• SORRY FOR BEING LATE, AWAY IN KENGTUNG!
• SSA SIGNS AGREEMENT TO COOPERATE AGAINST DRUGS, TO BEGIN PUBLIC POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS!
• SAY NO TO NEW PRESS COUNCIL!
• PUSH NAYPYITAW, KIO FOR CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT!
• TIGER HEAD RE-REGISTERS!

Cartoon
Tips for President Thein Sein: Be ready with a bright answer!

Think Piece
Their salaries are actually lower than our sergeants. Where do they get the money from?

Maj-Gen Somsak Nilbanjerdkul, director of a command center to coordinate anti-drug efforts, who says Burmese officials are absolutely implicated in the trade and they often drive cars that cost the equivalent of $ 100,000, New York Times, 14 May 2012

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The World
18 May 2012
According to new evidence published in Science, the end of the world will not be in 2012 but in another 6,000 years. (Bangkok Post)

22 May 2012

East Timor celebrates 10 year independence. (AFP)

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International Relations
14 May 2012

Republican Senator John McCain, who has traveled twice to Burma over the past year, calls on the US to suspend most sanctions on the country to encourage its reforms. (AFP)

14 May 2012
President Thein Sein meets Chinese delegation led by Wang Gang, Politburo member. (Mizzima)

14 May 2012

Meeting visiting South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak, President Thein Sein says his country only have had deals for conventional weapons with North Korea but not nuclear cooperation, according to Lee’s presidential Blue House. (AP)

17 May 2012
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suspends sanctions. “Today we say to American business: invest in Burma and do it responsibly.” (Reuters)

17 May 2012

President Obama announces that the US is easing investment restrictions on Myanmar while maintaining wider US sanctions. (AFP)

17 May 2012

Derek Mitchell appointed first ambassador to Burma / Myanmar in 22 years. (AP)

20 May 2012
US Secretary of State, calling opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, vows to keep broad sanctions as an “insurance policy” against “backsliding” on democratic reforms. (AFP)

25 May 2012

Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Torgeir Larsen is planning to meet Burmese opposition groups in Chiangmai on 30 May. (Irrawaddy)

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Thai-Burma Relations
20 May 2012
Thai government approves a $ 1.1 billion budget for infrastructure in the west of the country that will link up with the Dawei project in Burma, says spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard. (Reuters)

22 May 2012
Three border checkpoints: Three Pagodas, Baan Phunamron and Singhkorn will be designated permanent checkpoints, say officials. (Mizzima)

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Politics/ Inside Burma
16 May 2012
VP Tin Aung Myint Oo entered monkshood on 3 May, according to a government official. (AFP)

18 May 2012
President Thein Sein hit by sunstroke. Nothing to worry about, according to AP, quoting adviser Ko Ko Hlaing. According to DVB, he has been fitted with a stent. (SHAN)

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Ethnic Affairs
19 May 2012
With the military participation in the peace talks, the message (from the agreement) will now go down to the rank and file in the field, says Harn Yawnghwe. (DVB)

21 May 2012
Naypyitaw negotiator meets KIO leaders Laja and Gun Maw in Chiangrai. (Agencies)

17 May 2012
KIO sends petition to UN chief Ban Ki-moon urging him to send monitors to visit the conflict zone where fighting is taking place. (AFP) Ban calls for an end to the conflict. (Reuters)

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Shans/ Shan State
10 May 2012
Taileng (Shan Ni) Nationalities Development Party (TNDP), based in Maha Aung Myay Township, Mandalay Region, registers as a party. (Kawli)

17 May 2012

Motohiko Namase, widower of Nang Wo Phan who died after falling from a police station window on 24 March, detained by authorities at Rangoon airport, on being held at Insein. (Irrawaddy)

18-22 May 2012
Lt-Gen Yawdserk goes to Kengtung for second round of Union level talks. (SHAN)

19 May 2012

Shan leader Lt-Gen Yawdserk signs third 12 point agreement with Burma/Myanmar Army leader Gen Soe Win. The two sides will cooperate against drugs and prevent further clashes, they declare at the press conference hold after meeting. (SHAN) U Aung Min tells reporters the SSA is “in principle a legal organization.” (Irrawaddy) “No more fighting,” declared U Aung Min, UPWC Vice chairman at the press conference. (SHAN)

20 May 2012

Shan State Army (SSA) South leader Yawdserk meets Mongla leader Sai Leun at the latter’s headquarters. (SHAN)

23 May 2012
Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNDP) presents application for registration as a party, led by Hkun Tun Oo, Sai Nood, Shwe Kyu and Sai Lake. It is the third Shan party that has been set up, much to the chagrin of most Shans. (SHAN)

23 May 2012
Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) applies for re-registration. Aim: Genuine federation, Equality among nationalities and Right of Self Determination. CEC: 11, chair, vice chair, secretary, deputy secretary, treasurer, organizer, auditor, 4 branch chairs (Shan State East, South, North and Kachin). (SHAN)

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Economy/ Business
15 May 2012
Weekly Eleven says the largest investor in the first three months was Britain, almost $ 100 million in natural gas and mining sectors.
Overall, of the 31 countries and regions investing in Burma, China leads with $ 13.947 billion, followed by Thailand with $ 9.568 billion. (Mizzima)

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Human Rights
14 May 2012
The Asean Inter governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) will hold its 6th meeting in Rangoon, 3-6 June, according to a press release from Asean. (Irrawaddy)

14 May 2012
An interim press council will be formed in June with 6 people each from the independent press associations, according to Information Minister Kyaw Hsan. The council will work for media freedom and ensure the press abides by 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Law and 12 press scrutiny policies, which require publications to submit articles to censors before being published. (DVB)

15 May 2012
Vendors in Sittwe protest against high taxes on 7 May and 11 May:

• Selling vegetables fetches around 1,000 kyat, but the market tax was 800 kyat
• Fish vendors pay tax triple: when a fish is caught, when it is put up for sale and when it is sold

The Municipal Department decided to revoke the tax license. (DVB)

17 May 2012
Myanmar Journalists Association (MJA), Myanmar Journalists Network (MJN) and Myanmar Journalists Union (MJU) recently met information minister Kyaw Hsan to discuss the Press Council soon to be formed:

• The Press Scrutiny and Registration Department (PSRD) will be abolished and be replaced by the Registration Department
• The press council, formed from journalists, will operate under it
• The council will monitor journalists to make sure their work is in accord with the 1962 Printer and Publisher Registration Act and 12-point censorship policy

The 3 associations say they aim to protect freedom of expression and journalists’ rights. (Irrawaddy)

17 May 2012
Burma holds first ever International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in 4 cities: Rangoon, Mandalay, Kyaukpadaung and Monywa, says Aung Myo Min of Human Rights Education Institute of Myanmar. (AFP)

18 May 2012

After the formation of the press council next month, all publications will operate under a check-after-publish system, says information minister Kyaw Hsan. (DPA)

20 May 2012
Protests begin following power cuts after a power station was damaged in the fighting with Kachin rebels. (Agencies)

24 May 2012
Amnesty International annual report accuses Myanmar military of crimes against humanity in Kachin and Shan states. (AFP)

24 May 2012
Government announces emergency measures including purchase of 6 generators from US based Caterpillar Inc, which will be air-freighted in a week, and 2 25-megawatt gas-turbines to be bought from General Electric Co. (RFA)

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Drugs
12 May 2012
Thai police will visit China, 21-24 May, to conduct investigation into the killing of 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong last October. (Bangkok Post)

13 May 2012
More than half of the 50 million yaba pills seized since. September Last year have been trafficked with instructions from prisoners behind bars, according to Thailand’s Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) adviser Narong Rattananukul. (Bangkok Post)

15 May 2012
25 followers of detained Godfather Naw Kham surrender at LIB 359 command post: 6 led by Yohan, 15 by Ya E and 4 by Ah Htoo. (RFA)

20 May 2012
South Asia becoming global market for methamphetamine, according to UN:

• Criminals able to tap pharmaceutical industries for ephedrine and pseudoephedrine
• Iranian police dismantled 166 meth labs in 2010 up from 2 in 2008
• Labs dismantled also in Sri Lanka and India
• World wide, nearly 10,200 meth labs seized in 2009, mostly in the US
• There are up to 20 million meth users in East and Southeast Asia

(AP)

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War
19 May 2012
Four electricity pylons in Shan State destroyed by ethnic rebels. (New Light)

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