Democratic Voice of Burma

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• Journalists arrested after publication of Chemical Weapons story
• Ethnic groups call for greater role in electoral process
• Thai border refugee population down 7 percent
• Government convoy hit by explosion
• Maungdaw Police deny alleged involvement in arson

Journalists arrested after publication of Chemical Weapons story Posted: 03 Feb 2014 04:00 AM PST Authorities in Rangoon and Magwe divisions have detained the Chief Executive Officer and a local reporter from news journal Unity Weekly. The arrests came as a result of a report published in the journal last month alleging the existence of a 'secret chemical weapon factory' in Magwe's Pauk Township. Unity Weekly CEO Tint San was arrested on Saturday morning by police officials who came to the Journal's office without a warrant, according to staff. The night before his arrest, Tint San told DVB that the reporter Lu Maw Naing had been arrested by police in connection with the report titled; 'Secret Chemical Weapon [built] by the Former Senior-General, Chinese Technicians and the Current [Burmese Military] Commander in Chief', which featured on the front page of the 25 January issue. "Our reporter Lu Maw Naing has been picked up by Pauk Township Police's superintendent for questioning over the report on the chemical plant in Pauk," said Tint San, adding that government authorities across the country have seized copies of the journal. "They also came to our office and took away copies of the issue." Lwin Lwin, Lu Maw Naing's wife, told DVB on Saturday her husband had been charged for leaking government secrets, which carries severe penalties and can possibly result in a death sentence. She also said Lu Maw Naing had been transferred from the police station, his whereabouts still unknown. Zaw Thet Htwe of the Interim Myanmar Press Council condemned the arrests, suggesting they were a sign of still-looming threats to media freedom. "This clearly showed that there is still no guarantee for press freedom in the country, and that media workers are constantly under threat," said Zaw Thet Htwe. "Arresting reporters like this is an appalling sight for the media,” he said. “According to legal procedures, the reporter should be summoned to a court to hear charges and has a right to defend himself. But taking him out of sight like this without even notifying the family of his whereabouts is clearly an indirect threat to the press and news reporters."

Ethnic groups call for greater role in electoral process Posted: 03 Feb 2014 02:27 AM PST The Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF), an alliance of 15 ethnic parties, has called for a representation of ethnic nationalities in the Union Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections. Delegates from the Federation's member parties released a seven-point statement at the end of a two-day meeting in Naypyidaw, according to Pe Than, Rakhine Nationalities Development Party member and lower house MP. The statement included a call to provide roles for ethnic nationalities and leaders in union and local-level election boards, the appointment of elected parliament representatives to regional government cabinets, a reduced role for military representatives in the parliament, and amendments to the 2008 constitution to allow federal reforms. "It is necessary to ensure the elections in 2015 are free and fair and we see that the Union Electoral Commission can signal their impartiality by including ethnic professionals and leaders," said Pe Than. Related Stories Suu Kyi rally in Taunggyi moved to vacant lot Rangoon protestors show support for constitutional reform Thein Sein indicates support for constitutional amendment

Thai border refugee population down 7 percent Posted: 03 Feb 2014 01:46 AM PST Updated 2013 population figures for the refugee camps on the Thai-Burmese border show that the net population decreased 9,044 or 7.1 percent in 2013. The total population living in the nine camps was 119,156 at the end of December 2013, compared to 128,200 at the end of 2012, according to The Border Consortium (TBC), an NGO that works with refugees and displaced people from Burma. The largest proportion of departures from the camps, 7,649, consists of refugees leaving for third countries under the UNHCR's resettlement programme. "It is important to note that while there was a net population decrease, new refugees are continuing to arrive in the camps; there were 3,300 new asylum seekers arriving in 2013," said Sally Thompson, executive director of TBC. "In addition, 3,137 children were born in camps in 2013," Thompson added. Related Stories US refugee resettlement programme draws to a close China builds temporary homes for Arakanese refugees Forgotten Arakanese go thirsty "Changes in population do not mean that there is any less need for protection, food, shelter, and essential services such as education and health care in the camps," noted Thompson. "There are still 120,000 people living in extremely vulnerable conditions in refugee camps on Thai-Burmese border, and they continue to need protection and humanitarian assistance." TBC also notes that there is no indication a large proportion of refugees are returning to Burma. Only 3.4 percent of the December 2012 camp population returned to Burma, versus 6 percent who were resettled to third countries. "These figures show us that refugees are not leaving the camps and retuning to Burma en masse," said Thompson. "It appears that the majority of those returning are going back on a 'look and see' basis." TBC's data shows that of the 4,389 people who did leave the camps to return to Burma, 70 percent of all departures include just one or two people from a household, while the rest of the household remains in the camps. "TBC agrees with UNHCR, the Government of the Union of Myanmar, the Royal Thai Government, and many international partners that conditions do not yet exist for the organised return of refugees," the report said. An additional 3,348 refugees left the camps in 2013 to seek work in the migrant community, TBC reported.

Government convoy hit by explosion Posted: 03 Feb 2014 01:45 AM PST A convoy carrying Mandalay's Chief Minister, Ye Myint, and other regional government officials was hit by a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) on Friday evening. Three people were injured. The convoy of eight vehicles was travelling from Mogok in Mandalay and shortly after entering Shan state the roadside bomb exploded. The three injured were all journalists and were taken to Mandalay General hospital. Two sustained only light injuries and were discharged. Related Stories Mandalay ruby miners may get land-grant Gunmen rob jewellers in Mogok, leaving one dead Permit denied for journalists seeking justice for Ma Khine Reporter for Mandalay Daily Newspaper, Aung Min Oo, was hit by shrapnel in his forearm. "Around the 30-mile marker the convoy was hit by some kind of explosion," said Aung Min Oo. "I heard a loud boom and a piece of broken glass came flying into my forearm Mandalay's Chief Minister, Ye Myint, and Municipal Minister, Aung Mong, were not among the injured. According to regional police the explosion hit the right side of the vehicle. Police are yet to determine who was behind the attack.

Maungdaw Police deny alleged involvement in arson Posted: 03 Feb 2014 12:05 AM PST Police in Maungdaw, Arakan State, have rejected an accusation by Rohingya MP Shwe Maung that they were complicit in an arson attack in Duchira Dan [also written Du Char Yar Tan] on 28 January that left at least 16 houses destroyed. Tin Aye, deputy-superintendent at Maungdaw Township Police Battalions Command, claimed police units deployed for security were positioned away from the scene of the incident. "This is completely impossible – the police were positioned a distance away and they were there to prevent arson. We are not in a fight with them [Rohingyas], so it would be very wrong for them to speculate otherwise. We had an order from our supervisors not to even go over there, let alone set fire to their houses. I assume this is just another accusation they have been making, as usual. We have explained our case to foreign diplomats citing solid evidence," said Tin Aye. Win Myaing, Arakan State Government's spokesperson, said Shwe Maung should not have made such an allegation. "If the village was on fire, then the residents should have come out of their houses and put it out. But instead, they started fleeing – it was the security forces we sent from here that suppressed the fire," said Win Myaing, though he had previously stated that police units had orders not to approach the area. "Shwe Maung, as a parliamentarian, should not make such a groundless statement," he added. Shwe Maung, MP for Arakan State's Buthidaung Township, spoke to DVB in an exclusive interview last week, stating that local sources told him they had witnessed police starting the fire, which followed shortly after an alleged fatal row in the village that the UN and other international bodies claim has resulted in at least 40 deaths, almost all stateless Rohingya Muslims. The incident has prompted several calls for an independent investigation, and is the latest in a series of communal riots in the troubled coastal state. Related Stories Rohingya MP claims police involved in Maungdaw blaze President orders local investigation into Maungdaw clash Rakhine Investigation Commission denies Rohingya massacre

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