News & Articles on Burma-Friday, 30 December 2011-UZL

News & Articles on Burma Friday, 30 December 2011 ----------------------------------------- Myanmar sets by-election date: Government official Myanmar chooses April 1 for by-elections date Myanmar's Suu Kyi to meet George Soros Rights group urges Burma amnesty The Lady and the General Burma Comes In From the Cold War and Peace in Eastern Burma War Erupts in Northern Burma At Long Last---Reform George Soros to spread his wealth in Burma? George Soros Heads to Myanmar Suu Kyi visits hundreds left homeless by Myanmar blast Myanmar ethnic armed troop of United Wa State Army UWSA Yangon explosions killed 17 people and injured 123 people -------------------------------------- Myanmar sets by-election date: Government official Published on Dec 30, 2011 Myanmar is to hold by-elections on April 1, a government official said on Friday, which could propel democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi into the army-dominated parliament. YANGON (AFP) - Myanmar is to hold by-elections on April 1, a government official said on Friday, which could propel democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi into the army-dominated parliament. 'The by-election will be held on April 1,' a Myanmar government official who asked not to be named told AFP. Ms Suu Kyi, who officially registered her opposition party a week ago, has already said she intends to stand in the polls. Her National League for Democracy (NLD) was given the green light by authorities to rejoin mainstream politics earlier this month, but is waiting for official approval of its application. http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_750224.html -------------------------------------- Myanmar chooses April 1 for by-elections date Agence France Presse December 30, 2011 9:15pm YANGON - Myanmar is to hold by-elections on April 1, a government official said Friday, which could propel democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi into the army-dominated parliament. "The by-election will be held on April 1," a Myanmar government official who asked not to be named told AFP. Suu Kyi, who officially registered her opposition party earlier this month, has already said she intends to stand in the polls. --- Agence France Presse http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/243129/news/world/myanmar-chooses-april-1-for-by-elections-date -------------------------------------------- Myanmar's Suu Kyi to meet George Soros Published on Dec 30, 2011 YANGON (AFP) - United States (US) billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros will meet Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon next week, a spokesman for the democracy campaigner said on Friday. The financier - one of the world's richest men who funds pro-democracy initiatives in Myanmar - will visit Ms Suu Kyi at her home on Monday, her party spokesman Nyan Win told AFP, without giving details of the topics to be discussed. 'It's not just investors from the US - top local businessmen have also met Daw Suu recently,' he said. Daw is a term of respect in Myanmar. Mr Soros, who made a huge fortune from speculating, has given away billions of dollars to philanthropic causes in recent years. His Open Society Foundations have funded a number of projects in Myanmar. http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_750226.html +++++++++++++ Suu Kyi to meet George Soros Friday, 30 December 2011 17:39 YANGON: US billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros will meet Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon next week, a spokesman for the democracy campaigner said on Friday. The financier one of the world's richest men who funds pro-democracy initiatives in Myanmar will visit Suu Kyi at her home on Monday, her party spokesman Nyan Win told AFP, without giving details of the topics to be discussed. "It's not just investors from the US top local businessmen have also met Daw Suu recently," he said. Daw is a term of respect in Myanmar. Soros, who made a huge fortune from speculating, has given away billions of dollars to philanthropic causes in recent years. His Open Society Foundations have funded a number of projects in Myanmar. The country, which remains subject to tough Western sanctions, was left impoverished and isolated by nearly half a century of military rule. A nominally civilian government, dominated by ex-generals, took power in March following controversial elections and has recently indicated a will to boost engagement with the outside world. Suu Kyi has received a steady stream of visitors in recent months, including United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in December, amid thawing relations with the regime. Suu Kyi has even met Myanmar tycoon Tay Za, who owns a string of luxury hotels and Myanmar airline Air Bagan and is a top target of US financial sanctions. http://www.brecorder.com/world/south-asia/40712-suu-kyi-to-meet-george-soros.html ----------------------------------------------- EVENING ECHO NEWS Rights group urges Burma amnesty 12/30/2011 - 8:46:07 AM A government-appointed human rights body has appealed to the president to release prisoners who are not a threat to stability, Burmese state media reported. Burma's three state-owned newspapers today ran the appeal by National Human Rights Commission chairman Win Mra calling on President Thein Sein to issue a general amnesty. Publication of the appeal is significant because the newspapers closely reflect government positions. However, previous such calls for a general amnesty have not resulted in a full release of inmates who are considered political prisoners. Kyi Kyi Nyunt said she will believe rumours of a general amnesty only once her brother, former student leader Min Ko Naing, comes home. He is serving a 65-year prison term. http://www.eecho.ie/news/world/rights-group-urges-burma-amnesty-533995.html ------------------------------------ The Lady and the General By THE IRRAWADDY Friday, December 30, 2011 Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has long called for a political dialogue with the country's rulers. Although she previously met with former dictator Snr-Gen Than Shwe, the talks did not bear anything close to fruit. So it was extraordinarily significant that she described as "satisfactory" her first meeting on Aug. 19 with President Thein Sein. The one-hour meeting in a presidential hall was carefully choreographed---a photograph of long-shunned national hero, Gen Aung San, who was Suu Kyi's father, hung from a wall in the background during the post-meeting photo-op. Little has been publicly declared by either side into the details of the meetings, but by describing Thein Sein "as open, honest and straightforward," Suu Kyi made it clear that there is room for her to work with his government. The NLD subsequently made the decision to re-enter the political process. For now, there appears no possibility of Suu Kyi pushing through amendments to the military-drafted Constitution, because such a proposal would require more than 75 percent of parliamentary votes, a non-starter in a parliament dominated by the Union Solidarity and Development Party and the military. But all eyes will be on Suu Kyi in 2012, and what will happen if and when she takes a seat in Parliament. Story links: "Suu Kyi, Thein Sein Hold First Talks" "UN and US, EU Lawmakers Welcome Suu Kyi-Thein Sein Talks" "Suu Kyi 'Satisfied' with Thein Sein Talks" http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22755 ------------------------------------ Burma Comes In From the Cold By THE IRRAWADDY Friday, December 30, 2011 Whatever baby steps Naypyidaw took toward political reform, it was clearly sufficient for its foreign critics; and the former pariah state suddenly found itself the most popular kid on the block. The visit to Burma in December by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was perhaps the highest profile of all diplomatic missions, and the first by a US foreign minister in 56 years. The US entourage met with President Thein Sein and his ministers in Naypyidaw, before an overjoyed and beaming Clinton embraced Suu Kyi a day later in Rangoon. Clinton's historic trip was described by observers as the opening of a diplomatic window, and a demonstration of Burma's success in playing off the West against its traditional allies China and India. But it could also signal the beginning of the end to the economic sanctions that has weighed on Burma for so long. Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa visited Burma twice in 2001, his trip acting as a prelude to the announcement that Naypyidaw would be granted the opportunity to chair Asean in 2014. Though the world unanimously continued to call for further political reforms in Burma, it was clear to all that the isolation that had wracked the country for so long was over. Story links: "Clinton Concludes Landmark Burma Trip" "Burma UN Special Envoy Meets Suu Kyi, NLD Executives" "Burma's Asean Chair Possible with Further Reform" http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22757 ---------------------------------------- War and Peace in Eastern Burma By THE IRRAWADDY Friday, December 30, 2011 It was a year of ups and downs for Burmese government delegations when it came to dealing with ethnic militias. While war flared with Karen and Kachin rebels, a Union-level Peace Discussion Group led by MP Aung Thaung was dispatched to reach ceasefire terms with the defiant Shan State Army--South (SSA-South) and the renegade Brigade 5 of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Pens were put to paper: the SSA-South signed a truce on Dec. 2, while Brigade 5's Brig-Gen Saw Lah Pwe agreed a ceasefire with government representatives on Dec. 11 in Karen State capital Pa-an. In late December, after several meetings, the government delegation also managed to reach an formal de'tente with Burma's largest and fiercest ethnic armed group, the 30,000-strong United Wa State Army and its ally the National Democratic Alliance Army. Government negotiators also met twice with representatives of the Karen National Union (KNU), a group with no more than 5,000 troops but one which has fought the central government for autonomy for nearly 64 years. The KNU says it will meet again with government representatives early in 2012. Story link: "Naypyidaw Signs Peace Agreement with SSA-South" "Karen Faction Sign Peace Deal with Burma Govt" "Govt Agrees Ceasefire Talks With Karen Rebels" http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22759 ------------------------------------------- War Erupts in Northern Burma By THE IRRAWADDY Friday, December 30, 2011 Seventeen years after signing a ceasefire, hostilities broke out between the Burmese army and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in June. The KIO is widely perceived as moderate in its politically dealings with the government, but its leadership finally lost patience with Naypyidaw and its armed units after a series of incidents raised tensions in the northern province. With an estimated force of 10,000 armed fighters, the Kachin rebels were never in danger of collapsing under the government's repeated assaults. Hand-to-hand fighting sparked across the northern region with the Burmese mostly suffering heavy casualties, at least according to KIO sources. Some 45,000 villagers caught in the crossfire were displaced from their homes in Kachin State and parts of northern Shan State, and are now sheltering at refugee camps or in the Kachin town of Laiza near the Sino-Burmese border. A government rights body, the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, reported that children in these war-torn zones were suffering from psychological trauma while adults were experiencing a sense of insecurity and diminished confidence. It estimated that 59 temporary camps had been set up in 11 townships to shelter the displaced, while 51 schools, accounting for a student population of 7,872 children, had been closed. President Thein Sein ordered his troops to end hostilities against the KIA in December, but skirmishes and hand-to-hand combat was reported up to the end of the year. Peace talks have been held several times, but to date no agreement has been reached. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22758 ---------------------------------------- At Long Last---Reform By THE IRRAWADDY Friday, December 30, 2011 Sworn into office on March 30, the new government has since announced a series of political and economic reforms. Some of the most notable include: increasing the pensions of civil servants; dismantling trade cartels; redrafting banking and foreign investment laws; revising the foreign exchange rate policy; and attempting to cooperate with the International Monetary Fund throughout these efforts. Perhaps more remarkable was President's Thein Sein's decision to sit down to a private meeting with Suu Kyi, and the subsequent changes to the elections laws that pave the way for her National League for Democracy party to rejoin the political landscape. The government has also shown an unusual tolerance of public political events in Rangoon and ordered the peaceful handling of three minor anti-government protests held respectively by activists, farmers and Buddhist monks. Also extraordinary is the government's marked relaxation of censorship control on the local media and lifting Internet restrictions. The parliament also approved bills allowing the establishing of labor unions and the right to public strikes, but these rights are still on the paper and it is unclear when they can take into effect. Although just a few hundred political prisoners were released as part of a general amnesty, observers are hopeful that all remaining dissidents are released from prison in the near future. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22760 ---------------------------------- George Soros to spread his wealth in Burma? Billionaire philanthropist now touring oppressed nation, soon to meet Aung San Suu Kyi Patrick WinnDecember 30, 2011 02:01 George Soros, the 81-year-old billionaire philanthropist, is currently in Burma. Soros is known for pouring his wealth towards pet causes and projects. There are more than a few struggling Burmese organizations that would like to become one of them. According to the Burmese-run Mizzima outlet, Soros has traveled to northern Shan State, a region armed separatists have struggled to control for decades. In coming days, the Wall Street Journal reports, he'll sit down with Aung San Suu Kyi, a democracy hero who acts as America's de factor policy advisor. Soros already devotes about $2 million a year to the pro-democracy cause in Burma, officially known as Myanmar, a nation ravaged by military oppression and civil war. His camp may very well announce even bigger donations as Burma's authoritarianism eases and the U.S. condones more international aid to the pariah state. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/the-rice-bowl/george-soros-spread-cash-burma ------------------------------------------- The Wall Street Journal December 30, 2011, 1:36 PM SGT. George Soros Heads to Myanmar Billionaire hedge fund manager and philanthropist George Soros is scheduled to become the next big international name to meet with Myanmars pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday in a fresh sign that the country is continuing to open up to the outside world. Nyan Win, spokesman for Ms. Suu Kyis National League for Democracy said Friday that the two are scheduled to meet in Yangon on Jan. 2 and that they will likely discuss the ongoing work of Mr. Soross charitable foundation in the country. The U.S.-based financiers Open Society Foundation donates around $2 million a year to projects in the country, often supporting educational programs and scholarships, and he is believed to be touring some of those projects this week with members of his family. Mr. Soros, 81 years old, couldnt immediately be reached for comment. His visit follows the early December visit of Hillary of Clinton, who became the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit the country in over 50 years. That trip helped further warm the blossoming relations between the two countries since Myanmars military rulers handed power to a new, nominally civilian government in March. Since then, the country has made tentative steps towards implementing a broader democracy, including freeing hundreds of political prisoners, engaging with long-persecuted ethnic minorities and allowing Ms. Suu Kyis political group to contest elections after she was detained for years under house arrest. Government advisers have described the reforms irreversible and the U.S. has responded by lifting a block on development assistance to the country, effectively freeing up specialists from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to help Myanmar officials liberalize their ossified economy. The Indonesian and Japanese foreign ministers also have visited Myanmar in the past week. William Hague, Britains foreign secretary, is scheduled to visit the country next week. U.S. and European Union, though, continue to impose strict sanctions on the country and are pressing Myanmars government to release all of the some 2,000 political prisoners still believed to be held in detention. That prevents Mr. Soros from investing in the country, if he wanted to do so. Local media reports, meanwhile, say that Mr. Soros will also take in sights at popular tourist destinations such as Inle Lake and Bagan. http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2011/12/30/george-soros-heads-to-myanmar/?mod=google_news_blog ----------------------------------------- Suu Kyi visits hundreds left homeless by Myanmar blast By the CNN Wire Staff December 30, 2011 -- Updated 1029 GMT (1829 HKT) (CNN) -- The pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday visited a monastery in Yangon, Myanmar, that is providing shelter to more than 1,000 people left homeless by a deadly explosion that struck a warehouse compound in a residential neighborhood of the city a day earlier. The authorities have not given an explanation for the blast, which took place early Thursday, but members of the emergency services have said that it does not appear to have been caused by a bomb. The explosion killed 20 people and injured more than 95, Myanmar's state-run television MR TV reported Thursday. Updated figures on the dead and injured were not available Friday morning. The initial blast set off a fire that spread to nearby wooden houses, burning them to the ground. Hundreds of local residents have lost their homes and been forced to take temporary shelter in a nearby Buddhist monastery. Suu Kyi, who was released from house arrest last year, met with the head of the monastery Friday before talking with several of the people sheltering there. She also donated food and money. Clinton visits global icon in Myanmar Government representatives and private citizens have also gone to the monastery to provide money, food and clothes. A police official said Thursday he didn't know the exact cause of the explosion but didn't think it was likely to have been the result of a man-made bomb. He declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The authorities are investigating the explosion, he said. A fire official said Thursday that the series of explosions may have come from large quantities of sulfur, ammonia and sulfur trioxide, which becomes sulfurous acid when mixed with water, stored at the compound. The government had been renting the warehouses out to private businesses. Yangon is the former capital of Myanmar, which is also known as Burma. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/30/world/asia/myanmar-explosion-aftermath/index.html ----------------------------------- Ceasefire agreement strengthen between UWSA and government December 30, 2011 | Filed under: News,Politics | Posted by: Between News Myanmar ethnic armed troop of United Wa State Army UWSA United Wa State Army (UWSA). @mongloi Wa ethnic armed group who are based in Wa Special Region-2 in northeastern Shan State has come up with an ceasefire agreement to further strengthen their cooperation with Myanmar's central government. The central government's peace representatives spearheaded by U Aung Thaung and the chairman of Wa group U Pauk Yu Chang had their second peace talk agreement which was held in Pansan, Shan State last Monday, Xinhua, the Chinese News Agency reported. It was agreed upon that it will continue to talk about the involvement of Wa groups in parliamentary affairs under six terms and conditions which will be signed after their meeting, according to Xinhua reports. In the agreement it also compromises both the central government and the Wa group to help support in the maintenance of security and defense. Another agreement is that the government will extend and exhaust all possible services whether long and short term aid in Wa region in terms of their socio-economic development, human resources development as well as their health and education, the report said. The first peace talks by both sides were held in Lashio, the northern Shan State last October. Their agreements which was signed include the reopening the office of health and communication and education. Others indicated the cooperation on eliminating the use of illegal drugs, to encourage the development of border areas and to render basic economic necessities, it said. Shan State (North) Special Region-2 is the place where the United Wa State Army (UWSA), under U Pauk Yu Chang was housed after it returned to government in May 1989. Wa group is one of the five peace groups that did not agree on the call of the government to transform border guard forces which is under its control. With the government's attempt to promote peace in the entire region, Wa leader made remarkable pronouncement on all anti -government ethnic groups who are armed to join for peace talks and to put an end to all violence and hostility and to promote and encourage peace pact in the country. http://www.betweenonline.com/2011/12/30/ceasefire-agreement-strengthen-between-uwsa-and-government/ ---------------------------------------- The people injured toll rises to 123 in Yangon explosion December 29, 2011 | Filed under: News | Posted by: Between News Yangon explosions killed 17 people and injured 123 people Fire and blasts in Yangon. @enghengyang People who have been injured in Yangon explosion caused by fire have raised from 108 to 123 people and 17 people have confirmed dead, the Chinese News Agency Xinhua reported, citing an official source from Myanmar government-owned media radio and television. Among the injured people in the deadly incident are 46 firefighters and 89 local residents, the report said. The fire began at an electrical goods stored warehouse at around 2:00am local time and a medicines stored warehouse nearby caught fire afterward then continue more warehouses at nearby, it said. As a result of deadly explosion and fire a total of 10 warehouses and 90 houses near the explosion were destroyed. The privatized Myitarmon warehouse in Katoeseik ward in Mingalataungnyunt township was the blast that took place with the remarkably loud explosion, making local resident frighten, the report said. According to the Myanmar authorities, a temporarily rescued camps and accommodations have been set up in the monasteries and schools for the affected people in the local area and a total of 1000 people from 150 households were left homeless, Xinhua reported. Yangon residents said, the explosions noise went as far as 10 kilometers from the explosion scene and making the Yangon's whole resident in the city frighten as the residents did not know what exactly the explosions were. Some victims who dead in the blasts, their heads were blown off by the explosions, said the firefighters who witness in the scene, Xinhua reported, citing from The Voice Weekly report on its website. It is unclear what the exact cause of the explosion was and the Myanmar authorities are investigating. But it was not caused by a normal explosion and fire, Xinhua reported, citing the official source from police authorities. http://www.betweenonline.com/2011/12/29/the-people-injured-toll-rises-to-123-in-yangon-explosion/