BurmaNet News, September 16, 2008

[Editor]

September 16, 2008 Issue # 3557


INSIDE BURMA
Mizzima News: Suu Kyi accepts first food delivery in a month
Mizzima News: Junta releases 70 year old Tin Tin Win
Mizzima News: Censor Board tightens screws
Xinhua: Myanmar warns against more bomb attacks in Yangon
Narinjara News: Plainclothes informers planted in Sittwe

BUSINESS / TRADE
AFP: New arrest warrant issued for Thaksin over Myanmar loan
Economic Times (India): NHPC to ink pact with Myanmar for hydel projects soon
Mizzima News: Impractical trade policy hits Burmese manufacturers hard

HEALTH / AIDS
Kaladan Press Network: Waterborne diseases rising in Maungdaw

ASEAN
DVB: Activists and member states discuss ASEAN rights body

INTERNATIONAL
DPA: WFP faces 11.2-million-dollar shortfall in Myanmar
Mizzima News: Burmese activist gets Human Rights award

OPINION / OTHER
DVB: 10 years on: What next for the CRPP? – Htet Aung Kyaw
Mizzima News: Undeterred: The people's desire – Mungpi

PRESS RELEASE
Reporters Without Borders: 11 Sakharov Prize winners call for the
immediate release of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi



____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

September 16, Mizzima News
Suu Kyi accepts first food delivery in a month – Huaipi

Burma's detained pro-democracy leader has accepted two deliveries of fresh
food supplies after rejecting such offerings for the past month, her party
spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Nyan Win, spokesperson of the National League for Democracy, said their
group was able to send two food baskets to the party leader's house on
Rangoon's University Avenue on Monday night and on Tuesday morning.

"She took both the supplies yesterday and this morning," Nyan Win told
Mizzima, adding that the food was sent to her by a NLD youth member, Myint
Soe.

Aung San Suu Kyi had previously refused to accept any food supplies for
almost one full month, since mid-August, leading observers to speculate
she was on hunger strike.

But Nyan Win said she had refused to accept food supplies as a
demonstration against the government's intransigence to meet her demands.

Kyi Win, the Nobel Peace Laureate's personal lawyer who met with her last
week, said the government has now agreed to allow her to receive letters
from her family and to receive foreign magazines. The junta also agreed to
ease restrictions on the movement of her aide, Khin Khin Win, and her
daughter, Win Pa Pa.

Nyan Win said, "She has agreed to re-accept food supplies, after the
government partially met her demands."

While he is unclear of the entirety of the demands put forth by Burma's
democracy icon, Nyan Win said they included the removal of all
restrictions besides detention.

The NLD, which had expressed concern for their party leader's health
condition in an earlier statement, on Tuesday issued another statement
clarifying that the Nobel Peace Laureate had never staged a hunger strike.

The statement said Aung San Suu Kyi had refused to accept food supplies in
demonstration against the government's refusal to accept her demands.

"She and her aides have been living on limited food, and with her aide
Khin Khin Win falling sick, she had given most of the limited food to her
aide. That caused her to be weak," the statement said.

____________________________________

September 16, Mizzima News
Junta releases 70 year old Tin Tin Win – Phanida

Burmese military junta authorities on Monday released 70 year old Tin Tin
Win, mother of a student activist, after detaining her for four days.

Tin Tin Win, mother of 88 generation student Ant Bwe Kyaw, was arrested by
the police on Thursday from her residence in Yan Kin Township, Rangoon.

"She was interrogated. She did not say anything and she requested not to
be called even over telephone," said Daw Kyi Oo, a friend of Tin Tin Win
and mother of the detained popular comedian Zarganar.

While the reason for the brief detention of Tin Tin Win, it is still
unclear political activists believe there could be a connection with the
visit paid to her by a woman activist Nilar Thein, who was also arrested
on the same day.

____________________________________

September 16, Mizzima News
Censor Board tightens screws

Local journalists are up in arms over censorship but can do little but
unanimously voice that they are facing severe censorship at a time when
the Chief of the Censor Board is on tour.

Journalists attached to periodicals said that  censorship has became more
severe while the director of the notorious 'Press Scrutiny Board'
popularly known as 'Literary Kempetai', Maj. Tint Swe, is out of station.

A monthly magazine editor said the Deputy-Director Maj. Aung Kyaw Oo
imposed stricter restrictions on magazines and journals to avoid
unnecessary mistakes which can put him in trouble.

"He censors many more news and articles whenever Maj. Tint Swe is on
official tour. We are pained when we see these censored manuscripts. He
seems not to want to take responsibility and tries to avoid trouble," he
said.

He also requested not to quote him in reporting news arguing that the
junta is watching domestic journalists and imposing tighter restrictions
on them.

The print media in Burma is incurring heavy losses due to the overcautious
and stricter censorship. The publishers of print media in Burma have to
submit their draft printed copy to the censor board. They have to remove
the censored articles, news and re-typeset it again for the final copy and
have to submit it for final approval. Only after these stages have been
crossed the publishers can distribute their papers and magazines in the
market.

Mizzima learnt that the Censor Board wanted removed about half of the 80
domestic news items from a weekly journal at the draft copy stage.

"The Director could be approached for reconsideration of censored news and
articles after slight modifications. We cannot do this with the new
person," a weekly journal editor said.

In news censorship, a directive was issued to delete all news covering
government ministries and departments without interviewing the responsible
person of the departments concerned.

"He's been in this office for about four months. He is tough. He has no
literary or journalistic background. But Maj. Tint Swe has a background in
journalism. He behaves sympathetically and has some attachment with
journalists," a magazine editor said.

The censorship chief is a writer of junta's propaganda material and he is
known to use the pen name Ye Yint Tint Swe.

Maj. Tint Swe is still in Naypyitaw (the new capital) attending the
departmental monthly coordination meeting at the Information Ministry even
after the press conference has been held. The domestic journalists are
facing these difficulties for a week after he left to attend the press
conference.

Literary magazines such as Mahaythi, Cherry, Ahtwe Ahmyin, Nwe Ni,
Sabephyu are severely hit by the strict censorship. The circulation of
these monthly magazines has declined significantly.

A monthly magazine which had a previous circulation of over 10,000 copies
is now selling 7,000 copies and a magazine with an earlier circulation of
3,000 copies is now selling at just below 1,000 copies.

"The censor board badly cuts and deletes widely read popular articles and
it is hardly readable with so many deletions and omissions. On the other
hand, the people cannot afford to buy these magazines as the prices are
rising, in an already bad economic situation," a veteran magazine editor
who wished not to be named said.

As the market for the monthly literary magazines shrink they are relying
more on advertisement revenue to cover production costs.

"Future magazines might rely on advertisement revenue which will be an
alternative source of income. The market is shrinking in Burma day by day
for magazines with only literary content," he said.

In this competitive and difficult situation faced by the Burmese
journalistic fraternity, the authorities are imposing stricter
restrictions, monitoring journalists and there are less news and official
prees releases.

(Rangoon based Mizzima undercover reporter wrote this news with additional
inputs by Nam Davies)

____________________________________

September 16, Xinhua
Myanmar warns against more bomb attacks in Yangon

The Myanmar authorities warned on Tuesday that three anti-government armed
organizations have sent five bombers into the country to launch more
attacks in Yangon, calling on people to help expose the saboteurs.

According to a report of the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar, the
bombers, sent by the organizations including the Kayin National Union
(KNU) and the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), are trying to
detonate bombs in the former capital's busy locations.

The warning came after a bomber, Saw Ya Ko, was arrested on last Friday on
charge of planting two bombs in a video lounge in Kyuaukkyi, Bago
division, earlier on Thursday night which killed a man and a woman, and
injured nine others.

Meanwhile, another explosion in a big bus in Yangon on Sept. 9 also
injured three passengers with the bus almost destroyed.

In July this year, two bombs respectively exploded in Yangon and Bago
divisions with the prior in a two-storey office of the Union Solidarity
and Development Association in Yangon's Shwepyitha township, destroying a
clinic-attached office building and leaving no casualties, while the
latter killed one passenger and injured another one on a mini-bus in Daik
U township near the Kawliya Bridge en route from Kyaukkyi to Yangon with
35 passenger son board.

On Sept. 6, one more bomb went off on Hpa-an-Hlinebwe road in Mebaung
village of Hpa-an township, Myanmar's southeastern Kayin state, destroying
a 50-KVA hydropower generator and slightly injuring a staff member.

The authorities have linked these incidents with insurgents who are blamed
for committing destructive acts to jeopardize the stability of the state,
community peace and prevalence of law and order and cause panic among the
people.

____________________________________

September 16, Narinjara News
Plainclothes informers planted in Sittwe

Arakan State capital Sittwe has become a major city in the opposition
movement against the Burmese military junta due to government misrule in
the state and discrimination against Arakanese people, said a student from
the government technical college on condition of anonymity.

He said, "Our people are supporting the activities of the monks who are
trying to protest the military government due to the peoples'
dissatisfaction with the military government's discrimination against the
Arakanese people."

In the last 45 days, there were three attempted protests by monks in
Sittwe but all the plans were foiled by the authorities when they received
information just before the demonstrations were scheduled to occur.

"Even though the protests were not successful, monks in Sittwe vowed to
stage anti-government protests in the near future if they get the chance,
and the monks are looking for opportunities to stage a demonstration," he
said.

Because of the unrest in Sittwe, the authorities have deployed many
plainclothes informants in key places in the city, including monasteries
and temples, to closely watch the monks' activities.

A monk from Sittwe said that recently there are not only additional
security forces, but also many informants and spies looking for
information from people.

The monk also added, "Many anti-government flyers have been spreading for
two months in Sittwe, and monks also tried to stage anti-government
protests three times in Sittwe in the last month and a half, because
people are unable to tolerate the authorities' behavior towards the
Arakanese people."

Most Arakanese disagree with the present military government because of
its neglect of the state's development during the last 20 years.

"You can compare our state with Burma proper. There are many natural
resources such as gas in our state, but our people neither have nor
received electricity or other facilities to develop our land. I visited
many places in Burma proper including the towns of Pyay, Meikthila, Myin
gyin, and Chauk, where people get at least 20 hours of electricity per
day, while our people get only two hours per day. How to neglect by the
present military government of our state," the monk said.

The monk added that all people in Burma are suffering under the military
government, but Arakanese people are suffering more than other people.
There are no factories and no business institutes to develop the state.

Many analysts believe that Arakan State has many opportunities to develop
within Burma, but the current military government has deprived it of these
chances due to Burman chauvinism.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

September 16, Agence France Presse
New arrest warrant issued for Thaksin over Myanmar loan

Thailand's Supreme Court on Tuesday issued another arrest warrant for
ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for his approval of a
controversial loan to military-ruled Myanmar.

The court said it would not begin hearing the case until Thaksin returns
from his self-imposed exile in Britain, where he fled to avoid prosecution
for this and other charges that he says are politically motivated.

"Today is the first hearing and the defendent failed to appear even though
he has received a summons," judge Panya Suthibodi said.

"The court has ordered an arrest warrant for him. Because we don't know
when the defendent will come back, the case will be temporarily suspended
from the court's caselist," he added.

Investigators say Thaksin wrongly ordered the Exim Bank to increase a
three-billion-baht (89.6-million-dollar) loan to four billion baht, so
that Myanmar's ruling junta could buy more services from ShinSat.

ShinSat is part of the Shin Corp telecom firm, which Thaksin founded. His
family sold the company to Singapore's state-linked Temasek Holdings in
January 2006 in a tax-free deal that prompted street protests leading to
the military coup against him.

The court had already issued an arrest warrant for Thaksin and his wife
Pojaman last month after they both skipped bail and fled to Britain to
avoid corruption charges in a property scandal.

The pair were accused of using Thaksin's political influence to win a
bargain-priced property deal for Pojaman.

The court is expected to hand down its verdict in that case on Wednesday.

Pojaman has separately been convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to
three years in jail. Thaksin still faces a raft of other charges,
including one that accuses the billionaire tycoon of being "unusually
rich."
____________________________________

September 16, Economic Times (India)
NHPC to ink pact with Myanmar for hydel projects soon

State-run NHPC is likely to sign an agreement in a day or two with the
Myanmar government for developing two power projects of around 1,800 MW
capacity jointly.

The Chairman and Managing Director of NHPC, S K Garg, is already in
Myanmar along with senior ministry and other company officials. The
memorandum of understanding is most likely to be inked in a day or two,
official sources said.

Under the JV, two projects worth about Rs 15,000 crore with a total
capacity of 1,800 MW would be jointly developed by NHPC and Myanmar
government-owned Department of Hydropower implementation (DHPI).

These include a 1,200 MW Tamanthy and 600 MW Shwzaya projects on Chindwin
river. Power from these projects would be transmitted to India through a
proposed transmission link via Manipur.
____________________________________

September 16, Mizzima News
Impractical trade policy hits Burmese manufacturers hard – Moe Thu and
Htet Win

Burmese economists firmly believe the country's 'Export first, import
second' foreign trade policy has a negative impact on industries and the
manufacturing sector as it hinders the flow of modern technology and
machineries.

Economists in Rangoon felt that the government's policy while in principle
encourages export it has poor trade facilitation and fails to streamline
the complex nature of imports, which makes it extremely difficult for
manufacturers to get ahead in the field.

The policy, according to economists, prevents the flow of modern
technology and machines to the country, which is a severe setback for
major industries such as agriculture, mining and those that manufacture
value-added products.

The agro-based Burmese economy has so far failed to introduce use of
modern hi-tech machineries and is still largely conventional in its mode
of production, which according to experts, is a major setback for the
economy.

According to statistics at the Ministry of Commerce, Burma enjoyed a trade
surplus of nearly US$2.1 billion in the fiscal year 2006-2007, up from
$1.58 billion the previous year, and it is the highest surplus level
recorded since the country began adopting a market-oriented economy in the
late 1980s.

In spite of enjoying trade surplus, a Rangoon-based economist said "export
first, import second" will eventually need to change as it heavily hampers
the inflow of technologies and machines, which are essential in
manufacturing sectors.

According to the policy, imports are needed to obtain foreign income,
which result in seeking hard currency by paying more prices from the
exporters, a major factor that encourages the practice of black market of
currencies in Burma.

"We must prefer export but we shouldn't put import in the second slot,"
said the economist, who is in touch with local importers' difficulties.

Through imports of technologies and machinery, the manufacturing sector
could be strengthened, the economist said, adding that it will in turn
enhance production of finished goods that could be exported.

In the absence of high end technologies and heavy machineries, Burma's
exports mainly include raw materials.

The economist said prioritising on exports should not lead to negligence
of importing crucial items that could boost manufacturing. For sustaining
trade surplus, export is largely dependent on the import, particularly for
a developing country such as Burma.

The academic also said, by reversing the policy, it will enhance a greater
investment on capital assets including high end technology as well as
heavy machineries, which in the long-run will benefit the manufacturing
sector.

A greater development in the manufacturing sector, that produces finished
or value-added products, would garner more prices than exporting of just
raw materials, which currently are solely monopolised by the military
government's business cronies including Htoo Trading Co, Myanma Economic
Holdings Ltd and Myanma Economic Corporation.

Such businesses are irresponsible socially, ethically and environmentally
in Burma, the academic added.

However, the ruling junta when it comes to the purchase of military
hardware follows import first policy, an unbalanced expenditure on the
national budget for a developing economy such as Burma.

"It is widely believed that the majority of the country's foreign earnings
- mostly from natural gas exports - have gone to the continued procurement
of military hardware and software rather than to projects for long-term
benefits such as reforms in the national economic aspect," economic
observers said.

Economists said weak structure of imports will fuel worries for domestic
businesses and consumers, as small and medium-sized enterprises are
already feeling the pressure from discriminated imports, resulting in the
loss of confidence by investors. Lack of investor confidence is lack of
businesses and job opportunities for a broader base of the populace.

____________________________________
HEALTH / AIDS

September 16, Kaladan Press Network
Waterborne diseases rising in Maungdaw

Waterborne diseases like dysentery, pneumonia and diarrhea have broken out
in Maungdaw since August last week, according to Maungdaw villagers.

The health department of the Burmese government is distributing some
medicines and oral saline, but it is not sufficient. Most of the medicines
have been bought by patients from shops out side. There are about 200
people afflicted with diseases like diarrhea, pneumonia in every village
and most of the patients have been admitted to the Maungdaw general
hospital, according to sources.

Yesterday an elder and a child died in Maung Nama village in Maungdaw
north while four patients died in Shweza village in Maungdaw north
including Majeda Begum (25), mother of three children. There have been
deaths in other villages, as well, said a village quack on condition of
anonymity.

Nayapara village in Maungdaw Town and Myint Hlut, Inn Din, and Kul-loon
(Thinn Baw Gwe) villages are the affected areas in Maungdaw south. Today,
a medical team from Maungdaw which led by general Hospital will visit the
effected areas of Maungdaw south and take necessary action, sources said.

At night, patients are not able to go to clinics or private doctors'
clinics for treatment for security reasons.  If a patient willing to go
out from home at night for treatment, he/she must be accompanied by a
woman and other relatives with a lamp.  So, patients do not go out at
night for treatment, unless the condition of the patient is critical, said
a relative of a patient.

Many villagers including women and children are suffering from diarrhea,
dysentery and vomiting and Typhoid. The patients are vomiting, have high
fever and loose motion.

"The medical teams visit the affected area for short time in day time and
people don't get any medical facility when they face trouble at night. If
the patients' condition become serious, they are helpless and die during
this period," said Mohamed Anno, a local elder from Maungdaw.

Doctors from Maungdaw Town visited the affected areas.  They gathered some
of the local villagers and advised them to drink clean and boiled water
and gave oral saline to the patients.  They also said that the diseases
occur from malnutrition.

____________________________________
ASEAN

September 16, Democratic Voice of Burma
Activists and member states discuss ASEAN rights body – Aye Nai

Representatives of NGOs were among those who took part in ASEAN
discussions in Manila on 11 September on the setting up of a body to
monitor state compliance with the ASEAN human rights charter.

Aung Myo Min, director of the Human Rights Education Institute of Burma,
attended the ASEAN meeting and said there was debate between nations on
the source of human rights norms.

"There were some disagreements among the representatives from the 10 ASEAN
countries who attended the meeting," Aung Myo Min said.

"Nations like the Philippines were keen on drawing up a human rights
charter based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” he explained.

“But countries like Burma and Laos were against that idea – they wanted
the charter to be based upon Asian values."

But Aung Myo Min said others had said a charter based on Asian values
would not be feasible given the diverse range of cultures and traditions
within ASEAN member states.

Aung Myo Min said the forum had also discussed the establishment of a
mechanism to hold states accountable for violations of human rights.

"The arguments also revolved around how to set up human rights courts or
tribunals on a local scale,” he said.

“We very much wanted that to happen but some people believed it was still
too early for ASEAN to have such a system – it seemed like they didn't
want it to happen. They didn't want to give power to the court," he
continued.

"We gave our opinions and expressed our desire to make this possible but
we have to wait and see if we can get agreement from the people
responsible for drawing up the charter and how much approval they will get
from the ASEAN foreign ministers."

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

September 16, Deutsche Presse Agentur
WFP faces 11.2-million-dollar shortfall in Myanmar

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday welcomed a donation of 1.9
million dollars from the European Union for food relief for Myanmar's
Rohingha minority group but noted it was still suffering a
11.2-million-dollar shortfall this year. The European Community's
Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has provided 1.9 million dollars for food
assistance to the North Rakhine State of western Myanmar, bordering
Bangladesh, where thousands of Rohingha - a Muslim minority group that has
been persecuted in the past by Myanmar's junta -  face growing food
shortages.

Up to 400,000 Rohingha were forced to flee Myanmar to neighbouring
Bangladesh in the early 1990s when the army launched a persecution
campaign against the Muslim minority.

Most of the refugees returned to the Rakhine State more than a decade ago,
but lack of land ownership and employment mean the community is still
highly dependent on UN assistance for their survival.

"ECHO's generous contribution is extremely welcome and timely. We will now
be able to provide the needed support to the most vulnerable households at
least until the harvest brings more food into the market," said Chris
Kaye, WFP's Country Director.

A recent survey conducted by the WFP indicated that 44 per cent of the
households in the North Rakhine State have deficient daily dietary
intakes, and 27 per cent of children below five suffered from "moderate to
acute" malnutrition.

The Rakhine was not one of the areas affected by Cyclone Nargis, which
swept over Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta and Yangon on May 2-3, leaving
140,000 dead or missing and another 2.4 million desperately in need of
emergency relief, but the WFP's ongoing food assistance program to the
Rohinghas has been affected by the cyclone.

While the international response to the WFP's cyclone relief programme in
Myanmar has been adequate, donations to regular programmes such as those
feeding the Rohinghas has suffered, said Paul Risley, spokesman in Asia
for WFP.

The WFP estimates that the price of foods such as rice has doubled in
Myanmar over the past year, raising WFP's budget requirements  by 44 per
cent from 51.7 million dollars in January 2007 to 74.76 million in July
2008.

WFP Myanmar is presently facing a shortfall of 11.2 million dollars for
its food assistance needs through the end of December 2008, said Risley.

"WFP is very concerned that the critical needs of other beneficiaries in
the remote border areas in Myanmar have been wanting, while international
assistance in the cyclone-hit delta has been prompt," he said.

Before Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, the WFP could purchase rice and other
foodstuffs on the local market for its assistance programme in the
country, but now it is forced to purchase on the international market
where prices have jumped dramatically in line with oil prices.

____________________________________

September 16, Mizzima News
Burmese activist gets Human Rights award – Than Htike Oo

The United States based 'Human Rights Watch' on Monday named a Burmese
rights activist, Bo Kyi, recipient of its 'Human Rights Defender Award'
for striving for the release of political prisoners in Burma.

Bo Kyi, co-founder and Joint-Secretary of the Thai-Burmese border based
'Association of Assistance to Political Prisoners – Burma' (AAPP-B), was
among five activists across the globe that the organization choose to
honour with its award.

Bo Kyi, as a student activist was arrested and sentenced to a prison term
in 1988 for his involvement in pro-democracy movements and spent seven
years in jail. Following his release, he fled to the Thai-Burmese border
and founded the AAPP-B, an advocacy group to assist families of political
prisoners and work for their release.

AAPP-B, over the years, has been known for its documentation on the
situation of political prisoners and advocacy work for their release.

According to the AAPP-B, currently there are over 2,000 prisoners of
conscience languishing in jails across the country. The most prominent
political prisoner in Burma is pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
who has been detained for more than 12 of the past 19 years.

Beside Bo Kyi, the HRW named four other human rights activists from the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

September 16, Democratic Voice of Burma
10 years on: What next for the CRPP? – Htet Aung Kyaw

As the Committee Representing the People’s Parliament marks ten years
since its formation, DVB asked three elected representatives what the
organisation has achieved and how it should move forward.

CRPP secretary Aye Thar Aung, who is also secretary of the Arakan National
League for Democracy and an ethnic people’s representative, explained how
the CRPP came about.

“In order to bring into effect the result of the 1990 election, a demand
was made to the SPDC in 1998 to recognise the election result and convene
a parliament within 60 days led by the Nation League for Democracy, who
won most of the seats,” he said.

“The secretary general of the NLD, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, also invited, met
and held discussions with ethnic national parties, urging them to
cooperate in the emergence of a parliament.”

The ethnic parties who took part in the discussions were Aye Thar Aung’s
Arakan National League for Democracy, the Mon National League for
Democracy led by Nai Tun Thein, the Zomi National Congress led by U Pu Cin
Sian Thang and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy led by Khun Tun
Oo, who is now in detention.

Before the 60 days had elapsed, 110 MPs including all ethnic nationality
representatives apart from Aye Thar Aung and all NLD MPs except central
executive committee members were being detained in government guesthouses,
and 43 NLD townships had been sealed off.

Saw Mra Aung of the Arakan National League for Democracy, who had been
elected chair of the parliament, was among those detained.

Those who were not arrested formed the CRPP on 16 September 1998, with
signatures of support from 251 elected MPs.

The initial 10-member committee was made up of nine NLD members, led by
Aung Shwe, with Aye Thar Aung to represent the ethnic nationalities.

CRPP’s statements were broadcast almost every day by supportive media
outlets.

When the MPs were released, Khun Tun Oo, Nai Tun Thein, and Pu Cin Sian
Thang were accepted as new members.

The CRPP’s activities were hampered by further arrests, including of Aung
San Suu Kyi and Aye Thar Aung, but after Aung San Suu Kyi was released in
October 2001, it was strengthened with new members.

The first new member was U Htaung Ko Thang of the United Nationalities
League for Democracy. He was followed in December 2002 by U Soe Win of the
National Democracy Party and the National Democratic Party for Human
Rights’ U Kyaw Min, who is now in prison.

U Hla Maung of the Patriotic War Veterans, independent MP U Thein Pe from
Kantbalu and U Yan Kye Maw of the Kokang Democratic Party also became
members, bringing the total to 19.

Soe Win of the National Democracy Party said the CRPP had brought together
elected representatives from different parties with a common goal.

“Daw Suu tried very hard to unite the election-winning parties and ethnic
nationalities as [her father] general Aung San had done at the Panglong
Conference [in 1947], and that is how the CRPP emerged,” he said.

“As we were detained at the time, we were unable to join them. In 2003, I
joined as the National Democracy Party representative. When we joined, we
had many hopes; we would try to form a parliament by joining hands with
our ethnic brothers and build a peaceful Burma with love and unity,” he
continued.

“But now I have to admit our hopes are still far from being fulfilled. I
feel disappointed with myself.”

Political analysts say that the lack of CRPP activities became more
apparent after the United Nations special envoy Razali reported that talks
would be held between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the military government.

Reports in the state media said the CRPP was aiming for confrontation
rather than dialogue because of its focus on the 1990 election result.

The CRPP held back on its activities while there seemed to be a real
prospect for dialogue, but by the time it became apparent that the
promised dialogue would not materialise, the CRPP had lost some of its
momentum.

“There were prospects and good indications for dialogue. The NLD started
preparing for dialogue and there were also discussions with ethnic parties
on the matter,” Aye Thar Aung said.

“Many people, including the NLD, put much of their energy into it – we
were hopeful about the prospect of dialogue between the NLD and the
authorities,” he said.

“As I see it, more attention was given to as how our side was going to
open the dialogue and at which level, and what the authorities were going
to do and how they could find a compromise,” he went on.

“The interest in how the dialogue was going to happen became stronger than
the interest in CRPP’s future activities.”

Despite the initial dominance of the NLD, all the parties and
representatives within the CRPP play and equal role in decision making,
according to Khun Myint Tun, an NLD MP in exile.

“Although the NLD was responsible for forming the CRPP, it is not under
NLD authority,” Khun Myint Tun said.

“The CRPP is a committee representing the people’s parliament using the
power given to it by the parliament, so the NLD is included in the CRPP as
a member and other groups such as UNLD; it is a committee representing the
election-winning parties,” he said.

“When CRPP holds a meeting and makes a decision, it is done with the
consent of all its members, the NLD can’t dominate it. We all have equal
rights to discuss and decide there, however many elected members we have,”
he said.

“That is the unique thing about the CRPP.”

Aye Thar Aung said there were diverging views on the best way forward for
the CRPP.

“Some people believe that with this kind of political situation in Burma
it is best to find a solution through dialogue,” Aye Thar Aung said.

“But on the other hand, [the government] is unilaterally implementing its
road map and is only working on the dialogue for show, if at all – they
will try to accomplish their road map by any means,” he said.

“But one of the weaknesses of this side is that the NLD secretary general
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was detained after the Depayin attack and cooperation
between NLD leadership and participating ethnic national parties’ is not
as active as it was before.

“I can see that there are differing views and ideas on how to continue in
the future, that’s why the CRPP’s discussions have become less frequent
lately, to the point of not even being able to call a meeting.”

Despite the recent lack of activity, Khun Myint Tun insists that the CRPP
remains relevant.

“The CRPP was formed to bring into effect the result of the 1990 election
and the emergence of people’s parliament and so there remains a great need
[for the CRPP] to take us along the path to democracy,” he said.

“At the moment, there is the credential challenge to the SPDC at the UN,
where it is crucial to support the CRPP,” he said.

“No one can do that except the CRPP. The 1990 election result and the CRPP
were supported by the people. It is up to us how we are going to make them
work.”

Khun Myint Tun said that dialogue could be a method for bringing about
democracy, but was not an aim in itself.

“The demands of the people during the 8888 uprising were the abolition of
military rule and the emergence of democracy; this is the aim,” he said.

“To make this happen, we accept dialogue as a tactic. We can’t just wait
for it. You can’t just coax the SPDC – it has no plan to hold dialogue,”
he explained.

“If we believe that problems could be solved by means of dialogue, we have
to pressure the SPDC to come to the negotiating table. Dialogue will only
happen when we put great pressure on the SPDC.”

____________________________________

September 16, Mizzima News
Undeterred: The people's desire – Mungpi

In an effort to prevent yet another peoples' uprising, Burma's military
government has stepped up security measures, ordering police forces to
remain overnight at local ward administrative offices, sources said.

A Secretary of a Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) office in
Mandalay, Burma's second largest city, said at least two policemen have
been ordered to stay overnight at every local ward administrative office
since the beginning of September.

"In our township there are several ward offices, and at every office at
least two policemen have been kept overnight to keep watch since September
4," the Secretary told Mizzima on Saturday.

The Secretary, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, said she and
her colleagues in the office have been told that police would be standing
guard throughout the month of September.

"I don't know what they [government] are worried of, but we were told to
keep close watch over peoples' movements, and keep record of participants
if there is any kind of protest," she added.

Meanwhile in Rangoon, a police officer in-charge of a township confirmed
that he has had to assign junior police to routinely stay overnight in
ward level administrative offices.

"I have to make sure that at least three to four police are staying
overnight in the ward offices, so that if there is any kind of
anti-government activity they can be easily available for action," the
officer explained.

The police officer, who also requested anonymity, said while he is not
clear of the intentions of the government, he was told to maintain strict
vigilance throughout the month of September.

"I think it is out of fear that another round of protests would break out
this September," the officer elaborated.

In Rangoon, owners of restaurants, shops and tea stalls, which usually
open until late at night, said local authorities informed them earlier
this month to close latest by 11 p.m. and not to extend business hours.

While authorities have not provided any reason for the order, restaurants
and shop owners said they believe it could be related to the fear that
further protests, similar to those of September 2007, will take place.

In September 2007, Buddhist monks declared a nation-wide boycott against
the ruling junta for their misbehavior towards fellow monks who were
marching peacefully and chanting 'Metta', the Buddhist words of loving
kindness, in central Burma's Pakokku town.
The monks, who called on the government to publicly apologize for their
misbehavior, stepped up the boycott and called on the people to join them
in a nation-wide protest after the junta refused to make a public apology.

Thousands of Burmese people across the country on September 19 began
marching the streets, while in Rangoon, the former capital, tens of
thousands of people filled the streets demanding lower commodity prices
and calling for a public apology.

Soon, the protests took a decidedly political turn, with monks, students,
and political activists calling on the junta to hold a political dialogue
with opposition parties in an effort to kick-start a process of political
reformation.

But the military, which has a tradition of brutally cracking down on any
form of anti-government activity, on September 26, began opening fire on
protestors and conducted midnight raids into houses and monasteries,
arresting key monk and activist leaders.
Continued crackdown
Throughout the past year the junta has continuously arrested activists,
beginning with the arrest of prominent student activists of the 88
generation, including Min Ko Naing and 12 of his colleagues on August 21,
2007.

The latest arrest of an activist was on September 11, when authorities
arrested female activist Nilar Thein, who had been on the run for over a
year since she led protestors in August and September 2007.

The junta has also arrested several other activists including human rights
activist Myint Aye, charging him with masterminding bomb explosions in
Burma.

According to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political
Prisoners – Burma (AAPP-B) – the number of political prisoners in jails
across the country increased to more than 2,000 from slightly over 1,000
before the crackdown on protestors in September 2007.

The AAPP in its press statement said that in August 2008 alone Burma's
ruling junta arrested 39 activists and continued to detain at least 21 of
them, while releasing the others after brief interrogations.

No sign of activism
With the junta vigorously taking measures to prevent another round of
protests, the streets of Rangoon, which overflowed with protestors last
September, seem today to be normal and do not carry any sign of activism,
local residents report.

Aung Thu Nyien, a former student activist who now analyses Burmese
political affairs, said that with key activists arrested and detained,
mass protests this year are unlikely.

"People are becoming tired and do not seem to have any more energy for
another protest," said Aung Thu Nyien, pointing out that the devastation
caused by May's deadly cyclone that stormed into Burma's Irrawaddy and
Rangoon Divisions only added to the weariness on the streets.

The Secretary of the TPDC in Mandalay said that though the authorities
seem to be in a precarious state, she does not find anything suspicious in
the movement of the people that could indicate that there will be any kind
of protest in the immediate future.

"For all I can see, the people are too busy struggling with their daily
lives. I don't see anything suspicious and I don't think people have the
time and energy," she added.

A Christian pastor in Mandalay, who has connections with people at the
grass roots level, commented, "I see people are really struggling to live
their lives because it is really difficult for them to make ends meet."

Sean Turnell, an associate professor in the department of economics at
Australia's Macquarie University, added, "If we just focus on the fact
that economic conditions are now worse than those that drove people onto
the streets last year, widespread protests should be imminent."

But, he cautioned, with the people of Burma having witnessed the brutality
and ruthlessness of their government in two recent incidents – in the
repression of the Saffron Revolution and in the aftermath of Cyclone
Nargis – people seem to be scared to initiate another uprising.

"So, in a sense, the people are more aware now that the costs of an
uprising could be very high for them as individuals," continued Turnell.


People's desire
Turnell said the Burmese people, having gone through decades of economic
hardship as a result of the junta's economic mismanagement, wished for
some kind of security – both physical and economic.

"I think people first just want the freedom that comes from having a
margin above mere subsistence," Turnell went on to say.

Secondly, Turnell said people just want Burma to be a normal country,
where there is some hope for the future, and where parents can expect, as
parents elsewhere do, that their children will have a better life than
they did.

"But, I think currently in Burma the opposite is true - this makes Burma
unique, and a very sad place," Turnell added.

The Christian pastor said the Burmese people, in their struggle for
survival, would very much like to see the government, if not supportive,
at least refrain from serving as an obstacle to improved conditions.

"There is a general feeling of fear among the people anytime they bump
into the authorities. People just want to avoid anything having to do with
the government," the pastor added.

Turnell, however, said he believes no amount of government repression can
subdue the peoples' spirit and desire to live in freedom, meaning that
resistance from the people will continue.

Though so far the government "has done enough, and has been ruthless
enough, to avoid any widespread uprising," it has failed to totally
suppress the people.

____________________________________
PRESS RELEASE

September 16, Reporters Without Borders
11 Sakharov Prize winners call for the immediate release of Burmese
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi

With just weeks to go to the 20th anniversary of the creation of the
Sakharov Prize on 10 December 1988, an informal network of 11 of its past
winners today calls on the Burmese authorities to immediately release Aung
San Su Kyi and all other political prisoners.

The leader of the National League for Democracy, the party that won the
1990 parliamentary elections, Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest
since May 2003. In all, she has spent more than 12 years in prison or
under house arrest since 1988. According to her lawyer, she is now
under-nourished, having for a month refused most of the food brought to
her.

The appeal is signed by:

Adem Demaçi (1991 Sakharov Prize winner)
Taslima Nasreen (1994 Sakharov Prize winner)
Wei Jingsheng (1996 Sakharov Prize winner)
Salima Ghezali (1997 Sakharov Prize winner)
Dom Zacarias Kamwenho (2001 Sakharov Prize winner)
Oswaldo José Paya Sardinas (2002 Sakharov Prize winner)
Belarusian Journalist Association - BAJ (2004 Sakharov Prize winner)
Hauwa Ibrahim (2005 Sakharov Prize winner)
Reporters Without Borders (2005 Sakharov Prize winner)
Alexander Milinkevich (2006 Sakharov Prize winner)
Salih Mahmoud Mohamed Osman (2007 Sakharov Prize winner)

The informal Sakharov Prize network urges the European authorities,
especially France, the current holder of the European Union’s rotating
presidency, to redouble their efforts to obtain the release of their
fellow Sakharov Prize winner and all of Burma’s political prisoners.

Human rights organisations put the number of political prisoners in Burma
at about 2,000. They include Win Tin, a journalist held since July 1989.

The 11 Sakharov Prize winners do not rule out the possibility of taking
further initiatives on behalf of Aung San Suu Kyi or taking a position on
other issues.

The European Parliament has awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of
Thought every year since 1988 to individuals or organisations that, like
Andrei Sakharov, dedicate their energies to the defence of human rights
and freedoms, and to combatting oppression and injustice.

The Sakharov Prize is awarded on 10 December, the anniversary of the
ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United
Nations in 1948. The award comes with 50,000 euros in prize money.

For additional information

INFORMAL SAKHAROV PRIZE NETWORK C/o Reporters Without Borders Contact :
Olivier Basille (Reporters Without Borders) Tel : 00 32 (0)494 356 165 
Fax : 00 32 (0)2 235 22 82 Email : rsf_eu at rsf.org