Democratic Voice of Burma

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• DVB Bulletin: 25 November 2014
• Political big guns poised for constitutional debate
• Koh Tao murders: Thai PM told of Burma’s concerns
• UN calls on all sides to protect civilians in Kachin State
• EU earmarks $300m a year for Burma
• Upper House votes to adopt PR nationwide

DVB Bulletin: 25 November 2014 Posted: 25 Nov 2014 04:21 AM PST On tonight's bulletin: Aung San Suu Kyi, USDP, military to meet among six-way constitutional change talks UN calls for protection of civilians trapped amid Kachin conflict EU earmarks $300m a year for Burma Famous Burmese singer denied entry visa You can watch DVB Bulletin every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news. The post DVB Bulletin: 25 November 2014 appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Political big guns poised for constitutional debate Posted: 25 Nov 2014 03:05 AM PST Burma's President Thein Sein, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, house speakers Khin Aung Myint and Shwe Mann, and one representative of ethnic political parties will lock horns in Naypyidaw on Friday for a debate on constitutional reform. The meeting was scheduled following the Union Parliament passing a motion on Tuesday calling for an emergency debate on constitutional reform. The proposal was raised by Myint Tun from the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party and was approved without opposition. Speaking to reporters outside parliament, Suu Kyi said, "I can't refuse this [opportunity]. The previous meeting, with 14 persons, was unclear. This time, the parliamentary proposal is very detailed and there is no reason not to attend. Anyway, it is good that parliament passed it." Related Stories UN calls on all sides to protect civilians in Kachin State Koh Tao murders: Burmese legal, forensics teams arrive Bill committee seeks to lay ground rules for referendum She confirmed to the assembled media that the sexpartite debate will be held in the capital on Friday, 28 November. Upper house MP Aung Kyi Nyunt of Suu Kyi's NLD party said, "The Union Parliament has made an important decision for the future of our country. It gives us hope. We welcome the decision.” The NLD has campaigned for the best part of a year for constitutional reform, claiming that certain provisions in the 2008 charter are undemocratic. One clause – Article 59(f) – also prevents NLD chairperson Suu Kyi from seeking the presidency on the basis that her children have foreign citizenship, as had her deceased husband, Michael Aris, who was British. The post Political big guns poised for constitutional debate appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Koh Tao murders: Thai PM told of Burma’s concerns Posted: 25 Nov 2014 01:46 AM PST Burma's Upper House Speaker Khin Aung Myint expressed his concerns to Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha about the Koh Tao murder case when the pair met on Monday. "U Khin Aung Myint told the Thai premier that this case is important for relations between two countries, said Htoo Chit, a member of the Burmese embassy team following the case. "According to U Ko Ko Maung [MP and advisor to the house speaker's delegation in Thailand], Khin Aung Myint spoke strongly about the investigation. He urged Prime Minister Prayuth to help ensure the trial is concluded according to law. He said that people in Myanmar, including many within the government, are seriously concerned about the fate of the two suspects. He reiterated that the handling of the case could hurt the long-term friendship between Thailand and Myanmar.” Related Stories Koh Tao murders: Burmese legal, forensics teams arrive Koh Tao murders: Burmese suspects may apply for bail Murder suspect shot dead by police in Shan State Prayuth reportedly asked Khin Aung Myint to remain calm and assured him that the Thai authorities would do their best and would handle the situation justly, Ko Ko Maung is cited as reporting back to the delegation. The 12-member team, led by upper house speaker Khin Aung Myint, is the highest level delegation sent by Burma to observe and assist in the Koh Tao murder case. English tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were bludgeoned to death in the early hours of 15 September on a secluded part of Sairee Beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao. Miss Witheridge was also raped. After an international outcry, Burmese migrants Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were arrested two weeks later, police claiming that DNA taken from Witheridge matched the two suspects. However, the Thai police's handling of the case has been widely condemned, with many observers pointing to an apparent determination on the part of the Thai authorities to pin the blame on foreigners. Britain sent its own team from Scotland Yard to investigate the crime scene, but they are yet to release a report. The post Koh Tao murders: Thai PM told of Burma’s concerns appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

UN calls on all sides to protect civilians in Kachin State Posted: 24 Nov 2014 10:44 PM PST The UN has expressed concern over reports of renewed hostilities between Burmese government forces and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and has called on all sides to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law. Speaking to DVB on Tuesday, Pierre Peron, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said, "We are concerned about the reports of renewed hostilities, and we are particularly concerned about reports of shelling near villages and IDP [internally displaced persons] camps. "The UN continues to call on all sides to ensure the protection of civilians and to respect international humanitarian law," he said. Peron could not confirm details about specific incidents in recent days, but said he had received reports of shelling near Jai Yang, currently home to about 8,000 IDPs, and Mai Ja Yang, the second largest town in the area, sheltering up to 20,000 internal refugees. Both lie close to the headquarters of the KIA and its political wing, the Kachin Independence Organisation, in the town of Laiza, which sits astride the Sino-Burmese border. The UN spokesperson said he could not confirm whether additional numbers of Kachin villagers have been displaced or fled their homes due to this most recent surge in fighting. Related Stories Political big guns poised for constitutional debate Thousands march against UN in Sittwe Activists hold Rangoon vigil for 23 killed at KIA camp Tensions in the region have risen since an incident on 19 November when 23 cadets were killed by a Burmese army artillery shell at a KIA training camp. Another 20 were injured, some seriously. The KIO said the Burmese army's 389th Light Infantry Battalion shelled the camp with 105mm artillery. Burma's government forces have called the killing a "mistake" and said they intended to fire a warning shot after several incidents when the KIA had attacked Burmese government forces on patrol. “Skirmishes are continuing to this day, but we have ordered our troops not to attack their camps,” President Thein Sein said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) the day after the fatal shelling. "Still, everyone has the right to defend his life. So, other than [in cases of] self-defense, our troops will not attack.” Burma's Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has likewise defended his frontline forces. "The president told us not to attack the ethnic armed groups and we don’t do it," he said. "Until this day, we have not attacked their camps or their headquarters. But sometimes we need to respond to their actions when they attack or shoot at us." However, in a statement posted by the KIO Central Committee the day after the incident, the Kachin leadership referred to the shelling as "deliberate". "While the KIO is making efforts to resolve the issues via political means, the Burmese army's columns and units are systemically stepping up unprovoked attacks, capturing bases, and targeting ambushes at KIA outposts," it said. The rise in temperature at the front lines comes at a time when both the government and the KIO have sat for a series of peace negotiations aimed towards a nationwide ceasefire. After maintaining a bilateral ceasefire for 17 years, a truce between the KIO/ KIA and government forces broke down in June 2011. UNOCHA estimates that some 99,000 Kachin villagers remain displaced by the war in Kachin and northern Shan states.   The post UN calls on all sides to protect civilians in Kachin State appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

EU earmarks $300m a year for Burma Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:21 PM PST The European Union (EU) and its partners have pledged more than US$300 million a year to Burma under a strategic cooperation programme from 2014 to 2016, together with loans from EU financial institutions. EU ambassador to Burma Roland Kobia said that EU countries and their partners have made an agreement to give financial support to the country in view of the remarkable progress made under the reform process, according to a report in Burmese state media on Tuesday. Of the annual 250 million euros (€), some €31 million is earmarked for peace-building efforts. President's Office Minister Soe Thane said that the programme came online on 24 November. "Euro 31 million will also be used for parliament, the 2015 election, the rule of law and the judicial system, management, and a census-taking project," the Global New Light of Myanmar quoted him saying. Of the remaining funds, €70m per annum is to be appropriated for a rural development programme; €40m for the health sector; €44m for education; €14m for trade and economic development; €5m for human rights issues; €16m for civil societies; and €1m for environmental conservation, the report said. It remains unclear whether the new package supersedes or is in addition to a €90 million per year package pledged one year ago for rural development, education, governance and peace-building in Burma from 2014 to 2020. Related Stories Govt board offers to broker talks between students and MPs Obama exhilarates, inspires at Rangoon University Students rally against education law The post EU earmarks $300m a year for Burma appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Upper House votes to adopt PR nationwide Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:27 PM PST Burma's upper house of parliament, commonly known as the amyothar hluttaw, approved by a majority vote on Monday the adoption of a proportional representation (PR) System for all future elections for the house at a Union level, and for all states and divisions. The upper house will now hand over the proposal to the Union Election Commission. The proposal was passed with 138 MPs voting in favour of PR, 24 against, and five no votes. The move comes shortly after the lower house had voted not to adopt PR, but to keep the electoral system as first-past-the-post. At the upper house on Monday however, a ruling majority of Union Solidarity and Development Party lawmakers was able to outvote the National League for Democracy and ethnic political parties. Mon parliamentarian Myo Tint Lwin said, "While the pyithu hluttaw [lower house] declared PR to be against the Constitution, the upper house has decided it is not. The issue is questionable. Can the Constitution have two definitions? If they use a PR system, the small ethnic parties will be destroyed.” In June, the upper house voted to adopt PR, but the original proposal only accounted for central and lower Burman divisions, not ethnic states. Monday's decision included the entire country. The post Upper House votes to adopt PR nationwide appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

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