BurmaNet News, December 13, 2007

[Editor]

December 13, 2007 Issue # 3362

Quote for the day: “Regarding the time frame, we will continue to hold
meetings with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. We need to consider what to discuss
and why. We are choosing "What" and "Why". So, we will take "Where", "How"
and "When" into consideration in the future.”  Minister for Labor and
Minister for Relations, ex Maj-Gen U Aung Kyi - Nay Pyi Daw, December 3,
2007.

INSIDE BURMA
Reuters: Myanmar charges activist with "public mischief"
Irrawaddy: Three more Insein prisoners stage a hunger strike over conditions
Mizzima News: Junta refutes rumors of Than Shwe's ill-health
DVB: Students wear black to protest crackdown deaths
DVB: Detained student beaten in custody
Irrawaddy: Karen villagers forced to prepare roads for Tatmadaw offensive
Irrawaddy: Activists leaders say Maung Maung not 'Mastermind' of uprising

ON THE BORDER
Relief Web: Refugee voices: Burmese in Tham Hin camp

BUSINESS / TRADE
Washington Post/Reuters: House passes bill hitting Myanmar gems, Chevron
North Jersey News: Bergenfield man sent money to Burma in violation of
U.S. restrictions

REGIONAL
Indian Enews: Myanmar's neighbours cautious about condemning rights abuse
Irrawaddy: Burmese monks in Japan start national tour to express solidarity
AP: Leading Thai politician calls multiparty talks on Burma

INTERNATIONAL
Irrawaddy: Sein Win meets the Irrawaddy
The Nation: EU envoy to Burma to visit China and tour Asian nations

OPINION / OTHER
Mizzima News: Change of guard or political reform? Only time will tell -
Dr. Sein Myint

PRESS RELEASE
Christian Solidarity Worldwide: Hundreds killed in Burma protests as
forced labour and rape continues in ethnic areas, claims new CSW report

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

December 13, Reuters
Myanmar charges activist with "public mischief"

Myanmar's junta has charged social activist Ko Htin Kyaw, arrested in
August for staging a two-man protest against declining living conditions,
with "public mischief", his lawyer said on Thursday.

The 40-year-old, who has been on a two-week prison hunger strike to demand
the release of detained monks and other civilian protesters, would have
his first hearing next week and could be jailed for two years, advocate
Aung Thein told Reuters.

Ko Htin Kyaw had already been detained four times this year for similar
protests demanding better living conditions in the former Burma and
criticising the ruling military's handling of a once-promising economy.

His and other protests in August mushroomed a month later into a mass
uprising that was crushed by soldiers with the loss of at least 31 lives,
the United Nations estimates.

Ko Htin Kyaw, a mechanical engineer by training, was moved to go on hunger
strike by the sight of hundreds of monks and civilians held without charge
in Yangon's notorious Insein Prison after the crackdown, Aung Thein said.

"He demanded their release. When his demand was not met, he started
staging a hunger strike from November 30," he said.

Having arrested nearly 3,000 people after the protests, the generals say
they have now released all but 80 -- a figure human rights groups and U.N.
human rights envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro say is far too low.

Very few charges have been laid against any of those detained, although
one monk in the northwest coastal city of Sittwe was sentenced in October
to 7-years in jail for inciting a public protest.

____________________________________

December 13, Irrawaddy
Three more Insein prisoners stage a hunger strike over conditions - Saw
Yan Naing

Three more political prisoners have gone on a hunger strike in Insein
Prison while Htin Kyaw, a prominent activist, continues his hunger strike
in protest of human rights abuses in the prison, according to sources.

Htin Kyaw was arrested by Burmese authorities in August following his
protests against the increase in fuel prices. He was prosecuted under
Article 505—the instigation or destruction of stability or government.

Two university students, Nay Lin and Zin Lin Aung, and a human rights
activist, Myo Thant, have joined Htin Kyaw, who is in the third week of
his hunger strike, sources in Rangoon said.

The detainees are staging the hunger strikes because of the prison's
inhumane conditions, such as the lack of sufficient food, medicine,
medical treatment and the use of torture, the source said.

Soe Htun, an 88 Generation Student in Rangoon, told The Irrawaddy on
Thursday from his hiding place that Nay Lin and Zin Lin Aung started their
hunger protests on December 7. Myo Thant began his hunger strike on
December 10.

Soe Htun said he is worried about the detainees’ health since medical care
in the prison is inadequate, and the International Committee of the Red
Cross is not allowed to enter the prison or help the prisoners.

Nay Lin, Zin Lin Aung and Myo Thant were arrested by authorities for their
activities in support of the September protests in Rangoon. Sources said
their health is poor, and Myo Thant and Zin Lin Aung were sent to the
prison's hospital.

Pyone Pyone Aye, who visited the prison to see her husband, Thet Oo, said
his health condition is not good, and she takes him medicine because there
is insufficient medicine in the prison.

A political prisoner, Thet Oo has been detained for 11 years. He was
sentenced to 26 years imprisonment.

Pyone Pyone Aye said she met with political prisoner Han Win Aung, who
contracted tuberculosis in the prison and was hospitalized once in
November. He is serving a seven-year sentence.

“His health is bad," she said. "He looks thin and weak. He often vomits,
which contains blood. He didn’t receive good treatment. He should be
released and have tests with a doctor.”

The UN special rapporteur on human rights, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, recently
published a report on the September crackdown. The report concluded that
up to 4,000 people were arrested, compared to the official count of 2,927
and between 500 and 1,000 people were "still detained at the time of
writing," including 106 women, of whom six were nuns.

____________________________________

December 13, Mizzima News
Junta refutes rumors of Than Shwe's ill-health

Refuting rumors that psychological problems have affected Burma's military
supremo, Snr General Than Shwe, the military chief made a rare appearance
in the country's mouth-piece newspaper.

The New Light of Myanmar today carried reports and photographs of Than
Shwe and several other Burmese generals inspecting hydro-projects in
central Burma, trying to prove that the Senior General is in good health.

However, a source in Rangoon said, the inspection of hydro-projects in
central Burma's Mandalay Division by Than Shwe, who began his inspection
tour as of December 11, is an attempt to show that the military strongmen
is still in good health and capable of taking charge of state matters.

Last week, sources in Rangoon told Mizzima that Burma's military Chief was
suffering from a psychological problem and was seeking an appointment with
a psychiatrist in Singapore.

While the information could not be independently verified, Win Min, a
Burmese analyst based in Thailand said, he has also heard the rumors and
believes that Than Shwe is making efforts to show that he is well and
capable.

"We don't know whether his psychological problems are gone or not but, it
is obvious that Than Shwe wants to put on a show that he is still in good
health and fit to continue," Win Min said.

____________________________________

December 13, Democratic Voice of Burma
Students wear black to protest crackdown deaths

University students who wore black clothing to exams as a mark of respect
for those killed during protests in September have been ordered to
discontinue their campaign.

Students at Rangoon Eastern University encouraged all students to wear
black after the September demonstrations to show mourning for those who
died in the crackdown, according to one student.

On 21 November, around 100 students came to their examinations wearing
black clothes and were made to sign an agreement to say that they would
not wear black again.

Even those students who were not aware of the campaign but happened to be
wearing black that day were forced to sign, but were not told why they had
to do so.

A student told DVB that security had also been tightened around the campus.

“There are a lot of special police force officers in the school and
security has been tight,” he said.

“An officer who was at the school said there are nine people they want to
arrest when the schools re-open.”

In Prome University in Bago division, any students wearing black clothes
have been banned from entering the university grounds.

Security measures at the university also prevent parents and anyone else
except students entering the campus.

____________________________________

December 13, Democratic Voice of Burma
Detained student beaten in custody

A 17-year-old student who has been detained for over two months in
connection with the public demonstrations in September has complained of
beatings and ill-treatment, according to his mother.

Daw San Aye is the mother of Maung Ye Myat Hein, a mathematics student
currently being held in Insein prison in Rangoon.

Although Maung Ye Myat Hein was told he would only be held for a few days,
he has still not been released or charged.

“My son was taken from home by government officials on October 10. They
said they needed to ask him some questions and that it would only take two
or three days. But now it has been two months that he’s been in detention
in Insein,” he said.

“They still haven’t charged my son with anything. He is only 17 years old
so he is still a minor. It’s illegal to do that to a minor.”

Maung Ye Myat Hein is being held in a communal ward with other 50
detainees, 36 of whom are monks from Ngwe Kyar Yan, Sanana Thatepan,
Maggin and other monasteries in North Okkalapa.

Daw San Aye said that Maung Ye Myat Hein seemed healthy, but looked thin
and had been under a lot of pressure.

“My son said he was beaten up after he couldn’t answer the questions the
officials asked him about our family,” said Daw San Aye.

“He was also made to ‘ride a motorbike’,” she said, referring to a stress
position used by interrogators where the detainee is made to simulate
riding a motorcycle for hours at a time.

Daw San Aye said she was worried about how long her son might be held.

“When they took him for the first time, he was detained for about 45 days.
And this time, it has been over two months. I want my son to be released.
He has an exam next month,” she said.

____________________________________

December 13, Irrawaddy
Karen villagers forced to prepare roads for Tatmadaw offensive - Violet Cho

Burmese troops are forcing villagers in northern Karen state to repair and
clear roads that will be used to transport arms and supplies for the dry
season offensive against Karen National Union forces, according to the
Karen Human Rights Group.

KHRG field coordinator Poe Shan told The Irrawaddy: “The Burmese military
regime is systematically using the rural people as a tool for their
military operation against [the] Karen National Union. Because of the
forced labor most of the villagers are trying to live in hiding places in
the jungle rather than living under the control of [the] military
government.”

A KHRG report, released on Thursday, said that in early November people in
Papun District, Pegu Division, had been forced by the military to carry
out road works, including cutting down and delivering bamboo poles,
constructing fences and cutting back roadside forest growth. Old people,
women and children had not been spared the forced labor, the report said.

A villager from Bu Tho township, northern Karen state, said local people
were also called on to secure roads around the clock while government
forces transported their supplies.

Another villager said: “We had to work for them [government troops]
without any payment. We have to cut bamboo poles and send thatch shingles
three or four times a year, and we have to clear the sides of the road
twice a year.”

Much of the road work ceases during the rainy season, but the onset of the
dry season in November marks a return to various forced labor projects in
support of military operations.

A recent KNU statement said the Burmese junta had deployed 83 new
battalions in KNU-controlled areas, bringing Burmese army strength there
to a total of 187 battalions. A KNU official said the deployment had
necessitated the construction of more roads.

In the past year, Burmese troops have attacked KNU brigades 1, 2, 3 and 5
in northern Karen State and Pegu Division, killing more than 300 people
and displacing more than 30,000, many of whom are still in hiding in the
jungle.

The KNU and the Burmese military government reached a ceasefire known as
the “Gentlemen’s Agreement” in December 2003 at a meeting between a Karen
delegation led by the late KNU leader, Gen Bo Mya, and deposed Burmese
Prime Minster Gen Khin Nyunt.

Following Khin Nyunt’s downfall in October 2004 and the defection to the
Burmese army of the former head of KNU Brigade 7, Maj-Gen Htain Maung, in
early 2007, the KNU ended all communications with the junta.

____________________________________

December 13, Irrawaddy
Activists leaders say Maung Maung not 'Mastermind' of uprising - Wai Moe

Leading Burmese activists this week disputed claims by exiled politician
and labor activist Maung Maung that he trained people to participate in
the September uprising.

Maung Maung, a controversial politician in exile, was quoted in The
Washington Post, on December 4, "We had about 200 people inside the
country trained to take pictures with digital and video cameras. We also
trained them to transmit using satellite phones and Internet cafes. They
were on the front lines when the demonstrations started.”

"We want money for Sat phones, for digital cameras, for typewriters for
the monks, for bicycles. We need it now"—Maung Maung

"We want money for Sat phones, for digital cameras, for typewriters for
the monks, for bicycles. We need it now," he told the Post.

However, many pro-democracy opposition groups inside and outside Burma
strongly disputed Maung Maung's claims and are critical of his
unsubstantiated comments.

U Sila Nanda, a leading monk during the September uprising who arrived on
the Thai-Burmese border recently, said independent monks led the mass
protests and no exiled politicians were behind the uprising.

On December 3 in press conference in Naypyidaw, the Burmese junta's Police
Director Brig-Gen Khin Yi alleged that exiled Burmese opposition groups
and politicians were the masterminds behind the planning and organizing of
the pro-democracy uprising.

U Sila Nanda said the junta’s claim in the press conference that Maung
Maung, also known as Pyi Thit Nyunt Wai, played a leadership role in the
uprising was false.

Maung Maung is also secretary of The Federation of Trade Unions—Burma
(FTUB). On Thursday, he was in Washington, DC, with a Burmese delegation
lobbying for funds to aid opposition groups.

“The exiled politician [Maung Maung] was not related to the monks in Burma
during the uprising,” said U Sila Nanda.

“The monks in Burma are clearly free from any exiled organization. If any
politicians tried to control the monks, we [monks] would not accept it.

"If they want credit for the monk-led demonstrations, then they should
cooperate with the monks,” he said.

Tun Myint Aung, a leader of the 88 Generation Students group who is in
hiding, told The Irrawaddy this week that exiled politicians and activists
should speak carefully about the causes behind the demonstrations.

“This kind of talk can split the pro-democracy movement," he said. "It can
also make more risky situations for activists inside Burma. It is
counterproductive.

"Nobody, including the 88 group, systematically prepare for the movement.
It happened naturally through the people’s momentum.

“On August 19, we marched in Rangoon. But we did not prepare for that
march. We immediately decided to march because of the Burmese people’s
poor situation after the fuel price hike by the junta.”

Bo Kyi, the joint secretary of the Assistance Association for Political
Prisoners (Burma), said all anti-junta protests were originated by people
inside Burma who suffer under the military rules.

“Exiled politicians should not say that it was their work," he said.

All the junta's accusations were false, he said.

"No one gave money to people to join the protests. Hundreds of thousands
of people decided to join the protests for democracy and their future,” he
said.

Naing Aung, the secretary-general of the Forum for Democracy in Burma,
said most protesters were independent monks, young people and students who
were not connected to exiled groups such as the FDB or FTUB.

He was critical of exiled leaders who claim ties to groups inside Burma,
also saying it could make trouble for pro-democracy activists.

Both Bo Kyi and Naing Aung were named by Brig-Gen Khin Yi as masterminds
behind the scene of the September uprising.

A former political prisoner in Mae Sot also disputed statements made by
Maung Maung, who, during a meeting on the border during the uprising, said
members of his trade union organization would join the uprising.

"But none of his men joined the September movement,” the activist said.

In the press conference in Naypyidaw, Police Director Brig-Gen Khin Yi
alleged that systematic planning designed to topple the junta was done
months before the uprising.

He claimed the main group behind the opposition was the FDB, which is
based on the Thai-Burmese border.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

December 13, Relief Web
Refugee voices: Burmese in Tham Hin camp

Kohatu didn't give his age, but he looked to be in his late 40's. He had
recently arrived with his seven children at the Tham Hin refugee camp in
Thailand, about three hours outside of Bangkok, after fleeing persecution
in Burma. In Tham Hin, over 8,400 people are crammed onto land little more
than one quarter of a mile wide and one mile long.

Suffering the results of old injuries, Kohatu has limited use of his right
arm and difficulty walking. His wife died in Burma, and he is now living
with his children in a house vacated by his sister who was recently
resettled in the United States.

Kohatu told Refugees International that he walked four days from his
village in Burma to Tham Hin camp. He escaped without food and slept in
the jungle without shelter, constantly fearing arrest and detention by the
Burmese police.

Processing for newly entering refugees has been all but been halted by the
Thai government, and so neither Kohatu nor his children are officially
registered in the camp. They are not eligible for resettlement to a 3rd
country or official protection, though now that they are inside the camp,
they have access to food and other services provided by nongovernmental
organizations.

Kohatu is pleased that he and his children are more secure from violence
and intimidation. They receive food and his children are able to go to a
culturally appropriate school inside the camp. Most residents echo these
sentiments, but there are still serious issues. Because of the density of
the living conditions and the length of time people have been here, pit
latrines are full, leading to serious health threats from cholera and
other diseases.

After nine years of a daily diet of rice and yellow beans, with no space
to grow their own vegetables inside the camp, many complain of the
monotony of the diet. Some small, unofficial shops sell other vegetables
and the occasional product gathered from outside the camp, but very few
people have the money to buy these goods.

Residents of Tham Hin are not permitted to leave the camp to work, nor are
there enough skills training or income generation projects inside the
camp. A number of individuals do sneak out of the camp to work in the
nearby sugar cane fields or rubber plantation, but they are often subject
to extortion by the local Thai police. Some women have even been raped,
but little effort has been made to find their assailants.

The residents of Tham Hin are largely Burmese Karen, an ethnic minority
from the Karen state in eastern Burma. The Karen's military resistance
against the current Burmese government has contributed to their exodus
from Burma. Tham Hin was created in 1997 to house the Burmese urban
refugees – Karen and others – who had congregated in Bangkok. Only about
half of the population requested to be resettled permanently in a 3rd
country. The US and other countries processed and resettled almost 4,000
of its residents in the last two years, but instead of creating additional
space and easing the overcrowding, a large flow of new arrivals has come
in the last two years to take their place.

Looking at the faces of Kohatu and his seven children, and at the faces of
so many in these camps, it is clear that a more vigorous search for
answers for those seeking resettlement or the right to remain in Thailand
is imperative.

Tat Maxwell, a member of Refugees International's Board of Directors,
recently completed a 10-day mission to evaluate the situation for Burmese
refugees in Thailand

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/SODA-79U8AF?OpenDocument

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

December 11, Reuters
House passes bill hitting Myanmar gems, Chevron - Paul Eckert, Asia
Correspondent

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday blocking
imports of Myanmar rubies and removing tax credits for U.S. firms
investing in the military-ruled Southeast Asian country.

The Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act, drafted
after Myanmar's suppression of pro-democracy protests in September, was
approved as the junta rejected a U.N. report putting the death toll from
that crackdown at 31.

The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Tom Lantos, bans the import
of Myanmar gems into the United States, freezes the assets of the
country's leaders and stops the former Burma from using U.S. financial
institutions via third countries to launder funds of its leaders or close
relatives.

His amendment to U.S. trade sanctions imposed in 2003 also targets the
sale in America of rubies routed through China, India and Thailand to
circumvent curbs on trade with Myanmar.

The bill, which must be approved by the U.S. Senate and signed into law by
President George W. Bush, also would stop the U.S. oil major Chevron Corp
from taking tax deductions on its investment in Myanmar's Yadana natural
gas field.

"The vile reaction of the Burmese junta to peaceful calls for democracy
showed the world the moral bankruptcy of this regime," said Lantos,
chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs.

"Unfortunately, the thugs in charge are not in a state of economic
bankruptcy to match. Today's legislation hits these military dictators
where it hurts -- in the pocketbook," he said in a statement after the
bill passed unopposed.

CHEVRON QUESTIONS MEASURE

Lantos has estimated that Myanmar produces more than 90 percent of the
world's rubies and fine-quality jade and that the military junta is
projected to make $300 million this year from the gem trade.

California-based Chevron said its stake in the Yadana gas pipe-line made
it a "constructive, positive force" that helped support energy needs and
economic growth and provided health and social development programs for
local communities.

"Chevron shares congressional concerns for a peaceful resolution, however
punitive tax measures against one company will not serve the purpose of
helping the people of Myanmar and may have unintended consequences," it
said in a statement.

Chevron warned that holding back taxes to the Myanmar government could
lead it to violate its contract and possibly face a seizure of assets.

Aung Din, director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma, a pro-democracy group,
called the legislation a timely rebuke to Myanmar generals as they defy
U.N. recommendations for dialogue with opponents, including detained Nobel
Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

"This is the time for the international community to increase pressure
against the Burmese military junta," he said.

Myanmar has been under military control since a 1962 coup. The army held
elections in 1990, but refused to hand over power after suffering a
humiliating defeat at the hands of Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy.

(Additional reporting by Tom Doggett, edited by Richard Meares)

____________________________________

December 11, North Jersey News
Bergenfield man sent money to Burma in violation of U.S. restrictions

A Bergenfield man pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges of operating
an unlicensed money-transfer business that sent more than $4 million to
his homeland in Burma.

Myint Wai, 30, a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University, faces up to
five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced March 26 by
U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan.

A legal resident of the U.S. for 11 years, Wai acknowledged in court that
between November 2004 and February 2006 he wired more than $4 million from
four bank accounts he controlled to 22 companies and nine individuals in
China, Malaysia, Israel, Vietnam and the United Kingdom.

Wai admitted the funds were ultimately transmitted to Burma, officially
known as Myanmar, a country that is under military rule and subject to
U.S. trade restrictions, including the blocking of money transfers, said
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmelia M. Valdes.

Hazlet attorney Michael J. Pappa said his client was merely providing a
service to his countrymen.

“He was trying to help people from his county who had no way to transfer
money back and forth because of the block,” Pappa said. “He felt the need
to help the people in his country.”

Pappa said Wai had looked into acquiring a state license to engage in the
money remitting business but found the insurance requirements
“prohibitively expensive.”

____________________________________
REGIONAL

December 13, Indian Enews
Myanmar's neighbours cautious about condemning rights abuse

There was a clear division between countries at the Human Rights Council
while discussing the findings of a report on the human rights situation in
Myanmar, with Asian neighbours preferring a more cautious and
non-condemnatory tone.
'India has consistently maintained that all initiatives taken in this
connection should be forward looking, non-condemnatory and seek to engage
the government of Myanmar in a non-intrusive and constructive manner,'
said Swashpawan Singh, India's permanent representative to the UN.

The 32-page report by Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, special rapporteur on the
situation of human rights in Myanmar, suggests a number of immediate and
transitional measures that the Myanmar government must undertake,
including allowing an international commission of enquiry.

Bo Qian of China noted that the government of Myanmar had resumed dialogue
to push forward the seven-step process towards democratisation.

'This had not been an easy task. The international community should be
patient and understand the difficulties faced in the national
reconciliation process,' Bo said.

The Malaysian delegate, Mohamed Zin Amran, said the council should respond
positively to the ongoing efforts undertaken and the clear commitment
given by the government by 'adopting, if at all necessary, a forward
looking, constructive and consensus approach that could result in
meaningful improvements on the ground for the people of Myanmar'.

Speaking on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Tehmina
Janjua of Pakistan said there was no need for an international commission
of enquiry to go to Myanmar as the UN secretary-general's special advisor
and special rapporteur had been given positive responses from the Myanmar
government.

Erlinda F. Basilio of the Philippines said greater and quicker progress
was required towards the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the full and free
participation of political parties in the political process, and the
peaceful return to democracy.

'This might take time and it was important to recognise the unique local
situation and economic and social challenges and acknowledge steps
forward,' Basilio said.

In contrast to such emphasis by the Asian neighbours, other countries,
including the US, Canada, Australia, and members of the European Union,
were more vocal in condemning human right abuse in Myanmar.

In his report, Pinheiro called on the Myanmar government to urgently
release all people who have been detained for protesting against the junta
rule. Reports from released detainees gave the impression that they had
undergone harsh treatment during their interrogation phase. The level of
violence and insults against monks and monasteries were particularly
shocking.

____________________________________

December 13, Irrawaddy
Burmese monks in Japan start national tour to express solidarity - Neil
Lawrence

With Burma's brutal suppression of Buddhist monks and other protesters in
September fading from the world's spotlight, members of the Burmese Sangha
living abroad have stepped up their efforts to keep the world's attention
on the ongoing crisis in their homeland.

Prominent members of the International Burmese Monks Organization, or
Sasana Moli, will begin a one-week tour of Japan on Saturday, starting in
Nagoya and finishing in Tokyo on December 16.

The group will call on Burma's junta to "immediately cease all hostile
acts of repression and start genuine political reformation by inclusive
dialogue."

The goodwill mission, made at the invitation of Buddhist groups in Japan,
will be led by Ven U Pannavamsa, a respected senior Burmese monk who has
established temples around the world.

Ven U Pannavamsa is also president of Sasana Moli, which was formed in Los
Angeles on October 27 to "work together with the international Buddhist
community in defending and protecting Buddhism."

In recent months, Burma has witnessed unprecedented attacks on its
monastic community, whose support has for centuries been regarded as key
to the legitimacy of any government in the predominantly Buddhist country.

While images of soldiers shooting at monks, beating monks and dragging
monks away shocked viewers around the world, the ongoing suppression of
pro-democracy activists remains largely unseen, according to Ven U
Pannavamsa.

"Extra-judicial imprisonments, forced disrobing, torture and keeping
detainees under very inhumane conditions are widespread and less
reported," he said.

On Sunday, Ven U Pannavamsa and Ven Ashin Sujana, another senior monk
based in California, spoke to an audience of about 50 people in Kyoto, an
important center of Japanese Buddhism. The audience consisted largely of
members of various Buddhist sects or organizations.

The response of the Japanese Buddhist community to the junta's crackdown
on monks in late September has been uncharacteristically strong. On
September 28, the Japan Buddhist Federation (JBF), which represents most
of the major Buddhist sects in Japan, released a statement expressing its
"indignation and deep regret" at the Burmese junta's handling of the
peaceful protests.

The statement was "a bit of a surprise for everyone who knows the
organization because it's very rare for JBF to mention any topics which
are deemed political by the traditional Japanese Buddhist Sangha,"
according to Tetsu Hakoda, administrator of the Japanese-language
BurmaInfo.org Web site.

As a religious organization, Sasana Moli has been careful to avoid charges
of political meddling. In a press release prepared for the Japan tour, the
group, which has about 500 members worldwide, said, "We are in no way
interfering in the affairs of Burma’s politics; however, as an act of
compassion and goodwill, [we are] expressing our heartfelt position and
beneficial input for the suffering brothers and sisters of Burma."

Ven U Pannavamsa said he and fellow monks outside of Burma decided to
express their views publicly after "inside monks asked us to speak to the
international community" on their behalf. He stopped short of calling for
international intervention, noting the Burmese regime has not responded to
pressure from the United Nations or other countries.

On December 3, however, another leading member of Sasana Moli, Ven Ashin
Nayaka, called for "strong, effective and timely intervention by the
international community" in an address he gave to the US Commission on
International Religious Freedom. "This is a moral crisis that Americans
must stand [up] for," he said.

Speaking to a Japanese audience, Ven U Pannavamsa made no mention of
Tokyo's official policy towards the Burmese junta, which has been
criticized by many Burma observers as too soft.

In response to the September 27 shooting death of photojournalist Kenji
Nagai by a Burmese soldier, the Japanese government suggested that it
might further curb aid to Burma. In October, Tokyo canceled an aid grant
of US $ 4.7 million for a business education center in Rangoon.

The monks' message was well received in Kyoto, where members of the
audience asked questions and offered expressions of support. One man, who
identified himself as a Christian pastor, expressed solidarity with his
Buddhist counterparts who felt a need to transcend their spiritual role to
address temporal issues.

Ven U Pannavamsa said he agreed with the pastor and that "clergies,
regardless of their religion, should care for people in need."

____________________________________

December 13, Associated Press
Leading Thai politician calls multiparty talks on Burma

As Thailand heads toward December 23 elections, the leader of the most
popular political party proposed Thursday that the country host an
international summit to resolve the Burma crisis if he becomes prime
minister.

Samak Sundaravej, head of the People's Power Party, said Thailand should
hold a conference modeled after six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear
weapons program. Polls show that PPP is likely to win the most seats in
Thailand's 480-seat parliament.

People Power party leader Samak Sundaravej speaks to his supporters during
an election campaign rally in Bangkok on December 12. [Photo: Reuters]

Foreign affairs have been a non-issue during the campaign, but Samak said
in an interview with AP Television News that as head of government he
would propose multiparty talks with Burma which sparked global outrage
after violently suppressing pro-democracy protests in September.

In addition to Thailand and Burma, he said they should use Singapore, the
United States, France, Japan and China, including countries that he
thought could influence Burma because of investment and trading ties.

"Let's talk. Let them (the junta) know that they can't live like that in
the world," said Samak, a 72-year-old veteran politician known as a
right-winger with a sharp tongue.

Samak said his approach would be "soft pressure" on Burma, since economic
sanctions imposed by the US and other countries have failed to coax
reforms.

Burma and Thailand are both members of the 10-nation Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, which has been criticized for failing to take a
tough stance against Burma.

The junta's troops quashed a pro-democracy movement in September by
opening fire on protesters led by Buddhist monks.

The junta says 15 people were killed but a UN human rights investigator
says he determined at least 31 people were killed, 650 people remained in
custody and another 74 were still missing.

Thailand's election will be the first since a September 2006 coup deposed
then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was accused of corruption and
abuse of power.

Thaksin remains popular among rural voters who benefited from his populist
policies. His ruling party was dissolved but then regrouped as the
People's Power Party, which vows to continue Thaksin's policies of
low-cost health care and debt suspension for the poor.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

December 13, Irrawaddy
Sein Win meets the Irrawaddy - Lalit K Jha

The Burmese prime minister in exile, Dr Sein Win, says that the release of
democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi is the first necessary step to start any
“meaningful dialogue” with the military junta toward the restoration of
democracy in Burma.

In an exclusive interview with The Irrawaddy on his return from Europe,
where he had gone to seek support for the pro-democracy movement in Burma,
Dr Sein Win alleged that the present regime did not appear to be serious
about moving ahead toward a national reconciliation process and was simply
killing time.

A first cousin of Aung San Suu Kyi, Dr Sein Win has been the elected but
exiled prime minister of Burma in his capacity as the chairman of the
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma since 1990 when
elected delegates of the People’s Assembly formed a government in exile.

Though he says he would rather live in India, Sein Win is based in
Washington DC from where he runs a global campaign against the Burmese
military regime, which he says “has to go” sooner or later.

“When it comes to dialogue (with the military regime), we are not at all
satisfied; the military is dragging its feet,” said Sein Win, who will
turn 63 on December 16. He noted that, on the one hand, the junta leaders
say they are interested in talking, but on the other hand, they are going
ahead with their own program—the “road map” to democracy.

“What is the use?” he asked rhetorically. “The first step is that we want
the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi. They have to release political
prisoners. Then they have to start—what we call—a meaningful dialogue,” he
said.

Sein Win confirmed that his government in exile supports the continuation
of the initiative and mediation of the UN special envoy to Burma, Ibrahim
Gambari.

“Gambari has proposed several good things to the military. There has not
been any response to those. Instead they have announced that they will go
ahead with their own ‘road map for democracy’—their seven-point program.
In such a scenario, there is no basis of dialogue,” he said.

Dialogue, the exiled premier explained, means “meeting together,
understanding the views and perspectives of each other; talking and trying
to arrive at a solution, a compromise. This is nature of dialogue.”
Nothing of this sort is visible under the present circumstances, he
observed.

On the current situation inside Burma, Sein Win said, “The repression in
Burma is still going on. There is no improvement in the other situations
either. The reasons for the crisis are still there.

“People (in Burma) are very angry,” he added. “It won’t go away so easily,
although you might not see large demonstrations in the street.”

Referring to the recent statement of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in
Bangkok earlier this week, Sein Win concurred that the patience of the
international community and the people of Burma—both inside and outside
the country—is running out. The military regime has got a chance to quit
and exit, he said.

“After the ‘Saffron Revolution,’ in September, response from the Western
world—especially the US, Canada and the European countries—was very good.
Everybody now knows what the nature of the military regime is,” he said.

Asked why the government in exile was not very active in leading the
pro-democracy movement from the front, Sein Win said that his government
had been working in its own way to reach its goal—to mobilize people
inside Burma and galvanize the support of the international community
toward exerting pressure on the military junta.

The developments in September and October, he observed, were the results
of more than a decade’s work of his government both inside and outside the
country.

With regard to his government’s relations with other countries, including
India and China, he said: “You know
 sometimes countries have difficulties
in dealing with us, because they recognize the military.”

While the United States and several European countries have official
relationships with the regime, at the same time they entertain the
pro-democracy leaders too. “In the thinking of our neighbors, maybe that
is not the point—they have an ‘either/or’ situation,” he explains.

The exiled premier went on to say that, for him, India had been the
biggest disappointment. “India, which proclaims itself as the world’s
largest democracy, has failed very badly. We were elected by the people of
Burma in the 1990 elections. We are advocating a peaceful transition. We
are advocating dialogue. We are advocating human rights. Why [the Indian
government] can’t let us visit India to meet our people, I can’t imagine
this thing from India, a democratic country.”

Expressing disappointment that a visa to visit India has not been granted
to him, despite several applications, he said, “You have to ask the Indian
government why they do not give visas to us; after all, we are the
democratically elected people of Burma. We are the true representatives of
the people of Burma, but still we are not given visas.

“It is not easy to meet the Indian leaders,” Sein Win added. “I would like
to meet the Indian leaders to present our point of view. But no one in the
Indian government is willing to give us a patient hearing. The last time I
met an Indian leader was in 1992; then I said the same thing—if India is
willing to accept us, we will come to India and we will not stay in the
US,” he said.

China is much the same case, according to Sein Win. “Like India, it is
very difficult for us to meet with higher Chinese officials,” he said.
“Actually, they do not want to anger the (Burmese) military. That is my
opinion.”

____________________________________

December 13, The Nation
EU envoy to Burma to visit China and tour Asian nations

Brussels - The European Union's envoy to Burma plans to visit China next
week as part of his efforts to convince Burma's ruling junta to move
towards "a stable democracy".

Piero Fassino, a former Italian justice minister, said Wednesday in
Brussels that China and other Asian states had a key role to play in the
region.

"China is a great political power and is playing an increasingly essential
role on the international scene. It can certainly have a positive
influence in the Burma issue," Fassino said.

The envoy was expected in Beijing on Tuesday and Wednesday and planned to
travel to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam after the
Christmas break.

Speaking after holding talks in Brussels, the envoy said Burma needed to
initiate "a process of national reconciliation" and called on the ruling
regime to lift all restrictions on opposition leaderAung San Suu Kyi.

In order to help Burma's transition towards democracy, Fassino planned to
hold talks with all the key players in Burma, including government
figures, opposition leaders and religious as well as civil authorities.

A visit to Burma was being planned "for the coming months", Fassino said,
adding that the "most opportune moment" for making such a visit would be
decided together with his United Nations counterpart, Ibrahim Gambari.

International pressure to force political change in Burma, under military
rule since 1962, gained momentum in the aftermath of a brutal crackdown on
peaceful protests led by Buddhist monks on September 26-27.

At least 15 people died in the melee, according to official figures. The
UN's special rapporteur on human rights recently claimed the death toll
was at least double that.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

December 13, Mizzima News
Change of guard or political reform? Only time will tell - Dr. Sein Myint

A rumor of the ill health of State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)
Supremo, Senior General Than Shwe, has recently been reported in the exile
Burmese news media. The question that is on peoples' minds, especially to
Burma experts and observers living outside the country is, whether this is
true, and if it is, then how will this effect Burma's current political
landscape and its "Seven Point Road Map", the political process that the
SPDC has embarked upon?

Burmese people are quite used to such rumors since the Ne Win era, where
numerous rumors of the death of the late dictator regularly circulated,
some purposely by the dictator himself, possibly on the advice of
astrologers, making Yadayar to ward off any bad omen cast upon him. This
could be another Yadayar by the Senior General, as he has already
instructed the planting of "Sunflower or Nay Kyar," meaning 'long stay' in
Burmese, possibly with an eye to extending his rule over the "Fourth
Burmese Empire".

However if the rumors turn out to be true, then there could be many
possible political outcomes and effects upon the current political
landscape and on the livelihood of millions of Burma's citizens. Whether
in absolute monarchy systems of the past centuries or in modern
dictatorships, the death of the ruler or the dictator had little impact on
ordinary citizens if power was passed on to a chosen successor. From time
to time, however, disputes over the chosen successor led to bloody
contests among elites and their lay followers.

Will there be a dispute about succession to the SPDC helm if Senior
General Than Shwe dies? It depends upon when, and the time factor will
decide who will succeed him. As for now, the lineage seems to be simply in
line with military hierarchy. Obviously, Deputy Senior General Maung Aye
should be the natural successor, as he is also the Deputy
Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services, Commander-in-Chief of the Army
and Deputy Chairman of the SPDC. However, in reality, many analysts and
experts are not certain of Maung Aye's prospects to become the next
Chairman of the SPDC.

Many have predicted that the current No. 3 of the SPDC, the reserved Than
Shwe loyalist, General Thura Shwe Mann, could become the next
Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services. He's the current Joint Chief of
Staff of the Armed Forces. Others have placed their bets on a dark horse,
the current Military Intelligence Chief, Lieutenant General Myint Shwe,
another Than Shwe hand picked loyalist.

Since the current Head of State is the Chairman of the SPDC and
Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services, whoever becomes the
Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services will be the Chairman of the SPDC.
He will also be the Head of State, under the current military and
political power structure, as Senior General Than Shwe undisputedly holds
all three positions.

However, it is difficult to say whether the status quo will hold for the
next incoming Chairman of the SPDC. Again, the power structure could be
different if General Than Shwe outlived the completion of the Seven Point
Road Map. Then according to the current SPDC draft constitution, the Head
of State would not necessarily be the Commander-in-Chief of Defense
Services, but must have extensive military experience. If they decide to
replace the SPDC with another military supreme council ---with members
consisting of the top military brass with the Commander-in-Chief of
Defense Services at its head--- the Head of State would not necessarily be
the head of the military council.

Thus, the division of power between the military and political structures
could become more separated. They could be vested in two portfolios
instead of the one as it is now. Once the Road Map is completed, resulting
in a military-controlled elected parliament or assembly, and all key
positions are filled with top military personnel from the current SPDC, it
is highly likely that Senior General Than Shwe, if he is still alive,
would relinquish the title of Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services, and
only take up the Head of State post.

Then the question of who will become the next Commander-in-Chief of
Defense Services is a matter of succession by military hierarchy. As of
now, the No. 3, General Shwe Mann, would be the next in line after
Deputy-Senior General Maung Aye. It has been proven in military history
that there is no guarantee who will become No. 1. Once No. 1 decides to
remove No. 2 and bring up No. 4 or 5, inevitably pushing No. 2 or No. 3 to
break rank with the existing military hierarchy, then all bets are off the
table. Once there is a dispute in the military succession process, with
multiple camps trying to grasp power, then the political structure cannot
sustain control over power without military support in the assembly where,
as stated in the proposed constitution, 25 percent of representatives are
to be from the military.

Moreover, if No. 1 dies before the completion of the Road Map, the
succession issue will become more acute and critical. The consolidation of
both military and political power in one person would certainly raise the
stakes within the SPDC, just like the complications stated above would
with respect to military succession. But it would be more complex for a
combined political and military succession. Similar parables can be
applied here for hierarchical succession processes. Since the stakes are
higher to attain, equal to absolute power, a bloody and violent
confrontation could ensue if any group or groups decide to break rank with
the military hierarchy and go for the top prize.

So far, the SPDC Supremo has managed to hold the military court in order
under his command by sharing out power and privileges. Certainly, whoever
in the current SPDC line-up assumes the top post, keeping other members in
line waiting their turn could prove problematic. The next critical
question is: will the next Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services meet
with the democratic opposition leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and embark
upon a genuine national reconciliation process? Only time will tell.

Dr. Sein Myint serves as Director for Policy Development with Justice for
Human Rights in Burma (JHB).

____________________________________
PRESS RELEASE

December 12, Christian Solidarity Worldwide
Hundreds killed in Burma protests as forced labour and rape continues in
ethnic areas, claims new CSW report

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) returned last week from another
fact-finding visit to the Thai-Burmese border, with fresh testimonies of
gross human rights violations in Burma. According to CSW’s report,
released today, the number of people killed by the Burma Army in the
crackdown on peaceful protests in September was far higher than official
figures. Monks and civilians who had fled Burma since September gave CSW
first-hand accounts of the regime’s brutality against the pro-democracy
movement.

A Buddhist monk, who had participated in a demonstration at the Shwe Dagon
Pagoda in Rangoon on 25 September, told CSW how he was forced into hiding
the next day. He then joined another demonstration in Pegu, where he was
beaten on his hands and ribs. He told CSW: “I want to tell the world what
is happening
The beating of monks in Burma threatens global peace. People
in other parts of the world are responsible to protect the people of
Burma, in the interests of peace and security. Please recognize what is
happening in Burma and try to increase pressure on the regime to resolve
the situation peacefully 
The monks will continue the religious boycott of
the regime, together with the people of Burma.”

CSW also spoke to two soldiers who had defected from the Burma Army. One
of them fled the Army after being ordered to shoot civilian protestors. He
said 16 of the 75 soldiers in his unit were children. He added: “I want to
tell other soldiers who have been forced to join the army to flee if they
have the chance. Don’t obey orders any more.”

CSW’s report details 21 individual accounts of human rights violations.
CSW visited internally displaced people inside Karen and Shan States, and
also met Karenni, Karen and Kachin groups in Thailand. One 16-year-old boy
from Shan state described how his father had been killed by the Burma Army
while working as a forced porter. A few years later, the boy’s mother was
raped and killed by soldiers while working in the fields. He said: “The
Burma Army often came to our village, stole food 
 and forced people to be
porters for them. I don’t want [them] to continue to oppress the people
anymore. I want them to leave.”

Mervyn Thomas, CSW’s Chief Executive, said: “The situation in Burma is
desperate and dire. Our team heard numerous reports of torture, forced
labour, rape and killings. These are the same stories CSW has been
documenting every year for the past two decades. It is time for the
international community, and particularly the United Nations, to act to
stop these violations and to bring meaningful change to Burma. We call on
the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to visit Burma himself, and to take
personal charge of the efforts to force the regime to enter into dialogue
with the democracy movement and the ethnic nationalities. We urge China,
India and the Association of South-East Asian Nations to do everything
they possibly can to bring an end to the regime’s brutal reign of terror
in Burma. We are delighted that the British Government is doubling its aid
budget for Burma, and we call on the international community including the
UK to provide cross-border funding to the internally displaced people, and
support for indigenous human rights organizations. We will continue to
highlight the gross human rights violations, perpetrated on a widespread
and systematic scale, which amount to crimes against humanity.”

For more information and a copy of the report, please contact Rebecca Nind
at the Christian Solidarity Worldwide Press Office on 020 8329 0045, email
rebeccanind at csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.

CSW is a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom,
works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and
promotes religious liberty for all.

Notes to Editors:

CSW carries out regular fact-finding visits to Burma’s border regions, and
has been working on Burma for almost 20 years.

The UK recently announced it would double British aid to Burma by 2010,
from £8.8 million to almost £18 million.

A debate was held on the Department for International Development’s aid
policies for Burma on 6 December in Westminster Hall, House of Commons –
see
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071206/halltext/71206h0001.htm#07120642000001