Shan Herald Agency for News |
- Concerns on Burma's Current Political Situation and Peace Process
- Is it time to revive the ‘Dirty List’ of companies helping Burma's military?
- Senior monk killed in Mong Nai
| Concerns on Burma's Current Political Situation and Peace Process Posted: 14 Jul 2017 01:44 AM PDT The current peace process of Myanmar/Burma is in great terror even as it has seen that the process keep going on and there will be the next 21st Century (Union Peace Conference ) will come soon. 1. The greatest challenge for the NLD-led government and the Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) is the Myanmar Tatmadaw (Myanmar military). The Myanmar military has always used divide-and-rule tactics to keep their grip on power. The exclusion of the 6 Ethnic Armed Organizations' participation in the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) has weaken the unity of the Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and created misunderstanding among them and even led to armed conflicts among each other. It is clear that the Myanmar Tamadaw was the driving force behind these hostilities. 2. The Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and the people of Burma have supported the NLD and have high expectations from the NLD-led government. They expect the NLD-led government to transform the country into a genuine democratic federal union, based on equal rights and the right to self-determination for all ethnic nationalities but up until now, the NLD-led government has not been so successful in leading the peace process because 2008 Constitution deprives the government of the power to do and gives the Myanmar military the leading role. 3. The government does not receive full support from the Myanmar military. In fact, the military undermines the government by creating different forms of conflict and episodes of violence in certain places in order to advance its grip on power, region by region. More over, the military and the USDP have placed some of their proxies within the NLD-led government to oppose the government's plans and activities. 4. The military has not fully committed to democratization process and establishment of a democratic federal union. In fact, it still has a strong determination to maintain its grip on power to oppress the ethnic populations. 5. It executed major offensives in Kachin and Shan states, with military aircrafts and tanks in order to take control of the areas. These major military operations were directed against not only the KIO/KIA and its allies but also the NLD-led government. The Myanmar military's strategy is to weaken and destroy the ruling NLD-led government gradually and legally by fomenting more conflicts and continuing fighting in Kachin and Shan States so that they can easily take control of the areas. The future and secret plan of the Burmese military 1. The Burmese military has its strategic plan to create more different forms of conflict around the country in order to wrestle power from the NLD government. It will not stage coup d'etats, like in the past in 1962 and 1988. It is because the international community closely monitors the reform process in the country, the NLD-led government is recognized as a civilian- led government, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi receives the support of international community. The military will create conflicts here and there throughout the country, which will decrease security for the people and the country. As a consequence, it will be difficult for the NLD-led government to administer the country. When the country becomes embroiled in conflict, the military will take control of the entire country legally under the pretext of the security and protection of the people. It is expected that there will be more conflicts in 2017. 2. Another possible form of conflict is religious one. The military will create conflicts between different religious communities (e.g. Christians and Buddhists, Buddhist and Muslims, and Muslims and Christians), and such conflicts can be between different ethnic communities as well as within the same ethnic communities. In fact, after the KNU singed cease-fire agreements in 2012, the military created conflicts at the end of 2014 and in 2015, in Karen State. Karen monk U Thuzana built pagodas in Christian church compounds and in the street next to a Muslim mosque. The KNU, the Karen Baptist Convention (KBC), and Religious Alliance in Burma brought the issue to the attention of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, at both the state and union levels. But no one took action because they all were aware that this kind of incidents was not normal and believed that there was someone behind all these incidents. The Christian community tried to show tolerance and humbleness in accordance with their religion teachings and refrained from reciprocating wrongs. It was how the Karen churches resolved the problem. But I am not sure how long they will be able to remain patient if this kind of unjust events happens again and again. The strategy of the military seems to be working well. Even if there is no fighting in Karen State, other forms of conflict can still happen. If they happen, the military can use its power to take control of the state. 3. Creating conflicts between civilians through organizing demonstrations. Last year in December 19, the military organized a demonstration consisting of approximately 1,000 people wearing national costumes of Kachin, Chin, Shan, Karen , Arakanese, Karenni, Mon, and other ethnic nationalities, and Buddhist monks. The demonstration was orchestrated to show support for the Myanmar Tamadaw and its offensive against the Northern Ethnic Alliance in the Northern and Northeastern parts of the country. Demonstrators carried pictures of Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, showing their support for the military and its offensive operations. But the demonstration was not a genuine one because the demonstrators were not from ethnic communities. In fact, they made the demonstrators wear ethnic national costumes to give the impression that the Myanmar military received support from ethnic communities for their offensive. That was what they did in order to deceive the international community to believe them. They were dishonest and used the mass media to tell lies to the world. That was unacceptable. The international community should learn their deceit and be careful of this sort of lies. Again in January 13, 2017, there was another protest supporting military's offensive against the Ethnic nationalities in Kachin and Shan States and after it there were some followed protest the same message in other regions as well. The followed protest can happen more and more from the pro- military until the conflict happens within the civilians of pro and anti – military. 4. The military will persuade the 8 NCA signatories and the NLD-led government to follow their plan and desire, regarding the peace process. If the NLD-led government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi refuse to, they will use their power to take over the peace process. The peace process is now in danger, and the security of Aung San Suu Kyi and some of the NLD leaders , the ethnic leaders, including EAO leaders, are also in danger. Concerns about the future peace process of Burma/Myanmar 1. If the offensive continues and becomes bigger and widespread, the NCA will collapse, and the peace process will reach a deadlock and then go into reverse. 2. The Myanmar Tatmadaw has used the same strategy against the KIO/KIA that they used against the KNU. In other words, while the military had a cease-fire with the KIO/KIA from 1994 to 2011, they launched major offensives against the KNU. Now, as they have a cease-fire with the KNU, they carries out a military campaign against the KIO/KIA. Like the current offensive against the KIO/KIA, their offensive against the KNU included, but not limited to, the use of military aircrafts and heavy weapons, creating a lot of Karen refugees and IDPs. This shows the military's true attitude towards the EAOs. Trust between the military and the EAOs have decreased and can gradually reach the lowest level. When it reaches the lowest level, it will be very difficult to restore it. Appeal/request to the international community 1. We really need your urgent help to discuss the future of Burma with the NLD government / Aung San Su Kyi and find ways to address the problem before it goes into reverse. 2. It is very important to find ways to talk to Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing into renouncing his destructive strategy of divide and rule and accepting the path of peaceful reform by all inclusive and through dialogue. The military is the main key driver. 3. Encourage Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the president to raise their concerns, concerning the ongoing offensive in Kachin and Shan States, and declare a nationwide ceasefire immediately before the next 21st Century Panglon Conference to continue the political dialogue. 4. Please be ready to support Myanmar/Burma in case of the worst situation any time and think of ways to restrict the power of the military. 5. We really need your help, and it is very urgent. January 15, 2017 |
| Is it time to revive the ‘Dirty List’ of companies helping Burma's military? Posted: 14 Jul 2017 01:26 AM PDT Dear friend Is it time to revive the 'Dirty List' of companies helping Burma's military? In 2002, Burma Campaign UK published the first 'Dirty List' of companies directly or indirectly helping the military dictatorship in Burma, or which were linked to human rights violations. The 'Dirty List' was a tactic to pressure companies to stop funding the military dictatorship, and to draw attention to the links between the UK and Burma. The campaign for sanctions and company campaigns, including the 'Dirty List', was stopped when Aung San Suu Kyi dropped her support for them, and other parts of the democracy movement followed her lead.  Instead of companies seeing Min Aung Hlaing as the criminal he is, instead of treating him as a pariah, they wine and dine him trying to sell him military equipment. They go into business with military owned companies, providing the military with more revenue, more money to conduct the military operations where they rape and kill and where they violate international law. Burma Campaign UK has been asked why we are not targeting the companies supplying the Burmese military. We have been asked why we are not targeting companies doing business with the military. It has been suggested to us that we should revive the 'Dirty List' to target such companies. This briefing explores the pros and cons of a campaign to renew economic pressure on the military in Burma. It's also available on our website here. Thank you Anna Roberts Burma Campaign UK |
| Senior monk killed in Mong Nai Posted: 13 Jul 2017 09:44 PM PDT A Buddhist abbot was killed by an unknown culprit or culprits on Wednesday in the southern Shan State township of Mong Nai, according to local sources.  Venerable Sao Kaelasa, the head of Wat Oot temple in Mong Nai, was reportedly on his way by motorbike to pick up a Buddhist novice in the village of Wan Loi at about 5pm when he was attacked and left for dead at the roadside. His motorbike was taken. "U Sao Kaelasa went to look for the novice monk as it was getting dark. There where he was attacked." said Sai Tun Hla, the head of an aid group in Mong Nai Township. "When the novice returned he found the abbot had been stabbed in the heart with a metal stick. He must have died at the scene of the crime. "The police and some villagers brought his body back to the temple for funeral rites," he added. Police say they are investigating but at the moment there does not appear to be any motif of conflict or of a personal nature. Sao Kaelasa's grieving mother said that some locals are speculating that he was killed by drug users because there are many addicts in the area. "[Abbot] Sao Khu had wanted to be a monk ever since he was a boy," she told Shan Herald. "He was ordained as a novice when he was only 10 year old. He was a good son. He always practiced the Buddha's teachings." Some 90 percent of the Burmese population is Buddhist, and monks and abbots are highly respected across the society. They act as spiritual leaders within their communities and also perform important duties at weddings and funerals. "If this happened because of his karma, so be it," said his mother. By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) |
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