Monday, April 26, 2010

NLD plans social work

Gearing up for activities after the junta’s deadline to register as a political party expires on May 6, and the National League for Democracy (NLD) ceases to be a political entity, youth leaders made field visits to 60 townships to explain the party’s position.The NLD did not re-register with the Election Commission after deciding not to contest the elections because it was of the view that the electoral laws were ‘unjust and unfair.’

The Party Youth Works Implementation Task Force visited Kachin, Shan, Sagaing, Mandalay, Pegu and Irrawaddy Divisions and States in the last two weeks. It held wide ranging discussions with people about its planned social work and activities.

“The main purpose of our visit was to maintain unity till the time Auntie Suu (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) is released from house arrest and also to avoid erosion of our party strength. We can be involved in social work. They may close our offices. They may remove our party signboards but we must maintain communication with party members,” Aye Tun, In-charge (3) of the task force, who was part of the organizational tour, told Mizzima.

“We will keep our communication channel open with youth members, hold on to our party member strength and avoid disarray in the party ranks. We are coordinating and discussing these. We explained our future plans to party members from township, ward and village tract levels invited by States and Divisions Organizing Committees. The organization shall remain and we shall continue to work,” he added.

After it ceases to exist as a political party after May 6, NLD plans to plunge headlong into social work and activities including caring for HIV/AIDS patients, a youth NLD member from Mandalay Division said.

“Despite losing its legal status and party signboard, NLD will continue its routine work and activities. Party members will continue to work as they would have done if they were in their current party positions,” he said.

NLD had 22 million party members in its heyday and its youth members are in the age group of 18 to 35. The youth wing of the party influences the NLD’s decision making process. The youth leaders also plan to visit remaining States and Divisions.

The party, grappling with how to maintain unity and continue party activities in an unified manner, has become a subject of discussion among party members and observers.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Smuggled Myanmar national is not refugee in Bangladesh

Bangladesh today made it clear that it will not register any Myanmar national who has illegally entered the country as a refugee. Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes told reporters that the regional Co-ordintaor of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees has been informed that the Bangladesh government would not go in for any fresh registration of Myanmar citizens who are staying outside the refugee camps after illegally entering Bangladesh.

At present, some 28,000 registered refugees are staying in two camps located at Kutupalong and Nawapara in Bangladesh. Apart from these refugees, studies by UNHCR and other organisations estimate that several lakh people from Myanmar have entered Bangladesh without proper documentation.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

NLD to work for the people

Friday, 02 April 2010 New Delhi :NLD political outfit of burma in ensuing election has its decision reserved not to register with the Election Commission (EC) the National League for Democracy (NLD) party is exploring ways to increase interaction with people and plunge itself headlong into more and more social work as part of the party’s future activities.“We will continue with our international relations and at the same time work for the people. We will work for the welfare of the people and serve them,” NLD Central Executive Committee (CEC) member Win Tin told Mizzima.

NLD will work for HIV/AIDS patients and provide assistance to political prisoners, he said.The Committee for Representing People’s Parliament (CRPP) held its meeting today at the NLD party headquarters in Shwegondaing, Rangoon and discussed doing social work in cooperation with NLD, ethnic political parties and other allies.

Protesting the junta’s harsh and vindictive electoral laws, NLD decided not to register with the EC. After the deadline on registration, in the electoral laws, the party will cease to be a legal party raising questions about its fate in the Burmese political mosaic.“We discussed the NLD’s political stand and how to cooperate with ethnic political parties in future,” CRPP Secretary Aye Thar Aung said.

The CRPP meeting was attended by NLD Chairman Aung Shwe, Vice-Chairman Tin Oo, CEC members, ethnic leaders Aye Thar Aung, Pu Cing Tsian Thang, Thaug Ko Thang among other CRPP members.“All of us respect the NLD’s political stand. We are proud of the party. We discussed cooperation between NLD and CRPP,” Aye Thar Aung said.

The delegates who attended today’s meeting discussed and exchanged views on the party’s stand of continuing to operate as a political party even though the junta seeks to abolish it.

Deputy Supreme Court Judge Thein Soe, the newly appointed Chairman of Burma's Election Commission is on the EU’s blacklist of sanctions. The list, which targets key members of Burma’s military regime also includes Dr. Tin Aung Aye, a fellow Supreme Court Judge, and also a member of the EC.

Judges Thein Soe, Dr. Tin Aung Aye and other members on the blacklist including notorious junta crony Tay Zaw, are banned from traveling to the European Union. They are also subject to a freeze on any financial assets they may have in Europe. As such they cannot undertake financial transactions with European based financial institutions.

The two judges and other senior members of the Burmese regime’s judiciary were added to the EU's sanctions list following the outcome of Aung San Suu Kyi's August 2009 trial in which she was convicted of flouting the terms of her house arrest after an uninvited American man swam to her home.
Media agencies

NASA : Search for Alien Life on Saturn’s Moon On Thursday NASA announced a mission to land a car-sized robot quadcopter on S...