Democratic Voice of Burma

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• DVB Bulletin: 15 December 2015
• Arakan State celebrates 40 years
• Mekong bloc unites to fight drug trafficking
• 7 govt troops killed in N. Shan State clash
• 2015 election: NLD vows ‘Campaign Year’

DVB Bulletin: 15 December 2015 Posted: 15 Dec 2014 03:59 AM PST On tonight's bulletin: NLD prepares for ‘Election Year’ Minchaungkan protesters in fourth day of renewed protest Tatmadaw trips ambushed Burmese bikies hold convention in border town You can watch DVB Bulletin every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news. The post DVB Bulletin: 15 December 2015 appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Arakan State celebrates 40 years Posted: 15 Dec 2014 03:35 AM PST The 40th anniversary of Arakan State Day was celebrated in Rangoon and Arakan State on Monday, as well as among Arakanese communities around the world. In a message to the people of Arakan [Rakhine] to mark the celebration, Burma's President Thein Sein called for stability in the western Burmese state and urged the regional government to ensure the "all-round development of the region". Arakan is the country's least developed region after Chin State. "In addition, steps are being taken to develop the region's electricity grid in a bid to light every part of Rakhine State," he said. "Transport facilities such as highways, internal roads and railroads are being extended to ensure better links with other states and regions." Arakan was connected to the national power grid for the first time earlier this year. As a result, the main cities and several towns in the region now have access to 24-hour electricity at fixed national prices. Related Stories Keeping an eye on the Kaladan Thein Sein calls for greater regional unity in ASEAN-Korea summit Don't put words in the president's mouth, warns govt Arakanese were previously obliged to pay 500 kyat (US$0.50) per unit to private companies for electrical power which, for the most part, was limited to three or four hours a day. Now connected to the grid, Arakanese households now qualify for power at 35 kyat per unit, and 75 kyat per unit for business premises. Despite the progress, regional MPs pointed out that Arakan State has fallen far behind in infrastructure development over several decades, and that it will take time for progress to become apparent. Kyaw Than Hlaing, a Central Executive Committee member of the Rakhine National Party, said 2014 has been a special year for Arakan State as it marks the beginning of an era when people can live with the benefit of electricity. The Arakan State Day festivities in Sittwe were attended by union ministers Soe Thane, Tin Naing Thein and Khin Yi. A similar event in Kyauktaw included poem recitals and essay writing contests, as well as sports activities. The post Arakan State celebrates 40 years appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Mekong bloc unites to fight drug trafficking Posted: 15 Dec 2014 01:18 AM PST Drug enforcement officers from four countries will be posted to a new centre in Chiang Mai as they look to ramp up the fight against drug trafficking in the Mekong region. The centre will be based at the Narcotics Control Office Region 5 headquarters, and is due to open around the middle of next month. Officers from Thailand, Laos, Burma [Myanmar] and China, which share the Mekong’s upper reaches, will all be based at the centre as the countries look to boost the exchange of intelligence. Office of the Narcotics Control Board secretary-general Permpong Chaovalit said the centre was part of the Operation Safe Mekong initiative, which was drawn up by the four countries during a two-day meeting which ended on Friday in Chiang Rai. He said the initiative would be a significant step towards tackling drug smuggling along the Mekong, which has long been a major channel for traffickers. “We agreed to set up the centre because we want to see drug authorities from the four countries along the Mekong River working more closely together in terms of information sharing,” Mr Permpong said. Related Stories Michaungkan protesters light candles in front of Rangoon City Hall Hundereds protest against planned power plant in Mon State Two injured as Latpadaung protestors clash with police He said the first representatives from each country will travel to the facility in the middle of next month once the centre is opened. They will be asked to bring their own information, particularly about drug trafficking routes along the Mekong, to exchange with one another. Sharing this intelligence will allow drug authorities to better formulate strategies to suppress drug trafficking in their own areas, Mr Permpong said. He said each country will still need to set its own plans and identify operational target areas, but they will now have to coordinate a wider drug suppression strategy with each other. Mr Permpong said Thai authorities would ask their counterparts to help track down fugitive drug suspects who have fled from Thailand to Burma, Laos and China. Authorities from the other three countries would also ask Thai officials to help arrest fugitives who have fled to Thailand, he added. “More than 30 percent of drug trafficking [in the region] takes place along the Mekong River,” Mr Permpong said. “It is urgent for authorities to stay on top of the fast-evolving drugs situation.” He said Burma has deployed a number of officials to Tachilek township in the country’s Shan State over the past year. The town is believed to be a key transit point in the drug trade along the Mekong. Many drug production facilities are also believed to be based in Shan state. Mr Permpong said the deployment of authorities to Tachilek shows Burma is putting in greater efforts to fight against the spread of drugs.   This article was originally published in the Bangkok Post on 14 December 2014.   The post Mekong bloc unites to fight drug trafficking appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

7 govt troops killed in N. Shan State clash Posted: 15 Dec 2014 12:46 AM PST Seven Burmese government soldiers were killed and 20 others injured when their column was ambushed by ethnic rebels, according to state media on Monday. According to a report in the Global New Light of Myanmar, a Burmese army column was conducting security operations in villages about 10 miles north of Kunlong in northern Shan State when it was attacked on Saturday morning by "remnant Kokang insurgents". Fighting has flared in recent weeks in the Muse area. On Wednesday, clashes were reported between government forces and a combined force of Kokang, Kachin and Palaung battalions. Maj. Ta Bhone Kyaw, spokesperson of the Ta-ang (Palaung) National Liberation Army (TNLA), which is fighting alongside the Kokang and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) units, confirmed Saturday' s clash. Related Stories Kachin, Palaung, Kokang forces clash with govt units in Muse Par Gyi's widow slams state inquiry into his death Taunggyi trial: Muslims complain of threats "It was not only our Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army [Kokang army] troops involved, but a combined force with the TNLA and the KIA," he said. "A head-on clash broke out in Namsalat village on Saturday at 11am and went on until 12:30pm. We did not lose any casualties, but we do not know about the Tatmadaw [Burmese army]." He said clashes had abated by Sunday; however Tatmadaw soldiers continued shelling rebel outposts in Namsalat and Tamoenye on the west bank of the Salween River every one or two hours throughout the day. The post 7 govt troops killed in N. Shan State clash appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

2015 election: NLD vows ‘Campaign Year’ Posted: 14 Dec 2014 10:27 PM PST The National League for Democracy (NLD) concluded its second congress of the year  in Rangoon this weekend, announcing its intention to campaign vigorously for the 2015 general election, while maintaining efforts to enact constitutional reform. Speaking to DVB on Monday, NLD spokesman Nyan Win said, "We cannot react yet, because there has been no confirmation about the election. First, we need the Union Election Commission to announce the date of the election. We are waiting. After that, we will issue our manifesto, and we will do our best for the 2015 election.” The opposition party also said it would continue working for a nationwide peace and implementation of Rule of Law. In a statement released on Sunday at the end of the two-day summit in Rangoon, the party said it supports a genuine dialogue for peace and national reconciliation, and plans to launch a "campaign year" ahead of the elections, which are expected to be held between October and December next year. The NLD refused to compete in the previous general election, in 2010, maintaining that polls would not be free and fair. Twenty years earlier, the party swept to victory with a landslide win in the 1990 elections – led by its charismatic new leader Aung San Suu Kyi – winning 392 of the 492 seats. Related Stories Army officer jailed for signing Article 436 petition Anti-PR upper house MPs petition tribunal King Harald reaffirms Norway's support for Burmese reform The party was never allowed to take power by the military junta, which later insisted the elections were never meant to form a parliamentary government, but rather to form a "parliament-sized constitutional committee' to draft a new Constitution. Several NLD leaders were arrested and imprisoned around this time, among them vice-chairman Tin Oo, co-founder Win Tin, and Chairperson Suu Kyi, who subsequently served more than 15 of the next 21 years under house arrest. Having boycotted national elections in 2010, the NLD returned to the political fold shortly after President Thein Sein came into power the following year, when he launched a series of economic and political reforms. The NLD re-registered and competed in by-elections in April 2012, winning 43 of the 46 constituencies up for grabs. Suu Kyi represented the party in the Rangoon township of Kawhmu, easily winning a seat in the lower house. The NLD has focused a year-long campaign aimed at amending the 2008 Constitution, because, it says, Article 436 allows the military effective veto power over any constitutional reform. The Constitution also bars Suu Kyi from running for the presidency or vice-presidency, due to a clause, Article 59(f), which prohibits any candidate who has direct family members with foreign citizenship from seeking the post. Suu Kyi's deceased husband, Michael Aris, was English, and their two sons have British citizenship. The post 2015 election: NLD vows 'Campaign Year' appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

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