News & Articles on Burma

Burma Army offensive against KIO in jade area forces more to flee
Category: News
Created on Saturday, 07 January 2012 10:15
Published Date
Written by KNG

A recent offensive by Burmese government forces against the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in the Hpakan jade mining area in the west of Kachin state, has forced hundreds of local villagers to flee for their safety, according to refugees in the area.


An estimated 300 people have taken shelter in a Kachin Baptist church in Lawng Hkang town, with others seeking refuge in a nearby Catholic Church or with friends, our source said.

Earlier this week the KIO enacted a complete ban on all public travel along the Hpakan jade mining road due to the ongoing conflict with the Burmese army.

According to the KIO's armed-wing the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), over 400 government troops are presently en route to the Hpakan jade region to reinforce the large number of troops already in the area. The reinforcements are said to be troops from the Magway-based Infantry Division No. 88, according to KIA officials.
hpakan-map-060112
On Friday morning at about 7 AM a Burmese army column was ambushed at Ga Matep by troops from the KIA's 6th battalion. At least 6 Burmese soldiers were killed according to KIA sources.

On Friday evening another government column in the same area suffered heavy casualties after they set off KIA land mines buried on the Hpakan road between Gauri Lagat Yang and Kamaing, said KIA officers. The exact number of dead or injured is not known.

Most of the Myitkyina-Hpakan road has been under the control of Kachin forces since the government began a new offensive against the KIO in June of last year. Burma is the world's largest producer of jade and tax collection from the export of precious stones is estimated to be the third largest source of revenue for the Burma's central government. http://www.kachinnews.com/news/2201-burma-army-offensive-against-kio-in-jade-area-forces-more-to-flee.html
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Ending Kachin Conflict 'Important': Suu Kyi
By SAW YAN NAING Friday, January 6, 2012

Amid escalating hostilities in Kachin State in which another major rebel base was overrun by government troops, Burma's prominent democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi reiterated the importance of ending the conflict in northern Burma.

Speaking to The Associated Press in Rangoon on Thursday, Suu Kyi said, "The Kachin situation is important now because of the hostilities and the fate of the refugees and the local people."

Suu Kyi went on to say that the armed conflict is also representative of relations between the government and ethnic nationalities all over the country, a problem that should be resolved by a political settlement.

Suu Kyi said that resolving the country's long-running ethnic conflicts is likely the most important issue over time, because "unless there is ethnic harmony, it will be very difficult for us to build up a strong democracy."

The country's sizable ethnic minorities have for decades struggled for greater autonomy, leading to cycles of brutal counterinsurgency.

La Nan, a spokesperson for the rebel Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), told The Irrawaddy that government troops has overrun another major Kachin military base on Jan. 4 after several days of bombardments, and aided by military helicopters which carried munitions and supplies high into the mountainous terrain.

The KIO troops abandoned their base as they couldn't resist any longer the heavy mortar shelling, said La Nan.

With the reinforcement of battalions from its Light Infantry Division 88, the Burmese army had been attacking the KIO base since Dec. 21, he added.

The government troops also seized a major base belonging to the KIO's Brigade 4 in late December. The base---located in Mong Tong Township in northern Shan State---is considered strategic as it lies in the path of the trans-Burma oil and gas pipeline.

Despite a government peace delegation's plans to hold peace talks with KIO leaders later this month, hostilities on the ground are escalating, said KIO sources. On Dec. 10, President Thein Sein ordered his commanders in the region to put an end to hostilities, an order which appears to have been disregarded.

The conflict between Burmese government troops and the KIO broke out in June after a series of incidents and rising tensions in the region. The conflict has since forced more than 45,000 civilians to be displaced.

The KIO spokesperson said that more than 160 clashes between government forces and Kachin troops were recorded by the KIO for the month of December---more than 90 of which broke out after the presidential order on Dec. 10.

Although the previous military regime concluded ceasefires with many of the ethnic groups, the pacts have been precarious and some of the larger guerrilla armies never joined them. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22786
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Myanmar and the new global democratic wave
January 6, 2012 6:17 pm by Gideon Rachman

Back in 1990 it looked as if events in Myanmar were part of a great wave of democratisation that was washing around the world, after the fall of the Berlin Wall. But while eastern Europe broke free from dictatorship -- and democracy came to countries as diverse as Indonesia and South Africa in the 1990s -- the democratic wave receded in Myanmar. But might Myanmar and Aung San Suu Kyi have better luck this time?

In 1990, the military junta ignored the electoral victory of Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy. The NLD was effectively smashed and its leaders either killed or imprisoned by the military junta. Ms Suu Kyi has spent most of the last twenty years, confined to her house by Inya Lake in Yangon (Rangoon).

There have been hints of liberalisation before, which have disappointed. But this time real change is afoot -- as reflected in the decisions by both Hillary Clinton and William Hague to visit the country.

Yesterday Suu Kyi gave a moving interview to the BBC in which she said that she expected to see Myanmar become democratic in her lifetime, adding the cautious note: "of course I don't know how long I'm going to live. But if I live a normal lifespan, yes."

Once again, a move towards democracy in Myanmar, seems to be part of a global wave. The Arab Spring has changed the international mood -- much as the fall of the Berlin Wall did in 1989. The new mood is evident in the nervousness in Beijing; in the anti-Putin demonstrations in Moscow -- and now in Myanmar. This time, let us hope, Aung San Suu Kyi and Maynmar can catch the wave.
http://blogs.ft.com/the-world/2012/01/myanmar-and-the-new-global-democratic-wave/#axzz1iiDRnMyq
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Kachin rebels shot down government's copter as Burma Army continues war
By Zin Linn Jan 07, 2012 1:41AM UTC

Officials from the Kachin Independence Organization's armed wing have confirmed that on January 4 their fighters shot down a Burmese army transport helicopter in northern Kachin State, Kachin News Group said Friday.

The pilot of the Russian-built helicopter died in the smash, after crash landing in a paddy field near Sinlum Bum village in N'Mawk (Momauk) Township, said Zau Seng a Kachin Independence Army (KIA) officer stationed on the front line.

As said by Zau Seng, after KIA fighters fired their small arms at the helicopter, it was severely damaged and also failed attempt to drop off supplies at a government military-base near Mu Bum Mountain.

The transport helicopter started on generating smoke after repeatedly hit by machine gun fire from troops from the KIA's 3rd Brigade, quoting eyewitnesses' report Kachin News Group said. The helicopter crashed several miles away from the Mu Bum base during a visible retreat to its home base in Manmaw.

The remains of the helicopter were discovered the following day by local villagers.

Fighting between the KIA and government forces has continued unabated for nearly seven months, despite President Thein Sein has instructed the army to cease the Kachin offensive on December 10. Then, a question comes out that why does the commander-in-chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing turn a deaf ear to the president. Is it a trick played by president and the army boss? Or, is the band of soldiers against the president's reform plan?

In his message to the 64th Anniversary Independence Day, President Thein Sein says: "Unity and cooperation of the entire national people are instrumental to building the Republic of the Union of Myanmar into a modern, developed democratic nation. If national solidarity disintegrated, the goal of democracy could not be achieved."

While President is saying to amity and unison among the ethnic groups on 4 January Independence Day, his armed forces have been fighting fiercely against the Kachin Independence Organization in the Kachin State up to date. It is inconsistent terminology of the president since the regime has been launching war against the Kachin rebels in full swing.

Although Burma's military-backed government has kept quiet to release the number of Burmese soldiers killed in action during the Kachin offensive, KIA sources say the Burmese army has sustained its worst losses in more than two decades. Some experienced Burmese military observers have supported a claim that the Burma Army's Generals take no notice of the safety of their own badly trained recruit soldiers.

The latest series of armed clashes in Kachin state have prompted observers to believe that the futile war in the border regions may not be preventable.

The Thein Sein government seems to be uninterested ending hostilities upon Kachin Independence organization. So, it is obvious the government is not heading toward democratic system. As an alternative, it attempts to get hold of the Kachin State wickedly.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi made a comment Thursday: "I am concerned about how much support there is in the military for changes. In the end that's the most important factor, how far the military are prepared to cooperate with reform principles."

Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi said addressing the country's long-lasting ethnic conflicts is predictable the more fundamental issue in due course, since there is not ethnic unification it will be very hard for all to build up a strong democracy. http://asiancorrespondent.com/73285/kachin-rebels-shot-down-government%E2%80%99s-copter-as-burma-army-continues-war/
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Burma's prisons should not be off limits to international monitors

It's still unclear how many are held for peacefully expressing their views, but their release is essential for inclusive politics

By Elaine Pearson

Published in: The Guardian

January 6, 2012

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her party the National League for Democracy will participate in upcoming byelections in Burma this April. A presidential aide claims the NLD may one day rule the government. This could be a historic moment, but only if the country's remaining political prisoners are free and can participate.

Currently in Burma, William Hague, the British foreign secretary, has expressed "hope to see the release of all remaining political prisoners". But while the Burmese government has spoken about releasing them, it continues to disappoint by holding more than a thousand political prisoners behind bars.

An October 2010 amnesty saw only about 220 released, including famed comedian Zargana. One year ago, Zargana languished in a remote prison for criticising the government's response to Cyclone Nargis. A year later, he's visiting Thailand and Cambodia to promote his new film festival and is quoted on the front page of the English-language edition of the Myanmar Times.

But a much-anticipated 2 January presidential clemency order was a disappointment. It reduced prison sentences for common criminals, resulting in the release of only about a dozen political prisoners. For those sentenced to lengthy prison terms like monk leader U Gambira, activist Min Ko Naing and members of the 88 Generation Students group, their sentences were simply cut to 30 years.

Exactly how many political prisoners remain behind bars has become a major bone of contention. The government claims that before the October releases there were 526 "national security" detainees, now leaving only 300. But this leaves out many known prisoners. Hague's challenge is to persuade the government to publicly account for all remaining political prisoners.

Run for almost 50 years by a military junta, Burma has long been notorious for holding political prisoners. Open opposition to the government resulted in long, swift sentences under cruel conditions. Perhaps only 300 people are imprisoned under specific charges, but it's still unclear which laws the Burmese government is talking about. And many more remain jailed on trumped-up politically motivated criminal charges.

Journalist Hla Hla Win, for instance, was arrested in 2009 while interviewing monks. She was sentenced to seven years for using an unregistered motorbike, then another 20 for uploading data to the internet that was "damaging to the security of the military regime". Monks participating in the 2007 protests were charged with insulting religion, and others have been charged with illegally holding foreign currency, possessing electronic equipment without a license, and immigration violations.

The Thai-based Assistance Association of Political Prisoners of Burma is composed of former Burmese political prisoners who have tracked individual cases for more than a decade. It estimates there are more than 1,500 political prisoners. The US state department has a list of around 1,100, but does not rule out that the true number is higher. The NLD has produced a partial list of 591 political prisoners, based on information gathered from NLD lawyers, social workers and local party officials.

Given the closed nature of Burma's legal system, the lack of a free press, and unsophisticated communications in one of Asia's poorest countries particularly in remote ethnic areas affected by conflict each of these lists probably omits significant numbers of people being held for peaceful expression of their political views. For years Burma's prisons have been off-limits to any independent monitoring mechanism.

Hague should call on the Burmese government to allow an independent international body to identify each prisoner and determine whether the person is imprisoned on political grounds. While some have said the new National Human Rights Commission could perform this role, it has yet to establish its independence and lacks capacity and experience. Hague should make clear that any new detentions on political grounds will call into question the government's commitment to change.

After his release, Zargana summed up the feelings of many in Burma when he said: "I am not pleased to see what they are doing. They are doing it bit by bit. We are like the hostages captured by the Somali pirates. It's like how much ransom money can you pay to secure the release of these hostages?"

The Burmese government needs to show the world that it sees imprisoned activists as part of the country's future, not hostages to be parleyed as evidence of the sincerity of their touted reforms. The full and unconditional release of all political prisoners is an essential step toward an inclusive political process.
http://www.hrw.org/node/104130
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Text of the Unofficial Translation of CNF Ceasefire Agreement
chinland guardian

Dr. Sui Khar and Colonel Zaw Min Oo flanked by peace delegates

07 January 2012: Chinland Guardian is pleased to present the unofficial translation of the preliminary peace agreement between the Chin National Front and the Chin State Government following the two-days peace talks in Hakha this week.

Preliminary Agreement between the Chin State Government and Chin National Front towards Permanent Peace in Burma

In order that a permanent peace may be established ...


- Drawing its basis from the announcement 1/2011 dated 18th August 2011 of the Government of the Union of Myanmar regarding the implementation of a permanent peace in the Union of Myanmar,

- Considering the need for a step-by-step practical implementation of the plans for a peace process drawn up by the Ethnic Affairs and Internal Peace Committee set up by both Houses of the People's Parliament and the National Parliament on 18 August 2011

- Recalling that following the preliminary discussion between a delegation led by Union Minister U Aung Min, on the authorization of the President of the Union of Myanmar U Thein Sein, and Pu Zing Cung, Chairman of the fourth-term Conference of the Chin National Front and Joint General Secretary Dr. Sui Khar at a location in Thailand, the Chin National Front's first Emergency Conference endorsed its Central Executive Committee's decision No. 9/2011, and that therefore the decision can be implemented,

- Therefore, the Chin National Front and the Chin State-level peace delegations have signed the following historic points of agreement so that a permanent peace may be established.

(1) The Chin State Government level peace delegation and the Chin National Front have agreed to end mutual hostilities, including armed hostilities, effective from the time of the signing of this agreement.

(2) The Chin State Government level peace delegation and the Chin National Front have agreed to open up a Liaison Office in Thantlang so that the points in this agreement may be vigorously implemented. Matters regarding the possibility of opening up Liaison Offices in Tedim and Matupi will be submitted to the relevant bodies, the result of which will be made known at a later date. The parties have agreed that the Chin National Front/Army can temporarily be based out of the areas around three Village Tracts in Thantlang Township: Tlangpi Village Tract, Dawn Village Tract and Zang Tlang Village Tract. Moreover, matters regarding the possibility of having bases in Tedim Township's Zampi and Bukphir Village Tracts, and Paletwa Township's Kung Pin, Para and Pathiantlang Village Tracts, will be submitted to the relevant bodies and the result made known at a later date.

(3) The Chin State Government level peace delegation and the Chin National Front have agreed that any unarmed members of the Chin National Front and Chin National Army can freely travel to any place within the Union.

(4) The Chin State Government level peace delegation and the Chin National Front have agreed to meet again as soon as possible, so that the parties can arrange a time and date for the Chin National Front and the Union government to hold a discussion. In holding Union level talks, the parties agreed in principle to uphold as basic principles the flourishing of ethnic issues and democracy, in addition to the three national causes.

(5) The Chin State Government level peace delegation and the Chin National Front have agreed to allow the Chin National Front and the Chin National Army to freely hold public consultations, so that the desire of the Chin people can be brought forward as the basis of their discussion at the Union-level talks.

(6) The Chin State Government level peace delegation and the Chin National Front have agreed to allow international Non-Governmental Organizations to operate freely in Chin State and elsewhere in the Union of Myanmar so that they can tackle the issues facing the Chin people, including the food crisis, lack of medicines, lack of access to clean water etc., in accordance with the existing laws.

(7) The Chin State Government level peace delegation and the Chin National Front have agreed that, with financial support from the Union government, the Chin National Front will take a leading role in development work in relation to the Special Economic Zone (hereinafter SEZ) in accordance with laws governing the SEZ, so that the poorest state in the Union of Myanmar can be turned into a modern and developed State.

(8) The Chin State Government level peace delegation and the Chin National Front have agreed that the Chin National Front and the Chin State Government work together as necessary, on development projects in Chin State by reciprocating advice and consulting with one another.
(9) The Chin State Government level peace delegation and the Chin National Front have agreed to closely cooperate in eradicating illegal poppy cultivation, drug business and drug smuggling in northern Chin State.

This agreement was signed between the Chin State Government-level peace delegation and the Chin National Front in the presence of the Union-level peace delegation leader Railway Minister U Aung Min and Union-level delegation member Environment and Forestry Minister U Win Htun, Chin State Chief Minister U Hung Ngai and members of the Peace and Tranquillity Committee on 6 January 2012. http://chinlandguardian.com/news-2009/1667-text-of-the-unofficial-translation-of-cnf-ceasefire-agreement.html
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William Hague: Burma needs to do more before sanctions are lifted

Foreign secretary acknowledges 'momentum for change' but says international pressure must be maintained
Jason Burke in Rangoon
guardian.co.uk, Friday 6 January 2012 16.32 GMT

The foreign secretary, William Hague, has warned Burmese authorities that recent reforms are insufficient and "much more needed to be done" before EU sanctions can be lifted.

Hague, on the first visit by such a senior British official to the repressive south-east Asian nation since 1955, said on Friday that though there was a clear "momentum for change", the international community needed to maintain the pressure.

"It is very important we do not relax our efforts prematurely," he said after discussions in Rangoon with Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace prize winner and leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement.

Aung San Suu Kyi also stressed the need for further reforms, saying after the meeting that "in order to realise our dreams we have to work very hard indeed".

She added: "I do not believe in dreaming for the sake of dreaming. We have to have a goal in mind. [Getting there] boils down to ... hard work."

The meeting took place at Aung San Suu Kyi's lakeside home, where she has spent much of the past 23 years under house arrest.

Hague described himself as a great admirer of his host and of her work for democracy.

"There is now a chance that what she and her colleagues have worked for for so long will actually take place if progress towards democracy continues to be made," he said.

Many remain deeply sceptical of Burma's rulers' commitment to change.

A civilian president, Thein Sein, was appointed by the military dictator, Than Shwe, last March.

Than Shwe has kept a low profile since but is believed to exercise considerable influence behind the scenes.

In November 2010, an election -- described as flawed by observers -- was held. A nominally civilian government is now in power, media censorship has been eased and a range of other reforms are being enacted.

About 200 political prisoners were freed in amnesties. However, between 600 and 1,700 remain in jail, some serving sentences of 30 years or more.

The exact motivation behind the decision of the ruling military clique to at least ostensibly relinquish power is still unclear.

Analysts point to the potential for a powerful group of former military men and their families to earn huge wealth from international trade and the rapid development of what is one of the poorest countries in the world.

Another factor may be a desire to dilute an increasingly heavy Chinese influence -- and thus ending EU and American sanctions would be a key objective.

European leaders will meet in April to decide whether to continue the current sanctions. Last year, after Burma's transition to a civilian government, the EU lifted travel bans and asset freezes affecting many top government officials.

European sanctions are weaker than those imposed by the US and several EU nations have long believed they should be at least modified.

Hague said he had been convinced that Thein Sein was "sincere" when he met him on Wednesday, but said the release of remaining political prisoners was vital.

An amnesty earlier this week involved just a dozen prisoners being freed.

Hague said: "It is not possible to say a country is free and democratic while people are still in prison on the grounds of political beliefs. It is vital that they be released if [sanctions] are to be removed."

He also called for greater humanitarian access to areas of ethnic conflict and "visibly" free and fair polls when byelections are held in April. These will be contested by the National League of Democracy and, possibly, Aung San Suu Kyi herself. The party boycotted the election of 2010.

Analysts in Rangoon said the Burmese authorities could meet most of the conditions set out by Hague relatively quickly.

Though the political prisoners are seen as a useful bargaining chip, they could be freed rapidly and there have already been big improvements in humanitarian groups' ability to work in Burma.

Much depends on the relative power of factions within the opaque ruling cliques and an ongoing struggle between reformists and hardliners.

Hague is one of a succession of senior international officials to go to Burma. Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, visited last month.

Thai, Indonesian and Japanese dignitaries have done so too. On Saturday Aung San Suu Kyi will meet a Danish delegation. The French foreign minister is expected next week.

Hague said ?10m of British aid would be channelled go to microfinance programmes to help the "poorest of the poor" through small loans for business set-up costs and much-needed agricultural equipment.

Another ?2m will be used to help 13,000 refugees displaced within Burma by fighting between the army and Kachin ethnic minority forces, making the UK Burma's biggest bilateral aid donor.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/06/hague-burma-needs-do-more?newsfeed=true
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Burma keen to prove it's open to foreign investors

SPECIAL REPORT: Thai delegation visits Dawei today in an effort to strengthen confidence in an ambitious scheme

Published: 7/01/2012 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

There seems little doubt about the potential of the ambitious Dawei project, but attracting business partners to bring it to fruition might not be easy amid doubts about the political outlook in Burma.

The trip by the Thai ministers of foreign affairs, finance, industry, energy and transport to Dawei today is seen as an attempt to bolster confidence among prospective investors for the mega-project and to send a message to the international community that Burma is serious about opening up the country.

The visit was arranged after two requests from Burmese President Thein Sein to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) has been granted a 75-year concession for the special economic zone in Dawei that covers 250 square kilometres, 10 times bigger than the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Rayong.

The deep-sea port of 6,100 rai of land alone is five times the size of Laem Chabang port in Chon Buri.

Transport Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat reaffirmed Thai support for the port construction and another five projects there as it is a showcase of Thai investment in Burma.

Dawei is about 300km from the Thai border province of Kanchanaburi. Part of the industrial development plan is to build a land transport link with Thailand and other mainland Southeast Asian countries, making it a key industrial site and port for the region.

The project is part of the Southern Economic Corridor under the Greater Mekong Subregion initiative.

But turning the project from a blueprint to a reality may be a challenge, says Chula Sukmanop, an expert on logistics at the Transport Ministry. Investors will take into account political factors in Burma while calculating their business risks and gains.

"Political stability is one of the conditions for investors," Mr Chula says.

Burma realised this problem and tried to build foreign investor confidence in the project by issuing the Dawei Special Economic Zone law last year. The law is to assure foreigners that their investments would be guaranteed in case of any political change in Burma, a Thai government source familiar with the project noted.

ITD chairman Premchai Karnasuta said recently that the company was targeting loan deals of at least US$12.5 billion (387 billion baht) this year to finance key projects in Dawei. These include $3.5 billion for port and road construction, $2 billion for a rail project and $7 billion for coal-fired power plants with a combined capacity of 4,000 megawatts.

The contractor has been in talks with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation for loans to finance the port and road development, while Chinese lenders are keen to provide funding for the rail project.

The firm plans to conclude financial agreements for an integrated steel mill, oil and gas facilities, petrochemical complex and fertiliser plant projects as well as a selection of its strategic partners this year.

ITD also plans to sell 50,000 rai, or 30%, of the total area in Dawei next year. Proceeds will be used to finance the six priority projects.

Although Dawei is intended to serve industries in the zone, it can be developed into a key port to avoid sea lane traffic congestion in the Malacca Straits. It can shorten the travelling time of cargo ships from Southeast and East Asia to markets in Europe and the Middle East. The land transport will link Dawei with other ports in Thailand and Vietnam.

"Many countries such as Japan and China are paying attention to this route due to its potential and it could be a production base for them. The Southern Economic Corridor is important in terms of economic benefits," the source said.

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said the port will bolster the connections of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its partners China and Japan.

Thailand is also considering building a deep-sea port at Pak Bara in Langu district of Satun for exports from Thailand and China, with the same goal of bypassing the Malacca Straits.

The Pak Bara project has been on and off since the first study seven years ago due to environmental concerns as it will be built in the Petra National Marine Park.

ACM Sukumpol and Mr Chula see no threat from the Dawei port to Pak Bara because of their different purposes. The Dawei deep-sea port is built to feed raw materials to other projects there, while Pak Bara will be exclusively developed for imports and exports, they said.

An advantage of Pak Bara is it will have a land link between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, as well as a rail connection to China, according to the transport minister.

The Pak Bara project will be considered after the completion of the rail link between Thailand and China via Laos, ACM Sukumpol says.

But Mr Chula cautioned that the Dawei deep-sea port could emerge as a rival to the Thai port in the next 10 years.

"The Dawei deep-sea port and the Pak Bara deep-sea port will target different markets but Thailand has to be prepared," he said.

Tanit Sorat, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said the Dawei port is an ambitious plan. It positions itself as a global port to compete directly with those in Malaysia and Singapore, he said.

The port could be a western gateway for Thailand, which has no clear policy on a deep-sea port for the western coast.

"I think Dawei could be an option for Thai investors," Mr Tanit said, citing such upstream industries as oil and gas or steel to be developed there, plus the need to relocate to flood-free areas and away from the planned hike of the minimum daily wage to 300 baht.

"By the time Dawei is in operation, industries in Thailand will be much more advanced than today," he said. "Thailand will move away from heavy industries such as petrochemicals and leave them to neighbouring countries."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/274055/burma-keen-to-prove-it-open-to-foreign-investors
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Rep. Joe Crowley Jetting To Burma, India
BY Celeste Katz

If you want to write your Congressman next week and your rep is Joe Crowley, you'll need a lot of stamps: He'll be in Burma and India.

joe crowley flags.jpgCrowley's jaunt to strife-torn Myanmar on Jan. 12 and 13 will make him the first House member to travel there on official business in more than 12 years, his office said in announcing the trip.

"I am visiting the country to assess the situation on the ground, as well as to encourage the government to continue on the path of reform," he said of the Burma visit. "While the government has taken some steps in the direction of reform, there is more that needs to be done. I am also very much looking forward to my meetings with Aung San Suu Kyi, a leader I have admired for years."

Crowley helped get Suu Kyi, who spent more than 15 years under house arrest for pro-democracy activism, the Congressional Gold Medal.

The Queens/Bronx rep, who heads the Queens Democratic organization and co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, leaves for India tomorrow, returning Jan. 14. Crowley and a delegation led by Virginia Sen. Mark Warner will hit New Delhi, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Kolkata to discuss trade, defense and cultural ties with the U.S.
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2012/01/rep-joe-crowley-jetting-to-burma-india
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THE INDEPENDENT: Friday 06 January 2012
William Hague 'encouraged' by Burma reforms
Andrew Woodcock

The international community must maintain pressure on Burma's
government to make further "bold steps" towards reform, Foreign
Secretary William Hague said today as he completed a historic visit to
the south-east Asian country.

Mr Hague said that he was "encouraged" by liberalising measures introduced since President Thein Sein's arrival in office last year, but insisted that more ambitious action is needed, including the release of hundreds of political prisoners.

His comments came after talks yesterday with Thein Sein and a meeting with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi this morning.

In signs of a thaw after decades of hardline military rule, the president has opened talks with Ms Suu Kyi, legalised her National League for Democracy (NLD) party and released more than 200 political prisoners.

Speaking at the end of his two-day trip, Mr Hague described the visit as "a gesture of good intent on the part of the United Kingdom" in the light of the new regime's reforms, adding that "if the country continues on this promising path, as we hope it will, we are ready to offer a new relationship based on friendship and prosperity".

He announced that Britain will provide ?2 million in additional aid for thousands of people displaced by conflict in the country.

However he signalled that further change will be needed before the UK can back the lifting of European Union sanctions.

"There are hundreds of men and women still remaining in jail here for their beliefs," said Mr Hague. "This has no place in any democracy, and it has no place in the future of this country.

"I was encouraged to hear that the Government plans to release remaining political prisoners. But more ambitious action will be needed and we look to them rapidly to honour this commitment.

"Second, it is vital that the by-elections on April 1 are credible, free and fair and enable all parties to compete. We welcome the NLD's courageous decision to participate in these elections, and the world will watch these elections closely.

"Third, for too long this country's border regions have been scarred by conflict and suffering, particularly in Kachin state, where fighting has displaced tens of thousands of people in recent months...

"I encourage all sides today to seize this moment of change, to agree to a formal cessation of hostilities and uphold international law, and to begin serious political dialogue as part of a national reconciliation process.

"These are indispensable steps for confidence in the country's development and they are achievable in the near future."

Speaking alongside Ms Suu Kyi following their talks in Rangoon earlier today, Mr Hague said he hoped that Burma's "long-held dream" of freedom and democracy now has a chance of being realised.

He added: "It is not possible to say a country is free and democratic while people are still in prison on grounds of their political beliefs.

"The risk is that we assume it's all done and forget that this is only part way through. It's very important that we do not relax the pressure prematurely."

Mr Hague's visit is the first by a British foreign secretary in more than 50 years and the latest in a string of recent trips by international figures, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, amid efforts to bring Burma back into the international fold.

He hailed Ms Suu Kyi as "an immensely important figure" in bringing about change in Burma, and said his talks with her today convinced him she was "full of determination to carry on and to complete this work".

Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi, speaking alongside Hague after their meeting, said: "In order to realise our dreams we have to work very hard indeed.

"We will work very hard and we are sure our friends will be with us at our side and together we will succeed in fulfilling the dreams of the people of Burma."

Mr Hague said that Britain may be able to offer help to the Burmese authorities in resolving ethnic conflicts, some of which have dragged on for more than 40 years. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/william-hague-encouraged-by-burma-reforms-6285993.html
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EU Sanctions Remain Until Burmese Prisoner Release: Hague
By BA KAUNG Friday, January 6, 2012

Concluding a two-day visit to Burma on Friday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said that European sanctions should not be lifted while political prisoners remain in the country.

Hague arrived in Burma on Thursday, the first British foreign secretary to visit Burma since 1995, and met with Burmese President Thein Sein and government officials, including Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin and Lower House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann, in Naypyidaw before flying to Rangoon to have a private dinner with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

In a briefing to reporters following a formal meeting with Suu Kyi on Friday, Hague described former general Thein Sein as "sincere" and expressed support for the reforms he had taken so far, noting however that Burma cannot be assumed to be free and democratic while it continues to detain political dissidents.

He said that all political prisoners must be released before the European Union's restrictive sanctions against Burma are to be changed, and called for humanitarian access to be granted to ethnic conflict areas in the country. The former Conservative party leader also urged the Burmese government to ensure that the parliamentary by-elections to be held on April 1 are "visibly free and fair" in the eyes of the international community.

"It is very important that we do not relax the pressure [on Burma] prematurely, and it is very important that we are clear in what we would like the government here to do for us to be able to change our own policy," Hague said.

"So in the meetings that I had with the government ministers yesterday, I was very clear about where the United Kingdom stands about what we would like to happen about our advice. So we must not relax our efforts prematurely. That is the risk we must guard against."

Suu Kyi said in the same press briefing that all political prisoners should be released, and that all efforts must be made to end long-standing ethnic conflicts in Burma. She also noted that she would like to see free and fair by-elections in which her National League for Democracy party will contest.

"I must add that I would like to see the NLD winning very well in these elections," she said.

According to a Reuters report, Hague was assured by parliament speaker Thura Shwe Mann in their meeting on Thursday that by-elections will be free and fair and that he wanted Suu Kyi on board.

Hague is the latest in a series of high-ranking Western diplomats---including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton---to visit Burma, and hold talks with government officials and Suu Kyi in order to gauge the recent political and economic changes under the country's new quasi-civilian government that took office in March.

In meetings with Western officials and diplomats, Naypyidaw has made a string of pledges, including releasing hundreds of political prisoners and making further democratic changes. In return, the Burmese government are asking for economic sanctions to be lifted and relations to be normalized.

However, many Burmese expressed disappointment with the government this week after a presidential order on Monday to grant clemency to prisoners resulted in just over 30 political prisoners who had little time on their sentences being released.

On Tuesday, Suu Kyi said that she continues to have confidence in President Thein Sein's influence and expressed hopes for the release of all remaining political dissidents.

Her party colleague Win Tin, however, said he is not so optimistic about the future of the country and expressed concerns about Burma becoming a pawn in the Western push against China's rising power.

In an interview with the Guardian during the British foreign secretary's visit, Win Tin said, "Hague should keep in mind that, yes, we have found a light in the tunnel here in Burma---but we are still in the tunnel. Maybe we can reach the light; maybe we can make it brighter; maybe we can even leave the tunnel. But we don't know yet. And meanwhile, we are still in the dark." http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22787
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Wa, Mongla still against junta-drawn charter
Friday, 06 January 2012 12:57 S.H.A.N.

Despite signing agreement last month to consider having elected representatives for townships under their control to speak for them, both the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) say the first thing for them to deliberate is whether or not they should accept the 2008 constitution that had been ratified without their participation, according to sources from Sino-Burmese border.

Both had allowed junta referendum organizers to set up polling stations in their areas in May 2008 for the non-UWSA and non-NDAA populace to exercise their right. "Only a few turned up," said an NDAA official. "And you can be sure what most of them thought about whatever the Burmese government did."

Nevertheless, the regime announced later that 99.07% of the eligible voters had turned up and 92.4% of them had voted in favor of the charter.

Both Wa and Mongla, as the NDAA is commonly known, had declared they were against the constitution that had left several areas under their control out of their jurisdiction:

Mongpawk, under Wa control, is in Mongyang township
Hsaleu, under Mongla control, is also in Mongyang township
Nampan, under Mongla control, is in Mongyawng township

How about pushing for legislation after their people have been represented in the union parliament? "No, no, that's impossible," replied a Wa official. "We will be a very small, negligible minority there while the Burmese military and its party are the absolute majority. How can you hope to get their approval for anything that is against what they had already decided?"

He however admits it will be an uphill battle. "We have never won a battle of wits against them," he said. "We hope our luck changes this time with the help of our friends."

Without Mongpawk and Hsaleu, Wa and Mongla will become isolated from each other. Likewise, without Nampan, Mongla will be cut off from access to the Mekong, the outlet to the countries downstream. Both had demanded, so far unsuccessfully, that all the three localities remain under their sway.

http://shanland.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4324:wa-mongla-still-against-junta-drawn-charter&catid=85:politics&Itemid=266