BurmaNet News, November 15, 2006

[Editor]

November 15, 2006 Issue # 3088

INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: Head of military college arrested

ON THE BORDER
Irrawaddy: Burmese officials issue temporary passports for migrants

BUSINESS / TRADE
India Business Insight: Asian Paints exits Myanmar (to divest its entire
stake in Berger paints manufacturing to Myanmar economic holdings Ltd
Singapore $075 million)
Xinhua: Myanmar imports large amount of fuel in two consecutive months

ASEAN
AP: Southeast Asian nations hope to see progress in Myanmar

INTERNATIONAL
Irrawaddy: UN to adopt stronger resolution on Burma
AFP: ASEAN countries open to discussion with US on Myanmar
Embassy (Canada): Form of genocide taking place in Burma: Researcher

OPINION / OTHER
Irrawaddy: In Burmese politics, safety comes first - Aung Zaw
The Nation: Hard bargaining with Burma
www.americanmuslim.org: What to do with the war criminals of the Myanmar’s
SPDC regime - Habib Siddiqui

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

November 15, Irrawaddy
Head of military college arrested - The Irrawaddy

The head of Burma’s National Defense College in Rangoon has been arrested
and put under investigation for corruption, according to sources in the
former capital.

The sources, close to the army, spoke anonymously, saying abuse of power
appeared to be the reason for the arrest of the commandant of Rangoon’s
National Defense College, Maj-Gen Moe Hein.

One source said Moe Hein is well-known among high-ranking army officials
who are seeking promotions.

“Maximally, he charged between three and five million kyat (US
$2,400-4,000) for his recommendation letter,” one source said.

Corruption and cronyism are serious and widespread problems throughout all
levels of the government, military, bureaucracy and business communities.
Burma is ranked the second most corrupt country in the world, according to
Berlin-based Transparency International.

Last week, however, Prime Minister Gen Soe Win said in an address to the
Annual General Meeting of the junta-affiliated Union Solidarity and
Development Association in Naypyidaw that the government is constantly
taking measures to ensure effective and clean administrative processes.

The state-run The New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that the
military government has taken legal action against 1,247 state personnel
believed to be involved in corruption during 2005. Details of the cases
were not given, but reports of legal actions against corrupt government
officials have increased in recent years.

Last month, a Rangoon court sentenced Khin Maung Lin, the director-general
of the Customs Department, and his assistant, Aung Kyaw Oo, to prison
terms of 66 years and seven years.

Meanwhile, other sources said that Maj-Gen Aung Kyi, deputy minister for
Immigration and Population, and Brig-Gen Win Sein, deputy minister for
labour, also were arrested for investigation of corruption and are being
held at an unknown location. There has been no official confirmation of
those arrests by the government.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

November 15, Irrawaddy
Burmese officials issue temporary passports for migrants - Shah Paung

Temporary passport centers opened earlier this month along the
Thai-Burmese border have started issuing travel documents for Burmese
migrant workers, according to applicants in two Burmese border towns.

The centers are part of a joint program between Thailand and Burma, in
which offices on both sides of the border will process and verify migrant
worker applications before issuing temporary passports.

According to Piboon Sriri, an official in the Ministry of Labor’s
Department of Foreign Worker Administration, 17,000 applications for
migrant travel documents have already been processed by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, with only seven rejected for reasons that have not yet
been disclosed.

An additional 40,000 applications will be submitted to the Burmese
government next week, according to the official, who added that Burma
opened three passport centers on November 6 in the border towns of
Myawaddy, Tachilek and Kawthaung.

Corresponding offices in Thailand have not yet been opened.

One Burmese applicant in Kawthaung, opposite the city of Ranong in
Thailand, told The Irrawaddy that Burmese authorities have started
processing applications submitted by Thailand’s Ministry of Labor.

Senior Burmese police official Win Maung, posted at the Kawthaung office,
told the Burmese applicant that there are two separate processes for
getting a temporary passport. The first applies only to individuals
already in possession of work permits for Thailand. The second is for new
applicants with no work permits.

New applicants with no work permits must be men between the ages of 18 and
45. Currently, women with no work permit are not allowed to apply,
according to one applicant in Kawthaung.

New applicants are also required to register at the local labor office
first, after which they must receive a medical examination, while all
applicants must have a guarantee from a Thai employer or representative,
or a document insuring a guarantee of employment.

In addition, applicants in Kawthaung must pay a fee of 3,000 kyat (about
US $2.30) to the passport center, while Thai employers must pay 4,300 baht
(about $116) to the Ranong labor office across the border.

Prices for applicants vary according to the office. Sources in Tachilek
say that applicants for temporary passports there must be residents of the
city and must pay 3,000 baht in fees to the passport center, while Thai
employers must pay 2,000 baht to the labor office across the border in Mae
Sai. Fees are charged in baht, according to sources, because the Burmese
kyat is not widely used in Tachilek.

Sources in Kawthaung and Tachilek say that applicants already holding Thai
work permits can apply for two-year temporary passports, with the option
to extend for two additional years. Those without permits can only apply
for a three-year temporary passport with no option to extend.

When a worker’s passport expires, they are required to return to Burma and
must wait three years before applying again, according to one applicant in
Tachilek, who added that workers are also required to remit a monthly tax
of 10 percent of their earnings to the Burmese government while working in
Thailand.

About 740,000 workers from Burma have registered with the Department of
Employment in Thailand in 2006, and many more are working illegally,
mostly in the construction, fishing and agriculture sectors.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

November 15, India Business Insight
Asian Paints exits Myanmar (to divest its entire stake in Berger paints
manufacturing to Myanmar economic holdings Ltd Singapore $075 million)

Asian Paints has decided to close its operation in Myanmar.

The company will divest its entire stake in its subsidiary, Berger Paints
Manufacturing to Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (MEHL) for Singapore $0.75
million.

The divesting deal will allow Berger International Ltd (BIL) to enter into
a share purchase agreement with MEHL.BIL will receive a consideration of
Singapore $9,36,420 for the sale of these shares. Asian Paints has the
exclusive rights to the Berger brand in 70 countries through BIL and 65
percent of its turnover comes from BIL.

____________________________________

November 15, Xinhua
Myanmar imports large amount of fuel in two consecutive months

Myanmar imported a total of over 530 million U.S. dollars' worth of fuel
including petrol and diesel in the months of August and September,
standing the highest monthly imports in value so far during this year, the
local 7-Day News reported Wednesday.

The imports by the state-run Myanmar Petrochemical Enterprise ( MPE) under
the Ministry of Energy for the month of August amounted to 174.98 million
dollars in value, while that for September represented 357.22 million
dollars, the report quoted the figures of the Ministry of Commerce as
saying.

The two months' import figures of fuel respectively approached and
exceeded the yearly figures of such imports, the report pointed out,
citing the annual import figures of over 200 million dollars for the
fiscal year 2003-04 and 250 million dollars for 2004-05.

The huge import of fuel during the period was apparently made to meet oil
demand domestically, observers said.

Meanwhile, Myanmar has reportedly designed to raise its onshore crude oil
production starting December to help meet its oil demand at home by
drilling more test wells. The onshore oil output will be increased to
10,000 barrels from the current 9,400 barrels per day, according to the
state-run Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise ( MOGE) which said Myanmar yields
about 20,000 barrels of oil per day from both onshore and offshore areas,
accounting for 40 percent of the 50,000 barrels of diesel and petrol the
country consumes per day with the rest fulfilled through import from
Singapore and Malaysia.

In a bid to cut the cost of oil imports, the government introduced a
program in August 2004 to substitute fuel with gas for transportation
purpose, converting some 9,000 diesel and petrol vehicles to run on
compressed natural gas (CNG).

Meanwhile, Myanmar exported a huge amount of natural gas yearly since it
has abundance of gas.

According to official statistics, in the fiscal year 2005-06 which ended
in March, the country produced 7.962 million barrels of crude oil and
11.45 billion cubic-meters (BCM) of gas. Gas export during the year went
to 9.138 BCM, earning over 1 billion U. S. dollars.

____________________________________
ASEAN

November 15, Associated Press
Southeast Asian nations hope to see progress in Myanmar: Indonesia

Indonesia's foreign minister said Wednesday he hopes Myanmar's military
junta will begin making rapid democratic reforms following a recent visit
by a U.N. envoy.

Hassan Wirayuda said the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
remained frustrated with Myanmar's slow progress toward national
reconciliation and has not seen any encouraging signs, but "hopefully
there is positive development between now and December," when ASEAN
leaders are to meet in the Philippines. "We are frustrated," he told
reporters on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum
in Hanoi. "If Myanmar engages the U.N. as it does now, we pray that it
could help produce tangible results.

"Myanmar has become a source of embarrassment to other members of ASEAN,
largely because the country's military junta has not restored democracy or
freed political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San
Suu Kyi. ASEAN foreign ministers in July pressed Myanmar to show "tangible
progress" on democratic reforms and sought the release of political
detainees.

U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari made a four-day visit to Myanmar last
week to meet with Suu Kyi and press the junta toward democracy. His visit
came two months after the U.N. Security Council put the country on its
agenda, subjecting the junta to greater U.N. scrutiny.

The United States has said it plans to introduce a resolution on Myanmar
to the Security Council this year.

The Myanmar issue may crop up when leaders from seven ASEAN nations that
are also APEC members Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand,
Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam meet U.S. President George W. Bush on
Saturday on the sidelines of the APEC summit.

Wirayuda said economic cooperation between U.S. and ASEAN would top the
agenda at the meeting, but "we are very open to discuss any issues.""The
U.S. knows fully well that we in ASEAN are frustrated by a lack of
progress and tangible results with the democratic process in Myanmar," he
said.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

November 15, Irrawaddy
UN to adopt stronger resolution on Burma - Aung Lwin Oo

A draft resolution before the UN General Assembly includes emphatic calls
for Burma’s ruling junta to achieve democratic reforms and take effective
measures against rights abuses.

A current outline of the resolution demands that the military regime look
into attacks against ethnic Karen in eastern Burma and to investigate the
attack on democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her entourage in Sagaing
Division in 2003.

The general assembly “strongly calls upon” the military government “to
take urgent measures to put an end to the military operations targeting
civilians in the ethnic areas,” the resolution says, adding that UN
representatives should be allowed to monitor the situation. It also urges
the regime “to facilitate a genuinely independent investigation into the
attack perpetrated near Depayin on 30 May 2003.”

The draft resolution also urges Burma’s military rulers to take steps in
“an inclusive and credible process of national reconciliation” and to
release all political prisoners, including leaders of the main opposition
National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi and Tin Oo, as well as
ethnic Shan leaders who have been serving lengthy sentences and former
student leaders arrested in late September of this year.

The annual resolution notes the military regime’s lack of cooperation with
the world body as UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Paulo Sérgio
Pinheiro and Razali Ismail, former UN special envoy, had been effectively
barred from visiting Burma for nearly three years.

Though some actions, such as allowing UN Under Secretary-General Ibrahim
Gambari to visit the country, are lauded as positive developments, the
resolution calls for independent access by UN representatives to regions
of concern in Burma and for greater access by UN and international
organizations in carrying out humanitarian programs.

The proposed resolution followed Pinheiro’s briefing at the world body in
late October, during which the rights envoy warned that “humanitarian
assistance could not be made hostage to politics.”

The current non-binding resolution is expected to be table and finalized
at the world body this week, according to Thaung Htun, the UN
representative of Burma ’s government in exile.

Burma’s ruling junta has ignored the 28 previous resolutions adopted by
the General Assembly and the now defunct Commission on Human Rights.

____________________________________

November 15, Agence France Presse
ASEAN countries open to discussion with US on Myanmar

Indonesia said Wednesday that Southeast Asian leaders due to meet with US
President George W. Bush here were open to talks on Myanmar despite US
criticism of ASEAN's engagement with the junta in Yangon. "We are very
open to discuss any issues," Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda
told reporters on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) ministerial meeting in Hanoi.

He acknowledged that in the past, Washington and other Western countries
had been "very critical of ... active and positive engagement with ASEAN
and Myanmar" but that they knew sanctions would not force democratic
reforms.

"It doesn't push Myanmar to make progress," he said, adding that US
officials knew "we in ASEAN are frustrated by the lack of progress and
tangible results in the course of democratisation in Myanmar".

The meeting between Bush and leaders of seven of the 10 members of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is scheduled to take place
early Saturday, on the sidelines of the APEC leaders' summit.

Asian officials say the one-hour meeting will be free-wheeling in nature,
allowing discussion on a wide range of topics, although Wirayuda said most
of the session was expected to focus on economic ties.

"Economic issues will be of primary importance, in particular economic
cooperation between the United States and ASEAN," he said.

ASEAN in August signed a pact to broaden trade and investment with the
United States.

All seven ASEAN member states that belong to APEC -- Brunei, Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- attended an
inaugural meeting held alongside the APEC summit in Busan, South Korea in
2005.Washington has imposed investment and trade bans on Myanmar, and at
that meeting in Busan, Bush urged ASEAN leaders to take a tougher stance
on Myanmar, but they defended the pace of reform in the isolated country.

Since then, however, ASEAN has been rebuffed in its efforts to encourage
Myanmar to reform, while the United States is pressing for a UN Security
Council resolution on the junta's human rights abuses and lack of reforms.

____________________________________

November 15, Embassy (Canada),
Form of genocide taking place in Burma: Researcher - Brian Adeba

Guy Horton says the killings in east Burma is on the same scale with what
Saddam Hussein did to Kurds in Iraq, and calls for sanctions on the
military junta.

Everything that allows people to live is destroyed–including livestock and
crops. Villages have been razed; their inhabitants forced to relocate at
gunpoint. Those who resist are shot dead. Between 1996 and 2005, it is
believed an estimated 2,800 villages have been destroyed, their
inhabitants herded into government-built camps.

That is the horror that ethnic minorities–the Karen, Shun and Karenni–go
through in eastern Burma, as the military junta that rules the country
unleashes a relentless campaign of terror in the name of fighting a rebel
insurgency.

Guy Horton, a British human rights researcher who has documented human
rights abuses in Burma, believes there are over a million people
internally displaced because of the junta's strong-arm policies.

"We think it is an attempted form of genocide," says Mr. Horton in an
interview last week.

"It's about similar to the Kurdish villages destroyed by Saddam."

Mr. Horton also thinks the current rulers of Burma, a military junta who
renamed the country Myanmar, are carrying out a deliberate policy of
"Burmanization." That, Mr. Horton says, is the process of resettling the
destroyed villages with members of the Burman ethnic group, the majority
of whom form the junta.

"It's not the Burman or Burmese people as a whole, it's the military junta
who is responsible for that," he says.

For over 40 years, Burma has been ruled by a succession of military rulers
who have defied pressure to introduce democracy in the south Asian
country. Elections won by the National League for Democracy, the party led
by Aung San Suu Kyi, brought a ray of hope in 1990, but the experience was
short-lived. The junta refused to recognize the election results, and
detained pro-democracy activists–including Ms. Suu Kyi, who is under house
arrest since 1990. In May, the Myanmar government extended Ms. Suu Kyi's
house arrest for another year.

Many reports commissioned by human rights watchdogs, including the United
Nations, have blamed the junta for gross human rights abuses, a charge the
government has repeatedly denied. Since 2003, the junta has refused to
grant permission to the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma to
visit the country.

Brian John, national coordinator for Myanmar for the Canadian branch of
Amnesty International, says the human rights watchdog hasn't taken the
position that the campaign against ethnic minorities in Burma is an
attempt at genocide.

"But that is not to say large-scale repression is not happening," he says.

Mr. John says there's also widespread discrimination against minorities,
based on religious and ethnic grounds.

Troubled Conscience

Mr. Horton started documenting human rights abuses in Burma in 1999, while
working in neigbouring Thailand, where he met soldiers who had defected
from Burma. The soldiers told him stories of killings, rape and plunder.

"They told me they had killed people and could no longer go on killing
because their conscience wouldn't allow it anymore."

The soldiers also told him stories about the wanton destruction of
villages inhabited by ethic Karens. That's when Mr. Horton decided to slip
into Burma to see for himself. He visited destroyed villages, and saw
people too frightened to speak to him about it for fear the military would
kill them. One village he visited was burned down the next day after
authorities learned he had spoken to the villagers.

Mr. Horton went on to write a report for the Dutch government about the
human rights abuses.

But he's not the only one making noise about what he calls "the deliberate
strategy to destroy" the Karen, Shun and the Karenni. In September, Paulo
Sérgio Pinheiro, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma, made
a statement to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, drawing attention to
the campaigns against Burma's ethic minorities.

"The Special Rapporteur is very concerned by the ongoing military campaign
in ethnic areas of eastern Myanmar and by its effects on human rights,
especially on civilians who have been targeted during the attacks," wrote
Mr. Pinheiro in his report released on Sept. 21. "The situation should be
considered in connection with the widespread practice of land confiscation
throughout the country, seemingly aiming to anchor military control,
especially in ethnic areas."

The report also notes that the systematic and widespread abuses are "not
isolated acts of individual misconduct of middle or low rank officers,"
but suggests that it is part of a larger plan to uphold a system put into
place by the government.

Because he was not allowed to visit Burma, Mr. Pinheiro compiled his
report based on evidence collected from reliable and independent sources.

Last week, the junta in Burma allowed Ibrahim Gambara, a UN envoy, to
visit the country and meet Ms. Suu Kyi. However, the authorities didn't
make any commitment to release the democracy activist. Mr. John says it is
unlikely that the visit will usher changes in Burma.

"The Myanmar government is very good at giving a few crumbs on the table
in order to fend off international criticism, by doing things like
releasing a few prisoners and allowing visits," he says.

Burma has been placed on the UN Security Council agenda in September. This
means that it is likely to come under intense international scrutiny soon.

Mr. Horton says it's time to impose sanctions on the regime in Burma and
bring the junta to justice. Last week in Ottawa, he met officials from the
Department of Foreign Affairs and informed them about the human rights
abuses in Burma.

"I came to ask them to explore ways which the perpetrators can be punished
using international justice.

"The response was sympathetic but there was no commitment to action," he
says.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

November 15, Irrawaddy
In Burmese politics, safety comes first - Aung Zaw

Foreseeing Burma’s political future is uneasy and gloomy. But if one is
optimistic that positive “concrete results” can take place in the
military-ruled country, he or she might need a visit to a mental health
specialist.

UN Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari, who had
a rare chance to visit with the country’s top leaders and detained Nobel
Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, doesn’t appear to be optimistic in
achieving "concrete results," a standard he said he hoped to achieve
during his recent visit to Burma.

After his trip, he told reporters that it was hard bargaining with Burmese
leaders. Hard bargaining? In fact, the diplomat was not given any chance
to bargain for any political breakthrough let alone the release of Suu
Kyi.

The Nigerian diplomat requested to check in at Sedona Hotel in downtown
Rangoon, but the regime put him in a government guest house. His schedule
was tightly controlled by officials. Gambari reportedly asked that his
meeting with Suu Kyi take place in her lakeside house but the regime
refused.

The regime clearly wanted to exploit his visit. Gambari observed the
on-going National Convention, at the invitation of the regime. He went
there and met ethnic leaders. Observers know the regime is clever at
playing games with visiting UN officials. Gambari was not the first.

Yozo Yokota, Burma’s first special rapporteur on human rights in Burma
after the 1988 military crackdown, succeeded in gaining access to Burma’s
political prisoners. But one of his visits was exploited as he was invited
to cut a ribbon at a regime event. The next day, Yokota’s photo was
displayed with jovial generals in state-run newspapers.

Now reports from Rangoon say the regime extended an invitation to Gambari
for a third visit. But if there are no tangible results from the visit he
is unlikely to visit Burma again. He will only look foolish.

It won’t matter if it's Gambari or his boss Kofi Annan who comes to Burma
to press for reform. The message from Burma’s military regime is loud and
clear: “We will stay the course”.

A veteran journalist who also followed Gambari’s visit in Rangoon
sarcastically said, “Everything is fine here
 We don’t even have a
humanitarian crisis... only “the Lady” is creating troubles,” referring to
Suu Kyi.

He added, “the UN will come and go, but Burma remains unchanged. They
(military leaders) will go along with their road map
 they will stick to
their guns. Dialogue (with Suu Kyi) is out of the question.”

Indeed, it seems Than Shwe and his regime have plenty of important works
and projects ahead.

On Monday, The New Light of Myanmar, the regime’s official mouthpiece,
reported in a front page story that a new pagoda will be built in the new
capital, Naypyidaw.

The elaborate ceremony to begin construction work for Uppatasanti, or
“Peace Pagoda,” was held in Naypyidaw with senior military leaders,
including Than Shwe and many monks.

Like previous leaders and many of Burma’s former kings, Than Shwe is now
building an important pagoda. This is a new project aside from building “a
modern nation with flourishing, disciplined democracy.”

More important, Than Shwe has a big family that requires looking after.
The senior general has five daughters and two sons and favorite grandsons.
One of his daughters’ lavish wedding in July outraged average citizens and
drew headlines around the region and in the West.

Without doubt, Than Shwe will stay the course. During his rule, he has
given a green light for several purges, including his former boss, Gen Ne
Win, who spent his last days as a prisoner in his own house.

Than Shwe knows there may be a payback time. Thus, if he relinquishes
power, he will make sure all his family members are safe and sound. Or he
never will. As Than Shwe continues to cling to power, safety—his
safety—comes first in Burmese politics.

____________________________________

November 15, The Nation
Hard bargaining with Burma

Asean, the UN and the international community must keep pressuring the
military junta for reform

It was hard bargaining between United Nations Assistant Secretary for
Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, and the Burmese junta leader during
the UN man's visit to Burma last week. That was what Gambari told
reporters in Bangkok upon his return from meeting the ostracised
dictatorship. This reflects the mood in the international community when
it comes to the situation in Burma. After all, in the past year, the
United Nations Security Council members have sent out a strong signal that
the world community will not tolerate the ongoing political oppression
inside Burma anymore. They have demanded major changes there. Asean did
just the same last year when the regional group pressured Burma not to
host its annual ministerial meeting.

Obviously, the Burmese military leaders are trying to reposition
themselves once again. With Gambari's visit, they were given another
chance to make a difference before the world body makes further
deliberations that may include sanctions. Such a measure could further
cripple Burma's economy and put additional pressure on the junta. Judging
by the reception that Gambari received, the Burmese generals apparently
want to show the world that they are softening their position and are
moving towards the path of democracy. They indicated they were willing to
work with the opposition groups, especially the National League for
Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest in
Rangoon.

But the international community must not be fooled by what the junta says
and what it promises. Gambari knows this full well and has learned it the
hard way. The generals' words must be taken with a large grain of salt.
Gambari said the taste of the pudding is in the eating.

It is incumbent on the junta to deliver in tangible ways regarding
democratisation in Burma. From the junta's point of view, the pressure
from the international community has been building up. Since the special
report on Burma commissioned by South Africa's Bishop Desmond Tutu and
former Czech president Vaclav Havel, the international community has
finally awoken to the fact that the situation inside Burma has worsened
over the years. The recent video footage that showed the extravagant
wedding celebration of Than Shwe's daughter was a stark reminder that
things are very wrong in Burma. While the majority of the population
suffers from the effects of decades of economic stagnation, with little or
no opportunity to improve their lot, the head of the junta, his family,
and all their cronies were celebrating in opulent style, with unimaginably
expensive gifts and Hollywood-inspired props.

It is vital that Asean continues to maintain a tough position toward its
rogue member. Singapore has already stepped in to host the Asean
ministerial meeting next year. In commemorating the 40th anniversary of
the founding of Asean, the group made it clear it does not want Burma's
intransigence and pariah reputation to ruin the celebration.

Most Asean members are in support of the United Nations Security Council's
move, as well as the toughening of the overall UN position. It is hoped
that the Thai government will develop a backbone and finally stand up to
Rangoon, despite suggestions from some quarters that the accommodating
policy of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra should be retained to
ensure continuity.

Thai PM Surayud Chulanont so far has adopted a correct posture. He skipped
Rangoon on his recent tour to familiarise himself with other Asean
leaders. He should continue to stay away from Burma for the foreseeable
future unless and until there is a positive move by the generals - such as
the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

Make no mistake, the regional and international communities must not lower
their guard. They must remain vigilant in handling Burma. For decades,
Burma's ruthless despots have thrived and continued with their evil ways
because of a lack of solidarity in the international community. The junta
knows it can manipulate the world because there are too many other
problems for the world to worry about these days, including the Middle
East and the Korean peninsula.

Credit must be given to the UN Security Council for being able to
highlight Burma in the past year. It has forced the junta to soften its
position - at least in terms of Rangoon's rhetoric. But this is just the
beginning. The international community must drive a harder bargain and
keep up the pressure to get the kind of result the long-suffering Burmese
people deserve.

____________________________________

November 15, www.americanmuslim.org
What to do with the war criminals of the Myanmar’s SPDC regime - Habib
Siddiqui

The important matter concerning what to do with the war criminals that
victimize civilian populations has been hotly debated for the last few
years, especially after the invasion of Iraq by the USA and the UK. Many
human rights activists are on the opinion that the warlords of our world
need to be tried for their crimes against humanity. A few years ago,
therefore, there were cases filed in the European courts against some war
criminals, including Ariel Sharon of Israel for the massacre of
Palestinians in Jenin, Palestine. Fearing their imminent arrest if they
had stepped onto European soil, some of the Israeli generals did not land
and returned to Israel.

Even the US Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld was sued a couple of years
ago in Germany on similar charges, including crimes at Abu Ghraib,
Guantanamo Bay Prisons, etc. The US (unilateral) law, however, exempts
trying government officials and its armed forces from being tried outside
or extradited for war crimes in courts like The Hague. Interestingly,
among western countries, the USA is the only country that has not accepted
the jurisdiction of the ICJ in The Hague to try its own war criminals,
although, rather hypocritically she has no problem having other monsters
like the late Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia or Hutu leaders of Rwanda
tried there.

As long as Rumsfeld was serving as the Secretary, German law could not do
much to arresting him when he visited the German bases. But today, I heard
in the National Public Radio that some cases have again been filed in
Germany, including reviving old cases, to try Rumsfeld for war crimes.
Those legal experts who filed the case believe that there is a fair chance
of succeeding in bringing Rumsfeld and other Pentagon brasses to justice.
The problem, however, is even if Rumsfeld and Co. are found guilty and
condemned, I doubt, the USA will allow their extradition for hearing and
subsequent imprisonment. The matter may eventually go to the UN, and I
mean, UNSC, the authority with biting powers. But there as a veto-power,
the USA will not allow its own criminals to be prosecuted. Nonetheless,
for freedom loving people like us, such acts would further isolate the USA
from the rest of the world and limit visits of war criminals to foreign
countries.

Soon after the Democrats won the Nov., ‘06 election in the U.S. Senate and
the Congress, there have already been calls for impeaching Bush. I doubt
that speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi will impeach Bush fearing that the move
may instead backfire (something that had happened with Clinton), making
Bush and his party more popular than they ought to be in the next 2008
election (when Bush will not run, but his party man could win). The
prudent method as discussed today is to let the next two years go without
bringing impeachment charges against Bush, but after his tenure is over,
he be tried for a whole series of charges.

The bottom line is: despots are not free and cannot feel secure as soon as
they are alive and outside the power grid. Their trial and prosecution is
necessary to arrest the epitome of despotism that has stained human rights
records in our world. They need to pay for their crimes eventually.

As I have hinted in my earlier article in the Burma Digest on what can be
done about the SPDC junta, something that was also agreed upon by Tun
Mahathir Muhammad of Malaysia, our options against the war criminals are
very few as long as they are holding the power. The verdict in Baghdad
against Saddam Hossein also does not encourage them to relinquish that
leash of power soon. A compromise is necessary where they will be promised
to be unharmed provided they relinquish their grip of power peacefully to
the elected reps of Burma. Without that mechanism in place, I am afraid
that the junta will stick to its grip, bringing more calamities to the
people. Burma is not the Middle East for which American and Brit soldiers
are willing to die for hegemony. So, the rules that apply for the Middle
Eastern countries, unfortunately, do not apply to Burma in the dictionary
of those who have the power to bring that necessary change. They are
hypocrites and war criminals themselves. What do you expect from them
other than lies, deceptions and hypocrisy?

In spite of such grim realities, however, our struggle for freedom and
human rights must go on unperturbed, for we are aspiring for a higher
moral ground and we make no bones about our righteous cause.