Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma

Unity staff divided as verdict nears

Posted: 27 May 2014 02:44 AM PDT

The trial of five Unity Weekly employees continued on Monday in Pakokku, Magwe Division. The defendants are now preparing additional witnesses and expect a verdict within one month.

The five were arrested after the Unity Weekly journal published a front-page exposé of an alleged chemical weapons facility in Magwe's Pauk Township, in central Burma. Four reporters and the publication's CEO were apprehended shortly after running the story in late January, and have since remained in custody.

All are defending charges of violating the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which outlaws approach, inspection or entry of prohibited state properties for any purpose contradicting the interest of the state. A guilty verdict could result in up to 14 years in jail.

Unity CEO and Chief Editor Tint San testified that he was present outside of the facility, a military-owned factory that the government insists is used to produce standard ordnance, but denies that he ever entered the premises. Tint San's lawyer, Wah Win Maung, told DVB on Monday that his client was not there to report on the facility and had not violated the law by probing the property.

"Tint San admitted that he was outside of the facility but did not enter the premises, and he talked to locals," he said, "about confiscation of farmlands in the area. But he was not there to cover news about the facility."

The four detained reporters also disputed the charges against them, claiming that their editor should bear responsibility for the report. They said that Tint San instructed them to enter the premises, after which they submitted reporting and the editor wrote the controversial article, which was almost immediately pulled from shelves nationwide.

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Tint San gave the order, said Theingi Tun, the wife of reporter Yazar Oo, promising that "he'll take care of everything" if something were to go wrong.

"My husband said he'd rather stay [at home] but the editor insisted he go [to the site]," she said.

The Unity case has caused controversy on several fronts; it has become a frequently cited example of what some consider Burma's "backslide" on media freedom, while also calling unwanted attention to the country's lethargic efforts to ratify the UN Chemical Weapons Convention.

The government has denied that the facility in question is used for the manufacture of chemical weapons, but has not allowed access to the site and has kept the Unity staffers in detention since they made the allegations in late January.

Several other journalists have also faced intimidation for investigative reporting in Burma, particularly in Magwe. DVB video journalist Zaw Pe was recently handed a one-year sentence by the Magwe Township court, and several rounds of demonstrations against media suppression have met with heavy-handed responses from the government.

 

Suu Kyi rebuked for ‘challenge’ to military

Posted: 26 May 2014 11:52 PM PDT

As Aung San Suu Kyi continues her drive for constitutional amendment, the Union Election Commission [UEC] has warned the National League for Democracy (NLD) leader to abide by the Political Parties Registration Law as well as Burma's 2008 Constitution.

On 18 May, Suu Kyi addressed a crowd of thousands at a rally for charter reform in Mandalay. "I would like to urge the Tatmadaw [Burmese Army] representatives in parliament to prove that they are in politics not because they crave power – actually when I say 'urge' in a way I mean 'challenge'. I challenge them," the Burmese opposition leader told the crowd.

A letter sent to Suu Kyi by the UEC on 22May cited the remarks and reminded her that in submitting the NLD's party registration to the UEC, she, as party founder, had signed a mandatory agreement to abide by Article-6 of the Political Parties Registration Law. That article requires registered political parties to "safeguard the constitution".

The UEC warned Suu Kyi that she had also sworn to uphold the constitution as she was elected to parliament in a 2012 by-election.

"The remarks [by Suu Kyi] towards the Tatmadaw representatives in parliament, who were appointed in conformity with the Constitution, are out of the line provided by the constitution," the UEC letter reads.

The UEC noted that if Suu Kyi wanted to see an amendment to the Constitution, she could follow the proper procedure by proposing a bill to parliament.

Win Myint, NLD Central Executive Committee member, insisted Suu Kyi's remarks did not breach the Political Parties Registration Law or the constitution.

"We've consulted legal experts for the [charter reform campaign] and are undertaking change within the legal boundaries, in a manner ensuring tranquillity and peace in the country. We are not taking crowds to the streets," said Win Myint.

"Our rallies are conducted in conformity with existing laws, we submit the names of speakers [at rallies] for which we seek permission to host at designated locations. As we believe we are acting within the law, we will continue with our original plan."

While the UEC statement did not specify that any immediate action would be taken against the NLD, it cautioned that the commission may act on their mandate to "direct" them to follow necessary procedures.

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The UEC pointed out that the parliamentary Joint-Committee to Review the Constitution is reviewing the amendment process. The legislative body has also formed a Committee to Implement Constitutional Amendments, all in conformity with the 2008 national charter.

The NLD has partnered with the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society in their nationwide campaign for constitutional reform. Rallies were held this month in Rangoon, Mandalay and Henzada. The NLD has indicated that more rallies are to follow.

Burma’s police strive to be more people-friendly

Posted: 26 May 2014 08:29 PM PDT

In an effort to improve relations between the police and the public, the European Union (EU) will provide further training to the Myanmar [Burma] Police Force (MPF).

To showcase the police's commitment to engaging the public, an open day was launched in Rangoon's Mingalar Taungnyunt Township on Sunday. Members of the public could talk to police in each division and find out more about police operations in their area.

Rangoon Division's Police Superintendent, Police Major Myint Htwe, announced that more battalions across the country would be trained in crowd control measures by the EU.

"The EU has worked out schedules to provide crowd control training to police battalions in administrative regions across the country. Training for Rangoon Division Police will begin in June," he said.

Myint Htwe went on to say that more than 3,000 officers from the MPF have already completed training, which started in February.

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The next phase will be to set up community policing courses and give educational talks in schools on drug abuse and human trafficking,

As well as training courses, the EU is providing equipment such as bicycles, helmets and reflective gear.

"The EU is regularly providing courses and we are to collaborate with them for 18 months. Afterwards, we will continue the courses with those who completed the Training of Trainers [ToT] course," Myint Htwe said.

The training is part of an effort to re-shape the police's image and appear more people-friendly.

But recently, police have been involved in a series of incidents involving excessive force, including an alleged attack on protestors who were demonstrating against a land confiscation in Thegone village-tract, Pegu Division on 15 May. Two people were seriously injured.
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