BI Weekly No. 291

August 3rd - August 9th, 2006

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

Inside

Border

International

Hundreds of former student leaders and political prisoners, politicians, monks, artists, and a few foreign diplomats gathered under tight security at a Rangoon monastery to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the brutal suppression of the student-led 1988 pro-democracy movement.

The 88-Generation group , the ceremony organizer, released an anniversary statement in which it called for tripartite talks with the military government, the National League for Democracy and leaders from Burma 's ethnic nationalities to address political transition and national reconciliation. “The current social, political and economic woes have to be resolved,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, State-run The New Light of Myanmar warned that “those who took part in the 1988 unrest and members of a local party under foreign influence are planning to organize a public gathering under the pretext of a religious ceremony on 8 August.”

The anniversary of Burma's democracy uprising stirred memories outside the country as well, with human rights organizations and others marking the day in Thailand, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, the US and even along the Thai-Burmese border.

“Rangoon marks anniversary of democracy movement”, Irrawaddy, August 8, 2006.

Than Shwe stresses ASEAN to maintain its own principles

Burma top leader Senior-General Than Shwe stressed the importance of upholding its own principles by ASEAN members including avoiding interference in other countries' internal affairs. Than Shwe made the emphasis in his message on the occasion of the 39th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"The achievements of ASEAN is not only due to the individual and collective efforts of the member countries but also for its ways of achieving things such as consensus building, positive thinking, avoiding interference in other countries' internal affairs etc," he said.

He also called for maintaining ASEAN's centrality in relations with dialogue partners and effective cooperation with them in particular and the international community in general to overcome such challenges as growing trends of international terrorism, transnational crimes and frequent incidents of natural disasters.

“Myanmar stresses upholding of ASEAN own principles” Xinhua News Agency, August 8, 2006

A new report on "World female imprisonment list" released by The International Centre for Prison Studies of King's College London said Burma has the second highest percentage of women prisoners in the world.

While in general most prisons in the world have two to nine percent women prisoners, Burma with 18 percent women prisoners is the second highest after Hong Kong , China , which has 22 percent women prisoners, following Burma is Thailand with 17 percent, the report said.

According to the report, which obtained most of its data from the national prison administrations of the countries studied, Burma has 5,842 woman prisoners.

“Burma home to second highest women prisoners: report,” Mizzima News, August 7, 2006

SPDC efforts to create discord among its member: KNU says

The Karen National Union explained recent divisions within the group as the result of government efforts to create discord among its members.

In recent months, junta officials have met Karen peace brokers for unofficial talks, during which they offered medical treatment in Rangoon for ailing KNU leader Gen Bo Mya. The offer was rejected.

During a meeting last month with Bo Mya, intelligence official Col Myat Htun Oo of Military Affairs Security said the government wanted to hold “soldier-to-soldier” talks rather than meeting with the rebel group's political leaders. KNU leaders dismissed the claim.

“If the SPDC wants to discuss with the KNU honestly, they have to stop the fighting and forced relocation and killing of the Karen people,” Mahn Sha, the general secretary of the KNU said.

The SPDC and KNU reached a “gentlemen agreement” to end fighting in January 2004 during ceasefire talks led by Bo Mya in Rangoon . However, since February 2006 Burmese troops have conducted widespread offensives in Karen State and Pegu Division that have sent villagers fleeing to the jungles and the Thai-Burmese border in the thousands.

“KNU blames junta for discord”, Irrawaddy, August 4, 2006.

Highlighting their plight, refugees from Burma 's Chin region lamented their poor living conditions and a lack of refugee status for the tens of thousands who have sought shelter in India .

It estimated 82,000 Chin-Burmese have fled to India since 1988. About 70,000 are in Mizoram, which borders the Chin region, 10,000 are in Manipur and 2,000 in Delhi , Cheery Zahau, a coordinator of the Mizoram-based Women League of Chinland said.

Zahau said many Chin people in Mizoram were not recognised as refugees, as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) requires refugees to come to its Delhi office for recognition - a condition most refugees, who are poor unskilled workers, can't comply with.

“Chin-Burmese refugees in India air woes” , Keralanext.com, August 4, 2006

Romulo to visit Burma for moving toward democracy

Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo would press Burma to move rapidly toward democracy during a visit this week to the military-ruled Southeast Asian nation.

Romulo said he would meet Burma 's ruling junta during a visit to the reclusive nation from August 3 to 5. It was not clear if he would be allowed to meet detained pro-democracy Aung San Suu Kyi, whose freedom has been demanded by the international community.

However, Romulo has said he would not use a meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi as a condition for accepting an invitation by the junta to visit.

Asked what he would discuss with the junta leaders, Romulo replied: "We have been consistent with the roadmap (to) democracy," referring to a package of democratic reforms that the junta has pledged to work on but which critics have criticized as being slow in coming. 

“Philippines' top diplomat to press for rapid democratic reforms during Myanmar visit”, Associated Press, August 7,2006

Thai PM fails to convince critics on Burma 's sudden visit

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra failed to convince critics that he went to Burma on a national or regional mission on August 2. Aside from questioning the transparency and appropriateness of the half-day visit made by a caretaker government on very short notice, the critics believe there were vested interests involved.

Former Third Army commander Watanachai Chaimuanwong alleged that Thaksin went there in search of new business opportunities opened up by the junta's decision to move the capital to Naypyidaw.

He said Thaksin was also trying to cultivate relations with Senior General Than Shwe after Gen Khin Nyunt was removed as prime minister in October 2004. Gen Khin Nyunt's family was engaged in the telecoms business with the Shinawatra family.

Suchit Bunbongkarn, a former Constitution Court judge, scoffed at Thaksin's explanation that he was doing the bidding of Asean, saying Thaksin did not have the authority or consent of Asean.

Thaksin defended his trip, saying Thailand , as a close neighbour, acted as a messenger for Asean and the international community which had serious concerns about Burma 's stagnant democratic reforms. He brushed off criticism that he was there to pursue his business interests.

Energy Minister Viset Choopiban said he had asked the Prime Minister to help negotiate the approval of applications by PTT Exploration and Production Plc for rights to explore for oil and natural gas in four fields in the Bay of Bengal . Thaksin was also asked to negotiate the purchase of more natural gas from Burma .

“Thailand Thaksin's quick trip to Burma raises questions”, Thai Press Reports, August 8, 2006