Democratic Voice of Burma

---

• Spitfire hunter claims fresh evidence proves him right
• DVB Debate: Can we forgive 1988 for the sake of national reconciliation?
• Arakan leader seeks to bar non-citizens forming political parties
• Thein Sein hosts Suu Kyi for talks
• Burmese troops trying to set up base on Indian soil, says New Delhi

Spitfire hunter claims fresh evidence proves him right Posted: 02 Sep 2013 05:10 AM PDT Intrepid spitfire hunter David Cundall plans to restart his dig at Rangoon's Mingaladon Airport in January next year, saying he has new evidence that shows the exact location of perhaps 36 or 37 fighter aircraft which were buried at the site toward the end of World War II. Speaking to his local Birmingham Mail in England last week, the 63-year-old farmer produced fresh 2D and 3D images which he claims indicate manmade objects buried in crates up to 11 metres deep. The aircraft enthusiast told the UK newspaper that the surveys were taken at a site about 30 metres from the airport's main runway. Cundall said the Burmese team's consultant geophysicist Professor Tin Htut confirmed that the electromagnetic images looked like a man-made structure, and that the two anomalies in the picture are parallel trending. Related Stories Burma Spitfire enthusiasts vow to continue search Buried Burma Spitfires a ‘legend’, say dig sponsors Crate discovery spells hope for Burma’s Spitfire hunters "The latest images are an exciting development in Mr Cundall's 17-year quest," said the Birmingham Mail. Despite losing his main sponsor, online games company Wargaming, Cundell has long maintained he believes he will find the secret cache of British spitfires which were deemed surplus to requirements as WWII neared its end. Cundall said he believes that the last Viceroy of India, Lord Louis Mountbatten, ordered the burial of at least 36 spitfires in Burma in 1945. He said he also believes some spitfires are similarly buried at a site near Myitkyina in Burma's northern Kachin state. But Cundall's theory has been ridiculed by many aviation experts and archeologists. Andy Brockman, who participated in a dig in January, said the only documentary evidence he found was in British air force logbooks which indicated over 100 planes were broken up in 1945 and distributed to locals as scrap metal. The January dig was halted by the Burmese authorities citing the danger of hitting underground cables connected to Rangoon airport. The airport authorities now want Mr Cundall to produce a plan from civil engineers to prevent any damage to the runway, or undermine it in any way, before the dig can get under way again. The unrelenting treasure hunter from Birmingham plans to wait until Burma's dry season when he can attempt drilling at the site. The airport authorities now want Mr Cundall to produce a plan from civil engineers to prevent any damage to the runway, or undermine it in any way, before the dig can get under way again. The unrelenting treasure hunter from Birmingham plans to wait until Burma's dry season when he can attempt drilling at the site.

DVB Debate: Can we forgive 1988 for the sake of national reconciliation? Posted: 02 Sep 2013 02:50 AM PDT This week's new talk show, DVB Debate, asks whether or not the people of Burma can and should forgive the military regime for its decades of repression – a question all the more sensitive at a time when the country is commemorating the 25-year anniversary of the 8-8-88 massacre. Panelists at the debate are: Hla Swe, a former general and member of the USDP; Zin Mar Aung, founder of the Yangon School of Political Science and a former political prisoner; and Kyaw Ko Ko, the head of Myanmar Students' Union. Special guests include Moe Thee Zun, the former president of the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front; and the parents of Win Maw Oo, a student whose life was lost during the 88 uprising. Set at the venue of Pansodan Studio in Rangoon, several studio guests suggest national reconciliation will not be possible without justice and called for action against those who committed or ordered the atrocities. Our panelists are put on the spot. “It will never be possible for us to forgive and forget – for putting us through all that pain and suffering," says Kyaw Ko Ko. USDP member Hla Swe calls for a more measured approach. "It is inarguable the extent of the events that happened in the past and they should never be forgotten," he says. "However, if we start digging up everything that happened and reliving the past, we will delay the process of national reconciliation. It's time for us to be higher-minded citizens." According to Moe Thee Zun, the former jungle-based president of the ABSDF militia: "Trust is needed. Trust between the government and the people is most important. Only then will we be able to rebuild this country. I request that the military regime apologise to the public for the sake of national reconciliation.” "We can only consider whether to forgive or not when those responsible have admitted their crimes," concludes Zin Mar Aung. What do you the DVB readers think? Join in the debate and watch the full programme in Burmese at dvbdebate.com Next week, DVB Debate looks at the media law and asks: Is Burma ready for total press freedom?

Arakan leader seeks to bar non-citizens forming political parties Posted: 02 Sep 2013 02:11 AM PDT A bill put forward by Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) leader Dr Aye Maung that proposes amending the Political Parties Registration Law to prohibit non-citizens from contesting elections has been approved for discussion in the upper house. Aye Maung said he submitted the bill to change the Political Parties Registration Law as the current mandate allows "non-citizen Bengalis" to be elected to parliament, something he said poses a threat to the country's sovereignty. "We have to consider whether a non-citizen or a temporary citizen should have the right to be a founder or a member of a political party running in the elections – with the intention of manipulating the country's sovereignty. According to our constitution, this right is reserved for citizens only," he said. Related Stories Burma expels Rohingya members from political party Suu Kyi says Burma unrest an ‘international tragedy’ Under Article 4(a) of the Political Parties Registration Law, "citizens, associate citizens, naturalized citizens and temporary citizens" may establish a political party. "We need to seriously review that law from a strategic point of view, and ensure that it does not jeopardise the safeguarding of national security and national interests," he asserted. Aye Maung cited a report by the Arakan Riot Investigation Commission which claimed the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) had issued "white cards" to Bengalis, which is how Rohingyas are frequently described in Burma, in exchange for their votes during the 2010 general election. He said this act had allowed members of the "white-card Bengali community" to run in the election and be elected into the lower house. Upon submission of Aye Maung's bill in parliament on 23 August, USDP representative Hla Swe objected, stating that the country's previous rulers had put a great deal of thought into the wording and substance of this particular article. "I didn't draft the law – it was introduced by the previous State Peace and Development Council government," said Hla Swe. "The article was meant to provide breathing space – to prevent the situation from deteriorating – a measure similar to allowing the military to have 25 percent of parliamentary seats otherwise they would stage a coup." "The previous government were no fools," he said. "They considered this matter thoroughly." Hla Swe said Burma should accept that the various ethnicities in the border region tend to migrate back and forth across the border. He noted that he had spent nine years in Arakan state and was aware that, in addition to the white-card-holding Rohingya community, many other individuals carried pink, green and blue cards which were all recognized under the 1982 Citizenship Law. Colour-coded "Citizens Scrutiny Cards" were first introduced in 1989 as follows: pink cards for full citizens; blue cards for associate citizens; green for naturalised citizens. The Rohingya were not issued with any cards. In 1995, in response to UNHCR's advocacy efforts to document the Rohingyas, the Burmese authorities started issuing them with white Temporary Registration Cards.

Thein Sein hosts Suu Kyi for talks Posted: 01 Sep 2013 11:38 PM PDT Burma's President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi met on Saturday in Naypyidaw where they exchanged views on the state of the country's political affairs. Ye Htut, deputy-minister of information, said the pair met at the presidential ranch because they had not seen each other for a while. "I can confirm that the president met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi today [Saturday] as they had not had an opportunity to meet for some time. They exchanged points of view on the country's affairs," he said. Win Myint, a spokesperson for Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, said he knew the two had met but had no indications which issues were discussed. This has been the fourth private meeting between Suu Kyi and Thein Sein. Related Stories Suu Kyi, Dalai Lama to speak at Czech human rights forum Can President Thein Sein be trusted? Press council meets with NLD to discuss disputed draft media bill

Burmese troops trying to set up base on Indian soil, says New Delhi Posted: 01 Sep 2013 10:52 PM PDT Concerns were raised in the Indian parliament last week after national media and activist groups reacted strongly to reports that Burmese troops had set up bases on Indian territory. The Assam Rifles have since stepped up border patrols in Manipur along the state's 398-km border with Burma after reports surfaced that the Burmese army had made intrusions into Indian territory and set up camps near the border town of Moreh, according to a report in Asia News International on Saturday. Burmese forces had reportedly taken steps to push Manipuri farmers back to the Indian side of the border, and had set up camp in an area disputed by the two counties and considered a "no-construction zone". The issue was raised in Delhi's upper house last week with representatives of several parties raising concerns. According to a report in the Economic Times of India on Friday, D. Raja of the Communist Party of India told parliament that Burmese troops had attempted to construct base camps on the Indian side and built fencing along the non-demarcated border in Manipur. Calling the matter a "serious national security" issue, he warned that India could lose a sizable territory if strong steps are not taken to check such attempts. Related Stories Manipur rebels 'leaving Chin state' Indian rebels on Burma talks agenda Indian rebels forcing Burmese villagers to flee Meanwhile, The Hindu newspaper reported on Saturday that local activist groups and NGOs in Manipur had complained that some 20 villages would be affected by the construction of fencing along or near the Moreh border post, which has recently been promoted as a common marketplace for both Burmese and Indian goods. A joint border working mechanism could ensure that such incursions or miscommunications are dealt with ahead of time, said an editorial in the New Indian Express published on Friday. It also noted that it was not unusual for either side to construct fences along the border to prevent the flow of people and cattle. Both sides had previously vowed cooperation in the area over issues of drug trafficking and smuggling. New Delhi has frequently urged its Burmese counterparts to take greater steps to prevent insurgent groups from India using Burmese soil as bases for their activities. Burma plays a major role in India's "Look East" foreign policy and a recent series of meetings between the two governments plus a high-profile tour of India last year by Burmese pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi have helped cement a warming in bilateral relations. Meanwhile, one of India’s most-wanted militants, Yasin Bhatkal, appeared in a New Delhi court on Friday. He is suspected of a string of bombings that have killed hundreds, and has been linked to the bomb attacks on 7 July at Bodh Gaya, one of Buddhism’s holiest places and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The blasts were alleged to have been staged in retaliation for violence against Muslims in Burma.

You are subscribed to email updates from DVB Multimedia Group | DVB Multimedia Group To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610