Democratic Voice of Burma

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• DVB Bulletin: 12 January 2015
• Palaung army complains of Tatmadaw intimidation
• IOM announces support for Burmese refugees
• Police bust amphetamine smugglers on Moei River
• Gearing up for Burma’s new stock exchange
• Rohingya dies of suffocation in Thai smuggling truck

DVB Bulletin: 12 January 2015 Posted: 12 Jan 2015 04:40 AM PST On tonight's bulletin: Trafficked Rohingya women dies, 98 rescued in Thailand 20 sentenced in Taunggyi terror case Political heavyweights in Naypyidaw for summit YEX licences up for grabs You can watch DVB Bulletin every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news. The post DVB Bulletin: 12 January 2015 appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Palaung army complains of Tatmadaw intimidation Posted: 12 Jan 2015 03:03 AM PST Instead of negotiating for peace with ethnic armed groups, the Burmese military is still employing tactics of conflict, the Ta-ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has said. "While we strive to resolve issues through political means, we see that our Tatmadaw counterparts are increasingly applying military pressure on us, rather than pursuing negotiation," Tar Pan La, foreign affairs coordinator of the Palaung army, or TNLA, said. Related Stories Thein Sein lauds 'new political culture' in Burma Burmese army captures KIA outpost near Hpakant SNLD chairman: ‘Only policy makers should be at peace talks’ The TNLA had over 200 clashes with the Burmese army in 2014 and twice received no response when seeking discussions with the government's negotiators at the Union Peace-Making Work Committee, he said, adding that ethnic armed groups should "grow stronger" to defend themselves from the Tatmadaw, a common term for the Burmese army. In recent years, Naypyidaw has sought to secure regional and union-level ceasefire agreements with the various armed groups of Burma, with the exceptions of the TNLA, Arakan Army and the Kachin Independence Army, with whom ongoing conflict exists. On Monday the TNLA marked the 52nd Ta-ang Resistance Day in Shan State's Kutkai, Namhkam and Mongton townships by burning narcotics seized throughout the last year, highlighting the group's effort to crackdown on drug trafficking in the region. The post Palaung army complains of Tatmadaw intimidation appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

IOM announces support for Burmese refugees Posted: 12 Jan 2015 01:53 AM PST A new US$18 million project agreement has been signed between the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Bangladeshi government to support refugees from Burma, the vast majority of whom are Rohingya Muslims. The project will provide humanitarian assistance to Undocumented Myanmar [Burma] Nationals (UMNs) and vulnerable host communities in two districts of Cox's Bazaar, a city in the southeastern corner of Bangladesh, close to the border with Burma and "one of the least developed districts in Bangladesh," according to Peppi Siddiq, IOM project development officer. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed concern for the welfare of up to 500,000 undocumented Burmese migrants in the region, over 99 percent of whom are Rohingyas from neighbouring Arakan State in Burma who have fled persecution and violence. The Burmese government do not recognise the Rohingya people as a native ethnic group of the country, leading many observers to refer to them as "stateless". Both UMNs in Bangladesh and the host populations are extremely vulnerable, with below national average access to health care, clean water and sanitation, and a very high prevalence of malnutrition. Speaking to DVB on Monday, Siddiq said that while "the needs difference does not vary much between the two different populations," the Burmese refugees to the area "have very limited access to the formal economy and hence their livelihood options are limited”. According to IOM the focus of the project, currently supported by the US, British and Swedish governments, is to provide humanitarian aid to those who need it most, and to facilitate Dhaka's coordination of the provision of humanitarian services for UMNs in the area. Related Stories Rohingya dies of suffocation in Thai smuggling truck UN envoy visit draws mixed reception 52 migrants with fake visas pardoned in Malaysia The three-year project will also target the health of its beneficiaries using mobile medical teams, as well as strengthening government health services and working to improve health referrals. The water and health infrastructure in these areas will also receive investment, with the provision of deep tube wells and latrines in the makeshift settlements holding the displaced peoples, as well as in the host communities who are struggling to cope with the influx of people to the area, IOM said. Rohingya refugees also face violence within Bangladesh and have been accused of participating in communal violence in the Cox's Bazar area. High tensions and conflict between different groups have led to restrictions by law enforcement on the movement and interactions of Rohingya people. UNHCR has highlighted the frequent and dangerous attempts by people from Arakan State and Bangladesh to travel to other countries by sea, including Thailand, Malaysia and even Australia, in search of a better life. "This intervention has been carefully planned and supports the Government of Bangladesh's National Strategy on Myanmar Refugees and Undocumented Myanmar Nationals and the local population," said Sarat Dash, IOM's Chief of Mission in Bangladesh. "This support is very significant and we thank the Government and the international community for their faith in IOM to provide sustained humanitarian assistance."   The post IOM announces support for Burmese refugees appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Police bust amphetamine smugglers on Moei River Posted: 11 Jan 2015 10:16 PM PST Thai police on Sunday morning seized a large amount of amphetamine pills on an alluvial island in the Moei River, underneath the Thai-Burma Friendship Bridge that spans the two countries' common border between Myawaddy and Mae Sot. Two Burmese men, identified as Min Ko and Sai Ko Ko, were searched by Thai police and found to be carrying 80,000 ya-ba pills and 40 million kyat (US$40,000) in cash. A third suspect escaped and is being sought by the police. Related Stories Rohingya dies of suffocation in Thai smuggling truck Trafficked teen rescued from China Karen border guards make largest drug bust of 2014 Thailand is the most common destination for the tons of methamphetamine and amphetamine pills which are produced in Burma every year. Last year, Thai authorities busted at least a dozen vehicles carrying quantities of the drug, known in Thai as ya-ba, meaning "crazy medicine", almost always en route from the Burmese border checkpoint at Tachilek. Local police in Tachilek also earned a degree of success in 2014; in July, they seized a pickup truck headed for Thailand with some 59 kilograms of amphetamine pills hidden under a seat. The post Police bust amphetamine smugglers on Moei River appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Gearing up for Burma’s new stock exchange Posted: 11 Jan 2015 09:49 PM PST Applications for licenses to practice on the Yangon [Rangoon] Stock Exchange (YEX), set to open in October 2015, have been given the go-ahead by the Burmese Securities and Exchange Commission (SECM) by Maung Maung Thein, Deputy Minister for Finance and Revenue and SECM Chairman. “We are ready to start it on October,” Maung Maung Thein said. "The Securities Exchange Commission will issue licences to the stock companies. It will be happen two or three months later.” Underwriting, dealing, brokerage and consultancy businesses will be able to apply for the licenses, with certification costs ranging from 7 billion kyat (US$ 7 million) to 30 billion kyat, depending on the type of business. Licenses will be on sale from 19 January, with submission of applications closing on 27 February, according to a report in Global New Light of Myanmar. These service providers will be able to undergo joint ventures with foreign companies in the drive to successfully establish the fledgling stock market. Related Stories Japan, Thailand 'hesitating' on Dawei ASEAN Summit ends in Naypyidaw Japan to lend Burma US$285 million The Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Japan-based Daiwa Institute of Research signed an agreement with the Myanmar [Burma] Economic Bank (MEB) in December 2014, forming the Yangon Stock Exchange Joint-Venture Company, to help found and manage YEX, with 51% owned by MEB and the remainder controlled by the Japanese partners.     The post Gearing up for Burma's new stock exchange appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Rohingya dies of suffocation in Thai smuggling truck Posted: 11 Jan 2015 09:41 PM PST A Rohingya woman was crushed to death while being transported in a crammed pickup truck from Phangnga to Songkhla in southern Thailand on Sunday. She was among 98 Rohingya migrants believed to have been smuggled into the country by a human-trafficking ring. They were arrested at a checkpoint in Hua Sai district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province early yesterday. The dead woman was buried by workers from the Pracha Ruamjai Foundation. Thai Pol Capt Somporn Thongcheen, deputy inspector in charge of crime suppression at Hua Sai police station, said the 98 migrants were found crammed into five vehicles. He said the woman most likely suffocated and the others appeared exhausted. Pol Capt Somporn said Hua Sai police set up the checkpoint on the Nakhon Si Thammarat- Songkhla road at Village Group 2 in Tambon Sai Khao after obtaining information that a number of illegal migrants would pass through the district on their way to Songkhla. About 4am yesterday, a convoy of vehicles was spotted heading towards the checkpoint. Officers were able to stop five of the vehicles, but the rest escaped. There were three four-door pickups, one pickup modified as a van and a Toyota Fortuner. Related Stories IOM announces support for Burmese refugees Police bust amphetamine smugglers on Moei River UN envoy visit draws mixed reception The drivers of three vehicles fled the scene and the other two were arrested. They were identified as Sawat Phadungchart, 29, of Ranong’s Suksamran district, and Suthipong Chuaypat, 49, of Surat Thani’s Chaiya district. The migrants found in the five vehicles were later taken to Hua Sai police station. They were then taken in small groups to Hua Sai Hospital for treatment. All had been travelling without food for two days, Pol Capt Somporn said. The two drivers said they had picked the Rohingya up from a coastal area of Phangnga and were taking them to Songkhla. Human trafficking rings have changed their routes from Andaman coastal provinces to provinces along the Gulf of Thailand to avoid strict suppression there, Pol Capt Somporn said. Churin Khwanthong, Thai chief of the Social Development and Human Security Office of Nakhon Si Thammarat, said he assigned officials to interview each migrant through interpreters to find out if they had been victims of a human-trafficking movement. If they were victims of human trafficking rings, authorities would find ways to deport them back to their country of origin, Mr Churin said. Many local Muslims came to the police station to give food and clothing to the Rohingya after learning of their arrest. Rohingya have fled their homes in Rakhine state in Burma via Thailand to Malaysia in increasing numbers recently.   This article originally appeared in the Bangkok Post on 12 January 2015. The post Rohingya dies of suffocation in Thai smuggling truck appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

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