Monday, February 10, 2014

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma

Settlers forcibly evicted in Hlegu township

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:06 AM PST

Settlers from several villages in Rangoon Division’s Hlegu Township, have been forced off the land they are occupying, by authorities cracking down on squatting.

In the early morning on 4 February, Rangoon division authorities began rolling in bulldozers to Thameelay village, announcing to the residents over loudspeakers that they were being evicted.

Settlers said bulldozers began tearing down houses at 5:30am, leaving very little time to save their belongings and farm equipment.

"I am very sad – now we are homeless," said one Thameelay settler.  "I would like to tell the President – we are Burmese citizens born and raised in Burma but we are being tormented by our own people bringing down our houses.

An estimated 50 farm operators run businesses in the area and several farmers said they were prevented from retrieving their farming equipment before demolition began.

Zaw Win Naing said seven of his farm huts were destroyed.

Related Stories

"I was allowed to go back to the village to collect the TV, power generator and other equipment left behind for the workers' use, but an official in civilian clothing with a gun around his waist said not to take all of the mango and rubber plants."

The residents were told they would be hit with up to 3 years in jail if they resisted.

Residents claim that five villages, Thameelay, Kywete, Innmati, Oakpho and Wapanat, were founded by groups of settlers in 1998 – when they began occupying the land, owned by the Burmese military.

The construction of the Hanthawaddy International Airport 20 kilometers away supposedly drew more and more people to the settlements.

Up until the demolition, 1,000 families lived in Thameelay village.

However, Lower House Representative for Hlegu Township, Phyo Min Thein, said 300 acres of the land was bought by one man, Kyaw Kyaw, in 2012. He then began divvying up the land to settlers and turned it into Thameelay village.

"He invited settlers, promising them land plots via lucky draw," Phyo Min Thein told DVB. "Many workers from rubber plantations across the Pegu River came to settle at Thameelay village working as brokers on land deals in the area."

Phyo Min Thein said after hearing rumours that the military was giving up the land, "swindlers from nearby villages" moved in and claimed original ownership of the land plots. They then sold them back to unsuspecting settlers and farm operators.

The demolition in Thameelay village seems to be part of wider efforts to crack down on squatting throughout the region.

There are reports of mafias of squatters who are taking advantage of land where ownership is disputed.

"The question is, are these people squatting because they really have nowhere to go? Or are they just opportunists, as alleged by some, trying to claim ownership of the land?" Khin Maung Swe, Chairman of the National Democratic Force party said.

"I think it will be impossible for us to make a conclusion without knowing the details. But if they turn out to be the former, then the government should come up with a plan to resettle them first before demolishing their homes."

About 500 settlers evicted from the villages were sheltering in a monastery in nearby Bago.

They have been told they have a week to vacate the premises.

 

 

NLD supporters in Mandalay rally for charter change

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 03:55 AM PST

Hundreds gathered in central Burma's Mandalay on Sunday demanding abolition of Article-59(f) of the 2008 Constitution, which bars opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from the presidency.

Mandalay journalist Min Htet Nyein Chan said the rally, organised by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), was staged in Chanmyay Tharzan Township with official permission by local police.

"The main objective of the protest is charter amendment; abolish Article 59(f) of the Constitution, as well as Article 18 [of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law]," said Htet Nyein Chan, adding that the initial proposal would have also included a march, but permission was denied.

"The demonstration was attended by the National League for Democracy as well as the public, including children and elderly holding placards and chanting slogans calling to immediately facilitate a quadripartite meeting."

While similar demonstrations have occurred across the country, this was the first protest of its kind in Mandalay.

The NLD released a joint statement on Monday with the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society reiterating their position and asserting their commitment to work together towards the common goal of achieving a more democratic charter and political body, reading, "we will be working together to bring about Constitutional reforms via peace and fair means, while keeping our eyes on the national reconciliation process, for development of a genuine democratic union."

Related Stories

 

Burmese army still holds 10 Mansi villagers captive, says FBR

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 02:43 AM PST

Burma's government forces are holding 10 local villagers captive and are continuing their attacks in and around the village of Nam Lim Pa in southern Kachin State's Mansi Township, according to a report on Sunday by relief group Free Burma Rangers (FBR).

The report said that Burmese army battalions 276, 601 and other troops from the Northern Command have maintained assaults on villages south of Bhamo which are defended by the rebel Kachin Independence Army (KIA).

The assault reportedly began on the morning of 30 January when Burmese troops invaded the village of Nam Gau where they took captive 20 villagers and 24 trucks carrying about 100 tons of wood.

Presidential spokesman Ye Htut told DVB last week that the operation in Nam Lim Pa was "to arrest illegal logging in that area, and some KIO troops are preventing this operation because they are involved in illegal trade."

However, the FBR report on 9 February said that the Burmese army continues to hold 10 villagers captive as well as the 24 trucks.

FBR summarised that the Burmese government forces were staging continued attacks in the area " … for three main reasons: to subjugate the population, and to prevent them from supporting the KIA and the Kachin government (Kachin Independence Organisation); to drive out the KIA/KIO, consolidate their control over this part of Kachin State, and cut the Kachin off from Shan and Ta'ang allies in northern Shan State; and to have total control over resources in this area, as well as logging routes that cross through this area."

The report said that in November and December, some 2,000 villagers were forced to flee their homes as fighting intensified.

Ye Htut was unavailable for comment on Monday.

FBR, which has backed mobile medical teams in eastern Burma since 1997, also reported that, on 26 January, three Burmese soldiers apprehended seven ethnic Karen villagers in the Dooplaya District of Karen State.

The Karen farmers were reportedly en route by foot to Thailand to sell their 19 cattle when the Burmese troops intercepted them and forced them to return to their village.

"The commander for the Law Naw Burma Army Camp, U Thaung Htut, then approached the villagers and demanded that they give him 1,700,000 kyat [over US$1,700]," the report said. "The villagers did not have that amount of money, so the Burma Army took three of their cows."

Related Stories

ABSDF honours dead, reaffirms commitment to struggle

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 12:24 AM PST

The All-Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) gathered in Loikaw, Karenni State, on Saturday to honour 34 members killed in the Karenni region over the group's 25 years of armed struggle against the Burmese military.

The event in Loikaw was the first in a series of commemorations that will pay tribute to more than 670 ABSDF fighters who have died in conflict with government forces across Burma since the group formed in 1988.

Around 150 family members of the deceased attended the ceremony.

Buddhist and Christian services were held for fallen comrades. Certificates of honour were presented to surviving loved ones.

Related Stories

ABSDF General Secretary Comrade Sunny said the group would continue their struggle:

"Our comrades sacrificed their lives in the armed struggle, but their mission is yet to be accomplished," said Comrade Sunny at the event. "We vow to the public here that we will continue our struggle until we accomplish our goals – democracy, human rights, internal peace, and birth of a federal union, for which our comrades died fighting for."

He said the group is planning similar events in other regions across Burma to commemorate and honour the ABSDF fighters killed in those regions.

ABSDF was formed on 1 November 1988 by university students, workers and citizens following the brutal military crackdown of 8 August that year — when scores of student protesters were killed.

Think deeply, gain knowledge and work for positive change: King Zero

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 09:18 PM PST

Ashin Issariya, also known as King Zero, played a key role in organising the monk-led anti-government protests known as the Saffron Revolution in September 2007. In 2008, after watching – from hiding – nearly all of his comrades receive lengthy prison sentences, he fled to the border town Mae Sot and has lived there ever since. He currently teaches Burmese migrant factory workers and publishes the Burmese journal New Generation Note. He co-founded educational organisation The Best Friend in 1999 and continues to install libraries in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border and in Burma.

Portia Larlee spoke with Ashin Issariya about the power of education, the events leading up to the Saffron Revolution and the causes of religious tension. 

 

PL: How did your libraries begin in Burma?

AI: In 1999 the Yangon [Rangoon] University library was filled with very old books and students did not access it. I wanted to fill the library with political books. We ended up opening a library in my room, which grew bigger and bigger. I also had English speaking friends teach other monks. In 2003 I opened a free education centre, providing computer, English and Japanese classes in Mandalay. At the same time we opened two libraries in Mandalay.

PL: You were involved in sparking the Saffron Revolution of 2007. Can you describe the events leading up to the anti-government protests?

AI: In 2007 my friend and the co-founder of The Best Friend, Ashin Sopaka, planned a peace walk from Bangkok to Mae Sot as a non-violent action to raise awareness of injustices in Burma. Before the walk began, I met him in Mae Sot. He spoke to international media and called attention to his protest. I returned to Burma and shared fliers about his peace walk, and also spoke with international media. There are 500,000 monks in our country, I knew we had a responsibility to support our people and try to change their lives. Ashin Sopaka and I understood that if we did not act, nothing would change. We organised peace walks across Burma. In Magwe, soldiers beat and tortured monks.

We held a big meeting in Mandalay to discuss the regime's use of violence to respond to protesting monks. We decided to start a boycott. We would turn our alms upside down until the military apologised. We shared this with international media and distributed fliers on the ground in Mandalay and Yangon. The military had until 17 September 2007 to apologise, they did not. On 18 September monks started to participate in more peace walks across the country. We also started reciting the boycott letter from the monastery. On the morning of 16 September I went to an internet shop and got information that the military would shoot and beat us if we continued to march on the streets.

PL: What happened on 26 September?

AI: We organised marches around Yangon. The military beat, tortured and shot our monks. I took photos of this happening at the base of Shwedagon pagoda. People were outraged to see soldiers beat and torture monks. The military blocked our marches and surrounded us. Many young monks started running and I remember asking them to please stop running and continue to sit with us. Eventually the military told us they had an order to clear the streets; they gave us ten minutes and told us if we did not leave, they would beat us.

Related Stories

PL: You were in hiding for a year after the Saffron Revolution. Why did you finally decide to flee Burma?

AI: During those nights at the end of September 2007, the military entered monasteries and beat and tortured us monks. We were in fear because we did not know which monasteries they would enter. The military ordered senior monks to send all junior monks back to their villages. In late September 2007, we were all split up and in fear. Once arrested, we knew we could do no more; we knew we would be sent far away and would be isolated.

After a year of working from hiding, I went back in my village. Two of my friends – members of Generation Wave – had been beat and tortured by officials until they gave them my name. For the first time, the officials had my information. Many of my friends had been arrested and I knew they would eventually find me. If they could not catch me I knew they would catch my family. I discussed this with my mother and she pleaded with me to keep moving and stay out of jail. She told me I could do more this way. I arrived in Mae Sot in October 2008, started teaching Burmese factory workers and founded a library.

PL: The Best Friend organisation was founded in 1999 in Burma. You have faced a number of difficulties operating since then. What is the status of the organisation now?

AI: At the beginning there were 15 libraries across Burma, now there are three. We want to open libraries and free education centers in Burma. This is our movement. In our country, most people are poor and cannot gain higher education. We try to create opportunities but with more money we can do more. What we do is individual; we do not apply for funding and we are not an NGO. Burmese people donate to me and I use this for our programs.

PL: What is the importance of your education movement?

AI: I never had a chance to learn. In my mind, I could not be a good leader and I did not care about politics. Eventually, I began to read more and more and began wanting to write. I started to understand my responsibility to share knowledge. When people have knowledge they know themselves; they can try to change the system and be good leaders. They can think and their minds can be higher.

Fifty years ago our country was richer than Singapore and Thailand. But military officials began selling off the country’s resources and now most people are very poor; their thinking is lower and they cannot think the right way. Higher military officials tend to be very rich and many people believe these rich elite are making money because they did well in their past life. Our people believe we are poor because our past life was very bad. They believe they can be a rich and educated leader in the next life and they forget about their present life. If they think like this they don't want to make changes in their lives. So I don't like this system and I am always sharing knowledge. The library can change their mind if they read more. These books changed me.

PL: What issues are monks facing in Burma's monasteries today?

AI: Monks are facing a gambling problem across the country; the government allows the sales of lottery tickets in some monasteries. I believe the government wants to keep the people down. Gambling monks begin thinking in a simple way; either they lose or win. They are not focused on the world around them. How can you think deeply, gain knowledge and work for positive change in the country when you are thinking about lotteries?

The government freely allows this to happen in many monasteries. Yet, when I opened libraries in the past they asked me if I had a permit and caused trouble for me. This is not good for our country. We should have libraries, not lotteries.

PL: Over 140,000 Rohingya people have been displaced since 2012. What do you think are the root causes of this sectarian violence between Muslims and Buddhists in Arakan State?

AI: I got information from Meiktila after the riots in March 2013. I was told outsiders – a group who were not from the Meiktila – were seen on bikes with knives attacking Muslim homes. The police never try to stop them. I believe the military disguises people as Buddhists to start violence between Buddhists and Muslims. I believe the military does have a responsibility to prevent violence.

Religious violence happens when you do not have a peaceful mind. Soldiers, Christians, Muslims – everyone can have a peaceful mind. It doesn’t matter if you are Buddhist, you can still follow this peaceful Buddha way. I never hate; I teach anyone.

PL: How long will you stay in Mae Sot? Will you return to Burma?

AI: Here in Mae Sot I can help change many minds. I can write and talk freely. Many people come to Mae Sot every day from Burma to do menial labour. Higher education brings understanding and I try to share this with Burmese laborers who cross the border most days. We all want to go back but we cannot.

Burma’s offshore block winners to be announced in Feb

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 07:31 PM PST

The Burmese government will pick the winners bidding for 30 new energy exploration offshore blocks this month, a senior Thai Energy Ministry has said. Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production Plc is among the bidders.

"We are nearly at 100 percent evaluation of the 2013 offshore bidding round and will announce the results in February,” The Irrawaddy quoted Win Maw, the deputy director-general of planning, as telling Platts, a US-based energy analyst firm.

The Burmese official spoke with the US firm in an oil industry meeting in Tokyo, The Irrawaddy said.

PTT Exploration and Production Plc is among international firms and consortium competing for the new licence of 30 blocks in Burmese waters. Others include Petronas of Malaysia, Mitsui Oil of Japan, and Shell of the Netherlands.

But the official said contracts on production sharing with the bid winners could take months before they are ready for signing, it added.

Win Maw added that natural gas and oil to be found in the new drills will supply local needs first before it will be allowed for export. Domestic demand is a priority, he said.

Burma has three offshore fields at the Yadana, Yetagun and Shwe sites, and most of the production is exported either to Thailand or China.

This article was originally published in the Bangkok Post on 9 February 2014.

Related Stories
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)