BurmaNet News, July 31, 2008

[Editor]

July 31, 2008 Issue #3524


INSIDE BURMA
DVB: Zarganar and Zaw Thet Htway appear in court
DVB: ABFSU slams abuse of ten Muslim students
Irrawaddy: Junta slams exile group’s UN campaign
Reuters: Cyclone-hit Myanmar struggling to find its feet
Mizzima News: Bomb explodes in Mudon, no casualties

BUSINESS / TRADE
Thaindia.com: Thailand-Myanmar to construct regional transport linkage to
India

HEALTH/AIDS
Kachin News Group: Nearly entire Htoi Ra Yang population suffer from
Malaria and cholera

DRUGS
Mizzima News: Fresh charge against Maung Weik

REGIONAL
Irrawaddy: Burma on Bush agenda while in Thailand
Mizzima News: Awareness campaign on Burma's August uprising in Delhi

INTERNATIONAL
UN News Centre: UN human rights expert to visit Myanmar next week

OPINION / OTHER
Independent (UK): The Burmese deserve better
The Gazette (Canada): Myanmar plays the UN and the world for suckers
The Huffington Post: Corporations and human rights abuses in Burma –
Jennifer Winstanley
The New Light of Myanmar: Do not make the goal of democracy far away from
the people – Lu Thit

PRESS RELEASE
NCUB: Tom Lantos “Block Burmese Jade Act” has been passed by both chambers
of US Congress

STATEMENT
ABMA, 88 Generation Students, ABFSU: Role of the United Nations in
Burma/Myanmar




____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

July 31, Democratic Voice of Burma
Zarganar and Zaw Thet Htway appear in court

Prominent comedian and activist Zarganar and sports writer Zaw Thet Htway
have appeared in court for the first time since they were arrested in
June.

The two appeared before Western Rangoon provincial court in Insein prison
and were charged with violating section 505(b) of the penal code for
inciting offences against the state or causing public alarm.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment.

The next court hearing for the pair will be held on 7 August, according to
family members of other political prisoners who were present at the
hearing.

The two men’s families said they had not been informed of any court hearings.

Both Zarganar and Zaw Thet Htway were enthusiastically working to provide
aid to cyclone victims before their arrests on 4 and 13 June respectively.

____________________________________

July 31, Democratic Voice of Burma
ABFSU slams abuse of ten Muslim students – Aye Nai

The All Burma Federation of Student Unions has criticised the treatment of
ten Muslim student activists who have been sent to hard labour camps for
their participation in demonstrations in September 2007.

The ten activists were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by Kyauktada
township court this month and sent to remote prison camps in shackles, the
organisation said.

In a statement released on 28 July, ABFSU called on the Burmese regime to
respect the rights of students and prison inmates, and urged student and
human rights groups and the international community to lobby for their
protection.

ABFSU spokesperson Myo Tayza said the harsh conditions in prison work
camps, where inmates are subjected to hard labour, poor conditions and no
proper medical care, had led to the deaths of many prisoners, including 19
monks.

“They throw various charges at us, then send us to these prison work
camps, where there is nothing but physical and mental suffering, and there
is little hope that anyone can recover from these things,” Myo Tayza said.

“They are not only giving us punishment under the law, they are also
torturing us personally.”

ABFSU accused the junta of deliberately causing mental and physical harm
to its opponents and seeking to lower the morale of democracy and human
rights activists.

“They are committing these abuses on to make an example of the students to
discourage future activists,” Myo Tayza said.

“This is an intentional and criminal act against these people.”

____________________________________

July 31, Irrawaddy
Junta slams exile group’s UN campaign – Wai Moe

Burma’s state-run press on Tuesday attacked an exile group’s campaign to
have the UN declare the newly approved constitution illegal and unseat the
military government from the international body.

The New Light of Myanmar published an article about Maung Maung, the
secretary-general of the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) and
other groups in exile that do not recognize the Burmese government as a
legitimate member of the United Nations.

The newspaper said, “Some politicians of the Western bloc” and “some
follower groups” were asking the UN to not recognize the junta-backed
constitution, which was approved in a May referendum. The government
announced that elections would be held in 2010.

“In respect to the sovereignty of a nation, neither international
organization nor government has the right to interfere in the approval of
a constitution that has been drawn in conformity with the nation’s
prevailing conditions,” the newspaper said.

Burma’s political, economic and military affairs have never constituted a
threat to the stability of the international community, neighboring
countries or the region, the article said.

The article also blasted an open letter released by a group of politicians
who won seats in Parliament in Burma’s 1990 election. The letter called
the junta’s constitution illegal and urged the junta open a dialogue with
opposition groups. The junta did not recognize the results of the 1990
election.

Gen Tamalabaw, the chairman of the NCUB, said in a July 18 letter to the
US branch of the National League for Democracy(NLD) in exile that the NUCB
was preparing a campaign to publicize crimes committed by the junta.

The NUCB Web site said it plans to challenge the credentials of the
Burmese government at the 2008 United Nations General Assembly session and
object to its right to represent Burma at the UN.

Nyo Ohn Myint of the NLD in exile, who is close to Maung Maung, said, “The
NCUB’s agenda at the UN is to push the junta into a dialogue path.”

However, there is disagreement within Burma’s exiled opposition movement
over the NCUB’s agenda, particularly within the National Coalition
Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), the Burmese government in exile,
formed in 1991.

San Aung, a member of the NCGUB, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the
government in exile didn’t agree with Maung Maung’s agenda because it had
little chance of success and did not come from a collective leadership.

“At the last UN general assembly, 40 countries abstained in a vote on the
Burmese junta’s human rights violations while 60 countries voted ‘yes’
against the junta and 20 countries voted ‘no’,” said San Aung. “I think a
campaign to unseat Burma would be difficult.”
____________________________________

July 31, Reuters
Cyclone-hit Myanmar struggling to find its feet

Three months after Cyclone Nargis slammed into army-run Myanmar, people in
the worst-hit Irrawaddy delta are still in dire need of food and clean
water, hampering efforts to rebuild their lives, aid agencies say.

According to a joint assessment by the United Nations, Myanmar and
Southeast Asian governments, three quarters of households have inadequate
access to clean drinking water, making water-borne diseases such as
cholera and dysentery a constant threat.

In addition, more than 40 percent have little or nothing by way of food,
having lost their stocks in the May 2 storm and the sea surge that smashed
into the delta, leaving 138,000 people dead or missing.

Another 800,000 were displaced in a disaster that the U.N. says affected
2.4 million people in the former Burma, where most people rely on farming
for a living.

"The window of opportunity for planning crops has now closed. Farmers will
have to wait until November 2009 for their next decent harvest and will
struggle to find enough food," leading charity Save The Children said.

While UN children's agency UNICEF said malnutrition was not yet a cause
for concern, Save The Children said that if food and employment needs were
not addressed, the number of malnourished youngsters could rise to
emergency levels.

Fears of funding shortages have been compounded by recent revelations that
aid agencies are losing money due to Myanmar's distorted official exchange
rate. The United Nations admitted this week it had lost $10 million so
far.

WORST ASIAN CYCLONE SINCE 1991

The cyclone, the worst to hit Asia since 1991 when 143,000 people died in
Bangladesh, has been compared to the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami,
in which 230,000 people were killed. Around 170,000 of these were in the
Indonesian province of Aceh.

However, unlike the tsunami, the aid effort has been plagued from the
start by a lack of access for aid workers and donors.

The military junta only admitted international relief workers grudgingly
and three weeks after the cyclone hit following talks between U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and army supremo Senior General Than Shwe.

It rejected offers of help from French and U.S. ships.

Access has improved slightly over time, although aid workers say travel
permits for the delta still take four days to approve.

However, with the closure of a U.N. "air bridge" between Bangkok and
Yangon on August 10, aid agencies will have to rely on slower sea and land
routes to transport supplies.

Funding remains a major problem, with the U.N.'s World Food Program saying
it is facing a shortfall of about 52 per cent, despite recent donations
from the UK and Australia amounting to $16 million.

According to Save The Children, people affected by the tsunami received an
equivalent of $1,249 in aid. By comparison, the victims of Nargis have so
far received $213 so far.

Even before Nargus struck, life in the delta was tough, with a minimum
healthy diet for an average family of five costing $1.15 a day compared to
an average daily wage of

$1.04.

(Reporting by Bangkok newsroom, Editing by Ed Cropley and Sanjeev Miglani)

____________________________________

July 31, Mizzima News
Bomb explodes in Mudon, no casualties – Than Htike Oo

A small bomb on Wednesday night exploded at the telecommunication office
in Mudon of Southern Burma's Mon state, sources said.

The bomb exploded under the stairs of the Telecommunication located in the
Kyaik Paik village, about 2 miles away from Mudon town, but caused no
casualties.

"The bomb exploded at about 11:30 p.m in the night and following the blast
authorities found four TNT explosives. The buildings were not so much
damaged," a local resident of Mudon told Mizzima.

While no groups have so far claim responsibility of the blast, authorities
said they are investigating.

The blast is the third explosion in Burma within a month's time.

Earlier on July 14, a small bomb exploded near Deik Oo town in Pegu
division on an Express Bus that is running on the Rangoon-Pegu highway,
and killed a passenger.

On first of July, a similar bomb explosion took place at the local office
of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), a pro-junta
civil association, in a suburban township of Shwe Pyi Thar in Rangoon.

While the blast caused damages to the furniture and parts of the building,
there were no reports of human casualties.

While there have been no groups claiming responsibility for the two blasts
in Deik Oo and Mudon, an armed underground group known as Vigorous Burmese
Student Warriors (VBWS) claimed responsibility for the bomb blast at the
USDA office.

The VBWS, who claimed to be a student armed groups operating in Burma's
commercial hub Rangoon, in their statement said the blast was a warning
for members of the USDA, who were active in carrying out the military
ruler's command including harassing and arresting peaceful protestors in
September last year.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

July 31, Thaindia.com
Thailand-Myanmar to construct regional transport linkage to India

50 engineers from Thailand and Myanmar held a meeting to discuss the
construction of regional transport linkages, including the
Thailand-Myanmar-India Highway and the route from Myawaddy in Myanmar.

The meeting was held at Centara Maesot Hill Hotel in Mae Sot district of
Tak province. The 1,400-kilometer economic linkage will start from Mae Sot
through Myawaddy and end at the border of India.

The construction of regional highway aims to promote trade and tourism
industries while strengthening international relations between three
economic counterparts. About 80 kilometers of highway has already been
constructed.

____________________________________
HEALTH/AIDS

July 31, Kachin News Group
Nearly entire Htoi Ra Yang population suffer from Malaria and cholera

Nearly the entire population of the Htoi Ra Yang village, 30 miles from
the Sinbo logging fields in Kachin State, northern Burma has been
afflicted by malaria and cholera, a source said.

Villagers suffering from the diseases are now under medical care of the
Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and the UK based Health Unlimited
(HU).

The village is under the joint control of the Burmese military government
and the KIO and it has a little over 200 villagers.

“The diseases in the village are a fall out of mosquitoes breeding in
dirty water. In the monsoons most villagers suffer from cholera,” said a
health worker from HU who recently returned from Htoi Ra Yang village.

The HU has opened an office in Kunming in China’s Yunnan province and is
providing medical care along the Sino-Burma border. HU also has a branch
office in the KIO controlled area, Laiza and Mai Ja Yang and is treating
people in places which the Burmese regime neglects. The HU provides
medical care free of cost.

According to a health worker, the KIO has taken care of the travel
documents to facilitate the medical care programme, whereas the Burmese
authorities do not given permission to travel if one does not have the
national identity card.

HU is treating malaria patients in Laiza and Mai Ja Yang since last week
and distributing medicines, said a resident in Laiza and Mai Ja Yang.

____________________________________
DRUGS

July 31, Mizzima News
Fresh charge against Maung Weik

The young business tycoon Maung Weik has been slapped with one more
charge. He has been charged with violating the immigration act by the
police who have accused him of allowing a Malaysian to stay in his office
premises in Rangoon.

The case was filed at the Lanmadaw township police station on July 15,
said a police officer. The case number is (Pa) 187/08 under immigration
section 13 (5).

"He (the businessman) is suspected of allowing the Malaysian to stay in
Myanmar (Burma) without informing the immigration authority," a police
source said.

The Malaysian national Mr. Peter Too Haut Haw is also being detained along
with five other Burmese nationals and Maung Weik.

Meanwhile, Maung Weik has been charged with trading in narcotics such as
ecstasy, amphetamines and Ketamine. The 35-year-old businessman faces
life-imprisonment if found guilty of trafficking in drugs.

According to the first information report filed in the police station, the
Malaysian has been living in the head office of the Maung Weik and Family
Co. Ltd., located on Anawyahtar Street, Ward-1, Lanmadaw township, Rangoon
since 2003.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

July 31, Irrawaddy
Burma on Bush agenda while in Thailand – Lalit K Jha

US President George W Bush will travel to South Korea, Thailand and China
next week before taking part in the opening ceremony for the Beijing
Olympics.

While in Thailand, Bush, accompanied by his wife, Laura, will make a major
policy statement on Burma while also meeting Burmese opposition group
members.

On his second day in Thailand, Bush will attend a briefing by
nongovernmental organizations and US agencies on the Cyclone Nargis relief
effort.

"He will have a lunch in Bangkok with Burmese activists and hear their
stories. And then he will be interviewed by the press in Thailand that
broadcasts into Burma, so he can give a message directly to the Burmese
people," said Dennis Wilder, the senior director for Asian affairs at the
National Security Council.

"During the time that he is doing these events, Mrs. Bush will travel to
Mae Sot, Thailand," Wilder said. The first lady has shown an exceptional
interest in the affairs of Burma and the Bush's administration policy with
regard to this country to some extent is driven by her strong support to
the pro-democracy movement people.

Laura Bush will meet with refugees of the Mae La Refugee Camp, one of the
largest refugee camps on the Thai-Burmese border.

"Following her visit to Mae La, she will travel to the Mae Tao Clinic,"
Wilder said.  The clinic was founded by Dr. Cynthia Maung.

"You may remember that Mrs. Bush had a television event with Dr Cynthia
Maung not long ago, and she is very much looking forward to getting on the
ground and seeing the clinic in operation," Wilder said.

Dr Cynthia Maung said, “I don’t know anything about the agenda of the
visit but my main presentation will be the difficulties of the situation
that the Burmese people face here on the border and our need for
humanitarian assistance.”

The clinic provides free health care for refugees, migrant workers and
others who cross the border from Burma into Thailand.

Violet Cho contributed to this story.
____________________________________

July 31, Mizzima News
Awareness campaign on Burma's August uprising in Delhi – Solomon

In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Burma's historic student
uprising, Burmese activists along with Indian supporters began an
awareness campaign at universities and colleges in India's capital city,
New Delhi, on Wednesday.

The campaign aims to spread awareness among young Indian university
students about how students in Burma led the pro-democracy uprising in
1988, said Dr. Achan Mungleng, an Indian activist and one of the
organizers of the campaign.

"It is to increase awareness about Burma and let them [the students] see
that [learn what happened then] and it is a backup Programme of the 8.8.88
incident, where thousand of students were killed," said Mungleng.

In 1988, students of Rangoon University led an uprising that shook the
nation. At that time Burma was ruled by a one party dictator, Gen Newin,
who assumed power following a military coup in 1962. Newin brutally
crushed the protests, killing at least 3000 students, monks and civilians.
The junta arrested thousands of activists and forced many more to flee to
neighbouring countries including India.

Dr Mungleng said, she, along with other Burmese activists, will go around
university and college campuses and distribute a special pamphlet that
highlights the background of the August 8, 1988 uprising, popularly known
as 8.8.88. The pamphlet also focuses on the situation in Burma 20 years
later.

This campaign will be followed by a larger programme to be organized by
Burma's pro-democracy activists and Indian supporters like her on the
August 8, 2008, she added.

In remembrance of and as an honour to students, monks and civilians
involved in the struggle against brutal military dictators of Burma the
activists will be conducting a conference; a photo exhibition of protests
in September last year and the recent devastation by Cyclone Nargis, and a
candle light vigil at India Gate.

Meanwhile, Burmese activists and supporters around the world are also
planning to observe August 8 as a day for Global Justice for Burma, with
planned activities across the globe.

The events will be jointly organized by the Global Justice Center, the
International Burmese Monks Organization, Serene Communications, U.S.
Campaign for Burma, the 88 Generation Students of Burma and others.

According to the organizers, the day will be marked by protests against
the Beijing Olympics' first day and against Chinese support to the Burmese
military junta in the international arena.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

July 31, UN News Centre
UN human rights expert to visit Myanmar next week

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in
Myanmar will conduct his first mission to the Asian country next week
after receiving an invitation to visit from the Government.

Tomás Ojea Quintana, who will be in Myanmar from 3 to 7 August, has
requested to meet a number of State officials and heads of State
institutions during the visit, according to a press release issued today
by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The Special Rapporteur – who assumed the post in May this year – is also
expected to meet with representatives of ethnic groups, political parties,
religious groups, civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

His schedule is expected to take him to Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city,
and areas affected by the devastating Cyclone Nargis in May, as well as to
both Kayin state in the southeast and Rakhine state on the coast of the
Bay of Bengal.

“The Special Rapporteur wishes to engage in a constructive dialogue with
the authorities with a view to improving the human rights situation of the
people of Myanmar,” the press release added.

Special rapporteurs serve in an independent and unpaid capacity and report
to the Human Rights Council.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari also plans
to visit Myanmar next month after receiving a letter of invitation from
the country’s authorities. This will be his fourth visit over the past
year.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

July 31, Independent (UK)
The Burmese deserve better

An admission by the UN this week that it had "lost" some $10m in aid to
cyclone-stricken Burma must come as a shock to the many donors who forked
out substantial sums to help the people of that poor, benighted country.
It's arisen, according to the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian
Affairs, Sir John Holmes, because of an arcane system by which the UN
calculates the exchange rate. But the bottom line is that money that
should be going to the purchase of goods and services for the suffering is
instead going into the pockets of the Burmese military administration.

That would be bad enough in itself. The UN, which earlier this month
issued an urgent appeal for an additional $300m in aid for the victims of
Cyclone Nargis which hit the Irrawaddy Delta in May, has so far raised
about $200m of its intended $482m total. So a loss of $10m is far from
insignificant. It is especially galling, however, because it comes on top
of increasing reports from the aid agencies of the misappropriation and
abuse of such aid as is getting through. Right from the beginning of this
natural disaster, the military junta that runs the country has
consistently refused either to admit the true level of suffering or to
give outside agencies the freedom to tackle it. Even on the government
figures, the number of dead and missing has risen to some 138,000.
Unofficial estimates put it much higher.

Access by agencies has continued to be restricted by a government that
remains deeply suspicious of foreigners. The help from the UN and the
World Food Programme, as from neighbouring countries, is all too often
diverted into the coffers and the warehouses of the junta and their
friends. Some of this may be unavoidable given the nature of the Burmese
regime. Some may also be due as much to incompetence as corruption. But
there are also worrying signs that the junta is using the disbursement of
aid for political reasons, to enforce political compliance. It is not a
satisfactory situation, especially for ordinary donors who have stumped up
their own money to help a people in distress. Being told that the UN
itself has lost $10m on the exchange is hardly reassuring.

____________________________________

July 31, The Gazette (Canada)
Myanmar plays the UN and the world for suckers

It's hard to say which is more appalling: the way Myanmar's elite skimmed
as much as $10 million from international aid money flowing into the
country for the survivors of Cyclone Nargis, or the way United Nations
officials failed to notice the scam - or worse - for weeks on end.

John Holmes, the UN's top man on humanitarian affairs, says now that the
losses are "a significant problem," amounting to as much as 15 per cent of
recent cash aid flowing into the country. He admitted that the UN had been
"a bit slow" to recognize the swindle.

The country's military government forced the UN to trade hard currency for
the local money by the medium of foreign exchange certificates and then
set the rate of these instruments in such a way that millions of dollars
flowed to bankers and others close to the junta. The usual market rate is
1,100 Myanmar khat per dollar, but the UN has been getting only about 880.
The story was broken by a blog (www.innercitypress.com) which covers the
UN. We wonder if news of this UN inefficiency would ever have become
public without the blog's good work.

That any government could be complicit in such a fraud, at the expense of
its own hard-hit people, is staggering.

But it's also alarming that the scam could have gone on since the early
days of the humanitarian crisis without being noticed until recently. Nor
has it been corrected yet, apparently; Holmes says the UN now hopes the
Myanmar government will co-operate in letting UN aid staff get decent
value for the organization's hard currency.

The world's people invest their good wishes, their hopes, and their
idealism - along with some of their money - in the United Nations. But the
high standards those investments require are too often not met by the
world body. The UN must keep reforming itself.

____________________________________

July 31, The Huffington Post
Corporations and human rights abuses in Burma – Jennifer Winstanley

Working in the NGO community in Northern Thailand, you can't help but hear
about the Burmese refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. The camps are
filled with hundreds of thousands of Burmese refugees who have nowhere to
go and are unable to return home. It is easy to point the finger at the
Burmese government for the domestic circumstances that lead to mass
numbers of refugees fleeing to Thailand and ending up in the camps, and
clearly the corrupt and brutal government is at the root of the problem.
But what about the corporations that cooperate with the government and
supply the ruling military junta with a steady stream of revenue? What
about the corporations that turn a blind eye to massive human rights
violations carried out by the military in the course of the joint
projects?

In Burma, human rights violations are committed on a daily basis by the
ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The people are denied
basic freedoms, violently repressed and deprived of economic opportunity.
The vast majority of the funds that allow the SPDC to remain in power come
from foreign investment and joint development projects with multinational
corporations (MNCs). These MNCs operate in Burma with no legal
accountability for the human rights abuses that are committed during and
in furtherance of their projects.

The oil and natural gas industry earned the government of Burma (through
the state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise 'MOGE') approximately 2.16
billion US dollars in 2006 and was its single largest source of foreign
exchange. A full 40% of the government budget is spent on the military,
(Richards-Bentley, Nicholas. Human Rights Abuses in Burma: ASEAN May Be
Able to Stop the Bullying), ensuring that power remains concentrated and
the people remain too poor and oppressed to object.

The Yadana pipeline project, run by Total of France and Unocal (now
Chevron) of the United States in partnership with MOGE, was the first
large international pipeline in Southeast Asia. However, it is more famous
for the horrific human rights abuses inflicted on the population by the
Burmese military during the construction of the pipeline. The military was
hired to provide security for the project, and in the course of carrying
out this task the military forcibly relocated entire villages, conscripted
massive amounts of forced labor, and pillaged local villages, in some
cases raping and murdering the villagers.

Unocal's awareness of and complicity with the abuses committed by the
military in furtherance of their project was extensive enough that a claim
against the corporation by a group of Karen villagers in US District Court
survived the initial stages of proceedings, before being settled out of
court. US District Court Judge Richard Paez refused to dismiss the case
against Unocal, concluding that: "The allegations of forced labor in this
case are sufficient to constitute an allegation of participation in slave
trading." (Tolley, H. & Lawrence, A. Doe v. Unocal: Forced Labor and
Corporate Liability). SLAVE TRADING!?!

Instead of addressing the problem head on, Unocal concerned itself with
"the demarcation between work done by the Project and work done 'on behalf
of' the Project," noting that "[w]here the responsibility of the Project
ends is very important." (Tolley, H. & Lawrence, A. Doe v. Unocal: Forced
Labor and Corporate Liability).

The lack of social and environmental accountability mechanisms for
monitoring multinational corporations under existing national and
international laws has left a gap that has allowed corporations to act
without any legal repercussions - particularly in developing countries.
The results have been devastating as corporations focus narrowly on
maximizing wealth, while demonstrating a blatant disregard for human
rights and the environment in the communities in which they operate.
Unocal's involvement in the Yadana project in Burma is one example of a
corporation taking advantage of their unsettled legal status to exploit a
poor and underdeveloped nation and the civilians that live there.

A recent report by the NGO Earthrights International claims that the human
rights abuses caused by the Yadana project are continuing, and equally
troublesome is the fact that foreign investment has increased over the
last four years - particularly in the oil and gas sector. Currently,
foreign investments in oil and gas projects involve at least 27 companies
from 13 countries ("Burma: Foreign Investment Finances Regime", Human
Rights Watch. NY, Oct.2, 2007). Foreign investors have a stake in at least
30 different oil and gas fields. The majority of the contracts for the 30
fields have been signed in the last 4 years, including 10 deals between
September 2006 and September 2007.

Last week an agreement was signed between a consortium led by the South
Korean trading company Daewoo International, the military regime in Burma,
and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) for the sale and
transport of natural gas from Burma's Bay of Bengal to Yunnan Province,
China. The deal marks a significant step toward a transnational gas
pipeline to China.

The pipeline will undoubtedly result in massive human rights abuses and
the corporations involved will most likely choose to deny responsibility
while gaining a huge profit directly as a result of immense human
suffering. The Unocal response to the human rights abuses that resulted
from their project indicates a strong tendency to distance and deny. After
all - it is just company policy, it isn't my decision, no one told me, and
there was nothing I could do about it. Right?

The fact that corporations can be aware of a situation like what was going
on with the Yadana project and actively choose to do nothing about it is
disgusting. The fact that many people did and still are making a lot of
money from the project makes it all the more cold and calculated.

How much is one forcibly relocated village worth to shareholders?

How about the murder of one man, woman or child?

I know what the answers to those questions should be; what scares me is
what some corporations' actions and decisions has indicated that the
answers are.

____________________________________

July 31, The New Light of Myanmar
Do not make the goal of democracy far away from the people – Lu Thit

In democratic practices the people are the master. The desire of the
people is important and their decision is final. All people have to agree
to and accept the decision of the majority. It is the very basic and
simple practice of democratic system.

Nowadays anti-government groups led by NLD are talking about the term
"democracy" repeatedly. It is disappointing to note that they refuse to
accept the desire of most of the people and their decision.
Anti-government politicians who are said to be those respect democracy
cannot accept the very democratic practice. If they feel ashamed of their
misdeeds, they should not live in the presence of the people.

As is known to all, the Tatmadaw government had to take up State duties
unavoidably. Since then, the government has implemented the tasks for
stability of the State, better economic life of the State and the people
and national education promotion — the basic requirements for building a
new country. With the better foundations of development, it laid down the
seven-step Road Map and is implementing them. Now out of the seven steps,
four have been achieved and the government is marching towards the step
five with greater momentum.

It is not that the government is implementing the seven-step Road Map
secretly after laying them down. It officially announced the programme
publicly. As the people accepted it, the UN, the nations of the world and
ASEAN nations also regarded it as the correct way to democracy development
in Myanmar. The National Convention which is the step-one was successfully
held. Over 1,000 delegates from eight groups of whom national race
delegates were the majority representing all the people attended the
National Convention and held extensive discussions. They unanimously laid
down the fundamental principles and detailed basic principles to be
included in the State constitution. Based on the fundamental principles
and detailed basic principles, the draft of the constitution has been
drawn by legal experts including national scholars.

The referendum for approval of the draft of the State Constitution was
successfully held on 10 and 24 May 2008. Out of the 27,288,827 eligible
voters, 98.12 per cent cast the vote and 92.48 per cent voted 'yes'.
Therefore on 29 May 2008, it was announced that the constitution of the
Republic of the Union of Myanmar was adopted and approved through the
referendum.

Internal and external anti-government organizations led by NLD criticized
the approval of the new constitution by 92.48 per cent. They said there is
no free and fair in the referendum that there was some influence and
coercion over the people and that was why the constitution was illegal.
Although they opposed the present government, the decision-maker was the
people. Their opposition insulted the decision of the people and it was
against the desire of the people.

Again, U Pu Kyint Shin Htan, U Thein Pe, Dr Myint Naing, U Nyi Pu and Dr
Tin Min Htut of CRPP sent an open letter dated 21 July to UN
Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon an the Security Council. In the letter,
they said the seven-step Road Map was inappropriate and not effective and
the constitution was illegal. They asked for dialogue with antigovernment
organizations including NLD during the set time frame. An expatriate group
under the name of Hluttaw representatives led by Khun Myint Tun announced
that they supported the letter. They did not know that the people did not
accept the announcement which was full of groundless accusations. The
people of Myanmar disgust at the act of those who long for the strangers.

The people of today are different from those of 1988. They have political,
economic, social and health knowledge. They have mature thoughts and high
quality and can distinguish the right and the wrong. They no long believe
and support whatever the politicians say. They will support the good act
and oppose the misdeed.

The people of Myanmar today realize and believe in the government's
endeavours in the long-term interest of the State and the people from the
time the government had taken up State duties. That is why the people
fully support the national development process. In other words, they
support the new constitution. It is a reflection of the people in response
to the government's goodwill towards the State and them.

Another point is that the entire people desire democracy. The present
government is trying to introduce multiparty democracy system in place of
one party system. The constitution that can bring about democracy system
is essential. The people understand that democracy cannot be practised
without a constitution.

Moreover, the people were well convinced and they accepted that the new
State constitution is the best and the most appropriate one for them
today. They also understand well that the government now dedicates itself
to the drive for transforming the nation from the present administrative
system into democracy people's administrative system based on the
constitution. That was why the great majority of the voters voted in
favour of the new constitution.

The referendum was held at the national scale in accordance with the law,
regulations and procedures of international level norms. As a result, the
entire people had opportunities to cast votes freely with comfort and
convenience at the referendum, and it came to the knowledge of the people
that any-regions did not see pressure or force put on the voters. In the
run-up to the referendum, NLD and anti-government groups were persuading
the people to vote 'no' for the constitution through the mottos: "Vote-No"
and "No-Vote", but in vain. The majority of the voters cast `yes' vote of
their own accord. Anti-government groups also enjoyed the rights to cast
votes freely. It made it clear when the stance of the people came out that
the people did not accept the deceptions and organizing measures of the
anti-government groups. Even if the government rigged the referendum and
put pressure on the people, as they accused, the percentage of the 'yes'
votes would not touch as many as 92.48 per cent. Actually, such a result
was due to the people's trust and reliance on the constitution.

Now, the constitution has been approved, so both anti-government groups
and pro-government forces can soon enjoy the rights to form political
parties, organize the people, canvass for votes, and stand for election in
line with the law. That is a giant step for transition to democracy to
satisfy the people's desire. They will also can enjoy the rights to stand
for election in a just way in the multi-party democracy general elections
scheduled to take place in 2010. If a person is elected by the people, he
will be vested with the rights to hold talks and make decisions in the
hluttaw (parliament) for the political, economic and social affairs of the
nation.

Trying to achieve the goal of democracy through the multi-party democracy
general elections to be held according to the constitution is the safest
and the most suitable way that can guarantee national solidarity,
transition to democracy and building a peaceful, modern and developed
nation. Surely, internal and external anti-government groups will receive
a warm welcome and win the support of the people if they realize the truth
and do their bit in harness to reach the goal ahead of schedule, while
marching along the sole national path without infringing the democracy
transition processes.

The State constitution (draft) national representatives and scholars had
unanimously written in conformity with the objective conditions of the
nation was adopted with the approval of the public. That is, in reality,
the internal affairs of a sovereign nation and its national cause. Any
other nation or organization, or international organization does not have
any rights to interfere in it. No nation or organization will violate the
regulations enshrined in the UN Charter that are to be honoured by every
UN member. Nonetheless, so-called politicians with antigovernment
sentiment are taking unnecessary measures without taking into
consideration the objective conditions of the nation, thus indicating
their lack of political experience.

The people have chosen their path and set up their goal of their own
volition. So, everyone who respects the people's desire should accept the
decision of the people. If saboteurs persist in their complaints that they
oppose the State constitution, the constitution is not legal, and it
should not be recognized, they will face the punishment of the people.

NLD, which gives shelter to CRPP, is, in truth, the west-looking group, as
evidenced by the fact that it has been against the strength of the nation,
thinking highly of and placing too much reliance on its alien masters in
the course of its existence. It sticks to policies of confrontation,
defiance against the government, utter devastation and four cuts with the
intention of making the nation and the people get in dire straits. It did
not show any positive response to the offer that if it quit such
activities, the Head of State would hold talks with Daw Suu Kyi. And it
declined the proposal, giving lame excuses. Its refusal has depicted who
is to blame for failure to hold a dialogue it has been demanding for long.

Myanmar exercises independent, active and non-aligned foreign policy. It
honours the peaceful coexistence of world countries, with the aim of
helping achieve world peace and achieving friendly relations between
global countries. It maintains cordial ties with regional countries and
world countries. It cooperates with the UN constantly. It has a role in
works for development with a sense of duty in the political, economic,
education, health and science and technology sectors and environmental
conservation internationally-organized by the UN. Myanmar's present
political, economic and military affairs do not pose any threats to
stability and peace of the international community, and regional and
neighbouring countries. The attempts to diminish the role of a dutiful
country through invented and exaggerated stories are absolutely
unacceptable and abhorrent to the people and that committing such attempts
is a betrayal to the nation.

Overall, the anti-government groups' campaigns to oppose the State's
seven-step Road Map and the constitution and attempts to rely on alien
elements including CRPP's unnecessary measures and the support of Khun
Myint Tun and cohorts for their masters are all designed to disrupt the
efforts the government and the people are making in collaboration to
translate democracy transition processes into reality. Democracy cannot be
exercised through such subversive acts, and they will make the people
further away from the goal of democracy. I would like to remind them that
axe-handle national traitors will one day suffer evil consequences of
their total disregard for the people's desire and decelerating the
people's steps to meet the goal of democracy.

Translation: NY+MS

____________________________________
PRESS RELEASE

July 31, National Coalition of the Union of Burma
Tom Lantos “Block Burmese Jade Act” has been passed by both chambers of US
Congress

An Act calling for strong sanctions against the military junta in the gem
trade is applauded as an important step.

The National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) acclaims the United
States Government for enacting the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta's
Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008 (H.R. 3890). This groundbreaking Act,
passed unanimously by both chambers of the United States Congress, and
signed today by President Bush, constitutes the strongest sanctions
against the Burmese Military Junta to-date by cutting off revenue sources
that the Junta uses to terrorize and murder innocent citizens of Burma.

This Act not only eliminates revenue for the Junta by closing loopholes in
Burma’s gems trade with the United States, it also urges Chevron, the only
United States company with an investment in Burma subsidized by American
taxpayers, to voluntarily divest from Burma. The NCUB applauds Congress
for its attention to this important issue. While it is regrettable that
the Act does not require Chevron to divest from Burma, the NCUB deeply
appreciates the United States Congress interest, as expressed in the
statute, in the continued physical safety of the human rights victims whom
Chevron/Unocal settled with in 2004.

The NCUB expresses tremendous gratitude to the late Representative Tom
Lantos for his leadership as the primary author of this Act. The NCUB will
always remember Representative Lantos for his uncompromising, influential,
and unwavering support of the Burmese people’s non-violent struggle for
freedom, democracy, and human rights.

Additionally, the NCUB would like to recognize and thank Speaker Nancy
Pelosi, Representative Howard Berman, and Senator Joe Biden for their
leadership in championing this Act. Their resolve for and commitment to
freedom for the people of Burma enabled the passage of this landmark Act.

The NCUB supports the strongest possible sanctions against the Burmese
Military Junta and their corporate enablers as a means of pressuring the
Junta to negotiate with  democracy leaders and transition to democracy.
The NCUB believes that sanctions are an integral part of the international
strategy aimed at assisting the non-violent efforts to build a democratic
state in Burma.


____________________________________
STATEMENT

July 31, All Burma Monks’ Alliance, the 88 Generation Students and All
Burma Federation of Student Unions
Role of the United Nations in Burma/Myanmar

(1) We are encouraged by the statement issued by Members of
Parliament-elect, Members of Committee Representing the Peoples’
Parliament and Members of States and Divisions Organizing Committees,
dated 18 July 2008, in which they bravely declared that they would not
recognize and accept the 2010 election and they would not participate in
that election. We support the courageous act of Members of Parliament,
elected by the people of Burma in the 1990 general elections, who deserve
to hold the offices as mandated by the people.

(2) We also share the concerns of Members of Parliament, expressed in the
open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Permanent
Representatives of the members of the UN Security Council, dated 21 July
2008, signed by 5 Members of Parliament on behalf of all Members of
Parliament-elect. In the letter, they correctly stressed that the United
Nations is stepping back from its benchmarks, which is the realization of
an all party-inclusive, democratic, participatory and transparent process
of national reconciliation.  Instead of working for these benchmarks, they
have been allowing the Burmese military regime to embark on its unilateral
and brutal path and forcing democracy forces to live in an untenable
position. This is totally true and we also want Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon to review his mission and correct it in time before he sends his
special envoy to Burma.

(3) We understand that the Secretary-General does not have the power to
make the Burmese military regime listen to his voice. However, we don’t
underestimate his moral authority, which he used courageously to defend
the rights of the people in Zimbabwe. He decisively called the run-off
presidential election in Zimbabwe illegitimate. We expect that he will
similarly employ his moral authority in Burma/Myanmar, stand up for the
rights of the people of Burma/Myanmar and call the outcome of the
Referendum in May illegitimate. He should recognize that the people of
Burma/Myanmar do not have the right to express their true and genuine will
under the brutal military regime.

(4) We also understand that UN Security Council has failed to take
effective action on Burma/Myanmar, as obstructed by two veto yielding
members, China and Russia. However, if the Secretary-General openly and
strongly asks the Security Council take action on Burma/Myanmar, we
believe that China and Russia might change their position. We hope that
the Secretary-General will employ his diplomatic skills and moral
authority to convince the members of the Security Council to play more an
important role in our country, and make the military regime listen to
their authoritative voice.

(5) However, we are witnessing the opposite. The Secretary-General sent
his special envoy to Burma/Myanmar to convince the military regime to
engage in a meaningful and time-bound dialogue. To our surprise, the
special envoy came to Burma/Myanmar and as soon as he left the plane, he
became virtually a prisoner of the regime. He was placed at a regime
guesthouse, his schedule was totally controlled by the regime, and his
meetings with the Burmese regime was reduced to low-level officials, and
these low-level officials humiliated him and flatly rejected all of his
recommendations. He also was allowed to meet with people only whom the
regime agreed. Instead of convincing the regime with forceful voice and
strength of moral authority, it seems that he was convinced by the regime
that there was no other way, except to accept their unilateral act as it
is. When he went back to New York and reported to the international
community, he acted as he had achieved something and he would achieve
more. Actually, he is misleading the world with false hopes.

(6) Therefore, we agree and support the claims of the Burmese Members of
Parliament, who are the legitimate leaders of our country. This is the
time for the Secretary-General to declare that the seven-step roadmap of
the Burmese military regime is no longer relevant and the constitution is
not legitimate. We also hope that Secretary-General will call for the UN
Security Council to take effective action on Burma before more people die.
For us, there will be no more election without implementing and
recognizing the 1990 election results.

Ashin Aww Ba Tha, Ashin Pyannya Vamsa
All Burma Monks’ Alliance

Tun Myint Aung, Nilar Thein
88 Generation Students

Myo Tayza, Khin Myo Sett
All Burma Federation of Student Unions

Rangoon, Burma