News & Articles on Burma-Friday, 17 December, 2010

News & Articles on Burma
Friday, 17 December, 2010
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Suu Kyi rules out party overhaul
'Links Needed With Burmese Diaspora'
DKBA faction could commence guerilla war in ‘every township’
Myanmar establishes diplomatic ties with Oman
Myanmar officials talked of 'going nuclear': US cable
Golden chance to boost migration policies
Burma officials talked of 'going nuclear': US cable
Political Parties Eye Business Opportunities
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Suu Kyi rules out party overhaul
AFP

YANGON (AFP) – Myanmar's pro-democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday ruled out a reorganisation of her party to replace elderly leaders with younger members.

"We are not going to ask our older leaders to leave because they want to serve as long as they have strength to serve the party and I think that is a good thing to be encouraged," Suu Kyi told AFP in an interview at the headquarters of her party, which has been officially disbanded by the junta.

Many senior members of the Nobel Peace Prize winner's National League for Democracy (NLD) are in their 80s and 90s and there had been speculation that she might overhaul its Central Executive Committee (CEC) to bring in new blood.

But Suu Kyi, who was released from seven straight years of detention last month shortly after rare elections, said she was not planning such a move.

"We are not going to reorganise the CEC or anything like that," she said. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101217/wl_asia_afp/myanmarpoliticsoppositionsuukyi
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'Links Needed With Burmese Diaspora'
2010-12-16

Links between Burmese within the country and abroad are key to restoring democracy, says Aung San Suu Kyi in a program on Dec. 3.

Q: The people of Burma have complete trust in you, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. They respect you to the fullest extent. But as for the U.N., we cannot rely on it at this moment. Therefore, can you think of a way to bring about change in our country as quickly as possible without the U.N.’s involvement? It would be good if you would outline how this could be done, so that people will support you in this effort.

A: I accept the fact that it is mainly the people themselves who will have to work in the interest of our country. But it would not be wrong also to accept whatever help the U.N. is able to give. I believe that if the Burmese people who live abroad and those who are in this country, along with all others who support us, work toward democracy together in a huge network, we will very quickly achieve success. To create that kind of network, the main thing will be to establish lines of communication. This is why we are trying as much as possible to establish lines of communication among those who live abroad and those who live here.

Q: Could you advise young people like me who are living abroad on how we can work effectively in the interest of our country?

A: I always hear about the work that you and other young Burmese living abroad are doing to help establish democracy in our country. It would be very good if you could continue these efforts. As to being more effective, each of you must think about how you can do better on your own. I think that communications among those who live abroad and those who live inside the country are very important now. Only if a huge network of communications is created will we be able to work toward democracy in our country. Therefore, I would like to request all young people to try as much as possible to establish lines of communication among those who live abroad and those who live in Burma.

Q: I am studying in the U.K. How can we be more constantly in contact with you? We would like to be more effective in our efforts for Burma.

A: All of you must work toward establishing these contacts. Those who live abroad are in a better position to create lines of communication than those inside the country. So if you want to get in touch with us, you yourselves must look for the means to do so. We, on our side, are also looking for ways to establish such contacts. Answering your question now on this radio program could be one of those ways. So please give us your different ideas. We want to hear what young people know.

Q: Now that elections have been held, the government has declared that [junta proxy party] the USDA has won, and that in three months’ time parliament will be convened. I understand that when parliament convenes, the 2008 Constitution will come into effect. How can we stop this constitution, which favors the military, from coming into effect?

A: The National League for Democracy has said right from the beginning that the way the 2008 Constitution was drawn up was not appropriate for the country. Therefore, everyone must put their efforts together to amend those articles that are not suitable. We also will continue to work toward that end. We are not saying the constitution is unsuitable out of the interest of any one organization. Some of its points are bad not only for the country, but also for the military. We would like for everyone to discuss these issues, coordinate with each other, and try to solve these problems. In this way, we will continue to work with the strong support of all the people. I believe that people like you will put all of your knowledge and physical and mental energy into helping with this work.

Q: Is it possible for our country to become completely free like other countries?

A: I believe that our country will also develop and be free like other developed countries. For this to happen, everyone in the country must have a sense of responsibility. The people must understand their own power. The people are not powerless. They must believe that they have the power, and that they must therefore put effort into their work. I cannot work by myself. Nothing important can be achieved through one person’s efforts alone. I want to say here that everyone’s efforts are needed for the country to be free, to develop, and to enjoy genuine peace and tranquility.

Q: I have seen that foreign countries are trying to help Burma achieve democracy. But I also see that not enough pressure is being put on China, which supports the Burmese government and allows it to repress the Burmese people. How do you view this issue?

A: Burma and China are neighboring countries, and it is important that friendly and close relations be maintained between neighboring countries. It will be for all of us to work toward encouraging China to help shape the future of our country correctly. In the end, though, matters pertaining to our country will depend on the efforts made by our own people. We must strive in different ways to make our big neighbor understand that the interests of the majority of the people of our country must be taken into account in order for China to maintain good, friendly, and neighborly relations with Burma.

Q: Now, at a time when we assume it won’t be long before Burma achieves democracy, I have come to think about the “gross national happiness” of the people in our country. Do you think that Bhutan’s concept of gross national happiness can be adapted into a system that can be used as a policy instrument in Burma in the future?

A: Gross national happiness is a concept that gives priority to the tranquility and happiness of the people. I think that it would be better to think of this as what everybody needs, rather than as a policy instrument. In any country, freedom, a sense of security, and economic development—when taken together—contribute to the happiness of the people … This is a method where everyone can combine their efforts in the interest of their country. So I would like to say that just as they have done this in Bhutan, there is no reason why we cannot do the same.

Copyright © 1998-2010 Radio Free Asia. All rights reserved. http://www.rfa.org/english/women/conversation-aungSanSuuKyi/democracy-12162010170957.html
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DKBA faction could commence guerilla war in ‘every township’
By MAUNG TOO
Published: 17 December 2010

Democratic Karen Buddhist Army’s (DKBA) battalion 902 commander Colonel Kyaw Thet in Hpalu village, where fighting recently broke out with the government, said the group will commence guerrilla warfare in “every township” if the SPDC continues its offensive against the renegade DKBA faction.

“If they won’t be considerate on us, we will commence guerrilla warfare. We have deployed our units already and we would have to proceed… in every township across Burma,” said Colonel Kyaw Thet.

“We are using the [Burmese Army’s] break from the fighting as an opportunity to reorganise our forces and restock ammunition. We have already prepared ourselves for defence.”

He said more fighting is likely in other ethnic regions due to a growing impatience with the government and that victory can be achieved if all ethnic armies coordinate and fight against the Burmese Army.

There has seemingly been repeated attempts to unite disaffected ethnic armies and rebel groups, with the All Burma Students Democrtaic Front (ABSDF) recently telling DVB that they will join with their Karen counterparts.

While there has been no fighting in Hpalu this week, at least four battles broke out between the DKBA and the Burmese army in Kyarinseikgyi, Kawkareit and Hpapun townships.

A faction of the DKBA broke ranks earlier in the year when it decided against signing the government’s border guard force (BGF) plan, which was an attempt to assimilate ethnic armed groups into the Burmese military.

There has been low intensity war fare occurring in Karen State ever since troops under Saw La Bwe a.k.a Na Kham Mwe took positions in and around the major border town of Myawaddy the day after November’s controversial election.
http://www.dvb.no/news/13452/13452
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Myanmar establishes diplomatic ties with Oman
13:29, December 17, 2010

Myanmar has established diplomatic ties with the Sultanate of Oman at ambassadorial level, state-run newspaper the New Light of Myanmar reported Friday.

A joint communique on the establishment was signed by Myanmar's permanent representative to the United Nations and his Oman counterpart in New York on Tuesday.

Oman is the second country with which Myanmar forged diplomatic links in 2010 after Fiji.

The diplomatic establishment with Oman has brought the total number of countries in the world with which Myanmar has such links up to 102 since it regained independence in 1948.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Myanmar has so far set up embassies in 30 countries and two permanent missions in New York and Geneva, and four consulates-general in China's Hong Kong, Kunming and Nanning, and India's Calcutta, respectively.

Meanwhile, 28 countries have their embassies in Myanmar. In addition, China and India have respectively set up consulates- general in Myanmar's Mandalay, the second largest city, while Switzerland in Yangon and Bangladesh in Sittway.

Source: Xinhua http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7234233.html
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Myanmar officials talked of 'going nuclear': US cable
Published on 17 December 2010 - 5:45am

Myanmar's military regime suggested six years ago it might "go nuclear" to gain the attention of the United States, according to a senior Indian diplomat quoted in a leaked US cable.

The memo from the US embassy in New Delhi also quoted the diplomat as saying Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's "day has come and gone" and that only engagement with the junta could bring meaningful change.

Sanctions had isolated Myanmar, also known as Burma, and had not encouraged democratic reforms, Mitra Vasisht, joint secretary at India's Ministry of External Affairs, said after a visit by military leader Than Shwe.

"Burma is so isolated that members of Than Shwe's delegation wondered whether they would have to 'go nuclear' to get US attention, she remarked, noting the comparison to Pakistan," according to the November 2004 memo, obtained by British daily The Guardian from the WikiLeaks website.

Another leaked cable from the US embassy in Yangon, released by Wikileaks earlier this month, showed that Washington has suspected for years that Myanmar has a secret nuclear programme, possibly supported by North Korea.

One memo, dated August 2004, quoted an unidentified source as saying he saw about 300 North Koreans working at an underground site in Myanmar.

Myanmar's junta has dismissed reports of its nuclear intentions and brushed aside Western concerns about possible cooperation with North Korea.

The regime last month held a widely criticised election seen as prolonging military rule, with Suu Kyi locked up during the vote.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner has spent most of the past 20 years in detention but was freed from her latest seven-year stretch of house arrest on November 13.

Her National League for Democracy party was disbanded for boycotting the country's first election in 20 years in response to rules that seemed designed to bar her from taking part.

The US memo from New Delhi also said Myanmar's military ruler travelled with the wives of two other powerful generals, Thura Shwe Man and Soe Win, "who she (Vasisht) mused may have been used as 'hostages' to ensure tranquillity among the generals in Rangoon (Yangon) during Than Shwe's absence".
© ANP/AFP http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/myanmar-officials-talked-going-nuclear-us-cable
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Golden chance to boost migration policies

* Published: 17/12/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News

Tomorrow will mark exactly 20 years since the United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW) on Dec 18, 1990. This convention sets out an expansive set of rights for migrant workers and their families during recruitment and when preparing to migrate, when travelling to and whilst staying in destination countries and during return and integration into home states.

The convention recognises that like women, children or indigenous peoples, migrant workers are a vulnerable group in many societies who continue to be exploited, discriminated against and require targeted protection. Since the year 2000, Dec 18 has been celebrated annually around the world as International Migrant's Day.

Only 44 countries have ratified and 15 signed the ICRMW so far. Most are migrant sending countries. In Asean, only Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines have signed up. Given the extent and almost systematised exploitation of migrant workers that takes place in Southeast Asia, most notably in Thailand and Malaysia, the convention appears as a wish list of rights migrants should be provided with but which they rarely receive. On International Migrant's Day tomorrow, ensuring protection of migrant workers means promoting ratification of the convention as well as International Labour Organisation Conventions on labour migration.

Thailand has an estimated 2 million migrant workers, many of whom are fleeing civil and ethnic conflict in Burma. They are discriminatorily denied work accident compensation and disability rights, face restrictions on freedom of movement and cannot legally organise and collectively bargain. Where rights of migrants are enshrined in labour laws, workers unaware of their rights cannot easily challenge employers, many of whom ignore these standards. Pregnant migrant workers and their children continue to be a contentious issue in Thai society framed in terms of burdening health and education systems. Burmese language in ATMs and migrants granted motorbike licences became high profile issues in 2010 also.

An unrealistic and poorly publicised February 2010 deadline for migrants to enter a complex Nationality Verification (NV) regularisation process to become "legal" prompted the UN's expert on migrant rights to publically denounce the human rights consequences of Thailand's migration policies. Despite this, an estimated 1.4 million migrants not meeting the deadline (1 million entered NV and have until February 2012 to complete) were to be deported following a June 2010 order by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. These migrants would apparently return to Thailand quickly and cheaply through official import channels as "legal" workers soon after they were sent home.

Generally random arrest and extortion activities by enforcement agencies with relatively few undocumented migrants actually deported was the result of this crackdown. Those deported, particularly to Burma, fell into well documented cycles of trafficking and smuggling which activists demanded the UN independently investigate. This deportation abuse continues unchecked today however. Migrant import channels promised to employers are at a standstill with only 30,000 migrants imported into Thailand since 2005. This includes only 700 workers from Burma. Costs demanded by unregulated import brokers with dubious connections, as with NV brokers, remain unreasonably high. As this year ends only around 250,000 migrant workers have completed NV, despite some success in bringing verification for Burmese migrants into Thailand.

Against a backdrop of low skilled labour shortages, and with the Board of Investment revoking its policy that companies provided tax incentives could not hire migrants, the government is slowly realising that its migration policies are unrealistic and inhumane. Whilst some policymakers insist a new amnesty is to be granted for undocumented migrants to register for NV early next year, others are saying a crackdown to deport unregistered migrants is to be intensified and expanded to employers, broker and traffickers. The prime minister signed two related orders in October, the latter revoking the former as a response was required to links between deportation policies and trafficking which greeted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Bangkok.

Thailand's migration policy remains in chaos as rights violations continue. Effective post-regularisation migration systems have failed to appear. So what is the way forward for Thailand in finding its way out of this migration mess? Central to getting the reins back is perhaps simply a case of ensuring a long term and sustainable migration policy and an agency responsible for genuinely implementing this policy.

What Thailand lacks is a long term vision of migration that equally benefits migrants, employers and Thais and which guarantees human and national security for all. A policy is needed which considers migrant workers as human beings with wants and needs like everyone else. Seeing migrants as commodities without a future, as a national security threat or as a burden doesn't work as markets move too fast and migrant rights violations become more visible and remain unaddressed. Migrants benefit Thailand and its employers whilst good employers need longer term migration policies to plan developments in their production too.

Migration needs to be considered alongside economic and social development policies for the country. Thailand will soon become an aging society when birth rates fall short of replacement rates. Already facing a shortage of skilled and low-skilled labour, migrants from neighbouring countries are crucial. Inserting migration issues into the 11th Economic and Social Development Plan with equal weight given to economic, national and human security would be useful.

Acknowledging necessity of and benefit from past, present and future migration for Thailand, its economy and its people would be a positive step forward too. Increasing importance is now attached to corporate social responsibility and enterprise cultures. Exploiting migrants to increase export advantage is unlikely to be beneficial for Thailand whilst reliance on cheap labour, instead of ensuring increased productivity, may actually slow down development and decrease competitive advantage.

Competing visions and interests in migration between those responsible for national security, human security, labour and industry continue to play out. The Illegal Alien Workers Management Committee and a plethora of other committees tasked in a piecemeal way to strategise and enforce migration and trafficking policies remain ineffective, particularly when combined with the lack of a long term migration policy. An independent agency to research, develop and implement a comprehensive migration policy which has power, resources and reports directly to the PM's office is crucial. Given the cross cutting nature of migration issues, a multi agency approach is certainly required.

Whilst recent interest in migration and trafficking by senior policy makers including the prime minister is welcome, many see power to resist solving migration challenges lying elsewhere. The systematic corruption and abuse of power involved, given entrenched roles for brokers, smugglers and traffickers formed over 20 years, is highly visible. Millions of migrants did not just appear in Thailand. In the absence of formal import systems, the undeniable truth is they were smuggled in with assistance from those actually tasked with ensuring national security.

A commitment by all sides is required to tackle this cycle of abuse which is undermining the rule of law. The task should perhaps be a national priority for the existing administration.

Interestingly, migrants are starting to make the link between discharging their own expensive "obligations", such as completing NV and paying into deportation funds and social security systems, with a corresponding duty on the government to give them more respect and ensure protection of their rights. Those working with migrants sense a new-found confidence among those who have "legal" status and passports. Incidents like when almost 1,000 post-NV migrants demanded rights in Khon Kaen will likely become more frequent. The government would do well to discharge its duties to migrants adhering to the law prior to discontent.

Moving forward with migration policies and good governance in Thailand will not be easy as conflicting interests need to be overcome, systematic corruption tackled and long term policies established.

Bringing together officials, employers, migrant, activists and the Thai public is necessary. Addressing importance of migration pressures at countries of origin remains too.

But in the end, migration should be seen as a challenge to be managed and not a problem to be solved. Human beings are involved, rivers of natural movement flow fast and unequal development across borders remains present alongside quickening global market forces.

If Thailand was to genuinely start to address its migration challenges in inclusive and rights-centred ways during 2011, credit will be given. During the 20th year of the ICRMW and during its presidency of the UN Human Rights Council, perhaps Thailand should make this extra effort too.

Andy Hall is currently a consultant to the Human Rights and Development Foundation. He can be reached at andy@hrdfoundation.org.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/211714/golden-chance-to-boost-migration-policies
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Burma officials talked of 'going nuclear': US cable

* Published: 17/12/2010 at 01:01 PM
* Online news: Asia

Burma's military regime suggested six years ago it might "go nuclear" to gain the attention of the United States, according to a senior Indian diplomat quoted in a leaked US cable.

File photo of Burma soldiers taking part in a military parade in the new capital Naypyidaw. Burma's military regime suggested six years ago it might "go nuclear" to gain the attention of the United States, according to a senior Indian diplomat quoted in a leaked US cable.

The memo from the US embassy in New Delhi also quoted the diplomat as saying Burma democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's "day has come and gone" and that only engagement with the junta could bring meaningful change.

Sanctions had isolated Burma, also known as Burma, and had not encouraged democratic reforms, Mitra Vasisht, joint secretary at India's Ministry of External Affairs, said after a visit by military leader Than Shwe.

"Burma is so isolated that members of Than Shwe's delegation wondered whether they would have to 'go nuclear' to get US attention, she remarked, noting the comparison to Pakistan," according to the November 2004 memo, obtained by British daily The Guardian from the WikiLeaks website.

Another leaked cable from the US embassy in Rangoon, released by Wikileaks earlier this month, showed that Washington has suspected for years that Burma has a secret nuclear programme, possibly supported by North Korea.

One memo, dated August 2004, quoted an unidentified source as saying he saw about 300 North Koreans working at an underground site in Burma.

Burma's junta has dismissed reports of its nuclear intentions and brushed aside Western concerns about possible cooperation with North Korea.

The regime last month held a widely criticised election seen as prolonging military rule, with Suu Kyi locked up during the vote.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner has spent most of the past 20 years in detention but was freed from her latest seven-year stretch of house arrest on November 13.

Her National League for Democracy party was disbanded for boycotting the country's first election in 20 years in response to rules that seemed designed to bar her from taking part.

The US memo from New Delhi also said Burma's military ruler travelled with the wives of two other powerful generals, Thura Shwe Man and Soe Win, "who she (Vasisht) mused may have been used as 'hostages' to ensure tranquillity among the generals in Rangoon (Rangoon) during Than Shwe's absence".
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/211826/burma-officials-talked-of-going-nuclear-us-cable
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Political Parties Eye Business Opportunities
By KO HTWE Friday, December 17, 2010

Several political parties in Burma have unveiled plans to form businesses.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Friday, Aye Maung, the chairman of the Rakhine National Democratic Party (RNDP), said the Arakan State-based party will form a company under the name “Thiriwitsa” and intends to start selling shares early next year.

“We will establish a limited company,” said Aye Maung. “We plan to branch into the construction, fisheries and travel businesses.”

At the general election on Nov. 7, the RNDP won seats in 35 of the 44 constituencies it contested.

The Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) said it decided to form a firm named “White Tiger” at a recent party conference.

“Our business will focus especially on trade,” said an SNDP member who asked to remain anonymous. “We will sell shares at 10,000 kyat (US $10) each.

“We have not discussed the future role of the SNDP,” he said, adding: “I don’t think it is worth calling a party conference when most of our candidates do not dare make any comment about the current political situation in Burma.”

Burma's Election Commission (EC) has banned the SNDP from holding its planned party conference at the Tai Literature and Culture Society office in Taunggyi, the Shan State capital.

The SNDP is Burma's largest ethnic party. It won 57 of the 156 constituencies it contested in the Nov. 7 election. Most of the constituencies were in Shan and Kachin states.

Khin Maung Swe, a leading member of the National Democratic Force (NDF), said that for longterm survival, each party must look at business opportunities and other ways of attracting donors or funders.

The Democratic Party (Myanmar)'s chairman Thu Wai also told The Irrawaddy that his party had plans to invest in business projects, but said the matter is still under discussion.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=20335