Weekly Digest 97

Weekly Digest, No. 97 (23 � 29 May 2004)

Quotes

Freedom of the media is not the freedom only of its owners and of journalists. It is essentially the freedom of the people to be informed fully and truthfully on all matters of public importance.
B.K.Sen, Legal Issues on Burma Journal, April 2004

The World

17 May

Another giant Buddha, claimed by Chinese monk Hsuan-tsang, 7th century, as a reclining one, is being looked for by archeologists in Bamiyan, where two other statues were dynamited by the Taliban in April 2001.

International Relations

24 May
Burma�s woeful electricity situation worsens as the government diverts power for constitution and beautification projects ahead of a regional summit to be held in Rangoon in 2006. (AFP)

25 May
Leon de Riedmatten, representative of UN envoy Razali Ismail, leaves Rangoon for Chiangmai, says NLD spokesman U Lwin. (DVB)

27 May
Malaysian PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi goes on a 5-day visit to Beijing. Razali Ismail will be a member of the entourage. (AFP) Gen Khin Nyunt is scheduled to meet Badawi on 1 June. (Irrawaddy)

25 MPs, 19 from House of Commons and 6 from House of Lords, sends a letter of support for Burma�s elected representatives that they will be able to form a government. It will be delivered to the National League for Democracy. (CSW)

Burmese activists in Disapora appear to be merely releasing bombastic rhetoric and firing �Thingyan Amyauk� (cannons firing without balls to mark Burmese New Year). (Kanbawza Win)

Thai-Burma Relations

27 May
34 Burmese dissidents are arrested while protesting in front of the Burmese embassy to mark the 14th anniversary of the NLD�s landslide victory in the 1990 elections. (The Nation)

Politics

22 May
Two more eye-witlessness: Daw Khin Aye Myint and Ko Pauk arrived at the Thai-Burma border during the past few days. (DVB)

23 May
Orders are out to arrest anyone who makes fun of the National Convention. Intelligence units are also instructed to keep an eye on people suspected of giving information to foreign radio stations. (DVB)

24 May
Citizens have little interest in the National Convention. Most of them are concerned more with the power cuts, spiraling prices of most commodities, including food and fuel. The price of chicken has doubled from 1,500 kyat to 3,000, about 140 baht. (AFP)

25 May
United Nationalities Alliance is only the �name of the meeting place,� says Kyin Cin Htan, Tiddim MP. It represents 65 elected representatives, he argues. Rangoon had issued a statement a day earlier the UNA participants did not represent the people. (BBC)

NLD spokesman denies holding a People�s Parliament, but the 14th anniversary of the 1990 elections will be marked on 27 May, when a paper for discussion will be read out. (BBC)

27 May
NLD holds 14th anniversary of its elections victory. Some 300-400 meet at the ramshackle headquarters in Rangoon. It demands that the generals not only recognize the results but also implement them, according to a senior western diplomat, who says he doesn�t see how it can happen. Shwe Ohn of UNLD however criticizes the NLD from �shying away from overtly criticizing the Convention.�

Diplomats from Britain, UK, Germany, Australia and Japan were present, but none from the Asean.

The NLD leaders, except for Aung San, are in their eighties. The younger ones are being harassed. It does face the problem of survival. (AFP/Irrawaddy)

Shans

21 May
The Shan State Army �South� quietly celebrates the 46th anniversary of the Shan resistance day. It is also celebrated by exiles in Chiangmai. (S.H.A.N.)

30 May
Khun Thawda a.k.a Pi Sai Long, 79, former Shan State Army leader, dies at his home in Bangkok. (S.H.A.N.)

Economy / Business

28 May
Only alien workers who are registered and have alien ID cards will be allowed to work. Those without cards will be sent back home immediately, says Pira Manathas, labor minister�s assistant. The one month registration period will begin on 1 July. In the meantime, authorities are cracking down on illegal immigrants in the run-up to the registration. (Bangkok Post)

Human Rights

April
The Printer and Publisher Registration Law, promulgated in the one-party era, was amended in 1989, when multi-party democracy was proclaimed as the goal of the State, to increase the penalties: imprisonment for up to 7 years and a fine of up to 30,000 kyat. (Legal Issues on Burma)

4-20 May
Diarrhea has claimed 6 children�s lives in Teknaf makeshift Rohingya camp, which was set up two years ago after they were driven out of their shelters. No NGO is also allowed to enter inside the camp. Cyclonic storm on 19 May also worsened the situation. There are some 970 families numbering 7,000 people in the camp. (Kaladan)

15 May
Construction of shrine in Muse stopped after being accused as a Thai design. (S.H.A.N.)

20 May
Bangladeshi Rifles destroy 100 huts of Rohingya refugees at Teknaf. They are part of 7,000 people living without help from any quarters. Another 20,000 are living in two refugees camps. (Kaladan)

24 May
35 Burmese urban �refugees� leave for the United States. They are the first batch among the 187 refugees who are due to arrive in the promised land during the month. (NMG)

23 May
Mon teachers in Ye township have been ordered to stop teaching Mon and follow curricula and instructions from the military government�s Ministry of Education beginning this year. There are some 100 Mon teachers teaching 7,000 children at 30 schools administered by New Mon State Party in the township. (Kao Wao)

26 May
Amnesty says there are 1,350 political prisoners languishing in the nation�s jails. (AFP)

28 May
A cyclone last week (19 May) killed at least 140 people in the township of Myaybon and left 18,000 homeless, says the UN. The disaster has been ignored by the national media. (Reuters)

Environment

19 May
Gen Khin Nyunt visits Kengtawng Hydel Power Project. The power plant will be installed with 318-megawatt turbines generating 472 million kilowatts. (New Light of Myanmar)

Drugs

27 May
Amnesty International says Thai government �appeared to condone� the vast majority of deaths resulting from �drug traders shooting off one another.� (AFP)

War

April
No more fighting takes place between SPDC and KNU in the Kawkareik Township. However massive use of forced labor and portering Continues. Rangoon is building a road in the KNU�s 6th Brigade area using 100 prisoners. Storing their supplies and constructing a road will help SPDC to be in a state of battle-readiness if the talks fail. (BI)

23 May
Regional commands have been ordered by Rangoon to beef up their forces around areas controlled by ceasefire groups. The result, there are more battalions arriving in Three Pagoda Pass and Kya-In-Seikkyi where the New Mon State Party is dominant. (DVB)

28 May
According to Karenni Social Welfare Committee, the 5-month offensive against the KNPP, October 2003-Februay 2004, which involved displacement of 6,000 people, was to open a new mine near the Mawchi mines and log the teak forest in the area. (KING)