the affairs of a country spilled over and affected regional security. ASEAN's policy-makers have to debate on the Burma Question in the forthcoming ASEAN meetings. ASEAN should have a specific evaluation of its policy towards Burma under the military dictatorship for the sake of the association's reliability in favor of the whole region.
The UN should also urge Asean leaders to make concerted efforts on democratization in Burma. Burma is likely to come under the international limelight for its continued detention of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and 2,200 political prisoners ahead of its so-called elections for disciplined democracy.
Timely on 22 June, the United States criticized that elections planned in military-run Myanmar this year will 'lack international legitimacy'. 'US believes elections planned for this year in Burma will not be free or fair and will lack international legitimacy,' the State Department said on the micro-blogging site Twitter, using Myanmar's former name of Burma.
Majority of Burmese people may definitely agree with the United States' attitude on the junta's upcoming elections. However they may be disappointed with ASEAN's passive voice and pro-junta vision towards the sham opinion polls run by the unprincipled member of the grouping.
** Zin Linn was born on February 9, 1947 in a small town in Mandalay Division. He began writing poems in1960 and received a B.A (Philosophy) in 1976.
He became an activist in the High School Union after the students' massacre on 7th July 1962. He then took on a role as an active member in the Rangoon Division Students' Union. He Participated in a poster-and-pamphlet campaign on the 4th anniversary of 7 July movement and went into hiding to keep away from the military police. He was still able to carry out underground pamphlet campaigns against the Burmese Socialist Programme Party ( BSPP). However, in 1982, he fell into the hands of MI and served two years imprisonment in the notorious Insein prison.
In 1988 he took part, together with his old students' union members, in the People's Democracy Uprising. In November of that year, he became an NLD Executive Committee Member for the Thingangyun Township and later became superintendent of the NLD Rangoon Division Office.
In 1991, he was arrested because of his connections with the exiled government, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment in the notorious Insein Prison. In last week of December 1997 he was released.
Zin Linn was an editor and columnist and contributed articles to various publications, especially on international affairs, while in Burma.
He fled Burma in 2001 to escape from military intelligence and currently works as information director for the NCGUB. He is also vice president of the Burma Media Association which is affiliated with the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontiers. Zin Linn is still writing articles and commentaries in Burmese and English in various periodicals and online journals on a regular basis.
OpEdNews - ASEAN must have a specific evaluation on unfair polls in Burma
Zin Linn
The Burmese politicians, who were eager to run in the incoming elections hoping a political space, were in for a big shock when they saw the 'Election Commission's Directive No.2/2010 dated 21 June, 2010' in the state's daily papers. The analysts view the junta's poll process as "Entanglements' for there will be more and more complicated regulations before the unknown election date.
Political parties in Burma that want to assemble and give speeches at a designated place must apply to the Election Commission (EC) for permission at least seven days prior to the event, according to state-run media. The new 'EC Directive No.2/2010 dated 21 June, 2010' was published on 23 June, requiring political parties to provide the specific place, date, starting and finishing time, and the name and address of speakers. The EC will issue a permit or reject the request at least 48 hours before the requested date.
Political parties seeking new members ahead of Myanmar's historic elections were warned in the directive they are not allowed chanting slogans in procession or giving talks and distributing publications tarnishing the image of the ruling junta. The directive also says not to disturb any public places such as government offices, organizations, factories, workplaces, workshops, markets, sport grounds, religious places, schools and people's hospitals.
The restrictions are part of the 14-article directive published by the EC that governs how parties recruit new members. All parties contesting elections planned for later this year are required to have at least 1,000 members within 90 days of being granted registration.
The EC head, Thein Soe, pronounced last month that international monitors would not be allowed to observe the elections. After the 2008 constitutional referendum, the junta announced the bill was allegedly supported by more than 90 per cent of the population, despite complaints of widespread vote rigging and bullying of voters. Candidates from some registered parties have also complained that special privileges are being offered to the Union Solidarity and Development Party headed by Burma's Prime Minister Thein Sein, while other civilian parties are being hindered in their campaign processes.
The junta has not declared an election date. So far, out of 42 new political parties 33 have been approved by the Election Commission and five existing parties have re-registered to contest in the coming elections. International criticism has not succeeded to free detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party overwhelmingly won the last election in 1990, but was never permitted to run the office.
Under current election laws made by the military regime, Aung San Suu Kyi and 2,200 political prisoners are totally disqualified from taking part in the elections.
Her National League for Democracy party has criticized the laws unfair and undemocratic and will stay away from the vote. The NLD was disbanded after refusing to register for the elections by a deadline on 6 May, 2010.
Burma has fallen under military boots since 1962. The regime has earned the distrustful reputation of being one of the world's worst human rights violators.
It brutally suppressed pro-democracy movements in 1988, May 30, 2003, Depayin conspiracy and Saffron Revolution in Sept 2007. There were many more sporadic crackdowns. The junta has arrested around 2,200 political dissidents including Burma's Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been confined to her residence for 15 of the last 21 years.
The regime held a unilateral referendum at gun point on May 10 and 24. The 2008 Constitution, the junta said, was approved by more than 90 per cent of eligible voters during a referendum in May 2008; just a few days after Cyclone Nargis devastated the country. The outcome of the referendum was widely dismissed as a sham, but the regime has ignored calls from the international community and main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, to review the Constitution which will cause trouble upon the Burmese people.
The new elections planned in 2010 will legalize military rule. It is convinced that the procedure will not be free and fair. Just like the referendum held at gun-point.
The socio-economic atmosphere is worsening. The junta will not be able to manage the socio-economic situation, which is failing fast. It will soon come face-to-face with a "desolate" future if it continues to refuse the national reconciliation process being urged by the opposition the National League for Democracy (NLD), the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) and the exile dissident groups.
NLD and UNA point out that the ratification of the constitution staged by the Junta is unacceptable. Both declare that the ratification was carried out against the will of the people and without observing internationally known norms for referendums. The junta also does not show respect the successive resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) calling for return of democratic system in Burma through a tripartite dialogue between the Junta led by Senior General Than Shwe, democratic forces led by Aung San Suu Kyi and representatives of ethnic nationalities. From turn of events it is clear that the junta has no plan to heed the UN call and to release political prisoners, which is a pre-condition to facilitate the tripartite dialogue.
Looking at the fact on the ground, there is more belligerences in these days, more military attacks in the ethnic minority areas, more arrests, more political prisoners, and more restrictions toward media, more control on Internet users and civil societies. So, situation needs to be very cautious and to put more pressure on the regime until the said benchmarks are carried out.
Today's question for regional groupings such as ASEAN and EU - and International Community is to think over whether Burma is planning to become a tyrannical or a democratic state? According to a Burmese saying, a tiger is a tiger and it never lives on grass. Then, if someone says a dictator would build a democratic country, it may be an object of ridicule for the Burmese populace.
There are still arguments for ASEAN to abandon its long standing policy of non-interference in another country's internal affairs if the affairs of a country spilled over and affected regional security. ASEAN's policy-makers have to debate on the Burma Question in the forthcoming ASEAN meetings. ASEAN should have a specific evaluation of its policy towards Burma under the military dictatorship for the sake of the association's reliability in favor of the whole region.
The UN should also urge Asean leaders to make concerted efforts on democratization in Burma. Burma is likely to come under the international limelight for its continued detention of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and 2,200 political prisoners ahead of its so-called elections for disciplined democracy.
Timely on 22 June, the United States criticized that elections planned in military-run Myanmar this year will 'lack international legitimacy'. 'US believes elections planned for this year in Burma will not be free or fair and will lack international legitimacy,' the State Department said on the micro-blogging site Twitter, using Myanmar's former name of Burma.
Majority of Burmese people may definitely agree with the United States' attitude on the junta's upcoming elections. However they may be disappointed with ASEAN's passive voice and pro-junta vision towards the sham opinion polls run by the unprincipled member of the grouping.
** Zin Linn was born on February 9, 1947 in a small town in Mandalay Division. He began writing poems in1960 and received a B.A (Philosophy) in 1976.
He became an activist in the High School Union after the students' massacre on 7th July 1962. He then took on a role as an active member in the Rangoon Division Students' Union. He Participated in a poster-and-pamphlet campaign on the 4th anniversary of 7 July movement and went into hiding to keep away from the military police. He was still able to carry out underground pamphlet campaigns against the Burmese Socialist Programme Party ( BSPP). However, in 1982, he fell into the hands of MI and served two years imprisonment in the notorious Insein prison.
In 1988 he took part, together with his old students' union members, in the People's Democracy Uprising. In November of that year, he became an NLD Executive Committee Member for the Thingangyun Township and later became superintendent of the NLD Rangoon Division Office.
In 1991, he was arrested because of his connections with the exiled government, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment in the notorious Insein Prison. In last week of December 1997 he was released.
Zin Linn was an editor and columnist and contributed articles to various publications, especially on international affairs, while in Burma.
He fled Burma in 2001 to escape from military intelligence and currently works as information director for the NCGUB. He is also vice president of the Burma Media Association which is affiliated with the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontiers. Zin Linn is still writing articles and commentaries in Burmese and English in various periodicals and online journals on a regular basis.
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UN News Centre - UN human rights experts call on States to ratify treaty on enforced disappearances
25 June 2010 – A United Nations human rights working group today urged Member States to back a global pact aimed at protecting people from enforced disappearances that is just two ratifications shy of the number needed to bring it into force.
The International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances, which was adopted by the General Assembly in 2006, has been signed by 83 countries and ratified by 18 so far.
The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance wrapped up its latest session today, which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by calling on “all other States to ratify the convention and accept the State and individual complaint process under the convention.”
The treaty defines an enforced disappearance as the arrest, detention, abduction or other form of deprivation of liberty by the State followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or the concealment of the whereabouts of the disappeared person.
The working group also called on the UN to proclaim 30 August as the International Day of the Disappeared.
During its current session, which began on Tuesday, the working group examined 10 cases reported under its urgent action procedure, as well as 170 newly submitted cases of enforced disappearances and information on previously accepted cases.
“Enforced disappearances remain a global problem,” said Jeremy Sarkin, the group’s Chairman and Rapporteur. “Cases continue to be reported from all corners of the world. The fact that so many cases are reported under our urgent action procedure, that allows cases to be dealt with swiftly where they have occurred within 90 days of being reported, indicates that more needs to be done by all stakeholders to prevent and eradicate the practice.”
Since its creation in 1980, the working group – which aims to assist families in determining the fate and whereabouts of disappeared relatives – has dealt with more than 50,000 cases in 80 countries. By opening channels of communication between the families and governments concerned, it seeks to ensure that individual cases are investigated and to clarify the whereabouts of persons who having disappeared
The working group continues to address cases of disappearances until they are resolved. Its five expert members serve in their individual capacities, and not as representatives of their governments.
This week the experts reviewed cases dealing with Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chile, China, Colombia, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, India, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Sudan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yemen.
The current members of the working group are: Mr. Sarkin, of South Africa; Santiago Corcuera, of Mexico; Jasminka Dzumhur, of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Olivier de Frouville, of France; and Osman El-Hajjé, of Lebanon.
25 June 2010 – A United Nations human rights working group today urged Member States to back a global pact aimed at protecting people from enforced disappearances that is just two ratifications shy of the number needed to bring it into force.
The International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances, which was adopted by the General Assembly in 2006, has been signed by 83 countries and ratified by 18 so far.
The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance wrapped up its latest session today, which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by calling on “all other States to ratify the convention and accept the State and individual complaint process under the convention.”
The treaty defines an enforced disappearance as the arrest, detention, abduction or other form of deprivation of liberty by the State followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or the concealment of the whereabouts of the disappeared person.
The working group also called on the UN to proclaim 30 August as the International Day of the Disappeared.
During its current session, which began on Tuesday, the working group examined 10 cases reported under its urgent action procedure, as well as 170 newly submitted cases of enforced disappearances and information on previously accepted cases.
“Enforced disappearances remain a global problem,” said Jeremy Sarkin, the group’s Chairman and Rapporteur. “Cases continue to be reported from all corners of the world. The fact that so many cases are reported under our urgent action procedure, that allows cases to be dealt with swiftly where they have occurred within 90 days of being reported, indicates that more needs to be done by all stakeholders to prevent and eradicate the practice.”
Since its creation in 1980, the working group – which aims to assist families in determining the fate and whereabouts of disappeared relatives – has dealt with more than 50,000 cases in 80 countries. By opening channels of communication between the families and governments concerned, it seeks to ensure that individual cases are investigated and to clarify the whereabouts of persons who having disappeared
The working group continues to address cases of disappearances until they are resolved. Its five expert members serve in their individual capacities, and not as representatives of their governments.
This week the experts reviewed cases dealing with Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chile, China, Colombia, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, India, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Sudan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yemen.
The current members of the working group are: Mr. Sarkin, of South Africa; Santiago Corcuera, of Mexico; Jasminka Dzumhur, of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Olivier de Frouville, of France; and Osman El-Hajjé, of Lebanon.
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Asian Tribune - Than Shwe: Unmasking Burma’s Tyrant – First-ever biography of Burmese Senior Leader General Than Shwe
Sat, 2010-06-26 01:34 — editor
London 26 June, (Asiantribune.com): The first ever biography of Burma’s Senior General Than Shwe will be launched at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) in Bangkok on 1 July.
The biography tirled, Than Shwe: Unmasking Burma’s Tyrant is authored by Benedict Rogers, East Asia Team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), and published by Silkworm Books. Former Czech President Vaclav Havel wrote the foreword.
The book tells the story said to be of one of the world’s most brutal dictators, and of the suffering of the people of Burma under his rule.
Drawing on his own personal travels to Burma and its borders, and interviews with Burmese defectors and international diplomats, Benedict Rogers explores the life of Than Shwe, his developing nuclear programme, links with North Korea, arms sales from China, the new capital, Naypyidaw, Than Shwe’s skills in psychological warfare and his belief in astrology, and the war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Than Shwe’s regime.
Former UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma Yozo Yokota describes the book as “a valuable resource for anyone who wants to understand Burma”.
Sean Turnell, a Burma expert at Macquarie University in Australia, says: “In this path-breaking book, Benedict Rogers shines a light into some of the darkest corners of Burma’s military dystopia .... Meticulously researched, powerfully written, and provocatively argued, this book deserves a place on the bookshelf of all of those interested in Burma, in Southeast Asia, and in the eternal struggle against tyranny and injustice”.
The launch at the FCCT in Bangkok will be followed by an event in the UK Parliament on 14 July, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP, in Speaker’s House.
John Bercow, who travelled with CSW to the Thailand-Burma border in 2004 and the India-Burma border in 2007, was elected Speaker in 2009. “Few people have spent a longer time in Burma, have studied the country in more detail, or have a more instinctive affinity with the plight of the people of that country than Benedict Rogers,” said Mr Bercow.
The book, he added, “is a hugely important study of a man who has perpetrated many crimes against humanity. It is a book as enlightening as it is chilling.”
Benedict Rogers said: “I wrote this book in order once again to turn the spotlight on Than Shwe’s brutal regime in Burma and its crimes against humanity, and I hope that in some way this will be a contribution towards galvanizing international opinion for the establishment of a UN commission of inquiry to investigate the regime’s war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Sat, 2010-06-26 01:34 — editor
London 26 June, (Asiantribune.com): The first ever biography of Burma’s Senior General Than Shwe will be launched at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) in Bangkok on 1 July.
The biography tirled, Than Shwe: Unmasking Burma’s Tyrant is authored by Benedict Rogers, East Asia Team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), and published by Silkworm Books. Former Czech President Vaclav Havel wrote the foreword.
The book tells the story said to be of one of the world’s most brutal dictators, and of the suffering of the people of Burma under his rule.
Drawing on his own personal travels to Burma and its borders, and interviews with Burmese defectors and international diplomats, Benedict Rogers explores the life of Than Shwe, his developing nuclear programme, links with North Korea, arms sales from China, the new capital, Naypyidaw, Than Shwe’s skills in psychological warfare and his belief in astrology, and the war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Than Shwe’s regime.
Former UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma Yozo Yokota describes the book as “a valuable resource for anyone who wants to understand Burma”.
Sean Turnell, a Burma expert at Macquarie University in Australia, says: “In this path-breaking book, Benedict Rogers shines a light into some of the darkest corners of Burma’s military dystopia .... Meticulously researched, powerfully written, and provocatively argued, this book deserves a place on the bookshelf of all of those interested in Burma, in Southeast Asia, and in the eternal struggle against tyranny and injustice”.
The launch at the FCCT in Bangkok will be followed by an event in the UK Parliament on 14 July, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP, in Speaker’s House.
John Bercow, who travelled with CSW to the Thailand-Burma border in 2004 and the India-Burma border in 2007, was elected Speaker in 2009. “Few people have spent a longer time in Burma, have studied the country in more detail, or have a more instinctive affinity with the plight of the people of that country than Benedict Rogers,” said Mr Bercow.
The book, he added, “is a hugely important study of a man who has perpetrated many crimes against humanity. It is a book as enlightening as it is chilling.”
Benedict Rogers said: “I wrote this book in order once again to turn the spotlight on Than Shwe’s brutal regime in Burma and its crimes against humanity, and I hope that in some way this will be a contribution towards galvanizing international opinion for the establishment of a UN commission of inquiry to investigate the regime’s war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
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The Irrawaddy - Lack of Rain Threatens Burmese Crops
By KYAW THEIN KHA - Saturday, June 26, 2010
There is growing concern among farmers in Burma that this year's harvests could be adversely affected by the late start of the rainy season and continuing low levels of rainfall, according to a report released on Thursday by the World Food Programme and the United Nations Development Programme.
Based on interviews with more than 3,400 farmers around the country, the report found that many feared crop yields would be substantially reduced by water shortages, especially if rainfall continues to be less than normal.
The report says that farmers in many areas are worried they could lose up to 70 percent of their harvests in August or September if the weather continues to be unseasonably dry, although it adds that this figure could be “more a measure of farmer concern than on-ground reality.”
However, the report acknowledges that “ if there is insufficient or no rainfall in the months of June and July, the rice and maize harvests … are going to be severely reduced,” estimating the potential loss at 25-30 percent.
Data for the report was collected in the first week of June. It identifies Chin State and Taunggyi and Lashio in Shan State as the areas at greatest risk. Other areas, such as Kachin State and the Irrawaddy delta, are less likely to be affected by delayed rainfall, the report says.
Meanwhile, farmers in the Irrawaddy delta say that they are suffering from a drought of a different kind: a lack of credit to purchase seeds, fertilizers and gasoline for generators.
“The government doesn't lend us enough money. I have 30 acres of land, but I can only borrow 150,000 kyat (US $150) per five acres from the UMEH [Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings],” said Hla Than, a farmer who lives in Betut village in Laputta Township.
“I will have to sell some of my property if I want to cultivate all of my land,” he said, adding that it costs about 130,000 kyat ($130) to grow one acre of paddy.
While some farmers complain that the UMEH provides insufficient credit, others say they won't risk borrowing from the military-run company because it requires that farmers repay the loans in paddy.
“If we borrow money from UMEH, we lose out if the price of paddy falls when we have to pay them back, so we prefer to borrow from private lenders,” said Thein Naing, another farmer from Laputta Township.
And while farmers in the delta are relatively less affected by the droughts that have gripped much of the country, they are also struggling to adequately irrigate their land.
“I can't irrigate my land properly because the water is too salty. The lack of rainfall this year has increased the concentration of salt in the water, and it's killing the paddy plants,” said Aung Nyo, a farmer in Bogalay Township.
“Another farmer near here lost about 10 acres of paddy because of this,” he added.
By KYAW THEIN KHA - Saturday, June 26, 2010
There is growing concern among farmers in Burma that this year's harvests could be adversely affected by the late start of the rainy season and continuing low levels of rainfall, according to a report released on Thursday by the World Food Programme and the United Nations Development Programme.
Based on interviews with more than 3,400 farmers around the country, the report found that many feared crop yields would be substantially reduced by water shortages, especially if rainfall continues to be less than normal.
The report says that farmers in many areas are worried they could lose up to 70 percent of their harvests in August or September if the weather continues to be unseasonably dry, although it adds that this figure could be “more a measure of farmer concern than on-ground reality.”
However, the report acknowledges that “ if there is insufficient or no rainfall in the months of June and July, the rice and maize harvests … are going to be severely reduced,” estimating the potential loss at 25-30 percent.
Data for the report was collected in the first week of June. It identifies Chin State and Taunggyi and Lashio in Shan State as the areas at greatest risk. Other areas, such as Kachin State and the Irrawaddy delta, are less likely to be affected by delayed rainfall, the report says.
Meanwhile, farmers in the Irrawaddy delta say that they are suffering from a drought of a different kind: a lack of credit to purchase seeds, fertilizers and gasoline for generators.
“The government doesn't lend us enough money. I have 30 acres of land, but I can only borrow 150,000 kyat (US $150) per five acres from the UMEH [Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings],” said Hla Than, a farmer who lives in Betut village in Laputta Township.
“I will have to sell some of my property if I want to cultivate all of my land,” he said, adding that it costs about 130,000 kyat ($130) to grow one acre of paddy.
While some farmers complain that the UMEH provides insufficient credit, others say they won't risk borrowing from the military-run company because it requires that farmers repay the loans in paddy.
“If we borrow money from UMEH, we lose out if the price of paddy falls when we have to pay them back, so we prefer to borrow from private lenders,” said Thein Naing, another farmer from Laputta Township.
And while farmers in the delta are relatively less affected by the droughts that have gripped much of the country, they are also struggling to adequately irrigate their land.
“I can't irrigate my land properly because the water is too salty. The lack of rainfall this year has increased the concentration of salt in the water, and it's killing the paddy plants,” said Aung Nyo, a farmer in Bogalay Township.
“Another farmer near here lost about 10 acres of paddy because of this,” he added.
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