Military Regime accuses of petition activist

The Burmese military junta freed 22 Indian nationals, who were in jail for almost six months for felling timber "illegally" in Burma 's border area.

The Indian villagers said to be mostly timber smugglers were arrested by the Burmese Army from Lunjang, a remote border village popularly known as salaplen, 25 kilometres south east of Singhat police station in Manipur's Churachandpur district bordering Burma on May 6 afternoon.

"The reason behind the arrest is related to their illegal activities on foreign soil," said a Manipur police officer over telephone.

The Indian nationals were handed over by a Burmese team headed by the Deputy Director of Immigration, Kyaw Sein Thein at the Namphalong Immigration office to an Indian team comprising of Moreh Additional Deputy Commissioner, Th. Chote and Moreh Police Officer-in-charge, W Nongyai around 9.45 a.m. on Monday, reports from the border town said.

The freed Indians are currently detained in Moreh police station for verification of their identities, police sources said.

However there is no information regarding handing over the three Saktiman trucks bearing the registration MN02/5544, MN02/6838 and MN05/2178 used to transport the timber which were seized by the Burmese Army while apprehending the Indians.

" Burma hands over 22 arrested Indians" Mizzima News, November 1, 2006.

UN envoy expected back in Burma

Top UN official Ibrahim Gambari is expected back in military-ruled Burma early next month, diplomats said Friday, nearly six months after his last visit when he was allowed to meet detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

Gambari's visit was likely to take place from November 9 to 12, a diplomat said here. The United Nations has yet to confirm the dates for the trip, which has been in the works for months.

A high-ranking official at Burma 's foreign ministry also declined to confirm dates.

Gambari's planned visit comes after the UN Security Council heard a briefing in late September on Myanmar which is under international pressure to reform.

The United States later said it might introduce a resolution at the UN Security Council on Myanmar after Gambari's upcoming visit.

When Gambari visited Myanmar in May, he became the first foreigner allowed to see Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in more than two years.

But shortly after he left, the junta extended her house arrest for another year. Aung San Suu Kyi has spent most of the last 17 years under house arrest. Her National League for Democracy Party won 1990 elections, but the military has never allowed them to govern.

"UN envoy expected back in Yangon in early November." Agence France Presse, October 27, 2006.

UK Conservative MP urges for deferment of investment

The Government should close a loophole that allows companies to use Britain to invest in Burma via British-dependent territories, a Welsh MP said yesterday.

Stephen Crabb, the Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, was speaking in a Westminster debate to mark the 11th anniversary of the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma 's democracy movement.

Although most major British companies which previously invested in Burma have withdrawn, Britain is the second largest source of approved investment in Burma .

He said, 'I recognise that there are many challenges on the international scene at the moment, but given Britain's history with Burma, and given the severity and the duration of the suffering of the people of Burma, I hope that the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary will give the situation a higher priority than they have done so far.'

"Stop investment in Burma , Welsh MP urges", Western Mail, October 24, 2006.