Some political parties will sacrifice to educate people

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.

Reference:

Htwe, Ko. Political Parties Want to Educate the Public. The Irrawaddy. June 25, 2010. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18803

Ridiculous Letter to U.N nuclear agency from the junta

Burma has sent a letter to the U.N. nuclear agency insisting it has no current or future plan to develop a nuclear program in the isolated country's second denial this month after reports emerged it may be seeking an atomic weapon. -- The Associate Press.

It would be a ridiculous letter, blindly stating that the junta is not producing Nukes. The hard evidences have proven that the junta is tricking German Company to help them building Nukes. If U.N nuclear agency believe and accept the junta's claim, U.N will fail the hearts of all Burmeses over the world.

Check Aljazeera English from Youtube or from the videos above for DVB's video evidences of Burmese junta's Nuclear plots.

Reference:
Burma Denies Allegations It Is Seeking Nukes. The Associate Press. June 19, 2010. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18761

Burma Joining the Mass Destruction Allies

Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win met with an Iranian goodwill delegation at the Foreign Ministry in Naypyidaw on Wednesday afternoon, according to the state-run newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar.

The report provided no further details about the visit, the first by an Iranian delegation since 2006.

Although Iran is not closely allied with Burma's ruling regime, the two countries share a similar pariah status in the international community due to their repression of internal dissent and worries about their military ambitions.

In recent years, the junta has reached out to several other nations that have been singled out for censure, including North Korea, Sudan and Sri Lanka. -- Irrawaddy

Obviously, the Burmese junta joining the Mass Destruction Allies. Since Burmese Generals are illiterate people, they will be manipulated by Iran and North Korea and will not hold back in using the weapons, thus threatening the world's security without a doubt. If UN and EU do not respond to these delegations (of Iran and of North Korea), Burma is going to be one of the nations that the world cannot control.

Reference:

Burmese Foreign Minister Receives Iranian Delegation. The Irrawaddy. June 17, 2010. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18742

What happened to Sen. Webb?

It was a shocking news that a US Senator claimed a negative opinion on anti-regime news media, DVB, and a positive opinion on the Burmese junta. It cannot be denied that the junta is shaping its nuclear dream by looking at the fresh evidence from the army defector Sai Thein Win.

Sen. Webb, I do not know what the junta did to you, but I am certain that every Burmese in US are having strong opinion against you right now. The regime's officials are good at bribing, so I hope you are not also a victim of the bribery.

Sen. Webb, Regime 'Talking from Same Script'?

By Ba Kaung (June 15 2010)

It's now clear that the relationship between the Burmese regime and US Sen. Jim Webb is unique, and his position as a strong advocate for US engagement with the generals has not changed, in spite of recent allegations that the junta is trying to acquire nuclear weapons. Webb's relationship with the regime might even have been strengthened.
Many wondered if the relationship was damaged after the Democratic lawmaker said he would seek clarification on the report that Burma was acquiring a nuclear program—a report which compelled him to cancel his scheduled visit to Burma early this month, when he also called for the appointment of a US special envoy to Burma.

But, last week both Webb and the regime spoke out in rejecting the conclusions of the report, citing similar reasons as if they were talking from the same script.

On Thursday, Webb pointed out in a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the Oslo-based Burmese exiled news service Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), which alleged that Burma had a nuclear program, is a US-funded media organization, insinuating that the US government should be held accountable for the nuclear report.

Three days later, on Friday, the Burmese Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the DVB as “a killer broadcasting station” that survives on US aid from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and that the report was issued by anti-Burma elements in collaboration with other news media for a political purpose.

The DVB deputy executive in Norway defended the station's report, saying that the organization functions independently, and, although 10 to 15 percent of the organization's funds comes from the US government, its main financial backers are European countries such as the Netherlands.

Some observers noted that while it is not uncommon for the regime to accuse Burmese exiled newsgroups in such a way, it is unusual for an American senator to make a similar point.

Also, regarding an earlier news report that Burma might have violated UN Security Resolution 1874 imposed on North Korea by receiving alleged shipments of military items from North Korea in 2009, Webb said that it was an “unsubstantiated” allegation raised by the US top diplomat for Asia, Kurt Campbell. By the same token, the regime defended itself by saying that it had only imported cement from North Korea during the alleged transaction.

While Webb said that the new nuclear allegations had “frozen any prospect of further engagement with Burma,” the regime's media noted on Friday that the “unfounded” nuclear allegations surfaced at a time of resumption of engagement between Burma and the United States.

Even though there may have been no direct discussions between Webb and Burmese government officials, informed sources said that there is regular contact between him and the regime aided by overseas Burmese who support the junta.

Based on his sources, Webb told the Asia Society last week that Burma's election, whose date is yet to be announced, would probably be held on Oct. 10, adding that the election should be viewed as a step forward for Burma.

When Webb made his first official visit to Burma in 2009 and met with the reclusive regime's chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe, opposition figures said he did not mention the more than 2,000 political prisoners languishing in prisons and human rights violations against ethnic minorities.

Since that visit, Webb has not enjoyed support among many Burmese democracy activists, who say that his primary concern is countering Chinese influence in Burma through US economic investment in the country.

Nevertheless, Webb is not mistaken in pointing out the growing Chinese influence in Burma, as seen by the recent visit by Chinese Primer Wen Jiabao, during which 15 cooperation agreements were signed covering areas such as natural gas imports, a trans-Burma gas pipeline, hydro-power dams and foreign aid.

And according to the latest reports, Chinese political influence might have been a factor in the regime's recent easing of pressure on ethnic cease-fire groups on the China-Burma border to join the regime's border guard force plan.

Given these realities, Webb's position for greater engagement with the regime to counter China's growing influence is not likely to change. In doing so, Webb frustrates Burmese pro-democracy activists and delights the regime, which will soon probably reward him with another personal meeting with Snr-Gen. Than Shwe.

Reference:
Kaung, Ba. Sen. Webb, Regime 'Talking from Same Script'?. The Irrawaddy. June 15, 2010.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18724&page=1

Junta's Covert Nuclear Plans and Burma, Ignoring Nuclear Disarmament

The Burmese junta’s ambition to become a nuclear power is a threat to regional security, according to a documentary by the Norway-based Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), which alleges that Naypyidaw is developing nuclear weapons and a missiles system with help from North Korea.

Quoting experts and defectors, the documentary, which was aired by Al Jazeera on Friday, said that if the junta achieves its goal, Burmese missiles could target neighboring countries, as well as threatening US military activities in the Indian Ocean.

Burmese army defector Maj Sai Thein Win, who is a missiles expert, said the junta is constructing nuclear and missiles facilities at at least two sites in Magwe and Mandalay divisions in central Burma.

“They [the junta] really want a [nuclear] bomb. That is their main objective,” said Sai Thein Win in the documentary. “They want to have rockets and nuclear warheads.” -- Irrawaddy

Should not UN be very strict with its UN Nuclear Resolutions? Thanks to Major Sai Thein Win, the world could apprehend the evil nuclear plans of the junta. Anywhere in Burma is not a safe place to live anymore. International must interfere or Burma will be the second North Korea in a couple of years. Hopefully, Rangoon, where most politicians live, will not be the target of the nuclear warheads. I care more about people in Rangoon or anywhere else in Burma than neighboring countries or the US military fleet in the Indian Ocean.

Reference:

Moe, Wai. Burma's Nuclear Ambitions 'Threaten Regional Security'. The Irrawaddy. June 4 2010. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18628

Roughneen, Simon. Evidence Points to Burma's Nuclear Weapons Intent. The Irrawaddy. June 4 2010.http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18622

Our Steel Resolution

It is the time that all the people of Burma must demonstrate the will of anti-military dictatorial system with boycotting the 2010 Election together with elected-parties including the NLD and ethnic parties in order to prevent the military junta from coming up with legitimacy for enduring a military rule.

All the people including students and youths,

We, All Burma Monks’ Alliance, 88 Generation Students and All Burma Federation of Student
Unions, seriously request for your actions of boycott the 2010 Election by:
(a) No voting
(b) No advanced voting
(c) Making your vote null if being forced to vote.

All Burma Monks’ Alliance
88 Generation Students
All Burma Federation of Student Unions







Reference: http://abfsu.net/

Five Years Added to Student Leader's Sentence

By Ba Kaung (May 25, 2o10)

Kyaw Ko Ko made three dramatic escapes, but his luck finally ran out in 2008, when Burmese authorities arrested him for his role in the 2007 Saffron Revolution and he was sentenced to three years in prison for possesing illegal videos.

On Friday, with his first sentence set to expire in one year, the junta tacked on an additional five years for illegal asociation and subversion.

Kyaw Ko Ko delivers a speech to students in Rangoon during the 2007 Saffron Revolution.

Rahul Kyaw Kyaw Maung, alias Kyaw Ko Ko, 28, is the son of school teachers in Rangoon's Tamwe township. In 2006, he was in Rangoon studying for his masters degree in economics when he was recruited by former political prisoners to engage in political activities.

“Though he received some influence from other individuals, he himself is well-read, calm and disciplined,” recalled a political activist who met Kyaw Ko Ko a few years ago.

Kyaw Ko Ko met the prominent 88 Generation Students' leader Min Ko Naing in a monastery, where they were celebrating the anniversary of the student-led uprising in 1988. When Min Ko Naing and other 88 Generation Students' leaders were re-arrested for their protests against the unannounced increase in fuel prices, and many former political prisoners consequently fled Burma for fear of persecution, younger activists like Kyaw Ko Ko stepped in to take a leadership role.

Representing the new generation of activists that has emerged since since the nationwide anti-government uprising in 1988, Kyaw Ko Ko attempted to rejuvenate the Burma Students' Union, which had became active again during the 1988 uprising.

Although not an officially outlawed association, the Students' Union had become virtually illegal since the 1962 military coup, despite the fact that it played an important role in the country's independence struggle.

“At the court on Friday, my brother did not deny that he tried to reorganize the student's organization, but he insisted to the judges that the organization is a legal organization,” said Kyaw Ko Ko's sister.

When the Saffron Revolution broke out, Kyaw Ko Ko continued his dissident leadership role, and after the crackdown on protesting monks, he went into hiding in and around Rangoon.

In October 2007, a house in South Okkalapa township that Kyaw Ko Ko was hiding in was raided. He managed to escape by jumping off the balcony, but some of his friends were arrested.

Later, the police discovered him in a Rangoon monastery where he had been given refuge, but again he managed to escape. He eluded the authorities for a third time when they raided a snack bar in Rangoon's Junction 8 Shopping mall where he was meeting with friends, who were all arrested.

Kyaw Ko Ko fled to Pegu, but returned to Rangoon in early 2008 to launch a no-vote campaign against the referendum over the junta's controversial Constitution. Before the referendum was held, however, he was finally arrested.

The authorities found videos of the 1988 uprising in the place where Kyaw Ko Ko was hiding, and although family members said he had nothing to do with the videos, in 2009 Kyaw Ko Ko was sentenced to three years in jail after being convicted of violating Burma's Video Act, which regulates uncensored videos, and sentenced to three years in jail.

Violation of the Video Act is one of the charges the regime used in handing down a heavy prison sentence to Burma's famous comedian Zarganar, who is currently jailed in a remote prison.

On Friday, following a trial that was not covered by the state-controlled media, Kyaw Ko Ko received an additional five-year jail sentence for unlawful association and subversion, which according to his defense lawyer, Aung Thein, he is alleged to have committed during the monks' protests in 2007.

“He gave a speech to the crowds in 2007 in front of the Rangoon city hall while representing the students, and this entails the first charge of unlawful association. The same fact becomes the basis of the second charge for subversion,” Aung Thein said. “I believe this is nothing but an attempt to lengthen his prison term.”

“I am not frustrated. I will try to survive the prison life,” Kyaw Ko Ko told his sister during his Rangoon court appearance last week.

The 2007 Saffron Revolution saw the arrest and incarceration of other young activists in Burma, such as blogger Nay Phone Latt and hip-hop singer Zay Yar Thaw, who joined their activist predecessors in jails across the country.

And 2007 was not the first time Burma's young activists have been persecuted following the 1988 uprising. In 1998, many young dissidents were arrested and given long prison sentences, some exceeding 50 years. Many of these activists are still behind bars, according to the Thailand-based Association of Assistance for Political Prisoners in Burma (AAPP).

Currently, while the regime is preparing to hold Burma's first election in twenty years, more than 2000 political prisoners are estimated to be in jails across the country. Under the regime's election laws, all of them are barred from the voting process and do not have the right to be a member of any political party.

“My brother is against the election this year. He has no faith in this at all,” Kyaw Ko Ko's sister said.

Reference:

Kaung, Ba. Five Years Added to Student Leader's Sentence. The Irrawaddy. May 25 2010. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18554&page=2

Burmese Generals deceive US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs

WASHINGTON — Speaking at a daily press briefing on Tuesday, the assistant secretary of state for public affairs, P J Crowley, suggested that if Burmese generals resigned from the military to contest the upcoming election, this could be seen as a positive step.

Even Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs was deceived by the sly actions of Military Junta. Do you really believe these Burmese generals resigned for good or for the well-being of Burma? Of course not!

These generals are resigning because they have to cope with the unjust rules of 2010 Election written by themselves and because they want other countries to think they have become innocent. Even prime minister, Thein Sein, has stood down from his super position to take part in 2010 Election. If this is not the greediness, then what is it?

One thing for sure is that these resignations are not POSITIVE in all senses!


Reference:
Jha, Lalit K. Generals Resignation for Election May Be Positive. Irrawaddy. May 5 2010 http://www.irrawaddy.org/

Persecution of Chin people

What is persecution?

Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms.

Reporters from BBC covertly went to a village of Chin people who are being mistreated and abused in all ways. The culprits of these persecution are Burmese Troops, the puppets and "dogs" of military junta.

BBC team was guided to the village by military-blacklisted Chin activist Ms. Zahau. The words of Ms. Zahau, "If we don't speak up, if we don't tell the stories of the people under this repressive military regime, then no-one will know what's happening, and if they don't know they will not do anything," grasp the heart of many people over the world.

People from Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon) have not heard of these stories for a long time because of the government's total control of media in Burma. Television, Newspaper, Journals, Magazine, and all kinds of media, except Internet, are regulated by military officials. Even Internet is blocked partially sometimes.

The regime systematically banned the watching of news over the world via satellite by increasing the tax rates of possessing the satellite receivers (in Burma, even if you buy the satellite with your money, you still have to pay tax to the government). Since the average salary of middle-class people are low due to inflation, the general public has no idea what is going on far from the city, Rangoon.

The systematical persecution of the military regime is very treacherous. Nobody ever has such twisted brain as the junta since history. Hitler is just a fly compared with the bat-like junta.

Although Hitler was notoriously vicious and cruel, Hitler did not do any harm to his people. Burmese military government do not care about Burmese people, instead they live on citizens' "sweat and blood" (according to Burmese saying).

If the regime successively mistreats Chin people for their difference in climate, religion and views, more Chin people will move to India. If most of the people from Chin State move to India, that means Burma has lost its land, a State. If Burma lost a state, we have to change our beautiful national flag with fourteen stars which represent fourteen states. So, we, Burmese people, should make people from all over the world know about Chin people's lack of human rights... right now!!!


Reference:

Bagnall, Sam. Burma's 'forgotten' Chin people suffer abuse. BBC. Apr 19 2010 http://news.bbc.co.uk

Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution

Chin Women Organization http://www.chinwomen.org

BLAST IN BURMA? WHO MIGHT CAUSE IT?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8622068.stm

In the very secure city of Rangoon, my hometown, there was a huge blast this morning, causing 9 casualties and at least 30 wounded people. (according to BBC)

In fact, total of 59 man and 16 woman were injured, according to resources.

Today is the most sacred holiday called Thingyan for Buddhist people. In this water festival, people play water from 13th April to 16th April in order to celebrate this sacred holiday. The purpose of Thingyan is to clear the sins from last year and be a new person with new soul and body.

However, Military government banned building of Pandals ('mandat' in Burmese or 'pavalions') around the city since last 4 years, allowing people to build Pandals in a big road called Inyar Road where most of the higher-ups from military live. Do they not want people to clear their mind and body? May be they don't.

Surprisingly and sadly, Military government banned building of Pandals even in Inyar Road this year. As Thingyan is important for Burmese people, Pandal coordinators decided to build near the Kandawgyi, which is one of the most famous place in Rangoon.

A lot of people went there for celebrating the festival. What did they get? They got bombed. Isn't it too obvious that the military government deliberately moved the festival area to the place where the higer-ups do not live?

And don't forget that in September the military government shot monks, the most sacred persons for Buddhists and for people in Burma. So, it is not a surprise that the junta won't even care about the people under their reign.

But what makes me think this way?

There will be a so called election in October where many political parties will get involved, except NLD which got highly supported by Burmese citizens.

In 1990, NLD won the election by high percentage of support but the military government cheated the ballot counts and made fake ballots of their own. They overruled the election and took the position of the head of the state by force.

Talking about history, there was also bombing before the referendum in 2008. And the bombing was very close to the City Hall which had a very tight security. Who else can get near city hall without permission from the military? Who else can diffuse the bomb near the city hall? I could think of no one, except the military junta.

But why? Why did they want to plant the bomb near the city hall? They just tried to scare people and wanted to win the election in dirty way.

Back to present, IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN!!! They want to get the "Seat at the United Nations" which is taken by NLD by scaring people. Without a doubt, the junta will definitely blame and link these bombings on NLD in a few days.

My guess is there will be more terrorist activities in coming months in order to discredit NLD. And of course, they are using such "control-by-scaring" tactics to baffle the minds of the citizen and hoping to get the reason to disband NLD.

After all, their goal is to wipe out the name, "NLD", from the surface of the earth and rule over the country with the dirtiest tricks.

Reference
BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8622068.stm
CNN News http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/15/myanmar.blast/index.html?iref=allsearch

CNN reporter deported from Burma

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/03/28/rivers.myanmar.deported.cnn?iref=allsearch

I feel sorry for you Mr. Rivers about your deportation. But to junta, every external reporter is its biggest enemy. You are lucky that you got the journalist passport initially and was able to present it to the world how Burma (Myanmar) is isolated and controlled by military power.

If you can see how Mr. Rivers's visa is canceled in an instant, you can imagine what they can do to the lives of Burmese citizens.

"But if this is how the army treats the international press, how will they treat political opposition parties here? If the reporters can't return, can we really believe Myanmar's dawn of democracy?" says Mr. Rivers.

My answer to Mr. Rivers's rhetorical question is that we will not have dawn of democracy until this military regime is still holding power. So, we have to overthrow this autonomic, hypocritical, and ruthless regime.

Reference:
CNN