This is the Invitation for the Burma Event in Hollywood.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
POLITICS-BURMA: Mobile Phones, Radios Keep Resistance Alive
By Marwaan Macan-Markar
BANGKOK, Feb 28 (IPS)
Somewhere in the dilapidated city of Rangoon is a man on the run since August last year. He has sheltered in over 10 homes so far. But he expects to continue avoiding arrest by Burma’s dreaded military or intelligence forces.
When Tun Myint Aung shifts from one safehouse to another, he goes armed with two items that have become indispensable. They are a mobile phone and a portable, Chinese-made radio, to listen to such anti-junta stations like the Democratic Voice of Burma, based in Oslo, Norway.
‘’The phone and the radio are very important now. I always take them wherever I go. They are next to me when I sleep,’’ says Tun Myint Aung, in a voice with a hint of excitement, during a recent telephone interview with IPS from his current safehouse in the former Burmese capital. ‘’Through them I stay in touch with people outside, my friends, and follow the news about events in the country.’’
But his Tecsum shortwave radio has taken on added value in military-ruled Burma’s current oppressive climate. ‘’The radio has become a social weapon for me and for our movement,’’ adds Tun Myint Aung over the phone, an act that could get him jailed. ‘’It is how the messages against the military regime are broadcast by us and others against them.’’
The ‘’us’’ he refers to is the ’88 Generation Students’, a highly respected group of former university graduates who have been at the vanguard of peaceful protests against Burma’s repressive military leaders. The group gets its name from leading a pro-democracy popular movement in 1988, which was brutally crushed by the military, leaving some 3,000 protestors dead.
Till August 2007, Tun Myint Aung worked in the shadows of ’88 Generation’ leaders like Min Ko Naing, who to many Burmese is the most respected person in the country for his democracy crusade after Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate. But that month, the junta arrested Min Ko Naing and other prominent leaders of the group to curb the protests they called for after the regime raised the price of oil by 500 percent without warning.
Tun Myint Aung, who will be turning 40 this year, had to flee his home to avoid arrest. It was an escape, forcing him to ‘’run and run,’’ sometimes having to spend nights on the streets with no place to hide, that has consequently propelled him to be a new leader of the ’88 Generation’. With him at the helm are two other activists of the same group, also on the run, Nilar Thein and Soe Htun.
His first month as a leader was overshadowed by the rage against the junta that poured on the streets of Rangoon and other cities in September. Tens of thousands of people, led by the countries maroon-robed Buddhist monks, staged peaceful protests. They raised a cry against the unbearable economic woes, the arrest of the ’88 Generation’ leaders, and the continued imprisonment of political activists, including Suu Kyi. But the junta responded with force, killing scores of demonstrators, including monks, and jailing hundreds.
The events, since then, have proved as formidable: the junta recently announced plans to conduct a referendum in May to seek approval for a controversial new constitution. And mounting a political campaign against that plebiscite from underground is a challenge.
‘’There are 11 organisations we are working with to inform the public that the new constitution was not drafted by the people’s representatives. We are also warning that the referendum will not be free and fair,’’ says Tun Myint Aung. ‘’But if people want to vote, we are urging them to vote ‘No’. They have to oppose the military’s plan to get its political life extended legally.’’
A mass movement against the referendum is also being discussed. ‘’We want a nation-wide silent movement against the military. We have been contacting people in our network, through the phone and other ways, to get this message out,’’ he reveals. ‘’Our actions are to get as many people to lead this silent protest. That is how we have always worked. It is never been based on only one person.’’
The anger that the new leaders of the ’88 Generation’ have towards the regime was displayed in mid-February, when they released a statement saying that the planned May referendum is a ‘’declaration of war by the military regime against the Burmese people.’’ Another has followed since, denouncing the Chinese government for ‘’bankrolling’’ the junta and calling for a boycott of this year’s summer olympics in Beijing.
Despite the odds, Tun Myint Aung relishes his new role to lead the Burmese opposition from within the country. ‘’It is a very heavy task that we have, but it is exciting,’’ he says. ‘’I am not depressed; I am eager to try as many actions as we can against the military. This is the way to help our people and to help my brothers, our comrades, in jail.’’
Even the solitary hours that he sometimes has to endure to avoid arrest barely gets him down. For he has experienced worse: he was arrested in 1990 and jailed at the notorious Insein Prison in Rangoon for three years. At the time, he was studying geography at Rangoon University. His ‘’crime’’ was to be a protest leader in the 1988 pro-democracy uprising. Then, in 1998, he was arrested again and jailed till 2005. Once again, it was for his political activism.
‘’I have not talked to my parents for many months; I cannot contact them, because our home in Rangoon is under watch by the intelligence,’’ he admits, after a pause. ‘’I miss that. I miss talking to my nieces and nephews. But they are used to not seeing me home’’
At times, however, the strain of struggling to remain free from the junta’s grip leads to restless nights. ‘’If I hear strange sounds on the road, too many dogs barking at night, I wake up,’’ he says. ‘’What is it?’’
And visits to a hospital or clinics are out of the question for him: ‘’I cannot get sick. It is too risky to go to a clinic. I am always taking care of my health now.’’
Yet there is a reason that weighs in his favour if he had to call on a doctor. His face remains a mystery to the junta; it had not been in the glare during the dissidents’ public campaign. ‘’It is fortunate. I avoided having my photos taken during the protests last year,’’ says Tun Myint Aung.
But that spell of anonymity may not last long, he concedes. ‘’The junta wants to arrest all our leaders. I cannot foretell my future: if I go to jail or not.’’
Ref: http://www.ipsnews.net
BANGKOK, Feb 28 (IPS)
Somewhere in the dilapidated city of Rangoon is a man on the run since August last year. He has sheltered in over 10 homes so far. But he expects to continue avoiding arrest by Burma’s dreaded military or intelligence forces.
When Tun Myint Aung shifts from one safehouse to another, he goes armed with two items that have become indispensable. They are a mobile phone and a portable, Chinese-made radio, to listen to such anti-junta stations like the Democratic Voice of Burma, based in Oslo, Norway.
‘’The phone and the radio are very important now. I always take them wherever I go. They are next to me when I sleep,’’ says Tun Myint Aung, in a voice with a hint of excitement, during a recent telephone interview with IPS from his current safehouse in the former Burmese capital. ‘’Through them I stay in touch with people outside, my friends, and follow the news about events in the country.’’
But his Tecsum shortwave radio has taken on added value in military-ruled Burma’s current oppressive climate. ‘’The radio has become a social weapon for me and for our movement,’’ adds Tun Myint Aung over the phone, an act that could get him jailed. ‘’It is how the messages against the military regime are broadcast by us and others against them.’’
The ‘’us’’ he refers to is the ’88 Generation Students’, a highly respected group of former university graduates who have been at the vanguard of peaceful protests against Burma’s repressive military leaders. The group gets its name from leading a pro-democracy popular movement in 1988, which was brutally crushed by the military, leaving some 3,000 protestors dead.
Till August 2007, Tun Myint Aung worked in the shadows of ’88 Generation’ leaders like Min Ko Naing, who to many Burmese is the most respected person in the country for his democracy crusade after Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate. But that month, the junta arrested Min Ko Naing and other prominent leaders of the group to curb the protests they called for after the regime raised the price of oil by 500 percent without warning.
Tun Myint Aung, who will be turning 40 this year, had to flee his home to avoid arrest. It was an escape, forcing him to ‘’run and run,’’ sometimes having to spend nights on the streets with no place to hide, that has consequently propelled him to be a new leader of the ’88 Generation’. With him at the helm are two other activists of the same group, also on the run, Nilar Thein and Soe Htun.
His first month as a leader was overshadowed by the rage against the junta that poured on the streets of Rangoon and other cities in September. Tens of thousands of people, led by the countries maroon-robed Buddhist monks, staged peaceful protests. They raised a cry against the unbearable economic woes, the arrest of the ’88 Generation’ leaders, and the continued imprisonment of political activists, including Suu Kyi. But the junta responded with force, killing scores of demonstrators, including monks, and jailing hundreds.
The events, since then, have proved as formidable: the junta recently announced plans to conduct a referendum in May to seek approval for a controversial new constitution. And mounting a political campaign against that plebiscite from underground is a challenge.
‘’There are 11 organisations we are working with to inform the public that the new constitution was not drafted by the people’s representatives. We are also warning that the referendum will not be free and fair,’’ says Tun Myint Aung. ‘’But if people want to vote, we are urging them to vote ‘No’. They have to oppose the military’s plan to get its political life extended legally.’’
A mass movement against the referendum is also being discussed. ‘’We want a nation-wide silent movement against the military. We have been contacting people in our network, through the phone and other ways, to get this message out,’’ he reveals. ‘’Our actions are to get as many people to lead this silent protest. That is how we have always worked. It is never been based on only one person.’’
The anger that the new leaders of the ’88 Generation’ have towards the regime was displayed in mid-February, when they released a statement saying that the planned May referendum is a ‘’declaration of war by the military regime against the Burmese people.’’ Another has followed since, denouncing the Chinese government for ‘’bankrolling’’ the junta and calling for a boycott of this year’s summer olympics in Beijing.
Despite the odds, Tun Myint Aung relishes his new role to lead the Burmese opposition from within the country. ‘’It is a very heavy task that we have, but it is exciting,’’ he says. ‘’I am not depressed; I am eager to try as many actions as we can against the military. This is the way to help our people and to help my brothers, our comrades, in jail.’’
Even the solitary hours that he sometimes has to endure to avoid arrest barely gets him down. For he has experienced worse: he was arrested in 1990 and jailed at the notorious Insein Prison in Rangoon for three years. At the time, he was studying geography at Rangoon University. His ‘’crime’’ was to be a protest leader in the 1988 pro-democracy uprising. Then, in 1998, he was arrested again and jailed till 2005. Once again, it was for his political activism.
‘’I have not talked to my parents for many months; I cannot contact them, because our home in Rangoon is under watch by the intelligence,’’ he admits, after a pause. ‘’I miss that. I miss talking to my nieces and nephews. But they are used to not seeing me home’’
At times, however, the strain of struggling to remain free from the junta’s grip leads to restless nights. ‘’If I hear strange sounds on the road, too many dogs barking at night, I wake up,’’ he says. ‘’What is it?’’
And visits to a hospital or clinics are out of the question for him: ‘’I cannot get sick. It is too risky to go to a clinic. I am always taking care of my health now.’’
Yet there is a reason that weighs in his favour if he had to call on a doctor. His face remains a mystery to the junta; it had not been in the glare during the dissidents’ public campaign. ‘’It is fortunate. I avoided having my photos taken during the protests last year,’’ says Tun Myint Aung.
But that spell of anonymity may not last long, he concedes. ‘’The junta wants to arrest all our leaders. I cannot foretell my future: if I go to jail or not.’’
Ref: http://www.ipsnews.net
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Burma Advocacy Group to Hold Dinner
www.TheCabin.net
The Burma Advocacy Group of Conway is holding a dinner and art auction starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 to benefit Burmese refugees forced to flee into internal exile or to leave their homeland by two decades of human rights abuses and bloody fighting inside Burma.
"A Voice for Burma." a semiformal dinner and art auction will be held at Little Rock's Embassy Suites hotel. Tickets are $35 and are available at Sonshine Academy in Conway. Free childcare will be provided.
About 200 people attended a similar event in Conway last year in and raised more than $10,000 by auctioning off artwork donated by more than 30 local artists. The funds went directly to assist with the physical needs of the internally displaced people in Burmese jungles.
http://www.thecabin.net
The Burma Advocacy Group of Conway is holding a dinner and art auction starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 to benefit Burmese refugees forced to flee into internal exile or to leave their homeland by two decades of human rights abuses and bloody fighting inside Burma.
"A Voice for Burma." a semiformal dinner and art auction will be held at Little Rock's Embassy Suites hotel. Tickets are $35 and are available at Sonshine Academy in Conway. Free childcare will be provided.
About 200 people attended a similar event in Conway last year in and raised more than $10,000 by auctioning off artwork donated by more than 30 local artists. The funds went directly to assist with the physical needs of the internally displaced people in Burmese jungles.
http://www.thecabin.net
Thursday, February 21, 2008
US Senate bill honours Burma's Suu Kyi
ABC Radio
Last Updated 14/02/2008, 20:43:23
Senators in the United States have introduced legislation to give the Congressional Gold Medal, America's top civilian honor, to detained Burmese democracy politician, Aung San Suu Kyi.
The bill was put forward by US Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein and Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who are both long-time critics of Burma's military government.
They had the bipartisan support of 73 other senators.
Senator Feinstein says Nobel Peace laureate Ms Suu Kyi 'a woman of unrivaled courage and commitment' who offers hope and democracy to Burma.
She went on to say that the 'Congressional Gold Medal will not only honor the life and legacy' of Ms Suu Kyi, but it will also demonstrate to the world that her cause is our cause - a free and democratic Burma.'
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au
Last Updated 14/02/2008, 20:43:23
Senators in the United States have introduced legislation to give the Congressional Gold Medal, America's top civilian honor, to detained Burmese democracy politician, Aung San Suu Kyi.
The bill was put forward by US Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein and Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who are both long-time critics of Burma's military government.
They had the bipartisan support of 73 other senators.
Senator Feinstein says Nobel Peace laureate Ms Suu Kyi 'a woman of unrivaled courage and commitment' who offers hope and democracy to Burma.
She went on to say that the 'Congressional Gold Medal will not only honor the life and legacy' of Ms Suu Kyi, but it will also demonstrate to the world that her cause is our cause - a free and democratic Burma.'
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Prayer Ceremony for Assassinated KNU General Secretary
Dear Fellow Activists,
We would like to invite you and your colleagues (friends) to join the (swan offering) and prayer ceremony for General Secretary of KNU and a secretary member of NCUB (National Council of Union of Burma), Mahn Sha Lar Phan, who was assassinated at his home in the Thai border town of Mae Sot on Thursday 02-14 -2008. The celebration will be condolence and meritorious deed for Mahn Sha Lar Phan, at the Buddhist temple Metta Nanda Dhama Vihara in Freemont.
The swan offering and prayer ceremony of condolence and meritorious deed for Mahn Sha Lar Phan will be as follows.
When: Saturday, Feb 23th 2008
Time: 10:00 -2:00 pm
Where: At the temple of Metta Nanda Dhama Vihara
4619, Central Ave,
Fremont, CA-94536
We would like to invite you and your colleagues (friends) to join the (swan offering) and prayer ceremony for General Secretary of KNU and a secretary member of NCUB (National Council of Union of Burma), Mahn Sha Lar Phan, who was assassinated at his home in the Thai border town of Mae Sot on Thursday 02-14 -2008. The celebration will be condolence and meritorious deed for Mahn Sha Lar Phan, at the Buddhist temple Metta Nanda Dhama Vihara in Freemont.
The swan offering and prayer ceremony of condolence and meritorious deed for Mahn Sha Lar Phan will be as follows.
When: Saturday, Feb 23th 2008
Time: 10:00 -2:00 pm
Where: At the temple of Metta Nanda Dhama Vihara
4619, Central Ave,
Fremont, CA-94536
Saturday, February 16, 2008
8888 Organizers Meeting Invitation
Dear members and friends,
We would like to hold a meeting and invite all of members of LA organizer, activists and friends. Meeting agendas are:
8888 20th anniversary
Thee Lay Thee update
Upcoming Sasana moli's sermon
Others...
Date:February 24, 2008(Sunday)
Time: 2 – 4 pm
Place: Baldwin Park Temple
4436 Walnut Street, Baldwin Park, CA 91706
Note: After the meeting we encourage all attendances to go and visit to Chin National Day event.
Sincerely,
8888 LA Organizers team
Together we succeed
We would like to hold a meeting and invite all of members of LA organizer, activists and friends. Meeting agendas are:
8888 20th anniversary
Thee Lay Thee update
Upcoming Sasana moli's sermon
Others...
Date:February 24, 2008(Sunday)
Time: 2 – 4 pm
Place: Baldwin Park Temple
4436 Walnut Street, Baldwin Park, CA 91706
Note: After the meeting we encourage all attendances to go and visit to Chin National Day event.
Sincerely,
8888 LA Organizers team
Together we succeed
Friday, February 15, 2008
Burma Rebel Leader Assassinated
ABC News
Last Updated 15/02/2008, 07:29:18
The secretary general of Burma's largest rebel group, the Karen National Union (KNU), has been assassinated in Thailand.
Police say Pado Mahn Shar was gunned down at his home in the border town of Mae Sot.
In an interview with Reuters news agency on Monday, he had predicted a possible increase in violence ahead of a constitutional referendum in Burma in May.
The KNU and its military wing, the Karen National Liberation Army, have spent nearly 60 years fighting the Burmese government.
But in more recent times, the group has been split by deadly internal feuds and defections to the government.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news
Last Updated 15/02/2008, 07:29:18
The secretary general of Burma's largest rebel group, the Karen National Union (KNU), has been assassinated in Thailand.
Police say Pado Mahn Shar was gunned down at his home in the border town of Mae Sot.
In an interview with Reuters news agency on Monday, he had predicted a possible increase in violence ahead of a constitutional referendum in Burma in May.
The KNU and its military wing, the Karen National Liberation Army, have spent nearly 60 years fighting the Burmese government.
But in more recent times, the group has been split by deadly internal feuds and defections to the government.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news
Thursday, February 14, 2008
PANEL DISCUSSION ON "THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA"
Event Information: PANEL DISCUSSION ON "THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA" WITH KISHORE MAHBUBANI, LARRY DIAMOND, DOUG BEREUTER, AND DON EMMERSON
Thursday, February 21, 2008
5:30 pm Reception/Book Signings
6:00-7:30 pm Program
Julia Morgan Ballroom
The Asia Foundation
465 California Street, 15th Floor
San Francisco, CA
$10 Asia Society /Co-sponsor Members/Students
$15 Non-members
This program, which opens the new Asia Society program series The Future of Democracy in Asia, will bring together some of the world's leading experts on Southeast Asia and democracy to consider the critical questions that hang over the region.
Has the American model of democracy become tarnished in Asia, and is the Chinese model of authoritarian capitalism of growing appeal and significance? What are the dimensions and implications of ongoing Islamization for Southeast Asia? What are the prospects for cleaning up notoriously corrupt party politics?
Will the military ever be driven out of politics in Burma, Thailand, the Philippines, and elsewhere? Is the American-led "war on terror" helping to stabilize politics in the region, or is it exacerbating already serious problems? What do these developments mean for U.S. foreign policy and American influence in Asia?
Speakers:
Kishore Mahbubani, one of Asia's leading public intellectuals, is the author of the forthcoming book The New Asian Hemisphere: the Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East, Can Asians Think? as well as Beyond the Age of Innocence: Rebuilding Trust Between America and the World, and numerous other publications.
Now the Dean and Professor of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, he served for 33 years as a diplomat for Singapore.
Larry Diamond is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and is the author or editor of more than twenty books, including Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq, and the newly released The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies Throughout the World.
Donald K. Emmerson has written or edited more than a dozen books and monographs on Southeast Asian politics, including the forthcoming Hard Choices: Security, Democracy, and Regionalism in Southeast Asia, and Indonesia beyond Suharto. His latest article is "Challenging ASEAN" (Jan. 2008). He is a senior fellow at Stanford University, where he also heads the Southeast Asia Forum.
Douglas Bereuter (moderator) is president of The Asia Foundation. He assumed his current position after resigning from the U.S. Congress after 26 years of service, where he was one of that body's leading authorities on Asian affairs and international relations.
Co-sponsored by:
The Asia Foundation,
Business Executives for National Security,
East-West Center Alumni Association of Northern California,
the South Asian Journalists Association, Stacey's Books,
Stanford University Southeast Asia Forum,
U.C. Berkeley Center for Southeast Asian Studies,
USF Center for the Pacific Rim, and
the World Affairs Council of Northern California
Thursday, February 21, 2008
5:30 pm Reception/Book Signings
6:00-7:30 pm Program
Julia Morgan Ballroom
The Asia Foundation
465 California Street, 15th Floor
San Francisco, CA
$10 Asia Society /Co-sponsor Members/Students
$15 Non-members
This program, which opens the new Asia Society program series The Future of Democracy in Asia, will bring together some of the world's leading experts on Southeast Asia and democracy to consider the critical questions that hang over the region.
Has the American model of democracy become tarnished in Asia, and is the Chinese model of authoritarian capitalism of growing appeal and significance? What are the dimensions and implications of ongoing Islamization for Southeast Asia? What are the prospects for cleaning up notoriously corrupt party politics?
Will the military ever be driven out of politics in Burma, Thailand, the Philippines, and elsewhere? Is the American-led "war on terror" helping to stabilize politics in the region, or is it exacerbating already serious problems? What do these developments mean for U.S. foreign policy and American influence in Asia?
Speakers:
Kishore Mahbubani, one of Asia's leading public intellectuals, is the author of the forthcoming book The New Asian Hemisphere: the Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East, Can Asians Think? as well as Beyond the Age of Innocence: Rebuilding Trust Between America and the World, and numerous other publications.
Now the Dean and Professor of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, he served for 33 years as a diplomat for Singapore.
Larry Diamond is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and is the author or editor of more than twenty books, including Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq, and the newly released The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies Throughout the World.
Donald K. Emmerson has written or edited more than a dozen books and monographs on Southeast Asian politics, including the forthcoming Hard Choices: Security, Democracy, and Regionalism in Southeast Asia, and Indonesia beyond Suharto. His latest article is "Challenging ASEAN" (Jan. 2008). He is a senior fellow at Stanford University, where he also heads the Southeast Asia Forum.
Douglas Bereuter (moderator) is president of The Asia Foundation. He assumed his current position after resigning from the U.S. Congress after 26 years of service, where he was one of that body's leading authorities on Asian affairs and international relations.
Co-sponsored by:
The Asia Foundation,
Business Executives for National Security,
East-West Center Alumni Association of Northern California,
the South Asian Journalists Association, Stacey's Books,
Stanford University Southeast Asia Forum,
U.C. Berkeley Center for Southeast Asian Studies,
USF Center for the Pacific Rim, and
the World Affairs Council of Northern California
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
USCB Announcement over Burma Junta's New Constitution
United States Campaign for Burma (Burma)
Press Release
February 11 2008
United States Campaign for Burma (USCB) released a press release today condemning Burma's military junta for their announcement to legalize the new constitution. This new constitution is a ploy to formally legalize the military's hold on power. Some may see the military's announcement for a referendum and then elections as progress, but it is actually a gross step backwards.
"The promised vote continues the military regime's process of consolidating its grip on power. It is not a real referendum, it is a charade," said Aung Din, executive director of the US Campaign for Burma.
The announcement by the regime comes one week after the leader of Burma's democracy movement, imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi, said that democracy activists should "prepare for the worst." The regime's move also comes four months after a massive crackdown on Buddhist monks, student activists, and members of Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, the National League for Democracy.
"How can the regime hold a vote when the entire opposition is locked up behind bars?" added Aung Din, who was imprisoned for four years as a political activist in Burma.
Burma's regime also announced it would hold a multi-party election in 2010 to follow this year's planned referendum. The new constitution would grant supreme power to the commander in chief of the Burmese military, effectively forestalling any progress toward democracy. The underground coalition of Buddhist monks and students that organized nationwide demonstrations in September 2007 have already criticized the plan, calling it an effort to legalize military rule and sideline the legitimately elected leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. The NLD won 82% of the seats in parliament in Burma's last election, a landslide victory that the regime has blocked from governing. Human rights activists see the upcoming votes as a way for the regime to erase the NLD's electoral victory while cementing its own grip on power.
The referendum process stands in stark contrast to a call by the United Nations Security Council on October 11th, 2007 for the regime to participate in meaningful negotiations with Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD and the ethnic representatives. Additionally, 29 consecutive resolutions by the United Nations General Assembly, Commission on Human Rights, and Human Rights Council have called for "tri-partite" talks between the regime, NLD, and Burma's ethnic minorities. Instead of heeding the UN, the regime appears to be taking a one-sided approach and refusing to participate in genuine talks.
Observers expect the military will mobilize the "Union Solidarity and Development Association" and "Swan Arr Shin" to force the people to vote for its constitution. The two organizations have led brutal attacks on Aung San Suu Kyi, members of the NLD, and Buddhist monks that have left hundreds of activists dead and thousands imprisoned.
Burma's regime is among the worlds most brutal. The regime has locked up over 2,000 political prisoners including hundreds of students, Buddhist monks, and the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi. The regime has also recruited up to 70,000 child soldiers, more than any other country in the world, and destroyed 3,200 villages in eastern Burma, forcing 1.5 million people to flee their homes as refugees.
Press Release
February 11 2008
United States Campaign for Burma (USCB) released a press release today condemning Burma's military junta for their announcement to legalize the new constitution. This new constitution is a ploy to formally legalize the military's hold on power. Some may see the military's announcement for a referendum and then elections as progress, but it is actually a gross step backwards.
"The promised vote continues the military regime's process of consolidating its grip on power. It is not a real referendum, it is a charade," said Aung Din, executive director of the US Campaign for Burma.
The announcement by the regime comes one week after the leader of Burma's democracy movement, imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi, said that democracy activists should "prepare for the worst." The regime's move also comes four months after a massive crackdown on Buddhist monks, student activists, and members of Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, the National League for Democracy.
"How can the regime hold a vote when the entire opposition is locked up behind bars?" added Aung Din, who was imprisoned for four years as a political activist in Burma.
Burma's regime also announced it would hold a multi-party election in 2010 to follow this year's planned referendum. The new constitution would grant supreme power to the commander in chief of the Burmese military, effectively forestalling any progress toward democracy. The underground coalition of Buddhist monks and students that organized nationwide demonstrations in September 2007 have already criticized the plan, calling it an effort to legalize military rule and sideline the legitimately elected leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. The NLD won 82% of the seats in parliament in Burma's last election, a landslide victory that the regime has blocked from governing. Human rights activists see the upcoming votes as a way for the regime to erase the NLD's electoral victory while cementing its own grip on power.
The referendum process stands in stark contrast to a call by the United Nations Security Council on October 11th, 2007 for the regime to participate in meaningful negotiations with Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD and the ethnic representatives. Additionally, 29 consecutive resolutions by the United Nations General Assembly, Commission on Human Rights, and Human Rights Council have called for "tri-partite" talks between the regime, NLD, and Burma's ethnic minorities. Instead of heeding the UN, the regime appears to be taking a one-sided approach and refusing to participate in genuine talks.
Observers expect the military will mobilize the "Union Solidarity and Development Association" and "Swan Arr Shin" to force the people to vote for its constitution. The two organizations have led brutal attacks on Aung San Suu Kyi, members of the NLD, and Buddhist monks that have left hundreds of activists dead and thousands imprisoned.
Burma's regime is among the worlds most brutal. The regime has locked up over 2,000 political prisoners including hundreds of students, Buddhist monks, and the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi. The regime has also recruited up to 70,000 child soldiers, more than any other country in the world, and destroyed 3,200 villages in eastern Burma, forcing 1.5 million people to flee their homes as refugees.
Monday, February 11, 2008
UNPO Declaration - International Day of Action
DECLARATION
UNPO International Day of Action
11 February 2008
On the occasion of the second UNPO International Day of Action, declared by the UNPO VIII General Assembly General Resolution to be marked annually on 11 February, the date of UNPO’s founding;
UNPO declares 11 February 2008 as a Day of Action, and the beginning of a year-long focus, on issues relating to ongoing repression and human rights abuses within the Union of Myanmar.
UNPO calls upon its Members to act in solidarity with their fellow representatives in supporting, publicizing, and promoting not only the plight of the Chin, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Karenni, Mon, and Shan, but also those other peoples and nations who remain subjugated and unrepresented within the borders of the Union of Myanmar as a result of the official and unofficial policies and actions of the unelected military junta.
UNPO urges its Members to support international efforts to investigate the crushing of pro-democracy protests in September 2007. In addition, UNPO calls for the release of the hundreds of Burmese who remain detained and at the risk of physical abuse from the Myanmar state authorities.
Furthermore, UNPO exhorts the Myanmar authorities to demonstrate a commitment to protecting its citizens’ rights by ratifying all outstanding international conventions intended to guarantee the human rights of all nations and peoples from abuse.
Members are also urged to help the democratically elected National League for Democracy to return Burma to democracy with representation assured for all Burma ’s nations and peoples.
UNPO calls on the international community to support any action and activity that favors the establishment of a democratically elected government in Burma .
www.unpo.org/article.php?id=7562
UNPO International Day of Action
11 February 2008
On the occasion of the second UNPO International Day of Action, declared by the UNPO VIII General Assembly General Resolution to be marked annually on 11 February, the date of UNPO’s founding;
UNPO declares 11 February 2008 as a Day of Action, and the beginning of a year-long focus, on issues relating to ongoing repression and human rights abuses within the Union of Myanmar.
UNPO calls upon its Members to act in solidarity with their fellow representatives in supporting, publicizing, and promoting not only the plight of the Chin, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Karenni, Mon, and Shan, but also those other peoples and nations who remain subjugated and unrepresented within the borders of the Union of Myanmar as a result of the official and unofficial policies and actions of the unelected military junta.
UNPO urges its Members to support international efforts to investigate the crushing of pro-democracy protests in September 2007. In addition, UNPO calls for the release of the hundreds of Burmese who remain detained and at the risk of physical abuse from the Myanmar state authorities.
Furthermore, UNPO exhorts the Myanmar authorities to demonstrate a commitment to protecting its citizens’ rights by ratifying all outstanding international conventions intended to guarantee the human rights of all nations and peoples from abuse.
Members are also urged to help the democratically elected National League for Democracy to return Burma to democracy with representation assured for all Burma ’s nations and peoples.
UNPO calls on the international community to support any action and activity that favors the establishment of a democratically elected government in Burma .
www.unpo.org/article.php?id=7562
Sunday, February 10, 2008
NCGUB Rejects ‘So-called State Constitution’ , Military Proposed Referendum
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)
Press Release
February 10, 2008
Dr Sein Win, prime minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, said, “We do not endorse the state constitution in its present form and the people will never ratify it. But, the Burmese generals are probably already taking steps to ensure that they get the results they want from the referendum”.
The headlong decision by the military regime to hold a national referendum in May is a knee-jerk reaction to the growing problems the Burmese generals are facing.
The regime, as the Burmese would say, is “a mad man surrounded by fire” and since it is plagued by economic woes, increasing international pressure, and widening public discontent at home, it has impulsively decided to convene a national referendum to overcome the problems.
In fact, the so-called state constitution, which the people are supposed to endorse at the national convention, is yet to be seen by public until now. But, judging from reports carried by the state-run press during different sessions of the military-organized National Convention which compiled the so-called “objectives” and “principles” to be taken into consideration during the drafting process, the new constitution will do nothing for democracy and will merely legitimize the current rule of the Burmese generals.
Dr Sein Win, prime minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, said, “We do not endorse the state constitution in its present form and the people will never ratify it. But, the Burmese generals are probably already taking steps to ensure that they get the results they want from the referendum”.
The NCGUB believes that it is imperative for the international community to oppose the military-sponsored constitution and the regime’s referendum plan. It must continue to strive to bring about an inclusive process which will determine the political future of the country and which also include all political parties, including the National League for Democracy and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, and other ethnic nationality forces.
It is also time for the international community to give through the UN Security Council a stronger mandate to the UN Secretary-General’ s Office and enable it to play an effective mediatory role in bringing about an equitable solution to the political deadlock in Burma.
Press Release
February 10, 2008
Dr Sein Win, prime minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, said, “We do not endorse the state constitution in its present form and the people will never ratify it. But, the Burmese generals are probably already taking steps to ensure that they get the results they want from the referendum”.
The headlong decision by the military regime to hold a national referendum in May is a knee-jerk reaction to the growing problems the Burmese generals are facing.
The regime, as the Burmese would say, is “a mad man surrounded by fire” and since it is plagued by economic woes, increasing international pressure, and widening public discontent at home, it has impulsively decided to convene a national referendum to overcome the problems.
In fact, the so-called state constitution, which the people are supposed to endorse at the national convention, is yet to be seen by public until now. But, judging from reports carried by the state-run press during different sessions of the military-organized National Convention which compiled the so-called “objectives” and “principles” to be taken into consideration during the drafting process, the new constitution will do nothing for democracy and will merely legitimize the current rule of the Burmese generals.
Dr Sein Win, prime minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, said, “We do not endorse the state constitution in its present form and the people will never ratify it. But, the Burmese generals are probably already taking steps to ensure that they get the results they want from the referendum”.
The NCGUB believes that it is imperative for the international community to oppose the military-sponsored constitution and the regime’s referendum plan. It must continue to strive to bring about an inclusive process which will determine the political future of the country and which also include all political parties, including the National League for Democracy and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, and other ethnic nationality forces.
It is also time for the international community to give through the UN Security Council a stronger mandate to the UN Secretary-General’ s Office and enable it to play an effective mediatory role in bringing about an equitable solution to the political deadlock in Burma.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Invitation to "Chin National Day" Event
Dear all:
You all are cordially invited to:---
- 60th Anniversary of "Chin National Day" - will be held, for the first time in LA, on February 24-2008 (Sunday) from 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm.- Location: 629 (B) E. Garvey Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91755. (Near Yoma Restaurent & Behind East-West Dental Office)
- Paul Lahpai (Live Band), Rendezvous Band and Melody Band will perform after Chin Traditional programs.
- Chin Families in Southern California will provide refreshments (Dinner).
- Fund Raising items from ABSDF: 2008 Calendar and Books will also available.
You all are cordially invited to:---
- 60th Anniversary of "Chin National Day" - will be held, for the first time in LA, on February 24-2008 (Sunday) from 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm.- Location: 629 (B) E. Garvey Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91755. (Near Yoma Restaurent & Behind East-West Dental Office)
- Paul Lahpai (Live Band), Rendezvous Band and Melody Band will perform after Chin Traditional programs.
- Chin Families in Southern California will provide refreshments (Dinner).
- Fund Raising items from ABSDF: 2008 Calendar and Books will also available.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Articles on Burma on the New York Book Review
________________________________________
[1]VOLUME 55, NUMBER 2 • FEBRUARY 14, 2008
- The Revolt of the Monks
- By Pankaj Mishra
[2] Crackdown: Repression of the 2007 Popular Protests in Burma
- a Report by Human Rights Watch
- 131 pp., December 2007
[3] Making Enemies: War and State Building in Burma
- By Mary P. Callahan
- Cornell University Press, 296 pp., $21.95 (paper)
[4] The River of Lost Footsteps: A Personal History of Burma
- By Thant Myint-U
- Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 400 pp., $15.00 (paper)
[5] "Burma/Myanmar: The Role of the Military in the Economy"
- By David I. Steinberg
- Burma Economic Watch, Vol. 1 (2005)
Others:
- See "Burmese Maze," The Economist, December 19, 2007.
- See Christopher Bayly and Tim Harper, Forgotten Armies: The Fall of British Asia, 1941–1945 (Belknap Press/Harvard University Press, 2005) (For an authoritative account of the traumatic remaking of Burma during the war)
- See Forgotten Wars: Freedom and Revolution in Southeast Asia (Belknap Press/Harvard University Press, 2007).
- See Martin Smith, Burma: Insurgency and the Politics of Ethnicity (Zed Books, 1999).
- See "My Gun Was as Tall as Me": Child Soldiers in Burma (Human Rights Watch, October 2002).
- See Amy Kazmin, "Burma's Outlook 'Poor' as Inflation Soars," Financial Times, December 7, 2007.
- See The Gathering Storm: Infectious Diseases and Human Rights in Burma, a report by Human Rights Center, University of California, Berkeley, July 2007.
- See "Myanmar: Misery Piled Upon Misery," The Economist, October 4, 2007.
- See "What to Do About Burma?" London Review of Books, February 8, 2007.
- See Joshua Kurlantzick, "Burma's Buddy: India's Craven Appeasement in Burma," The New Republic, October 2, 2007.
- See Glenn Kessler, "India's Halt to Burma Arms Sales May Pressure Junta," The Washington Post, December 30, 2007.
- See the report by the International Crisis Group, "Myanmar: Sanctions, Engagement or Another Way Forward?," April 26, 2004;
- See "The List: Burma's Economic Lifelines," Foreign Policy Web site, October 2007;
- See "Myan-mar: How to Save It," The Economist, July 21, 2005;
- See Michael Green and Derek Mitchell, "Asia's Forgotten Crisis: A New Approach to Burma," Foreign Affairs, November/December 2007.
- See "Myanmar: Investing in a Misruled Land," The Economist, April 10, 2003.
________________________________________
[1]VOLUME 55, NUMBER 2 • FEBRUARY 14, 2008
- The Revolt of the Monks
- By Pankaj Mishra
[2] Crackdown: Repression of the 2007 Popular Protests in Burma
- a Report by Human Rights Watch
- 131 pp., December 2007
[3] Making Enemies: War and State Building in Burma
- By Mary P. Callahan
- Cornell University Press, 296 pp., $21.95 (paper)
[4] The River of Lost Footsteps: A Personal History of Burma
- By Thant Myint-U
- Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 400 pp., $15.00 (paper)
[5] "Burma/Myanmar: The Role of the Military in the Economy"
- By David I. Steinberg
- Burma Economic Watch, Vol. 1 (2005)
Others:
- See "Burmese Maze," The Economist, December 19, 2007.
- See Christopher Bayly and Tim Harper, Forgotten Armies: The Fall of British Asia, 1941–1945 (Belknap Press/Harvard University Press, 2005) (For an authoritative account of the traumatic remaking of Burma during the war)
- See Forgotten Wars: Freedom and Revolution in Southeast Asia (Belknap Press/Harvard University Press, 2007).
- See Martin Smith, Burma: Insurgency and the Politics of Ethnicity (Zed Books, 1999).
- See "My Gun Was as Tall as Me": Child Soldiers in Burma (Human Rights Watch, October 2002).
- See Amy Kazmin, "Burma's Outlook 'Poor' as Inflation Soars," Financial Times, December 7, 2007.
- See The Gathering Storm: Infectious Diseases and Human Rights in Burma, a report by Human Rights Center, University of California, Berkeley, July 2007.
- See "Myanmar: Misery Piled Upon Misery," The Economist, October 4, 2007.
- See "What to Do About Burma?" London Review of Books, February 8, 2007.
- See Joshua Kurlantzick, "Burma's Buddy: India's Craven Appeasement in Burma," The New Republic, October 2, 2007.
- See Glenn Kessler, "India's Halt to Burma Arms Sales May Pressure Junta," The Washington Post, December 30, 2007.
- See the report by the International Crisis Group, "Myanmar: Sanctions, Engagement or Another Way Forward?," April 26, 2004;
- See "The List: Burma's Economic Lifelines," Foreign Policy Web site, October 2007;
- See "Myan-mar: How to Save It," The Economist, July 21, 2005;
- See Michael Green and Derek Mitchell, "Asia's Forgotten Crisis: A New Approach to Burma," Foreign Affairs, November/December 2007.
- See "Myanmar: Investing in a Misruled Land," The Economist, April 10, 2003.
________________________________________
Thursday, February 7, 2008
United States Campaign for Burma (USCB) National Meeting
Please Join Us at our National Planning and Training Meeting
The Saffron Revolution in late 2007 pressed the situation in Burma into the hearts and minds of people all over the world; however, we need to ensure that the people of Burma and their call for freedom are not forgotten now that thousands of monks and activists inside Burma have been arrested and the media is focusing its attention elsewhere.
Together in 2008 we will:
- Push for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners
- Garner global attention to end the mass atrocities and ethnic cleansing in eastern Burma
- Create a strong campaign around the Beijing Olympics, and 8.8.08, the 20th anniversary of the massacre of democracy activists in Burma.
The world should not forget the cries for freedom from the people of Burma, the world needs to act and we are going to ensure they do.
When: March 7-8th
Where:
Washington DC - American University Campus
Who:
Community and Student leaders and anyone who wants to participate and help lead this movement
Why:
Provide us all the opportunity to meet with our fellow leaders, activists, and others who are interested in Burma face to face and provide participants with solid trainings and tools to prepare for this upcoming year's campaigns and actions.
Hope to see you there, please email us if you have more questions - thelma@uscampaignforburma.org
We have limited space so Register Today!
Register Online Here
www.uscampaignforburma.org
The Saffron Revolution in late 2007 pressed the situation in Burma into the hearts and minds of people all over the world; however, we need to ensure that the people of Burma and their call for freedom are not forgotten now that thousands of monks and activists inside Burma have been arrested and the media is focusing its attention elsewhere.
Together in 2008 we will:
- Push for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners
- Garner global attention to end the mass atrocities and ethnic cleansing in eastern Burma
- Create a strong campaign around the Beijing Olympics, and 8.8.08, the 20th anniversary of the massacre of democracy activists in Burma.
The world should not forget the cries for freedom from the people of Burma, the world needs to act and we are going to ensure they do.
When: March 7-8th
Where:
Washington DC - American University Campus
Who:
Community and Student leaders and anyone who wants to participate and help lead this movement
Why:
Provide us all the opportunity to meet with our fellow leaders, activists, and others who are interested in Burma face to face and provide participants with solid trainings and tools to prepare for this upcoming year's campaigns and actions.
Hope to see you there, please email us if you have more questions - thelma@uscampaignforburma.org
We have limited space so Register Today!
Register Online Here
www.uscampaignforburma.org
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
University of San Francisco - A Conversation with former Chief of Mission for Burma
USF Center for the Pacific Rim presents:
"Burma's Buddhist Crucible: Myanmar's Murdered Monks"
A Conversation with Priscilla A. Clapp, Chief of Mission,
U.S. Embassy Burma (1999-2002)
Priscilla Clapp is a retired Minister-Counselor in the U.S. Foreign Service. As a diplomat she has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Refugee Programs and Chief of Political-Military Affairs in the U.S. Embassy in Japan.
Her first book was published by Harvard University Press, and she has worked at MIT and the Brookings Insitution where she authored a chapter on Burma in The Worst of the Worst (Brookings 2007).
Patrick Lloyd Hatcher, Ph.D., a Kiriyama Distinguished Fellow at the USF Center for the Pacific Rim, will moderate.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 5:45 p.m.
USF Main Campus, Fromm Hall
(Enter from Parker Street between Golden Gate & Fulton)
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Reservations recommended. Please call (415) 422-6828.
Cosponsored by the Asia Society Northern California, the Mechanics' Insitute, USF's Asian Studies Program, the USF Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good, and the Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning. Funded by the Kiriyama Chair for Pacific Rim Studies at USF
_______________________________
The Center for Southeast Asia Studies
International & Area Studies
University of California at Berkeley
2223 Fulton Street, #617
Berkeley, CA 94720-2318
Phone: (510) 642-3609
Fax: (510) 643-7062
http://ias.berkeley.edu/cseas/
"Burma's Buddhist Crucible: Myanmar's Murdered Monks"
A Conversation with Priscilla A. Clapp, Chief of Mission,
U.S. Embassy Burma (1999-2002)
Priscilla Clapp is a retired Minister-Counselor in the U.S. Foreign Service. As a diplomat she has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Refugee Programs and Chief of Political-Military Affairs in the U.S. Embassy in Japan.
Her first book was published by Harvard University Press, and she has worked at MIT and the Brookings Insitution where she authored a chapter on Burma in The Worst of the Worst (Brookings 2007).
Patrick Lloyd Hatcher, Ph.D., a Kiriyama Distinguished Fellow at the USF Center for the Pacific Rim, will moderate.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 5:45 p.m.
USF Main Campus, Fromm Hall
(Enter from Parker Street between Golden Gate & Fulton)
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Reservations recommended. Please call (415) 422-6828.
Cosponsored by the Asia Society Northern California, the Mechanics' Insitute, USF's Asian Studies Program, the USF Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good, and the Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning. Funded by the Kiriyama Chair for Pacific Rim Studies at USF
_______________________________
The Center for Southeast Asia Studies
International & Area Studies
University of California at Berkeley
2223 Fulton Street, #617
Berkeley, CA 94720-2318
Phone: (510) 642-3609
Fax: (510) 643-7062
http://ias.berkeley.edu/cseas/
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Internal Announcement from BAWA (Burmese American Women Alliance)
Dear all BAWA members,
Freedom of Speech, Equality and Transparency plays a
vital role in any democracy.
We have decided to serve our Burmese community voluntarily by way of our organization "Burmese American Women's Alliance(BAWA) ".
Our job is to fulfill our primary responsibility, to carry out our objectives and purposes(Charitable )and to listen, respond and deliver to that which is demanded by our people and by our members.
We have a shared responsibility to make sure that "Transparency, Accountability, and Access to Information" about our organization become public knowledge in order to seek participation from our community particularly from the younger generation.
"Leadership Development" is critical to the success of our organization.
We must encourage and promote democratic values by introducing parliamentary procedure.
http://www.robertsrules.org/
http://www.robertsrules.com/
http://www.robertasrulesoforder.com/
We can use "Roberta's rules" if you prefer, as long as there is some sort of procedure where we can be sure of equal participation and most importantly, to avoid
any misunderstanding.
http://www.parliamentaryprocedure.org/certification/index.html
I wish to convey this message to everyone to invite them to join us regardless of their Race, ethnic group, National Origin, Ancestry, Religion, Sex, Sexual orientation, Age, Disability, Political affiliation or belief and Marital status, and to become a stake holder in this community based grass root organization BAWA.
Sincerely,
Burmese American Women Alliance (BAWA)
Freedom of Speech, Equality and Transparency plays a
vital role in any democracy.
We have decided to serve our Burmese community voluntarily by way of our organization "Burmese American Women's Alliance(BAWA) ".
Our job is to fulfill our primary responsibility, to carry out our objectives and purposes(Charitable )and to listen, respond and deliver to that which is demanded by our people and by our members.
We have a shared responsibility to make sure that "Transparency, Accountability, and Access to Information" about our organization become public knowledge in order to seek participation from our community particularly from the younger generation.
"Leadership Development" is critical to the success of our organization.
We must encourage and promote democratic values by introducing parliamentary procedure.
http://www.robertsrules.org/
http://www.robertsrules.com/
http://www.robertasrulesoforder.com/
We can use "Roberta's rules" if you prefer, as long as there is some sort of procedure where we can be sure of equal participation and most importantly, to avoid
any misunderstanding.
http://www.parliamentaryprocedure.org/certification/index.html
I wish to convey this message to everyone to invite them to join us regardless of their Race, ethnic group, National Origin, Ancestry, Religion, Sex, Sexual orientation, Age, Disability, Political affiliation or belief and Marital status, and to become a stake holder in this community based grass root organization BAWA.
Sincerely,
Burmese American Women Alliance (BAWA)
Monday, February 4, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
My Friend in Burma Got Arrested Just for Web Blogging
I just got to learn a shocking news from DVB (Democratic Voice of Burma, Norway) and other News Stations that my friend "Nay Phone Latt" in Burma was arrested in Yangon on January 29th just for web-blogging. He was arrested in an Internet Cafe in Thin-Gan-Gyun Township, Yangon. The Government officials have denied to comment anything about his arrest. His parents got to learn that he had been arrested only after the group of soldiers raided their house and his Grandfather's house. His parents and grandparents heard the officer on the phone (apparently to Nay Phone Latt who was in detention) saying; "Ok. You lied to us. You will pay for this. I will slap you and beat you up when I come back there!!!".
Where he has been detained is not known, and his parents are worried about his health and safety.
He is one of the Web-Bloggers like me, who has a website on www.blogger.com, and his website name is: www.nayphonelatt.blogspot.com
Web-Blogging has become popular among youngsters in Burma and the Government has been trying every possible way to halt the information flow coming in and out the country via internet. The Government has banned www.blogger.com and all its hosting websites.
Right after his arrest, other web-bloggers in Burma are also learned to be on a run to escape from being arrested.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Italian Director to Make Film about Burma's Suu Kyi
By ADAM DAWTREYItalian News
Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi is the subject of biopic "The Lady."
Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore is planning to make his first English-language movie about the Burmese democracy icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
Tornatore is developing the script for "The Lady" with Japanese producer Naofumi Okamoto, with production to begin later this year.
Okamoto is producing the $30 million project alongside Avi Arad and Steven Paul and Benedict Carver of L.A.-based Crystal Sky Pictures. Crystal Sky is financing the pic.
Okamoto is one of only a handful of foreigners to have met with Suu Kyi since her arrest 17 years ago by Burma's military junta. He overcame her initial reluctance and secured her permission to develop a movie based on her life.
He asked Tornatore to direct because of the Italian helmer's empathy with female characters.
Okamoto said, "We want to use the politics as the background to a story about a woman who chose to be the mother to a nation rather than the mother of a family."
Suu Kyi is the leader of the pro-democracy movement in Burma and an advocate of nonviolent resistance.
The daughter of the general who negotiated Burmese independence from Britain after WWII, she was educated at Oxford U. and married an English scholar before returning to her homeland in 1988. Her party won elections in 1990, but she was prevented from taking power by the country's ruling junta.
She has spent much of the past 17 years under house arrest and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1991.
When her husband was diagnosed with cancer in 1997, the Burmese government denied him an entry visa to visit his wife. Suu Kyi was told she could leave to see him, but only on condition that she never return. She chose to stay in Burma and never saw her husband again before his death in 1999.
She also remains separated from her two sons, who live in England.
For Arad, best known for movies based on Marvel Comics superheroes such as Spider-Man and X-Men, the project represents something of a departure.
"At first I thought it wasn't my kind of movie, but then I realized it was. To me, Suu Kyi was like a character from 'X-Men,' except she's a real hero, not an imaginary one -- she didn't need to do what she did, and she gave up a lot to do it."
Arad is determined that "The Lady" be a movie for the broadest possible audience. "There's a real commercial opportunity to tell this story. I don't want to do a biopic like HBO or the BBC would do. We have to find a way of making it bigger than that. It's a love story and a political thriller. If it's not commercially successful, we will have missed the mark," he said.
"The Lady" will span the time from Suu Kyi's return to Burma in 1988, when she was 43, to the present day. The movie will be in English -- the language in which Suu Kyi was educated and which she speaks at home. No cast is yet attached.
The producers will have to negotiate the delicate political sensitivities of Burma's neighboring countries if they want to shoot in the region with local talent. Although Burma, or Myanmar as it is styled by the ruling junta, is a pariah state, it retains powerful links with China, India and Thailand.
Tornatore, best known outside Italy for his 1988 movie "Cinema Paradiso," most recently directed "The Unknown Woman," set for U.S. release in March, and the comedy "Baaria," which will open in Italy later this year.
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