Democratic Voice of Burma

---

• Business Weekly
• Burmese journalism group criticises Sunlight Weekly for personal attacks
• Burmese army abuses in Kachin ‘ongoing’ despite ceasefire
• Tuja’s bid to establish political party is finally approved
• Burma shrugs off US spy claims

Business Weekly Posted: 01 Nov 2013 04:46 AM PDT   Ups and down One US dollar was buying 968 kyat on Friday, remaining the same as the week before. The selling rate rested at 975 kyat to the dollar. The price of gold rose slightly to 690,000 kyat per tical on Friday. Fuel prices stayed the same – petrol 814 kyat per litre; diesel 920; and octane 920. The cost of rice and basic commodities was also stable at Rangoon marketplaces, with good quality rice selling at 1,100-1,200 kyat per basket.   Thilawa economic zone to open in two years  The Japanese-backed Thilawa economic zone is set to open in two years time, with the support from three companies: Mitsubishi, Sumitomo and Marubeni corporations. With a shared ownership of 49 percent, the Japanese firms will partner with the Burmese government and local enterprises to develop an industrial hub near Rangoon. The partners are expected to pay about 17 billion yen (US$174 million) on power, water and transport infrastructure for the site, which aims to export electronic parts and clothes across Asia.   Burma to rewrite mining law to attract foreign investment Burma is planning to drastically rewrite its 1994 Mining Law in a bid to attract more foreign investment in its extractive industries. As much as 70 percent of the existing legislation is set to be amended, according to government officials. The current law includes several stumbling blocks for foreign investors, including a requirement to enter into a production sharing contract with the Ministry of Mines. The ministry is subsequently entitled to around 30 percent of all minerals extracted, as well as the relevant taxes and royalties. The protectionist law also bans foreign companies from exporting ore, coal and gold in order to ensure that processing takes place in-country.   Thai-registered company to seek loans for Dawei SEZ The Burmese government is planning to register a joint Burmese-Thai company in Thailand to seek loans to implement the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The company will also allow for the creation of revenue for the Thai-backed project by selling shares in Thailand, Burma's Deputy Transportation Minister Han Sein told parliament this week. Shares will also be sold in Burma once the country sets up its own stock exchange. The proposal follows a failed attempt by Thailand and Burma to persuade Japan to support the project. Han Sein said that their goal of developing a highway road, industrial zones, factories, commercial buildings, residential areas, hospitals and schools in the SEZ were unlikely to be met by 2015 as originally hoped.   Garbage power The South Korea-based Chasson International Group and a South Korea-Burma joint venture, Zaya & Associated Co Ltd and Hyundai Rotem Company, have been awarded contracts to generate electricity from two garbage dumpsites in Rangoon. The projects have an estimated investment value of between US$180 million and $230 million, according to Than Lwin Oo, head of the Rangoon municipal's Pollution Control and Cleansing Department. He said the electricity generated from the garbage will be bought back by the Rangoon municipality at 150 kyat per unit and then distributed to industrial zones around the city.   Burma's rubber exports receive boost Burma has earned more than US$102 million in raw rubber exports in 2013, up from $94 million last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce. More than 40,000 tons of raw rubber was exported from 1 April to 11 October 2013, although this season's heavy monsoon rains reportedly hampered production.   Thai pharmaceutical firm steps up Burma presence Mega Lifesciences Plc, the wholly owned Thai pharmaceutical and consumer health firm, plans a Burma expansion with a new warehouse costing 300-600 million baht (US$96,500 – 193,100) to store pharmaceutical and consumer products. Chief executive Vivek Dhawan said the company will in next year's first quarter propose to the Burmese government building the warehouse on 25 rai [40,000 m² of land] in Rangoon. Construction is expected to start by 2015. Read more: http://www.dvb.no/news/thai-pharmaceutical-company-steps-up-burma-presence/33922   Burma rated as one of the worst places to do business Burma is among the worst places in the world to do business, according to a new report by the World Bank. The annual "Doing Business" report ranked Burma 182 out of 189 countries studied, citing its poor regulatory environment and limited protection for investors as key obstacles. Foreign investors have flooded the country following the stripping of western economic sanctions, but the report warns that archaic laws and bureaucratic systems may stifle entrepreneurship. The report said there was "considerable scope" for reform but praised government efforts to improve business regulations, including introducing corporate tax breaks under the 2012 Foreign Investment Law. Read more: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2013/10/28/for-the-first-time-this-years-doing-business-report-measures-regulations-in-myanmar

Burmese journalism group criticises Sunlight Weekly for personal attacks Posted: 01 Nov 2013 04:07 AM PDT The Myanmar Journalist Network (MJN) has condemned the recently disbanded Sunlight Weekly News journal for unethical journalism following the publication of "personal attacks" aimed at the grandson of former military strongman Than Shwe. A statement issued on Wednesday by the MJN – which is just one of several associations representing Burmese journalists – criticised the Sunlight Weekly News for publishing personal attacks and what it termed an "exaggeration of facts" not in conformity with the ethical guidelines set out by the interim Myanmar Press Council. Operations at the Sunlight Weekly News ground to a halt last month amid a controversy after it had published an article suggesting Than Shwe's grandson, Nay Shwe Thway Aung, and the Miss Myanmar Universe winner, Moe Set Wine, were having an affair. However, its printers began running again within a week, resuming circulation under a new name: The Sun Rays Weekly News Journal, or "Thuria Newun" as it is known in Burmese. Related Stories The Sunlight weekly closes after cover story controversy Media unions call for journalism university Media law unresolved in Parliament "It is okay to publish opinions, but some people like to think that making personal and political attacks in the media is a part of journalism," said MJN general secretary Myint Kyaw. "Seasoned news readers in other countries can tell the difference, but readers in Burma are presently unclear about which is which. We are concerned this could promote the idea that the media should be controlled by the government." The MJN statement said that publishing contentious material may lead the public to lose trust in the news media and said that the association condemned the exploitation of the media for "individual popularity" and "political advantage". Moe Hein, former CEO of the Sunlight Weekly and now chief editor of the The Sun Rays Weekly News Journal, said he does not acknowledge the MJN's statement and questioned the association's connection with the government and its cronies. "I would like to ask: are the people who criticise me free from the influence of [government] authorities and cronies? Both the Sunlight Weekly and The Sun Rays Weekly News Journal practice the same ethics standardised in the world's leading democracies such as the US and the UK," he said. "One day, the media standard in Burma will be the same as international standards, but until then, we do not acknowledge [these critics] judging us with their own standards."

Burmese army abuses in Kachin ‘ongoing’ despite ceasefire Posted: 01 Nov 2013 03:01 AM PDT The Burmese army continues to step up abuses in northern Kachin state, including raping, killing and torturing villagers, despite signing a tentative ceasefire with ethnic rebels, activists say. According to new research by the Kachin Women's Association of Thailand (KWAT), government troops raided Nhka Ga village, near Putao, in northern Kachin, on 16 September, killing three men, torturing 10 others and raping a young mother. The attack was "directly linked" to securing control of a region that is rich in natural resources including timber and minerals, says the group. Nhka Ga village lies along a new China-built road leading to an area slated for development by billionaire crony Tay Za. The allegations follow weeks of fighting in southern Kachin and northern Shan state. Violence flared in Mansi township in Bhamo less than a week after rebel and government negotiators reached a fresh peace deal in Myitkyina, where they agreed to reduce fighting. The Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) blamed government forces for provoking the hostilities, which claimed the life of a child and displaced over 1,000 villagers. KWAT claims that around 400 villagers were also detained in a village church, while a 76-year-old woman was killed. The fighting is taking place along the strategic Kaihtik-Bhamo road. "Between each round of peace talks, the Burmese government is seizing new strategic sites and expanding its military into Kachin areas," said Jessica Nhkum, KWAT joint secretary. "How can we believe that this process will lead to peace?" Related Stories Tuja's bid to establish political party is finally approved Shan civilians accuse Kachin rebels of human rights abuses Parliament to review govt spending on security for mining projects According to a report by the Kachin News Group, rebels were forced to abandon another outpost in Kyaukme township in Shan state on Wednesday following an offensive from the Burmese army. The Kachin Independence Army – the KIO's armed wing – says the fighting broke out when government troops attacked the post using heavy artillery. Armed ethnic groups are currently meeting at the KIO's headquarters in Laiza to discuss a government proposal to sign a nationwide ceasefire in November. The KIO is the only major armed group that has not signed a formal ceasefire with the government and has not yet indicated whether they will participate in a nationwide agreement. The KIO, which has been fighting the government for greater autonomy and ethnic rights since a 17-year ceasefire broke down in June 2011, has repeatedly called for political dialogue as a precursor to peace. The rebels also want government forces to withdraw it troops from their territories. President Thein Sein has received international acclaim for his efforts to resolve decades of civil conflicts in the former military dictatorship, securing an end to years of crippling economic sanctions against Burma. Last week the UN expressed "serious concern" for the 100,000 civilians who have been ripped from their homes during the conflict.

Tuja’s bid to establish political party is finally approved Posted: 01 Nov 2013 01:36 AM PDT A bid by former Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) leader Dr Tuja to form a political party was approved by the Union Election Commission (UEC) on 30 October. Manam Tuja, the former vice-chairman of the KIO, said he was informed by the UEC via telephone and fax that an application to set up a new party, the Kachin State Democracy Party, with him as chairman, has been approved. He said he will be prioritising the completion of the registration process within one month and enlisting the support of 500 members within 90 days in accordance with the Political Parties Registration regulation. Related Stories Burmese army abuses in Kachin ‘ongoing’ despite ceasefire Shan civilians accuse Kachin rebels of human rights abuses Parliament to review govt spending on security for mining projects "The party's leadership is travelling Naypyidaw to submit our flag, emblem, policies and framework to the UEC in order to begin the registration process," said Manam Tuja. He said the party's 17 founders include seasoned politicians, women and youths. The party's flag bears a lone white star on a green background while the emblem will be a mythical bird from Kachin folklore. Manam Tuja said his party will work in the interest of all people, of any ethnicity or religion, within Kachin state. "Our aim is to work for our region's development and for matters of public interest while also encouraging the non-disintegration of the union and ethnic unity," he said, adding that they will also focus on drug elimination, improving education and health standards, and the rule of law. He promised the party will accept complaints from victims of human rights violations and assist them in liaising with the relevant authorities and organisations. Manam Tuja previously formed the Kachin State Progressive Party in 2009 in a bid to compete in the 2010 elections, but its application was rejected by the UEC on the grounds that he and other founders were former members of the KIO. He once again attempted to join the by-elections in 2012 as an independent candidate in Mogaung township, however the polls in that township were cancelled for security reasons due to clashes between the KIO and the Burmese army.

Burma shrugs off US spy claims Posted: 31 Oct 2013 10:39 PM PDT Indonesia summoned the Australian ambassador in Jakarta on Friday over a “totally unacceptable” report that his embassy was among diplomatic posts in Asia being used in a vast American surveillance operation. China and Malaysia have demanded an explanation from Washington over claims that American embassies and consulates in the region were being used for monitoring phone calls and communications networks. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, amplifying an earlier report by the German magazine Der Spiegel, said earlier this week that a top-secret map leaked by fugitive intelligence analyst Edward Snowden showed 90 US surveillance facilities at diplomatic missions worldwide. The paper also reported that Australian embassies in Asia were being used as part of the US-led spying network. The growing anger in Asia followed days of protests from America’s European allies after reports, based on leaks from Snowden, that Washington collected tens of millions of telephone calls and online communications in Europe. Jakarta announced late Thursday it was calling in the Australian ambassador after the Sydney Morning Herald reported that his embassy was being used as part of the US spying operation – a claim that Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said was “just not cricket”. Ambassador Greg Moriarty arrived early Friday at the foreign ministry in the Indonesian capital, walking past a crowd of waiting journalists. After a 20-minute meeting, he emerged and told reporters: “I just spoke to the secretary general, and from my perspective, it was a good meeting and now I have to go and report directly to my government.” Related Stories US support needed for reforms Obama urges end to violence Japan’s PM meets Suu Kyi Announcing its decision to summon the envoy late Thursday, the foreign ministry said: “As a friendly neighbouring country, such an act as reported does not reflect the spirit of friendly relations which has been established and is something that’s totally unacceptable to the government of Indonesia.” Natalegawa, speaking Friday after talks with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop in Perth, said his government was “obviously deeply concerned”. “Most of all, it’s about trust,” he said, adding: “I’m not sure what’s the right term in Australian terminology, I guess it’s not cricket to do this kind of thing.” The Sydney Morning Herald reported the secret map showed there were US intelligence facilities at diplomatic posts in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Rangoon. However, Indonesia has so far been the most vocal in the region in expressing its anger. Jakarta lodged a strong protest with the US charge d’affaires on Wednesday over the reports. Anger is also growing in other Asian capitals, with Beijing on Thursday expressing “severe concerns” about the reports. US intelligence facilities in East Asia were reportedly focused on China, with centres in the US embassy in Beijing and US consulates in the commercial hub Shanghai and Chengdu, the capital of the southwestern province of Sichuan. “We require the US to make a clarification and give an explanation,” Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters. “We require friendly diplomatic missions and personnel in China to strictly abide by international treaties … and do not engage in any activity that … may jeopardise China’s security and interests.” In Kuala Lumpur, the foreign minister said it had “sought clarification” from US ambassador to Malaysia Joseph Yun over the allegations. The ministry “is working closely with the relevant Malaysian authorities on this matter and should there be any compelling evidence, the ministry would seek recourse,” it said in a statement. The reaction from other Southeast Asian nations mentioned in the Sydney Morning Herald report was more muted, however. Thailand’s National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut dismissed the report as “groundless,” while a Cambodian spokesman also shrugged it off. “The USA used electronic surveillance for a long time already. It is not a surprise for us,” said government spokesman Khieu Kanharith. Burma said it had no “firm evidence” of US spying, but its presidential spokesman Ye Htut added that the US “should not violate people’s rights and interfere in another country’s affairs if their national security is not threatened”.

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