Democratic Voice of Burma

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• US blacklists MP Aung Thaung
• Ethnic alliance urges national dialogue
• 10 Hpa-an land claim protestors sentenced
• Re-enactment was orchestrated by police, say Koh Tao suspects
• DVB Debate: Ethnic perspectives

US blacklists MP Aung Thaung Posted: 01 Nov 2014 12:00 AM PDT The United States Treasury Department has blacklisted a lower house member of Burma's parliament, Aung Thaung, who represents the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party for Taungtha Township. The announcement, on 31 October, comes just days ahead of US President Barack Obama's scheduled visit to Burma to participate in the East Asia Summit on 11- 12 November. In its statement, the US Treasury noted that Aung Thaung had actively attempted to undermine recent economic and political reforms in Burma, officially known as Myanmar, and that he was implicated in previous attacks on Burma's pro-democratic opposition. Related Stories Obama asked to 'just say their name' Thein Sein to host quadripartite talks NLD rejects hybrid voting system The sanctions will freeze any US-based assets of Aung Thaung and bars US citizens from doing business with him. The statement said that the sanctions apply to Aung Thaung alone, and not to any government organisation with which he is associated. Formerly Burma's minister for industry under the previous ruling military government and widely considered a hardliner, Aung Thaung and his family are among the wealthiest families in the country with have numerous business interests in the country, including building material firms Aung Yee Phyo Company and IGE Company. A license to establish a private bank, United Amara Bank, was granted in his son’s name, Nay Aung, in 2010.

Ethnic alliance urges national dialogue Posted: 31 Oct 2014 11:29 PM PDT The Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF) said it welcomed the quadripartite meeting hosted by President Thein Sein in Naypyidaw on Friday and urged all parties to come together for political dialogue at a national level. NBF is an alliance of 15 ethnic parties who support establishing a federal system in Burma. In a statement released on Friday evening after the talks, the NBF announced that a conference involving all major ethnic political parties and armed groups would be scheduled in the near future. Related Stories DVB Debate: Ethnic perspectives Thein Sein to host quadripartite talks DVB Debate: Can federalism be the solution? Ba Shein, a representative of the Rakhine National Party, said the meeting between "outlawed' ethnic armed groups and ethnic political parties would be helpful in establishing peace as the groups are all directly concerned about ethnic affairs. "We think it would be helpful if the government played a role in helping to arrange such a conference," he said, adding that Friday's meeting involving the president, Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, National League for Democracy Chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic leaders was "a positive move". The NBF statement called for the signing of a nationwide ceasefire before the end of the year, and the setting up of a framework for political dialogue before the 2015 general elections, which are slated for the end of October or beginning of November next year.

10 Hpa-an land claim protestors sentenced Posted: 31 Oct 2014 10:57 PM PDT Ten farmers from Hpa-an in Karen State have been charged for protesting without permission. The ten were part of more than 100 local villagers who attended a rally in Hpa-an on 25 August calling for the return of lands they allege were seized from them by the military government in 1986. Four of the ten are members of the 88 Karen National Union; they were each given four months' imprisonment for leading the protest. Six others, all farmers, were handed either one month in jail or a 20,000 kyat (US$20) fine at the trial in the Karen State capital on 29 October. Speaking to DVB on Friday, Saw Maung Gyi, the chairman of the 88 Karen National Union group, said, "Charging farmers and imprisoning protestors will not solve Burma's land issues." The farmers claim the government seized more than 4,000 acres of land from nine villages in Hpa-an Township in 1986. They said they had resorted to public protests after receiving no reply after submitting claims to the related government departments.

Re-enactment was orchestrated by police, say Koh Tao suspects Posted: 31 Oct 2014 10:24 PM PDT Suspects in the Koh Tao murder case, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, told Burmese embassy delegates on Friday that local Thai police had directed them what to say and do during a re-enactment of the crime on 3 October. Speaking to DVB following their meeting with the detained Burmese migrants, lawyer Aung Myo Thant said, "Actually, they [Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun] didn’t know anything. They re-enacted the crime as they were told by the translator and the police. The interpreter told them to do exactly what the police said, and warned them not to respond to any reporters. They were told if they tried to speak to reporters they would be killed." Another member of the Burmese delegation, Kyaw Thaung of the Myanmar Association in Thailand, said that the suspects had confessed to killing British tourists David Miller and Hannah Witheridge because they were afraid that the police were going to kill them. "I asked them: 'Why did you tell us last time that you hit [the victims] with a shovel?'" said Kyaw Thaung. "They replied that they had decided to tell the truth in court, but that they were too afraid to tell the truth before because the police and interpreter threatened to kill them. "They are still afraid. We told them not to sign any papers unless we are present. But Zaw Lin said that if they don't sign they will be beaten." Related Stories Koh Tao murders: Burmese men held pending indictment decision Scotland Yard probes Koh Tao crime scene Two Burmese arrested for murder of Thai duck farmer & wife Kyaw Thaung added that the 21-year-old Burmese men had reiterated that they had been beaten during interrogation, and that they were forced to sign a confession in Thai without a Burmese translation. Delegates from the Burmese embassy in Thailand also included military attaché Maj. Than Hteik Aung, an interpreter and a note taker. They were permitted to speak to the suspects from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm on 31 October. Earlier this week, lawyer Aung Myo Thant told DVB that the suspects had been freed of the shackles around their ankles. The lawyer also told DVB that, when recounting their testimony to the delegates on Friday of what happened on the night of the double-murder, the suspects said they went swimming at about 2am after drinking beer. They said that when they came out the water they could not find their guitar or shirts, Aung Myo Thant said.

DVB Debate: Ethnic perspectives Posted: 31 Oct 2014 10:08 PM PDT Burma is a diverse nation with dozens of different ethnic groups. Yet for decades ethnic minorities in Burma have felt marginalized and persecuted by the country's rulers and the majority ethnic Burman. In DVB Debate's ethnic views episode the studio asks: who is listening to ethnic voices?

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