Burma Issues - BI Weekly No.330

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BI Weekly No. 330

December 17th - December 24th, 2007

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

New pharmaceutical factory for Burma

The largest and most up-to-date pharmaceutical factory was established in Burma's northern city of Pyin Oo Lwin, starting to produce 162 kinds of medicines, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported.

Pyin Oo Lwin Pharmaceutical Factory will produce high-quality modern medicines such as tablet, capsule, intramuscular, intravenous, lotion and powder, the report said.

There are five other pharmaceutical factories in Burma that supply 40 percent of the domestic market.

Meanwhile, reports said German entrepreneurs plan to set up pharmaceutical factories in Burma to produce home-use capsules and tablets soon as part of foreign engagement in the development of the sector.

According to statistics of the Ministry of Commerce, Burma imported pharmaceutical products valued at 100 million U.S. dollars in 2006-07 which ended in March, an increase by 25 percent from 2005-06 when it was 80 million dollars.

"Largest pharmaceutical factory established in north Myanmar", Xinhua, December 21, 2007

Passenger bus attacked: 8 dead

Karen rebels have attacked a passenger bus in eastern Burma, killing eight people and injuring another six, state media reports claimed.

Members of the Karen National Union (KNU) detonated a mine under the passenger bus as it drove from Kawkareik to Myawady in the Karen State and then fired on passengers, said The New Light of Myanmar, a government mouthpiece.

The state-run newspaper blasted the KNU for "constantly committing all destructive acts such as undermining stability of the State, community peace and tranquility and prevalence of law and order, killing and bullying innocent people, detonating bombs, armed robberies, collecting extortion money, and burning public property."

While Burma's state-controlled media occasionally reports about the petty acts of sabotage committed the KNU, it steadfastly ignores the atrocities committed by the Burmese military against Karen villagers.

"Karen rebels kill 8 in Burma bus attack", Bangkok Post, December 20th, 2007

Free clinic charging patients

Patients visiting a free clinic run by the Union Solidarity and Development Association in Thanlyin Township, Rangoon, are being forced to pay 300 kyat for an appointment.

The USDA clinic is supposed to be free of charge, but patients must get a token from the clinic clerk before they can be seen.

One of the clinic’s patients said that the clerk has been demanding 300 kyat for a token.

“They said the clinic was for free but now they’re charging 300 kyat and we’re not very happy with that,” the patient said.

The clerk at the clinic denied the accusations.

“We don’t ask for money, it’s free and we treat everyone warmly,” he said.

The clinic has also been criticised for trying to compete with the Free Funeral Service Society clinics.

Since the USDA clinic has been set up, it has been able to get a share of the donations intended for the FFSS clinics.

"USDA-run clinic demands money from patients", Democratic Voice of Burma, December 18th, 2007

Nearly one hundred monks released

Burma's military regime has recently released from detention 96 monks who participated in September's marches, permitting half of them to return to the Ngwekyaryan monastery in Rangoon, sources said.

Authorities released the 96 monks, including Abbot Sayadaw U Yevada from the Kaba Aye detention centre, where they had been kept since the government crackdown on monk-led protests on September 26-27.

Some 50 monks were permitted to return to the Ngwekyaryan monastery in Rangoon, but the other 46 were ordered to leave the city, said sources who visited the monastery over the weekend.

Burma's monk hood, which has a long history of political activism, took the lead in organizing peaceful protests against drastic fuel hikes announced August 15 and the country's deteriorating economic conditions.

"Burma quietly releases 96 monks", Deutsche Presse-Agentur via The Nation, December 17th, 2007

7-year-old has bird flu

The World Health Organization and Burma's state-owned media has confirmed the country's first human case of bird flu which was detected in a girl.

Nan Khan Than, a seven year-old girl in Kyaing Tone township, Shan State of eastern Burma was detected with avian flu and was hospitalized on November 27 after she developed symptoms of fever, according to WHO statement. She has now recovered.

"Samples taken tested positive for H5N1 at the National Health Laboratory in Yangon, and the National Institute of Health in Thailand. The diagnosis was further confirmed at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo, Japan," the WHO statement said.

Earlier, the Burmese authorities concealed the information on the girl despite detection of bird flu in Shan State which Mizzima reported on September 29.

"Burma's first human case of avian flu confirmed," Mizzima News, December 15th, 2007

Drug haul for Burma

Burma, the world's second-largest opium producer after Afghanistan, seized nearly 40kg of opium last month, the official New Light of Myanmar daily, a government mouth-piece said.

There were 239 drug-related cases last month, it said, but did not provide the number of people arrested in those incidents. The military government also seized 1.4kg of marijuana and 107,000 stimulant tablets last month, the paper said.

The nation regularly burns drug hauls to show the world that it is cracking down on rampant drug production.

But the US has said that several hundred million amphetamine tablets are produced in Burma every year and shipped by gangs to neighboring China and Thailand.

"Daily reports drug seizure", Taipei Times, December 15th, 2007

Burma's government in exile to reform

Some opposition leaders in exile are said to be planning to form a new exile government or to reform the current exiled government, the National Coalition Government Union of Burma (NCGUB), according to exiled opposition sources.

Opposition sources on the Thai-Burmese border said that two approaches are being considered: one reforming the current NCGUB, which has a headquarter office in Rockville, Maryland in the United States.

However, NCGUB led by Sein Win is not highly regarded in Burmese community in and out of Burma.

“Many people in exile politics have argued that the NCGUB is currently irrelevant to leading the exiled opposition movement,” said a source who asked to remain anonymous.

A second concept is to form an exile-based "federal government," sources said to be led by the National Council Union of Burma (NCUB

Some politicians also expressed doubts about whether governments in exile could make common ground and decisions for the dissident movement abroad. Other voiced concerns that forming exiled governments could lead to more problems for pro-democracy forces inside Burma.

"Exiles considering formation of new government in exile", The Irrawaddy, December 21st, 2007

Restrictions on migrant workers continues

Burmese migrant workers in Thailand are marking International Migrant Day 2008 by holding a protest and calling for their rights.

The protest was organized by the Action Network for Migrants (Thailand) in Bangkok, and up to 200 migrant workers, mainly Burmese, called on the Thai authorities to cancel the restrictions that were imposed in December 2006 which they claim have led to the abuse of Burmese migrant workers.

The 2006 restrictions included measures such as denying migrant workers the use of mobile phones and motorcycles and the right to assembly in gatherings of more than five persons. The Thai authorities claimed the restrictions were imposed for security reasons.

Aung Soe Linn, a migrant workers’ community leader in Phang Nga in the southwest of Thailand said almost every migrant worker faced abuse at the hands of their employer—refusal to pay wages, discrimination and threats were the most common complaints.

He called on the Thai authorities to talk to employers to solve these problems, as there was frequently an informal deal between employers and authorities. He also urged the Thai authorities to give migrant workers equal rights with Thais in terms of health and social issues.

"Burmese migrant workers call for their rights" The Irrawaddy, December 18th, 2007

Mae Sot Friendship Bridge not so friendly

Burmese authorities at the Thai-Burmese border Friendship Bridge in Thailand’s Tak Province are reportedly restricting the volume of goods crossing into Thailand.

Goods traffic across the bridge, leading from Myawaddy to the Thai border town of Mae Sot, has dropped from about 300 trucks daily to around 100.

No official reason for the restriction has been given, but it has been suggested that the Burmese authorities want to maintain supplies of essential goods available in Burma. It has also been suggested that the restriction is connected with changes in Burmese officials manning the border post.

Trade at Northern Thailand’s other border crossing, the bridge connecting Tachilek and Mae Sai, is normal, according to local residents. Burmese authorities are enforcing existing weight restrictions, however.

Trade at the Chinese-Burmese border is also operating as usual, a local merchant reported.

"Trade clampdown reported at Mae Sot border bridge", The Irrawaddy, December 18th, 2007

Protest continue following the shooting death of a refugee student

Over 3,000 agitated Burmese refugees on the Thai-Burmese border continued to stage protest rallies over the killing of a student in a camp by Thai security forces and set on fire two buildings and two vehicles.

The demonstration by students from No.1 refugee camp in Maehongson in Northern Thailand occurred following the killing of a refugee student by Thai security forces earlier.

"The students said that they would continue their agitation until their demands are met", Pho Re, Chairman of the Refugee Committee in No. 1 Camp said.

The demonstrators demanded that the authorities ensure proper burial for the dead youth and withdrawal of all security forces from the camp. They also wanted restoration of the rights of refugees and the removal of the Thai Refugee Camp Security and Supervision Force, which was responsible for the death of the student.

"They shot dead a student living in the camp. The whole refugee community is outraged over the incident and they demand restoration of peace and tranquility, restoration of human rights, and the right to education in the camp. That's all", Ko Daylo, a demonstrator, said.

Angry mobs from the refugee camp set ablaze two buildings, two vehicles and motorcycles of the Thai Security Forces and demanded that the Thai army intervene for further security.

There are two Karenni refugee camps in Maehongsong with over 20,000 refugees living in No. 1 Camp alone.

"Outrage in Karenni refugee camp over youth's death", Mizzima News, December 18th, 2007

Australian company makes huge investment in Burma

Human rights and environmental activists have criticized Australian owned Twinza Oil's decision to invest US $30 million to conduct exploratory tests in Burma's offshore Yetagun East Block in the Gulf of Martaban.

John Kaye, the president of the Australia Coalition for Democracy in Burma, said Twinza's involvement with Burma will help prop up a government that practices brutality, rape, torture and murder.

In November 2006, Bill Clough, CEO of Twinza Oil, signed a joint venture contract for offshore oil and gas exploration and production with Burma's energy minister Brigadier-General Lun Thi. The deal covered the 21,000-square-kilometre Yetagun East Block.

"Along with the necessary investment, we are looking forward to bringing in new, advanced technology, creating job opportunities for Myanmar [Burmese] people and contributing to the thorough assessment of the national resource base," Mr Clough said.

The Burma Campaign UK has placed Danford Equities Corporation, the subsidiary of Twinza Oil, on its ‘Dirty List,’ which seeks to pressure companies from doing business in Burma.

"Australian Oil Company to invest in Burma gas fields", The Irrawaddy, December 21st, 2007

US-ASEAN summit likely to be cancelled

US President George W. Bush likely will cancel a summit he was planning with Southeast Asian leaders, following Burma's bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests, ASEAN diplomats said.

American officials indicated at a US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) senior officials dialogue in San Francisco about a week ago that "it would be difficult for President Bush to host the summit" which would have been held at his Texas ranch, an ASEAN diplomat said.

"Considering what happened in Myanmar, we understand that it might also be politically sensitive to hold such a summit on US soil, especially during an electoral year," the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Bush has already ordered two rounds of sanctions and threatened further US-led global measures against the ruling junta if it continued to ignore calls for a democratic transition.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had also canceled participation at two ASEAN annual meetings, in 2005 and 2007, drawing criticism from the region which felt its stature had diminished in Washington's eyes.

"Bush likely to cancel US ASEAN summit over Myanmar: diplomats", Agence France Presse, December 18th, 2007