BurmaNet News, August 10, 2007

[Editor]

August 10, 2007 Issue # 3265

INSIDE BURMA
DVB: Ten students ‘seriously’ injured in crash
Mizzima News: Veteran Burmese politician on a mission to help the starving
DVB: Military fires mortars at Karenni Resistance Day celebration
DVB: Bago student sued over ID request
Xinhua: Myanmar plans to set up more border liaison offices to curb human
trafficking
RI: Burma forces pastor to tear down orphanage

ON THE BORDER
Mizzima News: CNF gears up for second round of talks
KNG: China wary of war on Burma border before 2008 Olympics

BUSINESS / TRADE
Mizzima News: Survey for Mandalay-Moreh bus service underway

HEALTH / AIDS
Irrawaddy: WHO advises prompt action on dengue fever

REGIONAL
Khonumthung News: Malaysian Authorities intensify crackdown on Burmese
refugees

OPINION / OTHER
Asian Tribune: US-Burma scholarship program enters a new chapter -
Nehginpao Kipgen

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

August 10, Democratic Voice of Burma
Ten students ‘seriously’ injured in crash

students aged about 16 were seriously injured today when a bus carrying
them to Aung San stadium from the Irrawaddy town of Ton Tay crashed into a
tree.

The driver of the bus, which was carrying about 20 young students,
reportedly lost control of the vehicle just outside Ton Tay at about
6:30am. An Irrawaddy education official, a school clerk and 10 students
were rushed to hospital with serious injuries.

“The people seriously injured were sent to Rangoon hospital. Three other
students and the driver had minor injuries and are now being treated at
the Ton Tay hospital,” a resident told DVB.

Medical staff at Rangoon General confirmed that 11 people had been
admitted after the accident, with one sent to the brain and nerve
department and two seen by facial and jaw specialists.

“The rest of them have gone home already,” one doctor from the hospital said.

While police in Ton Tay refused to comment on the accident today, rumours
have spread that the driver of the bus will be charged with reckless
driving. But residents defended the unidentified driver today saying that
the condition of the roads around the village was poor, causing high
numbers of accidents.

“It is almost impossible to drive a car on these roads. When VIPs come
through, local officials cover it with sand so that they won’t see how
ugly and deteriorated they are,” one man said.

Another school bus crashed in Ton Tay in mid July, killing one student and
injuring several others.

____________________________________

August 9, Mizzima News
Veteran Burmese politician on a mission to help the starving - Ko Dee

Rice was distributed to 36 poverty stricken families, living in Rangoon's
suburban areas today, by veteran Burmese politician, U Win Naing.

The self-styled nationalist, Amyotharye U Win Naing, donated two vis
(approximately 1.5 kg) of rice to each family living in Rangoon's Southern
Dagon Township. Despite the high prices of rice selling at Kyat 1200
(approximately US$1) per Vis, he has donated rice, which is the staple
food in Burma, for the fourth time.

"The people are delighted to receive the rice as they are extremely poor.
Our donation has come as a timely aid for those living without proper food
and shelter," said U Win Naing.

According to him, there are at least 100,000 people in and around Rangoon
city living in extreme poverty. These people suffered the most during
monsoon as they have no proper shelter, food and access to medical
treatment.

"I am donating to these people not because I am rich but because I cannot
see them starving. Though people have said that there has been no death
due to starvation in Burma, I can see that if these people continue to
starve and are not cared for, they will die," he added.

Earlier, though U Win Naing donated up to six Vis of rice to the poor
people, as he has been carrying out the donations personally, his donation
has decreased to two Vis per family.

He said that there is an urgent need for increased humanitarian aid in
Burma and called on both Burmese as well as international communities to
join him in bettering the lives of the poor people, who are living below
the poverty line.

____________________________________

August 10, Democratic Voice of Burma
Military fires mortars at Karenni Resistance Day celebration

The Burmese military marked the 59th Karenni Resistance Day yesterday by
firing ten mortars at Karenni National Progressive Party celebrations on
the Thai-Burma border.

As more than 1500 guests gathered for the KNPP’s celebrations, the
military’s light infantry battalion 428 fired several blank and two or
three live mortars rounds at the crowd. No one was injured and no property
was damaged in the attack, according to KNPP leaders.

“They fired about two or three shells in the morning but they didn’t
explode. Then they fired another five rounds at the end of the celebration
when everyone was leaving,” a KNPP official told DVB on condition of
anonymity.

The rebel group’s second secretary Khu Oo Reh gave a speech at the
Resistance Day celebrations, vowing to continue the armed struggle against
Burma’s military government.

“They have failed to meet us at the discussion table so we have no choice
but to continue our armed revolution,” Khu Oo Reh said.

Karenni Resistance Day is held every year as a tribute to Karenni leader
Khu Bee Tu Re, who was assassinated by the Burmese military on August 9,
1948.

____________________________________

August 9, Democratic Voice of Burma
Bago student sued over ID request

A student from Bago is being sued by immigration officials who claim he
has harassed them over an application for a new identification card.

Ko Nyi Nyi Htun, a second-year maths student at Bago College, said he was
sued by a clerk from the ward immigration office after his application for
a new ID card was rejected on the grounds of his ethnicity and he demanded
a refund.

Ko Nyi Nyi Htun told DVB that he had lodged complaints about immigration
staff after they tried to refuse to refund the 4000 kyat he had paid to
have his ID application processed in May.

“When my family went to apply, we were told to pay 4000 kyat in advance so
we did. I went back a few weeks later to ask about my application. They
told me we could get IDs because we had mixed blood,” Ko Nyi Nyi Htun
said.

“I asked for my money back but they kept 1000 kyat of it. When I asked
them why, they told me I was being sued for harassing government
officials,” he said.

Ko Nyi Nyi claims that officials blocked his application because his
grandparents’ names were not typically Burmese. He said that when he filed
a complaint over the incident with the township immigration office, he was
charged 70,000 kyat.

Bago township and immigration officials have been repeatedly unavailable
for comment on the incident.

Ko Nyi Nyi also claims that he was questioned by a township secretary and
his college’s administration after they found out he had sent a letter of
complaint over the issue to the regional commander of the Southern
Military Division. He said he had been ordered by township chairman U Tin
Win to withdraw the letter.

“When we met on June 16, he said he would have the lawsuit against me
dropped if I withdrew the letter. I asked him how I was supposed to
withdraw a letter that was already sent,” Ko Nyi Nyi said.

“He said I could count on him. I asked him to sign a letter confirming the
deal and he refused so I also refused to withdraw the letter. Then he
threatened me saying that my family would be in trouble if I did not
cooperate,” he said.

____________________________________

August 10, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar plans to set up more border liaison offices to curb human trafficking

Myanmar has planned to set up more border liaison offices with another
immediate neighbor of Thailand to curb human trafficking following the
establishment of the first such office at Muse trade point opposite to
China's Ruili, local press media reported Friday.

Such more anti-human-trafficking border liaison offices will be introduced
at three border points with the Southeastern neighbor, namely Tachilek,
Myawaddy and Kawthoung respectively linking Thailand's Maesai, Maesot and
Ranong, a Home Ministry source was quoted as saying.

Coordination is being made with Thailand for the move involving the United
Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) and UN Inter Agency Project
(UNIAP) on Human Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

The opening of such border liaison offices is aimed at promoting
cooperation in cracking down on human trafficking at the basic level, the
source said.

Myanmar is drafting a national-level five-year plan of eliminating human
trade to step up combating the crime. The plan covers five sectors --
cooperation through the policy, prevention, taking action, protection of
the victims and capacity building, according to the Central Committee for
Prevention of Trafficking in Persons.

The authorities disclosed that Myanmar police force exposed 191 human
trade cases, arresting 400 traffickers and rescuing 1,370 victims in 2006.

Myanmar joined in March 2004 the United Nations Convention Against
Transnational Organized Crime and Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish
Trafficking in Persons Especially Women.

The country also signed a memorandum of understanding of six- member
Greater Mekong Subregion against trafficking in persons in October 2004.

Myanmar passed domestically the Law on Prevention of Trafficking in
Persons in September 2005.

____________________________________

August 10, Release International
Burma forces pastor to tear down orphanage

A Burmese pastor has described how the military regime in the country made
him tear down his orphanage stone by stone, forcing the children in his
care to live in a tent - in the ruins of their former home, Release
International has reported.

Before pulling his orphanage down Pastor Stephen held a funeral service
for it – in the hope that his work for the children might later be
resurrected.

The pastor explained: "The time that we dismantled the building it was
like the funeral service, because we have no shelter for our children. We
invited some pastors and they prayed for us. And then we begin to
dismantle the building. It took about seven days."

The turmoil inside Burma, or Myanmar as the dictatorship has renamed the
country, has left many orphans, RI has reported. Such children are often
taken in by Christian pastors, but instead of offering support for these
orphanages, the regime sometimes just closes them down. Some pastors have
even been accused of people trafficking and sent to jail.

Pastor Stephen was ordered to tear his orphanage down. The demolition
order left 40 children living in a tent amid the rubble of their former
home. But Pastor Stephen is not discouraged, RI has said.

The pastor explains: "In our land, even if we have different kinds of
hardships and sufferings, the Lord has been so good to us. He blesses with
spiritual blessings, so the more we face problems and hardship, the more
our spiritual life has been growing to maturity. Hardship and problems
perfect us in the lives of our ministry.

"The Lord has been so gracious to my life and to the life of the
orphanage. The Lord did not keep us starving. We have food to eat. And
even if we have dismantled the building and just have a tent to dwell in
and a place to rest upon, we thank the Lord for whatever he has been
providing in the life of the children."

Pastor Stephen is convinced the Lord knows best: "He knows when to provide
and when to meet all our needs. I just trust the Lord that he will one day
reveal everything for his own glory."

Release International's CEO Andy Dipper said: "Please pray for Christians
under military rule in Burma. Pray that the authorities would grant
freedom of worship, freedom to set up bible colleges and freedom to run
orphanages. Pray also for protection for Pastor Stephen and other
Christian leaders."

A RI film crew met Pastor Stephen during a recent undercover assignment to
Burma. A compilation of all those reports - Burma's Underground Believers
- is now available to order from Release International's award-winning
webcast World Update on the Persecuted Church.

Please visit RI for more information: www.releaseinternational.org

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

August 10, Mizzima News
CNF gears up for second round of talks - Mungpi

The Chin National Front, an ethnic armed rebel group in Burma, said it is
likely to meet junta delegates for the second round of peace talks
following the conclusion of the National Convention, which is currently
being held outside Rangoon.

Dr. Sui Khar, joint general secretary of the CNF, who led the first round
of talks with the junta in March, said they fear the junta in all
likelihood will pressurise them to surrender arms during the second round.

"We have not fixed the dates but I believe it [second round of talks] is
likely to take place after the National Convention is over
 and there are
signs that the junta will pressure us to abandon armed revolution," Sui
Khar told Mizzima.

In mid March, the CNF held the first round of peace talks with the Burmese
junta delegation led by Lt-Col Myint Thin and Major Zaw Min from the North
Western Military Division, at the Indo-Burmese border town of Rih in Chin
State, close to the group's base.

"The peace mediators led by Pu Chawn Kio have been told that the junta
officials will respond within a month with the dates and intimate about
the second round of talks," Sui Khar said.

However, the Chin rebel leader said, the group would not succumb to the
likely pressure from the junta but would question the conditions to
abandon armed struggle and watch the political developments in Burma.

"We will have to see what provisions are included in the junta's draft
constitution and accordingly we will have to decide," said Sui Khar.

The CNF, formed in 1989 by Chin student activists, has been fighting for
self-determination and calling for national reconciliation through
tripartite dialogue between the ruling junta, the 1990 election winning
party – the National League for Democracy - and ethnic minorities.

____________________________________

August 10, Kachin News Group
China wary of war on Burma border before 2008 Olympics

China is wary of a full scale war between Burma's ruling junta and ethnic
insurgents resuming on Burma-China border before the Beijing 2008
Olympics. The one-year countdown ceremony for the games was opened
yesterday, said local sources.

The Chinese government has unofficially requested both the junta and
ethnic insurgents along the border to avoid a civil war before the Olympic
Games next year, border sources told KNG today.

According to sources close to the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO),
the Chinese government has been closely watching the KIO's movements and
has suggested that the KIO continue to take part the junta's development
programmes.

In April, Burmese military officials and Chinese officials met at Kunming
in China's Yunnan Province and discussed a possible war between ethnic
insurgents and the ruling junta on the border, said a KIO source.

At the meeting, Chinese officials refused to accept the Burma military
delegates request to close their border entrances and stop Burma 's
insurgents entering China. The junta also informed Chinese officials that
it will fight all the ethnic insurgents along the border if they keep
refusing to surrender their weapons after the conclusion of the National
Convention, border sources added.

The Chinese government has constructed roads and set up army bases along
the China-Burma in northern Burma's Kachin State and Shan State since 2005
as a precaution against border security and drug smuggling, said border
insurgents' sources.

While the final session of 14-year-old junta's National Convention is
underway at Nyaung Napyin Camp in Rangoon, the two strongest ethnic
ceasefire groups in Burma- the KIO and United Wa State Army (UWSA) are
threatened militarily and economically by the ruling junta, according to
their sources.

Recently KIO officials told KNG that they have no reason to surrender
weapons if the junta keeps denying autonomy for Kachin State which it has
repeatedly demanded of successive ruling juntas.

Relations between KIO and UWSA are strong and they seem to be preparing
their military units in a standby condition in order to resist inevitable
military threats coming from the ruling junta, added border sources.

On the junta's request, China has not only banned importing timber from
northern Burma which had benefited insurgents along the border including
KIO but also limited their travel inside China since 2005.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

August 9, Mizzima News
Survey for Mandalay-Moreh bus service underway - Subhaschandra M

Survey for the introduction of a direct bus service between Indian border
town Moreh and Burma's second largest city, Mandalay is underway under the
aegis of the Manipur Transport Minister Langpoklakpam Jayentakumar over
the last three days ago. The Minister was extremely unhappy with the
massive land encroachment on the State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC)
complex.

As part of the ongoing survey on the Indian side, a high level Indian team
headed by the Minister visited Moreh on August 7 and inspected the
existing bus parking facilities as well as other transport department
complexes.

Apart from Member of Legislative Assembly Dr Kh Ratankumar, H Imocha,
Commissioner of the Manipur Transport Department, Deputy Director D K
Sharma and other senior officials accompanied the Minister during the two
day inspection programme which was kicked off on August 6.

Right from Imphal, the state capital of Manipur, the Minister Jayentakumar
and his team reviewed the condition of the 110-km stretch of the
Imphal-Moreh highway as well as security coverage.

After Moreh, the team visited the Manipur State Road Transport Corporation
(MSRTC) complex and interacted with officials there for the complete
reconstruction of the entire complex in order to provide necessary
facilities to the passengers of both India and Burma once the bus service
is operational. The Minister was unhappy on seeing the massive
encroachment of land belonging to the MSRTC complex, measuring 96 acres by
private parties.

Even though the Transport Minister and his team saw a sign board fixed on
the MST office clearly stating that area belonged to the MSRTC. Only a few
acres have been left out while the larger portion of the complex has been
usurped by encroachers. The complex was overgrown with grass as high as
three feet.

Later he visited the Moreh bus parking lot at Moreh gate number I. There
too, he saw encroachment and said, "Such areas also need to be protected
once the Mandalay bus service begins". He also suggested immediate fencing
of the area.

On July 20 this year, the newly sworn in Manipur Minister made the
announcement clearing the bus service in order to give a leg up to
bilateral trade relations between India and Burma.

The Indian commerce Minister Jairam Ramesh, during his visit to Moreh in
September 2006, gave the green signal to the proposed bus service. The
project got mired as Burmese authorities failed to respond to India's
proposal then.

The bus service, which is part of the proposed Trans-Asia Highway and
Trans-Asian Rail link, would take Burmese traders and tourists from
Mandalay only 12 hours to reach the Indian border town.

____________________________________
HEALTH / AIDS

August 10, Irrawaddy
WHO advises prompt action on dengue fever - Khun Sam

The World Health Organization said in a statement o­n Thursday that cases
of dengue fever in military-ruled Burma and two other Southeast Asian
countries are on the rise and that immediate steps were necessary to stop
the spread of the mosquito-borne virus.

The statement by the UN health body singled out Indonesia, Burma and
Thailand among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as countries
facing an unprecedented increase in cases of dengue fever this year.

Burma has seen a 29-percent rise in the number of reported cases compared
to 2005, while the number in Thailand is up 17 percent.

However, Indonesia has seen the greatest increase, with more than twice
the number of cases compared to 2005.

“Vector control, such as the control of mosquito breeding in domestic and
peri-domestic areas, is imperative for prevention of dengue,” Dr Jai P.
Narain, the WHO’s director of Communicable Diseases for the Southeast Asia
Regional Office, said in the statement. “This requires the full
participation and mobilization of the community at the individual and
household level.”

According to Burma’s Ministry of Health, dengue fever has killed about 100
children in Burma over the past seven months. In July alone, 32
children—most of them under age 5—died from the virus, with 3,000 cases of
dengue reported, the health ministry's deputy director, Kyaw Nyunt Sein,
said in a recent news report.

“Dengue is a man-made problem related to human behavior,” said Dr Samlee
Plianbangchang, the WHO’s Southeast Asian regional director. He added that
the spread of the disease is affected by globalization, rapid unplanned
and unregulated urban development, poor water storage and unsatisfactory
sanitary conditions. These factors provide an increase in the breeding
habitats of the mosquito.

Last year a total of 130 children died from dengue fever out of a total of
about 11,000 reported cases in Burma, according to the country’s health
ministry.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

August 10, Khonumthung News
Malaysian Authorities intensify crackdown on Burmese refugees

Several Burmese refugees from Chin state, Burma living in Bartam Valley in
Cameron Highland, Malaysia were reportedly rounded up by the Malaysian
government on Wednesday.

Among the arrested refugees, 13 are women and they all are being detained
in Bringchaan jail. The authorities arrested 77 out of 97 refugees from
Chin state staying in Cameron Highland camp, said a Chin refugee in
Malaysia.

"Those who had been arrested might face deportation or are likely to be
caned", said a Chin refugee in Malaysia .

The Chin Refugee Committee has already sent a report of the crack down on
refugees to the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees in Malaysia .
But no action has been taken yet by UNHCR till today.

The authorities in Malaysia allegedly closed down Putrajaya refugee camp
which was located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as it is situated in a crowded
place. The refugees from Putrajaya camp were shifted to Cameron Highland
camp this year.

The refugees camped in Cameron Highland were not recognized as legal
refugees by the Malaysia government and the UNHCR. Therefore, the
authorities arrested the so called illegal refugees from Burma staying in
camps in Cameron Highland.

Thousands of Chin refugees are hiding in remote areas and jungles to avoid
the crackdown by authorities on illegal refugees in Kuala Lunpur, capital
of Malaysia .

The Malaysian government arrested around 600 to 700 refugees from Chin
state, Burma this year. Most of them are still in prisons.

Since the pro-democracy movement in 1988, the military rulers in Burma are
still committing human rights abuses in Chin state adopting different
means. Consequently, people in Chin state keep fleeing Burma and seeking
refuge in India , Thailand and Malaysia.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

August 9, Asian Tribune
US-Burma scholarship program enters a new chapter - Nehginpao Kipgen

Sixteen years (1991-2007) of the 1990 congressionally mandated Burma
Refugee Scholarship Program (BRSP) comes to an end paving the way for a
new direction. This happens at a time when the U.S. government is mulling
over possible means to Burma's problems.
Fulbright Program, established in 1946 under legislation introduced by the
then U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, is to take over the
US-Burma Scholarship Program. Interestingly, both BRSP and Fulbright
programs are sponsored by Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of
the United States Department of State.

The last BRSP alumni meet was held at Indiana University campus,
Bloomington from July 27 through 29. The 12th and last group is expected
to arrive at Indianapolis International Airport from Thailand this August.

This program has brought a little less than one hundred students from
India and Thailand. It was created to provide grants annually to five
Burmese students and professionals whose educations were interrupted by
the closure of educational institutions in the aftermath of 1988 democracy
uprising.

However, due to the rise in inflation and the non-increase in budget, only
4 grantees could have been recruited at the few final years of the
program. The overall goal of the scholarship program is to assist
potential leaders in achieving a democratic society in the Union of Burma.

With almost two decades have elapsed, the State Department believes that
this program is no longer relevant. It is also their calculation that
programs such as Open Society Institute and Prospect Burma are available
to support the educational needs of the Burmese students in exile.

According to Charles Reafsnyder, Director of Center for International
Education and Development Assistance (CIEDA) at Indiana University, this
idea has been discussed at the U.S. State Department since 2002.
Reafsnyder also added that the U.S. State Department is pleased with BRSP
result and grantees' performance.

Meanwhile, one may ask if this shift in policy is a ramification of the
mushrooming politics in Washington or Nay Pyi Taw. Indeed, what has
developed in recent political maneuvering is intriguing.

On June 25 & 26, the Bush administration, in its highest level of meeting
in 4 years, met leaders of Burma's military regime. Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Eric John met a team
of Burmese ministers - Information Minister Kyaw San, Foreign Minister
Nyan Win and Culture Minister Khin Aung Myint.

The last such high level meeting was in April 2003 when Eric John's
predecessor Mathew Daley visited Burma and met officials of both the
military regime and Aung San Suu Kyi.

This may be decoded as a new phase in the broader U.S. foreign policy
toward the secluded Burma's State Peace and Development Council. The
meeting itself was an overt gesture of pushing forward the initiative
taken by U.N. special envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari.

In another development on July 24, the U.S. Senate voted 93-1, after the
House of Representatives voted a day before, to renew U.S. sanctions on
Burma for another year. The bill was signed into law on August 2 by
President Bush.

To some distant observers, the U.S. foreign policy may seem contradicting
between isolationism and engagement. Apparently, the U.S. takes a
multi-pronged approach – supporting Aung San Suu Kyi's led democratic
movement and simultaneously talking to the military generals.

At this point of Burma's political movement, putting emphasis on Fulbright
Program is an obvious indication of U.S. intention to see greater impact
on the movement inside Burma.

Reliable source says that there were 20 Fulbright qualified finalists this
year, but only 5 of them were selected due to limitation of funds. The
program is expected to expand in the coming years.

One significant feature of BRSP was its consideration of Burma's
multi-ethnic nature. As a result, grantees comprise of people from diverse
ethnic groups, regardless of elite or non-elite status in the society.

With Fulbright Program replacing BRSP, there are some who have concerns
that this new program may not reach deserving students in rural areas who
are largely impecunious.

Some go on to argue that this initiative could only benefit children of
opulent military generals and their close associates who would have easy
access to the U.S. embassy in Rangoon. This subject was one lively
discussion at the last BRSP alumni meet.

Whatsoever the motive is, there is one clear objective that the U.S.
government is attempting to have a direct impact on the people inside
Burma. Fulbright scholars are presumably believed to return home once the
scholarship expires; which means the immediate application is expected.

At its 2007 alumni meet, grantees in a voice vote agreed that a BRSP
follow up program is necessary. Some have the opinion that BRSP and
Fulbright program should go hand in hand, while a few are skeptical about
the Fulbright Program inside Burma at this juncture.

Time will tell if Fulbright scholars are more pragmatic or effective than
BRSP scholars with respect to Burma's reconstruction and vice-versa. One
thing, however, clear is that the U.S. government will definitely be in
need of more people and greater resources once a democratic Burma is
instituted.

Regardless of what befalls out of US-Burma Scholarship Program, grantees
of BRSP are immensely grateful to the government of the United States of
America for its generous and unflinching support to the Burmese democratic
movement.

U.S. foreign policy vis-à-vis Burma's political struggle will have to
explore varying strategies in line with diplomatic relations neighboring
countries have established with this Southeast Asian nation.

Nehginpao Kipgen is the general secretary of US-based Kuki International
Forum and a researcher on the rise of political conflicts in modern Burma
(1947-2004).