News & Articles on Burma-Wednesday, 02 February, 2011

News & Articles on Burma
Wednesday, 02 February, 2011
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Media group criticises Parliament for lack of media access
Buddhist nuns released, disrobed
Presidential electoral process underway in Myanmar
Who will be the president of Burma?
Myanmar PM nominated as one of presidential candidates
Myanmar nominates 5 for presidency but junta head missing
No surprise, USDP MPs elected as speakers of Shan State legislature
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Media group criticises Parliament for lack of media access
Wednesday, 02 February 2011 14:23 The The

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Banning journalists from covering the news of Parliament sessions in Burma is undemocratic, the France-based Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) said on Tuesday.

‘The junta’s road to democracy is in fact undemocratic’, RSF editor-in-chief Gilles Lordet told Mizzima. ‘This is mere farce. They are doing it (convening Parliament) just to show the world that they are striving for change and no more military rule in Burma.

‘This is not the truth. The situation remains unchanged as before. There are no changes at all’.

Lordet also called for the release of imprisoned journalists, bloggers and other political prisoners.

The Committee for Professional Conduct (CPC), which was recently formed in Burma to develop private media, and the Rangoon-based Foreign Correspondents Club in Myanmar (FCCM), applied to the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division [censorship board] for permission to cover Parliament sessions, but they were informed that media would not be invited to cover the sessions.

“We received a reply from them saying not only the CPC, but no other news agencies were invited’, said CPC chairman Ko Ko.

After the Parliament session on Monday, reporters had to visit guesthouses and hotels where members of Parliament were staying to find out what happened in the historic first session.

The junta permits state-run media to cover the news of elected assemblies in states and regions.

The Burmese exiled government, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), Information Minister, Dr. Tint Swe, said not allowing journalists to cover Parliament demonstrated the junta’s lack of belief in democracy.

“I think they have banned reporters and media from covering the news to conceal the facts that they do not want to be disclosed to the people. This will not be good for the people’, he said.

Tint Swe, who lives in New Delhi, said, ‘In India, the parliament sessions are telecast live to the entire country. Democracy is based on the people. It means the representatives of the people cannot do anything which is not known to the people’.

Veteran reporter Subhajit Roy of the English-language newspaper Indian Express told Mizzima that reporters in democratic countries are entitled to cover deliberations and debates between ruling parties and opposition parties in parliament sessions.

‘For instance, the news of how the opposition criticises the ruling party in Parliament on various issues, such as rising commodity prices, terror issues, internal security, is important. It’s important for the people because it brings out the position of the government’, he said. In addition, after a parliament session, the MPs and ministers usually answer questions from reporters, he said.

In section 52 of the recently enacted Parliament laws, only members of Parliament are allowed to enter Parliament without permission of the speaker. Unauthorised persons inside the premises during sessions could receive up to a one-year prison term or be fined 100,000 kyat (US$ 850) or both.

RSF said that in 2010 Burma was ranked 5th worst regime in the world in terms of media freedom out of a total of 178 countries. http://www.mizzima.com/news/election-2010-/4833-media-group-criticises-parliament-for-lack-of-media-access.html
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Buddhist nuns released, disrobed
By AYE NAI
Published: 2 February 2011

Four Buddhist nuns jailed in connection with the September 2007 protests have been released from prison but say they are banned from re-entering nunhood.

Burmese authorities have reportedly been pressuring their former monastery in Rangoon not to accept the four, who are aged between 37 and 64.

They had been arrested weeks after the so-called Saffron Revolution, along with seven monks and three other nuns, and sentenced to four years’ and three months’ imprisonment.

Two of the monks died shortly after being imprisoned, while three elderly nuns were released following a visit to Burma by the UN’s special rapporteur, Tomas Ojea Quintana. The main charge was religious defamation, and they were interned at Rangoon’s infamous Insein prison.

“We are still looking for a [lay sponsor] to ordain us and we are frustrated as no monastery will accept us,” said Nyunt Nyunt, who until she was disrobed had gone by the name Pyinyar Theingi. “It’s like we are being exiled; no monastery will accept us.

She said that the Sangha Nayaka, or the government’s head monk association, had prompted police to confiscate the release certificate of one of the freed monks, meaning he was banished from the monastery and forced to sleep rough.

“I saw him begging for money at a train station yesterday,” said Nyunt Nyunt. “Now he has to sleep at fairgrounds and train stations at night.”

Burma’s reverence for its monastic community is not always reflected in the ruling junta’s treatment of them, an issue that came to worldwide attention during the September 2007 uprising when numbers of demonstrating monks were gunned down by the army.

The Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners–Burma (AAPP) says there are two nuns remaining imprisoned in Burma, while 256 monks are behind bars. One monk, U Nanda Vathu, is serving a 71-year sentence, while nearly two dozen of those detained are serving sentences of 20 years or more.

The death in December last year of an elderly monk serving his twelfth year of a 20-year sentence prompted Quintana to call for the release of all political prisoners in Burma.

This was echoed yesterday by the Japanese government, who greeted the convening of Burma’s new parliament with calls for the country’s 2,190 political prisoners to be freed as a prerequisite for “[ensuring] a more inclusive phase” in Burmese politics.
http://www.dvb.no/news/buddhist-nuns-released-disrobed/14017
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Presidential electoral process underway in Myanmar
15:35, February 02, 2011

A presidential electoral process of Myanmar's union parliament has been underway since Tuesday with three groups of parliamentary representatives-elect each nominating their candidates to run for presidential election.

The three groups comprise those of parliamentary house of representatives-elect, parliamentary house of nationalities-elect and military-nominated parliamentary representatives.

So far, the group of house of representatives-elect has nominated U Thein Sein, current Prime Minister from Nay Pyi Taw region's Zabuthiri constituency, and U Saw Thein Aung from Hlaingbwe constituency as candidates, while the group of house of nationalities-elect has nominated Dr. Sai Mauk Kham of Shan state constituency-3 and Dr. Aye Maung of Rakhine state constituency-1 as candidates.

The group of military-nominated parliamentary representatives is reported to be still carrying out the electoral process, expecting that the nominee from the military will be revealed on Thursday when the current union parliament session resumes after it adjourned on Wednesday.

The meeting for the nomination of candidate by the group of military-nominated parliamentary representatives is still underway involving the personal attendance of Commander-in-Chief Senior-General Than She, who is also Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), according to Wednesday's official daily report.

It is most likely that Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo, SPDC First Secretary, will be the sole nominee to run for the presidential election, observers here said.

Speakers of each level of the parliament will scrutinize the nominees' qualification and prepare a final list of vice presidents on Wednesday to put up to the union parliament session for the continued presidential election process on Thursday.

According to the new state constitution, each parliamentary group can nominate only one candidate in the last for the presidential run and candidate, who wins the most number of votes, will be the president-elect, while the remaining two be vice presidents-elect. The president will form a new government.

The union parliament is constituted with two level of parliaments -- house of representatives and house of nationalities which involves elected ones in the November 2010 general election and military-nominated ones.

Of the nominees by the group of house of representatives-elect, Prime Minister U Thein Sein represents the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and Saw Thein Aung represents the Phalon- Sawaw Democratic Party in Kayin state, while of the nominees by the group of house of nationalities-elect, Dr. Sai Mon Khun is also from the USDP and Dr. Aye Aung comes from the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP).

On Monday's first session of each level of the parliament, No. 3 Myanmar state leader Thura U She Mann, who is SPDC member and previously a general holding the military post of chief of general staff of the army, the navy and the air force, was elected as speaker of the house of representatives, while U Khin Aung Myint, Minister of Culture, was elected as speaker of the house of nationalities.

The union parliament is chaired by U Khin Aung Myint for a term of two and a half years according to the state constitution.

On Monday, the first sessions of region or state parliaments also elected speakers of their respective parliaments.

Myanmar started its first three-chamber parliament sessions simultaneously Monday morning with the sessions of the house of representatives (lower house) and house of nationalities (upper house) taking place at the newly-built parliament buildings in the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw, while the sessions of region or state parliament also began separately in 14 respective regions or states on the same day.

The summon for the first sessions of the three-level parliaments in two decades by the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) came nearly three months after the end of the multi-party general election on Nov. 7 , 2010.

A total of 1,542 parliament representatives including 1,154 elected through the Nov. 7, 2010 general election and 388 or 25 percent through direct nomination by the military are expected to attend the first three-level parliamentary sessions.

The 659 union parliament representatives (house of representatives and house of nationalities) are made up of 493 elected ones and 166, or 25 percent, directly nominated military ones.

Of the 493 elected parliamentary house of representatives and house of nationalities, 388 come mainly from the majority winning Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), led by Prime Minister U Thein Sein, 17 from the National Unity Party (NUP), 21 from The Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), 16 from the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) and 12 from the National Democratic Force (NDF).

In the 2010 general election, 1,154 candidates out of over 3, 000 representing political parties in contesting were elected as parliamentary representatives at three levels, in which 325 as representatives to the house of representatives, 168 as representatives to the house of nationalities and 661 as representatives to the region or state parliament.

Thirty-seven political parties, including 82 independents, took part in the parliamentary election held across the country's seven regions and seven ethnic states in November last year.

Source: Xinhua(by Feng Yingqiu) http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7279127.html
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Who will be the president of Burma?
By Zin Linn Feb 02, 2011 5:09PM UTC

Burma or Myanmar’s new parliament has nominated five presidential candidates and will select the country’s new president in the upcoming days. A remarkable nonappearance on the roll is Senior General Than Shwe, the junta’s highest commander in chief.

Analysts believe Than Shwe will remain the top military commander to play the game at the hidden helm of the country. Many believe he has stayed away for the position of president because the president and ministers have to declare their assets under the 2008 constitution.

Burma’s new parliament has already elected two military men as speakers of the Upper and Lower Houses on Monday in its first session as a consequence of the November elections. The choosing of the speakers of the Upper and Lower Houses looked like a theatrical scene following a rehearsal. It was exactly the same performance under socialist totalitarian parliament during Dictator Ne Win’s reign.

Shwe Mann, the third most powerful general in the country’s junta, was voted speaker of the lower house while Khin Aung Myint, the current culture minister, was voted upper house speaker, juntas media said.

The two houses are occupied by the military through the pro-junta Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which won 77 percent of the parliamentary seats, and 166 military-appointed Members of Parliament, who represent for 25 percent of the military quota under 2008 constitution.

Three groups of the union parliament representatives Tuesday nominated their respective candidates to run presidential election in the current session of the parliament here, official sources said.

The candidates include Prime Minister U Thein Sein from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), nominated by the group of lower house and First Secretary of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Tin Aung Myint Oo from the same USDP, nominated by the group of military representatives, the parliamentary sources said.

According to the new state constitution, the last three candidates , one coming from the group of the Lower House, another from the group of the Upper House and the third one nominated by the group of military-appointed representatives will run for the presidential election. The one, who wins the most number of votes, will be the president, while the remaining two be vice presidents.

The union parliament is constituted with two parliaments – Lower House and Upper House.

And for the Upper House’s vice-presidential selection, Sai Mawk Kham, a USDP representative, and Aye Maung, the leader of Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, were nominated.

The military representatives, who make up 25 percent of both houses, are allowed to select the third vice-president, and they reportedly chose ex-General Tin Aung Mhyint Oo, the secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council, which is the junta’s ruling body.

This means that of the five nominees for the three vice-presidential positions, an opportune three are also members of the USDP. And it is trouble-free to forecast that Thein Sein, Tin Aung Myint Oo and Sai Mawk Kham, all USDP members, will finally be chosen as the three vice-presidents.

The perspective is so clear that the departing junta’s power network is still active to continue running the country no less than next 5 to 10 years. The military will be at the helm as usual. Even though the ruling structure has to change, the military-first policies will be status quo. And civil war with the ethnic armed groups will not be ceased by far.
http://asiancorrespondent.com/47540/who-will-be-the-president-of-burma/
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Myanmar PM nominated as one of presidential candidates
11:17, February 02, 2011

Two out of three groups of union parliament representatives Tuesday so far nominated four candidates including Prime Minister U Thein Sein to run presidential election in the current session of the parliament taking place here, the state radio and TV reported in the evening broadcast.

The two groups represent elected house of representatives and elected house of nationalities.

The remaining group of military-nominated parliament representatives is still considering their nomination of candidates, official report said, but other sources said First Secretary of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo has been nominated as candidate to run the presidential election.

According to the official report, Prime Minister U Thein Sein from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and Saw Thein Aung from the Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party were nominated as the candidates by the group of elected house of representatives, while Dr. Sai Mon Khun from USDP and Dr. Aye Aung from the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) were nominated by the group of elected house of nationalities.

According to the new state constitution, each group can nominate only one candidate in the last for the run and the last three candidates -- one coming from the group of elected house of representatives, another from the group of elected house of nationalities and the rest from the group of military-nominated representatives will run for the presidential election.

The one, who wins the most number of votes, will be the elected president, while the remaining two be elected vice presidents. The president will form a new government.

The union parliament is constituted with two parliaments -- house of representatives and house of nationalities.

The session of the union parliament will pause on Wednesday for scrutiny of the nominated candidates for their qualifications for the presidential run and will resume on Thursday.

On Monday, No. 3 Myanmar state leader Thura U She Mann, who is SPDC member and previously a general holding the military post of chief of general staff of the army, the navy and the air force, was elected as speaker of the house of representatives in Monday's first session of the house of representative (lower house).

The house of nationalities (upper house) session, which was held separately on the same day, elected U Khin Aung Myint, Minister of Culture, as speaker of the house.

Myanmar started its first three-chamber parliament sessions simultaneously Monday morning with the sessions of the house of representatives and house of nationalities taking place at the newly-built parliament buildings in the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw, while the sessions of region or state parliament also began separately in 14 respective regions or states on the same day.

The summon for the first sessions of the three-level parliaments in two decades by the ruling State Peace and Development Council came nearly three months after the end of the multi-party general election on Nov. 7, 2010.

Source: Xinhua http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7278997.html
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Myanmar nominates 5 for presidency but junta head missing
From Kocha Olarn, CNN
February 2, 2011 -- Updated 0826 GMT (1626 HKT)

(CNN) -- Myanmar's new parliament has nominated five lawmakers and will pick the country's new president from their ranks in the coming days. A notable absence on the list is Than Shwe, the highest-ranking figure in Myanmar's junta.

Analysts believe Than will remain the supreme military commander and therefore, essentially in charge of the country. Many think he may not have wanted to be considered for the position of president because the new constitution mandates that the president and ministers declare their assets.

Myanmar convened its first parliament in more than two decades on Monday in the capital, Naypyidaw. The parliamentarians will spend Wednesday narrowing the list of five down to three.

Then they will vote for a new president from among the three. The other two will assume the role of vice presidents.

The president will in turn pick his Cabinet.

The lawmakers came into office after elections were held in November for the first time in 20 years. The elections drew fire from critics who said the voting was aimed at creating a facade of democracy.

The regime refused to allow international monitors to oversee the race and would not allow international journalists to cover the voting from inside the country. Journalists who reported from inside Myanmar had to do so surreptitiously.

The military junta also recently overhauled Myanmar's constitution in a way that critics say was aimed at tightening the regime's grip.

The constitution now requires more than 100 military nominees in parliament. Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962.

Among those who boycotted the elections was opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, which described it as a sham. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/02/02/myanmar.parliament/index.html
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No surprise, USDP MPs elected as speakers of Shan State legislature
Tuesday, 01 February 2011 16:27 Hseng Khio Fah

Yesterday at the first session of the Shan State Assembly held in Shan State South’s Taunggyi, none of ethnic parties’ representatives were elected as house speakers except members of junta-run Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), according to party sources.

[Historic Tiger Head hall in Taunggyi (image: S.H.A.N.)]

Historic Tiger Head hall in Taunggyi (image: S.H.A.N.)
Burma’s new parliament was opened yesterday for the first time in 23years and meetings of different houses [upper house, lower house and state legislature] are being held in different venues. While sessions of upper house and lower house are being held in Naypyitaw, region/state legislature assemblies are being held in their state capitals concerned.

“All the USDP nominees won all three positions, Chairman of the chamber, Speaker of the house and deputy speaker of the house,” said a non-Shan party representative.

There are 142 representatives participating in the meeting which is held at the historic Tiger Head hall in Taunggyi.

Sai Htun Yin of USDP Taunggyi won over U Win Myint of Inn National Development Party (INDP) for the position of Chairman of chamber and Sai Long Hseng of USDP Kengtung won over rival Nang Ngwe Ngwe of Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) Muse for the position of house speaker. Nang Ngwe Ngwe of SNDP again competed with Sai Kham Mart of USDP Lashio for deputy house speaker, but she lost again.

“It was secret voting process. If you did not like the person you just need to put a cross in the paper,” the source said.

However, the date for selection of the chief minister of the state is yet to be announced as representatives of self-administered zones also need to return home to form the leading bodies of the self-administered zones for Wa, Kokang, Pa-O, Palaung and Danu.

According to junta drawn 2008 constitution, each leading body of the self-administrated divisions and self-administrated zones shall consist of at least 10 members.

Afterwards, members of the leading bodies of the self-administrated divisions and self-administrated zone shall select a suitable person as the chairperson of the self- administrated division or the self- administrated zone from the region or state legislation. The name of the person so elected shall be submitted to the president through the chief minister of the region or state concerned. The president shall appoint the person who is nominated as the chairperson of the zone concerned.

“Therefore, the meeting is likely to be adjourn for a few days before we can appoint the chief minister of the Shan State,” the elected representative said.

He added that no meeting agenda was provided, therefore representatives are not aware of what issues will be discussed in the coming days.

1 Update News

The 2008 constitution, Section 261, says the chief minister of a region or state will be selected by the union president from the region or state assembly concerned. The president’s nominee “shall not be refused” by it unless it can “clearly be proved” that the nominee does not meet the specified qualifications.

2 Update News

There are 143 representatives in the Shan State Assembly:
USDP 54
SNDP 31
Other parties 22
Military 36
Only 142 attended the first session of the Shan State Assembly. An elected assemblyman from SNDP Mongyai township had taken leave.
http://www.shanland.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3441:no-surprise-usdp-mps-elected-as-speakers-of-shan-state-legislature&catid=85:politics&Itemid=266

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