Friday, July 26, 2013

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma

Lawyer representing Rohingya accuses RNDP party secretary of harassment

Posted: 26 Jul 2013 07:49 AM PDT

The defence attorney providing legal counsel to a group of Rohingya in Arakan state's Sittwe claims the general-secretary of the Rakine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) has threatened him for representing members from the Muslim minority.

Hla Myo Myint, who is representing seven Rohingya facing multiple charges including rioting and disturbing government officials after they refused to register as "Bengalis" at a displacement camp near the state capital, said the RNDP's Khine Pyi Soe and a group of men first approached him when he was leaving the Sittwe courthouse on 12 July.

According to the lawyer, the posse allegedly surrounded him as he was leaving the court and proceeded to follow him to his hotel after he fled the scene in a UN vehicle.

At the hotel, the group then threatened Hla Myo Myint and tried to get the hotel staff to kick him out of the establishment.

"We were surrounded by the RNDP's Khine Pyi Soe and his company and had to leave the [courthouse] in the UN OHCHR (Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights) regional representative's car," said Hla Myo Myint.

"I went back to the Sittwe Hotel and in about half an hour, a group of seven men including Khin Pyi Soe showed up and took photos of me. They threatened me and said to stop following the case and also pressured the hotel staff to kick me out."

While Hla Myo Myint said he has no plans to press charges against the RNDP, the lawyer has filed a formal request to Burma's supreme court on 18 July asking to relocate the trial to Rangoon.

The RNDP general- secretary Khine Pyi Soe rejected the allegations and claimed that the military affairs security and police's special intelligence department personnel were present at the scene.

French minister to lead trade mission to Burma

Posted: 26 Jul 2013 05:39 AM PDT

French Trade Minister Nicole Bricq will lead a delegation of small- and medium-sized businesses to Burma next week as France looks to boost trade ties with the once-isolated nation.

Bricq’s office said in a statement that she would be joined by representatives of 15 businesses for the visit on July 30 and 31.

The trip “will allow France to present what it has to offer to authorities” in the country, and will include meetings with the finance minister and other officials.

It comes after Burma’s President Thein Sein last week visited France, where he met with President Francois Hollande and was praised for implementing reforms.

The European Union last month readmitted Burma to its trade preference scheme, saying it wanted to support reform in the once-pariah state through economic development.
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