Burma Issues - BI Weekly No.327

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BI Weekly No. 341

March 26th - April 4th, 2008

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

Physical attacks on opposition continue

As Burma prepares for the referendum in May activists and members of the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), have come under increasing attacks from junta-backed thugs.

In the latest incident Myint Hlaing, 74, the NLD chairman for Rangoon’s Hlaing Tharyar Township, was assaulted near his home. According to sources, he was hospitalized after an unknown attacker inflicted a two-inch cut on his head.

Last week, Myint Aye, 54, a leading human rights activist from Sanchaung Township in Rangoon, required treatment at the city’s main neurological hospital for head wounds after he was beaten by two unidentified men near his home.

The recent attacks come as Burma’s military regime steps up training for “volunteers” who will be tasked with controlling protests against a referendum in May on the junta-sponsored draft charter.

“Junta-backed thugs continue attacks on opposition”, The Irrawaddy, April 2nd, 2008

Vote No Campaign gains momentum in Arakan State

Anti-referendum flyers have been spreading in some townships in southern Arakan but no one knows who is responsible for the distribution in the area.

A local resident said the authority always blames the opposition politicians when such incidents take place in the area, but this time he heard the plan was being conducted by ordinary people.

In the flyers, the anonymous protestors urged the public not to cast “yes” votes in the referendum because the constitution is not to the advantage of the Burmese people, and will only allow the Burmese army to rule the country.

Another source from Taungup said that the dissatisfaction of the Arakanes people with the military government has been increasing by the day because people are facing more and more hardships in surviving.

They added that at any time the discontent may explode and the peoples’ revolution could emerge again in Burma.

“Anti-referendum flyers spread in Southern Arakan”, Narinjara News, April 2nd, 2008

Rice Prices Skyrocket

Soaring rice prices across Asia have hit Burma as well, with sources in Rangoon reporting price hikes of nearly 14 percent over the past week, from 22,000 kyat to 25,000 kyat (US $19.80-$22.50) for a 38 kg bag.

Despite the drastic increase, however, observers say there is no immediate fear of a crisis, as most of the rice consumed in Burma is produced domestically.

Rangoon-based economist Khin Maung Nyo said “there should not be a rice shortage in Burma, because the authorities know that rice is a strategic commodity”.

He cited the increasing use of bio-fuels as one possible cause of the soaring price of rice in Asia, at a time when many experts are debating whether the use of agricultural products as sources of alternative energy could have a negative impact on food supplies.

By the end of March, rice prices had risen 50 percent over a period of two months; since 2004, they have more than doubled.

Experts blame the rising price of fuel and fertilizer, as well as disease, pests and climate change. There are concerns that prices could rise a further 40 percent in coming months.

The World Bank warned in a press release on Tuesday that food and fuel prices that have soared in recent years have become a pressing problem for governments in Asia. Since 2003, oil and many other commodity prices have doubled or tripled.

“Rice price increase hits Burma”, The Irrawaddy, April 1st, 2008

Mon villagers flee abuses

Widespread human rights violations, namely arbitrary arrests, torture and forced labour of adults and minors, are forcing Mon villagers to flee to more secure areas.

About 15 households in Toe Thet Ywar Thit Village of Kaw-Zar Sub Township have shifted to Hangan village in Ye Township, said sources in Toe Thet Ywar Thit.

The villagers were beaten and tortured almost every day by soldiers of the Burmese Army’s Infantry Battalion No. 31, said a villager.

Unable to live with the abuses, they moved to Hangan village and other places where they believe they will be more secure, added the villager.

Many more people want to relocate, believing that bigger villages will offer better security and less abuse. Uncertainties about their survival in a new village prevent low income households from moving.

Despite over 13 years of the ceasefire agreement between the New Mon State Party and the Burmese military junta, Human Rights violations continue in Mon State, especially in southern Ye Township.

“Mon villagers flee from abuse to southern Ye Township”, IMNA, March 26th, 2008

Bangladesh-Burma boundary talks

The two-day talks by the technical committees on the redrawing of the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Burma were finished in Dhaka without any major decision being reached, according to a report.

The ten-member Burmese team, led by Commodore Maung Oo Lwin, met with Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Secretary Md Touhid Hossain in his offices on April 1. The two sides have agreed to carry out a joint survey of the sea boundary, and to meet in Rangoon sometime in June to reach a final decision.

Bangladesh and Burma resumed the boundary talks after a break of 22 years. The two countries met on maritime borders to finalize their rights to the sea in the continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The sea delimitation is important for both Bangladesh and Burma, as both countries have been planning to conduct oil and gas exploration in the Bay of Bengal.

“Dhaka - Naypyidaw border talks end without decision “, Narinjara News, April 2, 2008

Sino-Burma border security talks at KIA headquarter

Senior Chinese and Burmese military officials met in Kachin Independence Army (KIA) controlled Laiza to discuss security on the Sino-Burma border.

The meeting was attended by Burma’s Northern Command Second-in-Command Brig. Gen. San Tun led delegation while the Chinese delegation was led by the Second-in-Command of Bao San Military Region Brig. Gen. level.

This meeting is a routine quarterly meeting usually held at Bao San in Yunnan Province and Myitkyinar in Kachin State, Burma alternatively. This is the first ever such meeting held in the border town of Laiza.

The meeting usually discusses drugs, fugitives fleeing to either side among other security matters and concludes with presenting gifts and dinners reflecting goodwill and friendship between the two countries.

U Aung Kyaw Zaw speculates that this meeting is being held in Laiza this time amidst rumours spreading among local people that protesters involved in the recent Tibet protest led by Tibetan monks are planning to flee to the Indo-Burma border through the Sino-Burma border.

“Tibet is called the Jiang autonomous region. Some Tibetans are planning to flee to Burma through the Jiang-Lijiang-Dali route. The Chinese security forces received a tip off of that the KIA is planning to assist these Tibetan people by taking them to the Indo-Burma border so they are tightening the security here”, he said.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Ye Myint of the Ministry of Defence had a meeting with KIA leaders at Laiza on March 28. After the meeting, the local people were given more freedom in terms of trade on the Myitkyina-Bamo-Laiza trade route, the local Kachin ethnic added.

U Aung Kyaw Zaw views this meeting between Ye Myint and KIA leaders as intimidation and persuasion of the KIA in regard to the constitutional referendum to be held in May this year.

“Sino-Burma border meeting held at KIA headquarters”, Mizzima News, March 31,2008

Soaring rice prices make trouble on Burma’s refugees

Soaring rice prices on world markets and a battered U.S. dollar are forcing cuts in already meager food aid to more than 140,000 refugees who have fled Burma into Thailand.

Part of a surge in worldwide food prices, rice has increased by 50 percent in the past two months and some experts predict further hikes of up to 40 percent. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar continues to slide against the Thai baht currency.

Jack Dunford, executive director of the Thailand Burma Border Consortium, said he would need to make up a budgetary shortfall of US$5.8 million (€3.7 million) to keep up the already inadequate level of food rations. Together with distributions of building supplies, soap and mosquito nets, those rations were cut earlier after a drop in donor funding.

If the gap is not filled, refugees could be issued with just 12 kilograms of rice (26 pounds) a month and no other food items — less than half of their daily protein and calorie needs, he said. Nursery school feeding and health projects would have to be slashed or terminated.

“This is a very vulnerable group of people under threat,” Dunford said.

Dunford said he was appealing to his funders as well as the Thai government, which has refused to allow the refugees to seek meaningful employment outside the camps.

Some donors, Dunford said, have shown reluctance to continue funding a refugee population that has little prospect of sustaining itself or returning home. Following the pro-democracy uprising in Burma late last year, others have focused on increasing humanitarian aid inside the country rather than along the frontier.

“Soaring rice prices force drastic cuts in food aid to Myanmar refugees”, Associated Press, March 26, 2008.

India invests in Burma and does not listen to International calls

India has been investing in Burma despite international calls for sanctions on the military country of Burma which acted violent against pro- democracy protesters several months ago.

India will build a $120 million seaport and transportation system in Burma under a deal signed Wednesday.

“This project will greatly enhance connectivity between Myanmar and India, in particular with India’s northeast states,” the statement said.

India has established deep economic and military ties with the junta over the past decade and has said it believes talking quietly is a better approach than sanctions.

“India to build Burma port”, Associated Press, April 2nd, 2008

Demand an end to the persecution of Rohingya and Muslims communities in Burma

A peaceful demonstration was held on March 30 at Brighton city, Uk and there are about 400 people took part in the demonstration.

It was organized by Interfaith Group in cooperation with Burmese Rohingya Organisation, UK (BROUK) and Burmese Muslim Association UK (BMA).

In the demonstration, the speakers expressed serious concern on the deprivation of Burmese citizenship of Muslims, particularly the stateless status of the Rohingya people of Arakan.

The speakers added that Burmese Muslims are discriminated by the military regime which is pursuing a de-Muslimization policy in the country and are made targets of large scale human rights violations.

The speakers demand an end to the persecution of Rohingya and Muslims communities in Burma, to stop restrictions on the freedom of their movement, marriage, education, trade, destruction of their settlements, houses, mosques and religious schools.

They condemned the SPDC’s undemocratic draft constitution while demanding the restoration of democracy and human rights in Burma through tripartite dialogue.

“Rohingyas Participate in demonstration in Brighton, UK”, Kaladan Press Network, April 2nd, 2008

Russian ambassador represent for Burma’s referendum

The Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin indicated that his country, which has the power of veto in the Security Council, would oppose any proposal to issue a new presidential statement in regard to the referendum on a draft constitution in Burma in May.

“We are the Security Council; we are dealing with issues of threats to international peace and security,” he said.

Noting that there are other institutions within the UN that can provide recommendations or set criteria for elections, Churkin said: “To involve the Security Council in this kind of exercise, to me, did not sound like something which is justified; not because of the Myanmar situation but as a general proposition of the role of the Security Council and prerogative of the Security Council.”

“If they were to propose something, we would be looking into it, but I would like to remind you that we do have a Presidential Statement on the Security Council on Myanmar (October 2007), and Gambari’s mandate derives from the General Assembly. So we have to keep those two things in mind when we look at things that could be done by the Security Council,” he said.

“Russian Ambassador opposes UN ‘presidential Statement’ on referendum,” The Irrawaddy, April 1st, 2008

The Junta was accused by acting “violent repression”

The EU resolution expressed deep concern at the “violent repression” of the demonstrations and “the failure of the government of Burma to investigate and bring to justice the perpetrators of these violations”.

It further condemned “the ongoing systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Burma, continued arbitrary detentions and the continuing high number of political prisoners”.

Pinheiro said after a visit there in November that at least 31 people had died and up to 4,000 were arrested in September’s crisis.

His latest report to the council cited increasing repression since the crushing of the Buddhist monk-led protests and said that 1,850 political prisoners were still being detained

"U.N. rights body condemn Burma for abuses”, Reuters, March 28, 2008