Democratic Voice of Burma

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• Fire breaks out at Rohingya refugee camp
• SEA Games medal winners lose out on promised bonuses
• Burmese govt attacks Sun Rays journal
• Business weekly
• The Burmese stunt king

Fire breaks out at Rohingya refugee camp Posted: 14 Dec 2013 12:03 AM PST Thirty-four wooden houses were burned down when an accidental fire ravaged a Rohingya refugee camp in Pauktaw township, Arakan State, on Thursday. No one was reported injured. According to Arakan state government spokesman Win Myaing, a cooking incident led to the blaze which took three hours to extinguish and affected some 280 families. "There are 84 rows of terraced housing in the camps, of which 34 have now been completely gutted," he said, adding that there were no casualties and that state officials are at the scene coordinated a relief effort. ​Pauktaw refugee camp is home to displaced people from five Rohingya villages who fled inter-communal conflict in Arakan state last year. The villagers are currently not allowed to leave the camp. Related Stories Two sentenced for murder in Mrauk-U massacre Seven dead in pre-dawn fire at Rangoon beauty spa A first New Year's festival at the Shan camp

SEA Games medal winners lose out on promised bonuses Posted: 13 Dec 2013 11:22 PM PST Burma's Ministry of Sport has suddenly reduced without explanation the amount of bonus to be paid to Burmese medal winners at the SEA Games, according to an official from the country's billiards and snooker squad who asked to remain anonymous. The Ministry originally promised a reward or bonus of 10 million kyat (US$10,000) for gold medal winners, five million for silver winners, and three million for bronze. Burmese officials previously said the country was targeting 100 gold medals at the games and is already well on its way with 27 golds, 26 silvers and 22 bronze winners at the time of press. However, the Ministry has now decreased the fixed sums to 700,000, 500,000 and 300,000 kyat for gold, silver and bronze winning medalists respectively, said the official, speaking to DVB on Friday. Related Stories Burma’s SEA Games bursts into life Naypyidaw – City of Light Even the rain won't dampen Naypyidaw's moment in the sun Sponsors such as Kanbawza Bank and the Shwe Taung Company have also offered huge financial incentives as Burma rallies to make the games a success on the track as well as off. The men's football team, for example, has been offered a collective bonus of 230 million kyat if they win the gold. Burma's cycling federation has pledged 10 million kyat to each Burmese gold medal winner while the Billiards and Snooker Federation offered five million and the Pencak Silat Federation offered 10 million kyat to any gold medal winner from their teams. Minister of Livestock & Fisheries Ohn Myint awarded the Omega watch from his wrist and promised one million kyat to Wai Phyo Aung after he won three gold medals in wushu. Wai Phyo Aung also collected five million kyat from the Myanmar Wushu Federation and one million from the Sports Ministry. Meanwhile, Burma's men's football team must put all the controversy over bonuses aside this evening when they face arch-rivals Thailand at the YTC Stadium in Rangoon.

Burmese govt attacks Sun Rays journal Posted: 13 Dec 2013 10:10 PM PST The Ministry of Information has called on the Interim Press Council to deal with Sun Rays Weekly News Journal which the ministry alleges is still publishing "unethical" material in the form of personal attacks aimed at discrediting the government. A letter published on the ministry's website on Thursday, addressed to the press council, claimed articles in the journal – a reincarnation of the controversial and recently disbanded Sunlight Weekly News Journal – should be regarded as "unethical", "yellow journalism" and "hate speech". It urged the press council to take the necessary action. Kyaw Min Swe, the secretary of the Interim Press Council, said the council was previously approached by the ministry to talk to several journals which promoted gambling and published fleshy photos of female models. However, he said, they had still not yet decided what to do with the Sun Rays Weekly and said the council had yet to receive a formal letter of complaint. Related Stories Burma amends controversial publishing law Burma's lower house passes media bill Burmese journalism group criticises Sunlight Weekly for personal attacks "In my personal opinion, there are many journals that are connected with cronies and government officials – some of them are published by the children of senior officials – and they have neither an understanding about the press nor the intention to serve the best interests of the country through news media," he said. "They mainly use it to attack their business and power rivals. "Moreover, they give the impression that the Burmese press are undisciplined, and are not yet ready for media freedom," he said.

Business weekly Posted: 13 Dec 2013 08:38 PM PST   Ups and downs The Burmese currency is selling at 985 kyat to the US dollar this week, up from 984 the week previous. Similarly the buying rate is up one kyat to 979. Gold has rebounded from its slump last week, going back up from 650,000 to 654,300 kyat per tical. Petrol remains at 820 kyat per gallon; diesel 940 kyat; and octane 940 kyat per gallon. Good quality rice stays put at 1,100- 1,200 kyat per basket while low quality rice sells at 850-900 kyat.   Burma and the Philippines pledge increased trade and investment Burmese President Thein Sein and a delegation of 10 representatives concluded a three-day visit to Manila on Friday, after penning six agreements with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III at the presidential palace: a 14-day visa free entry into Burma for Filipino passport holders; four cooperation accords for food security, renewable energy development, information sharing, increased trade and investment; and a business contact-sharing agreement between their respective chambers of commerce. Read more: http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-and-the-philippines-pledge-increased-trade-and-investment-burma-myanmar/35017   Shangri-La building a second hotel in Rangoon Shangri-la International Hotel Management Ltd held a groundbreaking ceremony for its second hotel in Rangoon on 8 December. A press release stated that the new luxury hotel, located on Kandawgyi Lake, will have 350 rooms, three restaurants and a swimming pool. Shangri-la also owns and operates Rangoon's downtown Trader's Hotel, opened in 1996. The new facility is expected to open in 2017, according to the company's press statement.   British American Tobacco to re-enter Burma British American Tobacco (BAT) announced on Sunday that the company will once again manufacture, distribute and market their tobacco products in Burma, after closing operations in the country ten years ago. A company press release stated that BAT has partnered with IMU Enterprise Ltd to build a factory and increase farmers' yield. The total investment is expected to reach US$50 million over five years, according to the statement.   RBS fined for defying sanctions The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has reached a US$100 million settlement with the US treasury, Federal Reserve and Department of Financial Services, after being charged for breaching sanctions with Burma, Iran, Cuba and several other countries, The Guardian reported on Wednesday. The Bank was hit with penalties after removing transfer codes that would have made illicit payments traceable. Four employees were fired for their involvement, said the report.   YSH and Mitsubishi to offer additional car servicing Serge Pun's Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. (YSH) announced on the company website on Thursday that they will be expanding their partnership with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) to offer additional after-sales auto services. The press statement said that a new service center has been established in Rangoon, while one already exists in Mandalay. The statement also said that MMC announced in October that they plan to begin new car sales in Burma, and a joint venture between YSH, MMC, Mitsubishi Corporation and First Myanmar Investment Co Ltd is underway to facilitate the import and sale of vehicles.   Japan's PM to unveil 60bn yen plan for Burma at summit: Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to pledge 60 billion yen (US$580 million) in loans to Burma, chiefly to help it build infrastructure, at an upcoming summit with President Thein Sein, a Japanese government source reportedly told Kyodo News on Thursday. Abe and Thein Sein, who are to attend a special summit of Japanese and ASEAN leaders beginning on Friday in Tokyo, will also sign a memorandum of understanding on Japanese support for Burmese health and medical sectors at the meeting, which is likely to take place Sunday, the report said. Read more: http://www.dvb.no/news/japans-pm-to-unveil-60bn-yen-plan-for-burma-at-summit-kyodo-burma-myanmar/35218   IMF chief pledges support for Burma's banking sector International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde pledged this week that the IMF will provide technical assistance to the Burmese Central Bank in monitoring the country's nascent banking system. "Myanmar must stabilize its banking system with strong monetary policy, directed by an independent central bank and a bank monitoring system with the help of IMF," Lagarde said. The IMF has forecast that Burma's economy will grow 6.75 percent in the fiscal year 2013-14, ending in March. Read more: http://www.dvb.no/news/imf-chief-pledges-support-for-burmas-banking-sector-myanmar/35062   Related Stories Japan's PM to unveil 60bn yen plan for Burma at summit: Kyodo Govt calls time on imported alcohol IMF chief pledges support for Burma's banking sector

The Burmese stunt king Posted: 13 Dec 2013 07:50 PM PST Ko Naung is the 2011 champion of the Kawasaki Stunt King biking competition, and at this year's competition, the Burmese biker ended in fourth place. Last week, 80 bikers descended on Bangkok all vying to become the Stunt King. Or Queen – there were two women competing this year. The annual event is organised by Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Previous Stunt King champions are usually not allowed to compete again, but just a day before the event the organisers invited Ko Naung to join the big bike category. "Initially I wasn't allowed to compete this year, but Kawasaki surprised me at the last minute, so I wasn't really well prepared – I only found out when I got here," he said. There are two main categories in the competition – big bikes and small -competing in four classes: wheelie; stoppie; burn; and freestyle. Only a select few experienced stunters compete in the big bike event. Related Stories Motorbikes ‘unofficially’ return to Rangoon Unregistered motorbikes seized in Muse Authorities seize unregistered motorcycles "Previously, I rode the small size Kawasaki KSR model bike but now I've switched to big bikes. Bike stunting has been popular in Thailand for about 10 years but there are only two 600cc riders; me and a friend of mine. I only bought the big bike about six months ago. I'm not very experienced with it so I couldn't perform my best," said Ko Naung. Ko Naung came second in the 2011 pro wheelie class, and he won the Stunt King champion title in the small bike Freestyle class. He also holds third place in the world for driving up the stairwell of the 85-story Baiyoke Sky Hotel – Bangkok's tallest building – in record time.

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