• WELCOME, MR MITCHELL! HOPE YOU LIKE YOUR JOB!
• CHEN LONG VISITS BURMA!
• NAYPYITAW REITERATES PANGLONG II!
• ADB SAYS BURMA STILL A LONG WAY TO GO!
• NO PROGRESS ON KILLING OF 13 CHINESE SAILORS IN OCTOBER!

Cartoon
Tips for both belligerents: Should not using drugs be in future agreements?

Think Piece
The KIA would call us and ask, “Why are they sending more troops? Why are they continuing to launch attacks? They agreed to stop.” We told them we are equally clueless.

Yup Zau Hkawng, one of 4 local businessmen who have brokered negotiations since November, AFP, 1 July 2012

Asean is being constructed in a different way from the European Union. There is no “transfer of sovereignty” to a central mechanism such as the EU. The vast diversity of governance, economic development, norms, and religious persuasions for the 10 member states to become a “union”. The 600 million people of Asean can only aspire to an integrated region of one market, one production base and one investment area.

Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary General, Asean, Bangkok Post, 2 July 2012

The roadmap is their roadmap. If you follow it, you’ll end up in their house and not in your own.

A reader on report on Naypyitaw’s roadmap to peace, 7 June 2012

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The World
4 July 2012
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland says it has discovered the mysterious sub-atomic particle, so-called God’s Particle, consistent with the Higgs boson, which is believed to confer mass. (AFP)

4 July 2012

Ukraine police use tear gas against protest by people against a new language law stating that minority languages can be used by officials and bodies in regions where the population uses these languages. The opposition fears this will undermine the use of the Ukraine language. (AFP)

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International Relations
29 June 2012
US Senate confirms appointment of Derek Mitchell as first ambassador to Burma in 22 years. (Agencies)

1 July 2012

President Thein Sein has postponed his 15-17 July visit to Bangladesh and has asked for rescheduling the tour after Ramadan, says foreign secretary Mijarul Quayes. (AFP)

2 July 2012
The US is likely to face increased pressure from other donor nations to allow greater assistance to Burma, according to Stephen Groff, a Vice President with Asian Development Bank. (Bloomberg)

5 July 2012

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, head of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) urges Aung San Suu Kyi, in her capacity as Nobel peace laureate, to help end violence against Rohingya community in her country. (AFP)

5 July 2012
Red Cross of Burma, Denmark and Britain sign a $ 5 million cooperation agreement to launch a 5 year Healthy Mothers and Children program in Chin State, Mandalay and Sagaing regions. (Xinhua)

5-7 July 2012

Superstar Jackie Chan, goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, visits Burma. (Irrawaddy)

7 July 2012
State-run media reports appointment of Derek Mitchell as the US ambassador has been approved by Naypyitaw. (Mizzima)

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Thai-Burma Relations
4 July 2012
49 Thais being held at Ban Inthaninkwan, opposite Ranong’s Kra Buri district, by Burmese troops. The villagers had been warned by Thai officials against settling there because of the uncertainty over where the actual border is located. (Irrawaddy)

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Politics/ Inside Burma
29 June 2012
Meeting with dissident groups in Maesot earlier, U Aung Min again spoke of convening a Panglong like conference sometime before 2014. The government will try to start it before December 2012. The latest deadline would be 2014, said Dr Naing Aung of Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB). The government will decide on issues where it exercises authority, and the parliament on other issues. No further details provided and the concept of who would be represented was sketchy. Aung Min’s 7 men delegation met 18 groups during his 4-day visit, 25-28 June. (Mizzima)

1 July 2012
Speaking at a press conference held in Naypyitaw, key negotiator U Aung Min reiterates 3 step roadmap: ceasefire, political dialogue and Panglong-like conference before 2015. A peace center will be set up in Rangoon this month to facilitate the process. Activities will include peace media, peace Facebook. (VOA)

3 July 2012
Aung San Suu Kyi defends her using Burma instead of Myanmar for the country’s name. She is using “Burma” in keeping with democratic principles, she says in her first press conference since her return on 30 June. Gen Saw Maung failed to consult the people when he decided to change the country’s name, she notes. “It should continue to be called that way until effective democracy returns to the country and a national referendum is conducted on what to call it,” comments Cesar Chelala of THEWIP website. (Mizzima)

3 July 2012
Burma’s parliament to be reconvened tomorrow expected to debate the following bills among others:

• Anti-corruption law
• Investment law
• Special Economic Zones law
• New media law

(Reuters)

3 July 2012

President Thein Sein tells members of peacemaking committee:

• Country needs reconciliation with ethnic groops and respect for the rule of law in order to move forward successfully
• In negotiations a sense of mutual respect, patience, tolerance and sympathy is needed
• People desire practical change rather than that on paper

(Mizzima)

4 July 2012

Resignation of Vice President # 1 Tin Aung Myint Oo confirmed at the reopening of the parliament session today. A new vice president will be nominated by the military delegates by 10 July. (Irrawaddy)

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Ethnic Affairs
26 June 2012
From 28 May-24 June, there were 92 clashes in Arakan State resulting in 78 killed, 85 civilians and 2 police officers wounded, and 3,158 houses burned down. (RFA)

5 July 2012
KIA spokesman La Nan says more than 30 soldiers have been taken captive and treated in accordance with international standards. (DVB)

6 July 2012

U Aung Min, a Vice Chairman of Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) disclosed on 1 July that regulations for Peace Monitors are being drafted. Initially, it will be made up of individuals appointed by the military, domestic media and the armed opposition movements. (Myanmar Times)

6 July 2012
U Aung Min dismissed media reports that Section 17 (1) by which a person can be prosecuted for association with unlawful organizations has been repealed by the government. He had only said that civilians who are involved in the peace process will not be taken legal action under Section 17 (1). (AKKT)

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Shans/ Shan State
2 July 2012

Hkun Tun Oo visits Thailand for medical checkup and treatment. (SHAN)

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Economy/ Business
2 July 2012
Renewal of Burma’s economy will be a “generational process,” says Steve Groff, ADB vice president. Even if there are growth rates of 6-7% every year, it would take 30 years to get to where Thailand is, he says after 4 day visit to Burma. Transportation, for example, is limited:

• Road density 2 km/ 1,000 people
• South East Asia average 11 km/ 1,000 people
• Thailand, Indonesia 250-370 vehicles/ 1,000 people
• Burma 18 vehicles/ 1,000 people

(Wall Street Journal)

2 July 2012
Fewer than half of 8,053 hotel rooms in Rangoon have facilities considered adequate for foreign visitors. Room rates that used to average about $ 60 per night for upscale hotels before 2011 have now skyrocketed to about $ 200. More than 2,000 additional hotel rooms would be required to accommodate visitors just for short 2-day stays by next year. But the capacity in Rangoon is not growing fast enough. (Bangkok Post)

3 July 2012
US Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 3 million businesses, says Washington has yet to issue necessary regulations 7 weeks after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged American businesses to invest in Burma. (AP)

5 July 2012
Burma has postponed annual gem sale in August following suspension of jade mining in Phakant at the end of May. (Asean Affairs)

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Human Rights
28 June 2012
Women’s League of Burma (WLB) representatives, meeting U Aung Min in Bangkok, call for a nationwide women’s convention to discuss peace and reforms and the role of women in development. (Mizzima)

29 June 2012
About 6 members of UNHCR and World Food Program (WFP) as well as the same number from Doctors Without Borders detained over the past few weeks in Arakan state, say agencies in Geneva. (News York Times)

3 July 2012
More than 20 political prisoners among 46 released by general amnesty. Aung San Suu Kyi calls for release of all political prisoners, 330 of them, according to her party. (AP)

3 July 2012
UN convoys permitted to transport aid to 5 camps in Mai Jayang, but not to 30 other sites, says Samang Koda Doi Pyi Sa, Chairman of IDP and Refugee Relief Committee, based in Laiza. (Irrawaddy)

3 July 2012

80 prisoners, 46 nationals and 34 foreigners, released. 24 are political prisoners, according to AAPP. (KIC)

6-7 July 2012
Activists held ahead of the 50th anniversary of the 7 July suppression of student demonstrations in Rangoon released. (BBC)

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Environment
3 July 2012

Pianporn Deetes, International Rivers Network (IRIN), says Karen State chief Zaw Min just confirmed to her group that Hat Gyi dam, one of the 7 on the cards of the river, has been approved by the government following ceasefire agreement with Karen National Union. (Irrawaddy)

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Drugs
2 July 2012
Thai military sources say more than 600,000 speed pills, 120 bars of heroin seized and 4 suspects arrested in the area adjoining Burma, Laos and Thailand.

A Thai man, Olarn Somphongphan aka Chamras Phajaroen, behind the attack that killed 13 Chinese soldiers in October, according to investigation team headed by deputy police chief Gen Pansiri Prapawat. He also wanted for the murder of former deputy interior minister and former Chaiyaphum MP Santi Chaiwirattana in Chiangrai last year. He is believed to have fled to the border areas. (Bangkok Post)

3 July 2012
9 months after 13 Chinese sailors were killed on the Mekong, arrest warrants for 9 soldiers have been issued. (TNA)

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War
29 June 2012
Clash between Burma Army’s Light Infantry Battalion 530 and Karenni Army. 5 soldiers killed, according to Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) secretary Oo Reh. There is no concrete agreement regarding territorial borders. (Irrawaddy)