BI Weekly No. 261

December 29th 2005 - January 11th, 2006

The BI Weekly archive is available on our website: www.burmaissues.org

Inside

Urging National Convention boycott after killing: Kachin groups
SSA-South commander and troops surrender
a second group of government workers to move to Pyinmana

Border

International

ASEAN envoy will visit busy Burma
Military Junta does not want Razali back
Norway withdrawn investments of more then $500m
* denotes BI commentary

Five members of the Kachin Independence Organisation and one civilian were killed in a raid by Burmese troops from the 68the battalion at Nam Ngu office in northern Shan. The area is controlled by the KIO.

The military regime has committed injustice killings more than once not only on KIO members but also to Kachin people since KIO signed ceasefire in 1993. That's why the All Kachin Students and Youth Union urge the KIO and the Kachin Independent Army to resign from the National Convention.

Unbelievable as the military junta told KIO officials the troops mistook the group's members for Shan rebels.

It is unclear why the military attacked the Kachin people but the KIO is reportedly preparing for battle, increasing the tension between the two sides.

“Kachin groups call for national convention boycott after killings in Burma”, Mizzima News, January 10, 2006.

SSA-South forces led by Khun Kyaw, also known as Than Jaung, had to surrender along with their arms, ammunition and communication equipment. The soldiers were transported to Lashio in a convoy of military trucks after being handcuffed and shackled. They would be sentenced for long term imprisonment or they will exploit political mileage from this surrender.

Khun Kyaw is a former member and war commissioner of the All Burma Students' Democratic Front in the Kachin Independence Army-controlled area in Northern Burma. But after the KIA reached a cease-fire agreement with the military, his forces had to leave the KIA-controlled area in 1997, leading to his resignation and a merger with SSA-South forces.

Shan people in the area have become increasingly nervous as Burmese troops continue their operations in the state.

“SSA-South commander and troops surrender after two-week siege”, Mizzima News, January 4, 2006

The first group of civil servants from nine ministries including the ministries of defense, foreign affairs, agriculture, electric power, home affairs, and commerce moved to the new capital in November.

New registration cards are to be issued for all civil servants from the ministry listing their new address as Naypyidaw division, Naypyidaw township.

Many civil servants are unhappy about their upcoming move to Pyinmana as some housing projects in the new capital remain unfinished and reports circulate of water and electricity shortages.

“More civil servants to relocate Pyinmana in January”, Mizzima News, January 5, 2006.

Lt-Col Kawnzuen, Commander of the SSA's Loi Kawwan-based Kengtung Force, said the SSA's fight took place on 5 December and it was only in self defense against the Nampong militia that had attacked the SSA patrol.

The Burma Army later accused the Thai Army of aiding Shan rebels and alleged that some of the wounded fighters were treated at Hintaek hospital in Mae Fa Luang district, Chiangrai province. The Thais had rejected the charges as well.

A Thai security officer replied, "Thailand has no policy of denying medical treatment to those who need it, whether they are Burmese or Shan. But in this case no SSA men had arrived at the Hintaek hospital for treatment as claimed by the Burma Army."

“SSA denies fight with Burma Army”, Shan Herald Agency for News, January 10, 2006

MSF in Thailand, which was helping Mon and Karen Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in southern Burma by crossing the border, stopped its operation at the end of December after MSF was denied permission by the Ministry of Interior of Thailand to cross the border.

According to senior medical worker in Hlockhani Camp, Nai Aye Korn, “patients from refugee camps and internally displace people requiring emergency treatment cannot be sent to Thai hospitals.”

Currently Mon medical workers, in Tavoy, Yebyu, Ye, Thanpyuzayart, Kya-inn-seikyi, Kyait-Ma-Yaw, Kawkareit and Three Pagoda Townships are seriously worried about undertaking treatment even though MSF has given medicines for six months.

Though NMSP agreed with the Burmese military junta not to ask for any kind of help from NGOs, the NMSP has to search for organizations that can help them because they cannot arrange medical treatment, explained a Mon health department official.

“Medical workers afraid of treating emergency patients after MSF withdrawal”, Independence Mon News Agency, January 5, 2006.

ASEAN envoy will visit busy Burma

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said he would insist on seeing detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi when he visits Burma as a representative of ASEAN.

Burma raised hackles last week when it said it was too busy moving its capital to receive the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) envoy, who had been expected to visit Rangoon this month to check on progress towards democracy.

Syed Hamid said he hoped the visit would go ahead in late February or early March, and sidestepped suggestions that his insistence on seeing Aung San Suu Kyi had triggered the delay.

"They didn't give that as a reason but I told them, if I go to Myanmar I have to see all the political parties in Myanmar," he told AFP. "Otherwise I think we would lose our credibility.

"Of course I would like to see Aung San Suu Kyi," he said, adding that the Rangoon regime "did not give me any assurance" that a meeting would go ahead.

The democracy icon is being detained at her lakeside residence in Rangoon and a visit by Syed Hamid would effectively break her enforced silence of more than two years.

“ASEAN envoy insists on meeting Suu Kyi during Myanmar visit”, Agence France Presse, January 9, 2006

Military Junta does not want Razali back

Mr. Razali, a former Malaysian diplomat and special envoy of Secretary-General of the United Nations, who tried to break Burma’s political impasse will not renew his contract as the military junta does not want him back. The SPDC did not allow him to visit the leaders in Rangoon in the past 22 months.

Mr. Razali during his tenure could not succeed to negotiate between the Junta government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace prize winner and the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD).

The process of national reconciliation in Burma was not progress during his tenure. He also failed to proceed further to establish democratic process in Burma.

For these reasons, he received criticism several times by Burmese opposition groups.

Despite the repeated demand of the United Nations to release NLD leader, Aung San Suu Kyi the SPDC neglected the demand of the UN. The Junta is still continuing violation of human rights in the country.

“UN envoy to Burma resigns his post”, Narinjara News, January 9, 2006.

Norway withdrawn investments of more then $500m

The five other companies are BAE Systems of Britain, Safran of France, Finmeccanica of Italy, and US groups Northrop Grumman and United Technologies.

The withdrawal follows a recommendation from Norway's Advisory Council on Ethics, which is tasked with monitoring the ethics of companies in which Norway places its massive state Pension Fund, formerly known as the Oil Fund.

Norway, however, did not withdraw its stake in French oil group Total, in line with the Advisory Council's recommendation. Total has been criticised by several humanitarian aid groups for its controversial business dealings in Burma, which is run by a military junta.

“Norway pulls investments in seven multinationals over ethical concerns” Agence France Presse, January 5, 2006