• OIC ACTS ON ROHINGYA ISSUE!
• REGIME UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIES TO REPLACE CENSOR BOARD WITH PRESS COUNCIL!
• NEW VP SWORN IN!
• BURMA CAN BE OPIUM FREE BUT NOT METH FREE IN 2014?
• FOX RETURNS TO BURMA WITH TITANIC!

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Tips for Thailand: Could this be a good idea for you?

Think Piece
Articles 68, 100 and 101 of the 2008 constitution stipulates that president, vice-presidents and personnel assigned by the president shall furnish a list of their businesses and assets together with the value of each.

The Irrawaddy, 10 August 2012

If (Myint Swe is) accepted, it is then a clear signal that (Aung San Suu Kyi) also would be considered as a presidential candidate in the future.

A Western diplomat, Asia Times, 11 August 2012

Politically, Aung San Suu Kyi has absolutely nothing to gain from opening her mouth on (the Rohingya issue). She is no longer a political dissident trying to stick to principles. She’s a politician and her eyes are fixed on the prize, which is the 2015 majority Buddhist vote.

Maung Zarni, Visiting fellow at the London School of Economics, Agencies, 16 August 2012

The uncomfortable truth is that in Arakan, at least, the new Burma looks a lot like the old.

Time, 15 August 2012

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The World
27 July-August 2012
This is how Asean countries fare at the London Olympic Games:
Thailand # 57
Indonesia # 63
Malaysia # 63
Singapore # 75
(BP)

5 August 2012
Nasa successfully land $ 2.5 billion laboratory “Curiosity” rover on Mars. It is set for a 2 year mission to explore the planet. (AFP)

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International Relations
6 August 2012
Saudi cabinet, chaired by King Abdullah, “condemns ethnic cleansing campaign” in Burma. (AFP)

9 August 2012

Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu, who is also OIC secretary on a visit to Rakhine state, meets President Thein Sein. (Mizzima) He is told by Thein Sein violence there “has nothing to do with race or religion.” (VOA)

9 August 2012
Around 100 men protest outside Myanmar embassy in Jakarta, demanding the ambassador be expelled from Indonesia for its treatment of Rohingyas. (AFP)

10 August 2012
Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) throw stones at Kwang Kong and Xian Ma Buddhist temples. (Jakarta Globe)

10 August 2012

Cambodian FM Hor Namhong calls for emergency meeting to discuss humanitarian crisis in Arakan. Burmese FM Wunna Maung Lwin rejects the proposal. (Irrawaddy)

11 August 2012
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announces it has received green light from Burma to assist Rohingyas. Saudi King Abdullah says he is granting $50 million. (BP)

10 August 2012
24 political parties demand removal of rights expert Tomas Ojea Quintana calling him biased and charging him with taking Rohingya’s side in the conflict. (RFA)

10 August 2012

President Obama signs into law legislation that extends sanctions against Burma by one more year. (Irrawaddy)

16 August 2012
57 member organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) decides to take the issue of Rohingyas to the UN General Assembly, says its statement. (AFP)

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Thai-Burma Relations
5 August 2012
Thai scholar Poonsab Wongsasukoipak says ruins discovered near Chiangmai’s Doi Suthep is Plato’s Atlantis. (BP)

9 August 2012
Wongsakorn Pavor, 44, is not among 92 Thai imprisoned in KohSong (Kawthaung), says relatives who visit them today. The man’s wife claims he was shot while trying to escape. (BP)

15 August 2012

Defense minister Sukumpol Suwannarat who is on a 2-day visit to Burma meets President Thein Sein, who pledges to delete the names of 15 Thai journalists and columnists from a blacklist made in 2002. (Bangkok Post)

16 August 2012
Burma wants to be an observer at the next Thai-US Cobra Gold annual war games and has sought help from Thailand to negotiate with Washington, says Thai defense minister Sukumpol Suwannarat, who ends his two day visit to Burma today (Bangkok Post)

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Politics/ Inside Burma
4 August 2012

President Thein Sein meets leaders from 14 political parties in Naypyitaw to discuss ceasefire and achieving peace. They call for a time frame, a nationwide ceasefire and to bring all to one table to discuss a solution, according to Sai Lake, spokesperson for Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD). They also urges him to amend undemocratic articles in the constitution. (Irrawaddy)

8 August 2012
President Thein Sein sends two ministers to hand over a check for more than $1,000 to help fund a Four 8s anniversary event in Mandalay. (Mizzima)

9 August 2012
Lower House resolves not to declare and put on record personal assets of cabinet members: for 69 votes, against 269 votes and neutral 15 votes. It should include assets from all three sovereign estates, says attorney general Dr Tun Shin. (Shwe Hintha)

9 August 2012
Upper House agrees, on support of more than 40 MPs, to discuss a proposal to “allot a suitable rate or 25%” of natural resource revenues with states and divisions where resources are located. (Irrawaddy)

12 August 2012
Aung San Suu Kyi holds two-hour confidential meeting with the President. Two ministers Aung Min and Soe Thane present there. (AP)

14 August 2012
Myanmar Journalists Association (MJA) tells information minister they will not take part in the Myanmar Core Press Council (MCPC) until it amends 8 points in the MCPC’s obligations. “It looks like (the MCPC) will be replacing the tasks of the censorship board,” says Thiha Saw, MJA vice chairman. (Irrawaddy)

14 August 2012
House Speaker Shwe Mann he will ask the President for the resignation of the Constitutional Tribunal’s chairperson and members. They had in March said committees formed by the Upper and Lower Houses were not union level bodies. (Mizzima)

15 August 2012

Gen Nyan Tun, navy chief, sworn in as Vice President (Agencies)

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Ethnic Affairs
6 August 2012
KIO and Naypyitaw are still negotiating a venue for the next meeting: Ruili (as suggested by KIO) and a government controlled area (by Naypyitaw), says KIO Deputy Secretary 3 Lah Na. (KNG)

6 August 2012
Speaking in Loikaw, mining minister Thein Htike says the Kayah state government will be empowered to supervise the Mawchi lead mines. (Kantarawaddy Times)

8 August 2012

President Thein Sein holds talks with leaders of 2 Arakan parties, Dr. Aye Maung and Aye Tha Aung, on domestic unrest and international community’s perspective. (DVB)

10 August 2012
24 Parties that support Naypyitaw’s handling of Arakan violence include:

1. National Democratic Force (NDF)
2. Democratic Party Myanmar (DPM)
3. Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP)
4. Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP)
5. 1990/ 2010 elections parties: Chin, Zomi, Karen and Phalon-Swaw, among others

(Voice of America)

10 August 2012
The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) is organizing an ethnic conference to be held in September, led by General Secretary Nai Hongsa, says council member Hkun Okker. (Shwe Hintha News Agency)

11 August 2012
For the first time since its founding, Karen Youth Organization (KYO) holds seminar in government-controlled village in Myawaddy township. More than 100 youths discuss the role of youth in national affairs. (KIC)

17 August 2012
Lower House Kachin MP Dwe Bu calls for repeal of Article 17/1 of the Unlaw Association Act that has been used to arrest people for associating with Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). (KNG)

17 August 2012
Due to new conflict on 5-7 August, the casualty figures have climbed up to 87 killed and 120 injured with over 5,300 houses destroyed in Arakan, according to Rakhine State Government. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on 11 August there are over 68,500 IDPs in 63 camps in Sittwe, Kyauktaw and Maungdaw townships. (Mizzima)

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Shans/ Shan State
5 August 2012
Shan Youth Power (SYP), the group that has been involved in education and health programs for migrant workers in Chiangmai, celebrates 10-year anniversary. Despite ceasefire agreements signed between Naypyitaw and the Shan State Army (SSA), there is as yet no cessation of hostilities and people continue to arrive at the border by hundreds each month, said a migrant aid worker. (SHAN)

15 August 2012

Re-registered Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) officially opens office in Rangoon. (SHAN/Kawli)

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Economy/ Business
9 August 2012
PepsiCo announces it has entered into agreement with Rangoon-based Diamond Star which gives the Burmese company exclusive right to import, sell and distribute Pepsi Cola, 7-Up and Mirinda. PepiCo last did business in Burma in 1997. (Irrawaddy)

13 August 2012
A 3,200 km India-Burma-Thailand highway will become a reality by 2016, says India’s ambassador to Thailand Anil Wadhwa. It has given $500 million loan to Burma. (Times of India)

14 August 2012
A delegation of the American Chamber of Commerce calls on Vice President Sai Mawk Kham to discuss investment opportunities, focusing on sectors such as energy, electricity, transport, communications, health and production. (Mizzima)

15 August 2012
After withdrawing from Burma following the 1962 coup, the 20th Century Fox’s senior vice president Sunder Kimatrai says it is returning to the country with the first official release of Titanic 3D. (VOA)

16 August 2012
Minister of National Planning and Economic Development Tin Naing Thein reported to President Thein Sein on 14 August the World Bank plans to set up model villages in 300 townships to alleviate poverty in rural areas. (Mizzima)

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Human Rights
4 August 2012
Journalists march in Rangoon in protest against suspension of The Voice and The Envoy weeklies wearing black T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Stop killing the Press” (AFP)

5 August 2012
88 Generation leaders say the Rohingya conflict is not just a human rights case:
• There are groups outside the country inciting the violence
• This is a case of citizenship and not about religion and race
(Myanmar Times)

7 August 2012
Labor activist Aye Thein, who was negotiating with authorities for vendors protesting against potential relocation in Mandalay’s Kidan market, detained. (DVB)

8 August 2012
He has made a proposal to member countries that Asean should offer Humanitarian Assistance for Rohingya refugees in Burma, says Asean Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan. (AFP)

8 August 2012
Three more townships: Kyauktaw, Minbya and Mrauk-Oo imposed curfews. a township are now under lockdown. (Irrawaddy)

8 August 2012
Out of 49 news journals, 16 are violating the regulations, says information ministry’s webpage. (Mizzima)

8 August 2012

U Win Mra, national human rights commission chairman, says investigation of alleged rights violations by “a truth commission” will lead to more violence. The idea was suggested by Quintana before he left Burma on 4 August. (Myanmar Times)

10 August 2012
State media reports a 20-member Myanmar Core Press Council (MCPC), chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge, has been formed by the government. But non-state media say members of the council should have been independently elected by the journalists. (Irrawaddy)

16 August 2012
Two Doctors Without Borders (MSF) employees held in Sittwe released. 3 other aid workers held in Buthidaung released yesterday. (RFA)

17 August 2012

Blogger Nay Phone Latt, 32, has put himself in the line of fire by publishing an article warning of genocide if anti-Muslim sentiment spreads around the Buddhist majority nation. (AFP)

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Environment
10 August 2012
Up to 6,000 people have taken shelter in 8 emergency camps offer flooding in Pa-an township (Karen Information Center)

16 August 2012
Despite flooding in the delta areas, drought is hitting central Burma destroying crops in Mandalay and Magwe. (Irrawaddy)

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Drugs
8 August 2012
A police official in the drugs control department says the country can only be “opium free” but not “drug free” in 2014 because of the problem of stimulant tablets, which “are easily available to buy.” (AFP)

15 August 2012
Drug bust in Laogai on 9 July result of joint Sino-Burmese operation, says Chinese Ministry of Public Security. Leading suspect Mu Ronghong was captured at the same time in Lancang. (Xin)

17 August 2012
Thailand has more than 1,200 drug rehab centers in about 900 districts (equivalent to Burma’s townships) throughout the country. Under government policy, one rehabilitation center is set up in every district, but certain districts are capable of establishing and operating more than one center. (Bangkok Post)

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War
5 August 2012
4 Border Guard Force (BGF) members killed and 2 KNU fighters wounded in a clash in Papun township. The two sides will meet on 27 August in Pa-an to discuss a ceasefire code of conduct. (Mizzima)

10 August 2012
The Burmese government is still going easy on Indian separatists though it has given “the usual assurance of action” to Indian officials, according to a senior Indian military officer. Unlike Bhutan and Bangladesh that have cracked down hard on Indian rebel armies, Burma has instead asked them to move to “safer locations”. Some are moving to locations along Burma’s border with China, according to Indian intelligence officials. (Asian Times)

16 August 2012

Kachin spokesman La Nan says Burma Army troops keep arriving by land and boats with an estimated 30,000 soldiers from light infantry divisions 44, 77, 88 and 99. Despite KIO leaders writing to Naypyitaw peace negotiators in July to arrange another round of talks in Ruili, there has been no official response so far, he says. (Irrawaddy)