Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Join the Meditative March and Protest Regarding Burma's Cyclone
When:
May 23, 2008 11:30am - 1:30pm
Where/What:
11:30-11:50 Meet at Justin Herman Plaza and set up for meditation march
11:50-12:10 March to Singapore Consulate, 595 Market Street, San
Francisco, CA, 94105
12:10-1:30 Meditation in front of Singapore Consulate
Contact:
510 593 4388
Why:
Singapore is the chair of ASEAN and a great enabler of Burma's brutal regime. Most ASEAN members, such as Thailand and Singapore,enjoy Burma's resources at cut-rate prices while millions suffer greatly under the junta.
After the deadly Nargis hit Burma's delta region, there was great outcry from much of the world as we witnessed the regime's cruel and dispassionate neglect of the massive destruction and deaths. As usual, member nations of ASEAN kept quiet until they saw western navy ships perched to act in the best interest of the cyclone victims.
These are the same forces from the US, UK and France who effectively aided tsunami victims in the same region when members of ASEAN did not have sufficient resources or expertise to help their own.
In an emergency meeting held on May 19, 10 members of ASEAN said they will make sure aid from all over the world will flow into Burma without any explanation or details as to how this aid will actually make it to the areas of greatest need. They also said they will hold a donor conference -- which France denounced as it ignores the real and immediate need of aid delivery to the Irrawaddy delta area.
It is obvious that ASEAN's move is politically motivated. They should have acted much earlier rather than stalling to protect the Burmese regime's ineptitude. Had the welfare of the cyclone victims been their true priority, they would have had this meeting within days of the cyclone instead of waiting until there seems to be imminent humanitarian intervention by western countries.
The insufficient and superficial aid operations of ASEAN, still tightly controlled by
Burma's military, will inevitably result in hundreds of thousands of more deaths in the coming weeks and the potential of 2.5 million people dying of starvation, dehydration, disease and/or exposure.
We will, therefore, inform the Singapore consulate, the current chair of ASEAN, that it will be responsible for any future deaths if massive aid operations as called for by the US, UK and France are not implemented. Singapore has a responsibility to ensure that the 2.5 million lives receive the best care possible in this dire situation.
It must continue to pressure the junta to accept as much aid as is needed in Burma, whether it be in supplies or personnel, and no matter which country is providing such aid.
The question to all ASEAN member nations should answer is: Is this the plan you would want for your country in the next tsunami?
Ref: BADA
May 23, 2008 11:30am - 1:30pm
Where/What:
11:30-11:50 Meet at Justin Herman Plaza and set up for meditation march
11:50-12:10 March to Singapore Consulate, 595 Market Street, San
Francisco, CA, 94105
12:10-1:30 Meditation in front of Singapore Consulate
Contact:
510 593 4388
Why:
Singapore is the chair of ASEAN and a great enabler of Burma's brutal regime. Most ASEAN members, such as Thailand and Singapore,enjoy Burma's resources at cut-rate prices while millions suffer greatly under the junta.
After the deadly Nargis hit Burma's delta region, there was great outcry from much of the world as we witnessed the regime's cruel and dispassionate neglect of the massive destruction and deaths. As usual, member nations of ASEAN kept quiet until they saw western navy ships perched to act in the best interest of the cyclone victims.
These are the same forces from the US, UK and France who effectively aided tsunami victims in the same region when members of ASEAN did not have sufficient resources or expertise to help their own.
In an emergency meeting held on May 19, 10 members of ASEAN said they will make sure aid from all over the world will flow into Burma without any explanation or details as to how this aid will actually make it to the areas of greatest need. They also said they will hold a donor conference -- which France denounced as it ignores the real and immediate need of aid delivery to the Irrawaddy delta area.
It is obvious that ASEAN's move is politically motivated. They should have acted much earlier rather than stalling to protect the Burmese regime's ineptitude. Had the welfare of the cyclone victims been their true priority, they would have had this meeting within days of the cyclone instead of waiting until there seems to be imminent humanitarian intervention by western countries.
The insufficient and superficial aid operations of ASEAN, still tightly controlled by
Burma's military, will inevitably result in hundreds of thousands of more deaths in the coming weeks and the potential of 2.5 million people dying of starvation, dehydration, disease and/or exposure.
We will, therefore, inform the Singapore consulate, the current chair of ASEAN, that it will be responsible for any future deaths if massive aid operations as called for by the US, UK and France are not implemented. Singapore has a responsibility to ensure that the 2.5 million lives receive the best care possible in this dire situation.
It must continue to pressure the junta to accept as much aid as is needed in Burma, whether it be in supplies or personnel, and no matter which country is providing such aid.
The question to all ASEAN member nations should answer is: Is this the plan you would want for your country in the next tsunami?
Ref: BADA
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Burma's Junta Adopts Dubious Means to Win Support for Constitution
Mungpi
Mizzima News
April 26, 2008
New Delhi -
Notwithstanding the Burmese military junta's claim that it will hold the May 10 referendum in a free and fair environment, its activities on the ground and information leaked by insiders suggest that the junta is desperately resorting to various means, not all of it ethical, to win support.
The junta desperate to garner supporting votes is creating a fear psychosis by intimidating and coercing the people as it vigorously carries on with its campaign.
Intimidation and an environment of fear
In a campaign meeting held in Rangoon, a junta official who is the chairman of a township, told participants that for the convenience of voters, every vote is being registered with code numbers.
This coding system would help authorities trace the voters and the votes cast, thereby creating an environment of fear.
"In every ward, for everyone, votes are registered with code numbers against the name. It is for your convenience," the official said.
The official while explaining this method provided an example saying, "For instance, you are staying in a ward and you work for the whole day and you can come to the station only after your work. It would be tiring and difficult to find a card for you where your name is registered with a code. For this, we suggest you cast your vote in advance so as to avoid inconvenience."
Besides, the official said that policemen are to cast their votes in advance as they would be taking charge of security during the actual polling and that they will have no time to come to their respective booths to vote.
This clearly reveals that the junta has already planned polling in advance for its civil servants, which is against the universal norm of voting.
Win Min, a Burmese military analyst based in Thailand, shoring up this information said, "a reliable source of mine very close to the military said they [the junta] is planning to force civil servants, including university lecturers and school teachers, and possibly other USDA members to go for advance voting in front of senior military authorities' eyes."
"This is clear intimidation to vote 'Yes'. It's unacceptable since it violates the basic right to secret voting. It also shows that the authorities are worried that these civil servants are likely to vote 'No' if they're free to do so," added Win Min.
Vote rigging
An official in Burma's second largest city of Mandalay, who has been appointed secretary of one of the polling booths told Mizzima that while the counting of votes will be conducted after the voting, the results will not be announced but sent to higher authorities.
"It now seems that the results will be declared only from Naypyitaw, though counting will be held in the polling booths," said the official, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Sources in the military establishment said, Maj. Gen. Myint Swe, member of the ruling military council, communicated this information to a meeting of 600 people that included senior government officials and senior NGO representatives in Naypyitaw on April 9.
Misleading campaign
Sources said the junta in a bid to lure people to vote 'Yes' is also twisting its campaign slogans to mislead people.
Van Lian, chairman of Burma's largest opposition party – the National League for Democracy in Chin state's capital Hakha town, said authorities are explaining to villagers that 'Democracy could only prevail if they vote in favour of the draft constitution.'
"They [authorities] told villagers that 'if you don't like the military you should vote 'Yes' because approving the draft constitution will end military rule," Van Lian told Mizzima.
Van Lian said, In Chin state, northwestern Burma, most people do not like the military and therefore authorities are adopting this tactic to win supporting votes.
In one of the secret campaign meetings in Rangoon, the township chairman told participants that if the draft constitution cannot be approved in the referendum, the military will prolong its rule merely by saying that a fresh constitution needs to be drafted.
"We know the public does not like being governed by the military. If you don't like being governed by the military, you should vote 'Yes' in the referendum."
"But if you say 'No', the military will say they will re-draft the constitution and stay in power as long as it likes. So you should vote 'Yes' to prevent it from staying in power longer," added the official.
Mizzima News
April 26, 2008
New Delhi -
Notwithstanding the Burmese military junta's claim that it will hold the May 10 referendum in a free and fair environment, its activities on the ground and information leaked by insiders suggest that the junta is desperately resorting to various means, not all of it ethical, to win support.
The junta desperate to garner supporting votes is creating a fear psychosis by intimidating and coercing the people as it vigorously carries on with its campaign.
Intimidation and an environment of fear
In a campaign meeting held in Rangoon, a junta official who is the chairman of a township, told participants that for the convenience of voters, every vote is being registered with code numbers.
This coding system would help authorities trace the voters and the votes cast, thereby creating an environment of fear.
"In every ward, for everyone, votes are registered with code numbers against the name. It is for your convenience," the official said.
The official while explaining this method provided an example saying, "For instance, you are staying in a ward and you work for the whole day and you can come to the station only after your work. It would be tiring and difficult to find a card for you where your name is registered with a code. For this, we suggest you cast your vote in advance so as to avoid inconvenience."
Besides, the official said that policemen are to cast their votes in advance as they would be taking charge of security during the actual polling and that they will have no time to come to their respective booths to vote.
This clearly reveals that the junta has already planned polling in advance for its civil servants, which is against the universal norm of voting.
Win Min, a Burmese military analyst based in Thailand, shoring up this information said, "a reliable source of mine very close to the military said they [the junta] is planning to force civil servants, including university lecturers and school teachers, and possibly other USDA members to go for advance voting in front of senior military authorities' eyes."
"This is clear intimidation to vote 'Yes'. It's unacceptable since it violates the basic right to secret voting. It also shows that the authorities are worried that these civil servants are likely to vote 'No' if they're free to do so," added Win Min.
Vote rigging
An official in Burma's second largest city of Mandalay, who has been appointed secretary of one of the polling booths told Mizzima that while the counting of votes will be conducted after the voting, the results will not be announced but sent to higher authorities.
"It now seems that the results will be declared only from Naypyitaw, though counting will be held in the polling booths," said the official, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Sources in the military establishment said, Maj. Gen. Myint Swe, member of the ruling military council, communicated this information to a meeting of 600 people that included senior government officials and senior NGO representatives in Naypyitaw on April 9.
Misleading campaign
Sources said the junta in a bid to lure people to vote 'Yes' is also twisting its campaign slogans to mislead people.
Van Lian, chairman of Burma's largest opposition party – the National League for Democracy in Chin state's capital Hakha town, said authorities are explaining to villagers that 'Democracy could only prevail if they vote in favour of the draft constitution.'
"They [authorities] told villagers that 'if you don't like the military you should vote 'Yes' because approving the draft constitution will end military rule," Van Lian told Mizzima.
Van Lian said, In Chin state, northwestern Burma, most people do not like the military and therefore authorities are adopting this tactic to win supporting votes.
In one of the secret campaign meetings in Rangoon, the township chairman told participants that if the draft constitution cannot be approved in the referendum, the military will prolong its rule merely by saying that a fresh constitution needs to be drafted.
"We know the public does not like being governed by the military. If you don't like being governed by the military, you should vote 'Yes' in the referendum."
"But if you say 'No', the military will say they will re-draft the constitution and stay in power as long as it likes. So you should vote 'Yes' to prevent it from staying in power longer," added the official.
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