Democratic Voice of Burma |
- DVB Bulletin: 21 November 2014
- Koh Tao murders: Burmese suspects may apply for bail
- BUSINESS WEEKLY 21 NOVEMBER 2014
- Bill committee seeks to lay ground rules for referendum
- Cadet killings a ‘cowardly’ act, says ethnic bloc
- Than Shwe no longer plays a role, USDP leader says
| DVB Bulletin: 21 November 2014 Posted: 21 Nov 2014 04:00 AM PST On tonight's bulletin:
You can watch DVB Bulletin every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news. |
| Koh Tao murders: Burmese suspects may apply for bail Posted: 21 Nov 2014 02:39 AM PST A Thai judge on Thursday extended remand for two Burmese men suspected of murdering two British tourists, but indicated that they may each apply for bail at a bond of 500,000 baht (US$15,500). Local police applied at Koh Samui Court on Thursday to extend the remand of the Burmese migrants by 12 more days. Aung Myo Thant, a lawyer attached to the Burmese embassy who attended the court hearing, confirmed the judge's decision to extend the pair's detention. Defence lawyers argued that the suspects should not be held any longer on the grounds that they have already been in custody for 48 days. According to Thai law, suspects can be held for 84 days – seven consecutive periods of 12-day remand. "The judge decided to extend the remand on the grounds that the inquiry is not yet complete, but indicated that the defendants may seek bail," Aung Myo Thant told DVB. He said the two suspects, Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin, were brought to the court house in a prison truck for the hearing on Thursday morning, and that both appeared in good health. Related StoriesUpon meeting their defence team, the Burmese youths handed over handwritten notes, maintaining their innocence and calling for justice. "Dear citizens of the word," said one letter. "We want you to know that we did not have anything to do with this crime. We plead with you all to help secure our release from prison." Meanwhile, The Guardian has reported in an interview, Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin urged the families of murdered tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller to help them clear their names. They also asked UK authorities to share with their lawyers the results of a Metropolitan police review of the Thai investigation, the report said.
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| BUSINESS WEEKLY 21 NOVEMBER 2014 Posted: 21 Nov 2014 02:14 AM PST
Boeing to provide 737s to Air Mandalay The world’s largest aerospace company, Boeing, has announced a deal with Burmese firm Air Mandalay to provide an unspecified number of 737 aircraft. Representatives of Boeing and Air Mandalay signed a memorandum of collaboration on 8 November; Burma's Minister of Transport Nyan Htun Aung and US Ambassador Derek Mitchell witnessed the signing ceremony.
Demurrage fees to increase at Burmese ports Myanmar Port Authority announced on Wednesday that the demurrage charges for containers, heavy machinery and vehicles at terminals will increase from 15 January 2015 onwards. The increases in the demurrage prices are to improve storage capacity at terminals, it said. Demurrage, in shipping terms, is the charges incurred while a ship lies in port while not loading or offloading cargo.
Singapore now Burma's top investor (or is it USA?) Singapore has emerged as the top foreign investor in Burma, leapfrogging ahead of previous frontrunner China. However, Burmese Deputy Minister of Finance Maung Maung Thein says he believes the result comes from American companies registering in Singapore to avoid the remaining US sanctions on Burma. Direct foreign investment in Burma this year will rise by about a quarter to more than US$5 billion, according to Naypyidaw.
Amara Bank introduces new scheme after blacklist scare Amara United Bank said that beginning on 13 November it will introduce "Super Call Deposit Accounts" which provide customers with interest rates that compound on a daily basis. The rates vary between 4.0 and 8.35 percent depending on the amount of money deposited. The new campaign comes after unusually large amounts of money were withdrawn from the bank following the US Treasury Department's decision to blacklist Burmese MP Aung Thaung for attempting to undermine recent reforms in Burma and his involvement in attacks on democracy advocates.
Jalux, Mitsubishi to run Mandalay airport Japanese firms Jalux Inc and Mitsubishi Corp have signed a joint venture to operate Mandalay International Airport, according to Japan Times, citing the transport ministry. The joint venture, named MC-Jalux Airport Services Co, will be owned 45.5 percent each by Japan Airlines affiliate Jalux and Mitsubishi, with the remainder going to an unnamed domestic firm. The contract is for 30 years, starting as soon as early 2015, the report said.
East Asian leaders commit to eliminating malaria Leaders of the 18 East Asia Summit countries committed last week to an ambitious goal of eliminating malaria from the region within the next 15 years. According to a statement by the Asia-Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance: "The bold move shows strong leadership on health security and responds head-on to concerns about growing resistance to the drug artemisinin, the mainstay of worldwide treatment for the most dangerous form of the disease." Resistance was first reported in western Cambodia several years ago and was more recently detected in Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Burma.
Foreign investors invited to consider SEZ projects International investors have been invited by the Myanmar Investment Commission to signal their interest in three of Burma's upcoming special economic Zones: Thilawa, Dawei and Kyaukphyu. At the 11th ASEAN Summit on 12 November, the secretary of the MIC , Aung Naing Oo, extended the offer to the foreign delegations present and stated that the first priority for investors should be labour-intensive industries, followed by value-added and hi-tech sectors. |
| Bill committee seeks to lay ground rules for referendum Posted: 21 Nov 2014 01:32 AM PST A representative of Burma's parliamentary Bill Committee on Thursday raised in the lower house the issue of the constitutional referendum that has been slated for May 2015, saying that such a proposal would require the adoption of a National Referendum Bill. Saw Hla Tun, secretary of the Bill Committee, said, "At the moment, the Union Parliament is debating constitution reform, and if the plan goes ahead, a national referendum will be held next year in accordance with constitutional Article 436.* "We propose that a National Referendum Bill be established to facilitate procedures and regulations for the referendum and the formation of relevant committees." Speaking to DVB on Thursday, Supreme Court lawyer Ko Ni said Burma has previously held two national referendums without systematic procedures or regulations. Related Stories"Two referendums were held in the past and no law was passed that regulated either," he said. "In the 1974 referendum on the socialist Constitution, people were simply told to go cast their votes at polling stations. In 2008, procedures and regulations were issued by a Referendum Commission," he said. "So it is a bit strange that parliament now wants to adopt a set of laws for a national referendum – it could be that they want to be more systematic – but we won't be able to judge that until we see the text in the bill." Earlier this week, Parliamentary Speaker Shwe Mann said at a press conference in Naypyidaw that a referendum on constitution amendments would be held in May. The ongoing parliamentary debate on constitutional reform continues and is due to conclude on 25 November. *Article 436 stipulates that any constitutional amendment requires the approval of 75 percent of parliament. Pro-democracy groups complain the clause is undemocratic because it provides the military – which is appointed 25 percent of parliamentary seats – effective veto power on any proposed amendments.
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| Cadet killings a ‘cowardly’ act, says ethnic bloc Posted: 20 Nov 2014 11:16 PM PST The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) has condemned Wednesday's killing of 23 cadets at a Kachin Independence Army (KIA) training camp near Laiza as a "cowardly" act, as has the US-based Kachin Alliance. The Burmese military has, however, declared that the direct strike was a mistake and that the artillery shell which hit the camp was meant as a warning shot. The 23 were members of other armed groups who were conducting training exercises at the KIA base. The Palaung State Liberation Front (11), the Arakan Army (8), the Chin National Front (2) and the All Burma Students Democratic Front (2) have each issued statements confirming they lost young men in the attack. In addition to 23 cadets killed, another 20 were injured when, just after midday on 19 November, the Burmese army's 389th Light Infantry Battalion shelled a KIA training camp with 105mm artillery. "The Tatmadaw [Burmese military] carrying out sneak attacks and applying military pressure on ethnic armed groups while at the same time trust-building efforts are ongoing to bring about internal peace have made questionable whether the Tatmadaw really has a genuine will for peace. This incident could gravely hinder such trust-building," the UNFC said in a statement. The ethnic bloc also questioned the "coincidence" that the attack came so shortly after Union Parliament House Speaker Shwe Mann had announced that the Constitution could only be amended after next year's general elections. The UNFC said the move can be assumed to be "an orchestrated political and military conspiracy". The UNFC is made up of 11 ethnic armed groups, including the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), Karen National Union, New Mon State Party, Karenni National Progressive Party and the Chin National Front (CNF). Burma's military on Thursday rejected blame for the incident, saying that the artillery shell fired was a "warning shot", which was taken shortly after KIA troops attacked a Tatmadaw column providing security at roadworks along the Sama Junction-Gagun route. Related StoriesIn a report published by Burma's military-run newspaper Myawaddy, the Tatmadaw claims it requested the KIA to desist from firing at the unit on Wednesday morning and had issued "repeated warnings" in recent weeks on several occasions after the Kachin rebels launched unprovoked attacks on Burmese military positions. "The Tatmadaw column that was building a road for food supplies also warned the KIA troops not to launch attacks on the Tatmadaw column and [said that] the Tatmadaw column would respond if attacked," Myawaddy reported on Thursday evening. "However, KIA troops attacked the Tatmadaw personnel and the bulldozer that were building Sama Junction-Gagun road section for food supplies at about 11am on 19 November. The Tatmadaw column on security duty had to respond to the attack. "As the KIA failed to control its troops and increased its military activities despite the repeated warnings by the Tatmadaw not to attack Tatmadaw personnel who were discharging national defence [duties] such as providing security for the safe travel of the local people, changing personnel at security posts, and repairs of roads, the Tatmadaw camp fired a warning shot of a large-calibre weapon which fell and exploded at a KIA camp, causing causalities," the report said. It listed similar incidents in Momauk Township on 1 June, 13 and 26 September, and 27 and 28 October. It said Kachin soldiers ambushed one of its columns in Mansi on 16 November, and near Magiguam Village on 17 November, leaving one Burmese personnel injured. The report said the Tatmadaw contacted the KIA to object to these assaults, and that it had also complained to the group's peace-negotiating team as recently as 18 November. Myawaddy further reported that the Tatmadaw is cooperating with both the government's Union Peace-Building Work Committee and their ethnic counterparts, the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team, "in order to reduce military activities without starting an attack and to forge political agreements for sustainable peace." The Kachin Alliance, a network of Kachin communities and organisations in the US, has issued a statement calling Wednesday's attack "unprovoked and deliberate" and "in blatant violation of the agreement reached between the government and the KIO on May 13, 2014, to de-escalate military tensions". It accused the Burmese army of engaging in military maneuvers, encroaching upon KIO territory, taking control of frontline positions and fortifying them with heavy artillery, "even in the midst of nationwide ceasefire talks". For the sake of the safety of innocent civilians, the Kachin Alliance said, it demanded an "immediate and complete withdrawal" of Burmese government forces from the positions in question. "We demand that President Thein Sein, if he is to claim credibility for the peace process his government is currently engaged in, take full responsibility for the Nov. 19 killings, and take steps to prevent any such violations that would derail the peace talks," the group said in its statement on Thursday. It also called on the US, the UN and others in the international community to pressure the Burmese government to keep to its reform promises and to "find solutions to the decades-old ethnic conflict through political negotiations rather than military means". Meanwhile, the Palaung State Liberation Front Central Committee on Thursday issued a statement promising its 11 fallen cadets that it will "continue fighting until a Palaung State is established." The 11 Palaung trainees were all aged between 18 and 25. The Arakan Army and CNF announced that they had each lost eight and two cadets respectively. The All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) announced that two of the group's members – Hein Htet and Thet Zaw – were among the cadets killed in the shelling. Than Khe, chairman of the ABSDF, said the attack "could cause negative impacts on the peace-building and national reconciliation processes", and that it indicates an "ignorance of the efforts being put in by all parties to implement these goals."
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| Than Shwe no longer plays a role, USDP leader says Posted: 20 Nov 2014 09:10 PM PST Burma's former military dictator Than Shwe no longer plays a role in the country's politics, but is instead devoting his retirement days to religious activities. That was the message the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party's Deputy Chairman Htay Oo gave reporters when asked outside parliament on Thursday. "He has already handed over power confidently to the rest of us," said Htay Oo. "Now we must continue the work. Everyone has a role to play in politics, and so does he [Than Shwe], but the only question is whether he still holds influence. Related Stories"Political affairs are now in the hands of representatives in parliament, the government, the Tatmadaw [military] and citizens. He [Than Shwe] too is a citizen, but is no longer in charge." Than Shwe was the chairman of the State Peace and Development Council military junta until his retirement in 2011 when he he officially resigned from his position as head of state in favour of his hand-picked successor, Thein Sein.
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