Democratic Voice of Burma

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• DVB Bulletin: 28 November 2014
• 88 Gen leader Hla Myo Naung, passes away, aged 47
• Suu Kyi reiterates call for dialogue after sexpartite talks flounder
• BUSINESS WEEKLY 28 NOVEMBER 2014
• Latpadaung mine ‘must be halted’ pending EIA, says Amnesty
• Mandalay students, profs parlay after Education Bill protest
• 2014 ceasefire ‘impossible’, says ethnic leader

DVB Bulletin: 28 November 2014 Posted: 28 Nov 2014 04:24 AM PST On tonight's bulletin: Suu Kyi responds after talks fail to come about UK Foreign Office urged to revisit Burma sanctions Amnesty International sound the alarm on Latpadaung Kachin CSOs at odds with state govt over Manaw celebrations You can watch DVB Bulletin every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news. The post DVB Bulletin: 28 November 2014 appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

88 Gen leader Hla Myo Naung, passes away, aged 47 Posted: 28 Nov 2014 03:42 AM PST Prominent pro-democracy activist and 88 Generation Peace and Open Society (88GPOS) member Hla Myo Naung passed away on the morning of 28 November at Thingangyun Hospital in Rangoon. Hla Myo Naung, 47, died the day after he was admitted to the hospital with a severe liver condition. Fellow activist and 88GPOS member Min Zayar said Hla Myo Naung had been chronically ill but his sudden death came unexpectedly. "The main cause of Hla Myo Naing's death was cirrhosis of the liver but he was also suffering from various other illnesses and it was already too late by the time he arrived at the hospital," he said. "He came to my house about a week before he was admitted to the hospital. We expected he would need to undergo long-term treatment. But now he's gone." Hla Myo Naung was born in the town of Kyaukpadaung near Mandalay. He studied law at Rangoon University and participated in the 1988 student demonstrations, after which the activist was sentenced to five years in prison by the military regime which took power in 1989. After being released from prison, Hla Myo Naung and other 88 Generation student leaders were sentenced to 65 years' imprisonment for participating in demonstrations against the fuel price hikes, which preceded the so-called "Saffron Revolution" in 2007. "Hla Myo Naung was a student leader who worked hand in hand with us since the student protests in March 1988. He was a longtime participant in the fight for democracy and the eradication of Burma's military dictatorship. We will always remember Hla Myo Naung for his self-sacrifice and hard work," said Min Zayar. Related Stories Latpadaung mine 'must be halted' pending EIA, says Amnesty MPs approve Suu Kyi bill to speed-up bylaws Pa-Oh army pledges to protect children In an interview with DVB, 88GPOS leader Mya Aye said, "Hla Myo Naung was with us since we were jailed in 1989, and together we made it through those difficult years." "Back then, his family was wealthy, but by the time he passed away Hla Myo Naung had no possessions whatsoever aside from his legacy as a self-sacrificing leader. I will always remember and respect him as a close friend, as well as a comrade." Hla Myo Naung's funeral will be held on 30 November at the Yeway Cemetery in Rangoon. The post 88 Gen leader Hla Myo Naung, passes away, aged 47 appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Suu Kyi reiterates call for dialogue after sexpartite talks flounder Posted: 28 Nov 2014 03:34 AM PST Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi continued to call for dialogue between herself, the government and other major political players despite the abrupt cancellation of a scheduled meeting on constitutional reform set for Friday in Naypyidaw. Speaking at a press conference, she said, "We want to address the concerns of those who insist there is no need to amend the Constitution. That is why we proposed the sexpartite talks. We want to identify their concerns and ask which articles they do not wish to amend. "We aim to exchange points of view to clarify these concerns, and find common ground where we can reach a mutual agreement. That's why we believe dialogue is necessary." The National League for Democracy chairperson also told reporters: "As for dialogue, the quicker it happens, the better it will be for the people. The slower [the process takes], the more people will suffer. I cannot comprehend at all why the government does not want to engage in dialogue, because a dialogue is not a competition for victory over one another." She added that one should not enter into dialogue as a way of winning, but to do what is best for the country. Related Stories Latpadaung mine 'must be halted' pending EIA, says Amnesty MPs approve Suu Kyi bill to speed-up bylaws Military MPs snub Suu Kyi The cancelled meeting was scheduled to bring together Suu Kyi, President Thein Sein, military Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, house speakers Shwe Mann and Khin Aung Myint, and Arakanese politician Aye Maung as a representative of ethnic political parties. On Thursday, Burma's Information minister Ye Htut appeared to signal the government's unwillingness to sit for negotiations on the Constitution with Suu Kyi, deeming the proposed six-way talks "impractical", according to a reported interview with Radio Free Asia (RFA). "From our point of view, I don't think it [constitutional dialogue] can happen at this time as there are significant differences in our ways of approach," he was reported saying on RFA Burmese. "The standpoint of our approach is institution-wise and the approach considered by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the parliament is based on individuals. And at the meeting yesterday, it was said that it would be impossible to appoint just one representative for all ethnic parties because Burma has such a diverse range of ethnicities, and that the appointment should not be made by parliament but by the ethnic parties themselves. So based upon these points, we think the idea of the sexpartite dialogue is not quite close to reality."     The post Suu Kyi reiterates call for dialogue after sexpartite talks flounder appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

BUSINESS WEEKLY 28 NOVEMBER 2014 Posted: 28 Nov 2014 02:23 AM PST   Ups and downs The Burmese kyat was selling on Friday at 1037 to the US dollar, while buying at 1025. The price of gold stands at 660,000 kyat per tical. Fuel prices remain constant: petrol 820 kyat; diesel 950 kyat; octane 950 kyat per litre.   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.   Garuda Airlines and MAI sign code-sharing agreement Indonesia's Garuda Airlines signed a code-sharing agreement with Myanmar Airways International (MAI) on 25 November as part of efforts to boost economic ties between Burma and Indonesia. The deal takes effect in December 2014 and will connect passengers to and from Rangoon and Jakarta via Bangkok and Singapore airports. Around 55,000 people have travelled between Burma and Indonesia for business and sight-seeing, said Sithu, the managing director of MAI.   China Burma sign US$ 7.5 billion deal China signed a US$ 7.8 billion investment deal with Burma during Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Naypyidaw during the recent ASEAN summit. With a major portion of the investment focusing on the energy sector, the deals also extended to include the agriculture, telecommunications and infrastructure sectors. Chinese investment in Burma stood at $14 billion out of a total $50 billion foreign investment.   Foreign residency applications considered Burma's Ministry of Immigration and Population has indicated that a permanent residency system for foreigners will be launched in the first week of December. It will reportedly enable foreigners to apply to stay in Burma for five years with possibilities for extensions.   Military firm enters telecoms market Burmese military-owned Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) plans to become a telecommunications operator in the near future, according to Minister for Communications and Information Technology Myat Hein. MEC will be the fourth operator in Burma alongside government-run Myanmar Post and Telecommunications, Norway's Telenor and Qatar-based Ooredoo. Myat Hein pledged that all operators will be allowed to compete freely compete in the marketplace. MEC currently sells pre-paid cards for MPT under the brand MECTel.   Japan, Thailand 'hesitating' on Dawei Speaking in Burma's lower house of parliament on Wednesday, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development Kan Zaw announced that Japan and Thailand – assumed to be the prime investors in the Dawei deep-sea port project in Tenasserim – are hesitating. Read more   Latpadaung mine 'must be halted' pending EIA, says Amnesty Marking two years since Buddhist monks and activists were brutally attacked by riot police at the Latpadaung copper mine site, Amnesty International (AI) has issued a press release highlighting ongoing problems associated with the project. Amnesty said the mine is likely to causes further human rights abuses and is calling for the project to be halted until a proper environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) is carried out. Read more   Rice price volatility in Burma must be addressed, says World Bank The price of rice in Burma has increased by 41 percent between 2009 and 2013, a rate much higher than neighbouring competitors Thailand and Cambodia. This has led to a decrease in Burmese rice exports and food security at home, according to a recent report by the World Bank. Read more   Related Stories Rice price volatility in Burma must be addressed, says World Bank BUSINESS WEEKLY 21 NOVEMBER 2014 BUSINESS WEEKLY 14 NOVEMBER 2014 The post BUSINESS WEEKLY 28 NOVEMBER 2014 appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Latpadaung mine ‘must be halted’ pending EIA, says Amnesty Posted: 27 Nov 2014 11:59 PM PST Marking two years since Buddhist monks and activists were brutally attacked by riot police at the Latpadaung copper mine site, Amnesty International (AI) has issued a press release highlighting ongoing problems associated with the project. Amnesty said the mine is likely to causes further human rights abuses and is calling for the project to be halted until a proper environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) is carried out. AI's director of global issues, Audrey Gaughran, said the ESIA commissioned by the local subsidiary of China's Wanbao Mining Ltd has "critical gaps", particularly relating to environmental issues. "The construction of the Latpadaung mine must be halted immediately until a thorough environmental and social impact assessment has been carried out, which genuinely consults all the people affected," she said. AI said the initial ESIA ignores local concerns about the existing Sabetaung and Kyisintaung copper mines nearby, which are operated by other Wanbao subsidiaries, as well as the nearby Moe Gyo Sulphuric Acid Factory which supplies acid to the mine. The acid factory is owned by the Burmese military's business entity, the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL). "More than 25,000 people live in 26 villages in the 5km distance between the two mines, with the sulphuric acid factory also in close proximity. People who may be affected by pollution need more information on how cumulative risks from all three projects will be managed," said Gaughran. The AI statement also emphasised that the project is proceeding without resolving several important environmental and human rights concerns. In particular, nobody has been held accountable for the abuses committed by Burmese riot police officers who forcibly dispersed a peaceful protest against the Latpadaung copper mine—allegedly using, among other weapons, white phosphorous. In addition, Amnesty said that thousands of farmers who refuse to leave their homes remain under threat of forced eviction because their lands were acquired for the mine in a flawed process characterised by misinformation. According to the press statement, government authorities misled villagers by indicating that their compensation was being provided in respect to damage to their crops, but in reality the authorities intended to provide compensation as a pretext for acquiring their land. On account of such misinformation and other issues, protests in the region continue regularly as hundreds of families resist forced evictions to make room for the mine, which is situated near Monywa in central Burma's Sagaing Region. Four villages made up of 441 households are supposed to be relocated for the project. Among these households, Amnesty says, 245 have been moved to resettlement sites, but the remaining 196 refuse to leave their homes. In addition, land from 26 other villages—most of which is farmland—has been acquired for the project. AI's Gaughran has called on Burmese authorities to engage in meaningful consultations with communities that have been affected by the project or will be in the future. "The authorities should urgently set up a genuine consultation with the affected villages on the land acquisition and proposed evictions. They must guarantee that no one will be forcibly evicted," she said. As to the injuries sustained by 99 monks and nine other protesters during the crackdown on 29 November 2012, the Amnesty statement said many individuals suffered "extremely painful burns" and that "some have been left with lifelong injuries and scarring." In this regard, Gaughran said, "Two years after this brutal attack, it is completely unacceptable that the scores of people injured while protesting are still waiting for justice and reparations. White phosphorus munitions should never be used by the police – the use of such weapons against peaceful protesters is a flagrant violation of international law. No police officer or official who was involved in the attack has been investigated, prosecuted or sanctioned, while the government has failed to provide victims with effective remedies and adequate reparation." Related Stories 88 Gen leader Hla Myo Naung, passes away, aged 47 Suu Kyi reiterates call for dialogue after sexpartite talks flounder MPs approve Suu Kyi bill to speed-up bylaws AI issued the statement ahead of the two-year anniversary of the violent crackdown, and the NGO said it currently investigating past and current human rights issues relating to: the Latpadaung mine; the Sabetaung and Kyisintaung mines; and the Moe Gyo Sulphuric Acid Factory. Amnesty said it will present its findings in a report due to be released in early 2015. The Latpadaung copper mine is a joint venture between UMEH and Wanbao Mining's Burmese subsidiary. According to the project's production sharing agreement, the joint venture partners will retain 49 percent of the profits, while the remaining 51 percent will be given to the Burmese government. A commission led by Aung San Suu Kyi to investigate the impact of the mine as well as the crackdown recommended that an environmental and social impact assessment be carried out. The resulting ESIA stated that members of the four communities to be relocated are "potentially highly impacted" and acknowledges the process could "threaten their ability to survive". Key to the ESIA proposed mitigation plan is the market-value compensation for land lost to the project. This follows the previous earmarking of funds for regional development projects, which have had some success in the supply of electricity and potable water. However, local residents have refused to accept compensation en masse, as continual protests calling for the complete abandonment of the mining project have been staged. The website of Wanbao's local subsidiary says: "Being responsible for shareholders, employees, clients and the society, Wanbao Mining adheres to the corporate culture of 'human-orientation, collaboration and win-win; enterprising and innovation, pursuing excellence' in order to make contribution for the construction of harmonious society." Although China's current president, Xi Jinping, has championed the "Chinese Dream" slogan, the Latpadaung project was launched under China's former president, Hu Jintao, whose catch phrase encouraged China to build a "harmonious society." The "history" section of the subsidiary's website concludes by saying: "We should not forget that the core of sustainable development is human development and progress. By improving the quality of life, by using local and natural resources and by promoting a healthy environment, we will succeed in preserving the Earth's life-support systems for present and future generations." In March 2014, an article published by Eleven Daily News said that another ESIA compiled by Knight Piésold Consulting found that "acid and metals generation arising from waste rock have posed extremely high environmental risk to surface and groundwater." Eleven Daily News also quoted an article written by scientist Nyo Hmainn Wai in the Myanmar Environmental & Economic Review which warned about the potential dangers posed by the Latpadaung project. In the article, Nyo Hmainn Wai said the area might become "an open pit with toxic water that could cause serious environmental damage if the acidic water produced by the copper mine flows into the Ayeyawady [Irrawaddy] River."   The post Latpadaung mine 'must be halted' pending EIA, says Amnesty appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Mandalay students, profs parlay after Education Bill protest Posted: 27 Nov 2014 11:43 PM PST A delegation of student activists met with university professors at the Masoyein Monastery in Mandalay a day after the All-Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) led a public demonstration in the city denouncing the National Education Law. At a press conference after Friday's closed-door meeting, the students said they had engaged only in informal talks and did not discuss the controversial bill, which was passed on 30 September by President Thein Sein despite widespread objections from student and teaching bodies. The bill provides for the creation of a National Education Commission, which civil society organisations such as the National Network for Education Reform believe will keep the education sector under tight government control. On Thursday morning, students and activists marched through the streets of downtown Mandalay from Eaindawyar Pagoda to City Hall carrying placards and shouting slogans. Several of the chants harkened back to student protests held during the colonial era, such as "Victory to the revolution!" and "Thabeik Thabeik Hmauk Hmauk" (Alms bowl, Alms bowls, turn them over!),a slogan that has been generally used to call for strikes in Burma ever since. The ABFSU issued a 60-day deadline for the government to negotiate with the students and revise the bill, and vowed to step up protests if their demands are not met. Related Stories Wirathu leads Mandalay ‘peace march’ Workers protest Labour Dispute Law in Mandalay So education it is, Mr President? "Student unions have objected to the National Education Law ever since it was at the drafting stage," said Swe Linn Tun, the ABFSU's Mandalay district chair. "This law centralises control with the government, offers no guarantee for freedom of education, and does not include provisions to allow for the forming of student unions." The protest was joined by members of student unions and youth groups from the city of Taungoo in Pegu Division; Monywa and Kanbalu in Sagaing Region; Mandalay Division's Kyaukse and Myingyan; and eastern Rangoon. Similar protests took place in Monywa and Myingyan earlier this week. Local police in Mandalay attempted to stop the protest on Thursday as students began marching out of Eaindawyar Pagoda on grounds that the organisers did not have official permission to stage a public protest under the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law. The post Mandalay students, profs parlay after Education Bill protest appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

2014 ceasefire ‘impossible’, says ethnic leader Posted: 27 Nov 2014 07:06 PM PST Representing the Burmese government, representatives from the Myanmar Peace Centre (MPC) sat down with the ethnic armed groups' Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) in Chiang Mai on Thursday to continue discussions about the peace process; however any talk of a ceasefire was overshadowed by the recent shelling of a Kachin training camp by the Burmese army, which left 23 cadets dead and 20 injured. NCCT Vice-chairman Nai Hongsa said it would now be "completely impossible" to sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement by the end of this year following the Burmese army's deadly assault on the boot camp which was located near Laiza, headquarters of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). He said the killing has effectively brought negotiations to a standstill. Nai Hongsa said Thursday's meeting in northern Thailand focused on mending the growing level of distrust between the ethnic armed groups and the government. "The level of trust has plummeted to a new low," said the NCCT vice-chairman. "Now we must focus on mending the relationship to keep negotiations from breaking down completely." Related Stories Musician Moon Aung's visa application falls on deaf ears UN calls on all sides to protect civilians in Kachin State Activists hold Rangoon vigil for 23 killed at KIA camp The Chiang Mai round of talks was attended by the MPC's Min Zaw Oo and Hla Maung Shwe, while the KIA's Vice chief-of-staff Gen Gun Maw Sumlat and the New Mon State Party leader Nai Hongsa headed the 16-member ethnic team. Although the training camp was run by the KIA, the 23 young cadets who were killed on 19 November were not Kachins, but members of other affiliated militias. Eleven were from the Palaung State Liberation Front, eight from the Arakan Army, two from the Chin National Front, and two from the All Burma Students Democratic Front. The Burmese military has claimed that the artillery shell that killed the cadets was a warning shot which inadvertently hit the camp. The post 2014 ceasefire 'impossible', says ethnic leader appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

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