BI Weekly No. 354

August 26th - September 8th, 2008

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

Inside Burma

Border

International

New Thai-Burmese gas pipeline to construct soon

The spectre of severe environmental and ecological imbalance, forced labour and displacement of villagers, looms over Karen State and Tenessarim Division with the construction of the third Thai-Burmese gas pipeline to begin soon.

An engineer close to Thailand's PTTEP said construction of the new gas pipeline is expected to begin in the coming dry season. The pipeline will transport natural gas from the newly discovered gas project in M-9 block in Mattaban Gulf of Burma to Thailand.

But a Rangoon-based observer said there would be hundreds of thousands of villagers who will be displaced again and there will be massive deforestation along with pronounced forced labour to pave the way for the construction of the new pipeline.

"Like in similar infrastructure developments done earlier, the military government and interested partners such as the Thai state-own PTTEP are committing horrific human rights abuses on the population," said the observer, who requested anonymity.

The 65-kilometre new pipeline is being built along the two existing Yadana and Yetagun gas pipelines.

The proposed natural gas pipeline will carry 300 mmcfd, of which 240 mmcfd will be transported to Thailand and the rest 60 mmcfd will be for domestic consumption, according to a PTTEP announcement released during the end of July.

"Old problems to revisit new gas pipeline" Mizzima News, September 2, 2008

Burma’s detained democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, met with her lawyer yesterday to discuss a legal challenge to the ruling junta’s decision to extend her house arrest earlier this year.

NLD spokesman Nyan Win told that Suu Kyi’s meeting with her lawyer—the third since early August—concerned a lawsuit that she is mounting against her continuing detention, which was extended in May. She has been under house arrest since May 2003.

Nyan Win said that time constraints made it impossible for Suu Kyi and her lawyer to finish their business.

“Her discussions with her lawyer couldn’t conclude because the meeting was limited to just 30 minutes,” he said, adding that it was not clear when the authorities would allow Suu Kyi and her lawyer to meet again to discuss her case.

Suu Kyi’s meeting with her lawyer came amid rumors that she had begun a hunger strike.

Her lawyer, Kyi Win, said that Suu Kyi made no mention of a hunger strike, and in response to questions about her condition, quoted her as saying: “I am well, but I have lost some weight. I am a little tired and I need to rest.”

Observers suggested that the current rumors were also unlikely to be true, since the junta wouldn’t allow her to meet with her lawyer if she were staging a hunger strike.

"Suu Kyi continues legal battle" Irrawaddy, September 2, 2008

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286 activists arrested in 2008: AAPP

At least 39 human rights and pro-democracy activists were arrested during
August this year and 21 were given prison sentences, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

This brings the total to at least 286 activists who have been arrested this year, said Ko Tate Naing of the AAPP.

Tate Naing said the majority of those detained and jailed were National League for Democracy members, human rights activists and students or youth activists.

Some were given summary trials, sentenced the following day and sent to hard labour camps.

The AAPP has been disappointed by the lack of progress in human rights issues and democratisation despite visits by United Nations special envoy
Ibrahim Gambari and the human rights rapporteur for Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana.

"286 activists arrested so far in 2008" Democratic Voice of Burma, September 2, 2008

Authorities in the four Dagon townships in Rangoon have begun collecting the full personal details of monks staying in local monasteries, according to residents.

There are hundreds of monasteries in the four townships, including Myin Chan and Ywar Ma lecturing monasteries, each of which houses hundreds of monks.

A local resident said it was usual for the authorities to collect the monks' personal details every year, but this year they have been collecting more detailed information from each monk, such as where their families live, what they do and if they have any political background.

He claimed the process is also taking place in many townships across Rangoon including South Okkalapa, Tharkayta, Daw Pon and Shwe Pyi Thar.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened in Rangoon with military units circling the city in trucks late at night and troops patrolling the streets.

"Rangoon authorities collect monks’ personal data" Democratic Voice of Burma, August 29, 2008

Flyers anti-junta distributed in Sittwe

Many anti-Burmese military junta flyers are being distributed in Sittwe despite the recent increase in the deployment of security forces throughout the city.

A politician from Sittwe said, "I saw some flyers demanding the reduction of commodity prices and some flyers demanding the release of a prominent monk who is serving a seven-and-a-half year sentence in prison in Buthidaung. Furthermore, some flyers are encouraging Arakanese people to struggle for the Arakanese nationalist movement."

The prominent monk is U Ithiriya, who was arrested last year during the Saffron Revolution protests in Sittwe and is now serving a jail term at the Buthidaung prison. Many flyers have been distributed demanding his immediate release.

According to a local source, the flyers are being distributed in Sittwe since last month in the name of students, workers, and monks.

Recently, a flyer under the banner of the youth and student worker unit was distributed in Sittwe, requesting people to protect the lives of monks in Sittwe who are preparing to stage a demonstration for the freedom of the oppressed people from the yoke of military rule.

“Anti-regime flyers in Sittwe” Narinjara News, 05 September 2008 

A report that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi refused to meet with the government minister who acts as her liaison officer is misleading, her lawyer said Wednesday (3 Sept).

The state-run Myanma Ahlin daily reported that the government had arranged a meeting between Suu Kyi and Relations Minister Aung Kyi on Tuesday (2 Sept) but that she had refused to meet him.

Lawyer Kyi Win, who met Suu Kyi at her lakeside house on Monday (1 Sept), said she had conveyed a message through him that she wished to see the minister but said "she was a little tired and needed some rest."

"I am very upset because Daw Suu had politely conveyed the message through me that she wanted to see U Aung Kyi and also sends her regards to him," Kyi Win said. "I am very upset because the message was a misrepresentation by omission,"

Burmese junta appointed Aung Kyi last year to facilitate talks aimed at bringing political reconciliation and democratic reforms to the impoverished and isolated country.

After Kyi Win visited her on Monday he said she had lost weight and was shunning food deliveries. He would not comment on rumors that the opposition leader had gone on a hunger strike.

“Suu Kyi wants to meet Myanmar rep, says lawyer” Associated Press, September 4, 2008

Young monks from Pakokku will continue to refuse alms from government officials until they apologise for beating, insulting, killing and imprisoning monks during the Saffron Revolution last year, a local monk said.

A young Pakokku monk said the government’s crackdown had cut the number of monks in his monastery significantly.

“Last year, there were about 600 monks. This year, there are only just over 500 left. It is better for the Sasana when there are more monks,” the monk said.

The monk said regime officials could begin to redeem themselves by apologising to the monks.

“Pakokku monk vows to continue regime boycott” Democratic Voice of Burma, September 8, 2008

Three Padaung were detained at a police station in Mae Hong Son on August 25 charged with involvement in the trafficking of eight other Padaung persons, a spokesperson for a Karenni anti-human trafficking group in Mae Hong Son told.

“The police said they will continue detaining the three until they found out who the leaders of the trafficking network were,” he said. “Then they would prosecute the traffickers under Thai law.”

According to the spokesperson, the three suspects and the eight victims had been in hiding in Mae Taeng District in Chiang Mai Province for more than a month. Then, the broker decided it was too risky to keep them after he heard that the police were investigating their disappearances and he sent them back to Mae Hong Son.

The Karenni spokesperson said that the three suspects—two women and the headman of Huay Sua Tao village in Mae Hong Son—are accused of involvement in arranging to traffic the eight Padaungs to Chiang Mai to work.

The arrests follow a police investigation into the disappearance of the 11 Padaung—including four minors—more than one month ago.

Often known as the “Long necks” due to the metal rings adorning their women’s necks, ethnic Padaung refugees are not permitted to travel outside the villages they are registered at. Many work illegally in northern Thailand, earning salaries as low as 1,500 baht (US $44) per month.

Within the Thai tourism sector, however, “long-neck” women can be a valuable source of income for tour companies. Ten years ago, Thai police raided a tourist village in Chiang Mai Province and charged the businessman who ran it with holding a number of Padaung against their will.

The Padaung community settled in Northern Thailand about 10 years ago from Burma, where they suffered discrimination, unemployment and forced labor.

However, Thai authorities maintain a tight control on their movements. Last year, a group of Padaung people who had already been accepted for resettlement by Canada, New Zealand and Finland were denied the opportunity to resettle by the Mae Hong Son authorities.

"Three Padaung charged with human trafficking" Irrawaddy, August 26, 2008

ENC call for a tripartite dialogue, reject Junta’s 2010 election

The Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) has said that a political dialogue between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ethnic leaders and the military regime is crucial for Burma.

On the conclusion of the 5th Congress of the ENC held on the Thai-Burma border for five days starting on August 26, it reiterated its call for a tripartite dialogue and rejected the junta's declared 2010 general elections.

"In the current political situation, we need to resolve the political crisis by political means so we badly need this tripartite dialogue. Under such circumstances, we must focus on dialogue," Saw David Taw, spokesman of ENC told Mizzima.

It is learnt that 55 representatives from political parties, women, youth and other civil societies from seven ethnic States attended the congress.

The ENC statement on 'SPDC's planned 2010 general election' issued on August 28 urged the junta to hold political tripartite talks with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic leaders which must lead to legal and a de jure government of the Union of Burma.

The congress urged the 1990 election winning parties to continue their struggle against the junta's roadmap as the 2010 general election is part of it.

The congress also called for 'Multi-Party Talk' on the Burma issue including involving neighbouring countries under the aegis of UN to resolve the political, economic and social crisis in Burma by bringing the ruling SPDC (junta) to the dialogue table.

"ENC reiterates call for tripartite dialogue" Mizzima News, September 1, 2008

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Over 200 more military trucks have arrived in the town of Ruili on the China-Burma border, the latest consignment of the 3500 trucks to be sent to the Burmese junta by the Chinese government.

According to merchants and a military analyst on the border, the FAW-brand trucks will now be deployed to military and police units across Burma.

Chinese-made military trucks have been used widely in Burma by the military and more recently by the police ­ Rangoon residents have said they have seen FAW and Lan Jian branded trucks with Burma Police emblems on them driving around the city.

Aung Kyaw Zaw, a military analyst on the China-Burma border, said the trucks would help the regime meet the needs of its expanding forces.

“200 more military trucks delivered from China” Democratic Voice of Burma, August 26, 2008

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Cyclone Nargis refugees restricted from crossing into Thailand

The Three Pagoda Pass's (TPP) Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman is keeping a close watch on Cyclone Nargis refugees who have arrived in the town so that they cannot enter Thailand. He has told the authorities and ceasefire groups to report to him if they saw refugees.

The number of refugees arriving from Irrawaddy delta to TPP town has increased and most of them are entering Thailand seeking jobs.

More than 30 refugees arrived in TPP town and they hired brokers to take them into Thailand.

Some refugees who did not have enough money remained in the border towns such as Sangkhlaburi and refugee camps asking for help. Some are staying at some safe houses in Sangkhlaburi.

According to these refugees, most of them are jobless after Cyclone Nargis lashed Burma on May 2-3 and are finding it difficult to rehabilitate themselves although the UN, NGOs, the military regime and private donors are helping them.

“Cyclone Nargis refugees restricted from crossing into Thailand at Three Pagoda Pass” Independent Mon News Agency, September 4, 2008

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Japanese motor companies to establish SEZ in Burma

Major Japanese motor companies are planning to establish special economic zone in Burma to produce motor vehicle spare parts, the leading local weekly Yangon Times reported.

The project will be implemented with the cooperation of domestic industrial enterprises probably in the form of joint venture.

At present, such Japanese motor companies as Suzuki and Isuzu are cooperating with Burma companies in producing motor vehicles, while Toyota and Honda are running motor car service industry in the country.

Burma is planning to establish six special economic zones ( SEZ) to attract direct foreign investment into the country in a bid to promote its economic development.

The six SEZs are outlined as Thilawa Port in Rangoon, Mawlamyine in Mon state, Myawaddy and Pa-an in Kayin state, Kyaukphyu in Rakhine state and Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay division.

Prospective sectors for foreign investment are outlined as production, high-tech, agriculture, livestock breeding, forestry, transport and communications, and banking services.

“Japanese companies to set up special economic zone in Myanmar” Xinhua, September 4, 2008

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UN envoy briefs on Burma visit

United Nations Special Advisor Ibrahim Gambari has briefed the President of the General Assembly on his recent visit to Burma, during which he held talks with a range of people on issues such as national reconciliation and how to help the South-East Asian nation tackle its socio-economic challenges.

According to a statement issued after meeting, Assembly President Srgjan Kerim reiterated the 192-member body’s continued engagement “to promote national reconciliation, democracy and respect for human rights in Burma as mandated by the resolutions of the General Assembly.”

The President also encouraged the Government of Myanmar (Burma) “to continue to work closely with the Special Advisor to achieve concrete progress on the suggestions he put forward during his recent visit” ­ his fourth to the country over the past year.

The President reiterated his continuous support for Mr. Gambari’s efforts on behalf of the Secretary-General, and also noted the important role played by neighbouring countries, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Group of Friends of Myanmar to engage in the political process.

“UN envoy briefs General Assembly President on Myanmar visit” UN News Centre, September 4, 2008

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Cambodian MP urges UN, ASEAN to fulfill promise on Burma

A Cambodian Parliamentarian, Son Chhay, Chairperson of Committee on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Media of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, called on the Secretary Generals of the United Nations and Association of Southeast Asian Nations to fulfill their promise on Burma by initiating a new approach to finding a political solution for the country.

"They have both promised to look into the sufferings of the Burmese people and find a solution to the crisis. But till date there is no solid evidence that the promise has been kept or put into practice," Son Chhay said.

Son Chhay, who is also the Chairperson of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) Cambodia Chapter, said it is a matter of deep concern for the international community to hear reports about detained Burmese democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi living without food.

"I believe that she [Aung San Suu Kyi] is on hunger strike… I think it is the right time to remind them [UN and ASEAN General Secretaries], that they must abide to their promise," Son Chhay.

Son Chhay said Ban Ki-moon should realize that the current process of interaction with the Burmese military junta is not leading to a solution but is strengthening their rule.

Though Gambari had visited military-ruled country several times, there has been no productive outcome, Son Chhay said, adding that he agrees with Aung San Suu Kyi's decision not to meet the UN envoy during his last visit.

And similarly, Son Chhay urged the ASEAN Secretary General, Surin Pitsuwan, to pay a personal visit to Burma and find a realistic solution to the political crisis in the country.

Meanwhile, the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC), in a press statement released on Wednesday expressed its concern over reports of Aung San Suu Kyi refusing food.

The AIPMC called on the UN and ASEAN to intervene and to ensure that Aung San Suu Kyi is given necessary attention.

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Bangladesh proposes direct road links between Burma and Thailand

Bangladesh has proposed direct road links between Burma and Thailand to improve business ties with Southeast Asian nations. The proposal came from Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury to the Burmese and Thai foreign ministers during the Bimstec meeting in New Delhi recently.

An official report from Bangladesh stated that Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury made the proposal on Friday during his meetings with Burmese Foreign Minister U Nyan Win and Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag.

The 10th Bimstec Ministerial Meeting was convened in New Delhi on August 29 with the intent of forging stronger ties and map out transportation and trade links between countries.

Foreign ministers from Bangladesh, Burma, India, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka attended the meeting.

“Dhaka proposes direct road link between Burma and Thailand” Narinjara News, September 2, 2008

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Manila to sign ASEAN charter

The Philippines will ratify the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) charter later this year, a senior lawmaker said, reversing an earlier reluctance to endorse the regional bloc's constitution.

Miriam Defensor-Santiago, head of the foreign relations panel in the upper house of Congress and a staunch ally of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, said signing the charter was meant to help encourage Burma to improve its human rights record.

Manila had previously insisted that Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi be released from house arrest before it would ratify the charter.

"Today, there is no such document that could provide the legal power to enable the rest of ASEAN to see to it that Myanmar complies with human rights law," Santiago said.

She said the release of Suu Kyi, who has spent 13 of the past 19 years under detention, would be the "number one benchmark" for Manila to decide whether to ratify the charter.

Only Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines have yet to ratify the charter. Burma was the latest state to ratify the landmark document in July.

 “Manila to sign ASEAN charter” TV New Zealand, August 28,2008

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Arab Insurance group announce pulling out of Burma

Arab Insurance group (ARIG) has announced pulling out of Burma's insurance market after campaigners pointed out that its presence in the market helps the military rulers of the country profit, Burma Campaign UK said.

After a month of releasing a report titled "Insuring Repression" by the BCUK which revealed how international insurance companies finance Burma's military junta, ARIG, is the second international insurance company to withdraw from the Burmese market.

"It is welcome news, we hope that other companies will pull out of Burma soon," Johnny Chatterton, author of the report and Campaigns Officer of BCUK told Mizzima.

ARIG is a Bahrain based company dealing in insurance, reinsurance and other services. Its decision to withdraw comes a week after another international insurance company, XL limited, announced its withdrawal from Burma.

According to the BCUK, despite ARIG and XL's withdrawal, 14 more international insurance companies are still in the market in Burma helping finance billions of dollars to the military rulers of the country.

Insurance companies, the BCUK said, are funding millions of dollars to the Burmese junta which use it to buy more guns and weapons and strengthen its stranglehold on power to further oppress its own citizens.

“Campaigners hail, ARIG's decision to pull out of Burma” Mizzima News, August 28,2008 

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