BI Weekly No. 327
November 20th - November 26th, 2007
The BI Weekly archive is available on our website: www.burmaissues.org
Inside Burma
Repression against soldiers who fired on monks
How many monks were killed in the uprising?
Rapper arrested leading to riot
Underage soldier forced to stay in army
Border
Chinese military equipment brought into Burma
Burmese migrants shot – two more arrested
Norwegian NGO ceases funding for ABSDF
Burmese democracy activists urge China not to sell military equipment to Burma
International
Mixed messages sent by Junta with regard to reform
Snail paced progress toward democracy says Gambari
India votes against UN resolution
Burmese activist allowed to stay in Britain
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Repression against soldiers who fired on monks
Repression in Burma is now turning against the army that carried it out. Reliable sources in the country told AsiaNews that rumours are circulating Mandalay and Rangoon according to which the junta is physically “eliminating” the soldiers that shot at monks and protesters in late September in anti-regime demonstrations in order to get rid of evidence and witnesses should they be called to account for ordering the violence.
In a brief announcement on state TV, the junta said that people involved in the demonstrations caused by fuel price hikes are still being detained. Out of 2,927 people arrested, 468 remain in prison.
However, these numbers refer only to people taken into custody on September 26 and 27 when tension was at its peak. Since then the military has continued to arrest opponents by using photos taken during the marches to identify people. Unofficial estimates put the number of those in prison at over 6,000.
‘Junta “eliminating” soldiers who fired on monks’, Asia News, November 19, 2007
How many monks were killed in the uprising?
A Sri Lanka-educated Buddhist scholar, U Thilavantha who served as teacher to about 200 student monks, was arrested on September 25. He died in Myitkyina Hospital on September 26 from injuries he received when he was beaten by soldiers and security forces, according to Thailand’s Mae Sot-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma).
However, authorities forced a pathologist to record the cause of death as heart disease, said the AAPP.
The regime’s newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, earlier reported that 10 protesters were killed in the demonstrations and that no monks were hurt.
However, the generals recently told UN human rights investigator, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, that 15 demonstrators were killed during the September crackdown.
Aung Kyaw Oo of the AAPP said, “In our confirmed list, about 70 monks are now being detained, one is missing and one has died so far. But, we estimate that around 100 protestors, including about 10 monks, were killed.”
"How many monks were killed in the pro-democracy uprising", The Irrawaddy, November 19, 2007
Rapper arrested leading to riot
Burmese rapper G-Tone was taken away by police as he left the stage at a concert last night after he showed a religious tattoo to the crowd during his performance, according to an audience member.
During a hip hop festival at Mya Yeik Nyo hotel at around 9pm, G-Tone took off his shirt and turned his back to the audience to reveal a tattoo of two hands clasped in a prayer position holding prayer beads.
Immediately after the gesture, police and fire brigade officials went towards the stage to arrest him, but were persuaded by other musicians to wait until the end of his set to avoid making a scene.
G-Tone was subsequently arrested which led to protests from the young crowd with events nearing a riot. Heavy handed police even assaulted other musicians in the melee. It is not clear whether G-Tone has been released.
"Riot at concert after rapper arrested", Democratic Voice of Burma Mon 19 Nov 2007
Underage soldier forced to stay in army
Burmese military officials have refused to let a 14 year old boy from South Dagon township leave the army, despite his parents providing proof that he is underage.
According to a local representative of the family, Maung Kyaw Min Thu went missing on 14 September after spending five days visiting his uncle’s house in Insein.
His parents, U Thaung Aye and Daw Aung Naing, filed a missing person report with their local authorities and searched for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
After tracking his whereabouts to an army barracks, of which he parents were denied entry, he was later sent to a training camp. His parents went to military unit 3 of basic military training camp 6 in Bassein, where they had learned their son was training, hoping to take him home.
They were met by officials who said the boy had enlisted voluntarily and showed documents to that effect. The boy was forced to say he wanted to stay in the army however in private when they were eating lunch he told his parents that he was scared and wanted to go home.
"Child soldier unable to leave Burmese army", Democratic Voice of Burma
Tue 20 Nov 2007
Chinese military equipment brought into Burma
Sources on the China-Burma border claim that Chinese military equipment and vehicles have been sent into the country over the past month at the Jiang Hkong border crossing. Jiang Hkong is located in Yunnan province in China, across the border from Muse on the Burmese side.
A local source from the border said that the police chief of Yunnan province had met Khin Ye, a Burmese police chief, in Jiang Hkong on Monday. The Chinese police chief reportedly handed over equipment for detecting explosives and mines to Khin Ye for use at Naypyidaw airport.
Local residents said they had seen seven Chinese-made flatbed trucks parked in front of Kaung hotel on the Muse-Mandalay highway overnight in the second week of November. The following morning the trucks then drove off in the direction of Mandalay.
"Chinese military vehicles and equipment enter Burma", Democratic Voice of Burma, Wed 21 Nov 2007
Burmese migrants shot – two more arrested
Two more people were arrested in Thailand on Monday, suspected of involvement in the murder of five Burmese migrant workers, according to a relative of one of the dead.
Lay Khine, 25 year-old sister of one Than Tun, said that two Burmese migrant workers, who were allegedly forced to burn the bodies of her brother and other relatives, today identified the place where the bodies had been burned to the police and other local authorities.
The dead were named as: Than Tun, 35; Thein Aung, 50; Paw Oo, 28; Naing Lin, 18; and Kala Gyi, 27.
The Burmese migrant workers had been working near a Thai village some 27 kilometers from Mae Sot town in Tak Province. They were from Nyaunglaybin Township in Pegu Division in Burma.
It is claimed the five migrants had stolen sacks of corn. The report said that the five Burmese men were handcuffed and shot in their heads, and two other Burmese migrant workers who were arrested today were forced to burn the bodies.
"Two more arrested for involvement in murder of five Burmese migrants - Shah Paung", Irrawaddy, Mon 19 Nov 2007
Norwegian NGO ceases funding for ABSDF
A Norwegian non-governmental organization that works exclusively with Burma has stopped its financial support to the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front this week, according to a leading member of the exiled students group.
According to a letter dated November 21 from the Norwegian Burma Committee sent to the ABSDF, the NBC is “disappointed and very concerned” to learn that the ABSDF released a statement on October 4, 2007, in which it declared its decision to conduct active military action against the military regime in Burma.
“Since ABSDF as an organization had decided to be involved in military action and attack, NBC cannot continue to support any of ABSDF’s activities,” the letter stated.
But Salai Yaw Aung, the joint-general secretary (1) of the ABSDF said, “I think they misunderstand us, because of our October 4 press release.” However the ABSDF statement also stated that they are preparing for activists from inside Burma to join them and that they would receive short-term and long-term military training.
"Norwegian NGO stops funding Burmese Student Army", Irrawaddy Fri 23 Nov 2007
Burmese democracy activists urge China not to sell military equipment to Burma
Burmese democracy activists urge China not to sell military equipment to Burma
Pro-democracy activists from Burma and northeast India yesterday urged China not to provide military hardware to Burma. They also wanted China to mount pressure on the Burmese military junta to implement quick reforms to usher in democracy.
In a memorandum submitted to Chinese youth, currently in Aizawl, capital of Mizoram state, Burmese and Mizo democracy activists from Mizoram Committee for Democracy in Burma (MCDB) and Campaign for Democracy Movement in Burma (CDMB) also called on the government of China to stop selling armaments to the Burmese junta.
“We urged youth from China to join the international community to usher in democracy in Burma and also appealed to the Chinese government to push the Burmese regime to speed up democratic reforms in Burma,” L. Changte, Deputy Director of CDMB said.
"China urged not to sell armaments to Burma", Khonumthung News, Fri 23 Nov 2007
Mixed messages sent by Junta with regard to reform
The United Nations heaped praise on Burma 's military junta this week for allowing meetings with prominent political prisoners, and said that progress was being made in brokering discussions between the government and opposition
But for knowledgeable observers, recent visits by U.N. envoys Ibrahim Gambari and Paulo Sergio Pinheiro have done little to change the reality on the ground two months after anti-government protests led by Buddhist monks were violently crushed.
The regime gave Pinheiro rare access to the infamous Insein Prison. But pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest and substantive talks between her and the junta on the nation's future remain a remote possibility.
“The fact that her status remains the same ― a house prisoner with no freedom to move about, talk informally with anyone she wants, when she wants ― suggests that nothing is happening of importance,” Josef Silverstein, a retired Rutgers University professor who has studied Burma for a half century, said in an e-mail interview.
"Burma sends mixed messages on reform", Associated Press, Michael Casey
Mon 19 Nov 2007
Snail-paced progress toward democracy says Gambari
A UN envoy believes Burma 's junta has made snail-paced progress toward democracy, but much more needs to be done, including freeing opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Philippine official said Tuesday.
UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari briefed Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on his negotiations so far with the junta and his meeting with Suu Kyi, the detained leader of the pro-democracy movement in the Southeast Asian nation.
“Gambari was saying, on the balance, there has been some forward movement. It's not all the movement that we would want to happen but there has been some forward movement,” said Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo.
But Romulo said the concessions fall far short of international demands for the release of Suu Kyi, who has spent 12 of the last 18 years under house arrest.
“We have about six months to one year to see whether some movement can be made,” he said.
"Gambari says Burma has made slow Progress Jim Gomez", Associated Press,
Wed 21 Nov 2007
Burmese activist allowed to stay in Britain
A Burmese dissident who faced deportation to his troubled homeland has won his battle to stay in Britain . Lay Naing and his family fled Burma last year after being imprisoned and beaten for distributing literature critical of the military junta.
His asylum claim was thrown out and three appeals rejected. But the Prime Minister ordered a review of the case after being challenged in the Commons. Mr Naing, who lives in Wakefield , West Yorks , has now been told he can stay.
The 34-year-old, who works as a volunteer for the Refugee Council in Leeds , received a letter from Gordon Brown to say he would be given humanitarian protection status.
"Burma activist wins exile fight" ,BBC News, Fri 23 Nov 2007
Burmese activist allowed to stay in Britain
The United Nations heaped praise on Burma 's military junta this week for allowing meetings with prominent political prisoners, and said that progress was being made in brokering discussions between the government and opposition.
But for knowledgeable observers, recent visits by U.N. envoys Ibrahim Gambari and Paulo Sergio Pinheiro have done little to change the reality on the ground two months after anti-government protests led by Buddhist monks were violently crushed.
The regime gave Pinheiro rare access to the infamous Insein Prison. But pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest and substantive talks between her and the junta on the nation's future remain a remote possibility.
“The fact that her status remains the same ― a house prisoner with no freedom to move about, talk informally with anyone she wants, when she wants ― suggests that nothing is happening of importance,” Josef Silverstein, a retired Rutgers University professor who has studied Burma for a half century, said in an e-mail interview.
"Burma sends mixed messages on reform", Associated Press, Michael Casey
Mon 19 Nov 2007
India votes against UN resolution
India has voted against the UN resolution condemning the recent crackdown on anti-government protests by Myanmar’s ruling generals.
The resolution, adopted Tuesday night by a UN General Assembly committee by a 88-24 vote with 66 abstentions, ’strongly condemns the use of violence against peaceful demonstrators who were exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression and to peaceful assembly and association’.
In a statement explaining India’s negative vote, Kunwar Sarvraj Singh, MP a member of the Indian delegation to the UN, said: ‘By adopting a condemnatory, intrusive and unhelpful tone, this draft resolution will not contribute or strengthen the initiatives being taken (in Myanmar) by the UN and may, in fact, prove to be counter productive.’
Singh said India believes human rights in a country are better promoted and protected by the international community through dialogue, consultation and cooperation.
"India votes against UN resolution on Myanmar", Malaysia Sun, Wed 21 Nov 2007
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