Weekly Diary, No. 329 (22 – 28 November 2008)

• DALAI LAMA’S MIDDLE WAY QUESTIONED!
• HIV CAN BE ELIMINATED!
• CARNAGE IN BOMBAY!
• SHANS OBSERVE NEW YEAR 2103!

Cartoon
Tips for the Senior General


Think Piece
 
The World
22 November 2008
581 exile Tibetan leaders decide again on “The Middle Way” but for the first time in decades say they will take the independence course if China refuses to grant autonomy. The Middle Way is “a naked expression of Tibet independence,” accused official Tibet Daily yesterday. (AP)
 
23 November 2008
21 nation Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members meeting in Lima say they would refrain from raising trade barriers over the next 12 months. They also support overhaul of World Bank and IMF. (Reuters)
 
24 November 2008
_{PM Lee Hsien Loong}
PM Lee Hsien Loong and his cabinet will see their pay cut by up to 19% next year due to the recession. Lee will earn $ 1.99 million a year with the paycut but still higher that US President Bush who gets paid $ 400,000 per year for doing his job. (AFP)
 
25 November 2008
HIV could be eliminated in a decade if all people living in high infection rate countries are regularly tested and treated, says the WHO research paper published online in The Lancet journal. Using the method, HIV infections dropped by 95% within 10 years in South Africa and Malawi, it says. (AP)

26 November 2008

Around two dozen militants storm Mumbai' financial and tourist heart killing at least 107 people and wounding 315. (Reuters)

International Relations
21 November 2008
UN General Assembly approves draft resolution on rights situation in Burma:

• In favor 89

        Against 29
        Abstentions 63

• 7 Asian nations approve the draft: Japan, Mongolia, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Timor-Leste
• Against includes Bangladesh, Brunei, China, India, Laos, Malaysia and Vietnam
• Abstentions include Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand
• Cambodia is absent

(Mizzima)
 
22 November 2008
_{Scot Marciel}
Scot Marciel, deputy assistant secretary for East Asia and Pacific Bureau, includes agenda on Burma during his visit to Tokyo, 1-2 December, and Singapore, 3-6 December. (AFP)
 
25 November 2008
Comparison: Tibet and Burma exile opposition communities
        Tibetan                                                                         Burmese

• Shows cohesion                                                          Lacks unity
• Chinese suspicious as ever of ‘The Middle Way’          Repression as massive as ever
• Dalai Lama is the leader                                            NCGUB yet to find leadership role
• Opposition centered in exile                                       Exiles play supporting role
• Needs to have a strategy                                         Lacks united strategy

(Irrawaddy)

• Have Dalai Lama                                         Have Aung San Suu Kyi – Editor

 
25 November 2008
_{Frank Smithius}
24,000 people in Burma will die next year unless there are funds for antiretroviral drugs (ART), says Frank Smithius, head of Medicins Sans Frontieres/Holland:

• Number of HIV/AIDS people            240,000
• Number of people needing ART        75,000
• Number of people getting ART          15,000

(DPA)
 
26-27 November 2008
Tripartite Core Group (TCG), involving Asean, Burma and UN, meets in Burma to review post-Nargis relief and recovery efforts. (Xinhua)

Thai-Burma Relations
25 November 2008

Thousands of passengers stranded, following seizure of the Suvarnabhumi international airport in Bangkok. (Agencies)

Politics/ Inside Burma
22 November 2008
88th National Day of Burma:

• The regime calls for support to democracy with “flourishing discipline”
• A sole protestor Min Thein calls for release of all political prisoners
• NLD also make same call and demands authorities allow all political parties dissolved in 1990 to re-register

(DPA/AP)
 
24 November 2008
Another 18 political prisoners transferred to remote prisons from Insein, including Taunggyi and Lashio:

• Ko Ko Gyi                  (believed to be in) Monghsat
• Aung Thein                 Bassein

(Irrawaddy)
 
24 November 2008
Two New Generation members receive 8 years each: Tin Myo Tut aka Kyaw Kyaw Oo and Saw Maung. They were arrested on 3 September. (Mizzima)
 
25 November 2008
Women’s League of Burma, marking the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, states strong opposition to 2010 elections. The regime’s constitution has “not considered the representation of women within the state executive, legislative and judicial branches.” (Statement)
 
25 November 2008
Bilin monks, during a recent meeting, decided to launch a boycott against government officials and supporters by refusing alms from them. (DVB)
 
26 November 2008
Remote prison transfers continue:
                                                                        From                To

• Reverends Sandathiri and Kovida      Insein              Buthidaung
• Thein Swe and Sithu Maung              Insein              Sittwe
• Hta Hta Thet                                       Insein              Pegu

(Irrawaddy)
 
26 November 2008
_Zagana
Zagana awarded Imprisoned Artist Prize by London-based Artventure. (Mizzima)
 
27 November 2008
Zagana and Nargis donator friends given additional jail terms:
                                    Earlier              Addition                     Total
Zagana                         45 years           14 years                       59 years
Zaw Thet Htwe           15 years           4 years                         19 years
Thant Zin Aung          15 years           3 years                         18 years
(Irrawaddy)

Shans/ Shan State
27-28 November 2008

Shans mark New Year’s Day both at home and abroad. (SHAN)

Economy/ Business
21 November 2008
The price of Foreign Exchange Certificates (FECs) has slumped in Rangoon:
Last month                  K 1,230           to         $ 1
Today                          K 1,190           to         $ 1
Fuel prices                   Last month      Now
Diesel                          K 4,000           K 3,300 per gallon
Gasoline                      K 3,700           K 3,100 per gallon
(Mizzima)
 
25 November 2008
State-owned Petrobangla is sending a delegation for talks with its counterpart Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) soon. (Energy Bangla)
 
25 November 2008
_{Shwe Dagon pagoda}
Weekly Eleven says the number of foreign tourists are down by half at the Shwe Dagon pagoda, May-November:
Last year                     53,841
This year                      25,380
(AP)
 
26 November 2008
Gold market fluctuating in Burma:
                       Global                                    Burma
March              $ 1,011.25/ounce                     K 601,100 per tical
October           $ 712.50                                  K 516,000
This week        $ 734.00                                  K 519,000
One tical is      0.6 02
Production is down by 30%, according to a popular gold shop owner in Mandalay. (Myanmar Times)

Human Rights
21 November 2008
Burma Army has framed charges under Electric Act against Natmauk township farmers, who lodged a complaint with ILO on 3 August for seizing 5,000 acres of farmland. (Mizzima)
 
26 November 2008
Thada Soe, senior member of Myanmar Women Affairs Federation (MWAF), Ketumadi township, Pegu division, who recently fled to Thailand, says the MWAF has not been effective in protecting women from violence:

• A lot of taxes
• No freedom of speech
• One woman gang-raped by soldiers and the group was not allowed to take action

(DVB)
 
26 November 2008
Mine casualties in Burma doubled last year, according to Landmine Monitor Report 2008:
                        Casualties                               deaths
2006                232                                          20
2007                409                                          47
Civilian casualties occurred while:
Collecting wood or forest produce                    46
Traveling                                                        22
Engaged in agriculture                                     19
Portering                                                         18
Forced labor                                                    16
(Mizzima)

Environment
25 November 2008
Burma’s timber export market has declined as international purchase power falls, says Weekly Eleven. (Thai Press Reports)

Drugs
22 November 2008
_{Maung Weik}
Tycoon Maung Weik, arrested in May on drug charges, got 15 years in prison last week. (DPA)

War
18 November 2008
15 men strong Arakan Liberation Army (ALA) attacks a Burma Army LIB 550 outpost in Paletwa township, killing 2 and wounding 3. (Statement)