News & Articles on Burma-Tuesday, 5 July, 2011

News & Articles on Burma
Tuesday, 5 July, 2011
--------------------------------
Suu Kyi Recounts NLD History in BBC Lecture
Myanmar's Suu Kyi keeps low profile on upcountry trip
Myanmar democracy leader Suu Kyi’s private trip draws crowds
Suu Kyi welcomes Thai poll outcome
Suu Kyi travels to Bagan
Suu Kyi confident in new Thai PM
Thein Nyunt calls up veteran politicians
Regional Commanders Reshuffled
Burma's Police Chief Meets Chinese Counterparts
----------------------------------





--------------------------------------
July 05, 2011
Suu Kyi Recounts NLD History in BBC Lecture
VOA News

Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, left, greets a woman during her visit to a pagoda along with her youngest son Kim Aris, right, in Myanmar's ancient city of Bagan Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Photo: AP
Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, left, greets a woman during her visit to a pagoda along with her youngest son Kim Aris, right, in Myanmar's ancient city of Bagan Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi explores the recent history of her National League for Democracy and the what drives people to dissent in a BBC lecture recorded for broadcast Tuesday.

The lecture is the second of two to be secretly recorded in Burma by the British broadcasters and smuggled to London for airing. The broadcast comes as Aung San Suu Kyi is visiting with her son Kim Aris in the Burmese pagoda city of Bagan.

It is her first trip outside Rangoon since she was freed from house arrest in November. While she is not conducting any political activities in Bagan, the trip is seen as a test of the limits to her newfound freedom.

In the BBC broadcast, Aung San Suu Kyi describes the unique nature of the NLD and its struggle to find an appropriate role for itself. The party overwhelmingly won elections in 1990 but was never permitted by the Burmese military to assume power.

In the lecture, the Nobel Peace laureate also discusses what drives a person to dissent even knowing the sacrifices involved. Aung San Suu Kyi has spent most of the time since the 1990 elections under house arrest.

In the first lecture aired a week ago, Aung San Suu Kyi compared development in Burma to the Arab Spring protests in the Middle East.

She called those uprisings an "inspiration" to her people and said the Burmese envy the people of Tunisia and Egypt for their "quick and peaceful" transitions. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Suu-Kyi-Recounts-NLD-History-in-BBC-Lecture-124999239.html
-----------------------------------------
Myanmar's Suu Kyi keeps low profile on upcountry trip
Reuters // 5:25 a.m. EDT, July 5, 2011

BAGAN, Myanmar (Reuters) - Trailed by undercover police, Myanmar pro-Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi kept a low profile on Tuesday as she visited pagodas on the second day of a countryside visit that is testing the patience of the military-backed government.

The visit to Bagan, an ancient city 690 km (430 miles) north of Yangon known for centuries-old Buddhist temples, is the first time the 66-year-old Nobel laureate has left Yangon since her release from house arrest in November.

But she was not rallying big crowds after her National League for Democracy (NLD) urged her followers to stay away, fearing a repeat of a bloody attack on her motorcade in 2003 in which 70 of her supporters were killed. The NLD is banned but remains politically active.

[Sample Our Free Breaking News Alert And 3 P.M. News Newsletters]

That was the last time she left Yangon, where she subsequently spent seven years in detention until her release last November.

She is now allowed to travel where she wants. But the government warned last month of "chaos and riots" if she sought to rally supporters and accused her of trying to exploit the public.

The trip by Suu Kyi and her British-born son, Kim Aris, was described as a pilgrimage by the NLD. She held no political rallies or high-profile public events during the visit.

She visited four pagodas accompanied by plainclothes police and NLD security, appearing calm and relaxed and telling reporters she was enjoying the trip.

She praised the general election in neighboring Thailand on Sunday as "free and fair" and welcomed its winners, the opposition Puea Thai Party led by businesswoman Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

"I expect the ties between Myanmar and Thailand to get better," she said.

One resident said the authorities had instructed trustees of the pagodas before her arrival "not to give Aung San Suu Kyi any special VIP treatment."

Since her release from house arrest, the daughter of slain independence hero Aung San has been conciliatory in her comments about the country's rulers and has urged dialogue.

The charismatic figurehead of Myanmar's fight against five decades of dictatorship has not been troubled by the new civilian government, which is dominated by members of the previous military regime that long sought to undermine her.

However, she is still frequently criticized in commentaries carried by state-run newspapers, which act as mouthpieces for the country's hardline rulers.

In February, newspapers accused her of provocative acts that could lead to a "tragic end" for her and the NLD.[nSGE71C00L]

The government said last Wednesday it was not responsible for ensuring Suu Kyi's safety, comments that drew sharp rebukes from the United States, Australia and Britain, which said they went against the government's pledge of reconciliation.

(Reporting by Aung Hla Tun; Writing by Jason Szep; Editing by Alan Raybould and Yoko Nishikawa) http://www.courant.com/news/nation-world/sns-rt-us-myanmar-suukyitre7641ag-20110705,0,880612.story
-----------------------------------------
Myanmar democracy leader Suu Kyi’s private trip draws crowds; police do not intervene
By Associated Press, Published: July 4 | Updated: Tuesday, July 5, 5:37 PM

BAGAN, Myanmar — Myanmar’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was supposed to be on a private tour of the temple city of Bagan, but she drew crowds Tuesday in a test of the government’s tolerance after it warned her against political appearances.

Suu Kyi, in her first trip out of the main city of Yangon since she was released from house arrest in November, was visiting the ancient city with her youngest son.

“I am very happy. This is my first vacation with my son in twenty years,” Suu Kyi told reporters after praying at one of Bagan’s famous temples. “I never have enough sleep at home but now I want to sleep all the time. I have time to rest.”

However, she and son Kim were mobbed by a small crowd of local residents and shadowed by dozens of plainclothes police during the second day of her visit.

The police made no moves to break up the gatherings.

Suu Kyi has said she will soon travel around the country to meet her political supporters, drawing a warning in the state-controlled press that she could cause chaos.

Suu Kyi drew large crowds when she last made a trip to the countryside in 2003, and her popularity badly rattled the then-military government. Supporters of the junta ambushed her entourage as it toured northern Myanmar, killing several of her followers. She escaped but was detained. There were suspicions that the attack was organized by the army, which denied involvement.

Suu Kyi often faced problems in the past when she traveled outside Yangon — where she lives and her National League for Democracy is headquartered — with the government stopping her motorcades.

Although her reception in Bagan was relatively modest, with perhaps 100-200 supporters and the curious turning out to see her at various stops, the area is loosely populated and publicity over Suu Kyi’s plans has been low-key. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmars-pro-democracy-leader-suu-ky-makes-private-trip-into-countryside-1st-since-release/2011/07/04/gHQA8xgRxH_story.html?wprss=rss_world
---------------------------------------------
Suu Kyi welcomes Thai poll outcome
Press Trust Of India
Bagan, July 05, 2011
First Published: 13:04 IST(5/7/2011)
Last Updated: 13:21 IST(5/7/2011)

Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi today welcomed Thailand's election outcome, which paves the way for Yingluck Shinawatra to become the country's first female Prime Minister. "I like that she's a woman but the most important thing is the relationship between the two nations and
our people," Suu Kyi told reporters on the second day of her visit to the ancient temple city of Bagan in central Myanmar.

"We also have to welcome the government democratically elected by the people," she said, also expressing hopes that ties with neighbouring Thailand would remain strong under 44-year-old Yingluck's administration.

Yingluck's Puea Thai party, allied to her brother Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a coup five years ago, stormed to a majority victory in Sunday's vote, taking a majority of the seats in Thailand's lower house.

While Suu Kyi's own opposition party won a landslide election in Myanmar in 1990, the military junta never allowed it to take power, and she has spent much of the last two decades in jail or under house arrest.

The 66-year-old Nobel peace laureate was sidelined in the first election to be held since then, in November last year, and her party was disbanded by the generals for boycotting the vote.

The junta's political proxies claimed an overwhelming victory in the poll, which was marred by widespread complaints of cheating and intimidation. http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/myanmar/Suu-Kyi-welcomes-Thai-poll-outcome/Article1-717500.aspx
---------------------------------------------------
Suu Kyi travels to Bagan
July 5 2011 at 09:10am
AP

Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi arrives at Nyaung Oo airport in Bagan, Myanmar.

Bagan - Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi visited an ancient city of temples and met with her youngest son during her first trip into the countryside since her release from house arrest in Yangon in November.

The 66-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate planned to spend four days on a private trip to Bagan - also known as Pagan - where her son Kim Aris also was visiting from Britain. She last went there in 1989 for a political appearance that drew thousands of residents.

Suu Kyi plans further trips to meet supporters outside Yangon, the country's largest city, although the state-controlled media warned her last week against political trips, saying they could cause chaos and riots.

Her last political trip to the countryside in 2003 drew huge crowds but also the wrath of the then-ruling military junta, whose supporters ambushed her entourage. She eventually was detained and placed under house arrest.

Suu Kyi arrived in Bagan by plane on Monday and was met at the airport by her son, her pet dog and a host of plainclothes security police and reporters.

Suu Kyi's security aides said she will relax and unwind in Bagan. “One of her pastimes in Bagan will be drawing. One of her close aides has bought canvas and painting paraphernalia,” said one, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

Suu Kyi often faced problems in the past when she traveled outside Yangon, with the government stopping her motorcades.

A trip to Mandalay by train in 1996 was aborted when authorities said her carriage had mechanical problems. During her second attempt to travel there by train in 2001, the government stopped her at the station and placed under house arrest for 18 months. - Sapa-AP
http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/suu-kyi-travels-to-bagan-1.1093422
----------------------------------------------
Suu Kyi confident in new Thai PM
By AFP
Published: 5 July 2011

Burma’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday welcomed Thailand’s election outcome, which paves the way for Yingluck Shinawatra to become the country’s first female prime minister.

“I like that she’s a woman but the most important thing is the relationship between the two nations and our people,” Suu Kyi told reporters on the second day of her visit to the ancient temple city of Bagan in central Burma.

“We also have to welcome the government democratically elected by the people,” she said, also expressing hopes that ties with neighbouring Thailand would remain strong under 44-year-old Yingluck’s administration.

Yingluck’s Puea Thai party, allied to her brother Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a coup five years ago, stormed to a majority victory in Sunday’s vote, taking a majority of the seats in Thailand’s lower house.

While Suu Kyi’s own opposition party won a landslide election in Burma in 1990, the military junta never allowed it to take power, and she has spent much of the last two decades in jail or under house arrest.

The 66-year-old Nobel peace laureate was sidelined in the first election to be held since then, in November last year, and her party was disbanded by the generals for boycotting the vote.

The junta’s political proxies claimed an overwhelming victory in the poll, which was marred by widespread complaints of cheating and intimidation.

Suu Kyi is on her first trip outside Rangoon since being freed from years of house arrest a few days after the election and politics is not on the agenda.

But the high-profile vacation is seen as test of her ability to travel freely around the country, albeit under the watchful eyes of the regime.
http://www.dvb.no/news/suu-kyi-confident-in-new-thai-pm/16442
-----------------------------------------
Thein Nyunt calls up veteran politicians
By AHUNT PHONE MYAT
Published: 5 July 2011

More than 10 politicians who cut their teeth in the National League for Democracy have joined Thein Nyunt, an opposition parliamentarian who defected from the National Democratic Force this year, as he pushes ahead with a bid to set up a new party.

Also included in the party, which if approved by the Union Election Commission will operate under the title of New National Democratic Party, are five serving parliamentarians, one of whom is Thein Nyunt.

His decision to form a new party comes after the one-time senior NLD member was expelled from the NDF, which itself split off from the NLD so that it could compete in the November 2010 elections.

Thein Nyunt was accused by fellow NDF leaders, notably party co-founder Khin Maung Swe, of sharing sensitive policy details with the media and accusing the party of using foreign funding, a practice that is illegal under Burmese law. Thein Nyunt responded that the party had failed to carry out a financial audit it had promised to do.

A request to form the New National Democratic Party was made yesterday in Burma’s capital, Naypyidaw, and listed the names of 20 founding members. Thein Nyunt said that “12 of the 20 founders previously worked with the National League for Democracy for over 20 years – they have experiences in the 1990 elections and also participated in the 2010 elections”.

Also included is the popular Burmese hip hop artist, Yatha, who rose to fame in 2006 and since has appeared on an MTV Exit programme on human trafficking in neighbouring Thailand.

Relations between Thein Nyunt and his former colleagues in the NDF have not improved, and bitterness clearly remains.

“I chose the name National Democratic Force for my former party in the 2010 elections; it was formed by me and those from the NLD who … wanted to participate in the elections,” he said.

“But they expelled me 10 days after we won the elections but that’s their decision. Now I’m forming the New National Democratic Party to get back on the election track. We are forming this party with people who have been loyal for 20 years, not those who are cunning and who will stab politics in the back.”

The party is preparing for the interim elections, Thein Nyunt said, rumours of which have circulated since the appointment of more than 40 MPs to cabinet posts and advisory committees following the first session of parliament in February. Under Burmese parliamentary legislation, those seats must be replaced via a second round of votes.

No details about the interim elections have been released, and it is not yet known whether anything has been finalised. The head of the Union Election Commission, Thein Soe, said in a recent parliamentary session however that they may be held October or November this year.
http://www.dvb.no/news/thein-nyunt-calls-up-veteran-politicians/16446
--------------------------------------
Regional Commanders Reshuffled
By WAI MOE Monday, July 4, 2011

In the first major development within Burma's military since it officially handed over power to a quasi-civilian administration on March 30, the War Office in Naypyidaw has reshuffled the commanders of at least six Regional Military Commands (RMCs) and filled two other important posts.

According to information leaked by military sources on Monday, the War Office, under Commander in Chief of Defense Services Gen Min Aung Hlaing, issued the reshuffle order on Friday, implementing a decision made during a triannual meeting of military commanders held in late May.

The latest reshuffle did not involve any promotions, as most of the regional commanders will simply be changing places, according to a military source.

“Brig-Gen Tin Maung Win, the commander of the Southwest RMC, will take over the Western RMC from Brig-Gen Soe Thein. Brig-Gen Tun Than will move to the Southern RMC headquarters at Taungoo, while Brig-Gen Soe Htut of the Southern RMC has been shifted to Taunggyi, the headquarters of the Eastern RMC, and Brig-Gen San Oo from Taunggyi is now the Rangoon commander,” the source said.

Two other vacant positions were also filled, although no names were available for the new appointees.

One of the positions, chief of the Bureau of Special Operations-6, was formerly held by Lt-Gen Soe Win, who became the deputy commander in chief of the defense services earlier this year. The other, chief of armed forces training, was held by Lt-Gen Hla Htay Win until he was named joint-chief of staff (army, navy, air force) on March 30.

Although Burmese military sources mentioned only half a dozen regional commanders who had changed positions, an official from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) said on condition of anonymity that the KIA's intelligence indicated that 12 of the Burmese army's 14 RMC commanders had been reshuffled.

The only two exceptions, he said, were Brig-Gen Ye Aung of the Central RMC and Brig-Gen Zayar Aung of the Northern RMC, which has been engaged in sporadic clashes with the KIA since mid-June.

Although all the reshuffled commanders were informed about their new appointments two weeks ago, they did not move to their new posts until this past weekend, sources said.

All of the commanders who were affected by the recent reshuffle were promoted from commanders of light infantry divisions and commandants of military schools during a massive military reshuffle in August 2010. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21623
------

__._,_.___