Democratic Voice of Burma

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• Families denied access to Myint Myint Aye, other hunger strikers
• ‘Third Force’ political parties form alliance
• Bomb blast kills three in Shan state
• Women footballers suffer heartbreak but restore Burmese pride
• Most Burmese migrants want to go home, says IOM

Families denied access to Myint Myint Aye, other hunger strikers Posted: 19 Dec 2013 04:00 AM PST Family members of three detained activists say they have been denied access to the land rights protestors and are worried about their health given that it is nearly a week since they declared they were starting a hunger strike. Myint Myint Aye, Khin Mi Mi Khine and Thant Zin Htet went on hunger strike on 13 December, protesting against their detention and demanding a verdict on the charges levelled against them (Section-6 of the 1988 Law Relating to Forming of Organisations). The group has been in Paungde Prison for about six months following their arrest in June for assisting farmers in Pegu's Nattalin township protesting against land confiscation. Toe Lay, the younger brother of Myint Myint Aye, said that their family had heard a rumour that she was malnourished, but that prison authorities hung up on them when they phoned to enquire as to her condition. "We called Paungde Prison two days ago – when we said we are Myint Myint Aye's family, the person who picked up the phone said he was not allowed to answer and hung up on us," said Toe Lay. "We were told by some colleagues in Nattalin and Paungde that she [Myint Myint Aye] was in poor health and had been banned from receiving family visits," he said. Related Stories Myint Myint Aye completes third day of hunger strike Michaungkan protestors agree to close rally camp for three months Land grab activist vows to go on hunger strike

‘Third Force’ political parties form alliance Posted: 19 Dec 2013 03:26 AM PST Nine political parties, the core of whom are known informally in Burma as the "Third Force", on Wednesday announced that they had agreed to form an alliance. The nine parties – National Democratic Force (NDF), Democratic Party-Myanmar (DPM), Democracy and Peace Party, Unity and Peace Party, Union Democracy Party, Karen People's Party, Peace and Diversity Party, Chin Progressive Party and the United Democracy – are calling themselves the Federal Democratic Alliance (FDA), and said they see their role as promoting the agendas of the smaller parties to the Burmese public. The name "Third Force" was coined during the general election of 2010 when NDF, DPM and other ethnic parties and civic organisations touted themselves as an alternative to the two main parties: the Union Solidarity and Development Party and Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. Related Stories NLD, other parties arrive in Chiang Mai to meet ethnic armed groups Shan parties consider merger proposal How political should art be? Speaking to DVB, NDF leader Khin Maung Swe, said, "Initially, 12 parties were invited to the meeting; nine attended. We reached an agreement upon forming the Federal Democratic Alliance and stated our policies, but we still need to discuss the framework of the alliance's framework, and we have set a date of 7 January to discuss that. "We decided to form an alliance because unity is one of the main components lacking among the democratic forces – there was previously no alliance, network or a front to implement unity or to allow democratic parties to cooperate – and we wanted to fill this gap and push for this type of progression in Burmese politics," he said. "Moreover, we aim to promote ethnic nationalism and unite all political forces under the umbrella of nationalism when establishing a federal union." Asked about the difference between this alliance and a previous coalition of 10 parties known as the Democratic Friends, Khin Maung Swe said, "The FDA is somewhat more progressive and more capable of standing as a driving political force made up of small parties. We are promoting a multi-party democracy system with established groundwork for cooperation in public politics, parliamentary politics and party politics, and we aim to take up a role in the peace-building effort."

Bomb blast kills three in Shan state Posted: 19 Dec 2013 01:39 AM PST A bomb blast in northern Shan state's Kunlong township on Tuesday left three people dead and two others injured, according to police spokesman Brig-Gen Win Khaung. "The explosion went off around 2:45pm alongside the Hsenwi (Thenni) – Chin Shwe Haw Highway," he said. "Three people were killed and two others injured. One of the victims is a member of the [Burmese] armed forces." He said a bulldozer belonging to construction firm Asia World was destroyed in the explosion and added that police were investigating to determine who might be responsible for the attack. In 2010, Asia World Co Ltd signed a deal with Chinese firm Hanergy to undertake a hydropower project in the Kunlong area. In October, the Shan state town of Namhkam was targeted by bombers; one person was killed and one injured when three bombs went on over a 12-hour period in the town which sits close to the Chinese border. No one was arrested for the crime and no group or person has taken responsibility for the attack. The Namhkam bombing followed a string of bombing incidents that month in Rangoon, Mandalay and Taungoo. No evidence has suggested that all or any of the bombings were connected. A Karen man has been charged in connection with the Taungoo blast. Related Stories Opium production up 26 percent in Burma, says UN Wind and rain ravage Shan state 23 farmers sued for 'trespassing' on their own land

Women footballers suffer heartbreak but restore Burmese pride Posted: 18 Dec 2013 11:37 PM PST The Burmese women's football team collapsed in tears after losing a thrilling penalty shoot-out to Thailand on Wednesday night; however fans stayed on in the Mandalar Thiri stadium in Mandalay and cheered a team which had played their heart out and which lost by the narrowest of margins. The heartbreak of losing in the SEA games semi-final was clear; just minutes earlier Burma had the chance to qualify but S.S. Maw's penalty rebounded off the inside of the post, allowing Thailand a lifeline. It was an enthralling game. Thailand took the lead in the first half but the Burmese women fought back bravely and M. Marri scored a controversial goal in the second half when a replay showed that her scrambled effort had crossed the line. The game went into extra time and again the Thais took the lead. But despite wearing limbs and cold conditions, Burma rallied, cheered on by an excitable crowd which screamed the team on as the clock ticked down. Related Stories Horse play A Korean soap opera in Burmese football Coach’s embarrassing blunder costs Burma the semi-finals Then, with just five minutes remaining, Y.Y. Oo produced a lob which ricocheted off the underside of the bar and into the net. The stadium exploded and a delirious Y.Y. Oo was mobbed by players and officials alike. So, after a 120-minute stalemate, the teams were forced to endure a nail-biting penalty shoot-out. Leading 9-8, the Thai keeper Boonsing dived low to her right and blocked Z.M. Win's effort and suddenly it was all over. While the Thai women celebrated, the Burmese girls were inconsolable. Tears flowed, but within the sobbing was a feeling that Burma's national pride had been restored after the chaos that marked the exit of the men's team two nights before.

Most Burmese migrants want to go home, says IOM Posted: 18 Dec 2013 08:20 PM PST Most Burmese migrant workers in Thailand would like to return home, and the country could face a shortage of over five million workers as a result by 2025, according to survey results released on Wednesday. The International Organisation of Migration (IOM) interviewed over 5,000 Burmese workers in seven provinces that employ the largest numbers of migrants, with 80 percent expressing a desire to return home – and 41percent of these would do so within the next five years. The report was presented jointly on Wednesday by IOM Thailand and the Asian Research Centre for Migration (ARCM) at Chulalongkorn University on International Migrants Day. Burmese nationals currently represent the largest group of migrant workers in Thailand, comprising around two-thirds of the country’s 3.5 million migrant worker population. The comprehensive report concludes that Thailand, which is heavily dependent on migrant workers, could face a labour shortage of more than five million in the next 12 years. “The results indicate that many migrants are looking to return to Myanmar [Burma] within a few years. If this is the case, then Thailand may well be confronted with a shortage of workers, which highlights the need to improve salaries and work conditions to remain competitive. Thailand should also continue to facilitate registration for work visas,” says Jeffrey Labovitz, chief of mission at IOM Thailand. Related Stories Yingluck backs out of SEA Games opening ceremony Thai PM pledges help on Rohingya trafficking investigation Thai authorities implicated in Rohingya smuggling operation The report shows that fully documented and decently paid migrants experience higher levels of satisfaction with working in Thailand and, despite feeling more optimistic about their prospects in Burma, are planning to stay longer in Thailand. This suggests that sectors and areas that offer lower incomes, such as agriculture and fisheries, especially in border provinces, will be hit hardest by returns in the short term, the report said. The United Nations has proclaimed 18 December of every year as International Migrants Day to promote awareness of migrants’ rights amongst nation states and concerned parties. According to the State Enterprise Workers’ Relations Confederation of Thailand (SERC) and Migrant Workers Right Network (MWRN) statement, only 1,972,504 migrants are permitted to legally work. Out of those permitted to work, 698,777 migrants entered the country legally whilst 1,273,727 migrants entered the country irregularly but have since registered. Over two million more migrants entered Thailand irregularly and have not registered at all. The NGOs have called on migrants to be treated equally to Thai workers without discrimination on any grounds, a principle enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. An understanding by migrants of the right to association and collective bargaining under ILO conventions 87 and 98 should be ensured to foster migrant's participation as members of trade unions, they said. They also called for clear policies and guidelines for a long term migrant workers administration plan to be created, particularly regarding registration, nationality verification and increased efforts of the state and all its officials to work concertedly and connectedly to promote migrant wellbeing The migrant import (memorandum of understanding) process should be simplified to facilitate employers filing an application to employ migrant workers without relying on brokers, the SERC and MWRN said. This article was originally published in the Bangkok Post on 18 December, 2013.

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