BurmaNet News, April 24, 2009

[Editor]

April 24, 2009, Issue #3697


INSIDE BURMA
AP: Myanmar junta threatened by satellite TV
Irrawaddy: Imprisoned Zarganar in failing health
IMNA: Senior monk urges Mon political groups to join 2010 election
SHAN: ‘No answers to junta until ours are answered’: Wa official
Kaowao News: Election 2010:  Fear of bloody conflict growing in Mon
communities
Xinhua: Myanmar to hold monsoon-related forum next month

ON THE BORDER
AFP: Thailand, Burma sign pact against human trafficking

HEALTH / AIDS
Irrawaddy: Diarrhea deaths confirmed in Rangoon

INTERNATIONAL
AFP: EU to prolong sanctions against Myanmar for a year
VOA: Human rights advocates urge US not to ease sanctions on Burma
Mizzima News: Min Ko Naing bestowed Gwangju Human Rights award
DVB: Use of child soldiers could constitute a 'war crime'

OPINION / OTHER
Irrawaddy: Regime faces crushing defeat if election is free and fair –
Kyaw Zwa Moe




____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

April 24, Associated Press
Myanmar junta threatened by satellite TV

Satellite dishes that allow people to get international news and
entertainment programs should be banned in Myanmar because foreign powers
are using them to sow unrest and spread immorality, a state-run newspaper
said Friday.

Writing in the Myanma Ahlin newspaper, a writer who identified himself as
Ko Gyi said foreign countries were flooding the country with entertainment
programs that citizens are enjoying without realizing they have a darker
purpose _ to destabilize the country and spread immoral behavior.

"Some big nations are using satellite dishes as their own media tools to
influence other countries under the pretext of entertainment," Ko Gyi
wrote. "They are using them to interfere in the internal affairs of other
countries, to instigate unrest and to destroy nationalism in some targeted
nations. It is high time to prohibit the sale of satellite dishes."

The article did not single out any one country nor any specific programs.

Most middle class homes and shops use satellite dishes to tune into
foreign sports events, soap operas and to circumvent the junta's tightly
controlled state media. The dishes are commonplace in big cities like the
commercial capital of Yangon.

The government occasionally launches crackdowns on the dishes _ forcing
users to pack them away in boxes until the threat has passes.

Last year, authorities dramatically raised the annual fee for the dishes
in an apparent move to limit access to foreign news channels that beamed
in global criticism of its 2007 crackdown on pro-democracy protests. The
license fee increased from 6,000 kyat ($6) to 1 million kyat ($1,000) _ an
unaffordable sum to most people in Myanmar. It is equivalent to about
three times the annual salary of a public school teacher.

As a result, many have chosen to operate their dishes illegally.

The fee hike may have been a response to the images broadcast into Myanmar
of troops beating Buddhist monks during anti-government street
demonstrations that were sparked by a spike in fuel prices.

The broadcasts were made by groups including the Democratic Voice of
Burma, a Norway-based shortwave radio station and Web site that is run by
exiled Myanmar dissidents.
____________________________________

April 24, Irrawaddy
Imprisoned Zarganar in failing health – Akar Moe

One of Burma’s most prominent political prisoners, the satirist Zarganar,
is in failing health, according to his family.

Zarganar’s sister-in-law, Ma Nyein, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that the
popular activist was being denied adequate medical treatment in
Myintkyinar Prison, where he is serving a 35-year term of imprisonment. Ma
Nyein said he was suffering from jaundice and hypertension.

Imprisoned activist and comedian Zarganar, seen here taking part in relief
efforts for survivors of Cyclone Nargis.
Zarganar, 48, was sentenced to the long prison term in remote Myintkyinar
for his involvement in humanitarian assistance to survivors of Cyclone
Nargis in 2008.

Zarganar is one of several political prisoners in ill health, according to
Bo Kyi, co-secretary of the Thailand-based Assistance Association for
Political Prisoners. Bo Kyi said others included Hkun Htun OO, chairman of
the Shan National League for Democracy, Su Su Nway, Hla Myo Naung and Aung
Thu.

Bo Kyi said the UN and other international organizations needed to back up
their calls for the release of political prisoners with action.
“International organizations, including the UN, need to take effective
measures,” he said.

“We are very concerned about the health of political prisoners because
they do not have medical doctors and hospital care. They should be
transferred to prisons located near their families and relatives. If a
prisoner is denied medical treatment, that’s murder.”

Convicted political activists are commonly incarcerated in prisons far
from their homes, a form of also punishing their families, who have heavy
financial and personal hardships in visiting and keeping in touch with
their loved ones.

According to human rights groups, the Burmese junta allows political
prisoners to meet family members once every four weeks.

____________________________________

April 24, Independent Mon News Agency
Senior monk urges Mon political groups to join 2010 election – Mon Son

A senior monk has expressed a desire for Mon political parties to
participate in the elections to be held in Burma in 2010 so that the Mon
community will have some representation in any future parliament.

Abbot Ain Da Ka, from Kamarwet village, made the remarks during a speech
on April 11th at the closing ceremony of a Mon summer school in Young Dong
village, Mudon Township. The summer school programmed is run by the Mon
National Literature and Cultural Committee (MNLCC) of which the abbot is
chairman for Mon State.

He said, "if Mon political groups participate in the 2010 election, we
will get a chance to lobby in parliament for the MMLCC and for Mon
people."

The two largest Mon political parties are the New Mon State Party (NMSP)
and the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF). Both have decided not to
participate in the forthcoming election until the ruling military regime
addresses the constitution which was ratified last year in what most
objective observers agree was an undemocratic referendum of the
population.

Representatives of both parties attended the school closing ceremony: Nai
Htaw Mon, NMSP chairman and Nai Hong Done, vice-spokesperson of the MNDF
and vice-chairman of the MNLCC. In the audience to hear the abbot's
remarks there were several monks, members of the MNLCC, summer school
students and their parents.

Nai Hong Done responded to Abbot Ain Da Ka's comments during his own
speech at the ceremony. He later summarized his response to IMNA.

"The constitution does not include rights for Mon Literature and Culture.
Even if we participated we couldn't fight for them in any parliament. I
explained this to the monks and the people attending the ceremony."

According to Nai Hong Done, although some Mon parties and individual are
preparing to take part in the election, MNDF will not be involved and will
not change their stand.

____________________________________

April 24, Shan Herald Agency for News
‘No answers to junta until ours are answered’: Wa official

A senior Wa official, who did not want his name divulged said the United
Wa State Army (UWSA) is under pressure from Naypyidaw to respond to its
demands to come under its wings. The group, however, has no reply for them
until Naypyidaw answers its demands.

“We asked them first and they never bothered to answer,” he said. “Now
they want answers to their questions. That’s not fair.”

The official said that the UWSA had attended the National Convention
(1993-2008) and together with its allies had presented a joint set of
proposals including one to place areas under their control along the
Sino-Burma border under Naypyidaw’s direct supervision. “We never received
a reply on that and when the draft constitution was brought out, we found
none of our demands were met,” he said. “Needless to say, we are against
the constitution and we are against the ensuing elections. Only we are not
putting out official statements like others.”
In January, the junta’s representative Lt-Gen Ye Myint came to Panghsang
“to pick up from where he had left off last year,” he recounted. “He said
we need not surrender but change our name to something like a frontier
defence force and older leaders could set up parties to contest the
elections. ‘We will even issue you new weapons which are of better
quality. We will also assign educated officers from the Burmese Army to
assist your officers’. When there was no response from us, he said, ‘There
are reports that a lot of mobilization is going on in here. Does it mean
you are saying no to our offers?’ Again, our leaders refused to say
anything. He went back empty-handed.”

Does the Wa have a course of action that they have chosen when the time
comes? “We do,” he answered. “But until such time, we are saying nothing.”

He assured SHAN that the UWSA is “more united” and there is no
discrimination among races.

What about Wei Xuegang, who joined them in 1989? “Wei is a relative new
comer,” he replied. “He thinks in terms of money. And we are aware that
the Burmese Army is trying to win him over. But I don’t think he will
leave us. However, in case he does, the damage will be minimal.”

(Just then, fire broke out on the western outskirts of Panghsang, and the
interview came to an abrupt end, preventing SHAN from asking him to
elaborate.)

Before that, the official had also talked about the pros and cons of the
ceasefire. “On the whole, I think we have more gains than losses. It has
been the first time in our modern day history that the people are enjoying
the absence of war and conflict. They are also more educated and
healthier,” he said. “Our only failure has been that we were so bent on
economic matters we didn’t pay adequate attention to political matters.”

As for alliance with groups other than National Democratic Army-Kachin
(NDA-K), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and National
Democratic Alliance Army-Eastern Shan State (NDAA-ESS), all of which
together with the UWSA are members of the Peace and Democracy Front (PDF),
he admitted that “a lot needed to be done on that. It was partly because
of us. Most of them were demanding federalism and we had not felt ready to
clash head on with the junta. Also, when in 1999 we held a meeting with
them, each had only presented its own policies and stand, but no one had
proposed aims and objections that all could agree and work together.”

Since then times have changed, he added, also without elaboration. The
UWSA was formed following the mutiny in Panghsang against the Communist
Party of Burma (CPB) on 17 April 1989. The Wa are notorious when it comes
to drugs, but appealing to most groups fighting against the military
regime when it comes to what is known as leverage.

____________________________________

April 24, Kaowao News
Election 2010:  Fear of bloody conflict growing in Mon communities

Fear of a bloody conflict has grown among the Mon public as the
SPDC-sponsored general election draws near.  After two clashes occurred
during the traditional Songkran New Year, many civilians feel their eyes
have been opened to the activities of a splinter group and the New Mon
State Party (NMSP).

The first clash occurred in Dhamasa Village, Kyaimarok (Kyaikmayaw)
Township during a bull fight gambling session on April 15, 2009.  Troops
from the NMSP-controlled Thaton District encountered another armed group,
the Mon Peace and Defence Force (MPDF) and shared gunfire, shocking
onlookers.  The crowd watching the bull fight dispersed quickly and at
least one motor vehicle was involved in an accident as a result of the
widespread panic and chaos as everyone attempted to flee the scene. 
Fortunately there were no casualties.

“This situation is serious and there are signs of armed conflict between
Mon soldiers.  About 10 members of a breakaway group led by Nai Ai Chan
has been used by the SPDC's military intelligence to create tension and
conflict against the NMSP.  This new armed group opened their office in
Moulmein under the protection of the SPDC’s Sa Ya Pha, and has launched
gambling dens in Mon State (Mudon, Thanbyuzayat and Kyaikmayaw Townships)
and in Karen State (Kawkareik Township),” said a leader of the Mon Affairs
Union, an umbrella Mon organization based at the Thai-Burma borer.

Another clash occurred on April 18, 2009.  Dr. Nai Minn Naung, a NMSP
member and Secretary of the Mon Relief and Development Committee (MRDC)
was killed by a gunshot wound to his back as he travelled on a Mon-state
highway close to SPDC’s Southeast Command.

The Moulmein District Police Force later stormed a restaurant and arrested
three men on suspicion of the murder: Nai Aung Mon, Nai Aung Khaing (Sura)
and Nai Shwe Lu.  A source from the NMSP said the convicts belonged to the
Mon Peace and Defence Forces, led by General Aung Naing.

Many Mon political observers believe that this wave of clashes has been
heavily influenced, if not directly instigated, by the SPDC in an effort
to create conflict among the Mon people.

“There is a great challenge ahead for the NMSP because the Party stood
strongly and did not support the new constitution and general election.
Other small armed groups such as the Mon Peace Group led by Nai Aung in
Mergui, and the MPDG led by General Aung Naing would definitely take this
opportunity for their self interest,” said Nai Ong, a veteran of the NMSP.

General Nai Aung Naing, the former army chief of the New Mon State Party
(NMSP), secretly formed an armed group after a leave of absence for his
medical treatment in 2008.  Nai Aung Naing became the army chief of the
Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA), the NMSP military wing in 2005.  He
served in the Burma Army and CPB before joining the New Mon State Party.

“General Aung Naing was probably the best soldier but not a politician and
the public only support him when he fights against their enemy (SPDC).
Otherwise he has no public support since his decision to collaborate with
the brutal regime,” said a Mon abbot from Ye Township.

The public are concerned that the clashes will continue to worsen within
the Mon community, further allowing greater SPDC control of opposition
groups.
____________________________________

April 24, Xinhua
Myanmar to hold monsoon-related forum next month

Myanmar will hold a monsoon- related biannual forum in the new capital of
Nay Pyi Taw early next month, according to the Meteorology and Hydrology
Department (MHD) Friday.

Weather forecast news and related data issued by the MHD and used by
respective ministries to guide their work will be discussed at the first
forum of this year.

Weather forecast for this year will be released to the ministries at the
forum and its usefulness will be presented at the next forum scheduled for
November, the sources said.

The forum will be the first of its kind sponsored by Myanmar, one of the
member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),
and the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam will take their turns
in the following years, the sources added.

Meanwhile, Myanmar people, especially those residing in the country's
southwestern delta region, have paid more attention to listening to
weather forecast news broadcast daily by the State Radio and Television in
the post-Nargis period quoting the MHD.

Taking lessons from the severe cyclone Nargis that mainly hit Myanmar's
two divisions in May last year, regional people have raised their
awareness against natural disaster and are at all time prepared for such
probability of recurrence.

According to the MHD, cyclone occurs most in Myanmar during the
pre-monsoon period from April to May and post-monsoon period from October
to November.

Meanwhile, due to timely storm warning and preparation against cyclone
Bijli's probable striking on Myanmar coastal region on last Saturday,
there was no damage by the impact of Bijli which swept Bangladesh's
coastal region linking Myanmar's on last Friday midnight.

Deadly cyclone Nargis hit five divisions and states -- Ayeyawaddy, Yangon,
Bago, Mon and Kayin on May 2 and 3 last year.

The storm killed 84,537 people and left 53,836 missing and 19, 359
injured, according to the official death toll.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

April 24, Agence France Presse
Thailand, Burma sign pact against human trafficking

Thailand and Burma signed an agreement on Friday to combat human
trafficking, especially of women and children -- the first such pact
between two countries, the official statement said.

The agreement is aimed at improving cooperation along their 2,108
kilometre border.

Tens of thousands of migrant workers from impoverished Burma are working
in Thailand, both legally and illegally.

Burma's Home Affairs Minister Maj-Gen Maung Oo and Thai Social Development
and Human Security Minister Issara Somchai signed the pact in Burma's
administrative capital, Naypyidaw.

The official statement said the pact was "an important step and provided a
strong foundation for future joint efforts between the two countries in
tackling cross-border trafficking''.

The deal covers areas such as prevention, protection, recovery and
reintegration of victims, law enforcement and criminal justice, "as well
as developing and implementing joint actions between the two countries",
it said.

"We two countries tried to sign this (agreement) two years ago,'' a senior
Burma police official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"It's a big achievement for us to cooperate with neighbouring countries.
We can discuss more effectively in the future,'' the official said.

Burma has been ruled by the military since 1962 and is under sanctions by
the United States and European countries because of its human rights
records and continued detention of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

____________________________________
HEALTH / AIDS

April 24, Irrawaddy
Diarrhea deaths confirmed in Rangoon – Wai Moe

Sources in Rangoon have confirmed that at least five people have died in
an outbreak of diarrhea that hit Burma’s largest city just before the
start of the Burmese New Year’s festival in mid-April.

Bae U Ma, a 12-year-old girl from a poor family living in Ward 44 of North
Dagon Myothit Township, died on April 20 after contracting the disease
earlier in the month, according to a neighbor. Neighbors also confirmed
the death of an elderly woman in Ward 7 of the same township. Doctors said
three other people had died in Thaketa Township’s Ward 4, where the
outbreak was said to be under control.

“I successfully treated more than a dozen diarrhea patients in the past
three weeks,” said a physician at a private clinic in Thaketa Township.
“But the cases were particularly severe, requiring at least three days of
treatment.”

There were also reports that three other patients had died in North
Okkalapa Township, although these could not be independently confirmed.
Local residents of the township said that there were hundreds of cases of
diarrhea in North Okkalapa alone.

Other townships, including South and North Dagon Myothit, Thaketa, Dawbon
and Thanlyin, have also reported significant numbers of people suffering
from the disease.

No official announcement of the outbreak has been issued, although the
Ministry of Health has released repeated warnings in the Burmese-language
press instructing people to take precautions against the disease.

Authorities have also ordered the closure of roadside food stalls in areas
affected by the outbreak, according to local residents.

Meanwhile, an official from the United Nations International Children’s
Fund (UNICEF) in Rangoon told The Irrawaddy on Friday that there has also
been a dramatic rise in the number of cases of diarrhea in the Irrawaddy
delta over the past week.

“UNICEF and other medical agencies have learned of an estimated 100
diarrhea cases in 20 villages in Bogalay Township this week,” the UNICEF
official said, adding that the number of cases has since decreased.

The official also said that UNICEF was aware of the outbreak in Rangoon
and was working with government agencies to address the problem.

“We have been cooperating with government health officials in responding
to the situation. We are providing drugs and equipment,” said the UNICEF
official, who added that she was not authorized to make any further
comment.

Despite growing concerns, the authorities have moved to prevent any news
related to the outbreak from reaching the public.

“We cannot answer any questions because our senior officers have told us
not to speak to the media about this issue,” a government health official
from North Okkalapa Township said during a telephone conversation.

A Rangoon-based journalist who has been following news of the outbreak
said that if the government did not provide detailed information soon, the
situation could get “worse and worse, and then get out of control.”

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

April 24, Agence France Presse
EU to prolong sanctions against Myanmar for a year

EU foreign ministers are set on Monday to prolong sanctions against
Myanmar, while expressing their readiness to ease them and hold high-level
talks if there is "genuine progress".

The European Union "deems it necessary to extend the current EU common
position by another year, including the restrictive measures," reads a
draft text to be adopted by the foreign ministers when they meet Monday in
Luxembourg.

The 27-nation bloc "underlines its readiness to revise, amend or reinforce
the measures it has already adopted in light of developments on the
ground," the draft text adds.

The EU member states will also renew their perennial call for the
immediate release of all political prisoners -- especially opposition
leader and Nobel prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi --- and for "a peaceful
transition to a legitimate civilian system of government.

The Myanmar military seized power in 1962 and maintains virtually total
control on every aspect of life in the nation, formerly known as Burma.

The EU sanctions -- in place since 2006 -- include a travel ban and the
freezing of assets of Myanmar's leaders and their relatives, as well as a
ban on arms exports to Yangon.

The sanctions also limit diplomatic relations between the Southeast Asian
nation and the European bloc.

The decision to renew the sanctions puts paid to any lingering hopes of a
rapprochement which were fostered last month when the EU's senior Myanmar
envoy said the European Union could consider easing its sanctions in April
if it sees democratic progress.

Those sanctions were increased in 2007, due to a crackdown on Buddhist
protests, to include a ban on timber, metals, minerals, precious stones
from Myanmar and a ban on new investment in Myanmar companies operating in
these sectors.

European and other nations are now looking forward to a general election
to be held in Myanmar next year as a chance for the junta to ease its grip
on power.

However the Myanmar authorities "have still to take the steps necessary to
make the planned 2010 elections a credible, transparent and inclusive
process based on international standards," the EU document said.

The text stresses that "the EU stands ready to respond positively to
genuine progress in Burma/Myanmar," offering the possibility of
ministerial level dialogue on ther margins of an ASEM foreign ministers
meeting in Hanoi next month.

____________________________________

April 24, Voice of America
Human rights advocates urge US not to ease sanctions on Burma – Michael Lipin

International experts on Burma's human rights record are urging the Obama
administration not to ease economic sanctions on the country's military
rulers as part of a policy review. They say the best way to promote
democracy and human rights in Burma is to strengthen the sanctions and
encourage other countries to increase pressure on the Burmese leadership.

The panel of experts told a congressional hearing that Washington should
maintain pressure on Rangoon in response to what they say are serious
continued rights violations by its military rulers.

U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton ordered a review of U.S. policy on
Burma earlier this year. She said the current strategy of imposing
sanctions on Burma's leaders while reaching out to them has not worked.

Sean Turnell, an economic professor at Australia's Macquarie University,
told the U.S. lawmakers that existing travel and financial restrictions on
Burmese officials are effective because they target military leaders and
have little impact on Burma's impoverish population.

Turnell says the Obama administration would lose its leverage over Burma's
government by scaling back the sanctions. "Those sanctions sitting there
are a resource we can draw down once genuine political and economic reform
emerge in Burma. They are incredibly useful and they are going to be much
more useful when perhaps some new government arrives in Burma with a
genuine reform mandate.," he said.

The U.S. Campaign for Burma, a group of pro-democracy activists, says the
U.S. should impose even tougher sanctions on the Burmese military leaders.

The group's director, Jennifer Quigley, told the hearing that tighter U.S.
and European penalties on Burma's rulers would cut off their access to
much needed foreign currency. "The regime would like to have its money in
dollars, and we have effectively managed to take away their currency of
choice, you could say. The other strong currency is the euro - if we
approach our other allies to strengthen their own sanctions that would
effectively cut off the two strongest currencies in the world from the
regime," she said.

The head of the U.S. Senate foreign relations committee on Asia,
Democratic Senator Jim Webb supports engaging with the Burmese military by
lifting sanctions.

Webb said the U.S. should deal with Burma in the same way it did with
China and Vietnam, despite human rights concerns in the two communist
states.

But Turnell says Burma's government is very different to those of Vietnam
or China. "Those governments usually recognize the interests of business.
Burma's is not like that. The metaphor I like to employ is that Burma's
regime is more like a looter than a parasite on the body of the economy,"
he said.

The panel of human rights experts urged the Obama administration to
appoint a special envoy to Burma to show it is willing to engage with the
country's leaders at a higher level.

____________________________________

April 24, Mizzima News
Min Ko Naing bestowed Gwangju Human Rights award – Ko Wild

South Korea has awarded its highest human rights award “Gwangju Prize for
Human Rights” to Burma’s leading student activist Min Ko Naing, who is
currently serving 65 years of imprisonment, for peacefully protesting in
August 2007.

Chanho Kim, Director of the “May 18 Memorial Foundation”, the group that
bestowed the award said, Min Ko Naing was chosen for the award in
recognition of his commitment and struggle for democracy and human rights,
despite the ruling military junta’s repression.

“We have chosen Min Ko Naing this year, because of his commitment in the
struggle for democracy and human rights under the repressive rule.
Moreover, we want to show that we are good friends of Burma. The situation
in Burma has not improved and there are many political prisoners,” Chunho
Kim told Mizzima.

The award is given by the Gwangju-based May 18 Memorial Foundation and Min
Ko Naing was nominated by the Korea-branch of the National League for
Democracy-Liberated Area (NLD-LA).

Students in Gwangju city formed the May 18 Memorial Foundation, in
remembrance of the day they stood against the then South Korean President
Chun Doo Hwan on May 18, 1980. The foundation is mainly sponsored by the
South Korean government.

Min Ko Naing, popularly known as leader of the 88 generation students,
would be honoured with prize money of 50,000 USD and a gold-plated memento
and a certificate on May 18 at Gwangju city.

“We do not know who will receive the award on Min Ko Naing’s behalf. Some
of his cousins and colleagues are abroad and are likely to come and
receive it on his behalf. We will not receive it on his behalf but we will
keep his award for him,” Yan Naing Tun, information in-charge of the South
Korean branch NLD-LA told Mizzima.

He said, the NLD-LA would keep the money and the memento and use them as
per the wishes of the recipient. The NLD-LA has also kept the prize money
and memento of Burma’s detained opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
who was awarded the same prize in 2004.

The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights was first given in 2000 to outstanding
persons, who had committed themselves to the struggle for democracy and
human rights. Xanana Gusmao, president of East Timor was the first to be
honoured with the award in 2000. Last year, the organization awarded
Pakistan’s Muneer A. Malik, a Human Rights lawyer who stood up against
President Pervez Musharraf’s military rule.

Earlier, the prize money was set at 10,000 USD, but it was later increased
to 50,000 USD in 2005.

Organizers said, the May 18 function would include paying tribute to
students and people, who have given their lives in the South Korean
struggle under President Chun Doo Hwan and would be graced by the present
president of South Korea as well as members of parliament and leaders from
other countries.

The ceremony will also include a separate panel discussion on Burma.
____________________________________

April 24, Democratic Voice of Burma
Use of child soldiers could constitute a 'war crime' – Htet Aung Kyaw and
Francis Wade

The ongoing abuses by the Burmese government against civilians is reaching
a point whereby the junta could qualify for war crimes charges, said a
former senior legal adviser to the International Criminal Court.

Speaking at a conference in Oslo, Norway, entitled ‘Crimes against
humanity in Eastern Burma’, Morten Bergsmo stated that the Burmese army’s
use of child soldiers could constitute a war crime.

“The recruitment and use of children under fifteen years may be a war
crime, and by that an international crime if it happens as part of an
ongoing armed conflict,” he said.

“If that happens there may be the ground for investigating and prosecuting
such abuses of children.”

Speaking to DVB yesterday, David Mathieson from Human Rights Watch said
that the ruling State Peace and Development Council is failing to
adequately cooperate with the international community regarding use of
child soldiers, and criticized a recent United Nation’s report on the
issue.

“[The report] puts a far more positive spin on the military government’s
cooperation that we think they deserve,” he said.

“It’s still a very serious issue inside Burma and the kind of report that
just came out doesn’t reflect the seriousness of the problem within the
Burmese military and it’s not very good of them to not investigate the
biggest perpetrator by far.”

Former Norwegian prime minister Kjell Magne Bondevik spoke at the
conference on the need for the international community to cooperate on
Burma.

“[Association of Southeast Asian Nations], China and India are more keen
on maintaining a positive relation with the Burmese government to make
business deals and buy gas from them, while Japan is providing help to the
junta,” he said, adding that the European Union and the United States were
on their own tracks.

“Everyone should look for a conclusion everybody can agree with and
cooperate together.”

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

April 24, Irrawaddy
Regime faces crushing defeat if election is free and fair – Kyaw Zwa Moe

If Burma’s upcoming election in 2010 is free and fair, it can be predicted
with certainty that the National League for Democracy (NLD) of Aung San
Suu Kyi will win with no less than the 82 percent of the votes it secured
in the 1990 poll.

One basic reason for such optimism is that the NLD has committed none of
the crimes laid at the door of the current military regime—killing
innocent people, including revered monks, and sentencing dissidents to
harsh and lengthy terms of imprisonment.

There are several other valid reasons: the NLD is an elected party, while
the government is a ruthless regime; the stark contrast between their
leaders, Than Shwe and Suu Kyi. There’s absolutely no comparison between
the cold-blood monk killer and the sincere and candid NLD leader.

However, critics would say that the popularity of the NLD is declining
because of its inability to bring about democratic reforms despite the
mandate a large majority of the people bestowed on it two decades ago.
That’s true if we don’t take into consideration just how oppressive the
regime is.

The same majority won’t see any difference between the regime and the
proxy parties which are now being formed ahead of the 2010 election.

It’s logical to assume that the regime, having failed to honor the result
of the 1990 election, will not accept an NLD victory in the 2010 poll. The
generals in Naypyidaw aren’t keen to see a resurrection of the “ghost”
that has haunted them since 1990.

In order not to repeat their mistake, the generals will choose a means to
make sure that their proxy parties will largely win in the election, even
though they’ve secured 25 percent of the seats in both the upper and lower
houses of parliament with handpicked military officials, according to the
constitution which was drawn up by the junta’s delegates.

Logic, therefore, says that there is no reason for the generals to hold a
free and fair election in 2010.

Regional events such as the anti-government riots in neighboring Thailand
would have made the generals more determined to keep walking on their own
“roadmap.”

Burmese Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein would have reported to his
colleagues in Naypyidaw how he was evacuated by helicopter from the
disrupted Association of Southeast Nations summit in Pattaya, and together
they would surely have ridiculed Thailand’s democracy, noting its
“anarchy”—a word they like to use.

Consequently, they would now be more determined than ever to keep walking
toward what they have called “disciplined democracy.”

Nothing—including the criticism and demands of the international
community—can seem to affect the determination of the Burmese generals.

Since taking office in January, US President Barack Obama and his
administration have been reviewing the policies of the previous George W
Bush government against authoritarian countries such as Iran, North Korea
and Burma.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced in February that the US
administration was reviewing its policy on Burma, saying the sanctions
imposed on Burma since 1997 had got nowhere. Constructive engagement
applied by neighboring countries of Burma has also failed to bring about
change.

The prospect of a change in US approach towards Burma doesn’t appear,
however, to have persuaded the regime to review its own policies.

The international community has demanded a review by the junta of its
constitution to ensure the inclusion of all opposition and ethnic parties
in the 2010 election. But the junta has said that anyone who is against
the constitution is an “enemy of the state.”

In other words, the military regime will definitely proceed with its
roadmap, including the 2010 election, according to its own norms without
considering any suggestions and demands by domestic and international
communities.

So it’s clear how the 2010 election will be organized and what the result
will be. There’s surely no chance of the regime risking another election
defeat along the lines of the 1990 debacle.