BurmaNet News, February 9, 2005

[Editor]

February 9, 2005 Issue # 2652

INSIDE BURMA
DVB: Jail terms of NLD representatives extended
Irrawaddy: Press freedom groups report Myanmar Times’ CEO on trial
MRTV: Burmese official rejects "unjust accusations" on recruitment of
child soldiers
Xinhua: Myanmar to host Davis Cup for first time
SHAN: Wa lauded by populace

ON THE BORDER
Narinjara: Nasaka retains control of border after reshuffle

BUSINESS / MONEY
New Straits Times (Malaysia): Pledge to work more closely [TOURISM]

REGIONAL
AFP: Death toll in Asian tsunami disaster tops 296,000
VOA: Burmese migrant tsunami victims suffer discrimination in Thailand
Narinjara: Friendship Road construction starts in March

INTERNATIONAL
VOA via Thai Press Reports: Germany gives Unicef $ 1 million for children
in Burma (Myanmar)

OPINION / OTHER
Mizzima News: Home grown tyranny not better than foreign colonists

______________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

February 9, Democratic Voice of Burma
Jail terms of NLD representatives extended

The SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) extended the jail sentence
of Dr Daw May Win Myint, (NLD, National League for Democracy) elected
representative from Mayangon Township, who is unjustly being detained at
Insein Prison, for another year on 2 February.

Dr May Win Myint was given a seven-year jail term for attempting to form
the Mayangon Township NLD organizing committee in 1997. Although she
served her entire jail term, her detention was later extended every two
months for many times under Section 10/a (of the 1975 State Protection
Law). She has now been given a one-year jail sentence extension.

Authorities also extended jail sentence of Dr Than Nyein, NLD elected
representative from Kyauktan Township, whose case file is same as Daw May
Win Myint, for one more year in January.

______________________________________

February 9, Irrawaddy
Press freedom groups report Myanmar Times’ CEO on trial - Yeni

The trial has opened in Rangoon of Sonny Swe, co-founder of Burma's
semi-official The Myanmar Times, on charges of "economic crimes,"
according to two international free press advocacy groups.

The Thai-based Southeast Asian Press Alliance, or SEAPA, and the
Canada-based  International Freedom of Expression Exchange, or IFEX, both
reported Tuesday that the trial had begun, and said Sonny Swe could face a
prison term of seven to 14 years if found guilty.

Sonny Swe, deputy chief executive officer of the weekly journal, was
arrested in November, one month after former chief of military
intelligence Khin Nyunt was detained on charges of corruption.

Sonny Swe’s father is Brig-Gen Thein Swe, who headed a department of the
military intelligence and backed the journal since its inception in 2000.
Brig-Gen Thein Swe was also purged in the upheaval.

Kulachada Chaipipat of SEAPA said her organization was reporting on the
trial because whether it is ‘pro’ or ‘anti’, “The Myanmar Times is one of
Burma’s publications.”

Some Burmese journalists in Rangoon, however, complain that The Myanmar
Times has never stood for the freedom of the press. It was described as
"Burma’s Privileged Press," they point out.

"He (Sonny Swe) is not at all a journalist," said a well-known business
magazine editor in Rangoon.

The Myanmar Times has been dogged by controversy since its inception in
early 2000, with many journalists working outside of the state-run press
regarding it as little more than another mouthpiece of the ruling State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

The Myanmar Times staff refused Wednesday to comment on Sonny Swe's trial.

Following Sonny Swe’s arrest on November 26 last year, his wife, Yamin
Htin Aung, took over running the newspaper as deputy CEO.

The Myanmar Times website was up and running again today after being
absent from the Internet since Sonny Swe’s arrest.

______________________________________

February 3, MRTV (Myanmar TV) via BBC
Burmese official rejects "unjust accusations" on recruitment of child
soldiers

The fourth meeting of the Committee for Prevention of Recruitment of
Minors in Armed Forces was held in Zeyathiyi Hall (located) on Konmyinttha
(hill) in Yangon (Rangoon) at 0400 PM on 3 February.

Lt-Gen Thein Sein, chairman of the committee and the State Peace and
Development Council's (SPDC) secretary-1, addressed the meeting. In his
address, he said: The government is striving to ensure peace and
stability, establish rule of law, improve the lives of the people,
strengthen the economy and develop human resources for nation-building
activities, while implementing the seven-point programme for transition to
democracy.

During a time like this, as everybody can see, some internal and external
saboteurs, instead of extending their assistance for building a
disciplined and democratic state, are trying to degrade the country and
people. They are creating problems and trying to destroy the National
Convention by emphasizing on their personal preference and ideology. They
have evil schemes to disparage Myanmar (Burma) in various ways and tarnish
the dignity of the country. By trying to impose the kind of democracy and
human rights as formulated by them (West), they are trying to defame the
country by accusing it of practising forced labour, (indulging in)
narcotics trade, alleged sexual violence against women in border areas,
human trafficking and recruitment of child soldiers.
They are even making efforts to break up our Tatmadaw (Defence Services),
which has an excellent tradition. They are accusing the Tatmadaw for
resorting to forced recruitment of child soldiers for the front lines, and
trying to raise this issue at the UN so that the international community
can take action against Myanmar.

Thus the Committee will have to pay special attention to refuting this
allegation.

Talking about the allegation regarding child soldiers, he said, the
Tatmadaw is an armed forces which has been formed systematically and in
accordance with military laws, bylaws, rules, orders and directives. It is
an institution which has fine traditions.

He said in 2004, the Tatmadaw invited the resident representative of the
UNICEF to study the recruitment rules, orders and directives of the army's
recruiting units in Yangon and Mandalay.

However, Myanmar is still facing unjust accusations as false statements
have reached the UN. This is being done by some unscrupulous people who
are levelling false allegations against the Tatmadaw.

He said, therefore, the committee must intensify efforts to convey the
truth to the UN.

Later, those present at the meeting gave an account of the measures taken
in accordance with the law in various sectors including diplomacy,
judiciary, social welfare, labour and military in order to reject the
allegations of destructive elements and make the international community
aware of the committee's correct endeavours to prevent the recruitment of
child soldiers.

After that, Lt-Gen Thein Sein, chairman of the Committee and SPDC
secretary-1, gave his concluding speech. He said so long as the
destructive people, who do not want the welfare of the country, exists,
some big countries will keep on making various accusations against the
country. Therefore, in order to make the international community
understand our country, it is necessary for us to always refute the
accusations systematically.

Regarding the implementation of laws, regulations, and directives, he
urged officials to always project before the international community the
correct efforts being made by the committee and refute baseless
allegations.

____________________________________

February 8, Xinhua News Agency
Myanmar to host Davis Cup for first time

Yangon: Myanmar will host the Davis Cup Asia/ Oceania zone Group Four
tournament for the first time, the Tennis Federation of Myanmar (TFM)
announced on Tuesday.

The Davis Cup matches will be played at the Theinbyu courts here from
April 25 to May 1, the TFM disclosed.

Eleven countries -- Bangladesh, Brunei, Iraq, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, host
Myanmar, Oman, Singapore, Syria, Turkmenistan and United Arab Emirates --
will compete in the week-long tournament, with five Myanmar players.

Myanmar finished third in the 2003 Davis Cup regional tournaments in Sri
Lanka.

The country will also participate in a junior Davis Cup tournament in the
Philippines in May.

_____________________________________

February 9, Shan Herald Agency for News
Wa lauded by populace

The Wa have been turning to a new leaf since the dismissal of their patron
Gen Khin Nyunt in October, reports Hawkeye and King Cobra from the
Chiangmai border:

Unlike the olden days, when most Wa fighters would be seen loafing in the
villages, gambling or drinking, very few are spotted today. "Those seen
are more or less well-behaved," says a shopkeeper in Mongton township,
opposite Chiangmai's Chiangdao district. "In fact, many people, including
myself, are saying they like the Wa soldiers better than the Burmese and
even the SSA (Shan State Army) soldiers."

Since November, the majority have been spending more time in their
mountain bases holding meetings or training, according to the villagers.
"They also appear to be re-employing their former indoctrination
techniques passed down from their erstwhile communist masters", observed a
retired officer from a ceasefire group.

Another new presence on the landscape is Wa soldiers with "Police"
shoulder-patches patrolling the villages under their jurisdiction. "The Wa
police force has been set up in anticipation of the 26 June 2005 deadline
for our total breakaway from drugs," a friendly Wa officer told S.H.A.N.'s
shopkeeper.

However, another source had pointed out that most of the members of the Wa
police force were chosen from those of the United Wa State Army who have
put down roots i.e. families, rice fields, fruit orchards etc. among the
local populace. "This is in accordance with the decisions taken by the
171st Military Region at its 19 November meeting at Hwe Aw (South of
Nakawngmu)," he recalled, "in order to differentiate its mobile forces
from static forces."

In addition, most of the Was' important departments including schools and
military training faculty are moving from Base 46 and Wanhong in Monghsat
township and Hwe Aw to Mongjawd in the west. "Being out of the public
thoroughfare i.e. Mongton - BP1 (Thai border) road and with mountainous
ranges in its rear, the 171st will be able to defend itself more easily,"
said the retired officer.

The Wa have reportedly been going through a period of uneasy relationship
with Rangoon since the ouster of Gen Khin Nyunt on 18 October.

The 171st Military Region oversees the border areas opposite Maehongson,
Chiangmai and Chiangrai provinces. Despite reports that he had been forced
to retire, Wei Hsuehkang, the drug fugitive from Thailand, is still
believed to be its commander.

_____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

February 8, Narinjara News
Nasaka retains control of border after reshuffle

Maungdaw: Nasaka, or the Border Security Force of Burma, is reactive on
the Burma-Bangladesh border after a major reshuffle, said local residents.

"The Nasaka force now has a normal position in the Maung Daw area after
the recent reformation," said U Maung Hla, a trader in Maung Daw.

He said further that the Nasaka force was demolished by the authorities
after Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt was detained.

Though the SPDC Burma Military Authority took action against all Nasaka
officials, dismissing them from their duty, the Nasaka force in Arakan
State was thought to be free from such problems.

According to Nasaka sources, about 100 Nasaka officials from the Arakan
region, including 68 from the MI department, were recently dismissed from
their job.

The Nasaka force had been reformed through the previous system and it's
policy, with lower ranking officials given new positions, replacing higher
ranking officials, said a Nasaka officer.

The Burmese Military Authority recently appointed Captain Tun Tun Lin as
the Chief Commander of Nasaka and Captain Aung Myo Tun as Deputy Commander
of Nasaka.

According to Nasaka sources, Lieutenant Si Thu Aung became Area Number (1)
Commander; Lieutenant Aye Min Soe is Area Number (2) Commander; Lieutenant
Nyi Nyi Kyaw became the Area Number (3) Commander; Captain Win Khin became
Area Number (4) Commander; Police Sub-Inspector Aung Than became the new
Area Number (5) Commander; Captain Win Hlaing became Area Number (6)
Commander; Police Sub-Inspector Tin Win became the new Area Number (7)
Commander; Police Sub-Inspector Min Aung became Area Number (8) Commander
and Captain Thein Tun Myint became the new Area Number (9) Commander.

Previously there were over 3000 Nasaka personnel in the border area of
Arakan but now the number of Nasaka personnel has been reduced to 1955.

At least 20 former Nasaka officials, including Nasaka Commander Lieutenant
Colonel Aung Nwge and Deputy Commander Colonel Myint Oo, were removed from
their position soon after PM Khin Nyunt was sacked and they now face a
number of lawsuits by the local SPDC authority.

_____________________________________
BUSINESS / MONEY

February 8, New Straits Times (Malaysia)
Pledge to work more closely - Sager Ahmad

The Asean Tourism Forum (ATF), held in Langkawi from Jan 21-29, ended on a
happy note with participants pledging to work more closely together, in
accordance with the "prosper thy neighbour" policy.

Laos, which hosted last year's ATF, has projected 1 million tourist
arrivals this year, a number expected to grow to 1.5 million by 2010.

Laos' National Tourism Administration vice-chairman Vang Rattanavong said
that by hosting ATF, Laos had 900,000 tourists last year compared with
636,000 in 2003. He said the land-locked country, which has a population
of 5.5 million, is keen to promote natural, historical and cultural
tourism.

He said it is now visa-less travel for visitors from Singapore, Thailand,
Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia while the remaining five Asean member
countries would enjoy similar privileges this year.

The host of next year's ATF, Myanmar, is hoping to attract 750,000
visitors this year compared with 656,910 last year.

The director general for Hotels and Tourism Ministry Htay Aung said that
Myanmar is a paradise waiting to be discovered. He added that Myanmar is
more than just a land of pagodas as it has just about everything necessary
for a memorable holiday experience.

He said there are many places of interest like the Myeik archipelago with
its 800 islands in the south and snow-capped mountains in the north.

"As part of our efforts to make tourism a major income earner for Myanmar,
attracting investments is a top priority and among the projects on the
cards are beach resorts in the Myeik archipelago and theme parks in
Thanlyin and Yangon.

"Our immediate plans include the development of new tourism products like
ecotourism and soft adventures as well as setting up a tourism training
institute in Yangon," he said.

Htay Aung said Myanmar was fully committed to providing visa-less travel
facilities to Asean member countries. At present, visa-on-arrival is
available to package tours.

When they host ATF 2006 from Jan 13-21 next year at the Yangon Trade
Centre, Myanmar hopes to attract 1,600 participants from around the world.

At the ATF 2005 closing ceremony, held at Langkawi's Telaga Harbour Park,
Htay Aung said Myanmar will be hard-pressed to follow Malaysia's footsteps
in hosting ATF next year as it will be the first time for the country.

_____________________________________
REGIONAL

February 9, Agence France Presse
Death toll in Asian tsunami disaster tops 296,000

Jakarta: The number of people believed killed in December's tsunami
disaster topped 296,000 Wednesday, more than six weeks after the
catastrophe, as Indonesia again increased its number of dead.

Indonesia was hardest-hit by the December 26 quake and tsunamis, with a
total of 243,530 people listed as dead or missing, the health ministry
said in its latest figures.

The ministry said the number of people confirmed dead and buried had
increased to 115,628 while the number of people missing and almost
certainly dead remained at 127,774.

Thailand's toll remained at 5,393 confirmed dead. A further 3,071 people
were listed as missing, more than 1,000 of them foreigners.

The toll in Sri Lanka, which was second hardest hit by the catastrophe,
stood at 30,957, according to the Centre for National Operations.

The number of people listed as missing was 5,637, but many were expected
to be among those never formally identified, hurriedly buried and included
in the confirmed death toll.

In neighbouring India, the official death toll was 10,749 with 5,640 still
reported missing and feared dead.

The government was soon expected to draw up final casualty figures in
which the missing were declared dead.

Myanmar has said 61 people were killed in the tsunamis.

At least 82 people were killed and another 26 were missing in the Maldives.

Sixty-eight people were dead in Malaysia, most of them in Penang,
according to police, while Bangladesh reported two deaths.

On the east coast of Africa, 298 people were declared dead in Somalia, 10
in Tanzania and one in Kenya. Relief workers have said they believe the
figure for Somali fatalities to be exaggerated.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake west of the Indonesian island
of Sumatra measured 9.0 on the Richter scale, making it the largest quake
worldwide in four decades.

Death toll

Indonesia: 243,530

Sri Lanka: 30,957

India: 16,389

Thailand: 5,393

Maldives: 82

Malaysia: 68

Myanmar: 61

Bangladesh: 2

Somalia: 298

Tanzania: 10

Kenya: 1

Total: 296,791

* The figures include 127,774 listed as missing in Indonesia and 5,640 in
India.

In addition, 3,071 people are listed as missing in Thailand and 5,637 in
Sri Lanka but not included in the toll because of possible double
counting.

_____________________________________

February 8, Voice of America News
Burmese migrant tsunami victims suffer discrimination in Thailand

Geneva: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says at least
7000 registered tsunami-affected Burmese migrants and their families in
southern Thailand are receiving help. But, it says many more unregistered
Burmese migrants are receiving no assistance whatsoever.

The International Organization for Migration, the World Bank and several
United Nations agencies recently conducted a mission to assess the impact
of the tsunami on Burmese migrant workers in southern Thailand.

It finds the Thai government acknowledges at least 7000 registered
migrants and their families have been affected by the disaster. However,
it notes similar recognition is not given to many thousands of
unregistered or illegal migrants.

An IOM spokeswoman, Jemini Pandya, says none of these unregistered
migrants and their dependents are receiving help, despite the fact many
have lost family members, their homes and their jobs.

"Initially, all tsunami survivors were assisted, said Ms. Panday. But, now
Burmese workers are finding it much harder to access help, fearing arrest,
deportation and discrimination. There have been some reports that some
Burmese migrants who may have not been registered in Thailand may have
actually been deported."

IOM says the 7000 Burmese migrants are among over 120,000 Burmese who have
registered with the Thai authorities in four southern provinces. It says
those affected by the tsunami had been working in fisheries, construction
and tourism-all industries, which were devastated by the huge waves.

The mission team says a large-scale displacement of migrants took place
after the tsunami. While some people returned to Burma, it says most have
remained in Thailand.

Ms. Pandya says the team has come up with a series of steps to ease the
plight of both registered and unregistered Burmese migrants.

"The assessment report has then recommended measures that allow all
migrants to have access to basic humanitarian assistance without any fear
of reprisal, she added. It also recommends that those registered migrants
who have lost their documents in the disaster should be assisted and also
provided with new documents and given access to services to which they are
entitled to under Thai law."

Ms. Pandya says IOM was in contact with the Burmese government soon after
the tsunami struck. But, she says the government did not request any
international assistance for the tsunami victims.

_____________________________________

February 9, Narinjara News
Friendship Road construction starts in March

Dhaka: The construction of a ‘Friendship Road’ between Burma and
Bangladesh will start next month, said a report of the Communication
Ministry of Bangladesh.

The road will directly connect Rangoon and Dhaka, and will be built
through Arakan State.

According to the report, the road will be 130 kilometers and be built from
Ramu, in the Cox'sbazar district of Bangladesh, to Kyauk Taw in Burma’s
Arakan State.

The total cost of the road’s construction is estimated to be 1363.4
million Taka, (US $23 million), of which 860 million Taka will be spent on
Burma’s portion of the road and 470 million Taka on the Bangladeshi side.

The two countries recently signed an agreement about the direct road line
in a meeting in Rangoon.

In the meeting, a 4-member team of Bangladeshi officials, led by Mohammad
Idris Mia, Additional Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways, and 6 members
of the Burmese team, led by U Han zaw, Managing Director of Construction,
were in attendance.

Bangladesh is likely to spend all of the budgeted costs of the
construction. The Communication Ministry recently finalized the project’s
papers, which will be sent to the Financial Ministry requesting the
necessary funds, said a report of the Communication Ministry.

Burma, however, will conduct the survey and design of the road on its own.

The ousted Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt laid a symbolic foundation
stone for the road at Ramu (Panwa) during his visit to Bangladesh in April
last year.

_____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

February 8, Voice of America News via Thai Press Reports
Germany gives Unicef $ 1 million for children in Burma (Myanmar)

Section: Regional News - Germany has donated $ 1 million to the United
Nations Children's Fund to improve and provide better access to primary
education for children in Burma (Myanmar).

The German Embassy in Rangoon said Friday that the funds would be used to
help children living in 500 of Burma's poorest communities receive a
better quality, child-friendly primary education.

The statement also said the money will help provide necessities such as
clean water and sanitation facilities and basic school supplies for poor
families.

The Embassy added that UNICEF's primary education program will focus on
keeping children in school during their first two years, after which they
stand a much better chance of completing primary school.

_____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

February 9, Mizzima News
Home grown tyranny not better than foreign colonists - May Ng


Burma's independence from British rule in 1948 was by political
affiliations strongly tied to the origin of the military.

Since then the country has always been dominated by the strength of the
military and their theme of patriotism and nationalism. The extreme racism
and Burmese chauvinism that gave them strength during the struggle against
colonialism and fascism later evolved into the cause of divisiveness that
brought political instability to newly independent Burma. That in turn
gave the junta a much needed excuse to take control of Burma's politics by
force in 1962.

Burma's military was fatally flawed as the governing body from the day it
was conceived. Its reliance on political and racial persecutions, along
with the use of brutality and terror, was responsible for the darkest era
during which our prosperous nation was reduced to one of the poorest in
the world and our cultures and languages were destroyed.

The junta eradicated towns and villages and uprooted people on a scale
never seen before in our history. During a major event like the recent
tsunami, the rest of the world never learned the real impact of the great
event inside Burma, because the junta's control over their people is
complete and total.

Because home grown tyranny was not better than the foreign colonist, There
is no guarantee that Burmese people will find democracy simply by freeing
themselves from the rule of the junta. Unless a new leadership can
redefine the failed concepts of patriotism and nationalism with more
constructive views, the unity necessary for our political freedom will be
impossible.

Genuine democracy can be achieved when a country is governed by people
empowered with true legal authority and by the greater knowledge and
experiences afforded by wide representation.

There is no quick and easy way of achieving democracy because Enthusiasm
and political beliefs alone will not be sufficient to deliver a good
leadership.

In their attempt to prove that it was better for the country to leave the
power to a few men, the military made us believe that the force they used
to protect their own power was used only to protect Burma.

The reality was that their guns were pointed at our own people and Their
biggest enemies were the Burmese student protesters, while their first
target was the historic student union building. Their biggest catch was
our peaceful leader, Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

They called racial divisiveness their patriotism and dictatorship their
nationalism. Their grand economic plan was nothing more than a cover up
for their greed and corruption.

Their legal institutions were without rules of law. Their proposals for a
constitution were without merit or substance. Their armed forces were
without commitment to the safety of our people. What they could not take
by force they used trickery to get such as changing names, calling for
conventions in pretense and releasing petty criminals instead of prisoners
of conscience. Clearly, even if they had intended to they did not know how
to govern democratically. Therefore small bargains brokered by UN, ASEAN
and EU associations could not bring changes to Burma. For us it is just a
Simple question of how to trust those who have murdered our children and
robbed our treasury.

Democracy is not a wishful thinking or a coincidence. It is a well Planned
set of rules to curb human temptations for power so that we may live in
relative peace instead of in constant violence. When a group of rascals
rule the land with the power they take by force, it is called tyranny.

When a broad based representation takes charge of the power of Government
with the true legal consent of the people it is called democracy. Burma
now is a country with no rules of law to protect its citizens. For this
reason alone there is no economic prosperity.

In a free and equal society one will be protected from the Indefensible
moral, political and racial persecutions based solely upon the others'
whims and opinions. Only when no one can give away the true and natural
rights belonging to the people will a genuine freedom be celebrated in our
land.

To protect themselves from the 53 million inhabitants of Burma, the
military is ever growing larger and further bankrupting the nation,
already plagued with economic failures.

We should question the wisdom of the Chinese leaders who are fast becoming
a new global economic player for staking their reputation for the bankrupt
terror regime of Burma. This junta was also well known for their knack for
unleashing race riots against Chinese and other ethnics whenever the
excuse was needed for brutal crackdowns on their political dissidents. Now
that resentment is rising against the newly arrived Chinese nationals
living lavishly amidst the growing poverty of ordinary Burmese, the junta
is very well prepared for another political uprising. One cannot help
thinking what Beijing might have had in mind in giving legitimacy to a
military next Door that endorsed drug dealers along their borders and was
involved in nuclear secrets with Moscow.

Ever confident that they possessed the politically correct high
mindedness, the EU, ASEAN and other neighboring countries would rather not
offend the pride of Burma's tyrant, but were only too eager for their
share of the plunder. Not surprising that trade sanctions against the
junta were meaningless, with their blissful selfishness and China's
shameless greed.

It was because of the indifference of other global powers, not because Of
our ignorance of the ever-shifting tides of world politics, that we
welcomed the spotlight shown on our cause by President George Bush of the
United States in his recent inaugural address.

The universal truth about tyranny is that it is a double-edged sword.
Surrounded by the desperate 53 million, the Burma junta is showing signs
of cracks in its seams because the shadow of oppression and betrayal has
cast doubt and fear among themselves as well. Ironically, without rights
and protections under rules of law, even the tyrants could not spare one
of their own, Gen. Khin Nyunt, who was imprisoned, and his family and
associates persecuted.

After years of suffering and a lifetime of sacrifices, the leaders of The
Burma democratic movement are unwavering in their commitment to our true
and worthy cause, while the military junta has shown only increasing
madness and naked ambition.

Finally the junta is attempting to switch off all the lights from our
leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in hope that she along with our cause will
soon be forgotten by the world. With our leader in darkness and other
important heroes pressed against the walls, our struggle for freedom is
under the heel of the tyranny even more. At a time like this it is not the
fault of ordinary Burmese that they see hope in the stern speech by
President Bush, but it is the fault of the rest of the world that
dismissed our plight. We were ever so humble and grateful to leaders like
George Bush and Tony Blair for bringing attention to our cause.

If Iraq is about a war to win democracy, I only hope Burma will be about a
peaceful means towards democracy. If the conflict in Iraq has been
divisive, I hope that our cause will bring unity in support of our
movement for Burma's human rights and political freedom.

Oppression in a far corner of the globe should not be overlooked erely
because of the ideological and political differences of the various
interest groups.

The ignorance of tourists and world leaders and the silence of the
politically correct cynics sent louder and clearer messages to the junta
about their own tolerance for oppression, in spite of what George Bush
said yesterday.

Our goal is for a peaceful means toward democracy for Burma, and I Believe
that peace is our true hope. Therefore my friends, it is your protests in
place of your silence, your acknowledgements instead of your denials, and
your actions instead of your irony, combined with our commitment, that
will soon bring true freedom and democracy to our land.

We welcome President Bush's strong and clear message. The rest of the
World leaders who make critical decisions affecting Burma should also
realize that we will remember our true friends and also those who support
the tyrants. We now have advocates and activists all across the globe. We
would like to welcome all of you aboard in our quest for Burma's freedom.
We recognize that. as was quoted at the opening of this piece, that
tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered. But we also believe that it
is certainly possible to overcome the dark tyranny of Burma's junta.

Welcome to Burma, Mr. Bush.

“Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this Consolation
with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What
we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives
every thing its value.” -Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

"It is time we end all of our sorrow." - Min Ko Naing , 2004.

(May Ng is a human rights activist and a member of Justice for Human
Rights in Burma)