*****************************************************
BURMA RELATED NEWS - APRIL 02, 2008
******************************************************
HEADLINES
******************************************************
AP - Glass coffin with body of revered Buddhist monk stolen from
Myanmar monastery
AFP - Suu Kyi's party calls for 'No' vote on Myanmar constitution
AFP - NKorea ex****ting multiple-launch rockets to Myanmar
AFP - Myanmar junta arrests 52 activists in 2008: watchdog
AFP - India, Myanmar discuss trade, energy
AFP - New Myanmar constitution keeps military dominant
Reuters - Myanmar's Yetagun gas pipeline leaking - PTTEP
IANS - Myanmar general arrives on five-day visit
IANS - Bangladesh-Myanmar maritime talks snagged
Outlook India - India, Myanmar to have regular border trade
PD - Myanmar to benefit from establishment of foreign branch technical
institutions
Human Rights Watch - South Africa: Lead UN to Action on Somalia,
Darfur and Burma
Asian Tribune - 25 per cent of Burma's Karenni Stateinternally
displaced
The Nation - Karen have a historical place in Thai society
The Irrawaddy - Junta-Backed Thugs Continue Attacks on Opposition
DVB News - Prisoners offered sentence reductions to vote Yes
DVB News - NLD youth coordinator arrested
******************************************************
Glass coffin with body of revered Buddhist monk stolen from Myanmar
monastery
AP - Thursday, April 3
YANGON, Myanmar - A group of armed men Wednesday stole the body of one
of Myanmar's most revered Buddhist monks, whose corpse has been
preserved in a glass coffin since he died more than four years ago.
Officials said the coffin containing the body of Sayadaw Bhaddanta
Vinaya, better known as Thamanya Sayadaw, was stolen from the
monastery in eastern Myanmar where the senior monk had preached.
The officials, who insisted on anonymity because they are not
authorized to release information, said at least nine men wearing
camouflage clothing carried out the theft. They said they had no idea
who they were or why they took the body.
Thamanya Sayadaw _ the abbot of Thamanya mountain _ was a highly
revered vegetarian monk who attracted thousands of followers to his
temple daily before he died in November 2003 at the age of 93 at a
government hospital in Yangon.
Among those who journeyed to pay homage to him in his mountain retreat
160 kilometers (100 miles) east of Yangon was pro-democracy leader
Aung San Suu Kyi. She, like most people in Myanmar, is Buddhist.
Suu Kyi visited Thamanya mountain in 1995 to pay homage to the monk
after she was freed from six years of house arrest and last visited
him in June 2002 after being released from 19 months of detention.
The military government bestowed several honors upon Thamanya Sayadaw,
but he avoided identification with them, instead promoting his
religion and development in local community where he preached.
Many people still came to pay their respects to his remains after his
death. Bodies of revered monks are sometimes preserved and displayed
in glass coffin for wor****p.
******************************************************
Suu Kyi's party calls for 'No' vote on Myanmar constitution
by Hla Hla Htay
AFP - Thursday, April 3
YANGON (AFP) - Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party Wednesday urged
voters to reject an army-backed constitution, turning next month's
referendum into Myanmar's first battle for ballots in nearly 20
years.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) issued a statement calling on
the public "to clearly and bravely vote 'No' when you mark your
ballots."
The party accused Myanmar's ruling junta of handpicking the drafters
of the constitution, saying it was written without consulting any
opposing voices.
The final version of the constitution has not been released to the
public, but leaked copies show the basic law would give the military
continued dominance over the government even after elections slated
for 2010.
Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize winner who is under house
arrest, would be barred from running for president because she married
a Briton.
The military would also receive broad powers to declare a state of
emergency, allowing the generals to take direct control of the
government while granting them immunity from prosecution.
The NLD said the constitution would not bring democracy to Myanmar,
the Southeast Asian nation formerly known as Burma, which has been
ruled by the military since 1962.
"It cannot give any guarantee for democracy and human rights, which
are strongly needed by the people," the party said.
"It is not in accord with the basic democratic principle that the
sovereign power of the state is derived from the people," it added.
The referendum in May will be the first balloting in Myanmar since
1990, when the NLD won a landslide victory that was never recognised
by the junta.
The junta says the referendum will pave the way to multiparty
elections in 2010, but analysts say the constitution leave political
parties with little room to campaign for the polls.
Many of Myanmar's 54 million people have never voted before, so the
NLD also issued a one-page guide explaining exactly how ballots are
cast -- instructing people how to inspect the voter roll, tick the
ballot, and then ensure it is kept secret as it goes into the box.
The statement was the party's official stand on the referendum,
although the NLD's youth wing had last week joined other dissidents in
campaigning against the charter.
Myanmar's secretive regime surprised the world by announcing its
election timetable in February.
The junta says it is building a "discipline-flouri****ng democracy,"
but critics accuse the generals of trying to enshrine their control of
the government while distracting the world's attention from its deadly
crackdown on protests last year.
Buddhist monks in September led the biggest anti-government marches
seen in nearly two decades, but the military responded by opening fire
on the crowds and beating protesters in the streets.
The United Nations estimates that at least 31 people were killed,
while Amnesty International says more than 700 remain behind bars.
The junta last month rebuffed an offer by a UN envoy to send observers
and provide technical sup****t for the polls.
The regime has outlawed speeches and leaflets about the referendum,
and the NLD's ability to campaign is severely hampered because the
party is only allowed to maintain one office in Yangon.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been confined to her home for 12 of the last 18
years, and her top lieutenant is also under house arrest.
Myanmar has not had a constitution since 1988, when the current junta
took power by cru****ng a pro-democracy uprising, leaving at least
3,000 dead.
******************************************************
NKorea ex****ting multiple-launch rockets to Myanmar
AFP - Thursday, April 3
TOKYO (AFP) - North Korea has started ex****ting multiple-launch
rockets to military-ruled Myanmar, after the two nations agreed to
normalise ties last year, a Japanese television re****t said Wednesday.
The weapons ex****ts are in violation of economic sanctions imposed on
North Korea after the communist state conducted a nuclear test in
October 2006, Japan's public broadcaster NHK re****ted, citing unnamed
diplomatic sources.
It said "full-scale" ex****ts of the weapons had been handled by an
unnamed Singa****e trading company.
Multiple-launch rockets are 24 centimetres (9.4 inches) in diameter
and about one metre (yard) long, each with a range of about 65
kilometres (40 miles), the re****t said.
NHK did not give any further details.
North Korea and Myanmar agreed in April to restore relations. Yangon
severed ties in 1983 following a failed assassination attempt by North
Korean agents on then-South Korean president Chun Doo-Hwan during his
visit to Myanmar.
The bombing killed 17 of Chun's entourage including cabinet ministers,
along with four Myanmar officials.
Myanmar and North Korea have been branded "outposts of tyranny" by the
United States, which imposes sanctions on both countries.
******************************************************
Myanmar junta arrests 52 activists in 2008: watchdog
AFP - Wednesday, Apr 2
BANGKOK, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - Myanmar's military junta has arrested
and imprisoned at least 52 activists in the first three months of this
year, a Thailand-based watchdog said Wednesday.
The majority of those held were members of opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party, the statement by
the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said.
"Others are journalists, poets, students and youths," the group said.
"In many cases, a person is arrested without their relatives knowing
the cir***stances and whereabouts of the loved ones."
Some face criminal charges and lengthy jail sentences, while other
detainees including Buddhist monks could be sent to labour camps and
face torture, starvation and exhaustion, AAPP said.
In September, Buddhist monks led the biggest anti-government protests
seen in Yangon in nearly 20 years.
The military regime violently suppressed the movement by opening fire
on crowds and beating people in the streets, while more than 3,000
people were arrested during the crackdown.
The junta says most have now been released, but Amnesty International
and AAPP say that 700 people remain behind bars, while 40 have been
sentenced to prison terms.
Even before the crackdown, Myanmar was holding about 1,150 political
prisoners, the most famous being Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace
prize winner who has spent 12 of the last 18 years under house arrest.
She led the NLD to a landslide victory in 1990 elections, but the
military never recognised the result.
AAPP is an organisation run by former political prisoners who now live
in exile in neighbouring Thailand. The group monitors conditions in
Myanmar's notorious prisons.
******************************************************
India, Myanmar discuss trade, energy
AFP - Wednesday, Apr 2
NEW DELHI (AFP) - The second-in-command of Myanmar's ruling junta held
talks on Wednesday with Indian leaders on economic cooperation,
security and energy, an Indian foreign ministry official said.
India's engagement with neighbouring Myanmar comes at a time when the
international community is seeking to pressure the military junta to
introduce democracy in the country.
Vice-senior General Maung Aye, who arrived in New Delhi earlier in the
day, was on his second visit in eight years.
Besides talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Myanmar
general also met Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Indian army
chief Deepak Kapoor.
"Curbing insurgency in India's northeast, cooperation in the energy
sector and increasing trade," said the official when asked about the
agenda before the leaders met.
The highlight of Maung's four-day visit will be the signing of a deal
later Wednesday involving 130 million dollars of Indian investment in
Myanmar's Sittwe ****t on the edge of the Bay of Bengal, the official
said.
"This will give India's landlocked northeast access to a new trade
route to Southeast Asia. It will enhance connectivity and not only
benefit India but Myanmar as well," a commerce ministry official told
AFP.
New Delhi had been negotiating with Bangladesh for an access route to
the under-developed, landlocked northeast without any success, the
official said.
"The route through Myanmar will help us enormously," the commerce
ministry official said.
New Delhi is also looking at increasing border trade through two new
border towns besides the existing one at the Indian town of Moreh,
which connects with Tamu in Myanmar, the official said.
India has consistently opposed economic sanctions as counterproductive
in pressuring Myanmar to improve its domestic human record but says it
is urging Myanmar to introduce democratic reforms.
New Delhi, which has twice hosted UN special envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim
Gambari, said in January it was "worried" Myanmar was not moving fast
enough on democratic reform.
******************************************************
New Myanmar constitution keeps military dominant
by Griffin Shea
Wed Apr 2, 1:48 AM ET
BANGKOK (AFP) - Leaked copies of Myanmar's new constitution, in hefty
green paperbacks secretly circulating in Yangon, show the military
will receive sweeping powers that ensure its dominance even after
elections.
Aung San Suu Kyi, the detained pro-democracy leader who is the
regime's most formidable foe, is clearly barred from the presidency
and she would be unlikely to qualify even for a parliamentary seat,
the do***ent shows.
The ruling junta plans to bring the constitution to a referendum in
May, in anticipation of elections slated for 2010.
The public has so far had no chance to review the final draft, and a
handful of leaked copies of the 194-page do***ent are the only
versions so far available.
A copy obtained by AFP shows that while the constitution would set up
a civilian government and grant civil rights to the people, it is
peppered with caveats that allow the military to easily reassert
direct control in the interest of national security.
States of emergency could be declared not only to battle insurgencies,
but to combat the threat of "disintegration of national solidarity."
The military would receive immunity from prosecution for actions taken
under emergency rule.
Existing security laws used to jail political dissidents and suppress
dissent would remain in effect, and parties would be required to
practise "discipline-flouri****ng genuine multi-party democracy."
"It's basically a blatant blueprint for continued military rule, and
it's fairly open and honest about that," said Dave Mathieson, a
researcher for Human Rights Watch.
"There's all these little brutal caveats all through the do***ent, and
they all say that the Burmese army will continue to rule the country,
either behind the scenes or in full view," he said.
Some of the provisions give the military very open influence. One
quarter of the seats in parliament are reserved for the armed forces,
and the president is required to be "well acquainted" with military
affairs.
Aung San Suu Kyi would be barred from running for office because she
married a Briton and her children are British nationals.
But most members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) and other
political dissidents would struggle to meet the requirements to stand
for parliament.
Candidates are barred if they or their parties accept sup****t from
foreign governments or religious organisations.
The government routinely accuses the NLD of taking foreign funds,
while Buddhist monks last year led mass anti-government protests that
were violently crushed by security forces.
Candidates with criminal records are also barred from running, which
would exclude most top democracy leaders, who have served prison
sentences for their political activities.
"The constitution makes it even harder for the opposition groups and
civilian politicians to manoeuvre," said Myanmar analyst Aung Naing
Oo, based in Thailand.
"It may be very difficult for any of the parties to get even 25
percent of the seats," he said.
The country, formerly known as Burma, has had no constitution since
1988, when the current junta seized power. Information Minister Kyaw
Hsan last week defended the proposed charter as "better than nothing,"
saying the constitution could be amended over time.
But the final draft shows amendments would be almost impossible
without the military's consent.
A majority of 75 percent of parliamentarians are required to approve
amendments, meaning civilian politicians would need at least some
sup****t from the military MPs to approve amendments.
That makes amendments unlikely to happen soon, said Aung Naing Oo,
adding that he believed the charter would do little to end Myanmar's
political deadlock.
"Human rights abuses are at the centre of the conflict in Burma, so
the entrenchment of the military in the constitution means the human
rights abuses will go on, the conflict will go on," he said.
******************************************************
Myanmar's Yetagun gas pipeline leaking - PTTEP
PTTEP operates five blocks in Myanmar and is a minority partner in the
Yetagun and Yadana gas developments. About 1.1 billion cfd of gas
output from the two fields is ex****ted to Thailand. (Re****ting by
Pisit Changplayngam; Writing by Khettiya Jittapong; Editing by Michael
Battye)
Reuters - Thursday, April 3
BANGKOK, April 2 - An offshore gas pipeline from Myanmar's Yetagun gas
field is leaking, causing a loss of supplies to Thailand of about
400-500 million cubic feet per day , Thai shareholder PTTEP said on
Wednesday.
PTT Exploration and Production PCL was informed of the leak on Tuesday
and Malaysia's Petronas, operator of the gas-rich field in the Gulf of
Martaban, was trying to find the cause, chief executive officer Anon
Sirisaengtaksin told Reuters.
"They are investigating the reasons and we have to wait for
information from Myanmar," Anon said without eloborating.
PTTEP, a subsidiary of top energy firm PTT PCL , owns 19.3 percent of
the Yetagun gas field and Petronas has a 40.9 percent stake.
Other shareholders include Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise and Nippon
Oil Exploration .
PTTEP operates five blocks in Myanmar and is a minority partner in the
Yetagun and Yadana gas developments. About 1.1 billion cfd of gas
output from the two fields is ex****ted to Thailand.
******************************************************
Myanmar general arrives on five-day visit
Wed, Apr 2 03:58 PM
New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) The second-highest ranking general in
Myanmar's military junta Senior General Maung Aye arrived here
Wednesday to start his five-day visit, whose highlight is an agreement
to link India's northeastern states to Myanmar's ****t of Sittwe on the
Bay of Bengal.
Maung held talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee
Wednesday afternoon, followed by meetings with President Pratibha
Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Later in the evening, he will hold extensive discussions with Vice
President Hamid Ansari at Hyderabad House, following by a ceremony to
sign agreements.
Last week, the union cabinet approved for signing an accord with
Myanmar for constructing the multi-modal Kaladan trans****t corridor,
which will allow the northeastern states access to the sea, bypassing
Bangladesh. The project is expected to be the highlight of Maung's
visit.
The Kaladan project includes upgrading the Sittwe ****t and Kaladan
waterway as well as construction of a road from Setpyitpyin (Kaletwa)
to the India-Myanmar border at a cost of Rs.5.3 billion.
Besides signing a framework agreement on the project, India and
Myanmar are also expected to ink pacts on a protocol for transit
trans****t, bilateral investment promotion and protection and double
taxation avoidance.
The senior general, his wife and the delegation will then travel to
the Buddhist sites of Sanchi, Sarnath and Gaya.
Maung will also be going to Bangalore, where he will visit the Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and major IT companies. He will
also travel to Jamnagar in Gujarat to visit the Reliance Petroleum
refinery.
To coincide with the visit, Myanmar's exiled pro-democracy activists
have been on a sit-in here since March 31 to protest the policies of
the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
'We have been protesting against the SPDC, its new constitution and
the upcoming referendum,' said L.R. Sanga, president of Chin Students
Association.
He added that 27 pro-democracy associations in India have organised
the protest under the banner of Burma Campaign India. Burma is the old
name of Myanmar.
'We have not yet made plans for protests in other parts of the
country, but we may do that at the last minute,' he said.
Myanmar plays a key role in India's energy security road map as it has
several oil and gas fields. Last September, Union Petroleum Minister
Murli Deora visited the country and signed a number of agreements.
India also looks towards Myanmar to control insurgents in the
northeast who often slip across the border to set up camps when
pursued by Indian security forces.
Despite criticism of Myanmar's handling of pro-democracy
demonstrations six months ago by Western rights groups, India has
maintained contacts with the military junta. India's intensification
of ties has been partly a result of the junta getting close to China.
India has opposed the imposition of sanctions on Myanmar by the US and
the European Union. It has instead called for a dialogue with the
junta to persuade it to take the road to democracy and free pro-
democracy leaders, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
******************************************************
Myanmar general arrives on five-day visit
Wed, Apr 2 03:58 PM
New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) The second-highest ranking general in
Myanmar's military junta Senior General Maung Aye arrived here
Wednesday to start his five-day visit, whose highlight is an agreement
to link India's northeastern states to Myanmar's ****t of Sittwe on the
Bay of Bengal.
Maung held talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee
Wednesday afternoon, followed by meetings with President Pratibha
Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Later in the evening, he will hold extensive discussions with Vice
President Hamid Ansari at Hyderabad House, following by a ceremony to
sign agreements.
Last week, the union cabinet approved for signing an accord with
Myanmar for constructing the multi-modal Kaladan trans****t corridor,
which will allow the northeastern states access to the sea, bypassing
Bangladesh. The project is expected to be the highlight of Maung's
visit.
The Kaladan project includes upgrading the Sittwe ****t and Kaladan
waterway as well as construction of a road from Setpyitpyin (Kaletwa)
to the India-Myanmar border at a cost of Rs.5.3 billion.
Besides signing a framework agreement on the project, India and
Myanmar are also expected to ink pacts on a protocol for transit
trans****t, bilateral investment promotion and protection and double
taxation avoidance.
The senior general, his wife and the delegation will then travel to
the Buddhist sites of Sanchi, Sarnath and Gaya.
Maung will also be going to Bangalore, where he will visit the Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and major IT companies. He will
also travel to Jamnagar in Gujarat to visit the Reliance Petroleum
refinery.
To coincide with the visit, Myanmar's exiled pro-democracy activists
have been on a sit-in here since March 31 to protest the policies of
the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
'We have been protesting against the SPDC, its new constitution and
the upcoming referendum,' said L.R. Sanga, president of Chin Students
Association.
He added that 27 pro-democracy associations in India have organised
the protest under the banner of Burma Campaign India. Burma is the old
name of Myanmar.
'We have not yet made plans for protests in other parts of the
country, but we may do that at the last minute,' he said.
Myanmar plays a key role in India's energy security road map as it has
several oil and gas fields. Last September, Union Petroleum Minister
Murli Deora visited the country and signed a number of agreements.
India also looks towards Myanmar to control insurgents in the
northeast who often slip across the border to set up camps when
pursued by Indian security forces.
Despite criticism of Myanmar's handling of pro-democracy
demonstrations six months ago by Western rights groups, India has
maintained contacts with the military junta. India's intensification
of ties has been partly a result of the junta getting close to China.
India has opposed the imposition of sanctions on Myanmar by the US and
the European Union. It has instead called for a dialogue with the
junta to persuade it to take the road to democracy and free pro-
democracy leaders, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
******************************************************
Bangladesh-Myanmar maritime talks snagged
Wed, Apr 2 10:19 AM
Dhaka, April 2 (IANS) Bangladesh's talks with Myanmar on demarcation
of their maritime boundary have hit a snag, compounding its economic
woes in the Bay of Bengal, where it is unable to reach an accord with
India.
The two-day technical meeting here of Bangladesh and Myanmar on the
delimitation of maritime boundary ended inconclusively as the parties
failed to narrow down their differences on a number of issue,
including the process of demarcation in the Bay of Bengal and
unimpeded passage for Myanmar in the Naf river.
'Myanmar proposed a joint survey on the maritime boundary delimitation
which is not acceptable to us as the area in the sea is
internationally recognised as part of Bangladesh,' a source told the
New Age newspaper after the meeting Tuesday evening.
Additional Foreign Secretary M.A.K. Mahmood led an 18-member
Bangladesh delegation to the talks and Muang Oo Lwin led a 10-member
Myanmar delegation.
Its prospects of gas exploration in the Bay of Bengal adversely
affected, Bangladesh has indicated that it may approach the UN.
'We hope to provide the United Nations with the data in favour of our
claims earlier than the deadline of 2011,' an unnamed official told
the newspaper.
While India, Myanmar and Bangladesh have not demarcated their waters
in the Bay of Bengal, New Delhi and Yangon have agreed on an
equidistant boundary allowing both to explore gas in the bay.
Bangladesh is still preparing its case for gas exploration, but has
not been able to invite tenders for block bidding because the maritime
boundary has not been demarcated.
The talks came even as India and Myanmar held a top-level dialogue in
New Delhi on setting up a gas pipeline bypassing Bangladesh and
linking of roads and river ****ts.
As the Dhaka meeting ended inconclusively, both the countries hope to
sit again sometime in June in Myanmar to resolve the technical issues
to pave the way for a decision.
******************************************************
Outlook India
India, Myanmar to have regular border trade
NEW DELHI, APR 2 (PTI) Keen to step up their ties, India and Myanmar
today decided to have regular trade by opening up the border points as
the two countries signed an agreement on a multi-modal trans****t
project and a pact for avoidance of double taxation.
India also impressed upon Myanmar to expedite the process of political
reforms and broad-based national reconciliation, involving all
sections including Aung San Suu Kyi, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
met visiting Vice Senior General Maung Aye here.
Aye, the second most powerful man in Myanmarese Junta, also met
President Pratibha Patil and held detailed talks with Vice President
Hamid Ansari on all aspects of bilateral ties, particularly covering
trade, energy and security issues.
After the talks between Ansari and Aye, the two sides signed agreement
on Kaladan multi-modal trans****t project and Double Taxation Avoidance
Agreement (DTAA).
The Kaladan project will greatly improve connectivity between the two
countries.
Expressing happiness over the signing of Kaladan project and the other
pact, Singh stressed the im****tance of pursuing various cross-border
projects to promote greater connectivity and economic engagement
between the two countries.
"Both leaders noted that more is needed to be done to enhance trade
between the two countries and towards this end, agreed to take steps
to open up the existing border points in the North East states for
regular trade," External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
Singh and Aye also recognised the need for close cooperation in the
hydrocarbon sector. Myanmar has rich resources of hydrocarbons and
India is keen to tap these.
The Prime Minister conveyed India's commitment to sup****t Myanmar in
telecom and IT sectors.
Aye thanked India for its "generous assistance" for cross-border
infrastructure projects, construction of roads, lines of credit and
establishment of IT centre at Yangon, the MEA statement said.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in security matters on the
border. Many North East insurgents are believed to be taking shelter
in Myanmar and India has been seeking its cooperation in curbing their
activities.
During the meeting, Singh noted the "positive steps" being taken by
the Myanmar government "towards national reconciliation and political
reforms, including the announcement of elections in 2010," the
statement said.
The Prime Minister underlined the need for Myanmar to expedite the
process and make it broad-based to include all sections of society,
including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and various ethnic
groups in that country, it said.
Singh expressed sup****t for the UN Secretary General's efforts to help
bring about political reforms in Myanmar and conveyed his satisfaction
at the facilitation of the visit of UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari
by Yangon.
During his talks with Ansari, Aye conveyed the recent initiatives
taken by the Myanmar government on their political reform and national
reconciliation process and the announcement of referendum in May 2008
and elections in 2010.
Ansari, while describing Myanmar as the "natural bridge" between SAARC
and ASEAN, emphasised that India does not believe that sanctions would
be helpful and that it may well prove to be counter-productive.
The Vice President, who hosted dinner for the visiting dignitary,
noted the desire for building on the commonalities and synergies
between the two countries.
During the meeting between Patil and Aye, the two sides expressed
satisfaction at the fast-growing multi-faceted relations between the
two neighbours which share a common border of 1,600 kms.
******************************************************
People's Daily Online
Myanmar to benefit from establishment of foreign branch technical
institutions
+-13:30, April 02, 2008
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) of Singa****e will open a
branch institution in Myanmar, aiming to nurture more Myanmar experts
in the future, a local weekly re****ted in this week's issue.
The move of the ITE, an institution recognized by the Singa****e
Education Ministry as well as the international, is being assisted by
a Myanmar domestic education company, the Voice said.
Such Singa****e branch technical institution will resemble Myanmar's
technical high school (THS), it said.
Myanmar student who wins ITE diploma certificate, can continue to join
Singa****e Polytechnic School and the National University of Singa****e
for further pursuit of bachelor degree with technical subject.
The ITE was established in 1992 and has branch institutions in Vietnam
and China, according to the re****t.
Meanwhile, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and a biggest
Myanmar business organization have been negotiating since the last two
years to open a center of the AIT in Myanmar, according to an earlier
local re****t.
A memorandum of understanding on introducing a satellite campus of the
AIT is being expected to be signed between the AIT and the Union of
Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said the
United Network which is a representative of the AIT in Myanmar.
According to the sources, major subjects to be taught at the AIT
Myanmar center will be those which will sup****t the development of
mechanical engineering, and currently feasible subjects are
recommended as industrial engineering, project management and
construction and infrastructure.
Scholar****p donors will be sought from some oil companies, it said,
adding that at present, aid is being obtained from governments of some
donor countries such as Thailand, Japan, France, Sweden, Denmark,
Germany and the Netherlands as well as the Asian Development Bank and
the European Union.
The sources disclosed that a total of 400 Myanmar students have
graduated from the AIT so far.
Located in Thailand, the AIT was established in 1959, standing as a
top international institute in Asia. It has a center in Vietnam.
Besides, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and
Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), based in Los Banos, the Philippines,
has also offered scholar****ps for qualified Myanmar graduates to help
the country train more agricultural experts, according to the Ministry
of Education.
The scholar****ps were for master and doctorate degrees for the 2007-08
academic year.
The number of such scholar****ps allocated to Myanmar had risen to at
least five slots since 2006-07, it said, adding that winner shave the
choice of studying at universities in the Philippines, Indonesia,
Malaysia or Thailand.
SEARCA was established in 1965 to enhance cooperation among countries
in the region through educational, scientific and cultural
activities.
Moreover, a Malaysia-based university, the Lim Kokwing University
College of Creative Technology, also offered the first diploma course
in Myanmar in 2006 which mainly covers information and communications
technology (ICT) and business development and the course were
conducted at some education centers in Yangon and Mandalay.
Furthermore, Thailand is also cooperating with Myanmar on higher
education, offering scholar****p for qualified Myanmar students to
study in Thai universities as part of its move to help globalization
educationally.
Observers here said through establishment of foreign branch technical
institutions in Myanmar and offer of foreign education scholar****ps to
Myanmar students as well as its own efforts in the aspects, the
country's education level would be raised to a new high in a shorter
period. (Source:Xinhua)
******************************************************
South Africa: Lead UN to Action on Somalia, Darfur and Burma
Human Rights,Mon 31 Mar 2008
(New York, March 31, 2008) - South Africa should use its Security
Council presidency in April 2008 to make significant progress on human
rights crises in Somalia, Darfur and Burma, Human Rights Watch said in
a letter to South Africa's minister of foreign affairs, Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma, and members of the United Nations Security Council. "The
Security Council should be signaling hope to civilians in crisis, but
so far it has failed the people of Darfur, Burma and Somalia," said
Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. "South Africa
should lead the Security Council in a major new international effort
to end horrible abuses in these places and save lives."
In Somalia, 700,000 people are estimated to have been displaced from
the capital Mogadishu since early 2007. Ongoing attacks by all warring
parties are harming civilians and forcing people to flee every day.
Humanitarian agencies face huge challenges in their efforts to provide
assistance to displaced persons. The UN secretary-general's re****t on
Somalia last week noted "the lack of accountability, for past and
current crimes, reinforces a sense of impunity and further fuels
conflict [in Somalia]."
Human Rights Watch urged South Africa to push for the establishment of
an international commission of inquiry to investigate war crimes in
Somalia and for an increased international human rights monitoring
presence in the country.
"South Africa has a strong record of speaking out on the need for
Security Council action on the appalling human rights situation in
Somalia," said Roth. "South Africa's leader****p would give the long-
suffering people of Somalia hope that they will no longer be ignored
and that they'll see war criminals on all sides punished."
Violence against civilians in Darfur has surged in the past three
months. The Sudanese government's February 2008 offensive in West
Darfur saw displacement and killing of civilians on a scale not seen
since the darkest days of the crisis in 2004. Khartoum continues to
obstruct the deployment of the hybrid African Union/United Nations
peacekeeping force, UNAMID. Rebel groups and former rebel groups
continue to commit abuses against civilians.
"South Africa should push Sudan to allow the swift and unhindered
deployment of peacekeepers to Darfur, including troops from outside
Africa," said Roth.
Human Rights Watch also urged South Africa and other Security Council
members to issue a presidential statement demanding that Khartoum
immediately surrender for trial the two suspects named in arrest
warrants by the International Criminal Court.
South Africa should also use the Security Council presidency to press
for measures that will end the continuing oppression by the government
in Burma. As underscored by the recent visit to Burma by the secretary-
general's special advisor, Ibrahim Gambari, the military government
continues to resist change that would improve respect for fundamental
human rights.
"Burma will make the changes essential for real progress only if it
comes under serious and sustained pressure from the Security Council,"
said Roth. "If South Africa uses its presidency in April to bring such
pressure on Burma, we could see real progress there," Roth said.
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25 per cent of Burma's Karenni Stateinternally displaced
Thu, 2008-04-03 01:16
Bangkok, 03 April, (Asiantribune.com): Higher percentage of population
displaced than in Sudan, Iraq, Uganda, Colombia or the Democratic
Republic of Congo(Over one quarter of the Karenni population of
eastern Burma has been forced from their homes due to years of
military oppression, a figure expected to increase as militarisation
of the state continues unabated, according to a new re****t from Burma
Issues.
In Karenni State, located in eastern Burma, 81,000 villagers are
currently internally displaced, representing 27 per cent of the
state's population. Between 70 and 80 per cent of those displaced are
women and children.
What is needed is Thailand's immediate action to enable international
sup****t for cross-border aid and for the governments of SE Asia, China
and India to sup****t a UN Security Council Resolution on Burma, Khu
Thaw Reh, Mae Hong Son Area Coordinator for Burma Issues, a non-
governmental organization working in Thailand, said.
IDPs in Karenni State face severe food shortages, inadequate shelter,
cannot access health care or education services and are vulnerable to
violence and exploitation from Burmese soldiers,said Khu Thaw Reh
said.
He urged Burma to move quickly into genuine dialogue with ethnic
groups to address issues of human rights and socio-economic
grievances.
Unarmed villagers are forced to flee their homes to escape military
attacks and human rights abuses perpetrated by the Burmese army, while
others are forced from their homes to make way for income generating
projects benefiting the military junta. Over the last five years the
number of internally displaced persons in Karenni State has increased
by 42 per cent, a number expected to increase if the situation
continues to worsen, according to Khu Thaw Reh.
Sudan, Colombia, Iraq, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo
have the five largest displaced populations in the world. In Sudan
nearly 13 per cent of the population is displaced, Colombia 8.5 per
cent, Iraq over 6 per cent, Uganda over 6.5 per cent, and in the
Democratic Republic of Congo nearly 2 per cent.
The percentage of the population displaced in Karenni State is twice
as high as the level in Sudan which has the world's largest internally
displaced population, however, they receive little assistance or
international attention, Khu Thaw Reh said.
Displaced people in Karenni State need humanitarian assistance
urgently, but they also need a genuine solution to their displacement
crisis which involves a significant change to Burma's political,
economic and social systems, he said.
Living Ghosts: The spiraling repression of the Karenni population
under the Burmese military junta, a new re****t released by Burma
Issues, do***ents the worsening situation for the Karenni people over
the past six years, including reduced access to health care and
education, the impact of increased growth of poppies and production of
synthetic drugs in the state, and the ongoing oppression by both state
and non-state armies. This in-depth re****t is based on interviews with
villagers, surveys and observations from Burma Issues field staff
collected between 2001 and 2007, and do***ents the threat to regional
and international security.
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The Nation
Karen have a historical place in Thai society
Subhatra Bhumiprabhas
Published on Apr 3, 2008
When thinking of Ratchaburi province, many people still remember the
tragic incident in 2000 when a group of 10 young Karen, who called
themselves "God's Army", raided Ratchaburi Hospital.
They did not harm anyone but demanded doctors and medicines to treat
their friends who were seriously injured during border fighting
between Thailand and Burma.
The 10 young Karen were executed in the hospital by a Thai special
armed force. Many patients cried for them.
But Wutti Boonlert, a Thai-born Karen, has other sides of the Karen's
stories to tell in his research "When the Suan Phueng Karen Speaks".
The research is part of the Thailand Research Fund's local histories
project.
Most Thais have heard about the ethnic Karen from news re****ts on
their political conflicts with Burma, Wutti, president of the Karen
Cultural Council in Ratchaburi, said.
His research is a compilation of oral histories told in Karen
communities in his home province of Ratchaburi's Suan Phueng district
and historical evidence of the social status of Karen in the eyes of
the Royal Court of Siam over centuries.
Images of the Karen in Siam have appeared in murals and Thai
literature since the early Ratta****osin era, he said.
A mural in Wat Bangkhae Yai in Samut Songkhram province depicts an
image of a Karen delivering ivory to a Siamese officer, said Wutti,
who has spent two years tracing evidences of Karen in Siam.
The temple was built in 1814 during the reign of King Rama II.
Another mural depicted a Karen as a hunter and guardian on the Siam-
Burma border and Wutti also found from historical records that during
this reign in 1822, Khun Suwan, a Karen who served as "Nai-
dan" (immigration officer) at the Three Pagodas Pass, helped Siam
capture 36 Burmese people.
"These images showed a relation between Karen people and Siam at the
time," he said.
In 1845, during the reign of King Rama III, Karen armed forces were
assigned to guard the Siam border from Tak, Kanchanaburi and
Ratchaburi provinces, the researcher said.
And a group of Karen in Ratchaburi mentioned in history was the Suan
Phueng Karen, he said.
"The first group of Karen in Suan Pueng, who called themselves 'Phlow'
and 'Sgaw' [or Paka-kue-yo], migrated from Tavoy in Burma to Siam over
200 years ago," Wutti said.
But Karen in Suan Phueng have been facing the problem of identity.
Hundreds of them have been waiting for Thai citizen****p, Wutti said.
As long as they are not granted Thai citizen****p, it means they are
not allowed to freely travel to other provinces without official
permission from the provincial governor. Also, they do not have access
to any public services.
Interestingly, the researcher found that the Thai State once wanted to
assimilate the Karen into Thai society.
In 1965, the Thai Royal Army deployed its mobile unit to Suan Phueng,
to help develop the Karen communities in order to have them on the
government's side. The State's officers at the time called Karen in
Suan Phueng "Thai-Tenessarim", Wutti said.
Karen elders still have vivid memories of their first trip to Bangkok
in 1970. The government organised a tour, bringing Karen leaders from
Suan Phueng to see the Grand Palace.
Thai-Tenessarim as the Thai State called the Karen communities in Suan
Phueng, were later used to promote tourism in the province, Wutti
said.
While Ratchaburi province today is promoting border tourism, Wutti
hopes that his research will help people to have a better
understanding about the Karen in Thai society.
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The Irrawaddy - Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Junta-Backed Thugs Continue Attacks on Opposition
By MIN LWIN
As Burma prepares for a referendum on a constitution drafted by the
country's military rulers, activists and members of the main
opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), have come
under increasing attacks from junta-backed thugs.
The latest incident occurred around 7:30 on Monday evening, when Myint
Hlaing, 74, the NLD chairman for Rangoon's Hlaing Tharyar Town****p,
was assaulted near his home. According to sources, he was hospitalized
after an unknown attacker inflicted a two-inch cut on his head.
Last Thursday, Myint Aye, 54, a leading human rights activist from
Sanchaung Town****p 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.
Nyan Win, a spokesperson for the NLD, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday
of another incident about a month ago, when knife-wielding pro-junta
thugs chased several party members in Taunggok Town****p in Arakan
State.
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.
Sources in Rangoon say that local authorities have been giving riot-
control training to state-backed organizations, including volunteer
firefighters, Red Cross personnel and members of Ward Peace and
Development Councils in Rangoon's South Dagon, South Okkalapa and
Thingangyun Town****ps.
"They were instructed how to beat the activists and crack down on
crowds if protests happen," said one person who had witnessed the
training sessions. "The firefighters were shown how to beat the
protesters and members of the Red Cross learned how to pick them up
and throw them on trucks, separating those who are dead from the ones
who are still alive," the witness added.
According to the witness, the training started at 10 p.m. and
continued until midnight. Trainees received 500 kyat (US $0.45) and a
meal for attending. The instructors were blue-uniformed Swan Ar ****n
militia members and the supervisor for each ward was identified by a
red stripe on his shoulder.
In recent years, Burma's military junta has turned increasingly to
civilians to stem unrest. Before troops crushed last year's monk-led
uprising, plainclothes agents were instrumental in snuffing out
earlier protests against a dramatic rise in fuel prices.
Random attacks on opposition members have also increased as part of an
ongoing campaign of intimidation. In April 2007, several members of
Human Rights Defenders and Promoters, a human rights advocacy group
founded in 2002, were mobbed and severely beaten by around one hundred
members of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development
Association in Hinthada Town****p, Irrawaddy Division.
In June 2007, Than Lwin, an NLD member who was elected as a
representative for Madaya Town****p, Mandalay Division, in 1990 was
attacked after praying for the release of NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Than Lwin is currently in Mandalay prison.
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Prisoners offered sentence reductions to vote Yes
Apr 2, 2008 (DVB)-Prison authorities in Insein prison are re****tedly
trying to convince inmates to sup****t the national referendum in May
in exchange for an early release.
According to a family member who visited an inmate yesterday, prison
authorities have told prisoners their sentences could be reduced if
they agree to vote in favour of the new constitution after their
release.
"They're collecting the prisoners' ID card numbers and telling them
they will reduce their prison sentences if they sup****t the national
referendum after their release," the family member said.
Under the referendum law introduced in February, people serving prison
terms for any offence are ineligible to vote while they are detained.
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NLD youth coordinator arrested
Apr 2, 2008 (DVB)-Ko Aung Htun, youth coordinator for the National
League for Democracy in Thingangyun town****p, Rangoon, was arrested
yesterday evening and is being held in an unknown location, his wife
said.
Aung Htun was arrested at his house at around 11pm yesterday by the
ward Peace and Development Council chairman and four other officials.
Ma Nweni Htun, Aung Htun's wife, said she went to the ward PDC office
about 30 minutes later to give her husband some medicine for his
gastric problems but found he was no longer there.
Nweni Htun said she was worried about her husband as she does not know
where he is being held.
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