BI Weekly No. 263

January 19th - January 25th, 2006

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

Inside

SPDC challenges oil shortage
SPDC takes time for constitution process
More Shan fighters surrendered
KNLA to stop private talks with Junta

Border

International

India places itself in the evolving global economy
Burma 's ethnic minorities are the 5th most at risk
Cambodia switch into the group of criticizing Burma
Than Shwe could keep his third position on the world's worst dictators list

* denotes BI commentary

The newest plan of the SPDC is to increase the planting of jatropha crops. With these plants not only the oil problem could be solved, but also the livelihood of farmers could be improved.

The New Light of Myanmar reported about this plan with the comment that this could be the only way out of the oil crisis that erodes the country. The vegetable oil that can be refined into bio-diesel is a good way to supplement normal diesel and get independent from the international market.

In the last year the prices increased a lot which brought Burma and the people into a crisis and a horrible rise of prices. Once one of the region's most important oil producers, production has gradually declined and consumption increased, with about 16,000 barrels of crude pumped a day in 2002, or an annual total of 5.8 million, according to official figures.

"Myanmar urges country to use alternative fuel sources", Associated Press, January 19, 2006

Despite the international outcry for finishing at least the first draft of the constitution, the SPDC is taking time for processing something. The Convention that had started on the 5th of December will be finished next weekend but it has been already announced that this meeting will be resumed earliest in May. Lieutenant General Thein Sein said that a plenary session will be held next week which is more a sign for recess.

The international pressure doesn't seem to impress the leaders of the Convention which is hold at an isolated military compound north of Rangoon . There, delegates had drafted detailed plans for a new bicameral legislature, as well as rules for citizenship and for the military's role in government.

Nevertheless, the international pressure increases. Not only the USA have increased their pressure, but also some other countries came or were urged in the boat, namely the UN and the ASEAN states.

"Myanmar constitution talks to close until May", Agence France Presse, January 20, 2006

50 Shan fighters from the SSA laid down their weapons and became arrested by the SPDC. Their weapons, drugs and cash, gold bars have been confiscated, according to Information Minister Kyaw Hsann. This happened during a battle between the SPDC groups and the SSA, the biggest ethnic army which is still fighting with the SPDC. Despite the 50 soldiers, four others became killed, four others fled. The Shan Democratic Union has confirmed the information. The SSA had joined a ceasefire agreement with the SPDC and the Shan State National Army but broke it to fight again. The SSA is accused by the junta to grow poppy and sell opium.

"Myanmar says 50 rebels surrender", Agence France Presse, January 20, 2006

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KNLA to stop private talks with Junta

Karen National Union leaders said they had solved a party split that resulted in part of their military brigade holding separate talks with Burma 's military.

The armed wing of the Karen National Liberation Army's Brigade 7 agreed to stop private talks with the regime after a meeting with the central KNU leaders on January 18.

On December 7 six Brigade 7 members, led by former KNU member Pastor Timothy who was sacked by the KNU last year, had a secret meeting with Burmese military workers in Bangkok .

The group approached the regime to ask for a special control area for development purposes. The Burmese military said it would respond to the request this month.

"KNU armed wing stops talks with Burmese military", Mizzima News, January 20, 2006

Authorities in the Burma-Thailand border town of Tachilek have begun cracking down on drug trafficking in the city.

A Burmese Anti-Narcotic Task Force in Tachilek has arrested at least eight people and confiscated quantities of methamphetamine tablets worth nearly US $10 million in Tachilek Township in the first two weeks of January.

Officials with the task force have refused to give exact details about the arrests or what will happen to the confiscated drugs and weapons, because they have not yet completed their investigation.

Traditionally, Burmese authorities stage public burnings of drug caches seized during raids. Residents of Tachilek claim no such public ceremonies have occurred, and the drugs are believed to be still in the custody of the local police.

At least five houses in Tachilek Township have been seized by the task force for links between their owners and the eight suspects now in custody.

"Burmese police target Tachilek drug ring", Irrawaddy , January 24, 2006

The long-necked Karen tribes' people from Burma have the welcome mat thrown out for them on both sides of the border

The Padaung, or long-necked Karen have been learned to cash in on for their tourist appeal by Thai entrepreneurs, and Burmese authorities are now eager for the Padaung in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces to be repatriated, perhaps for the same reason.

Many of the long-necked Karen people fled their homes across the border in Burma to escape armed hostilities between government troops and ethnic insurgents, while others were deliberately brought into the country by Thai tourism operators.

In response to the Burmese request, Thai authorities have said that they would ask the long-necked Karen if they want to go home. But the tourism operators, fearing that repatriation of the tribes' people would be a severe blow to their businesses, will likely do whatever they can to keep them happy in Thailand .

"The show must go on", Bangkok Post, January 22, 2006.

India places itself in the evolving global economy

Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has said the country's northeast region would become a vital trade link with Burma and ASEAN as a result of a strategic shift in India 's vision of the world and India 's place in the evolving global economy. Addressing two important public meetings in Assam on Tuesday, Dr Singh argued improvements in transport infrastructure in the area would aid trade activities with neighboring nations.

A railway project between Guwahati and Mandalay has already been given a green light by authorities in New Delhi .

But the political and security situation in India 's northeast regions has been less than stable in the past few years with India and Burma recently launching joint military offensives against Indian separatists in the area.

“ India 's troubled northeast to act as trade link with Burma , ASEAN”, Mizzima News, January 19, 2006

Burma 's ethnic minorities are the 5th most at risk

New York-based Minority Rights Group International (MRG) says ethnic minorities in Burma are among the five groups most at risk from government persecution in the world today. In State of the World's Minorities—which was released yesterday and is the first document of its kind—MRG says Iraqi minorities are the most vulnerable group. Burma 's ethnic minorities are considered the fifth most at risk group. The Burmese army continues to wage military operations against armed factions in the country's outer-lying areas, fighting that in some cases first began following independence in the late 1940s. Other countries in the region that are considered to pose a serious threat to their ethnic minorities include Indonesia (who rank 10th) and the Philippines (15th).

“ Burma 's ethnic minority among world's most at risk”. Irrawaddy ,January 20, 2006 .

Cambodia switch into the group of criticizing Burma

Cambodia 's foreign minister Hor Namhong on Monday urged the leaders of Burma to stop delaying a visit by Malaysia 's foreign minister to discuss democratic reforms in the military-ruled country.

The visit by Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations must "not be a tourist visit and should yield" results in pressing Burma to fulfil reform pledges, he said.

Hor Namhong noted that Burma has said it has delayed receiving Syed Hamid because it is busy moving its capital from Rangoon to a new location. "This postponement should not drag on indefinitely," Hor Namhong added.

“ Cambodia calls for Burma to stop delaying ASEAN democracy mission by Malaysian envoy”, Associated Press , January 23, 2006

Than Shwe could keep his third position on the world's worst dictators list

'A “dictator” is a head of state who exercises arbitrary authority over the lives of his citizens and who cannot be removed from power through legal means. The worst commit terrible human-rights abuses.' This present list draws in part on reports by global human-rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, Reporters without Borders, and Amnesty International. While the three worst from 2005 have retained their places, two on last year's list (Muammar al-Qaddafi of Libya and Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan ) have slipped out of the Top 10—not because their conduct has improved but because other dictators have gotten worse.

Than Shwe, head of the SPDC since 1992, the ruling regime in Burma , could keep his third position. In November 2005, without warning, Than Shwe moved his entire government from Rangoon , the capital for the last 120 years, to Pyinmana, a remote area 245 miles away. Civil servants were given two days' notice and are forbidden from resigning. Burma leads the world in the use of children as soldiers, and the regime is notorious for using forced labour on construction projects and as porters for the army in war zones. The long-standing house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize and Than Shwe's most feared opponent, recently was extended for six months. Just to drive near her heavily guarded home is to risk arrest.

“The world's 10 worst dictators [excerpted - ed]”, Parade Magazine, January 22, 2006.