News & Articles on Burma-Wednesday, 11 May, 2011

News & Articles on Burma
Wednesday, 11 May, 2011
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Sensitive News Barred: Rangoon Minister
NLD to Advise Farmers and Workers
Despite Improvements, Child Soldier Recruitment Continues
Jailed activists’ children get school aid
Top UN official visits Myanmar
Peace, political amnesty to be discussed with UN special envoy
NUP will try to amend the Constitution in next Parliament session
Will ASEAN give chair to Burma despite rights record?
Burma party to ‘robust’ bear trade
ASEAN in Quandary over Burma's Request to Head Bloc
Oil drilling to begin in Burma’s eco-sensitive Hukaung Valley
Civil Servants Killed in Northern Shan State
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Sensitive News Barred: Rangoon Minister
By THE IRRAWADDY Wednesday, May 11, 2011

RANGOON—The government of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) will not allow media coverage which is sensitive to national security or critical of the state, said a senior official of the Rangoon regional administration on Tuesday.

“Regarding freedom of press—journalists can write stories if they are not sensitive to the state. If media coverage endangers the state or our citizens’ security, nobody can cover it,” said Nyan Tun Oo, a minister of the Rangoon regional administration, speaking to reporters during a press conference at the city’s parliament building.

The press conference was the first held by the Rangoon administration since the USDP regime was sworn in on March 30.

Nyan Tun Oo (left) addresses reporters in Rangoon on May 10. (IRRAWADDY)
When the editor of Snap Shot Journal, Myat Khe, questioned the minister, he responded by saying that he would stop the press conference immediately if journalists cross-examined him or asked “colored” questions.

“I want to remind you that you can only write the news if it is not sensitive to the state,” he repeated.

Commenting on how the current regime plans to control corruption, Nyan Tun Oo, the co-host of the press conference, said that the government could not take action against corruption as it would result in “a shortage of experienced government staffers.”

Addressing reporters, he said, “We cannot take action at the moment on corruption issues. If we did, who would replace all those corrupt officials?”

Burma has been listed as one of the most corrupt countries in the world for decades. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Index 2010, Burma is the second most corrupt nation after Somalia out of 178 countries.

Even though President Thein Sein and other high-level ministers in Naypyidaw are yet to hold a press conference, local journalists said they had expected to be briefed by Rangoon's chief minister ex Lt-Gen Myint Swe at the press conference on Tuesday.

However, a minister of Rangoon's regional administration, Nyan Tun Oo, and another administrative officer, Khin Maung Tun, hosted the press conference.

“We thought Chief Minister U Myint Swe would hold the press conference. Then U Nyan Tun Oo came out at the event,” said an editor with a Rangoon journal who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Journalists attending the press conference said that Nyan Tun Oo briefed reporters on behalf of Rangoon’s administration on municipal issues such as the better distribution of electricity, and the selection of ward officials.

“Responding to a news report that local businessmen paid bribes to become ward heads, he said that the administration of Rangoon will select only respectable persons,” said a journalist who attended the press conference. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21280
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NLD to Advise Farmers and Workers
By SAI ZOM HSENG Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, is offering consultations, advice, training and other types of support to farmers, workers and civil society groups in order to promote their rights and expand the NLD's civil society network.

Win Htein, one of the leaders of the NLD, said that Suu Kyi, after she was released from house arrest in Nov. 2010, advised party members to provide training and to promote and protect the rights of farmers and workers. She wants the effort to be run by associations and networks which are not influenced by politics, he added.

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Wednesday, Win Htein said, “It is necessary to have a committee and associations which will support the farmers and workers. We will also consult with other societies to form such kinds of associations and networks.”

A farmer who has attempted to form a local farmers association, and who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that farmers' associations are necessary in Burma and all of the farmers have to try to form associations and expand the network.

“We are glad that the NLD supports our forming associations and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi thought deeply for us and for our wishes,” a farmer said.

Phyu Phyu Thin, a member of the Social Assistance Committee of the NLD, said that there is an NLD committee which assists farmers by educating them about their rights and providing agricultural training.

“In my point of view, this is a very good and useful program for the farmers, and I believe that they can realize their rights. The farmers are enjoying the training, they had patient and active discussions with the trainers,” Phyu Phyu Thin said.

The farmers’ network was formed in March 2011 at the NLD headquarters and had 33 members from 19 townships at the time of formation. Since that time, the party has been providing training to farmers, which is currently ongoing.

The NLD is also supporting the formation of a workers association. On May 1, the party issued a statement which urged the International Labor Organization to keep pressuring the new government to allow a workers’ union which guarantees the rights of the workers.

In addition, the NLD is currently working on campaigns to release political prisoners and to protect the environment.

The NLD was disbanded on May 6, 2010 because of its refusal to register for the Nov. 7, 2010 election. The party’s Central Executive Committee made the decision to protest the exclusion of its leader and the dissolution of the party was announced on September 14, 2010. However, the party still remains active.

Some political observers said that the NLD has turned to social activities rather than political activities, and party spokesperson Ohn Kyaing told The Irrawaddy recently that there has been no threats from authorities regarding the party’s social activities. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21277
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Despite Improvements, Child Soldier Recruitment Continues
By KO HTWE Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Burmese military is still recruiting underage children despite its policy against doing so, claim victims and activists.

Aye Myint, a lawyer and workers' rights activist in Pegu, told The Irrawaddy that the recruitment of children into the army is worse than last year.

“I received fifteen complaints from Rangoon, Irrawaddy, Mandalay and Pegu divisions. Three others are now collecting documents. Most of the persons that complained to the International Labor Organization (ILO) will be able to return to their home sooner or later,” said Aye Myint.

In January, 15-year-old Aung Ko and 12-year-old Thein Min Htike went missing on the way from Mawlamyinegyunn Township in the Irrawaddy Region to Rangoon while going to visit relatives, according to a family member.

The boys' mother, San Aye, said that three months later her sons informed the family that they had been recruited into the army and were receiving basic military training at Training Battalion No. 9 in Thaton Township, Mon State.

“One of my children is so young that he is not novitiate yet. I don’t wish to let them be conscripted into the army. I don’t want to live without them. My husband is now acting crazy and every day I have to shed tears,” said San Aye. “The children rang us and said they are okay and don’t want to come back, but it seems like someone is beside them.”

Pho Phyu, a legal advocate, said that he received three cases of child recruitment recently from the Irrawaddy region.

“The recruitment is still ongoing. We have some difficulties in this case. Although we can contact the child, the army transfers the child to another place and then loses the child. So we contact ILO,” said Pho Phyu.

Burmese child soldiers have been arrested and imprisoned as punishment for deserting when they tried to run away from their army bases.

The Burmese regime formed a committee to investigate child soldier issues in 2004 and it has since denied using child soldiers in the army.

According to the ILO's data, there were 261 underage recruitment complaints and 80 young men discharged or released as a result of the complaints from the beginning of 2010 until now. Of the remaining complaints, approximately 110 are in process, which means that the military is investigating, and 80 are being assessed by the ILO.

Steve Marshall, the ILO liaison officer in Rangoon, said that when the issue of child soldier recruitment was raised back in 2007, the subject was very sensitive, but since that time the military response has been quite positive and there has been considerable improvements over the last few years.

“Every complaint we submit is received and acted on relatively efficiently, and if it is found that a person is under 18 then he is most definitely discharged and the perpetrator prosecuted,” said Marshall.

“It is important that we do not simply respond to complaints, that we are able to become more proactive working together to ensure the correct administrative policies are in place to stop the practice, and we look forward to working with the government to achieve that ideal position,” he added.

Rangoon-based 7 Day News journal, quoting a UNICEF official, reported that the number of underage soldiers recruited is decreasing and 402 child soldiers have been sent home since 2004.

“Children themselves come to the army to join. All of the child soldiers have no document such as identity and birth certificate. And its hard to differentiate who are 17-years old or 18-years old because of the same body structure. Some children want to join the army because they envy the officers they have seen,” Ramesh Shrestha, a UNICEF Representative in Burma, told the 7Day News journal. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21281
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Jailed activists’ children get school aid
By NAW NOREEN

Education for the children of more than 100 political prisoners in Burma yesterday received a small boost yesterday after the National League for Democracy (NLD) made its tenth schooling donation.

Speaking at an event at the NLD’s Rangoon headquarters yesterday, Aung San Suu Kyi said that the nearly 2,100 political prisoners in Burma were jailed “for their work in making the country freer for its 60 million people”, according to NLD spokesperson Ohn Khaing.

Suu Kyi reportedly added that “every citizen should have a right to self-determination and to take part in shaping the country the way they want it to be”.

Around 40,000 kyat ($US50) was given to the children of 123 activists, MPs, lawyers and doctors who languish in prisons across the country. The absence of an earning parent has meant children of political prisoners often struggle to pay for schooling.

A new government budget announced in March allocates less than one percent of annual spending to the education sector, and 1.3 percent on healthcare. Military spending meanwhile accounts for nearly a quarter of the budget.

Despite once boasting a strong education sector, Burma’s now lags behind most regional countries. Education resources are scarce, although various Thailand-based NGOs provide material to schools inside the country.

The Rangoon-based Blood Group, led by NLD member Nyi Nyi, is due to open a free education centre on 18 June for orphaned and homeless children, with a view to expanding the programme.

Around 100 children have so far signed up to courses that teach manual work, literature and citizenship, amongst others.
http://www.dvb.no/news/jailed-activists%E2%80%99-children-get-school-aid/15614
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May 11, 2011
Top UN official visits Myanmar

YANGON - A TOP aide to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has arrived in Myanmar on an official visit to meet members of the country's newly elected government and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The three-day visit by Vijay Nambiar is the first by a top UN diplomat since a nominally civilian government took over from the ruling junta in March.

Officials said Mr Nambiar was scheduled to meet high-ranking government officials on Wednesday in the remote capital of Naypyitaw.

He was expected to meet Suu Kyi on Thursday in Yangon. The Nobel laureate was released from house arrest after the elections, which her party boycotted.

Critics say Myanmar's election was a charade to ensure continued military domination. -- AP http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_667331.html
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Peace, political amnesty to be discussed with UN special envoy
Tuesday, 10 May 2011 21:38 Tun Tun

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) said on Tuesday that peace and political amnesty are top priorities to be discussed with the UN special envoy to Burma Vijay Nambiar during his visit to Rangoon this week.

Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and UN special envoy to Burma, Vijay Nambiar, at Suu Kyi's home in Rangoon in 2010. Nambiar will meet with Burmese opposition groups and others this week in Rangoon and Naypyitaw. Photo: Mizzima

Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and UN special envoy to Burma, Vijay Nambiar, at Suu Kyi's home in Rangoon in 2010. Nambiar will meet with Burmese opposition groups and others this week in Rangoon and Naypyitaw. Photo: Mizzima
A handful of opposition political parties, including the SNDP, have been invited to meet with Nambiar at the UN office in Rangoon on Friday. During his visit, he is also likely to meet with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

‘Peace is the most important topic on our agenda. No. 2 is political amnesty’, Saw Than Myint, the party’s treasurer and diplomatic official, told Mizzima. ‘Presently, our country is not peaceful. So, peace is high in our agenda. We need to establish peace for the sake of the people’.

A central executive committee member and an MP from each of the invited parties will attend the meeting. Most of the parties are those that recently asked the European Union to renew Burma’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) status, according to Saw Than Myint.

Agence France-Presse reported that Burma’s Foreign Affairs Minister Wunna Maung Lwin would meet with Nambiar in Naypyitaw on Wednesday.

The National League for Democracy said that if Nambiar meets with the NLD, their leaders will again tell him to urge the government to grant an amnesty to all political prisoners.

‘We will ask him to urge the government to immediately release all political prisoners without exception. And we want the UN to help in establishing human rights in Burma. If so, we will be able to achieve political reconciliation’, said Ohn Kyaing, an NLD spokesman.

He added, however, that since the new government has not made any fundamental changes, the NLD would call on him to put the government under more pressure.

‘Political reconciliation will improve Burma’s economy. A healthy economy can resolve the people’s problems’, Ohn Kyaing said.

Nambiar is a veteran Indian diplomat who the UN recently appoint as special envoy to Burma, replacing Ibrahim Gambari. The Thai-based Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB) said that the UN special envoy always urges the government to grant political amnesty and to implement an all-inclusive political dialogue.

This time it may offer something new. ‘The UN may offer cooperation in Burma’s developmental processes’, said FDB general secretary Dr. Naing Aung.

He said that UN officials’ interactions with the Burmese regime have not borne fruit and it should cooperate more with political groups in Burma.

‘Both the government and the opposition have demands. So, the UN should enthusiastically help in conducting negotiations between the two sides. In the past, the UN’s efforts have not fulfilled people’s hopes. To achieve effectiveness, it needs to talk with the main political groups frequently’, Naing Aung told Mizzima.

NLD spokesperson Ohn Kyaing noted: ‘The former UN special envoys also urged the Burmese government to grant political amnesty. Mr. Nambiar has visited Burma once, too. But, nothing was improved’.

Nambiar made his first visit to Burma in November 2010 and met with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, NLD leaders and ethnic leaders from the Committee Representing the People's Parliament during a two-day visit. http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/5247-peace-political-amnesty-to-be-discussed-with-un-special-envoy.html
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NUP will try to amend the Constitution in next Parliament session
Wednesday, 11 May 2011 12:21 Kyaw Kha

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – While providing no specific details about its proposals, the National Unity Party (NUP) has said it will introduce legislation to amend the 2008 Constitution through Parliament during the next session.

More than 140 central committee members from across the country met this week and agreed on the move. The next session of the Parliament may be held in early 2012, according to some observers. Presently, the party’s legal aid committee is studying what constitutional changes might be proposed.

During the party meeting, members discussed goals, policies, financial issues and public relations.

The NUP now has about 700,000 members, said party spokesman Han Shwe The party decided it will not organize a business to raise funds, as permitted under election laws, but instead it will collect 100 kyat (1 US $ 0.13 cents) from each party member and accept donations from supporters in Burma. Political parties are barred from accepting donations from outside Burma.

The NUP won 64 parliamentary seats in the recent election, the second highest number of parliamentary seats by a single party. The party’s members of Parliament did not submit any proposals or raise any objections in the first Parliament session, which met from February to March.

The NUP is the official successor of the former Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) led by dictator Ne Win, who ruled the country from 1962 to 1988. After the 1988 pro-democracy movement, the BSPP was removed from power. Following leadership changes, it was renamed the National Unity Party.
http://www.mizzima.com/news/election-2010-/5249-nup-will-try-to-amend-the-constitution-in-next-parliament-session.html
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Will ASEAN give chair to Burma despite rights record?
Wed, 2011-05-11 00:38 — editor
News Analysis
By - Zin Linn

In view of many international observers, the Association of South-East Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) negligence to take firm position on Burma (Myanmar) has become its Achilles’ heel. As usual, the association’s statement proves member-countries’ lack of collective will to take a strong position against Burma. Changing itself into a semi-civilian regime through vote-rigging, Burma makes a mockery of the ASEAN Charter, which states that the region must be more responsive to human rights issues.

The Charter was intended to transform ASEAN into an institution similar to the European Union and to entrust members with strengthening democracy, enhancing good governance and the rule of law, and protecting human rights and fundamental freedom.

A communiqué issued at the end of the two-day ASEAN leaders' summit in Jakarta said: "We considered the proposal of Myanmar (Burma) that it would host the ASEAN summits in 2014, in view of its firm commitment to the principles of ASEAN."

It also emphasized that ASEAN leaders supported the "steady progress and political developments in Myanmar" after it held general elections and formed a new government in March, calling the ballot "successful." But, ASEAN leaders overlook the true story about the 7-November election which unfairly allowed the junta-backed party to rig the votes.

The election, Burma's first in 20 years, was severely criticized by the oppositions and the Western Democracies, as undemocratic polls for not allowing watchdogs and media.

Human Rights Watch pointed out in its 6th May statement that Burma has failed to address concerns repeatedly raised by ASEAN leaders in past summits.

“Rewarding Burma with ASEAN’s chairmanship after it staged sham elections and still holds 2,000 political prisoners would be an embarrassment for the region,” said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

“ASEAN leaders need to decide if they will let Burma demote ASEAN to the laughingstock of intergovernmental forums.”

The Asian Network For Free Elections (ANFREL) released a statement dated 9 November calling attention to ballot counting procedures that made by the Union Election Commission (UEC). It said the counting process was not made transparent to the public and the media beginning with the first advance voting period.

Moreover, ethnic nationalities in Burma that fight for self-determination were prevented from participating in the election. More than 3,000 villages in ethnic nationality areas have also been excluded from the electoral exercise because of continuing armed conflict.

Thus, calling the ballot "successful" means ASEAN supports an undemocratic vote-rigging election in Myanmar (Burma).

Southeast Asian leaders have no objection to Burma or Myanmar's request to chair the 10-member ASEAN bloc in 2014, as long as it continues making progress towards democracy, Indonesia's President said on Sunday after the group's latest summit.

"ASEAN leaders do not object in principle," Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said at his closing news conference. "But Myanmar, which is a focus of world attention, is expected to continue progress on democracy so when it becomes chair it does not generate negative views."

However, the Thein Sein government has been reinforcing its troops in several areas where ethnic armed groups that did not follow the border guard force (BGF) plan are based. Armed reinforcements have been reported in Karen State and Shan State in eastern Burma since early this year.

Sporadic armed clashes has been going on recently between the junta’s troops and armed ethnic groups such as the Karen National Union (KNU), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) Brigade 5, the Shan State Army–North (SSA-North) and Shan State Army-South (SSA-South).

Hence, Burma has been going on with war against the ethnic minorities who are defending their basic civil rights including self-determination. If ASEAN leaders consider offering the chair to Burma in 2014, they should pressure Thein Sein government to stop the unjust war on the ethnic people. They ought to push Burma to end the civil war.

In this ongoing civil war, Burmese soldiers have been committing lots of crimes – lootings, rapes, burnt down villages, destroying the crops, killing innocent ethnic villagers, forced-labor and forced conscription.

Moreover, Thein Sein government still detains over 2,000 political prisoners including important ethnic leaders. To take the ASEAN chair, Burma must not keep political prisoners who really are committing no crime but expose their political beliefs.

In addition, Thein Sein government must allow ‘Freedom of Expression’ and ‘Free Press’. Burma is one of the most autocratic and covered up countries in the world, due to both its restrictive press laws and its practice of punishing journalists. In recent elections, the Burmese junta did not allow press freedom for both Burmese and international news media.

It was a significant hindrance to Burma becoming a free society. So, the analysts state that in the absence of media freedom Burma (Myanmar) should not act as ASEAN chair since there will not be accountability and transparency.

Reporters Without Borders released in its annual press freedom report in October 2010, ranking Burma 174th out of 178 countries. On October 18, Burma announced that foreign journalists would not be granted access to Burma to cover the news on elections.

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) also calls on ASEAN leaders attending the 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia on 7-8 May 2011 to reject the application by Myanmar (Burma) to chair ASEAN in 2014 unless real democratic and human rights reforms are made by the Myanmar government.

The AIPMC said in its statement that oppression in Myanmar makes up a black stain on the credibility of ASEAN. It will be an obstacle to efforts by ASEAN to build an ASEAN Community by 2015.

Looking at the fact on the ground in Burma, there is more belligerences in these days, more military attacks in the ethnic minority areas, more forced labors, more child soldiers, more political prisoners, more refugees, more restrictions toward media, more control on Internet users and civil societies.

So, ASEAN has to be very vigilant and to put more pressure on Burma until the essential benchmarks for chairmanship are fulfilled before 2014.

- Asian Tribune - http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/05/10/will-asean-give-chair-burma-despite-rights-record
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Burma party to ‘robust’ bear trade
By DVB
Published: 11 May 2011

The illegal trade in bear parts is continuing “unabated” across Asia, according to a report by wildlife monitoring group TRAFFIC that accuses Burma of indulging in the widespread sale of bear products.

Poaching of the endangered animal is driven largely by the demand for its bile which is used in traditional medicine and folk remedies, according to the report, ‘Pills, Powders, Vials & Flakes: The bear bile trade in Asia’. In Burma, along with China, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Malaysia, these products were observed in half of all outlets surveyed.

While domestic trade of bear bile is legal in mainland China and Japan, it is illegal in Cambodia, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. All cross-border products found in Burma were sourced from neighbouring Laos, despite a strict ban on international trade.

According to Kaitlyn-Elizabeth Foley, lead author of the report and senior programme officer of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, both the Asiatic Black Bear and the Sun Bear are threatened by the trade. Both species are found in the region, and are native to Burma.

“The study makes a clear case for authorities to shut down businesses selling illegal bear products and prosecute individuals caught selling, buying, transporting or keeping bears illegally,” said Foley.

Under Burmese law, the hunting and sale of protected animals such as the two bear species is punishable by up to seven years imprisonment. But an investigation by the group of 42 stalls in the Shan state towns of Mong La and Tachilek found that 30 sold bear gall bladder. “All were openly displayed and sold in whole form with price dependent on weight,” it said. Prices for a single gall bladder in Burma hovered around $US50, while in Hong Kong one could reach $US2000.

The report continued that the high turnover in trade meant that sourcing bear products from wild, and not farmed, species “is almost a certainty”.

“It is likely therefore, that the trade of bear products in Myanmar [Burma] puts an unsustainable pressure on wild populations both in Myanmar and surrounding countries.”

Burma, the report added, “plays a critical role as a producer of bear bile products and a transit for illegal trade through wildlife trade hubs such as Mong La and Tachilek.

“It is also a concern that foreigners may continue to establish bear farms in Myanmar, especially in light of increasing pressure on China and Vietnam to stop bear farming.”
http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-party-to-%E2%80%98robust%E2%80%99-bear-trade/15606
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ASEAN in Quandary over Burma's Request to Head Bloc
By Marwaan Macan-Markar

BANGKOK, May 11, 2011 (IPS) - The new Burmese government’s request to chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by 2014 has given its neighbours a political headache they have decided to put off dealing with till later this year.

But the dilemma that the 10-member regional bloc faces with Burma, or Myanmar as it is also known, is not the same one that had dogged it in the past, when the country’s oppressive record was seen as undermining ASEAN's international credibility.

This time it is Burma’s slow and controlled transition towards democracy that puts ASEAN in a quandary.

The final statement read by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the end of the 18th ASEAN summit held May 7-8 in Jakarta reflected the new political realities Burma’s neighbours are grappling with. "We considered the proposal of Myanmar to host the ASEAN summit in 2014, in view of its firm commitment to the principles of ASEAN," the statement said.

"ASEAN leaders do not object in principle to the proposal," Yudhoyono added during the closing press conference in the Indonesian capital. "But Myanmar, which is the focus of world attention, is expected to continue progress on democracy so when it becomes chair it does not generate negative views."

Holding out such a diplomatic carrot exposes ASEAN, which Burma joined in 1997, as being more lenient towards member countries such as Vietnam, Laos and Brunei. The latter have chaired ASEAN before, despite lacking the fledgling plural political culture taking shape in Burma following its first general election in two decades last November, ending nearly 50 years of military rule.

That November poll, despite its flaws, paved the way for a small parliamentary opposition to emerge, complemented by the political freedom granted to pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi after seven years under house arrest. The Nobel Peace laureate has resumed her role as a widely respected government critic.

"What differentiates Burma from other countries in ASEAN is not a lack of representative institutions," said Thant Myint-U, a Burmese historian and author of ‘The River of Lost Footsteps", an account of the country’s transformation during British colonialism.

"However flawed the elections, Burma now at least has a semi-elected legislature that includes opposition parties, and opposition figures including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speak openly to the international media," Thant said.

"This is far from ideal, but it’s certainly no worse, and arguably much better, than several other ASEAN countries," he explained to IPS. "What differentiates Burma are the continued detention of large number of political prisoners, something that will hopefully change soon; Western sanctions; its extreme poverty; and perhaps most importantly, the unfinished nature of its six decade-long armed conflicts."

Other Burma watchers also draw attention to the changing political landscape in the country, that hints at a shift away from the dominant grip of the military, headed since the early 1990s by Senior Gen. Than Shwe, and military strongman Ne Win before him.

"There is a diffusion of state power, unlike before, where power was in the hands of one man, Than Shwe and before him Ne Win," asserts Richard Horsey, a former United Nations official who served in the country.

"Four power blocs are emerging—to balance each other and to compete with each other. They are the military, executive, parliament and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (the political arm of the former junta which triumphed at the polls)," Horsey, the author of a book on forced labour in Burma, told IPS. "Before the Nov. 7 polls, people had to impress Than Shwe to get things approved. But not any more."

The International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank, has similarly argued for countries to move away from punishing Burma, calling for a policy that "provides much greater support for Myanmar’s people."

"It would be a mistake to conclude that nothing has changed," the Crisis Group noted in a March report, "Myanmar’s Post-Election Landscape". "These changes are unlikely to translate into dramatic reforms in the short term, but they provide a new governance context, improving the prospects for incremental reform."

By contrast, Vietnam and Laos, which have been under the iron grip of communist-ruled governments since the mid-1970s, and Brunei, an absolute monarchy, appear far from opening up to political change. Landlocked Laos had a tightly controlled election for its national assembly on the eve of ASEAN’s 18th summit, where there was no hint of an opposition. The same is expected to follow on May 22 for Vietnam’s national assembly election, say analysts.

Of ASEAN’s other members—Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand—only Indonesia and the Philippines win accolades for having an increasingly open democratic culture. While Cambodia and Singapore are largely one-party, authoritarian states, Thailand’s democracy has been hampered by military interference.

Consequently even trenchant critics of Burma, like Human Rights Watch (HRW), the New York-based global rights lobby, note that the country’s new government has put ASEAN in a spot by making a push to host the 2014 ASEAN summit in its quest for international legitimacy.

"Burma’s new argument is that it is no worse than Vietnam, Laos, Brunei and arguably even Cambodia," says Phil Robertson, HRW’s deputy Asia director. "The government will say they should not be singled out; don’t make us the whipping boy.

"It was easier for ASEAN when things used to be black and white, between the military and Suu Kyi. But now things have faded to grey, and Burma will try to use this ‘grey’ strategy," he told IPS. "But for us, nothing has changed in Burma." (END) http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=55578
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Oil drilling to begin in Burma’s eco-sensitive Hukaung Valley
Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:24 Thomas Maung Shwe

(News Analysis) – Endangered tigers and local villagers are threatened by an oil-drilling venture due to start in a remote area of Burma’s northern Kachin State.

The Hukaung valley is home to rare tigers and other endangered species including leopards, Himalayan bears and elephants. Photo: Wildlife Conservation Society

The Hukaung valley is home to rare tigers and other endangered species including leopards, Himalayan bears and elephants. Photo: Wildlife Conservation Society
A Singapore-based joint venture firm Silver Wave Exploration & Production announced last week that it will soon begin drilling for oil on land that includes the ecologically sensitive Hukaung Valley in Kachin state.

Environmentalists and opposition activists worry Silver Wave’s exploitation of the 19,066-sq km block of land could wipe out endangered animals and kick people off their land.

The Hukaung valley, also spelt Hukawang, is home to rare tigers and other endangered species including leopards, Himalayan bears and elephants.

Activists have expressed concern that local villagers and farmers will be driven off their land and made homeless by Silver Wave’s operations.

In 2001, the Burmese military regime in collaboration with the American NGO Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) established the Hukaung Valley Tiger Reserve. Local residents were given no opportunity for input and many critics from Burma’s democratic opposition worried that the reserve was a bogus ploy by the military regime to get foreign funds. The critics also charged that a key backer of the project WCS’s former director of science and exploration, Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, was woefully naïve for working with the Burmese regime and praising the generals.

Tigers in the wild are said to number a mere 3,000 worldwide, according to WCS.

In 2004, the reserve’s total area expanded to include the entire valley of 21,890 square kilometers, creating what was heralded as the largest tiger reserve in the world. Since the reserve’s expansion, the Burmese regime has encouraged logging, gold mining, large scale farms and the building of factories inside what is supposed to be a tiger and nature reserve.

According to a report in the Business Times of Singapore, Silver Wave Exploration & Production was formed recently as a joint venture between Silver Wave Energy Pte Ltd, another Singaporean firm, BFI Holding Pte Ltd, and two firms from Japan, Star Field Corporation and Star Holding Corporation.

A press release issued by BFI Holdings on April 18 stated that Silver Wave Exploration’s drilling programme in the Hukaung valley will begin this year and have a budget of US$ 100 million. The press release also indicated that Silver Wave exploration ‘has acquired all licence rights for exploration and production oil-prospecting acquisitions at Block B (B 2)’ which Silver Wave energy had previously received from state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE).

The BFI press release said that Block B2 is located in the Hukaung Valley, although several previous MOGE reports including a detailed map made for an Asia Development Bank conference in 2008 placed B2 further south in an area of Northern Sagain Division called Zebyutaung-Nandaw (also spelt Zeebyutaung) in Pinlebu Township. The 2008 MOGE report listed the Hukaung block as PSC-A. The reason for the discrepancy remains unclear.

The red star marks the area of the Hukaung Valley wildlife reserve.

The red star marks the area of the Hukaung Valley wildlife reserve.
Silver Wave Energy Pte Ltd while based in Singapore is owned by Burmese businessman Min Min Aung (also known as Minn Minn Oung) and is part of his Silver Wave Trading group, a conglomerate known for having close ties to Burma’s generals.

Silver Wave Energy Pte Ltd has been active in both offshore and onshore oil and gas exploration in Burma since at least 2006. Min Min Aung previously joined forces with government officials from the Russian republic of Kalmykia to form Silver Wave Sputnik Petroleum Pte incorporated in Singapore.

Burmese state media reported in March 2007 that Silver Wave Sputnik and Silver Wave Energy signed an agreement with state-owned MOGE to explore for oil in the Hukaung Valley. Boris Chedyrov, the Kalmykia Republic’s Minister for Energy, attended a March 2007 ceremony with Min Min Aung and Burmese government officials.

In September 2008, The New Light of Myanmar reported that MOGE had signed a deal with Russian firm Nobel Oil of the Russian Federation to allow for oil and gas exploration in the Hukaung and U-ru regions. It appears that Nobel Oil let their licenses for these areas expire without renewing them.

Junta land grab in Hukaung Valley makes thousands homeless

According to a report produced by the Kachin Development Networking Group (KDNG) in August of last year, since 2006 the Yuzana Corporation has with the support of central government authorities expropriated more than 809 square km (200,000 acres) of land in the Hukaung valley from local Kachin villagers.

KDNG reports that hundreds of families have been displaced by Yuzana’s land acquisition. As with many other such state approved land grabs in Burma, the displaced families were not adequately compensated and many were forced to say they were moved ‘willingly’.

Yuzana has planted large plantations of cassava root and sugar cane on the contested land. Instead of hiring local people for the massive plantation farms, Yuzana has imported workers belonging to the Burman majority from the south of the country.

Reports from the area indicate that the Yuzana’s operations have created intense resentment among the remaining Kachin residents of the Hukaung Valley. The Burmese military is reportedly giving the Yuzana employees military training to deal with unhappy local residents. Yuzana is headed by Htay Myint, a real estate tycoon said to be close to Burma’s generals. http://www.mizzima.com/edop/analysis/5246-oil-drilling-to-begin-in-burmas-eco-sensitive-hukaung-valley.html
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Civil Servants Killed in Northern Shan State
By THAN HTIKE OO Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Two civil servants from Burma's Ministry of Education and their spouses were killed in April while working in the area where ongoing conflicts between the Shan State Army-North (SSA-North) and Burmese government troops are taking place, according to local residents.

A resident of Hsipaw told The Irrawaddy that 4 persons were killed in April in Kun Khike Village in Hsipaw Township, Shan State.

"Four people in total—a female teacher and her husband, and also a school sentry and his wife— got killed in Kon Khike village,” he said, adding that since the killings people in the village have been afraid to go out at night.

Saengjuen Sarawin, an editor at the Shan Herald News Agency based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, said that similar killings of teachers and local villagers have occurred in Tong Yan Township.

The SSA-North officially denied on April 23 that the killings concerned their troops. The SSA-North has reportedly formed an investigative body to explore the real causes of the deaths.

According to Saengjuen Sarawin, 9 local people, including the school teacher, were killed in Hsipaw and Tong Yan townships.

It is not known who is responsible for the murders. Local people said the deaths could have been orchestrated by either the SSA-North or the government troops.

"If you have personal conflict with someone, and you charge him or her of being an informer or something like that, the accused will have consequence. People are always becoming scapegoats in war," a Hsipaw resident said.

The current armed conflict broke out between the SSA-North and government troops in early February.

The fighting then spread out into Mong Hsu, Mong Yawn, Tangyan, Kyethi, and Lashio, which are under control of Shan State Army (North), including Nansang, Mongmit, and Hsipaw.

The relationship between the SSA-North and the government has been strained since the regime began pressing the ethnic ceasefire groups to accept its Border Guard Force plan in April 2009. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21275