http://uaelp.pennnet.com/news/display_news_story.cfm?Section=WireNews&Category=HOME&NewsID=178088
May 18, 2009 (BBC Monitoring via COMTEX) -- [Xinhua "Roundup" by Feng Yingqiu: "Myanmar Works To Meet Growing Demand of Electricity"]
Yangon [Rangoon], May 18 (Xinhua) - Myanmar [Burma] has been working to meet its domestic demand of electricity, building up a total of 13 hydropower plants covering the power grids of the whole nation since 1988 when the present government took office.
Installed generating capacity of these established power plants now accounts for only 3 per cent of that of the whole country, said the editorial of Monday's official newspaper New Light of Myanmar.
On completion of other 35 ongoing hydropower projects, the editorial predicts that Myanmar will be able to fulfil domestic electricity demand in the future.
The newly-inaugurated hydropower plant, Shweli-1, on last Saturday represented one of the country's latest achievement in the aspects and the production of the plant is seen as being able to satisfy the nation's power demand to an extent.
Claimed as the biggest power plant of its kind so far, the Shweli-1, located near at Mantat Village, 27.2 km southwest of Namkham, northern part of Shan state, possesses an installed generating capacity of 600 megawatts (mw) which can produce 4.022 billion kilowatt-hour (kwh) yearly.
Shweli-1 also stands one of the three large-scale hydropower projects being implemented along the Shweli River.
Originating in China's southwestern Yunnan Province, the Shweli River winds its way around Muse and Namkham and then flows into Myanmar's Ayeyawaddy River.
The completed project reflects not only friendship between Myanmar and China but also mutual cooperation between the two countries, the editorial appraised.
In the very near future, another power plant, Yeywa, which is bigger than Shweli-1, is expected to emerge.
Up to now, all the hydropower stations across the country can generate more than 1,400 mw of electricity and the 35 ongoing projects could in the future add 32,900 mw or 79 per cent to its installed capacity.
These projects lie along the rivers of Ayeyawaddy, Chindwin, Sittoung and Thanlwin which are blessed with lots of water resources. Along the Ayeyawaddy basin are Yeywa, Shweli, Zawgyi and Mone creek projects, the editorial disclosed.
Meanwhile, experts estimated that with the country's total available water resources, up to 43,400 mw of the capacity could be produced.
Although Myanmar does not have enough electricity at present, it will in not-too-distant future, be able to fulfil its domestic demand, the editorial anticipated. With change in people's living condition and with the growing number of industries, the consumption of electricity across Myanmar has significantly increased year after year, calling for more efforts in the sector for national development and people are urged on their part to help develop the national economy by improving their business.
Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0412 gmt 18 May 09
Monday, May 18, 2009
Burma building 13 hydropower plants - Xinhua
EU considers tighter sanctions against Burma
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-05-18-eu-considers-tighter-sanctions-against-burma
AMELIE BOTTOLLIER-DEPOIS | BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - May 18 2009 14:14
European Union nations on Monday mulled tighter sanctions against Burma's government, but many saw China and India as the best hopes of applying pressure on the junta to free opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, spoke in favour of boosting EU sanctions against the regime as the Nobel peace laureate went on trial facing a further five years in detention.
"We are ready to go forward," the Czech minister said as he arrived for a meeting in Brussels with his EU counterparts.
"It's not the moment to lower the sanctions, it's the moment to increase them," echoed EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
However, other EU foreign ministers and EU officials were looking more for pressure from Burma's giant neighbours.
"I don't think additional sanctions will help because you have seen they have not helped," said EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
"We have to reinforce dialogue with Burma's neighbours ... I think that is the way forward it should always be a subject of discussion with China, India and others," she added.
Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said that political sanctions took decades to have an effect in apartheid South Africa and that sort of time lag meant a lot of suffering for the population.
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said the matter could be addressed at a meeting in Hanoi next week with foreign ministers from the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).
Fw: [burmainfo] ウィンティン氏「総選挙強行は解決にならぬ」（17日付朝日新聞「私の視点」）
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
ビルマ市民フォーラム メールマガジン 2009/5/18
People's Forum on Burma
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
ビルマ情報ネットワーク（BurmaInfo）からのメールを転送させていただき
ます。
（重複の際は何卒ご容赦ください。）
ＰＦＢ事務局
http://www1.jca.apc.org/pfb/
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
政治囚として19年間獄中で過ごし昨年釈放された、国民民主連盟（ＮＬＤ）
中央執行委員でジャーナリストのウィンティン氏による投稿
「総選挙強行は解決にならぬ」が、17日付の朝日新聞
「私の視点」欄に掲載されました。
以下、ご紹介いたします。なお、本記事はアウンサンスーチー氏が起訴される前の投
稿です。
ビルマ情報ネットワーク （www.burmainfo.org）
秋元由紀
========================================
２００９年５月１７日 朝日新聞「私の視点」
ミャンマー
総選挙強行は解決にならぬ
ウィン・ティン／国民民主連盟（ＮＬＤ）中央執行委員・ジャーナリスト
「選挙が即民主主義を意味するわけではない」「恣意的拘束や汚職といった問題
も選挙で解決を図れるかは分からない」（オバマ米大統領）
選挙は民主主義を意味しない。これは、私の祖国ビルマ（ミャンマー）では全くの
真実だ。
４０年以上も国民が軍事政権の弾圧に苦しみ、今は来年に予定される総選挙という
大問題に直面している。実施されれば恒常的な軍事独裁体制が法定化されてしまう。
６２年までは、国民が選挙で代表を選べた。一党支配下の７４年から８８年にも選
挙はあったが、ネ・ウィン将軍が選んだ候補者に対抗する者はいなかった。だが、２
６年間続いたネ・ウィン体制は８８年の民主化蜂起で崩壊。デモには数百万人が参加
し、多党制民主主義を求めた。
今の軍政はデモを武力で封じ込めた後、多党制の総選挙による文民への政権移譲を
約束したが、９０年にアウン・サン・スー・チー氏が率いる国民民主連盟（ＮＬＤ）
が８割以上の議席を得たのに結果を認めず、当選議員や党幹部らを逮捕した。
軍政は各政党に憲法制定会議（国民会議）への参加も強要。自由な議論を制限し、
軍が国政に主導的役割を持つとの新憲法の原則への賛成を求めた。ＮＬＤは会議をボ
イコットし、問題解決のため軍政に対話に応じるよう求めた。
だが、国民会議は０７年に終了し、軍政任命の委員会が憲法草案を作成。０８年５
月、軍政はサイクロン襲来直後の混乱の中で国民投票を強行し、憲法を承認させた。
そして１０年に「自由で公正」な総選挙をするという。
ＡＦＰ通信によれば、中曽根外相と国連のガンバリ事務総長特別顧問は「総選挙が
国際社会に祝福されるものとなるようミャンマー政府に働きかけていくことで一致」
した。実施を望み、ＮＬＤや民族政党にも参加してほしいようだ。
だが、スー・チー氏を含む２１００人以上の政治囚を釈放し、政治プロセスに自由
に参加できるようにしなければならない。憲法も軍、ＮＬＤ、民族代表の三者による
見直しが必要だ。選挙はこれらが満たされて初めて実施されるべきだ。
新憲法は軍が行政・司法・立法の三権を支配し、諸民族を多数派のビルマ民族に従
属させる内容で、基本的人権や民主主義を保障するものではない。総選挙を強行すれ
ば結果として軍政による不正義や残虐行為が続き、人々の抵抗は激化するだろう。
国際社会は総選挙を支持する前に、国民和解に向けた対話をするよう軍政に最大限
の圧力をかけてほしい。
◇
８９年から１９年間を政治囚として獄中で過ごした。（１４日にスー・チー氏が軍政
に刑事訴追される前の寄稿）
＃＃＃
Burma's jailing of Suu Kyi is a test for both Asean and Surin
http://nationmultimedia.com/2009/05/18/opinion/opinion_30102894.php
By Kavi Chongkittavorn
The Nation
Published on May 18, 2009
IN THE PAST FEW DAYS, world leaders after leaders, governments after governments, as well as Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore have expressed concern over the plight of opposition party leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. They have done that several times since the 1990's, in response to Burma's frequently used tactics. One question remains: What is the next course of action?
The Burmese junta understands well its latest scheme - adding charges against her for breaking house-arrest terms for allowing an American intruder to stay - would anger the international community and further harden their positions. That was exactly what Rangoon would like to see happening. The harder the position is outside the country, the better the regime is able to garner support from its rank and file. All members of Burma's military, the Tatmadaw, must stay united to ward off foreign threats.
Furthermore, the frustration helps highlight the prevailing hypocrisy deeply rooted in the overall approaches taken by various players on Burma. Despite strong and sustained condemnation by the international community, the UN Security Council's permanent members have not yet intervened in the Burmese situation. Thus far China and Russia have vetoed any move in that direction. The Rangoon regime continues quite effectively to hold the council hostage, playing off one power against the other.
For China more than for other council members, Burma matters the most. Its rich mineral and energy resources with unique strategic land-bridge to the Indian Ocean have placed the country on Beijing's premium list. Unlike its highly visible collaborative spirit in the North Korean nuclear crisis, Beijing has not yet shown any willingness to persuade Burma to become more resilient. One contributing factor is the absence of common threats in the case of Burma. The perceived nuclear threat brought by Pyongyang's military ambition is equally shared by all council members. That was not the case for Burma at this juncture. Any change of status quo there could bring political uncertainty and further undermine Beijing's preeminent position.
From September 2005 onward, former world leaders and Nobel laureates have repeatedly urged the council's members to intervene, arguing that the situation in Burma affects international peace and security. Somehow, it has not been recognised as such by UN members, even though similar arguments worked very well in the situations in Sierra Leone or Afghanistan or Sudan.
Asean has to take the blame for harbouring such an attitude. The grouping has suffered internal bleeding after Burma gained admission in 1997 without conditions. For the past 12 years, this pariah state has failed to contribute to the collective well-being and reputation of the Asean family. The absence of responsibility to protect its citizens and minorities has caused widespread regional problems, for instance in cross-border human trafficking and internal displacements. Rangoon's constant denials regarding the Rohingya asylum seekers are just one example.
Indifference by Asean of Burma's intransigence cannot continue forever because the Asean Charter came into force last December. Obviously, the principle of non-interference is still very much alive in framing member's behaviour and collective responses. But the charter does give room for the Asean leaders to act with discretion regarding sanctions against their own peers' non-compliance and collective irresponsibility. The question is being asked today: who will take the lead?
As the Asean chair in 2007, Singapore went extra miles to express "revulsion" against the regime's violent repression. Last week, Thailand, the current chair, called for an end of Suu Kyi's detention after the current term expires later this month. That was Bangkok's strongest position on Burma since the Thaksin government's pro-Rangoon policy set in early 2001. Both Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya have expressed deep concern over Suu Kyi's situation. Thailand, as the grouping's frontline state, wanted and needed to do more. The Abhisit- government was supposed to take a fresh lead on Burma but political turmoil and the aborted Pattaya summit prematurely weakened such endeavour. In days ahead, Thailand would require extraordinary moral courage together with Abhisit's leadership to take up this challenge. Does he have what it takes to tackle Burma head-on as his predecessor, former prime minister Chuan Leekpai, did in 1997-2000? We will find out sooner than later.
Within hours after the Cyclone Nargis hit the Irrawaddy Delta last May, Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan initiated the leading role of Asean in relief and rescue missions there. He took extraordinary steps, using the grouping's and his influence and networks to assist Burma's recovery.
Now with an expanded mandate and responsibility under the Asean Charter and the Cha-am chairman's statement, will Surin be able to duplicate this effort to the current political crisis and garner Burma's cooperation? The international community has very high, perhaps unrealistic, expectations of Surin's authority and leadership to help free Suu Kyi. Can he push the envelope? Certainly, he can, but at his own peril unless he receives backing from the rest of Asean's leaders. One more time international and regional players have to face the same dilemma - which course of action to take on Burma. Last week, the Obama Administration renewed for another year the 1997 law banning US investments in Burma. Washington's review of policy on Burma would take several more weeks as appointments of key officials related to East Asia remain incomplete. The EU has continued with its current sanction regime and pledged to ease it in response to genuine progress inside Burma, such as the release of political prisoners, including Suu Kyi.
For over two decades, the Burmese people have risen to the occasion defending their democratic dream, however distant it might be today. The Saffron Revolution in September 2007 demonstrated their courage to continue fighting the dictators. In their hearts, they know the case against Suu Kyi is unjust.
The trial and subsequent decision could spark off fresh protests and disturbances once again in days ahead, especially in time of economic difficulties. High commodity and gasoline prices caused public outcries that eventually led to street demonstrations in 2007. Perhaps, as the international community ponders various options, the Burmese people could show the way.
Obama Extends Sanctions on Burma
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=15654
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By LALIT K JHA Saturday, May 16, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
US President Barack Obama extended economic and other sanctions on the Burmese military regime for one more year as the trial of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is set to begin on Monday.
Several US lawmakers had urged Obama to extend the sanctions this week, even as his administration was undertaking a policy on Burma.
The US president said that the authoritarian regime continued to be “engaging in large-scale repression of the democratic opposition.” The current sanctions, first imposed on Burma in 1997, were set to expire May 19.
In his message to Congress, Obama said the actions and policies of the junta are “hostile” to US interests and pose a continuing “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.
The extension of sanctions against the junta was welcomed by leading activist groups.
The move bars new US investment in Burma and was first put into place by President Clinton in 1997. In 2003 and 2007, the US Congress increased the sanctions by adding and then strengthening a ban on exports from Burma to the US. While there is no ban on tourism or exports to Burma, the sanctions are believed to have denied the military regime tens of billions of dollars per year.
“Now that President Obama has continued a wise policy from the United States, it is time for him to seize the moment and take action internationally,” said Jeremy Woodrum, director of the US Campaign for Burma.
“We hope he will immediately pursue a global arms embargo at the UN Security Council, as well as an investigation into crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by Burma's military regime,” he said.
Copyright © 2008 Irrawaddy Publishing Group | www.irrawaddy.org
Two US Senators Call for ‘Reform-minded’ Junta Leaders
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=15655
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By LALIT K JHA Saturday, May 16, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON—Two powerful US lawmakers, one from the ruling Democratic party and one from the opposition Republicans, have urged Burmese generals to challenge the current authoritarian rule of Snr-Gen Than Shwe in Burma.
In a statement issued by Sen John Kerry and his Republican counterpart Sen Richard Lugar, both leaders of the powerful foreign affairs committee, they called for “reform-minded” leaders in the military junta to step forward.
Kerry is chairman of the committee, and Lugar is its ranking member. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee plays a key role in shaping US foreign policy.
“Now is the time for reform-minded leaders within the military junta to step forward and be heard,” said the statement. “Releasing Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners would signal the start of a constructive dialogue with the United States.”
Sources in Naypyidaw said that the junta’s top leaders noticed the lawmakers’ appeal, but one informed source said that any reformed-minded military leaders would need greater assurance and the full backing from the international community and the US to part ways with Than Shwe and other hardliners.
Observing that the Obama administration and Congress are reviewing America’s policy toward Burma, the two Senators said: “At this critical time, some in the junta are trying to leverage the recent alleged unauthorized entry into Aung San Suu Kyi’s compound to extend her detention.”
This action, they said: “sends precisely the wrong message to the citizens of Burma, the people of Southeast Asia, and all those in the global community who seek for the Burmese people the opportunity to live in a country where universal human rights are respected, not trampled.”
Both Kerry and Lugar are close confidants of Obama in matters of US foreign policy. Despite being a Republican, Lugar at one point was considered for the post of secretary of state in the Obama administration, the post that ultimately went to Hillary Clinton.
Obama’s rise to national fame started when Kerry, then the Democratic presidential nominee, gave him the opportunity in 2004 to address the Democratic National Convention; the speech made Obama a household name in the US overnight.
Meanwhile, US lawmakers continued to issue statements deploring the junta’s decision to charge Aung San Suu Kyi and hold her in Insein Prison in Rangoon.
“Her transfer from house arrest to prison to face criminal charges is a serious matter that deserves the strongest condemnation from the world's democracies—and from regional neighbors, including Thailand and China," said Sen Judd Gregg.
"The only thing criminal about Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been the abusive injustices she and her supporters have suffered under the State Peace and Development Council,” he said.
Rep Dana Rohrabacher said, “It has long since passed when the military dictators of Burma should have stepped aside and allowed a more honest and efficient government democratically chosen by the people of Burma.”
“Nothing undermines the legitimacy of the upcoming elections more than this type of maneuver against Aung San Suu Kyi by the military junta," said the lawmaker.
Copyright © 2008 Irrawaddy Publishing Group | www.irrawaddy.org
スーチー氏起訴・拘束への抗議アクションへの参加のお願い（5月18日（月）14時～＠ビルマ大使館前）
みなさま、
アウンサンスーチーさん起訴、拘束の件につき、
在日ビルマ人のみなさんが抗議アクションを行いますので
ご案内いたします。
月曜のお昼ですが、世界各地の民主化を求める人びとも
同日、抗議行動を予定しています。
日本でもぜひ多くの方にご参加いただきたく存じます。
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
ビルマ市民フォーラム
事務局長
弁護士 渡辺 彰悟
http://www1.jca.apc.org/pfb/
【転送・転載歓迎】
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今すぐアウンサンスーチーさんの釈放を！ 5/18、 14時～
-------------------------------------------------
スーチー氏起訴への抗議アクションへの参加のお願い
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
5月14日、ビルマ軍政が民主化指導者アウンサンスーチーさんを
インセイン刑務所に連行し、米国人男性が湖を泳ぎ渡りスーチーさん
の自宅を訪問した件が自宅軟禁の規則に反しているとして、同氏を
国家防御法違反の罪で起訴しました。
政治囚支援協会（ＡＡＰＰ）によると、現在、スーチーさんは
ビルマで最も悪名高いインセイン刑務所に収容されており、
来週１８日（月）に再び出廷を命じられています。
軍事政権によるこの不当な起訴に対し、審理が開かれる18日（月）、
世界各国で抗議デモなどアクションが予定されています。
（東京のほか、南アフリカ、フランス、ノルウェー、スペイン、マレーシア、タイ、
フィリピン、インドネシア、香港 など）
日本でも、在日ビルマ大使館前で抗議行動を行います。
平日の昼間ではありますが、ぜひ多くの方にご参加いただきたく、
お知らせいたします。
みなさまのご支援、どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
●日 時：２００９年５月１８日（月） １４時 ～１６時
●場 所：在日ビルマ大使館前
アクセス：東京都品川区北品川４－８－２６
ＪＲ「品川」駅 高輪口から徒歩１５分、京急「北品川」駅から徒歩３分
地図：
http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?f=q&hl=ja&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=%E5%93%81%E5%B7%9D%E5%8C%BA%E5%8C%97%E5%93%81%E5%B7%9D4%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE8%E2%80%9026&ie=UTF8&ll=35.620727,139.735987&spn=0.007465,0.011888&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&pw=2
●主 催：在日ビルマ人民主化活動家のみなさん
●連絡先：ビルマ日本事務所
電話：03-5296-3010
【私たち日本のＮＧＯも参加します】
ビルマ市民フォーラム http://www1.jca.apc.org/pfb/
ビルマ情報ネットワーク http://www.burmainfo.org/index.html
ヒューマンライツ・ナウ http://www.ngo-hrn.org/
（2009年5月16日18時現在）
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【参 考】
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
▼政治囚支援協会（AAPP）インフォメーション・リリース（2009年5月14日）
アウンサンスーチー氏、インセイン刑務所に収容される
（ビルマ情報ネットワーク）
http://www.burmainfo.org/assk/20090514aappb.html
▼スーチー氏の拘束に関する各国政府の声明・コメント等
IRRAWADDY
Statements & Quotes on Suu Kyi's Detention
http://irrawaddy.org/suukyi.php?art_id=15641
▼アムネスティ・インターナショナル日本 声明 （2009年5月15日）
『ビルマ（ミャンマー） : アウンサンスーチー氏の即時・無条件の
釈放のために、日本政府は断固たる対応を』
http://www.amnesty.or.jp/modules/news/article.php?storyid=654
▼アムネスティ発表国際ニュース（2009年5月14日）
『ビルマ（ミャンマー） : 国連安保理はアウンサンスーチーの即時釈放を求めよ』
http://www.amnesty.or.jp/modules/news/article.php?storyid=651
▼ヒューマン・ライツ・ウォッチ（2009年5月14日）
『ビルマ：アウンサンスーチー氏を解放せよ
ASEAN、中国、インドはビルマ軍政に圧力を』
http://www.hrw.org/ja/news/2009/05/14-0
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【さぁ、あなたも一緒に！ Take Action Now！】
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
現在、アウンサンスーチー氏をはじめ全ての政治囚の釈放を求め、
世界32カ国でグローバル署名キャンペーンが行われています。
http://www.amnesty.or.jp/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=2349
署名のほか、賛同・参加団体を受けておりますので、ぜひご協力
いただければ幸いです。 どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
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Posts
