Democratic Voice of Burma

---

• 130 firms to exhibit at October oil & gas fair
• Bullet Points: 30 September 2014
• Michaungkan activists ordered to leave park by 3 Oct
• Burma tells UN to drop rights scrutiny
• Thai PM to visit Burma and Italy in October
• Karen rebel killed as troops clash in Pegu

130 firms to exhibit at October oil & gas fair Posted: 30 Sep 2014 03:42 AM PDT One hundred and thirty firms from 22 different countries will exhibit a range of services and products at Burma's inaugural oil and gas trade fair, which is to be held at the Myanmar Convention Centre on 15– 17 October. The event – known as Oil & Gas Myanmar 2014 – will showcase a number of international exhibitors, including strong representations from Singapore and the UK, as foreign companies look to launch themselves into Burma's potentially lucrative energy sector. "Providing international businesses with a gateway to enter Myanmar's [Burma's] oil and gas industry, we will begin to see an influx of foreign companies, building and growing a more robust value chain of support services," said Carol New, the senior project manager for the event's co-sponsor, Singapore Exhibition Services, speaking to state media. "Having released its oil and gas resources to the international market, many international firms are looking for local agents and partners, as well as setting up operations in Myanmar," she added. Representing domestic energy firms, the Myanmar Oil and Gas Services Society (MOGSS) said it welcomes the inaugural industry exhibition. Related Stories Russia looks East BURMA BUSINESS WEEKLY – 16 AUGUST 2014 Thailand’s PTTEP to explore gas in Burma "The event not only creates access for international firms to enter Myanmar, but also for existing energy companies to engage and easily source for suppliers," said MOGSS Chairman Kyaw Kyaw Hlaing, cited in state-run The New Light of Myanmar on Tuesday. "The industry is certainly headed down a path of rapid growth and will need a healthy pool of support services and suppliers to thrive and prosper." Burma's Ministry of Energy recently approved a number of domestic and foreign companies to explore 24 onshore and 20 offshore blocks. Following a competitive tender bidding process, in March the ministry announced 20 winning bids for 30 offshore blocks. Major foreign players such as ConocoPhillips, Royal Dutch Shell and Total all won offshore exploration contracts. A joint bid by British E&P firm BG and Australia's Woodside was the single largest winner in the bidding process, earning the rights to explore and develop two shallow-water and two deep-water blocks. Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell, the largest oil company in the world, was granted three deep-water blocks, the most allotted to any single company. Since July, the Myanmar Investment Commission has approved more than 15 new oil and gas companies to invest in onshore blocks, all of whom have signed production-sharing contracts with the government.

Bullet Points: 30 September 2014 Posted: 30 Sep 2014 02:59 AM PDT On today's edition of Bullet Points: Burma tells UN to drop rights scrutiny No sign of Hkakabo Razi helicopter Michaungkan activists ordered to leave park by 3 Oct You can watch Bullet Points every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news.

Michaungkan activists ordered to leave park by 3 Oct Posted: 30 Sep 2014 02:21 AM PDT Protestors that have been occupying a sidewalk of downtown Rangoon for more than six months have been given a deadline of 3 October to vacate the site and dismantle their encampment. More than 100 residents of Thingyangun's Mighaungkan village have participated in a series of sit-ins and other demonstrations demanding the return of land they say was confiscated by the Burmese military in 1990. A group of about 200 had initially set up camp at Thingyangun's Myasaryan Pagoda in late November 2013. About one week after the demonstrations began, on 2 December, approximately 400 villagers showed up at the site to receive funeral rites from local monks, proclaiming that they were "ready to die" for their land. Shortly after, demonstrators reported that they were attacked by a group of thugs who claimed to be military cleaning personnel. Within days of the incident, which reportedly left at least eight people injured, police issued an eviction order demanding that the site be cleared by 9 December. Protest leaders and the Land Investigation Commission negotiated a three-month hiatus of the occupation after the commission promised to deliver results within that time. Parliamentarian and Commission member Aung Thein Linn told DVB in December that the government was committed to solving the dispute. "Otherwise," he said, "it will be damaging to our country's image, especially while the SEA Games are being held." Related Stories Karen rebel killed as troops clash in Pegu DKBA in shoot-out with Burmese army after arresting officers in Mon State NLD member killed in Mandalay The country was at that time hurrying to prepare for a major regional sporting event, the Southeast Asian Games, which drew international attention and visitors. Three months later and still unsatisfied, about 100 protestors resumed the sit-in, this time bringing their grievances to Maha Bandula Park in downtown Rangoon, across the street from City Hall. One week later, on 30 March, they were forcibly dispersed in an early morning raid by city officials and dozens of plain-clothed men. The demonstrators vowed to keep fighting and have maintained a presence at the park ever since. In August, a 72-year-old protestor died at the encampment after 138 days of her sit-in. At that time, her fellow activists reiterated that nothing would make them accept the loss of their land, even death. During the military regime, land was routinely confiscated by the government for state use. Since the reforms began in 2011, protests have been increasingly common all across Burma as villagers have attempted to reclaim lost assets. New land legislation introduced in early 2012 has met major criticism, with some claiming that the new laws legitimise government and corporate acquisition while offering little protection for individuals. A government commission established in 2012 has begun fielding Burma's thousands of land-grab claims but has yet to provide satisfactory recourse.

Burma tells UN to drop rights scrutiny Posted: 29 Sep 2014 11:56 PM PDT Burma’s foreign minister Wanna Maung Lwin was in New York on Wednesday to address the United Nations General Assembly. The former general told delegates that the UN ought to drop their focus on human rights in Burma.

Thai PM to visit Burma and Italy in October Posted: 29 Sep 2014 10:06 PM PDT Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha will visit Burma on 9 and 10 October and then attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Italy on 16 and 17 October.  Government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp said the prime minister’s foreign affairs team had confirmed the two schedules.  The trip to Burma is in response to an invitation from Naypyidaw in its capacity as the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It was earlier reported that Gen. Prayuth would call on Burmese President Thein Sein in Naypyidaw and meet Thai people in Rangoon, the nation’s former capital. The trip to attend ASEM in Milan, Italy, is also in response to an invitation. It will be an important trip for  the prime minister, who heads the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) which staged a coup on 22 May, as leaders of Asian and European countries will be there. It was reported that Gen. Prayuth will explain the situation and facts about Thailand if there are any relevant inquiries.  Related Stories Mayor hits brakes on Rangoon expansion plan 38,000 squatter homes in Rangoon: Mayor pledges housing Security increased in Rangoon in wake of Al-Qaeda threat

Karen rebel killed as troops clash in Pegu Posted: 29 Sep 2014 08:40 PM PDT A Karen rebel fighter was killed and another injured when a clash broke out on 27 September in Pegu [Bago] Division between Burmese government forces and the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO), an armed faction of the Karen National Union (KNU). A KNU liaison officer in Taungoo District told DVB that a firefight erupted on Saturday afternoon in Kyaukkyi after troops from the Burmese army's 361st Light Infantry Battalion entered territory held by the KNDO 3rd Battalion without prior warning. Kyaukkyi KNU liaison officer Saw Maung Aye confirmed that one KNDO soldier was killed and another injured in the skirmish. He accused the Burmese army of provoking the clash by repeatedly encroaching into KNU territory without informing the Karen command ahead of time. "Our central leadership will be speaking to government officials about the incident – we assume that this means the Burmese army does not want peace," said Saw Maung Aye. Related Stories Michaungkan activists ordered to leave park by 3 Oct Images of the week Thai army on alert after Myawaddy clash Burmese Information Minister and government spokesperson Ye Htut told DVB on Monday that the clash occurred due to a misunderstanding and a lack of demarcation, but insisted it had no connection to the recent fighting between a Burmese unit and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) in Myawaddy. "The clash was due to a misunderstanding between both sides on the ground," said Ye Htut. "But there's absolutely no link between this incident and the fighting that took place in Myawaddy last week." Asked about the alleged encroachment into Karen territory, Burma's Information Minister said, "The Burmese army battalion, unaware of the geographical boundaries, ended up in [KNDO] territory." He added that military commanders on both sides "have the utmost wish to see peace since they are the ones who have to spend all their time at the frontline". DKBA liaison officer Saw Soe Myint told DVB on Monday that a further clash had occurred that day between Burmese and DKBA forces in Kyarinseikgyi Township with two injuries confirmed on the DKBA side.

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