BI Weekly No. 324

October 27th - November 1st, 2007

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

Inside Burma

Border

International

Sanctions in Burma coupled with incentive based micro-credit program
India urges junta to halt brutal repression on peaceful demonstrations
Gambari's second trip to Burma
Army drive to recruit child soldiers in Burma
Increase in Sanctions for Burma

People in Rangoon projunta forced to attend projunta rallies

Among the nine townships at which rallies were held, four were in Dagon
Myo Thit Township, a notoriously poor neighborhood built in 1989 in the
Suburbs of the city after the junta’s brutal crackdown on the 1988
Uprising. Hundreds of thousands of people in central Rangoon were forced
to relocate to Dagon Myo Thit by the junta as a punishment for supporting
the pro-democracy demonstrations and as a tactic to prevent another
Popular uprising.

“The officials ordered each ward, or neighborhood, to send 500 people to
This morning’s rallies,” said a Dagon Myo Thit resident. “After the rally
at the public park in Dagon Yeik Mon Garden City, they (the officials)
told us to walk around the townships. People don’t want to show their
faces at pro-junta rallies because it is considered shameful.”

The objective of today’s rallies was to show support for the junta’s
Constitution draft and the seven-step “Road Map to Democracy” plan, said
the source. The protesters shouted slogans in support of the junta’s
agenda regarding the “Road Map.” Thousands of people reportedly attended
this morning’s rallies in Rangoon.

As the first step in the "Road Map," a few weeks before monks led mass protests in Burma and the subsequent violent crackdown by the security forces, the second step of the seven-step read map is rather obscure, The third step-under decree 2/2007 a committee of 45 professional persons was appointed to draft the constitution. The appointment of the Committee on October 18 is being hailed by the Burmese junta as another important step on the seven-stage road map.

Usually, pro-junta rallies only occur in Rangoon at football stadiums or
in certain public places. However, this time the authorities forced
residents to walk in the streets with the protestors said the sources.

Searching people who were involved in last months protests

Special police and military intelligence officials are searching for
pople who were involved in last months protests on the basis of
potographs they had taken.

Military junta authorities in the capital of Mon state, Moulmein, Burma
are still cracking down on dissidents and trying to figure out how
iformation is flowing out.

"A shop in the new bus station called 'New Zay Gyo' has already been
investigated. The shop was closed after the proprietor was questioned the customers said.

Government backed organizations such as the Union Solidarity and
Development Association (USDA) and Sorn Arr Shin are helping the
authorities to find the leaders of protesters.

The search is being done secretly by the authorities and many monks have
left their monasteries. But I don't how many monks were arrested, an abbot
said.

"The target of the authorities is Burmese monks who led the protests, not
Mon monks," the abbot added.

Currently authorities are searching for the photographer who took pictures
and video clips of the protests in Moulmein and distributed them.

According to residents, four monks from a monastery in Mudon town were
interrogated and severely beaten up. Local residents in Moulmein claim
about 200 monks from Moulmein have disappeared after they returned home to
upper Burma.

"Crackdown on dissidents in Mon State" Independent Mon News Agency, October 30, 2007

Residents of Mingalar Taung Nyunt township, Rangoon, have claimed that
Local police have been conducting military training for township residents
and offering rewards to those who attend.

The training took place from 7am to 9am every morning and ran for two
weeks, residents said.

Police sergeants from the township police have reportedly delivered basic
military training to around 120 local people.

They also claimed that police promised to give a reward of 3000 kyat a day
to the participants, and that most of those who took part were poor or
unemployed young people motivated by the reward.

Mingalar Taung Nyunt residents assumed that the authorities were providing
the training so that any future protests could be cracked down on by
civilians rather than government forces.

“We don’t like them conducting this training for our people, because they
are going to use these people against us” said one resident.

However, the motive for providing any training has not been confirmed.

Mingalar Taung Nyunt police station said they were not aware of any
training being held.

“We don’t know anything about that. We’re already busy with our law and
order duties, we haven’t heard anything about any training,” police told
DVB.

"Police deliver military training to civilians" Democratic Voice of Burma October 30, 2007

To pre-empt any kind of unrest, military junta authorities in Sagaing division are imparting riot control training to the police, security personnel and soldiers, sources close to the military said.

Authorities at the Northwestern military command began trainin about 100 police, soldiers and members of the junta backed civil organization Swan Arr Shin, since mid-October, the source added.

The groups of trainees have assembled in a bamboo factory in Sagaing
Division's Monywa town, where they are being jointly trained in riot
control.

Similar trainings have reportedly been given at various towns including
Rangoon, Pegu, Mandalay, Sittwe and Mawlmein on the orders of respective
division peace and development council officials, the source said.

"Riot control training for security personnel-Myo Gyi" Mizzima News October 30, 2007

Buddhist monks Wednesday staged a protest in Myanmar calling for the
release of political prisoners including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung
San Suu Kyi, reports said.

A monk interviewed by the Oslo-based opposition radio station Democratic
Voice of Burma was quoted as saying that the monks also called for "lower
cmmodity prices, national reconciliation and the immediate release of Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners."

Suu Kyi was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize but was uanble to attend
the award ceremony since she was held in house arrest. Her sons accepted
the award on her behalf.

Some 200 monks reportedly took part in the protest held in the small town
Pokokku, the report said.

In September, the military regime cracked down on peaceful monk- led
demonstrations in the former capital Yangon and other cities.

"We are not afraid of getting arrested or being tortured," the unnamed
monk said, adding that the monks planned more demonstrations in the
future.

"Monks demand release of Aung San Suu Kyi- Norwegian report" Deutsche Presse-Agentur October 31, 2007

Thai police arrested about 1,200 migrant workers, most of them Burmese, in
a raid on a market area in Thailand’s Samut Sakhon province early on
Wednesday, the Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

TNA said the police raid followed reports of an influx of 70,000 illegal Burmese migrants to the Gulf of Thailand province, where many seafood businesses are located.A700 man police force raided a shrimp market. Although Thailand's Department of Employment had registered 70,000 migrant workers with employment licenses, the police believe that documents had been forged.

Raids and arrests were also reported from the Thai-Burmese border town of Mae sot. Thai labor rights workers said more than 100 migrants, including monks, had been arrested. Thirty infants and two Burmese monks were among those detained by the police. The monks said they were visiting relatives and administering to local Burmese residents. Many others had escaped into the surrounding countryside.

A source in Mae sot said more than 200 illegal migrants had been caught there and sent back to Burma. Burmese migrants said the arrest were a cause of "big concern." They might not know where to go and how to survive.

The current crackdown follows a recent claim by Thailand’s former army
Chief, Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, now a deputy minister of national
Security, that the country’s 2-3 million illegal migrant workers
rpresented a social problem and a threat that needed to be addressed,
particularly in the province’s Mahachai district. He said he would be
Going to the area to inspect the situation at firsthand and seek a
solution.

Apart from his government responsibilities, Gen Sonthi is chairman of
Thailand’s National Foreign Workers Administrative Committee.

"Thai Police net more than 1,000 migrants, many Burmese-Violet Cho" Irrawaddy October 31, 2007

A Burmese exile media organization in Bangkok has dropped its Web site
news service “temporarily,” amid reports of a crackdown on such operations
on Thai territory that carry material critical of Burma’s junta.

The reports surfaced last week and caused other exile media groups in
Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Mae Sot to lower their profile. There were
warnings of possible raids by Thai police and immigration authorities.

The NCGUB office in Bangkok was still functioning, he said. The
headquarters of the government in exile are located in Washington DC.
Zin Lin, spokesman for NCGUB told that its office in Bangkok had been warned by Thai authorities to adopt a "low profile".

The TACDB’s operations are mainly focused on Burmese migrant workers, many
of whom have no legal documents.

Reports of a possible crackdown have also been circulating since Friday
among the several Burmese organizations and NGOs working in northern
Thailand’s Chiang Mai province.

A source at the Democratic Voice of Burma said the DVB’s office in Chiang
Mai was still operating but was taking a low profile.

During the administration of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,
several offices in Sangklaburi were forced to shut down by Thai officials.
The crackdown prompted international outcry and condemnation.

The Irrawaddy has learned that US and western diplomats have also been
closely monitoring the situation and the safety of Burmese groups living
in Thailand.

"Burmese exile media on alert after crackdown warning" Irrawaddy October 29, 2007

At least three Burmese migrant workers in Thailand have died after
consuming food which was allegedly mixed with poison by their employer in
Mae Khlong, an hour's drive from Mahachai, said U Thaung Kyaw who is
investigating the deaths.

The Thai employer who owns a shipping boat in Mae Khlong allegedly fed them food mixed with poison because he didn't want to give them their wages, said U Thaung Kyaw.

Part of a team of around 30 Burmese workers, sailing the waters around Indonesia for three or four years at a time, when they returned to Thailand they could expect wages between 100,000 and 300,000 Baht.

Afraid of their employers reaction to the incident, over 20 Burmese workers have already fled to Mahachai. Now they are worried about their relatives who are still in Mae Khlong.

There are an estimated two million migrant workers living in Thailand,
according to the Chiang Mai based Migrant Assistance Programme (MAP) and
about 90 percent of them are from Burma.

"Three Burmese workers in Thailand poisoned by employer" Kachin News Group
October 30, 2007

Thai police arrested about 1,200 migrant workers, most of them Burmese, in
a raid on a market area in Thailand’s Samut Sakhon province early on
Wednesday, the Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

TNA said the police raid followed reports of an influx of 70,000 illegal Burmese migrants to the Gulf of Thailand province, where many seafood businesses are located.

The official in charge of the operation, said police conducted the raids due to the influx of illegal alien workers to the area.

Thai labor rights workers said more than 100 migrants, including monks, had been arrested in Mahachai province. Many others had escaped into the surrounding countryside. A source in Mae Sot said more than 200 illegal migrants had been caught there and sent back to Burma. Police checkpoints have been set up in Mae Sot and on main roads leading to the town.

The arrests were a cause of "big concern." Particularly for children who faced being deported to Burma, "They might not know where to go and how to survive".

The current crackdown follows a recent claim by Thailand’s former army
chief, Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, now a deputy minister of national security, that the country’s 2-3 million illegal migrant workers represented a social problem and a threat that needed to be addressed, particularly in the province’s Mahachai district.

He said he would be going to the area to inspect the situation firsthand and seek a solution. Apart from his government responsibilities, Gen Sonthi is chairman of Thailand’s National Foreign Workers Administrative Committee.

"Thai police net more than 1,000 migrants, many Burmese - Violet Cho"Irrawaddy
October 31,2007

Ashin Kawvida, one of the leaders of a marching column of monks in the recent September protests has now made it to Thailand and will apply for refugee status at UNHCR.

He aims to seek political asylum in a third as he is living in Thailand without the correct documentation and could be sent back to Burma at anytime. If deported to Burma, he would most certainly face prison and torture, and may even be punished more severely.

To leave Burma he was able to use a false identity card, and passed through about eight government checkpoints on his way to Mae Sot, Thailand.

Ashin Kawvida and other monks met on the tile floor in Sule Pagoda, a focal point of the protests, where they formed the Sangha Kosahlal Aphwe, or “Monks Representative group” with 15 members.

"Monk who led marchers to Suu Kyi’s house escapes to Thailand – Yeni” Irrawaddy, November 7, 2007

Sanctions against Myanmar’s Junta for cracking down on democracy protesters should be coupled with incentives to encourage the regime to work for national reconciliation, France’s foreign minister said Monday.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner noted the European Union earlier this month agreed to expand sanctions against Burma, banning imports of timber, gemstones, and precious metals in response to the Junta’s crackdown on pro-democracy groups.

As an incentive for the regime to work for national reconciliation in Burma, an international trust fund could be set up for development projects and offer them a perspective of development said Kouchner.

The fund which he envisaged as being overseen by the World Bank and the U.N, would provide “Micro- credit at the level of the state” to create opportunities for the development of Burma’s trade and industry, among other, he added.

Kouchner is visiting the region to discuss Burma with some of it’s closest neighbors and trading partners. He will travel to Singapore, Thailand and China. He also asked Singapore to consider imposing sanctions against the Burmese regime.

“French FM says sanctions against Myanmar should be coupled with incentives”
Associated Press, October 29,2007

India urged Myanmar’s military rulers Tuesday to free all political prisoners and hold talks with the United Nations, following a brutal crackdown on anti government protests in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation.

India has come under intense international pressure to take action over the Junta’s repression of recent monk-led protests across Myanmar, largely because of the strong economic and military ties established between the two countries in the past decade.

Last week Ibrahim Gambari, urged India to break its silence over the Burma military’s violent response to the peaceful demonstrations.

India has said it is talking quietly to Burma on an approach that has upset critics at home and abroad who argue India’s inaction makes it complicit in the brutal repression.

“Germany, India urge Myanmar to release political prisoners, hold talks with UN”
Associated Press, October 30, 2007

This is the second trip by UN special envoy Gambari to push Burma for democratic reforms since the Junta’s bloody crackdown on protests last month, a diplomat said Wednesday.

The UN envoy “will be in Burma from November 3rd to 8th,” the Western diplomat said.

Gambari has since been on a six-nation Asian tour to step up pressure on the ruling generals amid global condemnation of the junta’s actions. His mission has gained wide international support, including that of key Burma ally China.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Tuesday that regional powers must push for sustained contact between Gambari and the Junta if Burma is to gradually embrace democracy.

“We have to give some sense of permanence to this mission. I say this with caution and it will be possible only with the support of the ASEAN countries and also, of course, China and India, he said.

Gambari was originally invited to return to Burma in the third week of November, but the junta agreed to push up the date after the United States and its European allies made it clear they wanted him back as soon as possible.

"UN’s Gambari in Burma on Saturday", Agence France Press, October 31, 2007

Army drive to recruit child soldiers in Burma

The military regime is buying, kidnapping, and terrorizing boys as young as 10 to fill its ranks. The report by Human Rights Watch, a New York based group, says military recruiters and civilian brokers scour train and bus stations markets and other public places for boys and coerce them to serve in the army.

The recruiters and agents receive cash payments and other incentives for recruits, even those who fail to meet basic health and age requirements, said the report.

“Recruiters and civilian agents are sweeping boys as young as 11 and 12 off the streets. Children are literally being bought and sold by recruiters", said Ms. Becker the director of Children’s Rights.

The report quoted some former child soldiers as saying they and others had been detained in cells, handcuffed, beaten, and bought and sold from one recruiter or battalion to another.

The soldiers are subject to mistreatment by officers and are sometimes forced to participate in the human rights abuses that have been widely documented among Tatmadaw armed forces. They include battlefield atrocities, the burning down of villages and the sexual abuse of women.

One thing that is interesting is that many child soldiers say their first experience in combat is terrifying, “Ms. Becker said.”

“Report says army buys boy soldiers in Burma – Seth Mydans”, New York Times, October 31, 2007

Increase in Sanctions for Burma

US law makers are considering a widely supported new bid to punish the Burmese military rulers by banning gem and timber imports, most of which are exported to Thailand.

The bill would tighten sanctions by imposing a travel ban on top generals and associates and outlaw the import into the Untied States of gems and timber from Burma.

The bill to expand sanctions was introduced Tuesday, targeting the country’s multi-million dollar gemstone export.

The US government has twice tightened sanctions on Burma since the clampdown on protests in September, which killed at least 13 people and jailed about 3,000.

"In the Burma bullseye" – Bangkok Post – October 31, 2007