Shan Herald Agency for News |
- How Real is Thein Sein's Reformation in Burma, and what it means to the Non-Burman Ethnic Nationalities
- Ceasefire and political settlement two sides of the same coin
- Weekly Diary, No.635 (8-20 July 2013)
- Ethnic meeting calls on Naypyitaw to improve on its planned ceasefire text
| Posted: 23 Jul 2013 04:41 AM PDT  By following and studying the behavior and mentality of members of the Burmese military/political Institution for many decades, can anyone blame me if I am skeptical of the promises made by any of these members? Bertil Lintner wrote in his article, "The Military's still in Charge": "It is too often forgotten that Thein Sein came to power through the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the name for Burma's military regime. ---." His positions included General in the Burmese army, First Secretary of SPDC, and later Prime Minister (a position he held up until he became president)."At no stage in his career did Thein Sein display any political independence or initiative. He was a loyal soldier, hand-picked by then-SPDC chairman and prime minister, Than Shwe. Thein Sein always said and did what he was told". During the two years of Thein Sein's "civilian" government, no doubt, things are better, and have improved in big cities, but the opposite is true in the internal regions of the Shan and other ethnic states. Although there has been cease-fire agreement between the Thein Sein Government and many of the ethnic resistance armies, warring and committing crimes against the Kachins and Rohingya are still continuing. The Burmese soldiers are still attacking the Shan army bases, recently there were three clashes in a day. Villages are being set on fire, and a Shan Buddhist monastery was burnt down to convert it into an army base, making the monks homeless. Many villagers are also still fleeing from their own homes, while those who had fled to foreign countries during the past decades should be returning to their homelands, are still scared to return. The transition to civilian rule is supposed to be making steady progress, yet power still lies in the same hand, the military dictators. Burma is still ruled by dictators, with the full apparatus intact. In areas where non-Burman ethnic nationalities dominate wars seem to be non-stop, and large number of military battalions are advancing on ethnic areas, while the Thein Sein Government and the ethnic leaders are supposed to be discussing the peace process. One after the other, all the Shan, Karen, Karenni, Arakan, Kachin, Chin and Mon, without exception, each by turn had a full share of the evil of this war. The effect has been tragic: people are suffering and hurting. Countless have died, women and girls have been raped and children have become orphans and many have grown up without education. Their countries' resources and the environment have been vandalized and depleted. It is hard for the non- Burman ethnic nationalities to be optimistic as their dream of freedom from the control of the dictatorial army, regaining their ethnic rights, equality and genuine democracy seem to be further away. The dictatorial army, with the power of weapons is still shaping the politics of Burma. As the world's superpowers are experienced in dealing with many dictators and authoritarian governments, the Shan and other ethnic nationalities thought they could rely on them to do the right thing. On the contrary, they seem to be promoting dictatorship rather than democracy. The speed with which the international community moved to relax sanctions, and hastened to engage with the Thein Sein Government came as a shock to many ethnic nationalities and their advocates. There couldn't be a greater blow to all ethnic nationalities than when Britain offered to train the Burmese dictatorial army; also with the news that "The British government has approved arms export licenses worth over US$5 million (£3.3 million) to Burma, even though it is considered a country of "serious human rights" concern and continues to be the subject of an EU arms embargo." Ta Emi commented:" I think the present British Government is very shortsighted, and ignorant of what is really going on in Burma. The Burmese dictatorial army, who is noted for its heinous crimes against humanity is being encouraged and spurred on by the government to continue to remain as an army of the country, as if they were the heroes. In order to have a credible central army to defend and protect the whole Federal Union, the present army will have to be dissolved. A new Army will have to be formed by recruits from all ethnic nationalities of Burma". Paul Hubrich says: July 18, 2013 at 7:05 pm "I lived in Myanmar for a year and I can promise you that this is the worst idea one could have. The Myanmar military is not only in control of Thein Sein, it is a melting pot of rapists and criminals. For further question I want to suggest to read the conflict barometer of the Heidelberg Institute of Conflict Research where you get an overview over all the military activities in Myanmar during the last year. The systematic killing of Karen and Kachin is a crime against humanity and is supported by the British government. Congrats, well done guys" If the British really want to help Burma towards peace and progress, it should make it a priority to put pressure and advise Thein Sein to settle the fifty year old political crisis, instead of concentrating on what it can get out of Burma, and trying to be on the right side of the President, and rewarding and praising him for every superficial reform he makes. Peace will not come to Burma as a result short fixes, or even widespread economic development, but it can be resolved by the removal of the greatest obstacle, the powerful dictatorial army. When the dictatorial armed forces are withdrawn from all the ethnic states there will be instant peace. As in all democratic countries, the new military formed should be the real protector of the country and its people, not the enemy of the people nor be above the law. It should be accountable to the democratically elected Government. This could be followed by a dialogue between the Thein Sein Government and other stakeholders. The Federal System, which is the root cause of the fifty years old conflict, should be debated and discussed. It is the only thing that can iron out the dire political crisis in Burma. All Western Governments, especially Britain should encourage the adoption of the Federal System in Burma and not try to avoid and back away from the topic. The contributor is the daughter of the ruling prince of Lawksawk and the author of "My Vanished World". |
| Ceasefire and political settlement two sides of the same coin Posted: 23 Jul 2013 04:40 AM PDT Tuesday, 23 July 2013 President Thein Sein during his recent, UK visit said that by the year's end there would be no prisoner's of conscience or political prisoner left for all will be released. At the same time, he said that a nation-wide ceasefire agreement will be signed between the government and all non-Burman ethnic armed groups, most possibly within a few weeks time.  Sai Wansai On 13 July, the Technical Teams of Union Peace Working Committee (UPWC) headed by Hla Maung Shwe and UNFC led by Padoe Mahn Mahn met in Chiangmai, Thailand, to talk about how to go about with the reconciliation process. According to The Irrawaddy 15 July report, "Mahn Mahn also called on the government to agree to a concrete political framework and asked the government not to settle merely for ceasefire agreements nationwide. He said government peace representatives wanted to push first for achieving ceasefires nationwide before establishing a framework for discussion of political issues, a timeline at odds with the UNFC technical team's demand for simultaneous negotiating tracks." What Padoe Mahn Mahn said was that durable ceasefire agreement could only be sustainable, if the national political agenda is first agreed upon. In other words, the UNFC position is that political settlement framework has to be included, before agreeing to sign a nation-wide ceasefire earmarked to pull it through by Thein Sein government within a few weeks time. According to SHAN Editorial of 19 July, the Working Group for Ethnic Coordination (WGEC), formed by the armed groups in February 2012, which was made up of both UNFC and non-UNFC armed organizations - Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), as well as representatives from civil society organizations (youth, women and issue-based) – fell out in June this year, due to different principles and personalities. But despite their unwillingness to reconcile with each other, both, the UNFC and non-UNFC members have taken the same position (without consulting each other) against the government's proposal that a ceremony signing the 5 point nationwide ceasefire agreement be held in Naypyitaw. The 5 points, as stated by the President on 1 March 2012, which exclude the framework for political negotiations, are:
Not surprisingly, both the UNFC and the truncated WGEC, had rejected it saying a framework for political negotiations must be included in the text of the said nationwide ceasefire agreement, or else no group would turn up for the signing. In addition to the fact that the ball is now in Thein Sein's court, the UNFC and non-UNFC members need to earnestly ask on how and when will the Burma Army stop its military occupation of all non-Burman ethnic areas, under the guise or pretext of "area cleansing and control" operations all throughout non-Burman nationalities' territories. This is the most crucial obstacle, which must be overcome, if meaningful ceasefire agreement is to be implemented. It wouldn't do just to downplay the armed clashes as usual happening, occurring now for more than hundred times with both the Shan State Army/ Shan State Progress Party (SSA/SSPP) and Shan State Army/ Restoration Council of Shan State (SSA/RCSS), which have signed ceasefire agreement for the last two years. The ongoing armed clashes with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Shan State and elsewhere, even though the de-escalation of armed conflict agreement was signed, a few weeks ago; and the recent Burma Army's attack on the New Mon State Party (NMSP), which has also signed ceasefire agreement with the government, on 16 July, in Mon State are not conducive to the implementation of ceasefire agreement. The Burma Army and as well, the regime, are down playing the armed confrontations as usual happening, partly to show that the peace process is still going on for international consumption, while all along it is sticking to its "area cleansing and control" policy to subjugate and occupy ethnic nationalities' areas as much as possible, so that when the area demarcation of contending troops take place it will be at advantage. And even if the negotiation breaks down, leading to total war again, it will still have a military edge over the ethnic armies. To sum up, Thein Sein regime is moving ahead with its agenda, presuming that the ethnic armed groups are coming along with its demand of first signing the ceasefire agreement, give up armed struggle, enter political arena by forming political parties, participate in elections, and finally amend the constitution from within the parliament, accepting the existence of a single army within the country. Another unspoken problem is that although the UNFC is addressing its adversary as "The Government", in reality, it is only acknowledging it as a military dominated entity and not even as a quasi-civilian government. On the other hand, the Thein Sein regime sees itself, rightly or wrongly, as a legitimate elected government of the whole country, including the non-Burman ethnic nationalities. The reason for such an unspoken assumption from the part of the non-Burman ethnic nationalities is that the present Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP), plus military, dominated regime comes to power through a series of orchestrated manipulation; from self-drawn, military-favoured, 2008 Constitution, rigged constitutional referendum to flawed 2010 general elections. In short, Thein Sein regime is taken as a de facto and not de jure government by the non-Burman ethnic nationalities. That has been exactly the reason why the UNFC is demanding a tripartite dialogue, involving the USPD, plus the military, the democratic opposition groups and the non-Burman ethnic nationalities, which would lead to the 1947, Panglong Agreement-like understanding, paving way for a genuine federal structure. Meanwhile, Eleven Media reported, on 22 July, the government chief negotiator, U Aung Min said that nation-wide ceasefire could not be materialized yet and that only four or five groups have agreed to the government's overture of signing the nation-wide ceasefire agreement. And so it seems, the much desired nation-wide ceasefire signing ceremony wouldn't come about anytime soon, even though this could bring a huge political boost for Thein Sein's reform process, heightened international recognition as a true reformer and solicit more foreign investment. Finally, it will do us all good, if we all could accept the fact that "political settlement" and "ceasefire agreement" are two sides of the same coin and that it would have to be tackled simultaneously and not one after another. The contributor is the General Secretary of Shan Democratic Union (SDU) - Editor |
| Weekly Diary, No.635 (8-20 July 2013) Posted: 23 Jul 2013 04:39 AM PDT
Tips for leaders: You should have known better!  Think Piece Hurdles for AEC
Asia Focus, Bangkok Post, 15 July 2013 The flaring up of the issue of Burmese nationalism outside Myanmar, especially in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and now India, is certainly going to affect the peace and stability of the region. The ongoing sectarian violence in Myanmar therefore is no longer an internal affair of Myanmar alone. Somu Trivedia, University of Delhi, Bangkok Post, 15 July 2013 The World 7 July 2013  Bomb blasts in Bodh Gaya, India, wound 2 monks. Two more bombs found and defused. There have been tensions following clashes in Burma. (Bangkok Post) 12 July 2013  Malala Yousafzai, girl shot by Taliban 9 months ago for her campaign for girls' education, marks 16th birthday at the UN. (AFP) International Relations 14-18 July 2013 President Thein Sein flies out to UK and France. (Bangkok Post) 15 July 2013  President Thein Sein, on a visit to UK, says he has disbanded a security force accused of violations against Muslims and promises to free all remaining political prisoners by brokering a nationwide ceasefire. (Reuters) There is no proposal to amend the 1982 citizenship law, he says. (Today's Zaman) 16 July 2013 Daily Telegraph reports that Britain will appoint a defense attaché to oversee the establishment of contacts between Burmese and UK armed forces. (BBC) 17 July 2013  Visiting President Thein Sein meets his French host President Hollande for an hour. (AP) 18 July 2013 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says while Cambodia and Laos will probably see their proportion of workers continue to rise, Burma's population will start ageing in the next two decades. "If the momentum for development created by the country's opening and internal peace process is not seized, Myanmar could get old before it gets rich." (Bloomberg) 18 July 2013 UK Government has approved $5 million arms export licenses to Burma, even though it is considered a country of "serious human rights" concern and continues to be the subject of EU arms embargo. (DVB) Thai-Burma Relations 8 July 2013  Mae Tao clinic founder Dr Cynthia Maung says the main clinic would not suffer from the land sale that is under dispute. Sulak Sivaraksa, founder of Metta Thammarak Foundation (MTF), says its chairman Phra Kittisophano, had approved the unauthorized sale. (Irrawaddy) 8 July 2013 Federation of Overseas Employment Agency has received requests to send 5,000 migrant workers per month to Thailand, up from 3,000 in previous months. (Eleven Media) 10 July 2013 Leaked audio clip posted last week of an alleged conversation between Gen Yutthasak Sasriprapa and Thaksin Shinawatra contains discussion about the possibility of using their links with Burma's supreme commander Min Aung Hlaing to confluence over Myanmar leaders. (Bangkok Post) 12 July 2013 25 schools, teaching as many as 5,000 students in Tak province, left without financial assistance for the 2013-14 academic year, according Migrant Workers Education Committee. There are 74 migrant schools in Tak. (DVB) 15 July 2013 Bangkok Hospital Group says it handled 22,200 patients from Burma in 2012. (Irrawaddy) 16 July 2013 Survey conducted by Karen Refugee Committee at Tham Hin Camp among 6,195 refugees say:
Politics/ Inside Burma 12 July 2013  Vice President Sai Mawk Kham, in his opening speech at a ceremony commemorating World Population Day, calls for end to teen pregnancy. The adolescent birth rate is 16.9 per thousand among those aged 15-19, according to a 2007 survey. (Mizzima) 12 July 2013 Dr Pe Thet Khin, Minister of Health, reports on child malnutrition to People's Assembly. UNICEF announced in May that due to malnutrition, 2.5 million children were undersized and 200,000 have died. (Mizzima) 14 July 2013 President Thein Sein announces the notorious Nasaka force that guards the border with Bangladesh was disbanded on 12 July. It was established in 1992. (DVB) Ethnic Affairs 5 July 2013 President Thein Sein issues announcement of filling of vacancies in Union level Peacemaking Central Committee (UPCC), (Eleven) 8 July 2013 Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF), an alliance of 15 parties, will be submitting constitutional amendments to the parliament, says MP Zo Zam, a day after its meeting in Naypyitaw. It is attended by Chin expert Ngun Zung Lian. (RFA) 9 July 2013 Karen National Union (KNU)'s Saw Moses from its 7th Brigade announced earlier that its Moe Ko San company has started an export-import business along with tourism in a bid to channel revenue to provide its members and their families. Export-import business was approved on 4 May and tour services on 8 June by Naypyitaw. (DVB) 13-14 July 2013 Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF) holds workshop on political dialogue in Naypyitaw. There are 2 participants from outside: Dr Johannes Siebert and Harn Yawnghwe. (Eleven News Media) 14 July 2013 88 Generation Students representative Mya Aye meets United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) in Chiangmai. We are all walking on the same path, he says. (Mizzima) 15-17 July 2013 Karen National Union (KNU) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) discuss ongoing peace process. (SHAN) Shans/ Shan State 8 July 2013 Yoma Bank manager in Muse says it has not received any extortion letter from the Shan State Army (SSA) South. The New Light of Myanmar and Myawady newspapers reported earlier that a motorcyclist had presented a letter of extortion to the bank on 4 July. (Myanmar Times) 11 July 2013 Shan leader Lt-Gen Yawdserk attends 22nd anniversary ceremony marking the passing away of his former boss, Gen Gawn Zerng (1926-1991) (SHAN) Economy/ Business 8 July 2013 The Union Assembly agrees with President Thein Sein's proposal to join with the World Bank's Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) that will provide opportunities for foreign investment and support for economic development. (Mizzima) 12 July 2013 Myanmar Economic Bank (MEB) sitting under finance ministry, has not turned a profit in 22 years since 1990, says Thurein Zaw, Vice Chairman, Public Accounts Joint Committee. (Eleven Media) 12 July 2013 President Thein Sein signs a new law to make the country's central bank an independent body. (AFP) Human Rights 8 July 2013  Ashok Nigam, UN resident coordinator in Burma, says Burma has released 42 children and young people from its armed forces. (Al Jazeera) 9 July 2013 Burma News International (BNI), an alliance of 11 news agencies, issues protest against Printing and Distribution Bill approved by the People's Assembly on 4 July. "It is giving freedom to the information to restrict registration of news agencies and greatly endangers freedom of the press," says BNI chair Nan Paw Gay. (Statement) 9 July 2013 National Police Chief and Deputy Home Minister Kyaw Kyaw Htun tells parliament there is no need to amend the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act (Article 5j) and the 1975 State Protection Law (Article 10a and 10b). He adds that they are not in contravention with the 2008 constitution.
10 July 2013 The controversial publishing bill passed by the lower house last week "falls far, far below international standards and if it were adopted would, in effect, retain a system of full government control over the media," says Dr Agnes Callamard, Executive Director of ARTICCE19. (DVB) 11 July 2013 Way Phyoe, Generation Wave secretary, arrested by Prome police for a Free Political Prisoners poster campaign which he organized in July 2011. (Mizzima) 16 July 2013  Defense minister Wai Lwin tells parliament the army is ready to return 18,800 acres (6%) of the land it confiscated during the 1988-2010 period. (Bangkok Post) 17 July 2013 6 people suspected for their role in the massacre of 10 Muslim pilgrims in Arakan last year nabbed in Taungup. (DVB) 18 July 2013 Wirathu, monk who has risen to prominence by spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric, says nearly 2.5 million have signed a petition in support of proposed law restricting intermarriage in Burma between Buddhists and Muslims. It would be sent to Parliament, according to him. (Irrawaddy) 18 July 2013  Bauk Ja, Kachin activist, arrested for negligent homicide in Myitkyina. It is over a person who died reportedly from her treatment a year ago, according to her lawyer. (Irrawaddy) 20 July 2013 President lifts emergency order in Meikhtila, 4 months after secular violence. (AP) 20 July 2013 Mosque in Lashio, closed since 28 May during the start of sectarian riots to be reopened, according to Dr Tin Aung, a Muslim leader. (SHAN) Drugs 17 July 2013 K 140 million ($ 140,000) worth drugs and 18 suspected users arrested in Taunggyi. The house is owned by a Wa officer Maj Toom Kham, according to police officer Aung Soe Kyaing. (The Voice) War 12 July 2013 The UWSA and the Union Peacemaking Work Committee vice Chairman U Thein Zaw sign a 5 point agreement that requires each to withdraw to its pre- 18 June positions. (SHAN) 16 July 2013 Brief firefight in Mon State kills 8 New Mon State Party soldiers. It violates 18 year old ceasefire agreement, says a Mon commander. (Mizzima) 20 July 2013 Shan State Army (SSA) North dismisses statement by President Thein Sein blaming ethnic groups extorting money from local villagers as the cause for the ongoing clashes despite ceasefire. He was was being interviewed by BBC in London on 18 July. (Eleven News Media) Obituary 6 July 2013  Lo Hsing Han, dubbed Godfather of Heroin, passes away in Rangoon. He is 77, 79 according to some. (Agencies) 17 July 2013  Lo Hsing Han's funeral attended by Upper House lawmaker Haw Hsiao Chan. "He was my teacher," he says. Lo and his son Steven Law have been on US sanctions list since February 2008 (Irrawaddy) |
| Ethnic meeting calls on Naypyitaw to improve on its planned ceasefire text Posted: 23 Jul 2013 04:37 AM PDT "By restricting it to just the 5 point guideline (as outlined by the President on 1 March 2012), the government would only be underming its own achievements," a resource person reminded the meeting. "In other words, it would only be taking a step back, not forward."  U Aung Min and Sao Yawd Serk (Photo: SSA) The government, since 18 August 2011, when it issued an invitation to all armed groups for peace talks, has already signed ceasefire agreement with 13 groups. The agreements signed so far have also covered constitutional, political, economic, military and social concerns voiced by the 13 armed groups, that had incorporated in their Comprehensive Union Peace and Ceasefire Agreement (CUPAC) for the government to consider. Naypyitaw, through the MPC, had responded on 12 July that garnering support for the armed groups' draft within the government circles would take overly long, as the text was already a lengthy document (23 pages) ever without the Code of Conduct draft that is being negotiated separately between the Karen National Union and the Myanmar Army. "The military is naturally highly suspicious, as the draft was prepared by people who are also naturally very suspicious of the military," one MPC member had put it. A resource person who has been involved in peace processes in several countries also advised the participants of the need to keep the military well informed and happy. "According to my experience, the army is cooperative if they are fully informed," he said. "If on the contrary they feel sidelined, then they are liable to become spoilers." The armed groups had responded earlier that the government could expect a no turn-up by them at the planned ceremony if the nationwide ceasefire agreement text was not revised. "We will need to look up in to the (CUPCA) draft which points are indispensable for inclusion in the ceasefire text and which are not," said a participant. "But I would say that at least the following are key points:
The government, according to U Aung Min, Vice Chairman #2 of the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC), is planning to invite world dignitaries including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to the planned nationwide ceasefire ceremony. |
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