Weekly Diary, No.623 (23 February-1 March 2013)

Tuesday, March 05, 2013 Posted by SHAN

Tuesday, 05 March 2013 16:33

MORE CLASHES WITH SHAN!
DRAFT MEDIA LAW GOES TO PARLIAMENT!
FUNDS FOR HEALTH, EDUCATION LESS THAN HALF OF DEFENSE!
SHAN GODFATHER BITES DUST!
CRONY CALLS FOR LIFT OF SANCTIONS!

Cartoon
Tips for the rebels: I hope you allow them to renovate!

Think Piece
If insurgents attack or blow up part of the pipeline, the Chinese could send troops into Myanmar to protect it. This would have a huge impact on our sovereignty.

Tin Thit, coordinator for Myanmar-China Pipeline Watch Committee in Mandalay, quoted by Mizzima News, 28 February 2013

Many along the border are not happy with the execution of (Naw Kham and his colleagues) for 2 reasons. One is that the (Burmese) government is not saying anything about the execution of one’s own national.

U Aung Kyaw Zaw, analyst on the Sino-Burmese border, VOA, 1 March 2013

The World
25 February 2013

Park Geun-hye, the first South Korean woman president, takes oath. (Agencies)

International Relations
25 February 2013
Meeting 50 executives from US companies, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) calls on Washington to lift all remaining sanctions. UMFCCI president Win Aung is designated a crony by US government. (Irrawaddy)

26 February 2013

President Thein Sein arrives in Oslo for a 3-day stay to be followed by visits to Finland, Austria, Belgium and Italy before returning home on 8 March. (AFP)

26 February 2013

Archbishop Desmond Tutu meets Aung San Suu Kyi at her lakeside mansion. (AFP)

26 February 2013
Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights Michael Posner meets in Naypyitaw with Aung San Suu Kyi, attorney general Tun Shein and other ranking leaders. (UPI)

28 February 2013

Michael Posner, US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor testifies at a hearing by US Congress Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on Bama in Washington reforms has been “top down” and now needs to be matched by “bottom-up” participation by civil society groups and citizens. (Irrawaddy)

Thai-Burma Relations
28 February 2013

Andy Hall, British activist for Burmese migrants, has been charged with broadcasting false statements under Thailand’s Computer Crime Act, a charge that carries a maximum jail term of two years. (Telegraph)

Politics/ Inside Burma
20 February 2013

Dr Mya Aye, minister for education, pledges to reallocate more than $ 35 million from “luxury items” to renovate old schools and build new schools. (Myanmar Times)

24 February 2013
Controversial monk Wirathu who has led campaigns against Muslims given freedom of religions award in Mandalay by Sasana Rangsi of abbot Uttara. (DVB)

27 February 2013
A new draft law intended to replace the notorious 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Act slammed by Eleven Media Group as a “deceitful” attempt to cripple media freedom. It prohibits publication of various topics, including material that could “disturb the rule of law”, “incite unrest” or “violates the constitution and other existing laws”. It requires all publications to register with the government or risk spending 6 months in jail and paying a K 10 million ($ 11,621) fine. (DVB)

27 February 2013
Myanmar Journalists Union (MJU), Myanmar Journalists Association (MJA) and Myanmar Journalists Network (MJN) issue statements denouncing the new draft media law. (Mizzima)

Ethnic Affairs
27 February 2013
The UNFC plus Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) reached agreement with Chiangmai-based Thai-Japan Education Development Foundation in January to help locate the remains of some 45,000 Japanese war dead, according to Tomoharu Ebihara, the foundation’s executive director. (Irrawaddy)

21 February 2013

Meeting Vice President Sai Mawk Kham in Myawaddy, KNU chairman Mutu Saypoe calls for inclusion of more high-ranking Tatmadaw leaders in future talks. He adds the KNU will only carry out development projects only after reaching concrete ceasefire agreement. (Mizzima)

Shans/ Shan State
1 March 2013
Shan-Kayah Trust Building for Peace forum will be held in Lashio during the month, says spokesman Sai Leik. (SHAN)

Economy/ Business
27 February 2013
Capital Automotive of tycoon Ko Ko Gyi has been chosen as Ford’s country representative. (Eleven Media Group)

28 February 2013
A new style of budgeting suggested by Dr Aung Tun Thet, eminent economist and member of the council of economic advisors to the president:

Burma can become a middle income nation within the decade with the right frame work
Top-down mindset needs to change
Local governments need to be empowered to collect more revenues, adds Zaw Pe Win.

(Mizzima)

Human Rights
21 February 2013
Mudo village in Tenasserim near Dawei project informed they have to move to a relocation site before the water festival on 13 April. There are 545 households in the village. They are being paid 500,000-2, 500,000 kyat per acre of cultivated land. But at Bawa, the relocation site, they have to buy land at K 10-15 million on per acre. (KIC)

23 February 2013
Political prisoners review committee led by President’s Office Minister Soe Thein holds meeting with advocacy organizations to discuss the criteria that will be used to evaluate prisoners. (DVB)

26 February 2013
13 Rohingya women in Maungdaw township raped by Brumese soldiers on 20 February. Chris Lewa, head of Arakan Project, says she had separately confirmed at least 11 people were raped that night. (Guardian)

26 February 2013
Aung San Suu Kyi says citizenship for Rohingyas must be decided by Burma, adding that the government should listen to foreign experts and uphold international standards in its citizenship law. (Irrawaddy)

26 February 2013
One police officer killed and dozens wounded after police try to disperse villagers protesting taking land by a private company in Maubin, Irrawaddy delta. (New York Times)

Environment
27 February 2013
Deputy minister for electric power Myint Zaw informs lower house six dams will be built on the Salween in partnership with foreign investors. He does not answer question on Tasang dam. (Irrawaddy)

Drugs
1 March 2013

Shan godfather Naw Kham and 3 colleagues: Hsang Kham, Yi Lai and Zha Xika executed. (Agencies)

War
18-22 February 2013
Clashes in Loilan, Tangyan township, between SSA North and the Burma army. 28 killed today on the BA side alone, says SSA that lodges protest with President Thein Sein. (SHAN) The area the Burmese military is attacking had been chosen last October by the two sides for resettlement of 350 households from the SSA’s 36th Brigade, according to SSA spokesman Sai La. (DVB)

24 February 2013
Clash between SSA South and IB 66 in Namzang township. 5 killed and 8 assorted weapons captured, according to SSA sources. SSA liaison officer Maj Deving questioned by Central Eastern Command, Burma Army. (SHAN)

26 February 2013
A 9-person ICRC team begins visit to inspect IDP camps and Laiza Hospital, says Bart Vermeiren, ICRC deputy head in Burma. (Irrawaddy)

27 February 2013
Chinese troops conducting military exercises in Yunnan along the border with Burma. People’s Liberation Army (PLA) says 30 exercises have been planned for the year. (Irrawaddy)

28 February 2013
Hkawng Seng Pan, Kachin Women’s Association of Thailand (KWAT), appears before US congressional hearing today in Washington to testify about the impact on civilians caught up in the war in Kachin State. (KNG)

1 March 2013
UNHCR, World Food Programme, UNICEF and OCHA traveled between 17-21 February to Hpakant area to deliver relief items for 2,000 people, says UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards. (UN News Center)

1 March 2013
Union Assembly approves $ 1.15 billion military budget. $ 700 million will be for military hardware: