News & Articles on Burma-Wednesday, 6 July, 2011-UZL

News & Articles on Burma
Wednesday, 6 July, 2011
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Suu Kyi congratulates Yingluck
Thai Election Raises Hope for Resumed Border Trade
Suu Kyi gets emotional reception on Myanmar holiday
High-ranking Myanmar diplomat seeks asylum in U.S.
Myanmar envoy seeks asylum, pressure on rulers
Than Shwe disciple to head Burma’s intelligence
KIA limits military resistance to Burmese government
SSA South wants SSA North to evacuate from its main base
Economic reforms is needed after kyat value increases
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Suu Kyi congratulates Yingluck and a government democratically elected by the people
By Bangkok Pundit Jul 06, 2011 3:30PM UTC

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The Bangkok Post:

Burma’s democracy icon yesterday welcomed Thailand’s election outcome, which has paved 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,” Mrs Suu Kyi told reporters on the second day of her visit to the ancient temple city of Pagan in central Burma.

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

Reuters:

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.

Pic:AP


BP: This takes BP back to some comments by Suu Kyi last year as the excerpt below reads:

A new government coming to power under a constitution drawn up by the military will never be stable,” he cited her as saying. “We do not need to see very far. We just see Thailand,” she said. “Thaksin was an elected person. The military seized the power from an elected person. The constitution was drawn up by the military,” she said.

“After that, what happened with the first (government)? It was not stable,” she said of the short-lived administration that followed the coup. “This was a result of the constitution being written by the military.”

BP: Back then, Panitan said she did not have enough information about Thailand whereas a Thai senator went further and suggested that Suu Kyi should be investigated to see if she had been paid….. Some comments:

1. This does not mean that Suu Kyi is a fan of Thaksin – see 2 for more. BP thinks she more likely dislikes the Thai military and establishment. She is hardly going to be for military coups, committees appointed by the military to write constitutions, and governments formed in a military barrack.

2. Yes, Thaksin was not a fan of the Burmese people, but did things really improve post-Thaksin? In 2007, when the Burmese military started killing protesters and monks, you first had silence by the Thai government and then the Burmese were defended by the Thai coup leader Gen. Sonthi. Even Kavi – who had hoped that Surayud’s government would bring about change – see here, here, here, and here – could only despair.

Then Abhisit’ government started under a cloud with the Rohingya being pushed back to see by the military and his failure to do anything. You also had concern that Thailand would deport Burmese refugees after last year’s election, particularly given the large scale deal to build a deep-water port and essentially export industries in Thailand that pollute too much, to Burma – see here and here. You also have to ask the question, given the support of Burma’s other neighbours for the regime and Thailand’s dependency on Burma for energy, does a Thai government really want to push change? BP doesn’t expect much of a change. Perhaps, Suu Kyi hopes for change, but realizes this too. Nevertheless, couldn’t resist a dig at the Thai military and establishment… http://asiancorrespondent.com/59365/suu-kyi-congratulates-yingluck-and-a-government-democratically-elected-by-the-people/
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Thai Election Raises Hope for Resumed Border Trade
By WAI MOE Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Workers load goods on a boat for shipment across the Thai-Burmese border. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

Yingluck Shinawatra—the youngest sister of Thailand's ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra—is set to become the country's first female prime minister after her Pheu Thai Party won a majority of seats in a national election held on Sunday.

Although domestic issues are likely to be at the top of her agenda when she forms a new government, relations with Burma will also demand some attention. On this front, one of the more pressing problems facing bilateral ties is Naypyidaw's suspension of border trade at Mae Sot-Myawaddy, the main crossing point on the key route connecting the two countries.

It has been nearly a year since the Burmese authorities ordered the closure of the Friendship Bridge linking the Thai town of Mae Sot and Myawaddy, in Burma's fractious Karen State. On July 17, 2010, Burma shut the bridge in protest over Thailand's decision to build an embankment on its side of the Moei River. Later, however, it said it would keep the bridge closed until stability is restored in border areas.

After a year without any progress in talks between the two sides, Thai and Burmese businessmen in Mae Sot say they are now hoping that the change of administration in Bangkok will improve the chances of a return to normal trade in the near future.

“We understand that the border closure is due to a dispute that the two sides have been unable to resolve, but now that elections in Thailand are over, we hope the new government will be able to find a solution,” said Nai Su Chai, a businessman in Mae Sot.

One reason the Thai government hasn't pushed too hard to reopen the bridge is that it doesn't want to derail plans to build a new bridge that will connect Mae Sot with a special economic zone on the Burmese side of the border, according to a Thai reporter based in Mae Sot.

Although Thailand and Burma remain major trading partners, with Burma exporting most of its natural gas to its eastern neighbor, the impact of the border trade shutdown has been significant. Shortly after the border was closed last July, Thai Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot told reporters that in recent years border trade has been worth as much as 140 billion baht (US $4.3 billion) annually.

Despite its importance, however, border trade has often suffered as a result of political disputes. Since the late 1990s, the Burmese regime has repeatedly cut off trade as a means of expressing displeasure with Thailand over a variety of bilateral issues.

“The Burmese authorities have often used border trade to undermine the Thai government in the past. They even banned and destroyed goods such as cola, seasoning and cooking oil from Thailand. And Thailand in turn forced migrant workers back to Burma,” said U Hamat, a Burmese trader based in Mae Sot.

However, Thailand's business stakes in Burma continue to grow significantly. Alongside China and South Korea, Thailand is one of the main investors in Burma, particularly in hydropower projects, petroleum and infrastructure, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in its May 2011 report.

“Natural gas exports (primarily to Thailand) remained Myanmar’s [Burma's] largest single source of export revenue, accounting for 27.4 percent of total export revenue in April-December, the first nine months of the 2010/11 fiscal year,” the EIU said.

Mae Sot is not only a key town for border trade, but also home to many Burmese pro-democracy organizations and NGOs working on Burma issues. Among many working in this field, there is concern that Yingluck could follow her brother's example and become too cozy with Burma's generals, perhaps at the expense of Burmese opposition groups operating in Thailand.

So far, however, that doesn't seem to be the case.

“At the moment, there is no unusual pressure on us. Ms Yingluck’s most urgent work will be on internal issues rather than international or regional issues,” said Aung Moe Zaw, a secretarial member of the National Council of Union of Burma, an umbrella group of ethnic and pro-democracy groups.

“The Pheu Thai Party was in opposition for years, so I hope they can understand the position of Burma’s democracy movement,” he added.

Regarding Yingluck’s victory, Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi congratulated her on Tuesday and called on her to support Burma issues and help Burmese refugees who are currently staying in Thailand.

So far, the Burmese regime in Naypyidaw has not responded to the election outcome in Thailand. The state-run media has also been silent on the vote, which is widely seen as a repudiation of the Thai military coup that ousted Thaksin from power in September 2006.

Irrawaddy correspondent Mann Myo Myint contributed reporting from Mae Sot. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=21638
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Suu Kyi gets emotional reception on Myanmar holiday
AFPBy Soe Than Win | AFP – 2 hrs 35 mins ago

Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi poses for a photograph during her visit to Mount Popa near Mandalay on July 6. Suu Kyi attracted dozens of emotional supporters during her visit to an ancient temple city in central Myanmar, proving her enduring popularity after years in detention

Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi poses for a photograph during her visit …

Democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi attracted dozens of emotional supporters Wednesday during her visit to an ancient temple city in central Myanmar, proving her enduring popularity after years in detention.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner is on holiday in Bagan, famed for its temple ruins, on her first venture outside her home city of Yangon since being freed by the junta from seven years of house arrest last November.

As the 66-year-old returned to her car after a lunch-time stop with her youngest son and travel companion Kim Aris, she was greeted by a spontaneous crowd of about 150 supporters, some of them openly weeping.

"Thank you very much," a smiling Suu Kyi told her admirers, as she signed autographs, including on some T-shirts, and posed for photographs.

"I will try to come back," she added, before retiring to her hotel. Earlier, she and Aris, 33, who was born in Britain, had been sightseeing in nearby Mount Popa and toured a local museum.

Suu Kyi has refrained from making political comments during her trip, which began Monday, in an apparent attempt not to antagonise government figures, who have warned they can't guarantee her safety on her travels.

Her earlier plan to launch a political tour prompted a demand from the regime for her National League for Democracy (NLD) party to stay out of politics, and a warning that "chaos and riots" could ensue if she went ahead.

That tour has been delayed until the weather conditions are right, Suu Kyi said last week. Plain-clothes police have been following her every move throughout her current trip, although it is described as a private visit.

Security is a major concern after Suu Kyi's convoy was attacked in 2003 during a political tour, in an ambush apparently organised by a regime frightened by her popularity.

Observers said that any activity that puts Suu Kyi in contact with the people of Myanmar could have repercussions.

Her NLD party won a landslide election victory in 1990 that was never recognised by the junta, and the party was disbanded by the military rulers last year because it boycotted a November election, saying rules were unfair.

The junta's political proxies claimed an overwhelming victory in the poll, which was marred by widespread complaints of cheating and intimidation.
http://news.yahoo.com/suu-kyi-gets-emotional-reception-myanmar-holiday-094759560.html
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High-ranking Myanmar diplomat seeks asylum in U.S.
From Elise Labott, CNN Senior State Department Producer
July 6, 2011 -- Updated 1048 GMT (1848 HKT)

Washington (CNN) -- The second-highest-ranking diplomat at the embassy of Myanmar in Washington has defected and wants to seek asylum in the United States.

In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton obtained by CNN, Deputy Chief of Mission Kyaw Win said he had "no choice" but to leave his post in protest over human rights abuses and fraudulent elections. He said he is formally seeking asylum for himself and his family because he is afraid for their lives.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland confirmed the State Department received a letter but declined to comment further about private diplomatic correspondence.

Win's move is a setback for the regime in Myanmar, which held its first elections in 20 years in November. The vote drew fire from critics who said it was aimed at creating a facade of democracy. The regime had refused to allow international monitors or journalists into Myanmar for the vote but has argued the elections constitute an end to military rule and merit an easing of international sanctions.

Win wrote in the letter he had held out hope for democratic reforms throughout his 31-year career, but lost confidence after last year's widely criticized elections, which largely left the military junta in control. As such, he said, he could not in good conscience continue working for the government.

"The truth is that senior military officials are consolidating their grip on power and seeking to stamp out the voices of those seeking democracy, human rights and individual liberties. Oppression is rising and war against our ethnic cousins is imminent," he wrote.

As a high-ranking diplomat, Win maintained ties with pro-democracy Burmese activists in Washington. In the letter he talked about the balance he had to strike between reaching out to the opposition and answering to his government.

He also urged the United States to set up an international council of inquiry to investigate human rights violations in Myanmar and calls for the U.S. to implement targeted sanctions against the government and its "cronies that serve to keep them in power."

He said he fears returning to the country because his efforts to improve bilateral relations with the United States have been continually rejected and "resulted in my being deemed dangerous by the government."

Win also warned about threats made to pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Price laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who traveled outside Yangon this week for the first time since she was freed from house arrest last November. The government warned her against engaging in political activities and issued a thinly veiled threat in a state-run newspaper that her planned first tour outside the city since her release from house arrest seven months ago could spark riots and chaos, as they did when she traveled the countryside in 2003.

In his letter, Win mentions Suu Kyi's travel, warning the threats against her "must be taken seriously."

The Obama administration has shifted from a longtime policy of isolation of Myanmar in favor of engagement, with little success.

Last week Derek Mitchell, the nominee to be U.S. special envoy to Myanmar, said the United States is prepared to have a positive relationship with the country and would seek better international coordination in encouraging democratic reform there.

Mitchell was critical of the regime's claims to have made a transition to civilian rule after last year's elections, saying at his Senate confirmation hearing that "Burma remains a country at war with itself and distrustful of others."

"Burma is the poorest country in Southeast Asia and a source of great concern and potential instability in the region," he said. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/07/05/myanmar.diplomat.defects/index.html
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Jul 6, 2011
Myanmar envoy seeks asylum, pressure on rulers

MYANMAR - THE No. 2 diplomat in Myanmar's embassy in Washington is seeking asylum in the United States because the reports in which he outlined his government's failures have put him in danger, he said on Tuesday.

Career diplomat Kyaw Win sent Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a letter before dawn July 4 spelling out his disillusionment with the lack of reform in the South-east Asian nation also known as Burma, he told Reuters.

'Sometimes when you report the facts, they don't like it,' Mr Win said in a telephone interview, describing his efforts to persuade the junta that has ruled Myanmar for five decades that their repression and corruption hurt their country's image.

'They would write back: 'why are you doing these kind of things?'' Mr Win said of officials in the capital, Naypyidaw.

Myanmar's ruling military junta handed power to a nominally civilian government in March after elections last November that were widely dismissed as a sham. The elections were intended to create the impression of a democratic transition after 49 years of direct army rule.

Mr Win said he sought 'to tell them that what they are doing is not right and we need work out some way to put our country together.' 'Because of their lack of exposure and education, they have no capacity to understand what's happening in the world,' he said. -- REUTERS http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_687695.html
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Than Shwe disciple to head Burma’s intelligence
By DVB
Published: 6 July 2011

Former junta chief Than Shwe. The appointment of a close aide to head Burma's intelligence likely to reignite speculation of his lingering grip on the military (Reuters)

A trusted disciple of former Burmese junta chief Than Shwe will now head the country’s intelligence body following a major reshuffle last week of the military’s upper echelons.

Army sources told DVB that Major General Soe Shein, once Than Shwe’s personal security officer, will now take the helm of Burma’s intelligence unit, known as Military Affairs Security (MAS), replacing its former chief, Major General Kyaw Swe.

New regional army commanders have also been appointed in the first major shake-up of the military since the elections in November 2010, which saw the ascent of the powerful new commander in chief, Min Aung Hlaing.

Sources said the reshuffle affected at least six regional military command (RMC) zones around the country, including Rangoon RMC, Southern RMC, Southwestern RMC, Western RMC, Eastern RMC and Triangle RMC, close the conjunction of the Burmese, Thai and Laotian borders.

General San Oo, commander of the Taunggyi-based Eastern RMC will replace his Rangoon counterpart Brig-Gen Htun Than, while Brig-Gen Soe Htut, commander of the Southern RMC, will move to the Taunggyi office.

The appointment of Soe Shein to such a senior position will likely reignite speculation of Than Shwe’s lingering grip on the Burmese military: defence ministry sources told The Irrawaddy Magazine in April that reports from the War Office marked ‘confidential’ were still being sent to the 77-year-old, despite officially retiring as head of the military following the elections.

His position alongside Min Aung Hlaing, another Than Shwe confidante, as one of the country’s most powerful military figures also suggest that Than Shwe is building a trusted network of comrades that will ensure his safety into the future – a pertinent concern for Burma’s leaders given the regime’s history of sometimes vicious power struggles.

The new military commanders are being introduced at a time when internal armed conflict is raging on an almost unprecedented scale, with at least four border states currently hosting fighting between Burmese troops and ethnic armies.

Reasons for the reshuffle remain unclear. It comes only 10 months after a major shake-up that saw more than 50 senior Burmese military officials nudged up the army hierarchy to fill spots made vacant by the mass ‘retirement’ of the country’s leading ringmasters before the polls.

As of last week, many of those men, including Kyaw Swe, have been replaced, but their destinations are not known.
http://www.dvb.no/news/than-shwe-disciple-to-head-burma%E2%80%99s-intelligence/16460
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KIA limits military resistance to Burmese government
Tuesday, 05 July 2011 15:52 KNG

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has limited its military resistance to the central Burmese government since July 1, a day after delegates from the two sides met for peace talks in Kachin State, on June 30, KIA officials said.

The order was given on Friday to all KIA troops at the frontlines in Kachin State and Northern Shan State to temporarily stop attacking military targets on the main roads and governmental infrastructure in major towns, according to the KIA officers.
lanan_laiza

La Nan, Vice General Secretary-2 of KIO.
The order permits Kachin troops to take military action only when Burmese troops intrude on KIA territory, KIA officers added.

A KIA officer at the frontline from 3rd Brigade in Manmaw (Bhamo) District said, “The order means we cannot fight against Burmese troops if they won’t march to our posts.”

Delegates of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the political-wing of KIA, and the military-backed Burmese government met twice to negotiate a new ceasefire on June 17 and 30th. However, no agreement has been reached, according to Kumhtat La Nan, Vice-general Secretary-2 at the KIO headquarters in Laiza.

La Nan told the Kachin News Group after the second talks at Lajayang, “We cannot announce a ceasefire to our KIA troops at the frontlines because the government’s ceasefire offer has not proved to be credible. We are asking for an official ceasefire statement from the government side. We cannot trust a verbal offer without an official document.”

Under the KIO’s defense policy, the KIA took military action in response to aggressive government troop movements, as well as against bridges and railway infrastructure, when the war was started by government forces at Sang Gang, in N’mawk (Momauk) Township, in Manmaw District, on June 9. http://www.kachinnews.com/news/2000-kia-limits-military-resistance-to-burmese-government.html
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SSA South wants SSA North to evacuate from its main base
Tuesday, 05 July 2011 12:34 S.H.A.N.

Shan State Army (SSA) South leaders say the SSA North should abandon its besieged HQ Wanhai as soon as possible before it is too late.

According to reports from both rebel and civilian sources, the Burma Army is tightening its cordon around Wanhai, where the 4 townships, Kehsi, Monghsu, Tangyan and Mongyai meet. “It has however opened up an outlet for its 300 defenders to escape to the south,” said a senior SSA South commander.

Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher consults in his classic The Art of War: When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. This does not mean the enemy is to be allowed to escape. The object is to make him believe that there is a road to safety, and thus prevent his fighting with the courage of despair.

He also said: Confront your troops with annihilation, and they will survive; plunge them into a deadly situation and they will then live.

The SSA North has been fighting since it was attacked on 13 March. Its leader Maj Gen Pang Fa has already moved out of Wanhai, but his second-in-command Col Khaymin still remains there.

One disadvantage of the SSA North, according to the SSA South, is that it is fighting in the hinterland, away from the international borders where news, both verbal and visual, could reach the outside world promptly. “We have been fighting for more than 3 months, but few people know what’s happening here,” complained an SSA North officer. “On the other hand, the Kachins have only started to fight (on 8 June), but the whole world is talking about it.”

In this kind of situation, the enemy can do whatever it likes to both the local people and the rebels, according to the SSA South. “They may read the news, but they’ll be still none the wiser to take actions,” said one of its commanders.

The SSA South and the SSA North declared on 21 May to form a merger. “We are still working on it, said Lt-Gen Yawdserk, “In the meantime, we are doing what we can to help them.”

When Yen-an, the Communist Party of Burma (CPC)’s wartime capital, was attacked by the Kuomintang forces, Mao Zedong was quoted as saying: If we are concerned about the territory but not for the people, we will lose both. But, on the contrary, if we are concerned about the people and not for the territory, both will be won back. http://www.shanland.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3829:ssa-south-wants-ssa-north-to-evacuate-from-its-main-base&catid=86:war&Itemid=284
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Economic reforms is needed after kyat value increases
July 6, 2011
By Between
Myanmar kyat

Myanmar and president Sein are promising to make eco­nomic reforms in response to the sharp increase in value of the Myanmar kyat.

Many econ­o­mists, includ­ing U Khin Maung Nyo, said the gov­ern­ment would be mak­ing both tran­si­tory and per­ma­nent changes in expec­ta­tion of fur­ther appre­ci­a­tion of the kyat. The kyat recently hit its high­est point in five years with 750 kyat equal to one USD.

The gov­ern­ment has called upon the country’s econ­o­mist for advice per­tain­ing to the issue. Prior to this deci­sion, the gov­ern­ment took a very inflex­i­ble approach to the cur­rency, pre­fer­ring to arti­fi­cially under­value it. The new gov­ern­ment promises to make last­ing solutions.

The defla­tion of the kyat might sound like a good thing to the unin­formed, but it hurts exporters. Exchange rates fluc­tu­ate inde­pen­dently of inter­na­tional trade and Burmese exporters have lost tremen­dous prof­its and the Power Pur­chas­ing Par­ity (PPP) looks to be declin­ing for the export indus­try of Myanmar.

Even U Win Myint, the for­mer Min­is­ter of Com­merce who resigned over rigged elec­tions last year, promised that a new mon­e­tary pol­icy was going to be put in place soon. Exporters will soon be mak­ing even more money than they were before. http://www.burmaonlinecentre.com/news/news-article/economic-reforms-is-needed-after-kyat-value-increases

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