An autobiography, “My Experiences over 50 Years,” by former Lt-Gen Tun Kyi, one of the 1988 coup leaders, has sold out, according to sources.
A book distributor in Rangoon told The Irrawaddy that the original price of the autobiography by “Bo Tun Kyi (Monywa),” the general's pseudonym, was 5,000 kyat (US $5), but the price has increased to 10,000 kyat in the used book market. -- The Irrawaddy.
I wonder if there is anything interesting for UN about voilating human rights. It will be one of the great evidences which might trigger the downfall of the military junta.
Burmese media has been given minimum space for election related news recently, but starting next month the space will likely be further restricted by new censorship rules.
Two months ago, the weekly news journals in Rangoon—an estimated seven journals, each with an average circulation of between 50,000 to 100,000—offered full pages or special stories on election coverage, introducing various political parties and their leaders who plan to contest the election this year.
But beginning in July, Burma's notorious Press Scrutiny Board (PSB) will reduce election coverage and a newly formed commission will monitor the news journals to make sure the same rules apply to all—meaning that no journals will be able to circumvent the censorship rules with their connections or under-the-table payments, according to editors in Rangoon who spoke to The Irrawaddy.
Currently, journals are now allowed to submit three or four pages to the PSB for last-minute news. Next month, they will be allowed to submit only two pages, which must not include any political news. -- The Irrawaddy
If a 28- or 30-pages long journal can only print maximum of four pages of political news, how will the public be informed about political news? The junta is suppressing every possible blockage to their 'dictatorship'. Luckily, Burmese people still have radios at home to listen to the authenticnews about the election via VOA, BBC, RFA, and DVB. However, people should stand up against PSB for this kind of unjustness to let the world know what is truly happening in Burma.
Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) members are offering low-income workers and farmers in Rangoon small “loans,” which are seen as support for government-backed political candidates, according to local residents.
In Yankin, Kawmu and Kungyangone townships, USDA members, accompanied by township leaders, made the offers to selected residents.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Monday, residents in Yankin Township said: “Three days ago members of USDA and the head of the quarter offered the loans.”
A youth member of the National League for Democracy in Rangoon said that for a farmer with one acre, the USDA will loan 10,000 kyat (US $10). Many village residents have already received the loans said a resident in Kungyangone Township. -- The Irrawaddy
Not surprisingly, USDA is bribing or controlling farmers with the money. What do you think 'loan' is? In fact, USDA as known as USDP is planning to take over the lands of farmers. Since the farmers cannot reimburse, they will ask for the ballot for the election instead of the land. How can this election be fair?
Zaw Thet Htwe is being detained in Taungyi Township, the capital of Shan State. He was chief sports editor at a journal in Rangoon when he was sentenced in 2008 to nine years in prison for helping Cyclone Nargis victims in the Irrawaddy delta.
Ashin Gambira, a prominent monk and leader of the Saffron Revolution, has also been asked the same questions by authorities. Gambira was sentenced to 63 years in prison and is being held in Kalay prison, Sagaing Division.
There are 2,157 political prisoners in Burma, according to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP). Many of them were arrested in 2007 during the Saffron Revolution.
Officials at some registered political parties say they know the election will be unfair, but they will participate to help educate the public about the political process.
Nay Myo Wai, the secretary of the Peace and Diversity Party (PDP), told The Irrawaddy on Friday:“ We know the circumstances. And we know the election will not be free and fair. We will participate to help the people understand the political process.”
The public has many interests and many people are not concentrating on politics or the election process, while the military government is going all out to make its Union Solidarity Development Party the clear winner, said Phyo Min Thein, the chairman of the Union Democratic Party (UDP)
“People are not active in politics,” he said. “The government doesn't want people to concentrate on the election. People didn't have much interest in the 2008 constitutional referendum. If people don't take part, government can do what it wants.” said Phyo Min Thein. -- The Irrawaddy.
The election has been unfair since the beginning. Thanks to those who sacrifice themselves, people will be educated, at least, a little bit. It is true that the junta doesn't want people to concentrate on the election, but since the junta has made the country poor, Burmese people do not have time to worry about the 2010 election or the 2008 referendum.
North Korean-made truck-mounted multiple launch rocket systems have been reportedly set up at Burmese army bases in northern, eastern and central Burma, according to military sources. The North Korean rockets were recently delivered to missile operation commands in Mohnyin in Kachin State, Naungcho and Kengtung in Shan State and Kyaukpadaung in Mandalay Division, sources said. Missile operation commands were reportedly formed in 2009.
It is not clear when the multiple launch rocket systems were shipped from North Korea. However, military sources said delivery of rocket launchers mounted on trucks occurred several times in recent years.
Sources said they witnessed at least 14 units of 240-mm truck-mounted multiple launch rocket systems arrive at Thilawa Port near Rangoon on the North Korean vessel, Kang Nam I, in early 2008. Previous reports said Burma had purchased 30 units of 240-mm truck-mounted multiple launch rocket systems from North Korean. -- The Irrawaddy
Burma is not a safe country anymore as it was before. It has armaments imported directly from North Korea, which is an EYE-SORE TO UNITED STATES. So, if US or International would ever wanted to scare North Korea, Burma will be the victim. Burmese people are in danger of missiles from both inside and outside of the country.
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) said on Thursday that the directive released by Burma's election commission (EC) which prohibits political parties from marching in procession to designated gathering points or venues while displaying party flags is a violation of human rights.
ANFREL media officer and political columnist, Bidhayak Das, told The Irrawaddy, “This is a total violation of Article 21 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.”
“The ruling side is trying to use this regulation to prevent people, political parties and candidates from expressing their agenda. They don't want people to know what is the political agenda of other parties,” he said.
The EC directive, which was published in Burma's state-run newspaper, also prohibits the act of marching and chanting slogans in procession, and parties must disperse without any slogan-chanting march at the end of an assembly or speech.
Chairman of Burma's Union Election Commission Thein Soe delivers a speech during a meeting of the commission in Naypyidaw. (Photo: AP)
The international standard is for governments to allow political parties to march, wave flags and chant slogans up to 500 meters away from parliament and other government buildings, Bidhayak Das said.
Also according to the EC directive, political parties in Burma must apply to the EC for permission to hold political gatherings and to give speeches at least seven days prior to the event.
Phyo Min Thein, chairman of the Union Democratic Party (UDP), said that the circumstances under which the government would allow political parties to give a speech is very strict, but he welcomed the fact that they would give permission for assemblies and speeches at all.
“In our country, assembling and giving speeches was never before allowed by the government. If we are allowed to assemble in public in the future, we can create the change that the public can participate in politics,” he added.
The EC directive also prohibits the use of flags when party members are traveling to a speech or assembly. Aye Lwin, the chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics, said that party movements need party flags, and prohibiting the use of party flags is not realistic.
“If parties are not allowed to fly their flag it means the Election Commission is pessimistic about the political parties. Unrealistic regulations are a kind of political suppression,” he said.
The regulations are more strict than those issued during the last election in 1990, but political parties will proceed under the given circumstances, said Dr. Than Win, one of the founders of the National Democratic Force (NDF).
“It is very important that the regulations are applied with equality,” said Than Win.
Meanwhile, the US State Department said on Wednesday, “The US believes elections planned for this year in Burma will not be free or fair and will lack international legitimacy.”
Thus far, 42 political parties have applied to the EC for party registration and 33 have been accepted.
ANFREL, established in 1997, is a regional network of civil society organizations that strives to promote and support democratization at national and regional levels in Asia.
In an article titled “The Worst of the Worst,” Foreign Policy magazine named junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe the world's third worst dictator, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il ranked No 1 and Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe No 2.
Than Shwe, Kim Jong Il and Mugabe were pictured on the magazine cover with the caption, “The committee to destroy the world.”
Than Shwe, who has been ruling Burma by force for almost 20 years, was described by Foreign Policy as a “heartless military coconut head whose sole consuming preoccupation is power.”
The article said the Burmese dictator has decimated the opposition with arrests and detentions, denied humanitarian assistance to his people in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, which devastated Burma in May 2008, and thrived off a black market economy and natural gas exports.
“This vainglorious general bubbling with swagger sports a uniform festooned with self-awarded medals, but he is too cowardly to face an honest ballot box,” the article said. -- The Irrawaddy.
Heartless Military Coconut Head? Very good word choice. That's exactly what he is. Although it is not a surprise, I cannot stop laughing that Dictator Than Shwe was titled this way. However, it was a sad news that Than Shwe only got third place. He should at least tie with North Korean Kim Jong Ii.
Despite being disbanded for failing to register for this year's upcoming election, the National League for Democracy (NLD) remains active, sending senior members to branch offices around Burma to discuss strategy.
On Sunday, Win Tin, an NLD executive member, traveled to Karen State to meet with former party members. “I told them not to vote in the election,” he said, speaking to The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.
Win Tin, who was accompanied by two other party members from the the NLD's Rangoon headquarters, said he also urged the members in Karen State to boycott the pro-junta Union Solidarity and Development Party, led by Prime Minister Thein Sein, and the National Unity Party, formed from late dictator Ne Win's authoritarian Burma Socialist Programme Party.
“The purpose of the trip was to consolidate party unity and listen to the voices of members who face difficulties since the party decided not to register. We also wanted to tell them that we will not abandon them. We will continue to work more actively in politics,” said Win Tin. -- The Irrawaddy.
What a marvelous work by Mr. Tin, telling former party members not to vote this unfair/unjust 2010 Election. USDP has been incessantly trying to win the election by not only cheating votes, but also forcing people to vote for them. So, we have to dissuade people from voting for those pro-government parties. Moreover, people must show their courage and their feelings by not going to the ballot stations as Burmese Noble Laureate Daw Suu Kyi said.
Burma’s junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his top four generals met with Laotian Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh on Monday to discuss intelligence issues along with strengthening military and bilateral ties, according to military sources.
Bouphavanh’s trip followed a visit by Brig-Gen Bouasieng Champaphanh, the deputy chief of staff of the Laos Armed Forces, who visited Burma on June 9-12.
Champaphanh met with Lt-Gen Ye Myint, chief of military affairs security, who heads the junta’s plan to transform ethnic groups into a border guard force under Naypyidaw’s command.
Burmese leaders and the Laotian delegation met in Naypyidaw on Tuesday. Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh is standing to Snr-Gen Than Shwe's right. (Photo: MNA)
Senior Burmese and Laotian military officials were expected to discuss tension between the junta and ethnic militias, including National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) bases located near China and Laos in eastern Burma.
Burmese military observers have said that if the junta launches an offensive against ethnic armed groups over the border guard force issue, it might choose a small group, such as the NDAA, as its first target. The NDAA is an ally of the largest ethnic armed group, the United Wa State Army.
Another key issue between the two countries is drug trafficking. In February, 15 Burmese anti-narcotic agents were ambushed by suspected drug dealers while they traveled along the Mekong River in the Golden Triangle area, where Burma, Laos and Thailand meet.
At the time, Burmese police blamed Shan drug lord Naw Kham for the ambush. Naw Kham is wanted by authorities in Thailand, Burma, China and Laos for drug trafficking.
Lt-Gen Ye Myint, right front, chief of military affairs security, meets with Brig-Gen Bouasieng Champaphanh and the Laotian delegation in Naypyidaw. (Photo: MNA)
According to a state-run-newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, Than Shwe met the Laotian delegation accompanied by: No 2 Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye, vice commander-in-chief of the Tatmadaw [armed forces]; No 3 Gen Shwe Mann, joint chief of staff of the Tatmadaw; No 4 Gen Tin Aung Myint Oo, quartermaster general; and No 5 Lt-Gen Tin Aye, chief of military ordnance.
Other officials at the meeting were Prime Minister Thein Sein; Foreign Minister Nyan Win and Soe Tha, minister of National Planning and Economic Development.
During a bilateral meeting between the Burmese delegation led by Thein Sein, Burma’s deputy defense minister Aye Myint attended.
“The people of Myanmar must have the courage to say no to injustice and yes to the truth. They must also work to correct their own wrongdoing that hurt society.” by — Min Ko Naing, speech at the first 88 Generation meeting in August 2006.
“It's not appropriate to use the student movement's flag as the symbol of a political party.” by -- prominent journalist Ludu Sein Win, one of a group of about 40 people in the Burmese media world who signed a letter of complaint to the Election Commission.
