Weekly Diary, No.603 (22-28 September 2012)

Wednesday, October 03, 2012 Posted by SHAN

Monday, 01 October 2012 18:08

PRESIDENT PRAISES THE LADY PUBLICLY!
US LIFTS IMPORT SANCTIONS, BUT THERE IS LITTLE TO BUY!
47 TOWNSHIPS HAVE LANDMINES!
PEACE PROTESTERS FACING 1 YEAR IN JAIL!
200 MORE POLITICAL PRISONERS SINCE JANUARY!

Cartoon
Tips for the President: Now we know why food prices are still sky high!

Think Piece
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, speaking at UN General Assembly on an anti-Islam film made in the US:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says “everyone must observe morality and public order”. Freedom of expression is therefore not absolute.

AFP, 26 September 2012

Poppy doesn’t produce a very high income for the farmers. It’s the smugglers who make most of the money.

HSR Prince Bhisatej Rajani, Bangkok Post, 27 September 2012

The ethnic nationalities want a federal state, with autonomous regions and equal rights But there are misunderstandings about what federal means. Is it like the United States, or the Russian Federation? It takes time to change from one system to another, but for me, I don’t want to see revolution. I would rather see evolution.

Thura Shwe Mann, BBC, 26 September 2012

The World
25 September 2012
14 countries has improved their standing in a survey of Internet freedom, according to Freedom House. They include:
Tunisia        - “Free” category
Burma        - “not free” category, but scoring 75 on a scale of 0-10
Iran             - “least free” with a score of 90
(Freedom House/Irrawaddy)

27 September 2012
World Health Organization (WHO) says malarial parasite is becoming resistant to anti-malarial drug artemisinin in Thai-Cambodian border, central Vietnam and southeastern Burma. (AFP)

International Relations
21 September 2012

New Light of Myanmar mentions Aung San Suu Kyi’s US trip on Page 16, including a 3 column picture of her. US Congress ceremony giving her the highest civilian honor is Washington on 18 September was also attended by Aung Min and ambassador Than Swe. (Mizzima)

25 September 2012
President Thein Sein told by Secretary of State Clinton the easing of a ban on imports from Burma. (AP)

27 September 2012

President Thein Sein, speaking at the UN General Assembly, says:

Congratulates Aung San Suu Kyi for the honors she receives in the US
Burma including its armed forces, have been taking tangible irreversible steps in the democratic transition and reforms process

(AP)

28 September 2012
North Korea denounces US call on Burma to end ties with communist North. First, suspension of military ties, now end of relations, it says. (Yonhap News)

Thai-Burma Relations
25 September 2012
Kawsawng court sentences two Thais to 15 years and 18 years respectively for drug possession. Added to earlier sentences they will have to serve 18 years and 28 years respectively. Thai foreign ministry says it will seek leniency for them. (Bangkok Post)

Politics/ Inside Burma
22 September 2012
The USDP Burma Army and local authorities are still hostile toward the NLD and other parties. The War Office and national police chief headquarters have issued directives to keep an eye on them. The NLD’s capacity building workshop on 27 August in Magwe was ordered closed by the Yenangyaung Election Commission. NLD signboards in Twante township’s village were also pulled down. (PDC)

22 September 2012
There are dissatisfactions about appointment of new ministers not seeking approval from the Parliament. Many however are satisfied with the removal of Zaw Win, the “Myitsone” minister, and Kyaw Hsan, information minister. (PDC)

25 September 2012
Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is holding conference on 11 October to elect a new leadership. (AFP)

27 September 2012
Union Election Commission asks leaders of 27 parties to cooperate to ensure the 2015 elections are free and fair. According to the UEC plan, there will be a ballot station for every 200 voters. (Irrawaddy)

Ethnic Affairs
13-14 September 2012
A workshop participated by 57 groups held at Panda Hotel in Rangoon. Organized by Shalom Foundation, main panelists include Arne Jan Flolo, deputy head of the Norwegian embassy; Tom Kramer, Transnational Institute (TNI) and Tin Maung Than, Myanmar Egress. (PDC)

21 September 2012

U Aung Min tells UN that his country is willing to make “all necessary compromises” to broker peace with ethnic rebel groups. (Reuters)

25 September 2012
200 locals in Tedim hold protest to demand closure of Chin National Front (CNF) liaison office. (Irrawaddy)

25-26 September 2012
Public forum in Rathedaung discusses ways for Arakanese and Bengali communities to live together peacefully. (Irrawaddy)

27 September 2012

General Mutu Sayhpo leaving for Pa-an to open a central level liaison office there. It is not on the agenda of either KNU or KNLA. (KNU statement)

27 September 2012

Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, PM Yingluck and President Thein Sein have agreed to speed up the Dawei deep sea port project. Their plan will be announced this November. (Bangkok Post)

Shans/ Shan State
24-28 September 2012
Shan State Assembly meets, chooses new eco-planning minister and discusses compensation for people on whose land the gas-oil pipelines are passing. (SHAN)

Economy/ Business
20 September 2012
Price of gold up from K 765,000 ($ 884) a tical (0.5802) to K 784,000 ($ 960). (Irrawaddy)

25 September 2012
SIM card prices remain high in Burma $ 231 (WCDMA, $ 289) compared to $ 6 in Thailand. (Mizzima)

27 September 2012
US is lifting restrictions on exports from Burma. But what can it buy?

Beans and pulse, by India
Rice, surplus in US
Oil and gas, by China
Frozen sea food, US buying from Vietnam and Thailand
Apparel, by Japan

Burma is also suffering from 3 things: crippling power cuts, unskilled workforce and miserable infrastructure. Therefore unlikely to be a massive pick up in trade with US any time soon. (Financial Times)

Human Rights
21 September 2012

Hundreds mark International Peace Day in Rangoon. It is conducted without government permission. They demonstrate against conflict in Kachin State. Those heading to Naypyitaw prevented from leaving Rangoon. (Irrawaddy)

25 September 2012
9 peace protestors charged by police and can face up to 1 year in jail and a 30,000 kyat fine for marching without official permission. (KIC)

25 September 2012

Aung Zaw, Irrawaddy editor, says it has opened an office in Rangoon last week with 15 journalists. It however has yet to receive official approval. Other dissident media operations Mizzima and Democratic Voice of Burma have already opened branches there. (DPA)

26 September 2012
Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Network is launching a petition campaign to free the group leader Aye Myint who is serving a life sentence after being charged with plotting a bomb attack in 2008. President Thein Sein has ordered 5 amnesties, but at least 311 political dissident’s remain behind bars, according to AAPP. (DVB)

26 September 2012
Marking the 2007 Saffron Revolution in Mandalay and Rangoon, monks say they will continue their boycott “until we get their apology,” according to their spokesman Ashin Sobita. (Irrawaddy)

26 September 2012
Parliamentary Land Investigation Committee is visiting different parts of the country including Karen, Arakan, Mon and Tenasserim to probe alleged illegal land confiscations. (Irrawaddy)

26 September 2012
Growing land grabs in Burma have made activists like Aye Net and Thwe Thwe Win iron ladies. (New York Times)

27 September 2012
Thein Than Kabar Company, seeking to dig gold in Thabeikkyin township, has been trying to force local formers to leave land they have been working. These people lack an official land grant, says Thein Than Kabar. (DVB)

27 September 2012
AAPP says between January and August 2012 it has documented at least 200 politically motivated arrests without formal charges. Less than 60 have resulted in formal court proceedings. Most frequent reason for the arrest is protesting. (Mizzima)

27 September 2012
Two people killed and two others injured when police open fire into a crowd in Kyonepyaw township, Pathein District, who were demanding justice for a fellow villager allegedly beaten to death by workers from Wine Line Lay Corporation. (Irrawaddy)

28 September 2012
US Campaign for Burma says it is disappointed with US decision to lift import sanctions. It cites 3 major areas of concern: judiciary system, an economy still controlled by the military and a military system still above the law. (Mizzima)

Environment
25 September 2012
Around 2,000 people in Putao district are in need of rice due to flooding and ongoing conflict. No one is selling rice even though we have money to buy, says a pastor. (Irrawaddy)

Drugs
25 September 2012
US Treasury Department announces it is repealing a 2004 rule targeting Myanmar Mayflower Bank and Asia Wealth Bank. A 2003 measure identifying them as primary money laundering entities is also withdrawn. (UPI)

27 September 2012

Detained godfather Naw Kham is disappointed fair-weather friends have failed to show up in times of his trouble, says his sister Nang Nyunt Aye. (Bangkok Post)

War
25 September 2012
According to Landmine and Cluster Munitions Monitor website, which issued an updated report this week, some 47 townships suffer from mine contamination. Karen and Pegu are believed to contain the heaviest contamination:
Karenni:       all 7 townships
Karen:          all 7 townships
Kachin:       Mansi, Momauk, Myitkyina, Mogaung and Waingmaw (5)
Mon:             Bilin, Kyaikhto, Moulmein, Thabyuzayat, Thaton and Ye (6)
Rakhine:       Maungdaw (1)
Shan:      Hopong, Hsihseng, Langkher, Mawkmai, Mongpan, Monghpyak, Namhsan, Tachilek, Namkham, Lawkzawk and Ywa-ngan (12)
Tenasserim: Bokpyin, Dawei, Taninthayi, Thayetchaung and Yebyu (5)
Chin:            -
Pegu:             Kyaukkyi, Shwekyin, Tantabin and Toungoo (4)
(Mizzima)

28 September 2012
Fighting in Phakant has displaced more than 8,000 and, in Chipwe, over 1,000, says UNHCR. All in all, more than 88,000 civilians are believed to have fled their homes since June 2011. (UNHCR)

Obituary
25 September 2012