Democratic Voice of Burma

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• Two policemen wounded in Taunggyi bomb blast
• Bullet Points: 6 October 2014
• Karen delegates hold closed-door talks with government
• Shan groups pledge common vision at Bangkok meeting
• Beyond borders: Burmese migrants in Thailand

Two policemen wounded in Taunggyi bomb blast Posted: 06 Oct 2014 05:09 AM PDT Two police officers were injured when a series of bomb blasts rocked Shan State capital Taunggyi on Saturday evening. Khin Moe Moe, chairperson of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Taunggyi, said three bombs went off consecutively in the town just after 10pm on 4 October. "Between five to ten minutes past 10pm, a bomb exploded on Bogyoke Aung San Road at the gates of the 202nd Light Infantry Battalion base. Then a second bomb went off immediately afterwards at the traffic police office on the opposite side of the road. A traffic warden and a police recruit were hit by shrapnel and sustained injuries on their arms and legs," he said. "Then a third bomb – a more powerful one – exploded outside the gates of the [Burma Army's] East Regional Military Command headquarters." The two injuries were incurred as a result of the second blast. No casualties were reported from the first and third explosions. Related Stories Karen delegates hold closed-door talks with government Shan groups pledge common vision at Bangkok meeting ‘Burma will become a responsible timber-trading country’ The NLD official in Taungyi said that two more bombs, which did not explode, were found in the vicinity of the regional command base. The Taunggyi police station confirmed to DVB that the explosions took place but declined to provide further details. The blasts caused panic among local residents in Taunggyi, many of whom were preparing for the annual Balloon Festival or Festival of Lights (known in Burmese as Tazaungdaing). The festival is the largest event on the tourist calendar and is scheduled to be held on 6 November this year. Locals reported a high security presence in Taunggyi on Sunday as police and army units conducted searches. The incident occurred just days after a clash in Shan State's Kaese Township where the SSA-North claims that government forces launched an unprovoked attack on them. Reporting by Shwe Aung

Bullet Points: 6 October 2014 Posted: 06 Oct 2014 05:01 AM PDT On today's edition of Bullet Points: Migrant rights groups monitor Koh Tao murder case Burmese students join Hong Kong protests Prome locals protest environmental damage Shan political parties, armies denounce violence HRW cautious as World Bank announces Burma growth figure You can watch Bullet Points every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news.

Karen delegates hold closed-door talks with government Posted: 06 Oct 2014 04:12 AM PDT Representatives from the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Karen Unity and Peace Committee (KUPC)—an assorted group of Karen MPs, civil society members and Karen armed groups—held a closed-door meeting with Burmese government officials on Saturday in Taungoo to discuss ways of bringing about unity and peace for the Karen people. The meeting was attended by: members of the KNU central committee including Mahn Nyein Maung; Karen ethnic affairs ministers from various administrative regions in Burma; members of the Karen People's Party, including the party's deputy chairman; and Karen ethnic MPs. KNU central committee member Saw Hla Tun said that the parties had reached an agreement on several issues by the end of the meeting, including a call by the Karen representatives for greater cooperation in bringing about unity and peace for the Karen people. The Karen attendees also reportedly agreed with the government on the need to end armed conflict and practice patience. Finally, Karen MPs agreed to make endeavours to ensure that basic human rights of Karen people are protected and Karen youths enjoy a bright future. Related Stories Two policemen wounded in Taunggyi bomb blast Shan groups pledge common vision at Bangkok meeting ‘Burma will become a responsible timber-trading country’ Meanwhile, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army's (DKBA) 5th Battalion—the only DKBA unit that refused to be absorbed into the government's Border Guard Force, and which subsequently re-branded itself as the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (also known as DKBA)—is expected to meet with government counterparts on Monday to negotiate the return of firearms the group seized from Burmese troops during a series of skirmishes last week. Maj. San Aung from the breakaway Karen faction said last week's gunfire “did not a signal a breakdown of the peace process; rather, it was designed to let the country and the world know about the oppression taking place at ground level in Karen State." Reporting by DVB

Shan groups pledge common vision at Bangkok meeting Posted: 06 Oct 2014 02:14 AM PDT Three Shan armed groups and two major Shan political parties—the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD)—wrapped up a meeting in Bangkok on Friday that was designed to craft a common vision to the peace process and Burma's 2015 elections. The event, entitled "Towards a Common Understanding – Shan Leaders Consultation", was held on 2- 4 October. In addition to the two political parties the following Shan ethnic armed groups attended the conference: Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), and a lesser-known Shan militia group allied with the government which is based in the northern Shan state town of Hsipaw. The meeting was also attended by Aung Min, who has been leading peace negotiations with armed ethnic groups on behalf of the Union government as deputy head of the Union Peace-making Work Committee (UPWC). Sai Lek, secretary of the SNLD, said the groups discussed the delays which have bogged down negotiations on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). The Shan groups also agreed that armed conflict can only be resolved through political dialogue, and that certain guarantees should be granted by the government prior to singing a ceasefire. Sai Lek said one of the main causes of delays in the peace process has been a lack of trust between Burmese government forces and armed ethnic groups. "One of the main reasons for delays in the peace process has been a breakdown of trust. The government—especially the Burmese army—doesn't have much confidence in the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team [the delegates negotiating the NCA on behalf of armed ethnic groups]. At the same time, armed ethnic groups have started to seriously doubt the sincerity of the government because its position has become more intransigent ever since Burmese army officersjoined the talks," said the SNLD secretary. Related Stories Two policemen wounded in Taunggyi bomb blast Karen delegates hold closed-door talks with government ‘Burma will become a responsible timber-trading country’ Sai Lek also expressed doubts regarding the claim that continued fighting between the Burmese army and armed groups in Shan state was due to the absence of a code of conduct regulating the opposing armed forces, and he speculated that the government forces might be taking advantage of the peace process by deliberately launching attacks on armed groups. "Some people cited the lack of an agreed-upon code of conduct as the reason for the continuation of clashes, but if that is the case then these clashes should only be sporadic. However, from what we are seeing they look more like a planned offensive, intentionally carried out by the Tatmadaw [Burmese army]," he said. "But it may or may not be true." On the second day of the meeting, the groups released an open letter to President Thein Sein denouncing an offensive last week in which over 1,000 troops Burmese troops attacked SSA-N positions in Ta Pha Saung Village in Shan state's Kehsi Mansam Township as a violation of previously-signed tentative ceasefire agreements; and they called on the government to solve political problems via political means. At the end of the meeting, the Shan groups released a joint statement containing the following a three-point agreement pledging: to join hands in negotiating with the government on matters relating to the future of the Union and Shan State; to cooperate for the purposes of enhancing peace-building efforts in Shan State and across the Union of Burma; and to continue negotiating and using political means to resolve political issues.

Beyond borders: Burmese migrants in Thailand Posted: 06 Oct 2014 01:14 AM PDT Worldwide media attention has turned towards Burmese migrant workers, following the arrest last week of two Burmese in Thailand, charged with the gruesome murder of two British tourists on the island of Koh Tao. An estimated two and a half million Burmese have moved to Thailand – some legally, some illegally – to find work. In addition to the lack of job opportunities in their home country, many are escaping poverty, repression and war. Most work in labour-intensive industries such as agriculture, construction, fishing or factory work. Invariably, they are lowly paid, usually receiving well below the minimum wage. Yet they continue to take their chances in Thailand, seeking a better living for their families. But life in Thailand for Burmese migrants is fraught with dangers and difficulties. Many live in constant fear of police and the authorities, frequently paying bribes to corrupt officials to evade deportation. The following collection of photographs of Burmese migrant workers in Thailand – taken by British photographer John Hulme over a seven-year period – is a pensive reflection of the typical lives of fishermen in Ranong, factory workers in Mae Sot, and construction workers in Chiang Mai. Related Stories Thai police say Burmese man has confessed to Koh Tao murders Thai army on alert after Myawaddy clash Burmese waiter sets honest example in Thailand

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