Burma Issues - BI Weekly No.339

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BI Weekly No. 339

March 17th - March 24th, 2008

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

More 1600 sign letter to ILO for labour rights

About 1600 signatures have been collected from the people of Arakan state for a complaint letter to the International Labour Organization about the government’s increased harassment of labour right activists.

The letter, addressed to the ILO headquarters in Geneva, details the rising number of labour right activists who have been arrested and imprisoned by the military junta, one of the campaign leaders said.

The letter also calls for ILO action against the military government for breaching the agreement recently signed between the regime and the ILO to extend its cooperation on tackling forced labour.

“1600 sign letter against harassment of labour activists” Democratic Voice of Burma, March 18, 2008

Burma’ magazine threatened by military-controlled censorship

Burma’s military-controlled censorship board has suspended one weekly magazine for publishing news about a murder case near the home of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and warned another about its coverage of the same incident, according to sources in Rangoon.

An official with the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Irrawaddy on Monday that Maj Tint Swe, head of the PSRD, summoned editors from two weeklies, Seven Day News and The Voice, to warn them about “crossing the line” with their reporting on the incident, which occurred two weeks ago. According to the official, Seven Day Journal was subsequently ordered to suspend publication for one week.

In its March 10 issue, The Voice ran a story on the killing of five members of the richest family of the parliamentary era, prior to the military takeover in 1962. The article, “The Sein Lae Kan Thar Street Murder Case,” provided background information on the family, while a report in the March 13 issue of Seven Day News carried photographs of the funeral

“Burmese Censorship Board threatens two Weeklies” Irrawaddy, March 17, 2008

2 key leaders of ABFSU arrested

Two key leaders of the All-Burmese Federation of Student Unions, Kyaw Ko Ko and Nyan Linn Aung, were arrested by authorities on Sunday.

ABFSU spokesperson Ko Linn Htet Naing told DVB that Kyaw Ko Ko and Nyan Linn Aung were arrested by government officials but would not give the location of the arrest.

Ko Kyaw Kyaw, leader of youth activist group Generation Wave, was also arrested by authorities on 13 March, Linn Htet Naing said.

“Two ABFSU leaders arrested”, Democratic Voice of Burma, March 17, 2008

Heavy security in Rangoon monasteries

Soldiers and riot police have surrounded Kaba Aye monastery in Rangoon and have increased their presence at other monasteries.

"Soldiers have surrounded Kaba Aye monastery. We don't know why but they have closed the gates and do not allow anyone to enter. In front of the gate there are several soldiers and four trucks," local eyewitnesses said.

Authorities in Rangoon have placed heavy security in the vicinity of several Buddhist monasteries in addition to encircling the famous Kaba Aye Buddhist monastery in Rangoon.

While the reason for the latest security measures remain unclear, it is likely to be connected to the rumor that the Buddhist clergy is gearing up for another round of activities in defiance of military rule.

“Soldiers surround Rangoon's Kaba Aye Pagoda” Mizzima News, March 17, 2008

Junta announces referendum but still no constitution: NLD

The National League for Democracy (NLD) party had released a statement criticizing the junta’s tactic of announcing a referendum on a draft Constitution while withholding details from the public, according to an NLD official.

Nyan Win, a spokesperson for the NLD, said that the statement, known as “3/03/08,” was released to criticize the junta for scheduling a referendum for May while the draft Constitution is unavailable to the public.

“The statement also says that the junta has issued two referendum laws as mandates for holding the referendum. But we have not seen any technical law that specifically outlines the referendum,” said Nyan Win. “Therefore, the NLD calls on the junta to follow the steps in statement 3/03/08.”

He added that citizens must be able to read the draft of the Constitution in advance of the referendum—then people would know more about the Constitution and could decide which way to vote.

“NLD calls for constitution to be made public”, Irrawaddy, March 14, 2008

Recent offensive forces 2100 displaced: Karen State

At least 2,100 people are homeless as a result of a new Burmese Army offensive this month in Burma's Karen State.

The Free Burma Rangers (FBR), a humanitarian group operating in eastern Burma, said the Burmese Army's Military Operation Commands 4 and 16 in March launched a fresh offensive in northern Karen State.

"This most recent attack is the largest against civilians in northern Karen State since the Burma Army completed the re-supply of its camps and the construction of roads at the end of 2007," said the report.

As a result of these attacks more than 2,100 Karen villagers have been displaced and are now hiding in the jungles of eastern Burma.

The FBR estimates that over 30,000 people remain displaced in northern Karen State, and are constantly prepared to flee any attacks.

Saw Hla Henry, a leader of the Karen National Union, an ethnic armed rebel group operating in eastern Burma along the Thai-Burmese border, said offensives by the Burmese army are escalating in eastern Burma and particularly in Karen State.

"The regime conducts operations very often in these places and whenever they see IDPs they fire at them. So the lives of IDPs are in great danger," Saw Hla Henry said.

“Over 2,100 displaced in fresh offensive” Mizzima News, March 12, 2008

Security Tighten on Burma-India border

India tightened vigil along its border with Burma in Northeastern state of Manipur, following an insurgent attack last week.

Security posts in Manipur's border town of Moreh have been put on high alert after last Saturday's ambush by insurgents on a camp of Indian paramilitary personnel, a local police official said.

Security patrolling has been intensified to detect the movement of insurgents of Manipur People's Army, armed wing of banned rebel group United National Liberation Front, which had attacked the camp, the official said. The MPA cadres have fled following retaliation by the security personnel.

Several MPA cadres were believed to be presently located along the international border and could carry out another attack, the official said.

Manipur, is home to 20 big or small insurgent groups, whose demands range from separatism to secessionism. Some of these groups from Manipur have also established their bases within Burma and both the countries are cooperating to flush out the rebels.

“Security tightened along India-Myanmar border following rebel attack”, Kuwait News Agency, March 17, 2008

Burma to export rice to Bangladesh

Bangladesh signed an agreement to import more than 20,000 metric tones of rice from Burma to counter soaring rice prices after India restricted rice exports to Bangladesh.

The availability of rice in Bangladesh falls short of demand and shortage has gone up following the devastation by cyclone Sidr. Many are facing scarcity of food in some districts of Bangladesh.

The food and disaster management ministry will import the rice to be supplied by two private firms in Burma. Each firm will supply 10,000 tones of rice at US$395.50 per tones.

The Bangladeshi government and private traders started importing rice from India and Burma after flooding caused large-scale loss of crops.

Rice is being imported from Burma to Bangladesh through the Teknaf land port and Chittagong port in Bangladesh. The price of the rice which is being imported through Teknaf land port is USD 325 a tone. However, the price for the rice imported through the Chittagong port has been fixed between USD 360 and USD 390.

The burden of guilt for the rice scarcity has been shifted to the Indian government's decision not to allow rice export at prices less than US$ 560 per tone recently.

Prices of rice is increasing every day in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country for a week now, leaving people on middle and low incomes in further distress.

“Bangladesh to import 20,000 MT rice from Burma”, Kaladan Press Network, March 17 2008

Vote No: NCUB

The National Council of the Union of Burma, an umbrella organisation of exiled opposition groups, has called on the people of Burma to vote No in the constitutional referendum.

The Burmese military regime plans to hold a referendum on its proposed constitution in May this year.

Khun Myint Tun, a member of the NCUB secretariat, said pushing for a No vote was part of a strategy to oppose the regime’s seven-step roadmap at every stage.

"The NCUB's policy is to oppose the whole roadmap system of the SPDC government,” he said.

“We have to oppose it at every stage and this is the basis of our decision."

Khun Myint Tun said that voting against the constitution would deny legitimacy to the government’s efforts to push through their own agenda.

"The SPDC is going to force the outcome they want from the referendum and they are going to accomplish that using various methods of deception,” he said.

“NCUB urges people to vote No in referendum”, Democratic Voice of Burma, March 14th, 2008

Woman arrested carrying drugs

A woman Ma Than Tin was arrested from Buthidaung jetty with 700 Yaba tablets and 100 gm of heroin by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of Buthidaung Township, according to a close aide of the Nasaka.

The DEA officials went to the Buthidaung jetty and searched the hand bag of Ma Than Tin and found 700Yaba tablets and 100 gm of heroin inside a Buddha statue made of cupper. The Buddha statue is about 14-inches in height. The DEA members also seized medicines which are especially used in hospital for operations worth kyat 5 million.

Two laborers Sha Shu (45), and Md. Rashid (40) working in the jetty were also held. They were carrying the bags of Ma Than Tin. Sergeant Zaw Lwin was also arrested by DEA the same day. All the arrested are in the Tactical Operation Commander, TOC's office of Buthidaung for further interrogation.

Ma Than Tin is a Mon national and journeys to her native Mon State once a month along the Arakan State-Rangoon-Mon State route.

“DEA arrests woman with 700 Yaba tablets and 100 gm of heroin”, Kaladan Press Network, March 15th, 2008

Over 100 migrants missing at sea

115 migrants went missing and five were rescued after their boat sank in the Bay of Bengal on Monday. The boat sank after taking on water, according to a report of the Daily Ajkerdish bidesh, a local Cox's Bazar newspaper.

It was reported that the boat was overloaded with 120 migrants, both Bangladeshis and Burmese Muslims, and sank in the Bay of Bengal on 8 March, 2008, two days after it departed from a jetty in the Bangladesh border town of Teknaf.

After sinking, five people were rescued from the water by a local fishing boat, but the other 115 passengers remain missing.

The five individuals were rescued and Abut Sa Laong was one. Abuto Sar Laong was quoted as saying that those on board the boat had to pay 20,000 taka each to a local agent to travel to Malaysia by sea, but the boat was old not properly sealed, so it sank in the Bay of Bengal after taking on too much water.

“Migrant boat sinks, 115 missing”, Narinjara News. March 13, 2008

Prime Minister of Thailand favor toward Junta

Prime Minister of Thailand Mr Samak said he was impressed with the Burmese generals after his one-day visit to Naypidaw, the new Burmese administrative capital, on Friday. He respected the Burmese generals because they meditate, Like good Buddhists, he added.

The trip clearly showed the government's stance towards Burma and that Thailand cared less about human rights and democracy there and more about Cooperation on infrastructure development, Mr Surapong Jayanama,a secretary for political affairs to former premier surayud Chulanot said.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was attacked by opponents yesterday after making favorable comments about the ruling Burmese junta and indicating the government plans to focus on making economic gains from Burma.

“PM's remarks favorable to junta panned”, Bangkok Post, March 18th, 2008

US congressmen oppose the referendum of Junta

United States lawmakers on Friday proposed a Congressional resolution urging the President to call on the United Nations to reject the Burmese military junta's constitution and not to recognize a referendum in May.

The resolution, which is now referred to the House Committee of Foreign Affairs for consideration, calls on the President "to call for the United Nations Security Council to pass a binding resolution," on Burma.

The concurrent resolution, however, is the first step of the legislative process, and will require deliberation, investigation, and revision by the House Committee of Foreign Affairs before it can go for a general debate.

The resolution also urges the Burmese junta to comply fully and immediately with the recommendations made by the United Nations Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari and the United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement issued on October 11, 2007.

But The Burmese junta has announced holding a referendum on its draft constitution in May and general election in 2010, and told Gambari that the process of its roadmap is already inclusive and needs no modification.

“US Congressmen propose rejection of junta's constitution”, Mizzima News, March 18th, 2008

Thailand will hand remains loan to Burma

The Export-Import Bank of Thailand is cleared to hand Burma any remaining funds from a four-billion-baht soft loan to the junta that had been Suspended due to alleged irregularities, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said yesterday.

The loan was signed between the Export-Import Bank of Thailand and the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank in June 2004, when then premier Thaksin Shinawatra was in power.

Mr Noppadon said yesterday that only one billion baht had been given to Burma so far; however, the bank said in a statement released in September last year that all but 341 million baht of the loan had already been handed over.

It remains unclear how much of the four-billion-baht loan has yet to be handed to the ruling junta in Burma.

“Exim bank to complete Burma loan”, Bangkok Post, March 16th, 2008

China export ship diesel engines to Burma

China has exported two 16 PA6 ship borne diesel engines to Myanmar to be fitted on its navy's indigenous patrol ships, a representative of the German MAN Diesel Co., which designed the original engines, has confirmed.

China's export of these engines will help Myanmar upgrade its patrol vessels.

Most of the major surface combatants of the Myanmar navy were supplied by China. Not only the Myanmar navy but also its army and air force are equipped with massive Chinese military equipment. For the past 10 years, China has been the largest supplier of arms to the country.

The army has been equipped with more than 100 Chinese T-69-II main battle tanks and 55 new T-90 armored personnel carriers.

China is actively pursuing access to Burma's natural resources, especially its oil and natural gas. Last year China won a bid to extract natural gas from Myanmar's biggest offshore field, believed to hold as much as 7.7 trillion cubic feet of gas. The gas is to be delivered by a pipeline, yet to be constructed, via Mandalay to China's southern province of Yunnan.

“China arms Myanmar military”, UPI Energy, March 14th, 2008

Thailand will push ahead with construction of the Hydropower

The Tasang dam is the largest of the proposed hydroelectric projects on the Salween River in Burma's Shan State, about 130 kilometers from the Thai-Burmese border.

Thai firm MDX signed an agreement with the Burmese junta in 2002 to develop the project. However, the planned dam has been oppose by the environmentalists and other activists because it could force several thousand people to leave their homes and land and move elsewhere.

But Mr. Noppadon said the government would urge the private sector to go ahead with the project, which would boost energy security for the kingdom.

The Tasang dam is the largest of the proposed hydroelectric projects on the Salween River in Burma's Shan State, about 130 kilometres from the Thai-Burmese border.

Thailand is one of Burma's biggest investors and trading partners, spending billions of dollars annually to tap into the country's natural gas and hydropower resources.