Burma Related News - Nov 29, 2005.
- From: "Tin Kyi" <maungtinkyi@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 09:30:32 +0000 (UTC)
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BURMA RELATED NEWS - NOVEMBER 29, 2005.
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HEADLINES
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AFP - US slams Myanmar military junta for extending Suu Kyi's detention
UN - Annan 'deeply disappointed' at extension of Myanmar activist's
detention
Bloomberg - Myanmar Takes Backward Step by Detaining Suu Kyi, U.S., UN
Say
RedNova - Myanmar to raise crude production
Xinhuanet - Major fire breaks out in Myanmar
Xinhuanet - Relief work underway for major fire in Myanmar
Xinhuanet - Myanmar top leader meets Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff
The Nation - EDITORIAL: Suu Kyi?s safety under threat
DVB News - Killing her softly: Su Su Nway is ill in Rangoon Insein Jail
DVB News - Burmese civil servants feeling dejected by the relocation of
capital
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US slams Myanmar military junta for extending Suu Kyi's detention
Mon Nov 28, 3:31 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States slammed Myanmar's military rulers
for extending the detention of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, saying
it was "another step in the wrong direction."
The decision to extend by six months the Nobel peace laureate's house
arrest was announced Monday in Yangon.
Aung San Suu Kyi has spent 10 of the last 16 years in detention. Her
latest detention period began in May 2003 after a pro-junta mob attacked
her and other leaders and members of her National League for Democracy
party.
"The extension of Aung San Suu Kyi's detention is yet another step in
the wrong direction by Burma's military leaders," US State Department
spokesman Sean McCormack said, using Myanmar's old name.
He said the United States "deplores" the extension.
The junta had failed to charge Aung San Suu Kyi with any criminal
offense and instead made the "incredible assertion that she is being
held for her own protection," he said.
"In order to move the country toward democracy and national
reconciliation, the Burmese regime should release Aung San Suu Kyi and
all political prisoners and initiate a meaningful dialogue with the
democratic opposition and ethnic political groups," McCormack said.
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won 1990
elections but was never allowed to govern. Its offices have been shut
down by the junta.
The United States has for several years imposed trade and investment
sanctions on Myanmar to pressure the junta to restore democracy in the
Southeast Asian state but to no avail.
The United Nations and the European Commision have also strongly
criticised the junta's decision to extend Aung San Suu Kyi's detention.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was "deeply disappointed" at the
extension, his spokesman said in New York.
"The secretary general reiterates his belief, shared by ASEAN
(Association of Southeast Asian Nations)... that Aung San Suu Kyi's
continued detention is not in the interest of Myanmar's processes of
national reconciliation and democratization," he added.
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UN News Centre
Annan 'deeply disappointed' at extension of Myanmar activist's detention
28 November 2005 ? United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said
today that he is "deeply disappointed" that Myanmar's authorities have
extended the detention under house arrest of democracy activist Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi for another six months.
"The Secretary-General reiterates his belief, shared by ASEAN
[Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and much of the international
community, that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's continued detention is not in the
interest of Myanmar's processes of national reconciliation and
democratization," a UN spokesman said in a statement released today.
Over the past several years Mr. Annan has been pushing the Government of
the South Asian country to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and allow a role
for opposition parties such as the National League for Democracy (NLD),
which she heads.
While there had been signs of progress in 2003 when the Myanmar
authorities announced their seven-point road map towards democracy,
basic goals have not been met since then, according to the most recent
report by Mr. Annan. The National Convention charged with drawing up
principles for a new constitution continues to exclude representatives
of many political parties, including the NLD.
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Myanmar Takes Backward Step by Detaining Suu Kyi, U.S., UN Say
Nov. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Myanmar's military government has taken a
backward step by extending the detention of opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi for six months, the U.S. State Department and the United Nations
said.
The extension ``is yet another step in the wrong direction'' by
Myanmar's leaders, the State Department said in an e-mailed statement
from Washington. The move isn't in the interests of national
reconciliation in Myanmar, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said
yesterday in a statement.
Myanmar's Home Ministry said yesterday that Suu Kyi, who leads the
National League for Democracy, was informed of the extension on Nov. 26,
Agence France-Presse reported from the capital, Yangon. The government a
year ago extended her detention by 12 months.
Suu Kyi, 60, was placed under house arrest at her Yangon home in May
2003. Myanmar, a country of 42 million people formerly known as Burma,
has been under international sanctions since the ruling junta rejected
the results of elections in 1990 won by the NLD. The military has ruled
Myanmar for 43 years.
``The regime has failed to charge Aung San Suu Kyi with any criminal
offense, instead making the incredible assertion that she is being held
for her own protection,'' the U.S. State Department said.
The military junta should free all political prisoners and begin a
``meaningful dialogue'' with the democratic opposition and ethnic
minority groups in order to move the country toward democracy, the
Department said.
``Hopefully the shortened period means she will be released after six
months,'' U Lwin, a NLD spokesman, told AFP yesterday in Yangon.
National Convention
Suu Kyi's release may be tied to the junta's timetable for completing
its national convention aimed at creating a new constitution, U Lwin
said. The convention is scheduled to resume Dec. 5, AFP reported.
The military government in 2003 revealed its plan for introducing
democratic changes and opened the national convention in May last year.
The NLD is boycotting the talks to protest the detention of Suu Kyi and
its leaders.
The U.S. and UN have criticized the convention for excluding all
political parties in Myanmar.
Myanmar's isolation has stifled economic growth in the teak- and
rubber-exporting nation. Myanmar's gross domestic product was estimated
at $1,700 for each citizen in 2004. Consumer prices rose almost 50
percent in 2003 and 17.2 percent in 2004, according to U.S. government
data.
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RedNova
Posted on: Monday, 28 November 2005, 15:00 CST
Myanmar to raise crude production
YANGON, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar plans to raise crude oil production
to meet its domestic demand, a local weekly reported Sunday.
The oil output will increase to more than 50,000 barrels per day (bpd)
from the present 25,000 bpd, the Myanmar Times quoted the Ministry of
Energy as saying.
Drilling operations are being enhanced to explore more crude oil in the
country's onshore and offshore areas.
Oil production is mainly carried out in onshore oilfields such as Mann,
Yenangyaung, Htauksharpin and Kan Ni.
With the possession of 19 onshore oilfields, Myanmar has a total of 87
trillion cubic feet (TCF), or 2.46 trillion cubic meters (TCM), of gas
reserve and 3.2 billion barrels of recoverable crude oil reserve.
Official figures show that, in the fiscal year of 2004-05 which ended in
March, Myanmar produced 7.48 million barrels of crude oil and 10.69
billion cubic meters (BCM) of gas. Gas export during the year came to
9.5 BCM, earning over 1 billion US dollars.
Meanwhile, oil and natural gas sector dominated the country's foreign
investment with 2.494 billion US dollars, or 32.69 percent of the total.
Thailand's PTTEP and Malaysia's Petronas stood as two largest investors
in Myanmar's oil and gas sector. Others are from Australia, Britain,
Canada, China, Indonesia, India and South Korea.(Source: Xinhua News
Agency - CEIS)
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Major fire breaks out in Myanmar
www.chinaview.cn 2005-11-28 19:26:17
YANGON, Nov. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- A major fire destroyed about 1,000 houses
in a slum quarter in Yangon, the capital city of Myanmar, Monday
afternoon, according to eyewitnesses.
The three-hour fire, which broke out at 12:00 noon (local time), burnt
up the densely-populated quarter in Hlaing township, about 10 kilometers
to the north from downtown Yangon, where most of the houses were wooden
ones, a fire brigade officer told Xinhua.
The fire has left about 5,000 people homeless, according to fire victims
with their properties running out of their houses and staying along the
roadside.
So far, no specific figures about the casualties are immediately
available and the cause of the fire is also unknown.
Myanmar suffered most from the natural disaster of fire compared to
others, registering over 900 fire cases annually in the past decade,
according to fire department.
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Relief work underway for major fire in Myanmar
www.chinaview.cn 2005-11-29 10:33:28
YANGON, Nov. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Relief work is urgently underway for
Monday's major fire that razed a slum quarter in a suburban area of
Yangon, and relief centers for the fire victims were set up, officials
of the Relief and Resettlement Department said Tuesday.
According to the officials, a total of 1,557 small wooden and
bamboo-walled houses were confirmed burned down and 1,962 families were
left homeless due to the fire resulted from negligence.
The three-hour fire in Hlaing township, which started at noon, caused no
human deaths as disclosed but details of the damage are not yet
available.
Myanmar suffered most from the natural disaster of fire compared to
others, registering over 900 fire cases annually in the past decade,
according to fire department.
The authorities have warned the public against the occurrence of fire
due to negligence or other causes as it is the dry season at present.
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Myanmar top leader meets Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff
www.chinaview.cn 2005-11-28 22:55:05
YANGON, Nov. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) Senior-General Than Shwe met with visiting
Bangladesh Chief of Army StaffLieutenant-General Moeen UAhmed here
Monday, said a night report of the state-run Radio Myanmar.
Moeen arrived here on Sunday on a goodwill visit to Myanmar at the
invitation of SPDC Vice-Chairman Vice Senior-General Maung Aye.
The visit came after Myanmar SPDC member General Thura Shwe Mann toured
Dhaka in September this year.
There were some exchanges at high level between Myanmar and Bangladesh
in recent years. In December 2002, Myanmar SPDC Chairman Senior-General
Than Shwe visited Dhaka. In 2003, Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
came to Yangon, during which the two countries signed two memorandums of
understanding (MoUs) on account trade arrangement and the establishment
of a joint trade commission and an agreement on coastal and maritime
shipping.
In 2004, three more MoUs were signed on cooperation in agriculture,
establishment of the road links and mutual visa exemption for holders of
diplomatic and official passports.
Meanwhile, Myanmar and Bangladesh are due to finalize a draft agreement
here soon on a proposed cross-border highway project. Once the draft is
adopted, the building of the 133-kilometer (km) highway that links
Buthidaung in Myanmar's Rakhine state and Bangladesh's Ramu in
Chittagong province would start by October, according to Bangladesh
sources.
The MoU to build the highway was signed in April last year and funding
is being sought from the Asian Development Bank and other sources.
Bangladesh statistics show that Bangladesh's export to Myanmar stands
around 1.5 million dollars a year as against Myanmar's exports to
Bangladesh of about 8 million.
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The Nation
EDITORIAL: Suu Kyi?s safety under threat
Published on November 29, 2005
Asean, and Thailand in particular, must abandon its impotent policy of
appeasement towards Burma
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Burmese military junta
has decided to extend the house arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung San
Suu Kyi. After all, she has spent 10 of the past 16 years in detention,
mostly under house arrest. There are some very cynical reasons for the
junta to do this. First of all, Suu Kyi remains a symbol of democracy
and decency inside one of the world?s most repressive countries. Despite
a decade of iron-fisted measures to break her, the authoritarian regime
has failed to achieve this.
Second, releasing her from detention would be political suicide for the
junta, because she remains a charismatic leader who can draw huge crowds
of people who share a love of democracy and justice. Everyone remembers
that day at Depayin - May 30, 2003 - when thugs believed to have been
sent by the junta almost killed her.
It is high time for the international community to come to grips with
the harsh realities of Burma and the evil designs that the brutish
Burmese generals have in mind for this troubled nation. Why do they want
to continue detaining Suu Kyi? The most obvious reason is to isolate her
from her followers, both inside and outside Burma.
By keeping her away from public view for an extended period of time, her
health and longevity can be manipulated. The outside world must begin to
take her personal safety and well-being seriously.
Her dying from supposed natural causes would be welcome news for the
junta, especially now, after having recently moved the government to the
new capital of Pyinmana.
The issue of Suu Kyi?s safety and unconditional release should be raised
at the Asean summit meeting set to convene in Kuala Lumpur in the middle
of next month. Asean statesmen who are also members of the Asean
Inter-Parliamentarian Caucus on Burma will meet this week to discuss
measures to pressure Burma into releasing Suu Kyi.
Asean must live up to its moral obligations and confront beleaguered
junta leader Than Shwe at the summit and demand her freedom.
Failure to stand up to Burma yet again will attract worldwide scorn and
put Asean to shame as a regional organisation.
In the wake of a report commissioned by South African Bishop Desmond
Tutu and former Czech president Vaclav Havel on the political situation
in Burma, issued in September at UN headquarters, support has grown
among UN members to address the Burma question, including members of the
powerful Security Council.
Of late, the move to place Burma on the council?s agenda has gained
momentum. The United States, which is spearheading this effort, has
already mustered nine votes out of the 15 council members in favour of
such an inclusion.
Within the next few weeks, the council will for the first time discuss
the situation inside Burma, after years of unsuccessful bids thwarted by
China and Russia. The purpose this time will be to raise the world?s
awareness of the fact that the situation in Burma is a threat to
international peace and stability. There will be no resolutions or calls
for sanctions just yet.
As international pressure continues to mount, Thailand?s own policy
towards Burma will be placed under a microscope. And as a country that
has appeased the hated junta?s every whim and act for almost five years
now, Thailand, especially the Thaksin administration, will have a lot to
answer for.
Hard questions will include exactly how Thailand?s national interest has
been served by playing devil?s advocate for the brutal regime. Or to be
more precise, whether the selfish interests of politicians and certain
interest groups override Thailand?s moral obligation to do the right
thing as a member of the international community.
There needs to be an urgent policy review of this issue before Thailand
finds itself accused of being an accomplice of the pariah state and
forced to share the blame for the harsh repression of the Burmese people
through its association with the junta.
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Killing her softly: Su Su Nway is ill in Rangoon Insein Jail
Nov 28, 2005 (DVB) - The health condition of Rangoon Kawmoo Township,
Htan Manaing villager Su Su Nway who was sentenced to 20 months in
prison on 13 November for reporting forced labour practices to the
International Labour Organisation (ILO) and successfully suing her local
authorities over the matter, is said to be deteriorating.
A Htan Manaing villager who recently went to see the 34-year old human
rights defender at the notorious Rangoon Insein Jail told DVB that she
has been suffering for joint aches and dizziness, and she is still not
allowed to receive medications or proper medical treatments for her
chronic heart condition.
Moreover, the township authority chairman of Kawmoo, Khin Win has been
giving monetary support to former Htan Manaing village authority members
Than Khe, Sein Paul and gang who brought Su Su Nway to the court, by
extorting 10,000 kyat from 58 villages under his control, the villager
added.
At the same time, sympathisers throughout Burma and exiled Burmese
around the world have been donating money for the care of Su Su Nway but
it is not clear whether she is allowed to receive or enjoy the help
intended for her.
Recently, Rangoon divisional court curtly rejected the appeal lodge on
her behalf, and the lawyers who insisted that she has been detained
wrongfully and the ILO officials, are preparing to continue to lodge an
appeal at the High Court.
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Burmese civil servants feeling dejected by the relocation of capital
Nov 28, 2005 (DVB) - Although nearly one month has elapsed since Burma?s
military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), moved
its ministries from Rangoon to the ?new? capital Pyinmana, the civil
servants are still unable to settle down due to lacks of basic food
stuff, water and proper accommodation.
Many civil servants who had arrived at the new site of the capital in
Kyappyay near Pyinmana in central Burma, are reported to be wanting to
flee the area and those who are due to go there are also feeling very
reluctant.
A civil servant who is still in Rangoon said there have been unconfirmed
reports that the remaining civilians might not be moved to Pyinmana, and
many of them are doing nothing as they have been feeling dejected at the
prospect of going to a new capital which is reported to be infested with
malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
?How could you start the office job,? a civil servant told DVB. ?The
majority of the civil servants have arrived. But some of them had
returned. There are people who come and there are also who go. Some
people obtained ?understanding? (from their bosses). I don?t know
whether some civil servants are being substituted. I don?t understand. I
am always feeling bored here. I want to go home. How could I go home??
He added that the civil servants are finding it hard even to have meals
as they have to travel to ?eating shops? which are up to two miles away.
The supplies of water and electricity are scarce and sporadic, he added.
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