News & Articles on Burma-Thursday, 28 July, 2011-UZL

News & Articles on Burma
Thursday, 28 July, 2011
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Suu Kyi calls for nationwide ceasefire through an open letter
Five Military Generals under Investigation in Naypyidaw
Suu Kyi: Ready to Help Resolve Ethnic Conflicts
Burma Democracy Leader Urges Talks to End Ethnic Conflicts
Myanmar's Suu Kyi seeks end to ethnic fighting
Aung Suu Kyi urges ceasefire in ethnic conflicts
Dissent in Burma army ranks sparks disunity in new govt
Better Monitoring of US Aid to Burma Required: Govt Report
Mon IDPs Face Food Shortages
Myanmar-Oman World Cup Qualifier Stopped By Fan Violence
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Suu Kyi calls for nationwide ceasefire through an open letter
By Zin Linn Jul 29, 2011 12:08AM UTC

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Burma’s democracy figure Aung San Suu Kyi made an appeal on Thursday for political talk and an urgent ceasefire between major ethnic rebel groups – Kachin Independence Organization, Karen National Union, New Mon State Party, Shan State Army – and government troops. She highlights the nation as ‘Republic of Union of Burma’ since the country was made up of various ethnicities on the same soil.

In her open letter dispatched to the country’s military-backed new PresidentThein Sein, Suu Kyi offered to act as a go-between between the government and the ethnic rebels, and said the constant fighting has been damaging the national reconciliation which is so important for the nation that composed mainly of ethnic population.

The open letter pointed out the jeopardy that can be spread out into the neighbouring counties. It said that currently there are armed conflicts between Burma Army and the ethnic armed groups especially in Kachin, Shan, Karen and Mon states.

“National reconciliation cannot be accomplished by using military might. If stakeholders used the gun to solve out the disagreement, it will make disadvantage for all sides. To establish an authentic national unity, that will make safe the future of the Union, can only be accomplished through political dialogue,” the open letter says.

Government’s Burma Army has attacked the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) since 9 June. The 9-June armed conflict at Sang Gang lasted for three days and nights. The attack prompted the KIO to declare war against government since its troops invaded Kachin controlled areas.

The KIO has offered to end warfare if the government will initiate talks for a nationwide ceasefire. But Burmese government authorities did not show any consent in a recent e-mail, according to La Nang, a spokesman for the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).

Burma’s 64-year-old Panglong Agreement has been ignored by the successive Burmese regimes. The said agreement has also been ignored by the current President Thein Sein government. The Panglong Agreement was signed on Feb. 12, 1947, between General Aung San and leaders of the Chin, Kachin and Shan ethnic groups guaranteeing a genuine federal union of Burma.

This is not the first time Suu Kyi calls for peace. Last month, the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi released a statement dated June 20 calling both government and KIO to stop heavy fighting immediately in order to protect people’s lives and properties. It also called for peaceful talks between stakeholders to settle down the decade-long political crisis of the country.

The NLD led by Suu Kyi has long been in opposition with the existing authorities who have run the country since a 1962 coup. Her latest comments are likely to enrage the new nominally civilian government, despite signs of a thawing of ties.

Suu Kyi has called for a “Second Pinlong Agreement”, between the government and ethnic groups. The said agreement is still standing as a key question for over 60 years.

In last December, the Burmese junta’s two mouthpiece newspapers criticized dissident politicians who believe genuine national reconciliation and support Aung San Suu Kyi. Burma’s military rulers dismissed the actions of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who tries to revive the spirit of Panglong Agreement providing self-reliance to ethnic nationalities, as a “cheap political stunt”.

“If someone truly wants to engage in politics with the aim of supporting the state’s interest, one should proceed plainly, officially and candidly within the structure of the constitution,” the article said.

On the contrary, Suu Kyi and her party NLD, which has been officially shut down by the authorities, have pushed for a “second Panlong Agreement,” with the backing of some key ethnic groups that oppose the regime’s 2008 constitution.

The idea of Panglong Agreement is no longer suitable to the current country’s situation and is even a threat to peace and stability, the commentaries in the state-owned papers said. It even mocked people suggesting an online conference using the Internet.

Burma’s military-backed government has optimism with 7 Nov. election last year that it will bring all ethnicities together as a union. However it has produced the opposite consequence. Key ethnic armed organizations opposed the 2008 constitution and November’s ballot results as sham and farce. http://asiancorrespondent.com/61224/suu-kyi-calls-for-nationwide-ceasefire-through-an-open-letter/
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Five Military Generals under Investigation in Naypyidaw
By THE IRRAWADDY Thursday, July 28, 2011

Five top military generals from the Burmese army, suspected of corruption and exploiting their positions, are currently being questioned by Commander-in-Chief Gen Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw.

According to the military sources in the capital, those under investigation are: Maj-Gen Kyaw Phyo, the adjutant general of the army; Maj-Gen Khin Zaw Oo, the chairman of the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd; Maj-Gen Myint Soe, one of the commanders of the Bureau of Special Operations (BSO); Brig-Gen Than Tun Oo, the commander of the Triangle Regional Military Command; and Brig-Gen Khin Maung Htay, the commander of the Coastal Regional Military Command.

“Myint Soe was involved in corruption regarding the sale of land when he was commander of Northwest Regional Military Command. At that time, Thar Aye, the current prime minister of Sagaing Division, complained about the matter in a letter to the president,” said a military source.

"I heard that complaints had been received about commanders—both former and current—for the coastal and triangle regional commands,” he added.

The generals under investigation are still in active duty, however. A second military source said that if no strong evidence emerges, he expects the generals will get away with just a warning.

On 22 July, Maj-Gen Tin Ngwe of the BSO was dismissed from duty accused of involvement in a multi-million-dollar land deal in Mandalay. The current prime minister of Mandalay Division, Ye Myint, who is the former central regional military commander, reportedly produced strong evidence against Tin Ngwe.

Following Min Aung Hlaing's appointment as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the first military general to be dismissed was Maj-Gen Tun Than, the commander of Rangoon Division Military Command.

Military observers said that, if the accused generals are dismissed, Min Aung Hlaing will probably hand their positions to generals close to him.

“As commander-in-chief, it is expected that he will offer important positions to those he trusts,” an observer said. “Building power and mandate is a tradition within the Tatmadaw [Burmese armed forces].”

According to the military sources who spoke to The Irrawaddy, Min Aung Hlaing is working under the direct instruction of Snr-Gen Than Shwe. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21789
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Suu Kyi: Ready to Help Resolve Ethnic Conflicts
By WAI MOE Thursday, July 28, 2011

Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said on Thursday that she is ready to become involved in efforts to resolve ongoing armed conflicts between Naypyidaw and ethnic armed groups.

“I am ready to get involved and try to support ceasefire and peace processes with all of my efforts,” Suu Kyi wrote in an open letter to President Thein Sein and leaders of the ethnic armed groups the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the Karen National Union (KNU), the New Mon State Army (NMSA) and the Shan State Army (SSA).

In the letter, she called for a ceasefire and peaceful solution in the near future to the ongoing conflicts in the interest of “all ethnic people living in the Union of Burma.”

She also said that using force in conflicts only has a bad impact on both sides. She said the military way could not achieve national reconciliation, which could only be reached through political dialogue.

“If we resolve conflict political through dialogue, we will get real national solidarity, which can guarantee the peace of the Union,” the pro-democracy leader said. “We can develop the nation only when the Union is peaceful and stable.”

Suu Kyi said in the letter that the ongoing armed conflicts in Kachin, Shan, Karen and Mon states between the government army and ethnic armed groups have caused local ethnic populations to suffer and also affected neighboring countries.

The new administration led by President Thein Sein came into office on March 30. However, since then, tensions between Naypyidaw and armed groups in ethnic areas in northern and eastern Burma have intensified, with fresh conflicts breaking out with the KIO and the SSA, two former ceasefire groups.

The ethnic groups mentioned in Suu Kyi’s open letter said they would welcome her involvement in efforts to resolve Burma's ethnic tensions as a positive step toward national reconciliation.

“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s efforts for peace are a really good move. Not only ethnic armed groups but also all pro-democracy forces in the country want and have long called for a political dialogue to resolve ongoing conflicts,” La Nan, joint-secretary of the KIO, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, shortly after reading the letter.

Since Suu Kyi is a key political figure in Burma and the country's most internationally recognized figure, her involvement is ceasefire efforts would be good for all ethnic people, La Nan said, adding the KIO leadership is scheduled to discuss the letter.

Zipporah Sein, general secretary of the KNU, said the group welcomes Suu Kyi’s efforts and concern about the conflicts in ethnic areas, adding that “the KNU takes the same stand that conflicts have to be resolved politically through dialogue.”

“We need peace for the Union. But the prolonged conflicts are caused by dictatorships, not ethnic minorities,” she said.

Nai Hang Thar, the secretary of New Mon State Party, said, “We welcome anyone who wants to work for peace, because that is what we need in this country. If Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is going to work on it, so much the better.”

In responding to Suu Kyi’s readiness to help resolve conflicts in ethnic area, Col Sai Htoo, the assistant secretary general of the Shan State Army, said he would like to thank the Nobel Peace Prize laureate for her efforts.

“However, real peace and stability in the nation depends on the regime’s willingness to achieve them,” Sai Htoo added.

Possible Ceasefire?

Meanwhile, KIO sources have said that the group appears to be moving closer to a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government.

“According to recent letters from a key government negotiator, including one received today, they [the government] seem to want a ceasefire with Kachin troops as soon as possible,” said La Nan, speaking to The Irrawaddy on Thursday.

“We do not know what kind of dilemmas they are facing, but they seem quite urgent about signing a treaty. But we want a more solid and long-term ceasefire agreement,” he said, adding that the two sides have held talks and exchanged a number of letters in recent days.

He added that Col Than Aung, Kachin State’s minister for security and border affairs, sent a draft ceasefire agreement that now includes a post-ceasefire political dialogue—something that Naypyidaw refused to agree to in the past.

“Previously the government side repeatedly rejected our calls for a nationwide ceasefire, but in the draft agreement we received, the government side acknowledged that a ceasefire in the whole country was needed to achieve a genuine peace,” he added.

He said the KIO wants the government to announce a nationwide ceasefire within 15 days of signing the agreement, and for the ceasefire to come into effect within 48 hours.So far, the government has not responded to these demands.

The government negotiators and KIO officials are scheduled to meet on Friday in Lajayang, a village on the Myitkyina-Bhamo road, near the KIO headquarters of Laiza.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21791
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July 28, 2011
Burma Democracy Leader Urges Talks to End Ethnic Conflicts
VOA News

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi talks to reporters about her trip to Bagan, at her home in Yangon, July 11, 2011
Photo: Reuters
Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi talks to reporters about her trip to Bagan, at her home in Yangon (File Photo - July 11, 2011)

Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has issued what she calls an "earnest appeal" for the government and ethnic groups to begin immediate peace talks.

In an open letter made available to VOA's Burmese service Thursday, Aung San Suu Kyi also says she is prepared to assist the peace process to the best of her ability.

The letter is addressed to President Thein Sein and organizations representing the Kachin, Karen, Mon and Shan ethnic minorities. Government forces have been waging a military offensive against strongholds of the ethnic armies for the last several weeks.

Aung San Suu Kyi says in her letter that ethnic harmony is of "utmost importance" to Burma, and that all sides will suffer if force is used to settle the conflicts. She says that only when peace is achieved on the basis of mutual understanding and respect can the country successfully strive for development. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/southeast/Suu-Kyi-Urges-Talks-to-End-Burmas-Ethnic-Conflicts-126324713.html
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Myanmar's Suu Kyi seeks end to ethnic fighting
(July 28th, 2011 @ 5:39am)

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has called upon Myanmar's new president to implement a cease-fire and open peace talks to end fighting with ethnic guerrilla groups.

Suu Kyi's open letter sent Thursday to President Thein Sein and four rebellious ethnic groups warns that their conflict can expand if not addressed through genuine negotiations.

She offered to assist in any way she could to help achieve a cease-fire. Ethnic minority groups have been fighting for decades for more autonomy.

Fighting erupted last month near the Chinese border after the army demanded that ethnic Kachin guerrillas withdraw from positions near a Myanmar-Chinese joint venture hydropower project.

The Shan, Mon and Karen are the other ethnic groups to whom Suu Kyi appealed. http://www.620ktar.com/category/world-news-articles/20110728/Myanmar
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Aung Suu Kyi urges ceasefire in ethnic conflicts
By Aung Hla Tun

YANGON, July 28 | Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:27pm IST

(Reuters) - Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi appealed on Thursday for dialogue and an immediate ceasefire between major ethnic rebel groups and government troops believed to be fighting on four different fronts.

In an open letter sent to the country's army-backed president, Thein Sein, Suu Kyi offered to mediate between the government and the rebels, and said national reconciliation was impossible as long as the fighting continued.

"There is a danger that it will spread to neighbouring counties," the letter said.

"National reconciliation cannot be achieved by military means. Genuine national solidarity, that can guarantee the future of the Union, can only be achieved through political negotiation."

The country, which was formally called Burma, is now officially known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner has long been at odds with the powerful generals who have controlled Myanmar since a 1962 coup and her latest comments are likely to rile the new nominally civilian government, despite signs of a thawing of ties. [ID:nL3E7IP28M]

Suu Kyi was released from a seven-year stint of house arrest in November last year and has been a staunch advocate of autonomy under a federal republic for at least three of Myanmar's ethnic groups.

Suu Kyi has called for a "Second Pinlong Agreement", between the government and ethnic groups that have spent most of the past six decades engaged in on-off conflict.

ETHNIC TENSIONS

The Pinlong Agreement was drafted in 1947 and backed by Suu Kyi's late father, General Aung San, who was instrumental in securing independence from Britain. Aung San was assassinated in July 1947 and the Pinlong deal was never put into effect.

Myanmar's army, known as the "Tatmadaw", has battled since June with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and exiled media Burmese outlets have reported fighting this week between government troops and the Shan State Army (SSA). Both Shan and Kachin states border China.

Separate clashes have also been reported along the eastern border involving the Tatmadaw forces, ethnic Mon rebels and the Karen National Union (KNU).

Independent information about fighting in Myanmar's remote, mountainous border regions is difficult to obtain and the government rarely acknowledges its troops are engaged in conflict with ethnic militias.

Myanmar's former military rulers had hoped an election held on Nov. 7 last year would unite one of Asia's most ethnically diverse countries, but it had the opposite effect.

Ballots were cancelled in many areas under the control of militias, whose applications to form their own political parties were rejected because their fighters refused to disarm in accordance with the government's demands.

The government did not respond kindly to Suu Kyi's last calls in December for negotiations to end the border conflicts, accusing her of carrying out a "cheap political stunt" that threatened peace and unity. [ID:nSGE6B704E]

(Reporting by Aung Hla Tun; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Sugita Katyal) http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/07/28/idINIndia-58503520110728?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=southAsiaNews&rpc=401
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Dissent in Burma army ranks sparks disunity in new govt
By Zin Linn Jul 28, 2011 2:00PM UTC

Harsh conditions are being faced by the Burma Army’s ordinary soldiers and junior officers, especially after the recent decrease of supplies to their family members. The problem has caused several responsible commanding officers to tend resignations, the Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N.) said.

Among those commanding officers, Lt-Gen Myint Soe, Chief of the Bureau of Special Operations (BSO) ‘1’ also takes part. BSO ‘1’ which composed of more than 200 brigadier-generals and colonels, oversees security in Kachin, Chin and Sagaing regions.

The indirect protest from those military officers has brought “reformist” President Thein Sein and “hardliner” Vice President Tin Aung Myint Oo to meet head-on.

Thein Sein had reportedly asked “Naypyitaw”, believed to be the retired Senior General Than Shwe, to suspend all the military campaigns currently being waged in Karen, Shan and Kachin states, to relieve of the pressure before dealing with the problems of the rank and file, according to Shan Herald Agency for News.

According to President Thein Sein, Burma Army troops must be withdrawn away from the headquarters of the ethnic groups. But, Tin Aung Myint Oo thought the military operations, particularly against the Shan State Army (SSA) North, ought to continue and that the problems inside the Army could be resolved after receiving a loan from China.

“We must destroy the groups one after another,” one of the generals supporting Tin Aung Myint Oo’s view was quoted as saying. “And the total control of the SSA areas (west of the Salween) will enable us to defeat the Wa (east of the Salween).”

The United Wa State Army (UWSA) has reportedly ordered all of its frontline units on 24-hour alert along the Salween river, a shared border with its ally the Shan State Army (SSA) ‘North’. The UWSA have alerted all of its troops to be ready to defend Wa State, although they do not want war. They will not fire the first shot, said a senior Wa officer.

Throughout these days, several soldiers from Burma Army troops warring with the Shan State Progress Party/ Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) in Shan State South have reportedly been deserting from the battlefields, local sources reported.

The disagreement between “reformist” President Thein Sein and “hardliner” Vice President Tin Aung Myint Oo were so bitter it seemed ‘Naypyitaw’ had become “too small for the two men to live together,” according to the source. “Both sides looked to Than Shwe to stick his oar in, which he did,” source said. Thein Sein and Tin Aung Myint Oo have to stay in status quo helping unity of the armed forces. By doing so, Than Shwe advised, the unity of the Burma Army, should be maintained at all costs, the source said. The source said it has a document in possession to support his report, According to (S.H.A.N.).

Lt-Gen Yawdserk, leader of the Restoration Council of Shan State / Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA), better known as the SSA South, said the report corresponded to the situation on the ground. “Wanhai (the SSA North HQ) was supposed to have been taken last week,” he said. “But so far Burmese troops around Wanhai have not made any significant move.”

At the same time, troops from neighboring townships are being ordered to march toward Kehsi Township in Shan State South. Kehsi is 25 miles southwest of Wanhai.

The SSA South leader said his units had been engaged in ambushes against Burma Army convoys moving to Mongnawng, some 30 miles south of Kehsi, yesterday.

However, this war upon the ethnic population launched by Burma Army generates not only deserters from Burmese military but also victims from Shan villages.

Currently, political activists in Burma have been taking historic risks with a signature-campaign to release political prisoners and to stop the aggressive wars on ethnic people what they say is discrimination by the President Thein Sein government.

Currently, the military-dominated Burmese government and the Kachin rebels are in the process of signing a ceasefire agreement. KIO, a member of the ethnic alliance United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), has offered to stop fighting as a nationwide ceasefire. But Burmese authorities said they would negotiate cease-fire in Kachin State first. Then in accordance with the example of Kachin State, they would try to achieve a cease-fire in other states, La Nang a spokesman for KIO said.

Some political analysts believe releasing over 2,000 political prisoners and stopping the aggressive wars on ethnic people are the most important topics to be addressed by the new ‘Thein Sein government’.

Releasing political prisoners and calling peace to armed ethnic groups would provide evidence to the international community that government is genuine about bringing about political change and embracing real democratic values. http://asiancorrespondent.com/61170/does-burma%E2%80%99s-war-against-ethnicities-cause-disunity-in-the-new-government/
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Better Monitoring of US Aid to Burma Required: Govt Report
By LALIT K JHA Thursday, July 28, 2011

WASHINGTON — A US governmental report on the effectiveness of US aid to Burma in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis said there is a need for better monitoring of American aid money to this impoverished Southeast Asian nation.

The report, released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Wednesday, said that the US provided around US $85 million to assist victims of Cyclone Nargis, which killed an estimated 140,000 people and affected some 2.4 million others when it struck in May 2008.

Around $38 million of this was provided as part of the $335 million spent by various UN agencies involved in the relief and recovery efforts. According to the report, of the $85 million US response, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which led US efforts, provided about $72 million, while another $13 million from the Department of Defense was used to procure and deliver emergency relief supplies.

According to the report, responders found it difficult to reach affected areas because the Burmese government limited their travel and the infrastructure was poor.

“Responders also had difficulty coordinating between headquarters and field offices for several reasons, including limited telecommunication services,” the report said, adding that a US report highlighted coordination challenges amongst US agencies, stating that agencies’ conflicting agendas resulted in difficulties related to the appropriateness, timing, procurement and distribution of aid.

Implementation challenges include supplies that were incompatible with local conditions, such as medicines with instructions printed in non-Burmese languages and difficulties monitoring aid.

“Capacity challenges included a lack of experienced disaster specialists in Burma, which resulted in non-qualified individuals being placed in positions out of necessity,” the GAO report said.

In its report, the GAO recommended enhancing financial monitoring of agreements by including periodic reviews of grantee internal controls, transactions, and disbursement records. It also suggested providing grantees with specific guidance on the approval process for international travel requests, and ensuring that USAID staff monitor grantees’ expenditures for compliance with related laws, regulations, and grant agreements.

In the weeks following the cyclone, the Burmese government said it would accept international aid but refused to allow international aid workers into the country, insisting that the disaster could be handled internally and that foreign experts were not needed.

Despite the inability of international aid workers to get into Burma for the first few weeks after the disaster and government restrictions on their movement within the country when they were allowed in, some aid was delivered, the report said. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21786
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Mon IDPs Face Food Shortages
By LAWI WENG Thursday, July 28, 2011

Thousands of Mon internally displaced persons (IDPs) living near Burma's Three Pagodas Pass are facing food shortages because Thai border authorities have denied aid agencies permission to transport rice to the area, according to border sources.

The Thai authorities have reportedly taken this action because of security concerns in the area, where tensions between Mon ethnic rebels and Burmese government troops have raised fears of a return to open hostilities.

Nai Khine, the secretary of the IDP camp in Halockhani, on the Thai-Burmese border, said that 3,603 people from four villages lack adequate supplies of rice, making it difficult for them to sustain their livelihoods.

The Halockhani camp includes residents of four villages: Baleh-hani, Kyaik-soi-mon, Baleh-Donephai and Hteewadoh.

“There are about 10 families from Baleh-Donephai who are eating rice soup because they don't have enough rice to cook,” said Nai Khine.

“Many of them come to me every day and ask me when they will get more rice. I told them that senior leaders are still working on it,” he added.

The Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC), which provides rice to IDPs from Mon State, was not available for comment when contacted by The Irrawaddy.

A source from the Mon Relief and Development Committee (MRDC), which helps Mon IDPs along the border, said that the TBBC requested permission from the Thai authorities early in May to transport rice to the resettlement site in Halockhani.

The Thai authorities did not give permission, however, saying that the border situation is unstable due to frequent fighting around Three Pagodas Pass, which is about 16 km from Halockhani.

Earlier this month, leaders of the New Mon State Party, an ethnic armed group that has had increasingly tense relations with the Burmese army since last year, asked the Thai authorities for permission to transport rice to the border after the TBBC's request was rejected.

However, the NMSP's request came as Thailand was dealing with three separate Thai military helicopter crashes along the border, killing a total of 17 soldiers.

“We hope to get permission after the Thais have taken care of their problems on the border,” said the MRDC source.

Normally, the MRDC would have distributed rice to the IDPs at Halockhani twice by this time of year, but so far this year, they have received none. The rice is usually purchased in Sangkhlaburi, in Thailand's Kanchanaburi Province.

Burmese troops are stationed at Three Pagodas Pass, the nearest town to Halockhani, making it unsafe as a source of rice for the IDPs.

At present, the only source of rice is the Ban Ton Yang refugee camp, where rice is available for 250 baht (US $8.35) per 15 kg basket.

“If not for the Ban Tong Yan camp, we couldn't buy rice even if we had money,” said Nai Hlai, an IDP from Halockhani.

The TBBC, which normally provides 16 kg of rice per month to every person living in three resettlement sites in Mon areas, including Halockhani, Bee Ree and Tavoy, which have a total of 9,493 IDPs, will provide only 13.5 kg this year.

The disruption in the supply of rice has forced IDPs to struggle to find other ways to support themselves, including seasonal work such as cutting bamboo shoot, selling vegetables and hunting.

“We only earn 50 to 60 baht ($1.65-2.00) a day from these jobs, which are not regularly available. This is how we get rice to cook,” said Nai Hlai. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21787
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Myanmar-Oman World Cup Qualifier Stopped By Fan Violence
Myanmar Oman World Cup Qualifier
07/28/11 10:54 AM ET AP

YANGON, Myanmar — A World Cup qualifier between Myanmar and Oman was abandoned Thursday after home fans threw water bottles and stones onto the field, hitting some players.

Oman was leading 2-0, and 4-0 on total goals, when the violence broke out in the first half. Players ran for safety to the locker room. Myanmar soccer chief Zaw Zaw appealed for calm but was also forced to leave the field.

The unrest came after Oman was awarded a penalty kick that Ismail converted in the 39th minute to make it 2-0.

It wasn't immediately clear if the game would be replayed or whether Oman would be declared the winner by forfeit. Oman will almost certainly reach the third round of group play. Myanmar is likely to face disciplinary action from FIFA. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/28/myanmar-oman-world-cup-qu_n_912024.html

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