BurmaNet News, June 2-4, 2007

[Editor]

June 2-4, 2007 Issue # 3218

INSIDE BURMA
AFP: Myanmar activists urge Russia and China to pressure junta
DVB: USDA confirms militia’s role in recent crackdowns
AP: Myanmar preparing for first national census in 20 years
Asian Tribune: 99 democracy and human rights activists arrested in Burma
in May 2007

ON THE BORDER
Irrawaddy: Karen rebels battle Burma troops near Thai border
Irrawaddy: Thai army officer denies forced relocation of Shan villagers
ReliefWeb: The Japanese government provides grant assistance for Libraries
in Myanmar refugee camps

BUSINESS / TRADE
Irrawaddy: Natural resources now Burma’s top exports
Xinhua: Thai investment, trade play key role in Myanmar's economic
development
Xinhua: Myanmar likely to export hydropower to Bangladesh

HEALTH / AIDS
AP: Democracy supporters concerned over detention of Myanmar AIDS activist

ASEAN
The Nation: US-Asean Summit scheduled in Singapore

REGIONAL
Mizzima News: Weapons for Indian rebels sourced from Burma

INTERNATIONAL
Mizzima News: Burma ranked at 14 as world's most restless country

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

June 4, Agence France Presse
Myanmar activists urge Russia and China to pressure junta

A prominent activist group in military-run Myanmar on Monday criticised
Russia and China for not joining the international chorus calling for the
release of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The 88 Generation Students, a group of former student activists who led a
pro-democracy uprising in 1988, said that while many world powers had
urged the junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi ahead of a review of her house
arrest last month, Russia and China remained silent.

"Sadly, China and Russia refused to join with the rest of the
international community, although they have claimed that they want to see
the prosperity, stability, and political solution in Burma (Myanmar)," the
group said.

"Therefore, the SPDC (the junta) decided to ignore the goodwill of the
international community and extended Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's detention for
another year on May 25, 2007."

Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for most of the past 17
years, and the junta extended her detention despite calls from the United
States, the EU and other nations urging it to release all political
prisoners.

The 88 Generation Students said they had written a letter to Russian
President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Hu Jintao, saying the lack of
action by the two influential world powers had emboldened the regime.

China and Russia, who have both invested in Myanmar's energy sector, also
vetoed a UN draft resolution in January urging Myanmar to swiftly return
to democracy and free all political detainees.

"They have unintentionally made the SPDC (convinced) that it can defy the
international community with the strong backing of China and Russia," the
statement said.

"Therefore, now, we are witnessing the SPDC's increased attack, arbitrary
arrest and unfair imprisonment on peaceful democracy activists, more
brutal and more severe than before."

About 60 activists and members of Aung San Suu Kyu's National League for
Democracy (NLD) party were arrested in Myanmar in the run up to the
extension of her house arrest.

Some 53 people remain in custody, and NLD spokesman Han Zaw said that they
still had no news of the detained activists.

"We don't know where they are," he told AFP.

Myanmar is under a series of US and European economic sanctions, but their
impact has been weakened as energy-hungry nations such as China, India,
Russia and Thailand invest in Myanmar's natural resources to solve power
problems at home.

____________________________________

June 4, Democratic Voice of Burma
USDA confirms militia’s role in recent crackdowns

A Union Solidarity and Development Association official from Rangoon
revealed to DVB on the weekend that Burma's Pyithu Swan Arr Shin militia
had been mobilised against the democracy movement.

The USDA leader, who spoke to DVB on the condition of anonymity, said that
the Pyithu Swan Arr Shin and the USDA were preparing to arrest more
Burmese activists, particularly those involved in prayer campaigns.

In the past two months, a large number of activists have been dragged off
the street and arrested by unidentified men in civilian clothing. The men,
who have claimed to be carrying out “the will of the people,” are involved
with the Pyithu Swan Arr Shin, according to the USDA leader.

He said that loosely organised Pyithu Swan Arr Shin groups and USDA
members had been mobilised at township levels, with each township group
headed by two leaders.

The USDA official also revealed the names, addresses and occupations of
alleged Pyithu Swan Arr Shin leaders in Rangoon and DVB has launched an
investigation into their involvement with the illegal underground group.

DVB also spoke to a communications official working for the government who
said that the USDA was working with the special police to create a list of
the most hard-line democracy supporters in Rangoon.

As soon as the list is finished, those people included will reportedly
have their phone lines cut.

____________________________________

June 4, Associated Press
Myanmar preparing for first national census in 20 years

Military-ruled Myanmar is preparing for its first nationwide census in
more than two decades, using upgraded computer systems, a local newspaper
said.

Since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1948, Myanmar has
conducted two national censuses, in 1973 and 1983.

In recent years, population estimates have been based on partial surveys
and population growth rates. The country is currently estimated to have 57
million people.

Myanmar will need an official census if the military-ruled country holds a
referendum to adopt a new constitution.

The junta has been working on a draft constitution for more than 13 years,
saying the document is one steppingstone on the way to democracy. Critics
say the process is a sham.

The Myanmar Times newspaper said Sunday the Immigration and Population
Department is receiving monetary and technical assistance from the U.N.
Population Fund in preparing for the census.

The project includes installation of new geographic information system
software, intensive training for staff, and a high-speed communications
network.

____________________________________

June 3, Asian Tribune
99 democracy and human rights activists arrested in Burma in May 2007

The Burmese military regime constantly threatens arrests and imprisons
democracy and human rights activists in Burma. This year, the human rights
violations committed by the regime increased. The regime physically
attacked democracy and human rights activists in public and made numerous
arbitrary arrests.

According to The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)
(AAPPB), a non-profit organization that monitors the political prisoners
who are arrested and kept in Burma’s notorious prisons states, “In May
2007 alone, the regime arrested 99 democracy and human rights activists.
Among them, 3 activists were imprisoned, 24 were released, and 74 are
still being detained (see attached). Most of the activists were arrested
for engaging in activities in which they demanded the release of Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi. As these arrests took place, the regime declared that Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi’s house arrest would be extended for an additional year.

The international community has voiced their strong concerns about the
chaotic political situation in Burma in an attempt to pressure the regime
to improve Burma’s progress toward democracy.

“We, the members of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners
(Burma), (AAPPB), believe that by exercising excessive use of power, the
regime is intentionally challenging the international community’s
condemnations.”

It further pointed out, “For that reason, the AAPPB, deeply urges the
international human rights organizations including the United Nations,
national governments, and non-governmental organizations to apply
increased pressure on the Burmese military regime for the release of Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners. “

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

June 4, Irrawaddy
Karen rebels battle Burma troops near Thai border - Violet Cho

Fighting between the Burmese army and the Karen National Liberation Army
broke out o­n Sunday about 10 km south of Mae Sot near the Thai-Burmese
border in Thailand’s Tak Province, according to members of the Karen
National Union’s Executive Committee.

KNU General Secretary Mahn Sha told The Irrawaddy o­n Monday that “the
clash between the Burmese army and a special battalion from KNU’s 6th
Brigade lasted for about a half-hour.”

There were no serious casualties o­n either side, said Shee Lay, a member
of the KNU’s Executive Committee. “Currently, the Burmese government has
increased their [forces] in KNU territory and has shelled KNU positions
daily. I believe there will be more fighting in the coming days,” Shee Lay
said.

Mahn Sha said that clashes between the Karen rebels and the Tatmadaw
happen nearly every day, particularly in northern Karen State.

He added that the fighting o­n Sunday sent about 200 villagers towards the
Thailand-Burma border to seek shelter at Ei Tu Hta, a makeshift refugee
camp across from Thailand’s Mae Hong Son Province.

“Ongoing fighting between the KNU and the Burmese army will push more
people to come to the camp,” said a member of the Karen Refugee Committee
in Mae Hong Son.

Attacks by the Burmese army have displaced as many as 27,000 Karen
civilians since November 2006, according to New York-based Human Rights
Watch.

____________________________________

June 4, Irrawaddy
Thai army officer denies forced relocation of Shan villagers - Sai Silp

A Thai Army officer has rejected accusations from human rights groups that
say Thai authorities forced Shan displaced persons to relocate their homes
even though they lived inside Burmese territory.


Capt Somsak Jeenlakroi of the 956 Rangers based in Chiang Dao District in
Chiang Mai Province said Monday that leaders of Shan villages who live
near the Burma-Thailand border in contested territory agreed to move
deeper into Burma in order to avoid a potential clash between Thai and
Burmese forces.

“We have asked them [to move] since the end of March, but the relocation
was finished completely around the end of May,” Somsak said.

He said there was no coercion and village leaders understood the reasons
for the relocation.

Shan activists groups submitted an open letter to Thai Prime Minister
Surayud Chulanont last week urging the interim government to protect
internally displaced persons and refugees from Shan State.

The letter says that 91 villagers from 24 families were ordered to move
within five days from May 25-30 by the Thai Army. The activists' letter
claims the relocation was “an order from high authorities.”

The activists groups said the relocation notice was also unreasonable.
“They suffer from rights abuses by the Burmese army, and they were forced
to move by the Thai military, even though they were not in Thai
territory,” the letter said

The groups included the Shan Democratic Union, the Shan Human Rights
Foundation, the Shan Sapawa Environment Organization, the Shan State
Organization, the
Shan Relief and Development Committee, the Shan Women’s Action Network,
the Shan Youth Network Group and Shan Youth Power.

The letter said the villagers fled their homes in Burma because they were
too close to United Wa State Army bases.

The activists also urged the Thai government to reconsider its policy o­n
Shan refugees and allow them to live in Thailand and receive humanitarian
aid.

Continued fighting between the ethnic Shan State Army and Burmese military
has uprooted many Shan villagers. Rights groups say there are hundreds of
thousands of displaced Shan people in Burma and many cross the border to
work in Thailand.

In May, a planned meeting between the Burmese Army and Shan State Army
South o­n the border was postponed indefinitely after the Burmese Army
delegation failed to appear, according to a report o­n the Shanland news
Web site.

____________________________________

June 4, ReliefWeb
The Japanese government provides grant assistance for Libraries in Myanmar
refugee camps

The Government of Japan is extending Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO
Projects in connection with the "The Non-formal Education Project for
maintaining traditional culture" project. Mr. Jun Niimi, Minister of the
Embassy of Japan, and Ms. Aki Nakahara, Director of the Myanmar Refugee
Project Office, Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), signed a contract to
this effect on May 29, 2007 at the Japanese Embassy.

At this moment the number of Myanmar Refugees in Thailand is over 150,000.
They have no prospect of repatriation and the inflow is still continuing.
Children born in refugee camps account for 20% of the refugee population
as the existence of the camps has been prolonged, and the loss of cultural
identity becomes a cause for concern.

Under the auspices of the UNHCR, the SVA initiated library activities by
setting up 23 libraries in seven refugee camps in September 2000. So far
they have provided literacy education to complement basic school
education, making information available in the form of written materials:
picture books, academic books, novels, and magazines, as well as enhancing
the continuation of Karen traditional culture through music and dance.

At the request of the SVA, the Japanese Government has agreed to fund this
latest library project. The grant totals 2,985,800 baht to be allocated to
the purchase of books, the costs of traditional/cultural activities and
personnel expenses, etc., of the 12 libraries in the three more densely
populated camps, namely Mea Lah, Umpiem and Nupho in Tak province.

The SVA is supporting the continuation of traditional culture activities
intensively this year as the first of a three-year plan. Through this
project it is expected that the educational environment as well as ethnic
culture and language will be strengthened.

The Government of Japan is ready to consider providing further support
projects which contribute to human security through the Grant Assistance
for Japanese NGO Projects.

For more information about GGP, please contact:

Mr. Hitoshi Takezume, First Secretary and Ms. Ashida, Staff
Embassy of Japan,
177 Witthayu Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Telephone: 02-207-8500 / 02-696-3000 ext. 514, 558 Facsimile: 02-207-8517
Source: Government of Japan

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

June 4, Irrawaddy
Natural resources now Burma’s top exports - Htet Aung

Once o­ne of Southeast Asia’s top rice exporters, Burma now relies most
heavily o­n trade in natural resources, according to a list of Burma’s top
10 exporters published o­n Sunday in a local newspaper.

In the fiscal year 2006-07, oil and natural gas, teak, gems and copper
topped Burma’s export products and comprised the majority of Burma’s total
export revenue of US $5.01 billion, according Customs Department
statistics reported in The Myanmar Times, a Rangoon-based weekly
newspaper.

According to the report, Burma’s top three exporters for the current
fiscal year are the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, the Myanmar Timber
Enterprise, and the Myanmar Gems Enterprise—all government-owned
organizations.

Observers in Rangoon say Burma’s exports have been dominated by
state-owned companies working jointly with foreign companies such as
Thailand’s PTTEP, the French company Total Oil, Daewoo International in
South Korea and the Gas Authority of India Ltd.

Revenue from gas and oil exports alone accounted for $2.16 billion of
Burma’s total export earnings over the last year.

The second-highest revenues came from teak exports. In addition to the
Myanmar Timber Enterprise, the privately-owned Htoo Trading Company earned
$65.1 million from teak exports, making it fifth among the top ten
exporters. The company is owned by the controversial tycoon Tay Za, who
enjoys a close relationship to junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe.

The report also included statistics o­n Burma’s top importers. At number
ten o­n the list is the US embassy in Rangoon, which imported some $20.9
million in materials for the construction of its new embassy compound.

Critics of Burma’s military government say the junta has increased its
control of state finances and are earning more hard currency than ever
before following the discovery of lucrative offshore gas deposits,
increased logging and mining.

____________________________________

June 3, Xinhua General News Service
Thai investment, trade play key role in Myanmar's economic development

Thailand is playing a key role in the economic development in Myanmar as
it has become the biggest foreign investor and trading partner of the
country, according to local reports.

With huge investment pouring in Myanmar's electric power sector,
Thailand's investment has accounted for 7.3 billion U.S. dollars or over
53 percent of Myanmar's total foreign investment received since late 1988.

The Thai investment is significantly represented by a 6-billion- dollar
Thai-Myanmar joint venture hydropower project, Tar-hsan, introduced in
2006 and the 7,110-megawatt (mw) project is being implemented on Myanmar's
Thanlwin River in eastern Shan state.
The Thai investment prompted Myanmar's contracted foreign investment to
hit 14.4 billion U.S. dollars in 19 years as of March 2007 since the
country opened to such investment in late 1988, according to the latest
figures released by the Ministry of National Planning and Economic
Development.

Another Thai major investment in Myanmar is that on oil and gas. Out of
the five gas projects mainly in the Mottama offshore area being engaged by
the Thai PTTEP, six test wells have been drilled at block M-9 and
potential gas deposits on a commercial scale have been found, attracting
more Thai future investment.

Thailand is also planning to raise its investment in Myanmar under an
economic cooperation strategy program agreed upon at a summit of Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar and Thailand held in Myanmar's Bagan in November 2003.
Vietnam joined the subregional program in 2004.

The two countries also agreed in principle on establishing joint venture
contract farms near the Thai-Myanmar border with most of the investment to
come from the Thai side.

With regard to trade sector, Thailand remains as Myanmar's top trading
partner. With a bilateral trade volume of 2.659 billion dollars between
the two neighbors in 2006-07, Thailand also stood as Myanmar's largest
exporting country with 2.409 billion dollars, according to figures of the
Ministry of Commerce.

The Myanmar-Thai bilateral trade accounted for 30 percent of Myanmar's
total foreign trade which reached 7.4 billion dollars in 2006-07. Myanmar
gained a trade surplus with Thailand for exporting natural gas.

Thailand also had 248 million dollars worth of border trade volume with
Myanmar.

At present, Myanmar is building a border trade zone in Myawaddy, which
links Thailand's Maesot, as part of its process of transforming border
trade system into normal trade one. The Myawaddy border trade zone stands
as the second largest one of its kind after the Muse 105th Mile Border
Trade Zone bordering China's Ruili in Yunnan province.

____________________________________

June 4, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar likely to export hydropower to Bangladesh

Myanmar is likely to export hydropower to Bangladesh, deliberating to
build hydropower plants in western state of the country linking the
neighbor for the move.

If Bangladesh agrees, a dam will be built in Rakhine state where many
rivers border the neighbor and facilitate the construction of the
infrastructure, sources with the Ministry of Electric Power-1 said on
Monday.

If the move is agreed between the two countries, feasibility study will be
conducted on the Kaladan River, Lemro River, Sai Tin Creek and Dalet Creek
which are all in the Rakhine state, the sources said.

Meanwhile, official report reaching from Bangaldesh said as an initiative
of a move to bring in hydroelectricity from Myanmar to cope with the
country's prevailing power shortage, an official delegation is expected to
visit Yangon shortly for discussions with its Myanmar counterpart to buy
electricity and implement the proposed hydropower plant.

According to Power Adviser of Bangladeshi caretaker government Tapan
Chowdhury, hydroelectricity could either be imported directly from Myanmar
or Bangladesh might invest in the proposed plant to generate such
electricity for getting the same.

Meanwhile, a giant Myanmar-Thai joint venture hydropower project, which is
the 7,110-megawatt (mw) Tar-hsan hydropower project, is being implemented
on the Thanlwin River in eastern Shan state's Tachilek. The
6-billion-U.S.-dollar hydropower project, which started in last April,
represents one of the two signed with Thai companies during the past two
years.

The Tar-hsan project, which can produce 35.446 billion kilowatt- hours
(kwh) a year, is implemented by the Myanmar Hydropower Implementation
Department of the Ministry of Electric Power and the MDX Group Co Ltd of
Thailand. The project also involves shares of Ratchaburi Co and
Chkarnchang Co of Thailand and the China Gezhouba Water and Power Group Co
Ltd.

____________________________________
HEALTH / AIDS

June 2, Associated Press
Democracy supporters concerned over detention of Myanmar AIDS activist

Democracy advocates in Myanmar expressed concern Saturday over the
continued detention of a prominent AIDS activist who is a member of
detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party.

Police took Phyu Phyu Thin from her home on the night of May 21, telling
her mother that she would be sent back after questioning.

"It is nearly two weeks since (she) has been taken from her home and we
are worried about her. Authorities breached their promise because they had
promised the family that she would be sent home," said Min Ko Naing, a
prominent activist in the 88 Generation Students group, which advocates
democracy in the military-run country.

He said the detention was also a blow to HIV/AIDS victims who regard Phyu
Phyu Thin as a "mountain of hope."

The detained woman is a member of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy,
whose ranks have been decimated in recent years by arrests and harassment.

"I can say with certainty that Phyu Phyu Thin had not violated any
existing law. Her main activity is helping HIV/AIDS sufferers and
uplifting the lives of HIV/AIDS patients," he said.

Phyu Phyu Thinn, 35, has been caring for HIV and AIDS patients since 2002,
providing counseling and education, sending them to clinics and providing
accommodation to those from outlying areas.

Myanmar's military government arrested more than 40 of Suu Kyi's
supporters last month after they participated in vigils to pray for her
release. The junta accused them of using religion as a pretext to incite
unrest.

Suu Kyi was taken into custody most recently on May 30, 2003, after a
pro-junta mob attacked her motorcade during a political tour of northern
Myanmar. Her detention was extended on May 25 for another year, defying an
outpouring of international appeals for the Nobel Peace Prize winner's
freedom.

____________________________________
ASEAN

June 1, The Nation
US-Asean Summit scheduled in Singapore

US President George W Bush has agreed to hold a summit meeting with the
Asean leaders in Singapore ahead of the Apec leaders meeting Sydney in
September.

An informed source told The Nation that the summit which will be held in
Singapore on 5 September, will commemorate the 30th anniversary of
US-Asean relations. Singpaore is host of the upcoming Asean summit, which
will celebrate the 40-year old organization.

The meeting was agreed during the recent visit to Washington DC by
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The US considered the island a
strategic partner in its global counter terrorism strategies.

Bush met with the other Asean leaders previously along side the Apec
meeting such as the one in Busan, South Korea in 2005. Asean would like to
establish the so-called Asean plus one process, which the grouping has
enjoyed all key major powers including China, India, Russia and other
dialogue partner.

The source could not confirm that the inaugural Asean-US summit would be
institutionalized in the future. Although both sides have enjoyed good
cooperation under the establishment of 7 cooperation framework; in
comparison, China has forth-eight all together.

Thai Prime Minister Gen Surayud Julanont is scheduled to attend the
summit. He is scheduled to have two-eye meeting with Bush in Singapore.
During the recent visit by Christopher Hill, Assistant State Secretary for
East Asia and Pacific Affairs at the Government House also discussed this
possibility with the Thai side. [Dear dedicated BurmaNet readers: this
editor is signing off after 3+ years, thanks and see you on the other side
– Ed]

Thai-US relations have suffered followed the coup last September. US
lawmakers have strongly criticized Thailand for the coup and expressed
concerns over the restriction of press freedom in the country.

The source said Burma will be included in the summit meeting in Singapore.
The modality of the meeting is still under discussion. In previous
meetings, the Burmese delegation was represent by junior level officials.

US has maintained a strong anti-Burma policy and has called for the
release of Aung Sann Suu Kyi, the opposition leader, who has been in
incaceration for past 12 years. The Rangoon junta extended her
house-arrest at the end of last year against the outcries of international
community.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

June 2, Mizzima News
Weapons for Indian rebels sourced from Burma - Subhaschandra M

Weapons sourced from Burma is fuelling insurgency in the northeast regions
of India, according to the top brass of the Assam Rifles, India's security
force guarding the porous Indo-Burma international border.

Senior officers felt that inflow of a large quantity of arms from
neighbouring Burma is helping rebels and allowing terrorism to thrive in
the border state of Manipur.

The Assam Rifles which has replaced the Border Security Force along the
northeastern front now wants effective policing of the border.

Major General B K Chengapa, Inspector General of Assam Rifles,
headquarters (South) based in Manipur's Mantripukhuri sector near Imphal
said that the disturbed environment in neighbouring Burma has led to the
inflow of arms and drugs to Manipur which in turn, has facilitated
insurgency and terrorism in the state.

The General who looks after and supervises his troops deployed at
important entry points like Moreh in Chandel district, Kamjong, Kasom
Khullen, Huishi and Poi in Ukhrul district and Singhat in Churachandpur
district in Manipur expressed his views during the formal inauguration of
a newly renovated rehabilitation centre for surrendered Insurgents in
Imphal. The rehabilitation centre which was re-opened by the IG in
Lamphelpat area near Imphal presently houses around 22 former insurgents
belonging to various underground outfits.

The Indo-Burma border is porous and this problem has to be addressed as
part of the process of containing insurgency in Manipur, the IG said.

"The Assam Rifles has been given the task of guarding the border here. But
unlike the western sector, the border here could not be effectively
guarded because of shortage of security forces," he said.

The task of protecting the border would be gradually extended along the
490-kilometre stretch of the Indo-Burma international border.

There are around 20 insurgent groups operating in Manipur according to
official reports available here. All the outfits belong to various ethnic
communities and their objectives range from "restoring sovereignty" of the
region to protecting the interest of their respective ethnic communities.
Interestingly there are over 30 ethnic communities settled in Manipur
state alone.

As a result over the past couple of years violence and extortion has
escalated. It may be worth mentioning here that Oxfam's International
report (September 2006 issue) on "India and the arms trade treaty" clearly
says that Mandalay in central Burma and its border town Tamu are the birth
places of illegal arms smuggling across the porous Indo-Burma border.

In the illegal arms market in Tamu town, a hand grenage costs Rs 600 while
a unit of ammunition for automatic weapons costs only Rs 25.The rates
charged by gun runners is not very complex and is even known to security
forces, the report said.

Assam Rifles, the Border Security Force, the Central Reserve police force,
Indian reserve police battalion and state forces deployed in the north
eastern states have seized approximately 39,000 AK series rifles in the
last six years.
____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

June 1, Mizzima News
Burma ranked at 14 as world's most restless country - Louis Reh

Iraq is the worst country in the world and is ranked at 121 while Burma is
ranked at 14 from the bottom as the most unsustainable country. Burma is
ranked with a score of 108 next to India 109. Norway is the most peaceful
country in the world. These details were published by the newly-devised
Global Peace Index (GPi) on Wednesday.

The GPi carried out the study in conjunction with an international team of
the Economist Intelligence Unit, an international panel of peace experts
from Peace Institutes, Think Tanks and the Centre for Peace and Conflict
Studies, University of Sydney, Australia .

"This is a wake-up call to all world leaders," said Steve Killelea, an
Australian IT entrepreneur and philanthropist, who commissioned the study
in the Economist weekly.

More than one thousand political prisoners are still in jails in Burma
including Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi whose party, the
National League for Democracy (NLD) posted a landslide victory in the 1990
elections but was not handed over power.

Under the Burmese military government there is rampant political
repression, human rights abuse and forced labour. The junta's strife with
ethnic armed groups is creating refugees who seek shelter in neighbouring
countries like Thailand and India.

Besides Norway, the other top five peaceful countries in the world are New
Zealand ranked (2), Japan (5) in the Asia Pacific region, Denmark (3),
Ireland (4) and Finland (6) in the European region.

After Iraq, the most restless countries are Sudan, Israel, and Russia
(118). Ranked at number 96, the United States also classifies as one of
the least peaceful nations. The UK is also down in the pack at No.49,
between Morocco and Mozambique.

The GPi of Humanity website was launched in May 2007 as an orientation for
drawing attention to the relationship between Global Peace and
Sustainability.

"It is our very firm belief that unless we can achieve a world which is
basically peaceful, major challenges facing humanity will not be solved,"
its web page said.

The project was developed by a group of committed individuals who have the
support of a group of philanthropists, business people, politicians,
religious leaders and intellectuals.

The GPi concluded that in order to promote peace and sustainability, the
most important components are the level of income and education.