BI Weekly No. 358

September 30th - October 6th, 2008

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

Inside Burma

Border

International

Vietnam to exploit oil and gas in Burma
Burma junta leader to visit Bangladesh
U.N efforts blocked to end child soldiers in Burma

19 people abducted and forced to join Burma’s army

Burmese troops in Mandalay division are said to have abducted 19 people and forced them to join the army, according to one of those who managed to escape.

The State Peace and Development Council’s Light Infantry Battalion 420, based in Mandalay's Thar Si township seized the 19 people, some of whom were reportedly minors.

A friend of Kyaw Oo, one of the people abducted, said they were taken from a train on 10 September.

"[Kyaw Oo] was abducted along with 18 other people, including underage boys, by soldiers from the LIB 420 while traveling on a train to Meikhtila
to visit his mother on 10 September," his friend said.

"Then a recruitment official who was a sergeant took away their ID cards and accused them of being the culprits behind bombings in Rangoon,” he
said.

He was threatened and forced to join the army. When Kyaw Oo refused to sign up he was beaten by the soldiers, his friend said.

The 19 people were held in holding cells at the barracks for more than two weeks before five managed to escape.

“Troops abduct 19 for military recruitment” Democratic Voice of Burma, October 6, 2008

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Monks finding it difficult to travel in Burma

A year after the saffron revolution, Buddhist monks are still finding it extremely difficult to travel in Burma because the Burmese military junta authorities are checking them thoroughly all the time, a source said.

Monks who want to travel from Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State in northern Burma to Rangoon, the former capital, are being checked by the police at railway stations and are being asked detailed address of places in Rangoon where they intend to stay, said a resident in Myitkyina.

The monks are being subjected to more checks by the police than other travellers not only in railway stations but also on the roads and highways.

Meanwhile, residents in Myitkyina claimed that the police have intensified checking people as they are all being viewed with suspicion. The police are still guarding Buddhist temples and even bus station.

“Monks finding it difficult to travel in Burma” Kachin News Group, October 3, 2008

Clean drinking water is becoming ever scarcer in Burma’s cyclone-devastated Irrawaddy delta as the country heads into the dry season.

The cyclone relief committee of the opposition National League for Democracy is “gravely concerned” about the lack of clean water, said committee member Dr Win Naing. “If we can not fix this widespread problem soon, people will definitely die.”

The cyclone and accompanying tidal wave contaminated village ponds, many of which are still unsuitable to use.

A resident of Panage village in Laputta Township said three unsuccessful attempts had been made to pump contaminated water out of the local ponds.

Local and international NGOs in the affected areas are helping to clean up the ponds and dig wells but were having difficulty reaching remote communities, said a World Vision staffer.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says it has so far cleaned up 442 ponds and is helping to set up temporary mobile water treatment plants and large storage tanks.

Relief organizations are also having to contend with a lack of funds. Only US$ 249 million of the $482 million sought by the UN five months ago has so far materialized, according to the UN office in Rangoon.

“Safe drinking water ever scarcer in Irrawaddy Delta”­ Irrawaddy, October 3, 2008

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Police support anti-government movement in Sittwe

Members of Swan Ahr Shin, the police, and the riot police have supported the anti-government movement led by monks in Sittwe because they are suffering the same difficulties in their daily lives, said monk leader Rakhaputta in Sittwe.

He said, "We received not only the people's support, but also the support of members of Swan Ahr Shin, riot police, and the police force for our movement at present, because they are unable to tolerate the economic hardship of their daily lives under the current military government."

Rakhaputta, who is now leading monks in Sittwe, said, "Our movement against the military government is still going on without any disturbances by the authorities because we received information from officials from those groups about how the authority plans to crack down on our movement."

Swan Ahr Shin was formed by the government with retired soldiers and police, local supporters of the government, and criminals, in order to attack people and monks when they lead anti-government activities anywhere in Burma.

“Swan Ahr Shin and police support Sittwe monks” Narinjara News, October 2,2008

Thai soldiers have tightened security along the border after Burmese troops opened fire on Karen rebels in areas opposite Umphang and Phop Phra districts yesterday.

A total of 500 soldiers from the joint units of the Burmese government and the junta-backed Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) attacked Karen
National Union (KNU) strongholds in Ban Borae village, opposite Umphang district's tambon Mokro, and Valeki military camp, opposite Phop Phra district's Ban Padi village.

The two sides exchanged fire, although no casualties were reported.

Fighting between the DKBA and KNU in July prompted an evacuation of about 100 residents in Ban Padi village.

On Saturday, the 907th battalion of the DKBA attacked Mae Klong Khee village in tambon Mokro in Umphang district.

Col Padung Yingpaiboonsuk, task force commander from the 4th Infantry Regiment, has lodged a protest with the Thailand-Burma Border Township Committee (TBC) in Naypyidaw about Friday's attack.

“Border security ramped up after attacks” Bangkok Post, October 6, 2008

DKBA forcibly recruit villagers for against KNLA

The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), a splinter group of the Karen National Union (KNU), reportedly forcibly recruited villagers to bolster its forces for a military offensive against the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA).

According to the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), which documents the human rights situation in Karen State, the DKBA Brigade 999, led by Maung Chit Thu, began a recruiting campaign in mid-August, ordering village heads in T’Nay Hsah Township, Pa’an District, to muster local people to take part in an assault on a stronghold of the KNLA’s Sixth Brigade in Kawkareik district.

Selection was carried out by a lottery system. Those chosen were enlisted for at least 18 months service in the DKBA army.

Poe Shan, field director of KHRG, said: “About 175 villagers from 11 villages in Pa-an district are now intensively being trained to be soldiers in the DKBA army.”

“DKBA recruited villagers for assault on KNLA” Irrawaddy, September 30, 2008

A 28-year-old Burmese Buddhist monk, Ashin Pannasiri, has successfully escaped from Lantalang Prison in Chin State and arrived in Delhi, India, after 13 days.

Ashin Pannasiri said he climbed over two barbwire fences at about 1 am on September 16, when two security guards slept.

The monk crossed crossed into India at the Mizoram border. During the trip, he said he avoided local residents around Mizoram, fearing arrest and punishment.

Burmese authorities began searching for Ashin Pannasiri in late 2007 during the time of the civil uprising because of his close relationship with leading pro-democracy monks, including monk U Gambira, who is now in Insein Prison in Rangoon.

He was arrested on October 18, 2007, at an Internet shop in Monywa Township. He said he was tortured by authorities, both physically and mentally, during interrogation.

Ashin Pannasiri is now staying with friends in Dehli. He said he plans to continue to struggle for freedom and peace in Burma while in exile.

 “I want to urge all monks inside and outside Burma to fight against ah-dhamma (injustice) and maintain the dhamma (justice) policy,” he said.

“Monk escapes from Lantalang Prison” Irrawaddy, October 2,2008

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Dams on Salween river threatens human right and biodiversity: Karen group report

The Burmese government’s plan to build two major hydropower dams—the Wai Gyi and Hat Gyi—on the Salween River in eastern Burma threatens the human rights of local residents and the biodiversity of the area.

According to the report “Khoe Kay: Biodiversity in Peril” released by the Thailand-based Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN), more than 40 rare seeds and animal species in the Salween River watershed are likely to vanish if the Burmese government completes construction of the hydropower dams.

Ko Shwe, a researcher who spent three months collecting data in the area, said, “According to our research, we found about 394 different species. Among them, there are 40 indigenous species including plants and animals. If the dam is completed, these species will be totally vanished.”

The Wai Gyi and Hat Gyi dams are both located in Karen National Union controlled areas.

Meanwhile, Saw Nay, the director of Karen River Watch, said the Hat Gyi dam on the lower Salween River threatened several thousands of residents as well as wildlife.

According to its research, about 5,000 reside in more than 20 villages in the upper Hat Gyi dam area will be forced to relocate if the dam is completed, he said. He said human rights abuses such as forced labor, forced relocation, the disappearance of culture heritage as well as environmental damage including disforestation and flooding are likely to occur.

The Hat Gyi dam, the first to be built, is designed to power a 600-megawatt turbine. The project is expected to be complete by 2010.

“Karen group opposes Salween river dams” September 30, 2008

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Vietnam to exploit oil and gas in Burma

Exploration and Production Corp. (PVEP) and VietsovPetro (VSP) - will get involved in oil ands gas exploitation in block M-2 offshore Burma.

Under a contract signed with the Eden group and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprises (MOGE) in Nay Pyi Taw on Oct. 2, the PVEP will hold 45 percent of stakes, VSP, 40 percent and Eden group, 15 percent.

This is Vietnam’s first oil and gas project in Burma and its second overseas. The first one was signed by PVEP and VSP and Tunisia in February
2008.

“Vietnam to exploit oil and gas in Myanmar” Vietnam News Agency, October 6, 2008

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Burma junta leader to visit Bangladesh

General Maung Aye, the vice-chairman of Burma's military junta is scheduled to make a three-day official visit to Bangladesh, a foreign ministry official said Monday.

General Maung Aye, will lead a 55-member delegation including seven government ministers to discuss a host of outstanding issues between the neighbour nations.

Maung Aye is scheduled to meet with the chief of Bangladesh's interim administration, Fakhruddin Ahmed, to discuss bilateral concerns, said the official.

Trade and commerce, communications and border security are among the topics of the talks. Import of Bangladesh medicines to Burma, construction of a Bangladesh-Burma road and bilateral trade fairs are also on the agenda.

“Myanmar junta leader Maung Aye to visit Bangladesh” Deutsche Presse-Agentur, October 6, 2008

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U.N efforts blocked to end child soldiers in Burma

Political obstruction and lack of access to affected areas have blocked U.N. efforts to end recruitment of child soldiers in Burma.

 A U.N. panel charged with fighting the recruitment of child soldiers has notably failed to make progress in Burma, where school-age children are conscripted by both the ruling junta and ethnic rebel armies, experts say.

“The United Nations team in Burma is severely restricted in what it can do, where it can go, and what kind of information it can collect,” Jo Becker, children’s rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, said in an interview.

“And so it’s been very hampered in coming up with any documentation about the recruitment and use of child soldiers by Burma’s military.”

According to New York-based Human Rights Watch, the Burmese regime may have the largest number of child soldiers in the world—with thousands swept up in massive recruitment drives.

The United Nations Secretary General has cited Burma six times since 2002 in reports to the Security Council as among the world’s worst perpetrators of child recruitment.

Some armed ethnic groups fighting against the junta also recruit children, experts said. These include the United Wa State Army, Kachin Independence
Army, Karenni National People's Liberation Front, Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, Shan State Army-South, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and Karen National Union Peace Council.

“U.N. blocked on Burma child soldiers” Radio Free Asia, October 4, 2008

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