News & Articles on Burma-Wednesday, 25 January 2012

News & Articles on Burma Wednesday, 25 January 2012 -------------------------------------------- Pakistan president honours Burma's Suu Kyi Sanctions Debate Heats Up in Naypyidaw Suu Kyi, 88 Generation Leaders Hold 'Family Reunion' NLD member to hire a lawyer for KNU's Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung KIO opens new Hpakant jade mining field in Kachin State Taileng plans to contest April election Press freedom ranking Myanmar Minister Says No Going Back on Reforms Burma-North Korea ties still unnerving US EU sanctions move triggers heated debate Pakistan wants closer oil and gas ties with Burma ----------------------------------------- BANGKOK POST Pakistan president honours Burma's Suu Kyi Published: 25/01/2012 at 08:32 PM Online news: Asia Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday presented Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi with an award in recognition of her long struggle for democracy as he visited the military-dominated country. Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari (left) meets with Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi at her house in Yangon. He presented her with an award in recognition of her long struggle for democracy. "I'm sure she will be this century's leader to be remembered by the coming generation," Zardari said as he bestowed on the opposition leader the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Award for Democracy, created in memory of Pakistan's assassinated former prime minister. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has spent most of the past two decades under house arrest. She was released from her latest stint of detention just days after 2010 elections, following half a century of outright military rule. "We want to stop as far as possible the suffering of families in our country," Suu Kyi said at the award presentation in Rangoon. "I hope the day will come when our two countries will be able to cooperate very closely to ensure that the rights of families and people everywhere are safeguarded by sound, secure values." Suu Kyi held about 45 minutes of talks with Zardari in private. Pakistan has been ruled by generals for around half its existence and Suu Kyi's past has resonated strongly with democracy advocates there. Zardari's own relations with Pakistan's military are increasingly tense amid allegations that a secret memo was written at his behest last May in a bid to prevent a feared military coup after US troops killed Osama bin Laden. Zardari is under huge pressure at home with the courts trying to re-open corruption cases against him in Switzerland and a probe into allegations that his government sought US help to curb the military. He held talks with Burma President Thein Sein in the capital Naypyidaw on Tuesday on upgrading relations, and promoting economic and trade cooperation. A new nominally civilian government took power in Burma last year but its ranks are filled with former generals. Even so, the regime has surprised observers with a series of reforms, including talks with Suu Kyi, who has been allowed to stand in April by-elections, and the release of hundreds of political prisoners. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/276823/pakistan-president-honours-burma-suu-kyi ----------------------------------------- Sanctions Debate Heats Up in Naypyidaw By THE IRRAWADDY Wednesday, January 25, 2012 Senior leaders in Naypyidaw are engaged in an increasingly intense debate over Western sanctions on Burma and Aung San Suu Kyis role in the process of getting sanctions eased or lifted, informed sources told The Irrawaddy. The 11-member National Defense and Security Council (NDSC), comprised of the inner circle of Burmas government and military leaders, reportedly discussed sanctions both in the run-up to US Senator John McCains visit to Burma this week and after his departure. McCain has been a staunch supporter of sanctions, but during his second visit to Burma in less than one year he said that the countrys successful completion of a free and fair by-election in April would help secure the lifting of US sanctions. There is no doubt in my mind, absolutely certain that if this is a free and fair election, there will be no problem coordinating with every other country in the world to bring the sanctions to a close," McCain said. "I have to say that I am still a bit skeptical, not a lot, a bit skeptical, but I will certainly try to keep an open mind as we go through this process. When McCain met Burmese President Thein Sein, he asked the president to allow international observers to monitor the by-electionin which Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party will contest for 46 seats in Parliament. It is still unknown whether Thein Sein will agree to the request and allow international observers. In 2010, the regime did not allow such observers, but rather sealed the country off from most international press, rigged the election and appointed ex-military leaders to the new quasi-civilian government. The US senator also asked the government to free all remaining political prisoners and allow the International Committee of the Red Cross access to Burmese prisons. We don't expect miracles, but we do expect progress in the right direction, McCain said in a press conference after he and three other US senators met with Suu Kyi. The US first imposed sanctions against Burma in 1997 and again in 2003. The sanctions include bans on imports from Burma and the severance of financial services ties. In 2007, after the Burmese military brutally suppressed the Buddhist monk-led uprising known as the Saffron Revolution, the US sanctions were extended to include a freeze on overseas assets held by certain Burmese individuals and a ban on new investment in Burma by US individuals and entities. Thus far, the US has maintained its tough economic sanctions but has rewarded Burmese reforms by first sending US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Naypyidaw to meet with Thein Sein, and most recently by announcing that it would restore full diplomatic relations with Burma. In an interview with The Washington Post newspaper, Thein Sein called for the West to lift sanctions, arguing that his government had met international calls for the release of political prisoners, holding of elections and granting of greater political freedom to Suu Kyi. Sanctions hurt the interest of our people. For that reason, there were no job opportunities in our country. If you would like to see democracy thrive in our country, you should take the necessary actions to encourage this by easing the sanctions that were placed on our country, said Thein Sein. US Senator Joseph Lieberman said that Washington would be looking to Suu Kyi for guidance regarding the timing for any easing of sanctions against Burma. Our reaction to what happens in Myanmar [Burma] will be greatly affected by the reaction of Aung San Suu Kyi I wouldnt say we were giving her total veto but to the extent that she has confidence in the process, we will have confidence in the process of change in Myanmar and as a result we will lift sanctions and grow closer to the government, said Lieberman. However, Suu Kyi told The Washington Post that the US will Engage and lift sanctions when they think the time is right. The US has laid out very clearly what the conditions are for the removal of sanctions. If this government wants sanctions to be removed, they will have to try and meet those conditions. Sources said that Suu Kyis answer raised doubt and concern in Naypyidaw, with some NDSC members using the statement to insist that she hasnt changed and isnt trustworthy, as well as to criticize Thein Sein, who invited the opposition leader to a meeting in Naypyidaw in August. The NDSC is comprised of 11 senior government leaders, 10 of whom were previously military generals, and holds sway over all of the countrys highest priority matters, including national security, the economy and the pace of democratic reform. The members of the NSDC are the president, two vice-presidents, commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the ministers of defense, home affairs, foreign affairs and border affairs, and the speakers of both houses of Parliament. The EU, which has imposed sanctions on Burma that are similar to those put in place by the US but not quite as restrictive, decided on Monday to lift a visa ban on top government leaders, including Thein Sein. Several countries in Europe, particularly Germany and France, have favored lifting sanctions, and some European diplomats in the region have said in private that Suu Kyis ability to single-handedly direct Western sanctions policy is undemocratic. Government sources in Naypyidaw said that they understand the US and EU policy of gradually easing sanctions, but said that lifting the visa ban is not their top priority. They said that sanctions of greater concern are those that restrict investments in Burma and the transfer of hard currency to the country from Western financial institutions. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22920 ---------------------------------------- Suu Kyi, 88 Generation Leaders Hold 'Family Reunion' By THE IRRAWADDY Wednesday, January 25, 2012 More than two decades after their last encounter, pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and recently released leaders of the 88 Generation Students group met on Tuesday for an evening that focused on reflections on the past and plans for the future. The gathering, which took place at Suu Kyi's lakeside home in Rangoon, was an intimate, casual affair, bringing together a generation of leaders who had been kept apart for most of the years since they rose to prominence during the heady days of Burma's nationwide pro-democracy uprising in 1988. It was like a family reunion, because we were apart for so long, said Ko Ko Gyi, one of the 88 Generation leaders who were freed on Jan. 13 as part of an amnesty declared by Burmese President Thein Sein, speaking to The Irrawaddy on Wednesday. In the years since their last meeting, Suu Kyi and the 88 Generation leaders have been in and out of detention repeatedly. During Suu Kyi's intermittent periods of freedom, the former student leaders were kept behind bars; when they were out of prison for a few years until their re-arrest in 2007, she was under house arrest. During the more than two hours that they spent together on Tuesday, Suu Kyi and her guests discussed the years they spent cut off from the outside world and their plans for the future. Suu Kyi, who at 66 is nearly two decades older than most of the former student leaders, also offered some motherly advice. She suggested that we should get married, said 88 Generation leader Ant Bwe Kyaw, who like most of his colleagues is in his late forties and single. When they weren't reflecting on their past experiences or discussing their personal plans for the future, the newly reunited group talked about social issues, said Mya Aye, who was among the nine who were invited to Suu Kyi's house for dinner. We didn't talk about politics last night, but we agreed that we shared the same political goals and should continue to meet and work together, said Mya Aye. At a press conference in Rangoon last Saturday, the 88 Generation leaders said they welcomed Suu Kyi's decision to contest the April 1 by-election and offered her their full support. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22921 -------------------------------------- UPDATE: NLD member to hire a lawyer for KNU's Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung January 25 | Author: Saw Thein Myint (KIC) | Posted in Articles, Recommended | Tags: KNU, Political prisoner, Thein Sein Government Naw Ohn Hla A National League for Democracy member, Naw Ohn Hla, told Karen News that she will find a lawyer for Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung, the jailed Karen National Union leader currently serving a 17-year jail sentence in Burma's notorious Insein Prison. Naw Ohn Hla said she met briefly with Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung at a special court session held in Insein to sentence him on January 19. Naw Ohn Hla detailed her brief meeting with the jailed KNU central executive member for Karen News. "I had a chance to give him a little food. We couldn't talk much as we met under the careful watch of the authorities. But I will try to arrange a lawyer for him as he is due to go to trial again in the coming week" Naw Ohn Hla said being kept in jail had affected Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung's health. "He looked and said he felt sick ... his face showed strain and he was unhappy about being handcuffed. I requested the jail authority to unlock the handcuffs so he could feed himself some rice. I told the authority that Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung will not try to escape and I would be his guarantee. After that they took the handcuffs off for a short while -- Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung told me needed medicine -- he looked miserable. " Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung told Naw Ohn Hla that he had read in the Burmese media that he would be released as a 'peace present' from the government to the KNU. Member of the KNU delegation who had attended the official 'peace talks' said that Railways Minister, Aung Min promised the KNU on January 12th at the meeting that Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung would be released. Interior Minister Lt. Colonel Ko Ko, went back on the 'promise' when he told reporters that authorities in charge of Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung case would deal with in 'accordance to the law'. Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung's problems started in July 2010 when Chinese immigration officials in Kunming arrested him while he was traveling on a Burmese passport. Earlier he had been refused entry to Thailand and was sent back to China from Bangkok. China then deported him to Burma in August, where he was taken into custody and later sentenced to 17-years in jail Rangoon's notorious Insein Prison. Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung was charged with violating immigration laws and having connections with illegal organizations -- the KNU and other ethnic opposition groups. In 1967, Padoh Mahn Nyein Mung was jailed and charged with political related crimes and sent to Ko Koe Kyun detention camp -- a notorious island in southern Burma in the Andaman Sea. Padoh Mahn Nyein Mung escaped with two other prisoners crossing the sea in a small boat. He has written and published a book about his experiences -- Against the storm, crossing the sea -- under his pen name of Ye Baw Shoune. http://karennews.org/2012/01/update-nld-member-to-hire-a-lawyer-for-knus-padoh-mahn-nyein-maung.html/ --------------------------------------- KIO opens new Hpakant jade mining field in Kachin State Category: News Created on Wednesday, 25 January 2012 17:40 Written by KNG A new jade mining field opening ceremony in Hpakant: Major Naw Rin, head of Jade Mine Management Committee of Battalion 6 invited all people to have business in new jade mining field. HPAKANT ---- Despite being engaged in a major armed conflict with the Burmese military, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) officially opened a jade field for mining yesterday in Kachin state Hpakant township. The opening of the Pangma Sut Chyai Maw field was marked by a traditional Chinese ceremony in which more 500 people attended including businessmen, jade miners and merchants. The field is located in territory controlled by the Kachin Independence Army's Sixth battalion and is situated near the upper Uru River. The jade field will be open for the general public and local artisanal miners rather than large-scale jade firms, said Maji Naw Rin, head of the Sixth battalion's Jade Mine Management Committee. The KIO decided to open the field because local miners are unable to get to their usual jade mining locations due to the ongoing conflict between the KIO and Burma's central government, said Naw Rin. During the opening ceremony the KIO announced that it will grant each miner a jade plot for a fee of 500,000 Kyat (US$649). The KIO resumed taxing the jade industry last year following the end of a 17 year ceasefire with the central government. Prior to the 1994 ceasefire, the KIO used royalties from the jade industry to transform itself into Burma's second strongest armed ethnic group, a position it still holds today. According to jade merchants familiar with the Pangma Sut Chyai Maw field, prior to the official opening yesterday, various types of jade stones mined in the field have already been auctioned at the government's jade emporium in Rangoon and Naypyitaw over the past few years. On January 4, all major roads connecting the Hpakant (also Hpakan) jade region were closed for civilian travel by the KIA Sixth Battalion after the Burmese army launched attacks in the area. Most of the roads were reopened on January 13 however travel in the area remains dangerous. According to official figures from 2010-2011, Burma's central government earned $2.2 billion from taxing the jade industry, one of the highest annual sources of revenue for the government. Much of the jade sold at the Burmese government's official jade sales comes from the Hpakant jade region.http://www.kachinnews.com/news/2224-kio-opens-new-hpakant-jade-mining-field-in-kachin-state.html ----------------------------------------- Taileng plans to contest April election Wednesday, 25 January 2012 18:15 S.H.A.N. 4 former members of Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) and 14 Taileng (Red Shan) stakeholders have formed a new political party Taileng Nationalities Development Party (TNDP). Founder of TNDP includes former members of SNDP Sai Htay Aung, Sai Kyaw Sway, Saw Win Tun and Saw Min Htin and the party has applied for party register to Naypyitaw on 20 January, said Sai Htay Aung. 18 members of TNDP represent Taileng communities in upper Burma and they are planning to contest upcoming April elections in the constituencies of Mogaung, Moe Hnyin, Hpakant, Myitkyina and Bhamo in Kachin State and Homalin, Eintaw, Khamty, Monywa in Sagaing division and also in the major of cities of Burma, Mandalay and Rangoon. The TNDP name was chosen by Taileng community in Mandalay on 19 January and the members decided to submit an application to Naypyitaw on the next day, said one of the founders, Sai Htay Aung. According to Sai Htay Aung, TNDP aims to represent not only Taileng people (Red Shan) but also other Shan communities those who are living in the areas, such as Tai Ner, Thai Khamti and others. If TNDP was approved by Naypyitaw, it will focus on the economic and regional development and also stand for the rights of Shan communities in the areas and organise all different Shans as one community, it said. Other than Taileng, many Shan are also living in Kachin State and other divisions such as Sagaing, Mandalay, Rangoon. http://shanland.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4375:taileng-plans-to-contest-april-election&catid=85:politics&Itemid=266 ------------------------------------ Press freedom ranking Wednesday, 25 January 2012 18:58 Mizzima News . (Mizzima) Burma ranked 169, slightly higher than China and Vietnam, in the ranking of countries with a free press in an analysis by Reporters Without Borders. Burma was in the bottom 10 in countries with the most restrictive free speech and press. In 2010, Burma was ranked seven places lower, reflecting a slight improvement in a loosening of prior censorship laws. However, newspapers and journals are still required to have all articles approved by censors before publication. In its assessment of Burma, the report said: Burma showed signs of beginning to carry out reforms including partial amnesties and a reduction in prior censorship, but it remained largely under the control of an authoritarian government run by former members of the military junta reinvented as civilian politicians. Less than 10 of its journalists remain in prison at the start of 2012. Many arrests were made in Vietnam (172nd), the report said. In China (174th), the government responded to regional and local protests and to public impatience with scandals and acts of injustice by feverishly reinforcing its system of controlling news and information, carrying out extrajudicial arrests and stepping up Internet censorship. This years index sees many changes in the rankings, changes that reflect a year that was incredibly rich in developments, especially in the Arab world, said a press release. Control of news and information continued to tempt governments and to be a question of survival for totalitarian and repressive regimes. The past year also highlighted the leading role played by netizens in producing and disseminating news. This years index finds the same group of countries at its head, countries such as Finland, Norway and Netherlands that respect basic freedoms, said the report. This serves as a reminder that media independence can only be maintained in strong democracies and that democracy needs media freedom. Many arrests were made in Vietnam (172nd). In China (174th), the government responded to regional and local protests and to public impatience with scandals and acts of injustice by feverishly reinforcing its system of controlling news and information, carrying out extrajudicial arrests and stepping up Internet censorship. The United States (47th) also owed its fall of 27 places to the many arrests of journalist covering Occupy Wall Street protests. Assessing China, the report said: China, which has more journalists, bloggers and cyber-dissidents in prison than any other country, stepped up its censorship and propaganda in 2011 and tightened its control of the Internet, particularly the blogosphere. The first protest movements in Arab countries and the ensuing calls for democracy in Chinas main cities set off a wave of arrests with no end yet in sight. Its ranking of the Philippines said: In the Philippines (140th), which rose again in the index after falling in 2010 as a result of the massacre of 32 journalists in Ampatuan in November 2009, paramilitary groups and private militias continued to attack media workers. The judicial investigation into the Ampatuan massacre made it clear that the response of the authorities was seriously inadequate. For Indonesia, the report said: In Indonesia, an army crackdown in West Papua province, where at least two journalists were killed, five kidnapped and 18 assaulted in 2011, was the main reason for the countrys fall to 146th position in the index. A corrupt judiciary that is too easily influenced by politicians and pressure groups and government attempts to control the media and Internet have prevented the development of a freer press. http://www.mizzima.com/news/world/6481-press-freedom-index-20112012.html ------------------------------------ Myanmar Minister Says No Going Back on Reforms NEW DELHI January 25, 2012 (AP) Myanmar's foreign minister says the transition to democracy in the once-authoritarian southeast Asian country will be gradual and systematic. Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin says, "There will be no turning back or derailment on the road to democracy." He spoke Wednesday in New Delhi, a day after he held talks with Indian leaders. Myanmar's military-backed but elected government has eased restrictions on political activity and released hundreds of political prisoners since it took office in March 2011. India has stepped up its ties with Myanmar as New Delhi competes to assert its influence in the region. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to visit Myanmar in May. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/myanmar-minister-back-reforms-15436624#.Tx_oI4Frq8E ------------------------------------ Burma-North Korea ties still unnerving US By AFP Published: 25 January 2012 US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says lifting sanctions hinges on Burma breaking ties with North Korea (Reuters) The top US Senate Republican on Tuesday said he could back easing sanctions on Burma if it advances a host of democratic reforms and breaks off any military relationship with North Korea. "We want reassurance that they're going to discontinue whatever military-to-military relationship they may have with North Korea," Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters. McConnell, newly returned from a trip to the country, said he favored sending a US ambassador to Burma, citing the new regime's plans to release political prisoners and hold a by-election on 1 April. "I recommended to them that they have international observers there. That's not uncommon in countries that are having first-time elections," said McConnell, who has long had an interest in relations between the two countries. "If that goes well, then we'll continue to take a look at what additional steps they need to take in order to warrant the removal of some or all of the sanctions," a step that requires congressional approval, he said. McConnell called the regime's ceasefire with the Karen ethnic minority "a good step" and urged a similar effort with Kachin rebels. Burma state media announced Friday that the government and the guerrillas have agreed to hold further negotiations in search of an end to a bloody conflict in the country's far north. And McConnell underscored worries in Washington about possible ties between North Korea and Burma and said he would be "looking for verification that those relationships, if they previously existed, don't exist any longer." http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-north-korea-ties-still-unnerving-us/19912 -------------------------------------- EU sanctions move triggers heated debate By HANNA HINDSTROM Published: 25 January 2012 National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesperson Nyan Win says end to EU visa ban could spur greater reforms (Reuters) The conclusions adopted by the EU Council on Burma are overly optimistic and ignore the challenges ahead, a leading campaign group warned days after the bloc opted to ease sanctions in response to reforms. In a briefing note released yesterday, Burma Campaign UK cautioned against further lifting of sanctions, including the arms embargo, before all EU benchmarks are met. Although it said the lifting of a visa ban on Burma's president and other senior officials was "proportional", the government still needed to release all political prisoners, end conflicts in the border regions and ensure April's by-elections are free and fair. The international community has been quick to embrace a series of democratic reforms instigated by President Thein Sein's pseudo-civilian government since March last year. But critics worry that reforms are only a ploy to have sanctions removed, rather than a sign of genuine political change. The opposition National League for Democracy, which will compete in the by-elections, is more optimistic however. Spokesperson Nyan Win told DVB that the party was confident that additional sanctions would only be in eased when the government provides concrete evidence of further progress. Moreover, he said, they could spur more gallant reform. "We feel the relaxing of sanctions can help to encourage the current government's reform efforts. We believe that as more [reforms] take place, sanctions will be lifted step by step and sector by sector." EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton earlier this week described recent events as "quite extraordinary" and said the bloc's decision had been guided by NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who will run for parliament in April. Her maiden entrance to official politics is being hailed as a key signifier of the government's evolving democratic credentials, but not all are confident that the April vote will usher in a new era in Burma. In the current climate, only the NLD, with its strong support based and public profile, is likely to win votes, as opposed to smaller, more marginalised parties. "Free and fair elections under Burma's laws are not possible," BCUK said. "In any case, the military-backed government wants the NLD in Parliament, to give it more credibility." Moreover, even if the NLD wins all 48 seats up for grabs in the by-election, the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party will still maintain its majority in parliament, begging the question of how much impact the revered pro-democracy icon can have. The EU first began its punitive policy to Burma in 1996 when it slapped a visa ban on senior members of the then-ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council. Over the years these were extended to include a freeze on assets owned by regime-aligned figures, and investment in enterprises associated with the military. The issue of sanctions on Burma, also maintained by the US, remains a contentious one: critics argue that such a poorly targeted policy is ineffective, even that it hurts Burmese people and hinders much-needed international aid from reaching the country. But with the government dominated by former or serving military men and attacks on ethnic minorities ongoing, proponents of sanctions say they should remain, but be finely-tuned to better target hawkish government officials and business cronies. Additional reporting by Ahunt Phone Myat http://www.dvb.no/news/eu-sanctions-move-triggers-heated-debate/19916 ------------------------------------------ Pakistan wants closer oil and gas ties with Burma Wednesday, 25 January 2012 12:38 Mizzima News (Mizzima) Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Burma for a two-day official visit on Tuesday to promote trade and economic cooperation. The Pakistani president planned to raise the issue of upgrading institutional relations with Asean to a full dialogue partnership. He will also meet with Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. Zardari said in a statement that he wanted to congratulate her on what it called the beginning moments of her triumph as she reenters the political arena, seeking a seat in Parliament in the April 1 by-election. He met with his Burmese counterpart President Thein Sein Tuesday in Naypyitaw. Zardari and Thein Sein discussed increasing bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas sectors, according to press reports. http://www.mizzima.com/news/breaking-and-news-brief/6479-pakistan-wants-closer-oil-and-gas-ties-with-burma.html