BurmaNet News, January 13, 2010

[Editor]

January 13, 2010, Issue #3875


INSIDE BURMA
Mizzima News: Three activists sentenced to three years each
DVB: Army reshuffle focuses on ceasefire areas
New Light of Myanmar: Insurgent group blasts pylon in Pekhon Tsp Damaged
tower under repair to resume power supply

ON THE BORDER
SHAN: Anti-junta spray campaign on Sino-Burma border
Mizzima News: IOM helps resettle over 17,000 refugees in 2009 from Thailand

REGIONAL
Irrawaddy: Clinton, Okada discuss Burma
Press Trust of India: India home secretary to visit Burma for talks 19
January

INTERNATIONAL
DVB: Burma freedom is ‘worst of the worst’

OPINION / OTHER
Irrawaddy: You've got mail, Than Shwe! – Aung Zaw




____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

January 13, Mizzima News
Three activists sentenced to three years each – Myint Maung

New Delhi - A township court in Burma’s former capital city of Rangoon on
Wednesday sentenced three opposition party members to three years
imprisonment each.

The defendants, members of the humanitarian committee of Burma’s main
opposition party, National League for Democracy (NLD), were charged with
unlawful association and handed three year sentences with hard labor by
the Insein Township court, according to their lawyer, Kyaw Hoe, who was
present at the court session on Wednesday.

Shwe Joe, a resident of Hlaing Township, Sein Hlaing, a resident of San
Chaung Township, and Ma Cho of Ahlone Township were accused of
communicating with the NLD in exile and accepting cash from an individual
named Sein Hlaing in the amount of 15 million kyat (USD 15,000).

Kyaw Hoe said the trial took no civilian testimony and that no evidence
was provided in support of the guilty charge, a verdict based solely on
the police testimony.

“We [the defense] in our argument demanded acquittal. But the prosecution
lawyer stood up and said the accused are found guilty based on prosecution
witness testimony and should thus be sentenced,” Kyaw Hoe extrapolated.

The defendants, however, denied having communicated with the NLD in exile,
rejecting all charges.

“In our argument, we demanded the prosecution provide us the witness
testimonies that found the accused guilty. But the court did not provide
any evidence when handing down the verdict today,” he added.

The accused were arrested from their Rangoon residences on March 6, 2009,
after which they were detained in Insein prison.

____________________________________

January 13, Democratic Voice of Burma
Army reshuffle focuses on ceasefire areas – Thet Aung Kyaw

Part of a reshuffle within the Burmese army has included the promotion of
a number of middle-ranking officials to positions in close proximity to a
fragile ceasefire area, according to leaked information.

At least six Lieutenant Colonels were recently promoted to Tactical
Operations Commander (TOC) and Military Operations Commander (MOC)
positions, four of these in Shan state, which is largely controlled by the
United Wa State Army (UWSA).

Despite holding a ceasefire agreement, relations between the Burmese army
and UWSA are growing increasingly strained. The ruling junta has pressured
all of Burma’s ceasefire groups to transform into border patrol forces,
and thus come under direct control of the junta, prior to elections this
year.

The refusal by the UWSA and the majority of the 17 other ceasefire groups
has led to speculation that fighting will erupt in ceasefire areas in the
run-up to polling.

Another army official, Lieutenant Colonel Aung Zaw Oo, has been sent to
Burma’s western Arakan state, while Lieutenant Colonel Thike Soe will
serve as Tactical Operations Commander in Mandalay division’s Light
Infantry Division 99. Troops from the LID 99 were sent to fight in the
Kokang conflict in Shan state last year.

Furthermore, Colonel Win Thein, who previously served in the office of
Joint Chief of Staff General Thura Shwe Mann, has become vice commander of
the North Eastern (Regional) Military Command, based near the Kokang
region.

Burmese military analyst Aung Kyaw Zaw said that the recent reshuffle that
came after the junta’s quarterly meeting was incongruent with the normal
practice of promoting people from TOC and MOC ranks to those higher.

“So we are wondering where the [previous] TOC and MOC commanders have
gone,” he said. “Were they transferred to civilian postings as a
preparation for the elections?”

He added that the Burmese government was also “siphoning off officials in
the foreign ministry”. Around 30 high-ranking Burmese embassy officials
have been reshuffled in what analysts have said could be a diplomatic
offensive prior to the elections.

But according to Aung Kyaw Zaw, in previous years the military generals
have assigned TOC and MOC commanders to the foreign ministry, while
current foreign minister, Nyan Win, was formerly a headmaster in the
Defence Services Academy.

He said that this could account for the “disappearance” of current TOCs
and MOCs from the military following the promotions, although the Burmese
government rarely publicises details of army reshuffles.

____________________________________

January 13, New Light of Myanmar
Insurgent group blasts pylon in Pekhon Tsp Damaged tower under repair to
resume power supply

Nay Pyi Taw — At about 6:30 pm on 9 January, an insurgent group blast
Pylon No (199) of 230 KVA Grid near Marseplo Village in Pekhon Township,
Shan State (South). The Pylon is located between Lawpita and Toungoo.

The attack leveled the tower down to the ground, causing temporary
interruption of power supply.

The Myanma Electric Power Enterprise is making emergency repair to the
facility to resume power supply as soon as possible. — MNA

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

January 13, Shan Herald Agency for News
Anti-junta spray campaign on Sino-Burma border

Unidentified activists spearheaded a two-day spray campaign against the
ruling Burmese military junta last week, according to sources on the
Muse-Ruili border.

On January 7, people coming to join the education festival at Muse’s High
School No. 2 found several slogans sprayed on the building walls. It said:

•    “We don’t want the 2010 elections!”
•    “Down with Than Shwe!”
•    “Free Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners!”

The police arrived soon to wipe out the paint, said a source. Another
added “There was another slogan too that the festival had nothing to do
with education but just to raise funds.”

The next day, similar slogans were found sprayed on the immigration office
building walls and on the town’s helicopter pads. So far, no culprit has
been identified and no one has claimed responsibility.

The anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) South’s Force 701, commanded by
Lt-Col Zawm Mong, is active in the area.

____________________________________

January 13, Mizzima News
IOM helps resettle over 17,000 refugees in 2009 from Thailand – Usa Pichai

Chiang Mai - Over 17,000 refugees from Thailand were resettled in a third
country in 2009 with support from the International Organization for
Migration.

The IOM in a press release on Tuesday said that since 2004, the total
number of refugees shifted from Thailand’s refugee camps to new homes
abroad, accounted for over 74,000. The majority of the refugees over
57,000 or nearly 80 per cent came from Burma, and belonged to the Karen
and Karenni ethnic groups.

A further 15,000 were ethnic Hmong from the Lao PDR. However, the recent
action of the Thai government, which repatriated thousands of ethnic Hmong
to Lao, has drawn severe criticism from the international community saying
that it may force them to an unsafe situation in their country of origin.

“Over 80 per cent of the 74,000  refugees were resettled in the USA, with
the rest  accepted by  Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, New
Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom,” the
statement said.

In 2009, 6,800 or nearly 40 per cent of the resettled refugees came from
Ban Mae Nai Soi – a camp located in the north west of the country in Mae
Hong Son province, while 3,400 came from Mae La camp, in Thasongyang
district of Tak province.

“The rest were resettled from seven other remote border camps located
close to Thailand's mountainous jungle border with Myanmar. All but about
300 of the 17,074 refugees moved by IOM Thailand in 2009 came from
Myanmar, “the statement added.

The group arranges for preparation for refugees including pre-departure
health screening at the request of countries of resettlement. If it is
found that they are suffering from a contagious disease, treatment is
provided until they are fit to travel.

After which, IOM transports refugees by bus from the camps to Bangkok's
Suvarnabhumi airport and arranges their onward travel on commercial
flights to their final destinations in countries of resettlement.

In the latest development, Japan has decided to accept 30 Burmese refugees
languishing in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. Japan will be
the first Asian country to accept Burmese refugees for resettlement.

The pilot project will start early this year.  Besides, it is also a sign
of a policy shift by the Japanese government, which rarely allows refugees
to be resettled in their country. Besides, the Japanese government will
continue providing assistance in language lessons and professional
training to enable the refugees to start a new life.

However, migration from Burma to Thailand has continued due to clashes
between the Burmese Army and ethnic armed groups near the border,
particularly in Karen and Shan States.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

January 13, Irrawaddy
Clinton, Okada discuss Burma – Lalit K Jha

Washington — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Japanese Foreign
Minister Katsuya Okada discussed how to influence the Burmese military
junta to move toward democracy and to release Aung San Suu Kyi, the
popular pro-democracy leader, from detention.

They provided no details of their discussion at a joint press conference
in Honolulu on Wednesday.
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, left, speaks as Secretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clinton looks on at a news conference in Kapolei,
Hawaii on Jan. 12. (Photo: AP)

Before the meeting, a spokesperson said, “I think it is a broad review of
Burma and how we can engage Burma to encourage the junta to change its
policies, to change its tactics, to welcome an opposition, to allow the
development of a democratic society.” He said the 2010 election and Suu
Kyi would also likely be discussed.

A fact sheet issued by the State Department that recapped the Obama
administration’s policy towards the Asia Pacific Region said:

“The Obama administration has opened up pragmatic engagement with Burma,
engaging not only the government, but all stakeholders – including
political parties, ethnic minority groups and the opposition – to reaffirm
the goal of a peaceful, stable, prosperous, unified and democratic Burma
that respects the rights of all of its citizens. Secretary Clinton has
worked closely with Asean allies and others, including participating in
the Friends of Burma meeting at the UN General Assembly.”

Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with several generals in
the junta in Naypyidaw and Suu Kyi in Rangoon late last year. The meeting
was a crucial step “in beginning pragmatic engagement” between the US and
Burma, the statement said.

____________________________________

January 13, Press Trust of India
India home secretary to visit Burma for talks 19 January

New Delhi – Cross-border movement of militants and cooperation in other
security matters will figure in the three-day home secretary level talks
beginning January 19 between India and Myanmar in Nay Pay Taw.

The Indian delegation, headed by Indian Home Secretary G. K. Pillai, will
hold extensive discussions with the Myanmar contingent led by Brigadier
General Phone Swe on issues ranging from border security to cross-border
movement of militants of India's northeast and their training camps in
Myanmar.

The two countries will have dialogue on security related matters,
smuggling of arms and narcotic drugs, effective border management, border
trade and cross-border projects, Home Ministry sources said.

Several insurgent groups like National Socialist Council of Nagaland
(NSCN), United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) have set up bases along
the Indo-Myanmar border and India is likely to press for their eviction.

The elusive self-styled 'commander-in-chief' of United Liberation Front of
Assam Paresh Baruah is also believed to have been taking shelter in this
area.

In the past, India has expressed concern over terrorists crossing over to
Myanmar after conducting operations in the country and the presence of
terrorist training camps in Myanmar among other issues. India and Myanmar
share a border of around 1650 kms.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

January 13, Democratic Voice of Burma
Burma freedom is ‘worst of the worst’ – Joseph Allchin

A Washington-based NGO has labeled Burma one of the worst countries in the
world for ‘freedom’ in an annual report, released yesterday.

Burma ranks alongside nine other countries in the “worst of the worst”
category in Freedom House’s ‘Freedom in the World 2010’ report, which
includes Libya, Tibet, China, Eritrea, North Korea and Equatorial Guinea.

The organization, funded largely by the US government and the conservative
Bradley Foundation, has been producing the report for nearly forty years,
which “examines the ability of individuals to exercise their political and
civil rights in 194 countries and 14 territories around the world.”

Determinants of ‘freedom’ include whether “people’s political choices are
free from domination by the military, foreign powers, totalitarian
parties, religious hierarchies, economic oligarchies, or any other
powerful group”.

It also includes a base alignment system, with countries ranked either
‘free’, ‘partially free’ or ‘not free’. This is based on a score system
for civil liberties and political freedom, with seven being the lowest and
one the highest. Burma predictably scores seven on both counts.

This will make worrying reading for the international observers who will
be closely monitoring the planned elections this year. Critics of the
ruling junta have already labeled them a sham that will enable the
military to retain power.

“This report reflects the actual situation in Burma,” said Soe Aung,
foreign affairs spokesperson of the Thailand-based Forum for Democracy in
Burma (FDB).

“Moreover, some international and local groups tend to overlook the real
situation in predicting that the elections in Burma will bring an opening
for a change. The lives of the people [in Burma] should not be gambled at
all.”

In terms of population, China’s inclusion in the ‘not free’ category made
it the largest of the three groupings.

Freedom House emphasizes in its methodology that it “does not maintain a
culture-bound view of freedom”, whilst noting that “American leadership in
international affairs is essential to the cause of human rights and
freedom".

Overall the report finds that there has been a “freedom recession” and an
“authoritarian resurgence” in the last year.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

January 13, Irrawaddy
You've got mail, Than Shwe! – Aung Zaw

You may have heard we have a little problem with a former postal clerk in
Burma. Before joining the army in the early 1950s the young man delivered
letters and packages to people in central Burma. We should assume then
that as a messenger of the state he learned to appreciate the importance
most people put on communication and the social grace to respond in kind
when someone corresponds with you.

Now head of Burma's military junta, Snr-Gen Than Shwe must receive a lot
of mail: official transcripts, secret reports and dossiers, military
analysis, international dispatches, petitions, even birthday cards from
his relatives.

Detained Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
sent two letters to the military dictator in September and November last
year. In those letters, we are told, she expressed her willingness to sit
down and talk with him. As a further gesture, she indicated that she
wanted to work with him to achieve national reconciliation and to discuss
a strategy to encourage Western nations to lift sanctions on the country.
(I understand that Suu Kyi cannot request the US and the EU to lift
sanctions unless she is freed along with other political prisoners, and a
meaningful political process is seen to be in progress.)

I believe the olive branch that The Lady offered to Than Shwe was an
opportunity for him to open a dialogue with the opposition and a
gift-wrapped invitation to help untangle Burma from its international
isolation.

The former postal clerk did not respond to her letters.

Suu Kyi was gracious and did not give in. In her second letter, she
repeatedly expressed her gratitude to Than Shwe (perhaps hoping that
flattery would sooth his stubborn ego) in spite of her extended house
arrest and the bogus trial he subjected her to last year.

Like a spoilt child sent to his room, Than Shwe remained defiant by
demonstrating a sullen silence.

Suu Kyi tried another tack––she asked the regime leader to allow her to
meet with three senior leaders from her National League for Democracy
(NLD) party. This time, her wish was granted and she was able to meet with
and pay respect to the ailing veterans at a government guest house.
However, she was  not allowed to meet all the party's senior leaders.

I guess Than Shwe must be reading her letters, after all.

This is not the first time the junta strongman has been lost for words
when dealing with Suu Kyi. Almost a year after her convoy was brutally
ambushed in Depayin in May 2003, she sent a letter to Than Shwe stating
that the NLD was ready to work with the government. But the former
mail-boy refused to reply.

Suu Kyi's courage, selflessness and humanity contrasted starkly with Than
Shwe's immaturity, pettiness and malice.

As if it were a noble gesture, Than Shwe this week magnanimously granted
the detained opposition leader a meeting with her lawyers to discuss her
upcoming appeal against the extension of her house arrest (as if the rule
of law actually existed in Burma), and to address a petty objection by her
estranged brother to her performing repairs on her lakeside home.

It is therefore clear that Than Shwe reads the letters he receives from
the NLD leader. We can imagine him sweating with nerves as he opens the
envelope, brooding over her words, his face turning dark with jealousy and
fear when he realizes yet again that he is no match for her. He will
ponder for days how he can respond to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Lost
for words, he will sink into silence.

This year, Than Shwe will probably receive more letters from Aung San Suu
Kyi. But we wonder whether the former mail-boy will ever get the message.