Violence continues unabated in Bangkok

World News
Violence continues unabated in Bangkok
2010-05-14 06:14:28 - Nksagar: New Delhi- May 14,2010
Bangkok Capital City Thailand, violence continues unabated, Thai Red Shirt protester was shot dead during a clash on Thursday night in Bangkok between anti-government demonstrators and security forces. Police said, Major General Prawut Thavornsiri, spokesman for the police special task force, told AFP that during the clash between Red Shirts and security forces, one man was shot in the head and killed.

Police later confirmed that one person had died while emergency services reported that eight people had been injured in the latest violent clashes.
Major-General Khattiya Sawasdipol, a key figure in the protest movement, was also shot in the head and seriously wounded while he was giving an interview to a newspaper journalist close to the protest hub. At least eight other
people have been injured in the confrontation as troops opened fire on protesters.

United States, in the meantime, closed its embassy in Bangkok and said it is very concerned about the violence between the Thai government and protesters there.A Foreign Office spokeswoman told AFP that the British Embassy in Bangkok will close today amid the violence in the Thai capital.

Thai government suspended its plan to cut water and electricity supplies to anti-government demonstrators camped in a posh central Bangkok neighborhood, heeding pleas from residents and foreign diplomats who live and work there. But it also withdrew its offer to hold elections in November, bringing Thailand's months-old political crisis back to square one, days after it appeared that a compromise was imminent.

The "Red Shirt" protesters believe Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's coalition government came to power illegitimately through manipulation of the courts and the backing of the powerful military, and have been demanding new elections in street rallies since 12th March. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva after accepting to hold elections withdrew that offer. He also called General Khattiya a terrorist. Khattiya, regularly seen inspecting Red Shirt guards at the protest site, which has been fortified with barricades made from razor wire, fuel-soaked tyres, bamboo spears.

The clashes came after the premier shelved a plan for November elections and hopes faded for a resolution to a crippling two-month crisis that has sparked periodic violence, leaving 30 people dead and about 1,000 injured.

Clashes with security forces and other violence have left at least 29 people dead and 1,400 injured.A government blockade of the Red Shirts' barricaded protest zone in central Bangkok was supposed to start on Wednesday midnight, but water and electricity were available as usual Thursday morning in the upscale Rajprasong area.Thousands of Red Shirts protesters are camped on the streets and parks in that area, which is home to several embassies, shopping malls, hospitals and upmarket apartments.

Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the spokesman of an agency in charge of suppressing the protest, said late Wednesday that the plan to choke off essential services to the "Red Shirt" demonstrators was put on hold because of the repercussions it would have on other residents.He said European diplomats and others expressed concern to the Bangkok governor that the blockade would affect residents more than the protesters. "We have to assess who is going to face the impact more: the protesters or people living in the area' told The Associated Press.Sansern, said security forces would "not use force at this stage," but left open the possibility of more violence if the protesters refuse to disperse.With the government's tougher tone, chances of a negotiated settlement appeared almost doomed, just days after the two sides had agreed in principle to a reconciliation plan.

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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.

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.

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.
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Phyo Min Thein floats political party

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - Phyo Min Thein, a former student leader has floated a political party called ‘Ludu (People’s) Democracy Party’ to contest the forthcoming election.“I think we should go through the electoral process like other political parties because we have to provide people some alternative,” former Secretary of ‘All Burma Federation of Students Union’ (ABFSU) Phyo Min Thein told Mizzima.

ABFSU, which has played a major role in the country's struggle for freedom and democracy, is now an underground organization with many of its leaders in jail.

Phyo Min Thein also said that the party’s registration and adoption of the party policy and programme will be done only after March 29.The party flag will be tricolour in blue, red and yellow.Former ABFSU Chairman in 1988 Nyo Tun, will join this party’s preparatory committee.

The preparatory committee of this party comprises Nyo Tun, Phyo Min Thein, Thein Tin Aung, Min Lwin, Lu Thit, Thein Htay and Myo Min Tun, accounting for seven members. The party’s motto will be Freedom, Equality, Fraternity, and People’s Democracy, he added.

It is learnt that they will try for the inclusion of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and imprisoned ethnic leader Khun Tun Oo in the electoral process.

Other political parties, which are so far ready to contest in the general election are:

(1) Union of Myanmar (Burma) Scientific National Political Party

(2) National Political Alliance League

(3) Democratic Party-Myanmar

(4) Rakhine State National Political Force

(5) National Unity Party

(6) Diversity and Peace Party

(7) Kachin State Progressive Party

(8) Wunthanu NLD

(9) 88-Geneartion Students United Democratic Party

(10) Union of Myanmar National Politics

However, some of their actual names in English can be different from the names mentioned, when they actually register with the Election Commission.

Two political parties, the Union of Myanmar National Politics League led by Aye Lwin and 88-Generation Students and Youths (Union of Myanmar) registered with the Election Commission on March 22.

The National League for Democracy (NLD), which is facing a political crisis due to the recently promulgated electoral laws, will decide on the party registration issue on March 29, at its plenary meeting to be attended by Central Committee members and Central Executive Committee members to be held at the party head office.

NLD not to re-register with EC

National League for Democracy has decided not to re-register with the Election Commission for the 2010 general elections, following hectic parleys by the party brass at a meeting today.

"After a vote of the committee of members, the NLD party has decided not to register as a political party because the election laws are unjust," National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman Nyan Win told reporters at the party headquarters in Rangoon.

This decision not to contest the election was decided unanimously at a meeting of members of the Central Executive Committee and Central Committee of States and Divisions, after heated debates both in the party fold and in Burmese political circles."Vice-Chairman Tin Oo, who was released from house arrest recently, announced two decisions taken at the meeting. One was not to register the party and another was not to abolish the party although it is not being registered," said a youth leader who was waiting for the party decision in front of the party office.

Aung Shwe, chairman of Burma’s National League for Democracy did not turn up for the meeting of the party brass today, for a crucial decision on whether the party would re-register with the Election Commission.A hundred and thirteen members of the party's Central Executive Committee and Central Committee attended the meeting today, except Aung Shwe (the chairman), U Lwin (secretary) and Lun Tin (CEC member).

Sources in the party told Mizzima that Aung Shwe had sent a message since yesterday, which said he would abide by the decision of detained party general secretary Aung San Suu Kyi.

The junta’s electoral laws announced on March 8, states if NLD wants to re-register, it must expel the general secretary Suu Kyi, who was sentenced to 18 months under house arrest, 10 members of the Central Committee and other party members accounting for 430 odd.

If the NLD, 12 million members at a highest point, does not re-register within the 60 day deadline that ends on May 7, it’ll cease to exist automatically. There is a heated debate on among party leaders whether the party should be re-register.

On March 13, the leader of the party, Suu Kyi told her lawyers that she didn’t want the party to be re-registered.

During the meeting of NLD’s leaders, near the Shwegondine traffic light, two trucks of security men and two fire trucks were stationed. In the campus of the B.E.H.S (3) Bahan, there were eight trucks of security forces.

Suu Kyi against NLD party joining elections

Aung San Suu Kyi is against registering her opposition party for Myanmar's upcoming elections because the ruling junta's restrictions on the vote are "unjust," her lawyer said on Tuesday.Suu Kyi was quoted as saying she would "not even think" of registering her National League for Democracy for the polls which the government says will be held this year but stressed she will let the party decide for itself.

The NLD won the last elections held in Myanmar in 1990 by a landslide but was barred by the military from taking power.The credibility of the upcoming vote has already been called into question but it would suffer even more without the participation of the country's principal opposition party.

Suu Kyi is under house arrest and is effectively barred from running and voting in elections under recent laws enacted by the military-ruled government.One of the laws requires parties to register for the elections or cease to exist.Her comments came ahead of a crucial meeting Monday in which NLD senior members will decide whether the party registers for the vote.

Although Suu Kyi has been under detention for 14 of the last 20 years, she is still general-secretary of the party and its most dominant figure."Personally, I would not even think of registering (the party) under these unjust laws," Suu Kyi said, according to her lawyer Nyan Win who met with her Tuesday at her lakeside villa in Yangon.She added: "I am not instructing the party or the people. They are free to make their decisions democratically," Nyan Win said.

Suu Kyi's house arrest was extended last year after she was convicted on charges of violating the terms of her detention when an American man swam uninvited to her lakeside property.She is serving an 18-month term of house arrest and many top members of her party and ethnic-based parties are in prison.Under the new laws they would be barred from the vote.Her comments came hours after Myanmar's highest court refused to accept a lawsuit filed by the NLD seeking to revoke the five election laws, which were enacted earlier this month.The laws set out rules for the vote, but have been widely criticized as designed to keep Suu Kyi out of the race.

One law prohibits anyone convicted of a crime from being a member of a political party and instructs parties to expel convicted members or face de-registration.
Lawyer Kyi Win said the Supreme Court refused to accept the lawsuit, saying it did not have power to handle such a case.The lawsuit was largely symbolic since Myanmar's courts invariably adhere to the junta's policies, especially on political matters.

Burma Janta debar Aung San Suu Kyi

Burma regime said in the new political parties registration act published today that anyone serving a prison term cannot be a party member for the polls.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), which won the country's last elections in 1990 but was stopped from taking power by the military would in turn be abolished if it failed to obey the rules.
The Nobel Peace laureate was sentenced to three years in jail in August over an incident in which a US man swam to her lakeside home.Suu Kyi's sentence was commuted by junta supremo Than Shwe to 18 months under house arrest.
"I have noticed that we have to expel Daw Suu. Their attitude is clear in this law," NLD spokesman Nyan Win told the news agency, using a respectful form of address to refer to Suu Kyi."I was extremely surprised when I saw this, I did not think it would be so bad." Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi faces expulsion from her own party and is barred from standing in polls this year under the military junta's new election laws, a spokesman said today.
Than Shwe has promised to hold poll at a still unspecified date this year, as a sham aimed at legitimising and entrenching the military's nearly five-decade grip on power

NLD donates water facilities in Bogale

NLD donates potable water facilities in Bogale
Thursday, 04 March 2010 20:57 Myint Maung
A donation of Kyat 2.3 million worth water treatment plant and water pumps from the National League for Democracy (NLD) has come as a boon to two villages in Cyclone Nargis-hit Bogale Township, Irrawaddy Division.

The NLD Bogale Township Organizing Committee members supervised drilling of tube wells in Upper Pho Nyo and Kani Gyi villages. Now the party has donated drinking water facilities.

"We donated a 8' x 4.5' water storage tank capable of holding 800 gallons of water, a water filtering tank and water pumps with compressors to village elders on March 2 by inviting an abbot from Pho Nyo village," Ohn Kyaing, NLD Nargis Assistance Committee Chairman told Mizzima.

"The water from the tube wells were tested and we also arranged for a certificate by water experts after laboratory reports, which say the water is fit for drinking," he added.

Upper Pho Nyo village has 300 houses and 1,800 people and in Kani village there are over 1,000 people and over 200 houses. The villagers will use the water from the two tube wells donated by NLD.

"The water from Kani Gyi village tube well is pure and also tastes good. According to the chemical laboratory report, it has no impurities and is potable water grade," Nargis Assistance Committee Secretary Dr. Win Naing said.

The Committee donated seed money of Kyat 50,000 each to two monasteries in the two villages ravaged by Cyclone Nargis.

Cyclone Nargis devastated Irrawaddy and Rangoon Division on May 2008 leaving about 140,000 people dead or missing and about 2.4 million people homeless.

International Tribunal on Burma Calls for End to Impunity of Military Regime

March 3, 2010, 10 am EST International Tribunal on Burma Calls for End to Impunity of Military Regime (New York) Nobel Peace Laureates Shirin Ebadi and Jody Williams - along with human rights experts Dr. Heisoo Shin (Korea) and Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn (Thailand) - today released the findings and recommendations developed during the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma held this week in New York City. The quasi-legal event featured compelling testimony - the first ever - of 12 women from Burma who have suffered rape, torture, and other crimes at the hands of the military junta. The event highlighted the egregious human rights crimes, including rape as a weapon of war, and called for policymakers to demand a last resort: the International Criminal Court. "Women should no longer be invisible when crimes are committed against them with impunity," said Jody Williams, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. "The history of violence and oppression of women in Burma is long and sordid--and must come to an end." A few of the women who testified are colleagues of Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition, still under house arrest and a prisoner of General Than Shwe. Than Shwe is the war criminal who has reigned terror over the people of Burma for decades. World leaders have rallied in support of her freedom countless times since her Nobel Peace Prize award in 1991, passing UN resolutions almost annually and demanding the release of her and other political prisoners. But these cries have fallen on deaf ears, with the international community failing to hold General Shwe and his cronies criminally responsible. The resulting impunity has given the ruling generals of Burma even more license to escalate their power and continue to inflict violence on the people of Burma. "We live in a globalized world, which means that Burma cannot do whatever it wants to its people within its own walls," said Shirin Ebadi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. "Globalization is effective when it helps bring an end to injustice. The international community cannot stand by and let other countries to use their sovereignty to commit atrocities against their own people." The purpose of the Tribunal was to spotlight the oppression of women of Burma in order to encourage policymakers and political leaders to take specific action now. The women Nobel Laureates have joined with the Women's League of Burma to highlight the systemic use of rape and other forms of violence against ethnic women in Burma. The Women's League of Burma is an umbrella organization comprising thirteen women's organizations of different ethnic backgrounds in Burma. The women who testified now live in Thailand, Bangladesh, the US and Canada and traveled to New York to tell their personal stories and those of their families. Their stories include a range of horrific human rights violations and crimes. Testimony was organized into three categories: violence against women (rape, sexual violence, trafficking), civil and political violations (torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, harassment), and social, economic and cultural violations (forced labor, portering, relocation). Violence against women in Burma is often ethnically motivated, particularly minority groups such as the Karen who have been brutally persecuted by the military regime. he following are the recommendations of the Tribunal: Recommendations to the international community, particularly the United Nations: *Urge States to take collective action to ensure the implementation of Security Council Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888, and 1889 guaranteeing women's full participation in post-conflict reconstruction, and freedom from all forms of sexual violence. *Strongly urge the UN Security Council to refer Burma to the International Criminal Court. *Call upon United Nations member States to fulfill their obligations to exercise universal jurisdiction and to prosecute through their national tribunals perpetrators of the crimes against the civilian population of Burma, including women. *Ask United Nations agencies with a presence in Burma to increase their work in promoting and protecting human rights. *Call upon the United Nations Security Council to take effective measures against state authorities on the basis of the responsibility of the state to protect its people from egregious human rights violations (Responsibility to Protect Doctrine). *Urge the United Nations system to take measures to ensure that the Burmese authorities comply with international human rights standards and international humanitarian law. Recommendations to Burma's military regime: *Stop all forms of violence against women. "End the intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrest, unlawful detention, torture, and degrading treatment against women [and all] political prisoners; [and] respect and adhere to the principles and norms of the international [criminal and] human rights standards, particularly Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women..." *Stop attacks and persecution against ethnic nationalities and groups. *Release immediately and unconditionally all political prisoners. *Grant access to United Nations agencies and non-governmental humanitarian groups to ensure that women, in particular, are assisted effectively. *Provide access to and cooperate with United Nations agencies and human rights organizations to monitor human rights within Burma. *Ratify all human rights treaties, including ICCPR and ICESCR, and implement them effectively. *Abide by rules of customary international law, such as the prohibitions against torture, slavery, and violence against women and children. *Ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, reform and implement domestic legislation accordingly. *Establish an effective process for dialogue between different stakeholders including democracy groups, ethnic minorities/nationalities, and concerned authorities with emphasis on women's participation in the pursuit of democracy. *Revise the constitution, particularly the amnesty provisions, and other national laws in an inclusive and participatory manner, engaging all stakeholders including women, to ensure consistency with international legal obligations and human rights standards. *Establish effective judicial mechanisms and other processes to establish accountability and provide adequate remedies for international crimes and human rights violations to end impunity. *Build human-centered national development plans and processes that respond to women's human rights bearing in mind the special needs of rural women, and allocate national resources fairly and equitably for this purpose. Recommendations to the Asia-Pacific region (including ASEAN, bilateral and other channels): *Call upon ASEAN through its Summit of Heads of Government to impel Burma to apply effective and time-limited measures to comply with the ASEAN Charter and international legal obligations and human rights standards. *Invite the ASEAN Intergovernmental Human Rights Commission to submit thematic reports covering particular issues related to Burma. *Bearing in mind the ASEAN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and various declarations on children's rights in the region, to which Burma has subscribed, support the establishment of the ASEAN Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children, including consideration of the situation in Burma. *Call upon the various partners of ASEAN and other regional bodies and states engaging with Burma to influence constructive changes in the country. *Prohibit trade with Burma involving goods produced through forced labor, as well as oil, gas, and electricity generated as a result of forced relocations. *Take effective cross-border measures to prevent and punish human trafficking, in particular that of women and children, and to offer gender and child sensitive measures to protect and assist those victimized by trafficking. *Respect the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons, protect them from violence, abuse, and exploitation, and forced repatriation, which violates the international principle of non-refoulement, and ensure the application of basic standards of international law. For more information, and to arrange interviews, please contact us: *Rachel Vincent: Mobile: + 1-613-276-9030, rvincent@nobelwomensinitiative.org *Kimberley MacKenzie: +1-908-342-0160, kmackenzie@nobelwomensinitiative.org *Kieran Bergmann: +1-613-569-8400 ext. 115, kbergmann@nobelwomensinitiative. For more information, and to arrange interviews, please contact us: *Rachel Vincent: Mobile: + 1-613-276-9030, rvincent@nobelwomensinitiative.org *Kimberley MacKenzie: +1-908-342-0160, kmackenzie@nobelwomensinitiative.org *Kieran Bergmann: +1-613-569-8400 ext. 115, kbergmann@nobelwomensinitiative.org

Burma SC rejects release Suu Kyi

Myanmar highest court dismissed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's latest bid for freedom Friday, turning down an appeal to end 14 years of house arrest, her lawyer said.The Supreme Court's decision had been expected since legal rulings in Myanmar rarely favoured opposition activists.Defence lawyer Nyan Win told reporters that he would launch one final "special appeal" before the court after determining why the earlier appeal had been rejected. "The court order did not mention any reasons," he said."Although the decision comes as no surprise, it is deeply disappointing. We continue to believe that (Suu Kyi) should be released immediately along with the other 2,000 and more other prisoners of conscience," said British Ambassador Andrew Heyn, who attended the court session along with diplomats from Australia, France and the United States.Suu Kyi's lawyers appealed to the court last November after a lower court a month earlier upheld a decision to sentence her to 18 mor months of house arrest.She was convicted last August of violating the terms of her previous detention by briefly sheltering an American who swam to her lakeside home. The 64-year-old democracy icon was initially sentenced to three years in prison with hard labor in a trial that drew global condemnation, but that sentence was immediately commuted to 18 months of house arrest by junta chief Senior Gen. Than Shwe. Argentinian lawyer showed frustrated when he was not allowed to see the country’s iconic political prisoner, Aung San Suu Kyi,currently under house arrest. She has spent more than 15 of the last 21 years in Burmese jail.Lawyer said,“Of course I was disappointed not to meet her, and even though I had made my desire to talk to her about the forthcoming elections, I never expected to be given permission to see her.”The envoy to give a detailed report on Burma’s human rights situation to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.This is his third mission to the country since his appointment two years ago but all visit ends in vain. “But my mission should not be judged by whether the regime makes any concessions or not,” he said. “It’s a process and the fact that they allow me to visit and continue the dialogue on human rights is very positive.” envoy seemed very distressed while assessment his trips. Argentinian also complained about the Burmese authorities approach to his five-day visit. For one thing, he said, there was never any advance warning of the agenda. “It was a day-to-day programme,” he said. This did not permit him and his team to prepare properly and reduced the effectiveness of his mission, UN sources told Mizzima on condition of anonymity. There is no doubt though that Mr Quintana’s visit to Rakhine State in western Burma to see for himself the conditions of Burmese Muslims there was a significant concession by the regime. This is the first time a senior UN envoy has been allowed in that region – though the UN country team do have projects and people in the area. He visited both the regional capital Sittwe and Buthidaung in the north of the state -- where the worse abuses against Burmese Muslims are alledged to take place.Perhaps even more significantly he was allowed to be accompanied by the two senior representatives of the International Labour Organization in Rangoon, who are actively involved in checking reports of forced labour in the country. During his mission there he was also allowed to visit Buthidaung prison where he met five political prisoners, including one of the ten local leaders of the Myanmar Muslim Association of Maungdaw -- who have been sentenced to some 13 years for allegedly holding a meeting to discuss the constitution in 2007 – and a senior Shan leader, Tun Nyo who is now 79. Both were in very poor health, the envoy said. “Curiously the conditions in the jail have improved over the last six months, the prisonsers told me,” Mr Quintana told Mizzima. “But no one seemed to know why. They assumed it was maybe to do with election preparations,” he added. “But the conditions remain a matter of grave concern,” he added. “It is essential that the ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross] to be allowed to resume their prison visits,” he stressed. ICRC suspended these at the end of 2005 because of the interference of government officials. As a result many prisoners do not the medicines they need or soap. More importantly the ICRC used to provide a channel of communications with the prisoners’ families. “I was the first visitor ever to Buthidaung prison,” he told Mizzima. “And while I thank the authorities for this opportunity, it is intolerable that some have had no contact with their love-ones since being transferred there – in some case that has been years.” ICRC’s access to the prisons is something that has been in every report the envoy has put before the UN, and will feature prominently in his fourth report, the next to be submitted to the Human Rights Council in Geneva soon. It was also something that the envoy said he raised persistently and firmly at every opportunity, with the home minister, the attorney general and the chief justice. But the envoy remained pessimistic that the regime will take any notice. Both Indonesia and China have also been quietly encouraging the junta to soften its stance towards ICRC behind the scenes. Most countries, even those with blemished human rights’ records, understand that the ICRC should be allowed to do its work unhindered by government interference. “That the ICRC is not permitted to do carry out its full mandate is shameful, since this is considered worldwide to be a minimum standard of cooperation with the international community,” Benjamin Zawacki, Amnesty International’s South East Asia researcher based in Bangkok told Mizzima. On Mr Quintana’s other two major concerns – the release of political prisoners and the forthcoming election – the regime remained equally intransigent. “I don’t expect any progress soon [on the release of political prisoners],” he said. During his talks with the representatives of the regime he continued to stress the need to release all political prisoners before the elections if the process was to at all believable.“These are well-educated and capable people who could participate in the election and help make the whole process credible I told the authorities,” he said.But on the elections as a whole he found the senior representatives of the junta he met relatively uncompromising. No one was prepared to discuss the elections in any detail – all they would say was that the legal framework is being prepared and the electoral law will be released in time. The UN envoy was obviously frustrated at the regime’s apparent obstinance. “But its important to have access to the authorities to be able to discuss human rights issues and explain what is needed to be done to meet international standards,” he said. “We can at least explain what is needed.” When he met the Home Minister, Maung Oo, the Attorney General and the Chief Justice, he left the UN’s handbook on free and fair elections for their reference. Few people though, including the envoy, expect the regime to consult in any way. “Barring an Election Law that marks a radical departure from its past and present laws and practices, the government is unlikely to allow political parties to participate fully--and meaningfully -- in the elections process,” said Mr Zawacki. “Politicians and political parties must able to communicate freely with both the domestic and international media,” he added. “Unfortunately, all the signs are that the only views acceptable to the government will be its own, with no room at all for a debate of any kind.” The key people involved in the elections that Mr Quintana met also categorically rejected any involvement of international observers. “They aren’t needed,” he was told.The envoy also took the opportunity to discuss acceptable approaches to demonstrations with the police chief, Khin Yi.The issue was raised in terms of future protests rather than the brutal handling of the monk-led marches in 2007. “It’s important to peacefully control demonstrations, and force needs to be used proportionately,” he told the senior policeman. Tin Oo, the deputy leader of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party the National League for Democracy, was freed on the even of Mr Quintana’s mission to Burma after nearly seven years in detention. But during his visit five other dissidents were imprisoned – including a Buddhist abbot and four women activists. The four women were arrested last October after being accused of offering Buddhist monks alms that included religious literature, said Nyan Win, spokesman for the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by detained Nobel Peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. The women used to hold prayer services at Yangon's Shwedagon pagoda for Ms Suu Kyi's release.The Buddhist monk, Gaw Thita was given seven years jail for violating immigration laws by making a trip to Taiwan last year, said his lawyer Aung Thein. He was also convicted of unlawful association and failing to declare possession of foreign currency. On top of that, six detained political activists in Rangoon’s infamous Insein jail went on hunger strike a day before the UN envoy was due to visit the prison, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in Burma (AAPP-B), a Thailand-based Burmese human rights group. They launched their week-long hunger strike after complaining that the prison authorities were denying them what they called “basic human requirements”. It was due to end on Thursday 25th February. In a letter smuggled out of the prison, the political detainees complained that the rice that was given to prisoners was stale and mixed with small stones. “The bean soup and the sour vegetable soup often have insects in it and are dirty. We only get meat twice a week ... and we get no salt,” said the letter. The prisoners are denied appropriate medical attention or needed medicines, and are not allowed sufficient exercise, complained the prisoners. In the letter activists said that although prisoners were allowed to receive books and newspapers from their relatives, all reading material was heavily censored. “Sometimes the pages are torn [out] and the books censored,” said the letter. “There is no regular access to newspapers, [and] when they do arrive, are often out of date,” compllined the letter. The prisoners are also not allowed paper or pens. “If a prisoner is found with paper or pens, they are sent to the punishment cell called the ‘Dog Cell’, said the letter. “We are not allowed to write to our families,” the prisoners complained. Last week, according to Mulim activists in Rakhune state, more than 70 inmates of Buthidaung prison also went on hunger strike in protest at the insufficient food rations. Their protests erupted after the prisoners, mostly non-Burmese, were denied a meeting with Mr Quintana when he visited Buthidaung prison. But on the positive side, Mr Quintan found a child soldier – who had been sentenced to 7 years for desertion. He had been conscripted when he was 16, seized off the street in hi school uniform on the way home. He was arrested when he went home to see his sick mother less than six months after he was forcibly recruited. When the envoy raised it with the Home Minister he at least responded positively, and maybe released soon. The ILO is following up the case.But human rights groups still fear that these high-profile visits are only used by the regime for their own ends.“When visits by UN envoys fail to achieve any progress, they allow the country to still claim it is cooperating with the UN, and leave the UN itself with little choice but to claim that the visits themselves constitute progress,” aid Mr Zawacki. “But in this case the special rapportteur is making it clear that the failure is the government’s fault.” Although no spectacular break-throughs may result from this visit, the fact that senior members of the regime are engaged with representatives of the international community is significant, especially on human rights. Some Burmese leaders at the very top are hearing what the government needs to be done, especially if the elections are to be credible and to meet international human rights’ norms. “If anyone expects that fundamental human rights changes are going to come about strictly through UN visits and other efforts they're ignoring 20 years of history,” said Mr Zawacki. “Change will only come from within,” he added. And the real problem is that the senior general Than Shwe, who makes all the decisions, may not be listening to any of it.United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana believes there that the country’s political prisoners will not be freed any time soon. “There seems to be no movement on political prisoners since my last trip [a year ago],” the UN envoy told Mizzima in an interview in Bangkok a few days ago. “In fact the government continues to deny that there are any prisoners of conscience.” At the same time more critics of the government and activists have been imprisoned on spurious charges. And political prioners already in jail mounted protests to coincide with the UN envoys visit.Mizzima

Bangladesh cracks Burmese Muslim refugees

Bangladesh authorities have cracked down on Burmese Muslim refugees seeking refuge from the brutal Burmese military regime. The police operation has created a major humanitarian crisis according to an aid agency working in the area, Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF).Over the past few weeks thousands of unregistered Rohingyas have fled their temporary homes in Bangladesh and sought safety in a makeshift camp, where they have no food, inadequate shelter and cannot work, according to the Arakan Project which monitors the situation of Burmese Muslims throughout Asia. The Rohinygas have sought refuge in a makeshift camp, Kuta Palong, near the Bangladesh border with Burma. The numbers in this camp have swelled to over 30,000 in the past six weeks, according to the Arakan project. The makeshift camp has nearly doubled in the last four months, MSF told Mizzima. In January alone, 2,000 Rohinygas refugees arrived. “As we speak, more are arriving out of fear and facing an uncertain future,” warned Paul Critchfley, head of MSF’s mission in Bangladesh. The camp residents do not receive food rations and cannot leave the camp to find work for fear of being arrested, beaten and forced back to Burma. “Hunger is spreading rapidly among the already malnourished population in the makeshift camp, and a grave humanitarian crisis is looming,” Chris Lewa, the director of Arakan Proiject told Mizzima.“If the Bangladesh authorities do not stop the crackdown on these refugees immediately, then there a significant risk of starvation,” she added. Residents in Cox’s Bazaar – the main town in the border area with Burma – told Mizzima that police and security forces have been targetting Rohingya refugees for several months now. Since the beginning of the year, Rohinygas settled outside the two official refugee camps have been harrassed, intimidated and beaten, according to hundreds of personal testimonies collected by the Arakan Project.“Thousands have been evicted with threats of violence,” Ms Lewa told Mizzima. “Robberies, assaults and rape against Rohingyas have risen significantly,” she said. Local Bangladeshi villagers have also been venting their anger against the refugees. Aid workers in the area also report Rohinygas being beaten with sticks and women being raped.“We have treated hundreds of refugees in the camp for wounds from violent assaults and beatings,” said Mr. Critchley. “Many women have also been raped.” The refugees all tell a similar stories. “We cannot find work and no one helps us,” said Nurul, a 75-year-old former farmer, who has been living in the Kuta Palong camp for more than a month now with his wife and four children and grandchildren. “My daughter was raped by local youths one evening, when she was returning, after working as a maid nearby. She told the police and identified the cuplrits: but the police did nothing,” he said.“I have spent all my savings and we have nothing to eat,” said Rafiq, a 50-year-old day labourer who is sheltered in the camp since the end of January with his wife and five children. “We cannot go out to find work because we will be arrested if we go out. I cannot sleep at night, and have nightmares about the police raiding the camp and handing us over to the Burmese authorities,” he added.“I fear we will be sent back to Burma,” said another Rohingya refugee. “Since we were born, we have always been on the run!”“More than 500 Rohingya have been arrested in the past few weeks, some have even been forcibly returned to Burma,” said Ms Lewa. “They could be forced out at any moment, so they're basically holding their families together. You have a space of slightly larger than a bathroom that has six or seven people and attached to it is another bathroom, so you have two families living in this really crammed condition,” another MSF staff member, Vanessa Van Schoor, told journalists in Bangkok recently. “Sometimes I am overwhelmed with fear,” said Muhamad, a 35-year-old day labourer. “Perhaps the Bangladesh government has a plan to gather all Rohingya in one place and send us back to Burma.” However, a local district police chief, Kamrul Ahsan denied these allegations telling Mizzima that only those Rohingyas staying in the country illegally had been arrested. Senior police officers in charge near the makeshift camp admitted that the authorities were conducting normal security operations, but only foreigners who entered Bangladesh illegally were being detained. Between mid-November and mid-February, more than 500 Burmese illegal immigrants were detained and returned to Burma, said a local police chief.“This month we have arrested over 50, and sent them back to Myanmar [Burma]. It is an ongoing operation,” the local police chief in Kuta Palong, Rafiqul Islam told local journalists this week. The crackdown, he said was prompted by the rise in the number of Rohingya refugees in the area – felling the forests and building shanty towns the Kuta Palong camp – and was an attempt to stem the flow of illegal migrants. “If we don’t stop them now, the floodgates will open wide,” he said. There are an estimated 300,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, some of whom escaped from persecution in Burma in the early 1990s.There are some 28,000 registered refugees in two camps, monitored by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. These people receive food rations and health care. The others have to fend for themselves. Human rights groups and aid workers estimate that more than 9,000 refugees arrived in Burma last year. In December the Burmese and Bangladesh governments agreed that 6,000 Rohingya refugees would be returned to Burma, though as yet none seem to have been sent back.International organisations, however, fear that any repatriation programme would not be voluntary as most of the refugees do not want to go. “Though I do not see any future here, it is worse in Burma,” said a 60-year male Rohingya who first fled to Bangladesh in 1992, but returned to his home in 1994 under the UN-sponsored repatriation programme. “I stayed three years, but the extortion, persecution and travel restrictions forced me to flee again with my family more than 10 years ago.” “I pray that one day Burma will be peaceful and that we can enjoy our rights,” he said. “Then I can return to my country.” Till then, he and most Rohingya refugees want to stay in Bangladesh; though the authorities may not let them. The situation for Burmese Muslims in western Burma is intolerable. And the UK-human rights group Amnesty International (AI) characterised the situation there as perhaps one of the worst in the world. There are an estimated 700,000 Rohingya in Burma, where they are not recognised as citizens and have no right to own land. They are also forbidden from marrying or travelling without permission. “Discrimination in Rakhine State [where most of the Rohinygas flee from] is shockingly severe,” the UN’s special rapporteur for human rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana told Mizzima after visiting the area last week.Mizzima news

Suu Kyi's Deputy 'Tin Oo ' Vice-Chairman NLD released

Deputy of Aung San Suu Kyi, Tin Oo, 83, who has been imprisoned since 2003 was freed from house arrest today by the ruling military junta.The release comes at a time when the military junta is preparing to hold national level elections in 2010.Myanmar to go for 'multiparty election' whether Miss Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, still to decide for their participation in General election fall in line an aberration of the nations consitution. Senior General Than Shwe said "a free and fair election will take place soon"."That means national people will have the rights to elect representatives, and stand for election," the 77-year-old said in his annual national holiday message."So, members of parliament, who the voters think will be capable of generating a prosperous future for the nation, will be elected by ballot."The last election in 1990 was won by the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but the results were never honoured by the military, which has ruled the country since 1962. U Tin Oo, the Vice-Chairman of the National League for Democracy (NLD) was released today in Yangon, financial capital city in Myanmar, after the expiration of his term of house arrest.The release comes two days before the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, is due to arrive in the Asian nation for a five-day official visit.Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the release today of a prominent opposition politician in Myanmar after six years of house arrest, saying he hopes the move will lead to a more credible and inclusive political process."The Secretary-General hopes that this development will contribute to the advancement of substantive dialogue between the NLD and the Government of Myanmar as a necessary step towards a more credible and inclusive political process," according to a statement issued by a spokesperson for Mr. Ban. "To that end, the Secretary-General reiterates his call on the Government of Myanmar to lift without further delay the restrictions on NLD General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and to release all remaining political prisoners." Mr. Quintana said last week that he hopes to be able to meet Ms. Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest, during his visit.The first elections in Myanmar in more than two decades are slated to take place later this year as part of a Government-designed time table towards greater democratization. "Aung San Suu Kyi said if freedom of information and freedom of expression are not allowed, the elections will neither be free nor fair nor credible",told to Nyan Win, her lawyer and NLD spokesman

Karen,Karenni refugees in Thailand

Thai authorities started the deportations, 3,000 ethnic Karen refugees back to Burma,sending 3 families back to Burma, but then halted them.European governments called on Thailand to halt the deportations,3 families were forced back to Burma return to the temporary refugee camp in Thailand.Though plans suggested repatriation of 30 families of a total of 900 refugees sheltered in Noe Boe temporary refugee camp.“UNHCR told them (the Thai authorities) not to send them back if they did not want to go back. But the Thai authorities insisted on sending them back forcibly,” a refugee from the camp said. International Organization for Migration in a press release on Tuesday said that since 2004, the total number of refugees shifted from Thailand’s refugee camps to new homes abroad, accounted for over 74,000. The majority of the refugees over 57,000 or nearly 80 per cent came from Burma, and belonged to the Karen and Karenni ethnic groups. Local soldiers have still been pressuring the refugees to agree to return, and no permanent solution has yet been agreed that means the refugees are safe and secure. Senior level meetings involving Karen organisations and government officials are being held in Thailand to try to find a solution.Thailand political and military Leaders claims of cooperation to the international community and media, soldiers and officials on the ground are doing the opposite. Sources close to the camp state that to avoid embarrassing pictures of Thai soldiers forcing families to leave, the removals were carried out by people in civilian clothing, and that they could have been soldiers in civilian clothing and vehicles. There are also worrying reports that Thai authorities are trying to stir up negative feelings about the refugees in nearby Thai villages, which they can then use as a pretext for their actions.

Kanbawza Bank acquires Myanmar Airways

Aung Ko Win, a business tycoon and owner of Kanbawza Bank, had bought Myanmar Airways shares. With reports confirming from local weekly in Rangoon, the ‘7 Days Journal’ on Wednesday also reported that Kanbawza Bank, after acquiring 80 per cent shares, has taken over the management of the Myanmar Airways.Kanbawza Bank official in Rangoon expressed their ignorance on the subject said they were not aware of the deal further thereon no senior manager were available to provide an answer. Myanmar Airways started its operations in 1993 with a joint venture Singaporean Company Region Air (HK) Ltd.Share percentage of the Myanmar Airlines were 51 per cent and the managing rights, the Singaporean Company held the remaining 49 per cent. Myanmar Airways is the largest Burmese airline, but failed its obligations into international operations,therefore forced to suspend its international flights in late July 2008,as it failed to meet international safety standards. Aung Ko Win, Chairman of the Kanbawza Bank, close to Burmese military junta’s second-in-command Vice-Senior General Maung Aye. Aung Ko Win is few businessmen, get special permits for business ventures in Burma. Zaw Win Naing, the Managing Director of Kanbawza Bank is the son of the former military intelligence officer Brig-Gen Than Tun and is also the foster son of Aung Ko Win.Myanmar Airways,national carrier has sold 80 per cent of its shares to the privately held Kanbawza (KBZ) bank along with control of the management, sources and media reports said.

Burma to hold General Election 2010

Than Shwe in his message on Independence Day on January 4, did confirmed that the election would take place asked Burmese people to exercise the right choice. “Plans are under way to hold elections in a systematic way this year. In that regard, the entire people have to make correct choices,” Than Shwe said. The junta supremo has urged the Burmese people to make an all out effort to develop and achieve the so called disciplined democracy in the country in accordance with the new constitution which had been forcibly approved days after Cyclone Nargis devastated Burma’s delta areas. “The State’s seven-step Road Map designed for emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed nation is the sole process for transition to democracy. The programme is in the process of being implemented step by step,” he said. Burma's main opposition party the National League for Democracy held a separate ceremony in their headquarters to mark the country’s independence in 1948 after 63 years of British rule.Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein, General Secretary of the Democratic Party (DP), on Monday told Mizzima that with the electoral law still unannounced, the DP leadership is not even sure if they can still contest the planned election, as there will be limited time for party formation as well as campaigning. “We heard the electoral law will be announced only about three months ahead of the polls. If that is true, it will be difficult for us to contest. We are now rethinking and reviewing our position,” Cho Cho Kyaw Nyien said. “It is necessary to have national reconciliation and unity to address political, social and economic problems faced Burmese people in the country,” Khin Maung Swe, spokesperson of the NLD told Mizzima on Monday. “Only after talks between Than Shwe and Aung San Suu Kyi happen will the rest of the political problems be solved,” he added. Burma's another political outfit Democratic Party,the DP is a political party formed of veteran politicians, including Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein, daughter of former Deputy Prime Minister Kyaw Nyein, Than Than Nu, daughter of former Prime Minister U Nu, and Nay Yee Ba Swe, daughter of former minister Ba Swe. The trio are political contemporaries of detained Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, as their fathers fought alongside one another during Burma’s independence struggle against the British. Burma’s military rulers have declared the holding of a general election, the first to be held after two decades, they have not specified any dates and are yet to announce an electoral law, which will set guidelines for prospective candidates. “Our Chairman, Thu Wai, has requested Senior General Than Shwe to review their plan of announcing the electoral law only three months ahead of the actual poll. We have not received any response as yet,” declared Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein. She said, like other political parties, the DP also needs at least six months to a year or more for preparation for the election, as they need to identify who can represent the party as well as organize a campaign. “At this time, we are not even sure who would be eligible as a candidate, everything is uncertain,” she said. “And we even feel like we should drop contesting the election. But since some of our members think it would still be possible for them to contest, we are now reviewing our situation,” she added. According to her information, the electoral law will be announced sometime in April and actual polls likely to be held three months later. However, given the junta’s secretive nature, her information could not be independently verified. The DP was formed in late June 2009, comprising a 15-member Central Executive Committee headed by Chairman Thu Wei. Though the ruling junta is yet to announce an electoral law, sources said members of the junta-backed civilian organization Union Solidarity and Development Association have been seen in recent weeks taking an increasingly pro-active role in undertaking community development projects, which many believe to be an effort to win the people’s trust ahead of elections.

Aung San Suu Kyi meets junta minister

Than Shwe appointed the liaison minister as an interlocutor to Aung San Suu Kyi,the detained leader on Friday, for the first time in 2010, met with government liaison minister Aung Kyi at her house, according to party leaders.After the visit of United Nations Special Envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, on the heels of September’s Saffron Revolution,Friday’s meeting is process towards democracy.The meet came a day after the NLD announced its decision to expand its CEC from 11 members to 20, a move seen by some observers as a kind of preparation for a political tug-of-war leading up to and following this year’s scheduled general election. “If the meeting today is correct, I think it is a good step for the New Year. We are hoping that it will be a positive meeting,” Ohn Kyaing iterated, adding that they welcome such meetings and hope the process will continue. Burma’s present military rulers, in power for the past two decades, have announced they are set to hold a general election in 2010, but have yet to specify any dates. The NLD, meanwhile, say they will participate in the election only if the junta agrees to first amend the 2008 constitution, release all political prisoners and permit international monitoring of the polls. Retired Major Win Naing Kyaw, Thura Kyaw a.k.a. Aung Aung Ko and a commoner Go Byan Sein a.k.a. Ah See were arrested, tried and handed death sentence plus 20 years imprisonment, death sentence plus 15 years imprisonment and 15 years imprisonment respectively by Rangoon North District court sitting inside the Insein prison. Those sentenced Burmese are active and retired government employees. Two of them are uniformed officers. It shows that military personnel and government employees continue opposing the rulers. North Korea provided technology for secret underground tunnels around the new capital Naypyidaw. Nuclear technology is also shared by Kim Jong-il. Photographs of construction are available on Internet. And North Korea ships came to Burma water. Russia promised nuclear and military hardware. It proved correct as Russia has signed a contract to deliver 20 MiG-29 fighter planes to Burma on Christmas eve. The contract is worth 400m Euros. The regime spends less than 3% of national expenditure o­n health, while the military consumes 40%. What is there from the Republic of India? The 7-member delegation headed by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam would provide US$90 million for Kaladan project, US$10 million as loan for the same project, US$7 million for Cyber Optical Link, US$1.3 million for upgrading satellite ground station in Rangoon, establishment of ICT park in Mandalay, US$3 million for on-board training, (Physical Connectivity), (Electronic Connectivity), (Knowledge Connectivity) 50 officers form e-government training, 20 PhD students, upgrading science labs in Rangoon and Mandalay Universities, establishment of Entrepreneurship Development Center etc. The political assurance from India was gratefulness to the Roadmap and the promises given on 6 March 2006. India would defend Burma at the UN, ILO and UNHRC. India kept its promise and voted for SPDC at all three assemblies.

Free trade with Aseans begins

Thursday, December 31, 2009 India enters free trade with Asean countries India enters free trade with Asean countries- South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia country's market-opening pacts with three of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and South Korea will be operational from Friday.The remaining seven Asean members will take a few more months to get the India-Asean trade pact, which needs to be "internally approved or ratified by their parliaments," an official said. Indian exports to Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia accounting for over 90 per cent of the India-Asean USD 44-billion trade, would also be given easy access on about 4,000 tariff items.Under the Indo-Korean Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which includes services, Indian professionals from as many as 163 sectors, including IT, English teaching, consultancy and engineering, would be eligible for temporary visas up to one year in Korea. Under this agreement, customs duties will also be reduced or eliminated on as many as 93 per cent of Korea's tariff lines which includes tyres, electrical goods, vehicle parts and petroleum products."Korea has taken commitments to give favourable considerations to Indian banks as well for opening their branches there," he said. However, India must also reciprocate on this front to move forward. In fact, half of the country's USD four billion exports to Korea would be exempted from duty right away.India and South Korea signed the CEPA on 7th August, 2009 in Seoul. The domestic industry welcomes the move saying the agreement would help double the USD 10-billion commerce between the two countries over the next five years. The CEPA with Korea is the second comprehensive deal for India after Singapore. Unlike a free trade agreement, which covers goods only, CEPA also covers investments, services and bilateral cooperation in other areas. The free trade agreement with Asean was signed on 13th August. DDNews

Thai PTT to purchase gas from Zawtika Field

PTT to sign a new gas deal in the Zawtika Field in the Gulf of Martaban of Burma. Watchara Kannika, deputy spokesperson of Thai Government’s House said in a press conference on Tuesday that the Thai cabinet approved the proposal of the National Energy Policy Committee for the new gas deal. “The field in M9 block can produce 300 million cubic feet per day. Of that, 240 million cubic feet will be supplied to Thailand and 60 cubic feet used in Burma as price from this field. The price is the same as that of gas from Yadana and Yetagun fields,” he said, according to a report in Thai News Agency website. Thailand’s Energy Minister Wannarat Charnnukul said on Monday after he chaired a meeting of the National Energy Policy Committee, which endorsed a five-year supply plan. The demand is expected to increase to 5.142 billion cubic feet of gas per day by 2015. The MoU is worth more than US$1 billion (Bt33.29 billion) and will see a supply of gas for 25 to 30 years. Gas transmission from the field will start in 2013, Wannarat said.The gas deal with Burma by the Thai government has been urged for revision by activists since 2007 after PTT signed an exploratory agreement with the generals to look for gas in the M9 Block in the Gulf of Mataban.

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