Category: Features

News Features on Burma & Burmese issues

SPDC praises cease-fire groups

SPDC praises cease-fire groups

MoeMaKa Reporter No. 001

13 September 2009

        The former leaders of Kachin and Mon cease-fire groups, and their decision to establish political parties and participate in 2010 election were praised by a political article in Burma’s state-run media. By pointing out two cease-fire groups, Kachin Independent Army (KIA) and military arm of New Mon State Party (NMSP), the article eulogizes that the groups have chosen the best, the most appropriate, and the safest approach. The article also makes a comment that other cease-fire groups will also discuss, negotiate and cooperate to do so like KIA and NMSP.

          Although the author makes hints to cease-fire groups in his article, there is still quiet among leaders of other cease-fire groups. Some leaders who have close communication to media said that cease-fire groups still do not fully agree to the junta’s proposals.

          Author of the article in state-run media is Kyaw Ye Min. As usual habit of the state-run media, there is no introductory about who author is, but aims and contents of the article could be recognized as junta’s opinions. The author said the planning to transform cease-fire groups into Border-Guard-Forces and keep under Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services is good to the groups. He also makes a comment that the state, the junta will take full responsibility and accountability to cease-fire groups’ own properties and personal security matters. At the present days, there are 17 major and 20 minor cease-fire groups in Burma.

D Aung Khin – Refugees Made in Burma

Refugees Made in Burma
D Aung Khin
February 6, 2009
 
“All the villagers are deserting their villages!!!” According to the news headline, the readers might be puzzled, “It can’t be true. How can it be?”
 
Yes, it was true. There were several numbers of villages being deserted and increasing.
 
While city dwellers from Rangoon or Mandalay were busy attending certificate courses, catching buses and train, consulting with the astrologers and psychics for their better future, the villagers from remote areas were also struggling and hard-working on their own.

Yawning Bread – Singapore shows Burmese dissidents the door

Led by Singapore’s George Yeo, Asean foreign ministers last September “expressed their revulsion to Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win over reports that the demonstrations in Myanmar [were] being suppressed by violent force”, and called on the military junta there to “work towards a peaceful transition to democracy.”

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had spoken “to his ASEAN counterparts… and [would] be writing to Senior General Than Shwe,” the joint Asean statement said [1]. During that period, Singapore was the rotating chair of Asean, and people thought this unusually strong statement was a hopeful sign of where Singapore stood. But was this government, always so boastful of its “integrity”, being sincere?