Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma

Burma 2013: The Year in Review

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 04:17 AM PST

A look back at 2013, an eventful year for Burma.

Seven political prisoners released

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 03:24 AM PST

Burma released seven political prisoners on Tuesday with many more expected in the days ahead.

The seven were identified by DVB as Yan Naing Htun, Maung Maung Than, Tin Htut Paing and Aung Min Naing, who were released from Insein Prison in Rangoon; Aik Paing and Ye Min, released from Taunggyi Prison; and San Htwe from Moulmein Prison.

Yan Naing Htun and Aung Min Naing, who were sentenced to seven months in prison for organising a march from Rangoon to Laiza in Kachin state, spoke to DVB upon their release.

"We do not regard this as an amnesty but just as an attempt to make amends and cover up the flaws and weaknesses within [Burma's] rule of law," said Yan Naing Htun. "We were only released because of the support of our colleagues outside prison and the president's need to deliver on his promise."

Jailed in January 2012 after a labour dispute regarding construction of a golf course in Rangoon’s South Okkalapa township, Maung Maung Than walked free from Insein, as did Generation Youth member Tin Htut Paing, who was detained for burning the Chinese flag and for staging an unlawful protest.

May Sabe Phyu, whose charges relating to Article 18 (the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Processions Law) will now be lifted, said: "The president pledged to release all remaining political prisoners in the country by the end of 2013 and I see this as him merely keeping his words. The presidential order itself said the pardon shall not include offences undertaken after 31 December 2013, and the related laws – Articles 18, 505(b) and 17(1) are yet to be completely abolished. So I guess we need to wait and see."

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DVB Person of the Year 2013: Gen. Gun Maw

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:35 AM PST

rsz_dvb_certificateDVB readers have spoken, and their voice was loud and clear: the Burmese Person of the Year for 2013 is Gen. Gun Maw Sumlat, the vice-chief of staff of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).

We offered a selection of the biggest news-makers of the past year and asked readers to vote for one – their favourite, their most respected or simply the person they thought was the most prolific.

A total of 20,662 readers of DVB's Burmese and English websites voted. The result was that Gen. Gun Maw won with 68 percent of votes cast; some 13,892 readers voted for the KIA peace negotiator.

Second was outspoken Buddhist monk, U Wirathu, with 4,787 votes; third was Dr. Cynthia Maung with 475 votes; and fourth was activist Naw Ohn Hla with 349.

Other votes: Zaw Zaw (230); Phwe Phwe (196); Than Than Htwe (195); Moe Set Wine (116); Ye Htut (110); Irene Zin Mar Myint (44); and others (268).

DVB would like to thank its readers for their overwhelming support. Gen. Gun Maw will now receive a certificate and an engraved trophy from DVB to commemorate this occasion.

 

 

1. Gen. Gun Maw

Gen. Gun Maw Sumlat, vice-chief of staff of Kachin Independence Army

Hundreds of well-wishers wearing traditional Kachin costumes welcomed the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) Vice Chief of Staff Maj-Gen Gun Maw Sumlat when he arrived in Myitkyina, the Kachin state capital, in October to negotiate peace with a Burmese government delegation which until then had drastically underestimated his influence.

When hostilities between Burmese government forces and the KIA intensified in Mansi Township in November, Gun Maw bravely paid a historic visit to Rangoon where he met with media, spoke at the Kachin Baptist Church, schmoozed with Kachin celebrities and generally charmed each and every political and business figure who met him.

Media-savvy but humble, Gun Maw exudes a deep sense of integrity. He says he views peace as a process, unlike the Burmese government which defines peace by the number of agreements it signs.

17 drown when boat capsizes in Kyaukphyu

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:15 AM PST

Seventeen people drowned when a boat capsized in Arakan state's Kyaukphyu township on 27 December, according to official sources.

Villagers from Sinboat village-tract were on their way back from collecting wood in a mangrove forest when their overloaded boat tipped over and capsized in a creek about two miles from Kyungyi village on Friday afternoon, said Kyaukphyu Township Police Station's deputy-superintendent Aung Aung.

The boat was carrying 49 people, nine male and 40 female, most of whom were from Kyungyi village. All those who drowned were women.

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"Most of the passengers on the boat were residents of Kyungyi – they rented a boat altogether and went to collect wood in the mangrove forest before heading back around 4pm. They loaded all the wood in the centre and head of the boat and most of the passengers sat at the back," said the official.

"As there was too much weight in the front side of the boat, it tipped over and capsized near a jetty about two miles from Kyungyi village – 17 women drowned in the incident."

A report in the state-run Kyemon (The Mirror) daily newspaper said the wreckage of the boat was recovered the following morning, with the bodies of the victims still in the deck.

A man named Ba Shwe, the boat's skipper, has been charged by police for reckless navigating and criminal negligence.

British ambassador defends Burmese military training

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 11:30 PM PST

Britain's Ambassador to Burma Andrew Patrick defended his government's decision to initiate a training programme for the Burmese armed forces in early January, saying the course will not enhance the Burmese military’s combat ability.

Ambassador Patrick was speaking in response to a question by DVB on whether – taking into account the Burmese army's dismal human rights – such training could be put to negative purposes.

"The course will not enhance the Burmese military’s combat ability, so we don’t think there is a risk of the training being misused," said Ambassador Patrick, who succeeded Andrew Heyn in Rangoon in August.

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"The training will focus on the role of the military in a democratic context," he said. "The training will take place in a classroom, and draw on lecturers from Cranfield University and the UK Defence Academy. It will take place in Naypyidaw from 6- 17 January. Topics covered include governance in transitional democracies, and civilian control of the armed forces."

Britain's Ministry of Defence announced last week that a joint civilian and military team from its Defence Academy will provide training to 30 members of the Burmese armed forces and Burmese government next month.

According to a 25 December report in the Daily Telegraph, Mark Francois, the UK Minister for the Armed Forces, said: "The Tatmadaw [Burmese army] remain a key political force in Burma, therefore we seek to encourage them to support democratic reform through our influence and with education."

However, in the same report, David Mathieson, a Burma researcher for Human Rights Watch, said the Tatmadaw were still regularly committing atrocities, and stood accused of attacking refugee camps in Kachin state within the past few weeks.

"The Burmese Army has got a terrible reputation," he is quoted as saying. "It has an abusive modus operandi in its DNA."

Noodle shop fire devastates delta town

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 10:53 PM PST

More than 200 homes and businesses were destroyed in a blaze that devastated the village of Katbat in the Irrawaddy delta's Laputta township early on Monday morning, leaving about 1,100 people homeless.

Local healthcare charity group Hna Lone Thar Laputta told DVB that more than 200 buildings, including houses and local businesses, were razed by the fire which started in a noodle shop at a local market in the town's main commercial district at around 1am on Monday. It raged until 7am before firefighters could extinguish the blaze.

"The fire broke out at around 1am," said Min Min Aung, a member of the charity group. "The villagers tried to put it out immediately because there was no fire engine available. But the houses are all built of wood so the fire spread wildly."

He added that he believed about 15 people had sustained minor burn injuries but that there were no other casualties.

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According to a report in the state-run Myanma Ahlin on Tuesday morning, 43 homes and 170 shop-houses were destroyed in the fire. Min Min Aung said the cost of the destruction may be extensive as in addition to many business premises, several garment and rice shops, pharmacies and carpentry stores were destroyed in the blaze.

Meanwhile, some 1,100 residents have been left homeless by the fire, and are currently being sheltered at Laputta High School and Maha Aungmyayzan Buddhist Monastery in the town. Relief groups and volunteers are providing humanitarian supplies.

"The victims are being provided assistance in the form of blankets, clothing, food parcels and water by various organisations, including political parties such as the Union Solidarity and Development Party and the National League for Democracy, as well as civil society groups such as the Hna Lone Thar Laputta," said Min Min Aung.

Before Monday's fire, some 1,500 houses stood in Katbat, which is located about two hours boat ride from Laputta, an area devastated in 2008 by Cyclone Nargis.

Vigil to be held for deceased political prisoners

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:37 PM PST

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP-B) is planning an event on 2 January to commemorate and honour political activists who have died behind the bars.

Tate Naing, the joint-secretary of the AAPP-B, said the event, to be held at the Royal Rose Hall in Rangoon, aims to provide moral support to the families of political prisoners who died during custody or interrogation since the nationwide uprising in 1988.

According to the group, 166 political prisoners have died in custody since 1988, 54 of whom will be commemorated for the first time at the event on Thursday.

The vigil comes after the Burmese government announced on Monday that it will release all remaining political prisoners in keeping with a promise President Thein Sein made during a visit to Europe earlier this year.

The list of detainees to be released includes 35 political activists and 20 ethnic villagers who were jailed for alleged connections to armed groups. Charges will be dropped against a further 200 persons, most of whom were arrested for protesting under Article 18 (the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law) and Article 505(b) (sedition).

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Burmese president pardons all remaining political prisoners

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 07:56 PM PST

The Burmese government will release all remaining political prisoners in keeping with a promise President Thein Sein made during a visit to Europe earlier this year.

The list of detainees to be released includes 35 political activists and 20 ethnic villagers who were jailed for alleged connections to armed groups. Charges will be dropped against a further 200 persons, most of whom were arrested for protesting under Article 18 (the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law) and Article 505(b) (sedition).

The move follows a recommendation to the President's Office on Monday by the Committee to Verify Remaining Political Prisoners.

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Committee member Ye Aung told DVB on Monday that the President's Office said it would "do its best" to meet the proposal.

"The President's Office responded that they will do their best and we are waiting to see," he said. "The year ends in one day – so if they don't make it happen, the president's promise to the international community will be seen as a sham while we will continue to expose the cases of political prisoners who remain behind bars."

Then on Monday night, state TV and radio broadcast the news that the president was to issue a pardon to all those held under certain charges – which included all those listed by political prisoners' welfare groups.

On Tuesday morning, state-run The New Light of Myanmar confirmed that detainees would be released and others would have charges against them dropped "in order to contribute to the stability of the state and the lasting peace, to build national reconsolidation, to ensure all-inclusiveness in the political process, on humanitarian grounds and to enable them to participate in the nation-building tasks after realizing the magnanimity of the state."

The statement said that the presidential pardon applied to those convicted or awaiting trial on the following charges:

(a) Unlawful Association Act;

(b) Treason (Code of Criminal Procedure Article 122);

(c) Sedition (Code of Criminal Procedure Article 124 (a));

(d) The Law to Safeguard the State from the Danger of Subversive Elements;

(e) Peaceful Gathering [Assembly] and Peaceful Procession Law;

(f) Harming public interests (Code of Criminal Procedure Article 505);

(g) 1950 Emergency Act;

 
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