FTUB Daily News for Feb-21-2012, English News - Morning

News Headlines with Brief (1) Burma to “seriously consider” poll monitors | Source: DVB 21-Feb-2012 Burma has promised to “seriously consider” allowing election observers for April 1 by-elections in which Aung San Suu Kyi is standing, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations said today. It said Burma President Thein Sein made the pledge to visiting ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan during talks in the capital Naypyidaw. Read More..... (2) NLD says campaign restrictions lifted | Source: DVB 21-Feb-2012 Burma pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party said Monday that the authorities had lifted campaign restrictions ahead of closely watched by-elections, just hours after it made a complaint. “They withdrew the restrictions. We can campaign freely,” Nyan Win, a spokesman for the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s National League for Democracy party, told AFP. Read More..... (3) Development Needs Transparent Society: 88 Generation Students | Source: Irrawaddy 21-Feb-2012 Leaders of the 88 Generation Students group have urged the public and government to unite and form a transparent society as a crucial factor to achieve development in Burma. “A society with transparency will drive forward with consideration and consciousness, freedom, openness and honesty. From this, we believe the society will create the main strength to drive the development of the country,” group leader Ko Ko Gyi said in a speech in Hinthada, Irrawaddy Division, on Monday. Read More..... (4) Burma Aims to be Role Model for Media, Says Govt Official | Source: Irrawaddy 21-Feb-2012 Burma’s media will serve as a role model for the Southeast Asian region as the long-isolated country opens up, said Ye Htut, a senior official from the Ministry of Information. In an interview with The Irrawaddy editor Aung Zaw in Burma’s capital Naypyidaw, Ye Htut, the director general of the Information and Public Relations Department in the Ministry of Information, said that Burmese media freedom can now be said to be better when compared to nations such as Singapore, Malaysia and Laos. Read More..... (5) Chin National Day Celebrated | Source: Irrawaddy 21-Feb-2012 A community hall in West Delhi is buzzing with Chin refugees dressed in colorful traditional costumes. Smiles light up the faces of everyone—young and old. The air is alive with traditional songs as the 64th anniversary of Chin National Day is celebrated.Several girls are busy in the corner arranging their dresses as they prepare to perform a traditional dance. Their audience, meanwhile, are busy indulging in an array of mouthwatering sweets and homemade dishes in the opposite corner. Read More..... (6) Naypyidaw 'Seriously Considers' Election Observers | Source: Irrawaddy 21-Feb-2012 Burma’s President Thein Sein has told the visiting head of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) that the country may allow observers from the regional bloc to monitor by-elections in April. According to a statement released by Asean on Tuesday, Thein Sein told the grouping's secretary general, Surin Pitsuwan, that Naypyidaw “will seriously consider having observers from Asean and the Asean Secretariat during the April elections.” Read More..... (7) Burma’s Election Commission Lifts Campaign Restrictions after NLD Complaints | Source: Irrawaddy 21-Feb-2012 Burmese election authorities lifted restrictions on political campaigning on Monday in an unusually swift response to complaints by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party. The National League for Democracy (NLD) said earlier in the day that the restrictions risked making upcoming by-elections unfair. Read More..... (8) 88-generation students to visit Kachin State | Source: Mizzima 21-Feb-2012 A group of 88-generation student leaders will visit Myitkyina Township in Kachin State to attend a prayer ceremony to mark the suspension of the Myitsone Dam Project. The prayer ceremony at Tanhpre village on Friday, near the Myitsone Dam project site, is meant to express gratitude to the government, which suspended the project, and to pray that the project will not be resumed, said Mya Aye, an 88-generation student member.“We will attend because Kachin young people and Kachin community leaders invited us,” Mya Aye said. Read More..... (9) Speaker Shwe Mann again pushes for pay increase | Source: Mizzima 21-Feb-2012 After the Burmese finance minister opposed his motion to increase salaries for all government employees, Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann has again asked Parliament to raise government workers’ pay. In a message to Parliament on Tuesday, Shwe Mann said the minimum salary of government employees should be 100,000 kyat (US$ 122), Lower House MP Khaing Khin Maung Yee told Mizzima. Read More..... (10) Burma will upgrade two airports to international status | Source: Mizzima 21-Feb-2012 Burma is planning to create two more international airports, one in Bago to serve central Burma, and one at the Dawei deep-sea port project in the south, according to Civil Aviation Department officials. Both airports, which already exist, will be upgraded to international standards. Foreign investment is invited, most probably from Japan and Singapore, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. Read More..... (11) Tai Yi strike to go to arbitration court | Source: Mizzima 21-Feb-2012 The Tai Yi footwear factory strikers in a Rangoon industrial zone will take their case to the government Trade Dispute Committee arbitration court on Wednesday, Mizzima has learned. The 1,845 workers, now in the 14th day of the strike, agreed to file a suit with the Mayangon Township trade dispute committee, said their lawyer, Pho Phyu. Read More..... (12) Ban on Suu Kyi rallies is lifted | Source: Mizzima 21-Feb-2012 Within hours after the main Burmese opposition party publicly accused a government minister of hampering its campaign activities, the military-dominated government lifted a ban on rallies by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Union Election Commission (UEC) said on Monday evening a ministerial order from the sports minister restricting campaign rallies in stadiums had been lifted, after the National League for Democracy Party complained in a press conference that the campaign process was not free and fair. Read More..... (13) BA-SSA stand-off in Tachilek | Source: Shan 21-Feb-2012 The Shan State Army (SSA) South that had signed the ceasefire agreement on 2December and the Burma Army are in a state of deadlock in Monghai, northwest of Tachilek, opposite Maesai, since last week, according to Lt-Col Gawn Zeun, Commander of the SSA’s Shan State East military region. Both sides have been reinforcing and already 4 clashes have taken place since 6 February. The last one took place today Read More..... (14) Burma army burns Kachin rice harvest | Source: KNG 21-Feb-2012 More than 1,500 Kg of rice recently harvested by farmers in war-torn Kachin state were set ablaze by government troops last week in Waingmaw township on the Myitkyina-Bhamo (Manmaw) road, eyewitnesses report. Soldiers from the Meiktila-based Light Infantry Division No. 88 were seen on February 16 and 17 ransacking a series of rice paddies in Mali Yang village. The arson attack followed heavy fighting in the area between the Burmese army and troops belonging to Brigade 5 of the Kachin Independence Army. Read More..... Burma to “seriously consider” poll monitors http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-to-seriously-consider-poll-monitors/20348 21-Feb-2012 Burma has promised to “seriously consider” allowing election observers for April 1 by-elections in which Aung San Suu Kyi is standing, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations said today. It said Burma President Thein Sein made the pledge to visiting ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan during talks in the capital Naypyidaw. “We will seriously consider having observers from ASEAN … during the April elections,” Thein Sein was quoted as saying. The polls, which will see Suu Kyi run for a seat in parliament for the first time, are viewed as a key test of the authorities’ commitment to budding reforms. A 2010 election which swept the army’s political allies to power was marred by widespread complaints of cheating and intimidation. The opposition cannot threaten the ruling party’s majority even if it takes all 48 available seats in the by-elections, but a Suu Kyi win would lend legitimacy to the fledgling parliament. Her National League for Democracy (NLD) party won a landslide victory in an election in 1990, but the then-ruling junta never allowed the party to take power. Suu Kyi was under house arrest at the time. She was released from her latest stint in detention a few days after the 2010 vote. The upcoming polls are being held to fill places vacated by those who have since become government and deputy ministers. NLD says campaign restrictions lifted http://www.dvb.no/news/nld-says-campaign-restrictions-lifted/20342 21-Feb-2012 Burma pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party said Monday that the authorities had lifted campaign restrictions ahead of closely watched by-elections, just hours after it made a complaint. “They withdrew the restrictions. We can campaign freely,” Nyan Win, a spokesman for the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s National League for Democracy party, told AFP. “It’s a very significant change. We are still hoping for fair play.” Earlier Monday the NLD had called a news conference to complain that it was being denied the use of sports grounds to hold rallies ahead of the April 1 polls, warning that the fairness of the vote was under threat. Suu Kyi, whose party boycotted a 2010 election because it thought the rules were unfair, is standing for a seat in parliament for the first time. The 2010 vote, which swept the army’s political allies to power, was marred by widespread complaints of cheating and intimidation. The democracy icon has drawn crowds of tens of thousands of cheering supporters on the campaign trail, posing a security headache for her party. Earlier this month she postponed a trip to the central city of Mandalay because her party said the venue offered by the authorities was too small. The NLD announced at the press conference that it had also been denied permission to use a venue in northern Kachin State for a planned speech by Suu Kyi later this week. But just hours later the party said it had received the green light from the election authorities. “They said that they can take care of Aung San Suu Kyi’s security in the cities… but they cannot reach the remote areas easily,” Nyan Win told AFP. Suu Kyi’s decision to stand for a seat in parliament is the latest sign of dramatic change taking place in the country after the end last year of nearly half a century of outright military rule. The regime has surprised observers with reforms including welcoming the NLD back into the political mainstream, signing ceasefire deals with ethnic minority rebels and releasing hundreds of political prisoners. The new military-backed government, which is dominated by former generals, assured visiting top EU officials last week that the vote would be democratic. The opposition cannot threaten the ruling party’s majority even if it takes all 48 available seats in the by-elections, but a Suu Kyi win would lend legitimacy to the fledgling parliament. The NLD party won a landslide victory in an election in 1990, but the then-ruling junta never allowed the party to take power. Suu Kyi was under house arrest at the time. She was released from her latest stint in detention a few days after the 2010 vote. Western nations are now considering further easing sanctions, adding to hopes of an end to decades of isolation, but controversy surrounding the 2010 vote means the upcoming by-elections will be heavily scrutinised. The United States has also expressed concern about the recent brief detention of the prominent Buddhist monk Gambira, one of the leaders of a failed 2007 uprising, less than a month after he was freed from jail. Burmese state media said Sunday that Gambira faced charges of illegally occupying one monastery in Rangoon and breaking into two others. Development Needs Transparent Society: 88 Generation Students http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=23072 21-Feb-2012 Leaders of the 88 Generation Students group have urged the public and government to unite and form a transparent society as a crucial factor to achieve development in Burma. “A society with transparency will drive forward with consideration and consciousness, freedom, openness and honesty. From this, we believe the society will create the main strength to drive the development of the country,” group leader Ko Ko Gyi said in a speech in Hinthada, Irrawaddy Division, on Monday. The 50-year-old explained that authorities of every government sector must throw away their fear regarding participation with the public. He added that society today has no transparency and is overwhelmed with fear, while there remains a hierarchical commend system which maintains a gap between the people and the authorities. Min Ko Naing, another 88 Generation Students leader, also urged those present to remember what unity between people could achieve—especially opposing the planned 6,000-megawatt Myitsone hydropower dam at the Irrawaddy confluence which was recently halted by the new government. He added that the Students Union is needing for a transparent society as the future of the country is in the hands of its youth, the students, and he highlighted the participation of students in every political movement in the history of Burma. “The youth and students must have ability and no fear—for example, they must have knowledge and know to point out bravely what they need in their education system, such as request to change the old syllabus which is out of date today,” said Min Ko Naing. Ko Ko Gyi is now at Thayat, Magwe Division, attending the opening ceremony of the township office of pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party. He is also meeting with local people and donating food for political prisoners who remain in Thayat prison. The dissident group will also take a tour to Kachin state on Feb. 23. Meanwhile, Min Ko Naing and the 88 Generation Students launch a booklet of press statements—questions and answers of their press conference in Rangoon—on Tuesday to spread the message of their mission to the Burmese people. A press release of their January meeting highlighted that they will work with political reformers and support Suu Kyi in the upcoming by-elections scheduled for April 1. Burma Aims to be Role Model for Media, Says Govt Official http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=23071 21-Feb-2012 Burma’s media will serve as a role model for the Southeast Asian region as the long-isolated country opens up, said Ye Htut, a senior official from the Ministry of Information. In an interview with The Irrawaddy editor Aung Zaw in Burma’s capital Naypyidaw, Ye Htut, the director general of the Information and Public Relations Department in the Ministry of Information, said that Burmese media freedom can now be said to be better when compared to nations such as Singapore, Malaysia and Laos. “In Singapore, publications cannot publish news about the opposition on their front pages. Malaysia is the same. We are now better than Singapore, Malaysia and Laos. I hope our media will become a role model within Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations],” he said. Ye Htut also said that government servants in the past were afraid to talk to the media as they were restricted, and feared for their careers. “It was not because they were afraid to talk to the press. It was because they had to be very careful about what they said. There were no guidelines or public relations training to instruct them on how to address the media,” he said. Ye Htun added that spokespersons for all respective government departments will deal with the media. “We also plan to host public relations training for civil servants from all government departments,” said Ye Htut. Asked his opinion about exile Burmese media, Ye Htut said that in the past there were misunderstandings between the government and exile media organizations. While the government misunderstood and accused exile media, the exile media also thought that the government didn’t want change and only wanted to hold on to power. “Now I think we have met in the middle. If you [exile media] write something wrong, we will inform you. And you can now ask us if you want to know something,” said Ye Htut. He said that international technicians may come to Burma to help build an infrastructure for Internet and communications. “Presently, we only have one door. They should come and open more doors for us or teach us how to open these doors by ourselves,” he said. The official said that Naypyidaw is currently discussing a media law which will probably be in place by late 2012. The Press Scrutiny and Registration Division will be phased out after that new law comes into effect, he said. However, he said that the censorship board will remain as a watchdog for media groups. It will monitor the press, solve problems and oversee violations of copyright, he said, adding that he had personally worked on drafting this media law since 2008 when he went to Europe to observe foreign media laws. “We went overseas to learn about media law starting in 2008. We took as a model the Press Complaints Commission in England. This group consults, monitors and solves disputes when plaintiffs wish to sue publications,” said Ye Htut. “We think we will call this board the ‘Media Freedom and Ethnic Promotion Committee’. It will include journalists, well-known lawmakers, and representatives from the Press Complaints Commission,” he added. Ye Htut said that Burma started to allow for media freedom in 2008 and has since permitted constructive criticism against the government. “In the past, the censors even controlled the news about celebrities,” he said. “For example, the censorship board rejected news about celebrities who had died from drugs overdoses.” Although Rangoon-based journals still have to pass through state censors, the government announced in June last year that publications and articles focusing on sports, technology, entertainment, health and children’s issues no longer had to be submitted. With the approval of Parliament, the media law will not be biased in determining who can apply to start up publications, said Ye Htut. The media law will be submitted to the Attorney General’s office where it may be amended. Then it will be sent to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw [combined Houses of Parliament] for approval. Journalists and publishers will also be invited to offer ideas, he said. Chin National Day Celebrated http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=23070 21-Feb-2012 A community hall in West Delhi is buzzing with Chin refugees dressed in colorful traditional costumes. Smiles light up the faces of everyone—young and old. The air is alive with traditional songs as the 64th anniversary of Chin National Day is celebrated. Several girls are busy in the corner arranging their dresses as they prepare to perform a traditional dance. Their audience, meanwhile, are busy indulging in an array of mouthwatering sweets and homemade dishes in the opposite corner. “I would be much happier if I could celebrate National Day in our Chin Land,” said Diana, a Chin refugee who now lives in New Delhi. “I feel that this environment is quite different from our land. However, we are Chin and the spirit to celebrate our national day is deep in our heart.” After Burma won independence from Britain, Chin leaders set out to inaugurate a Chin National Day. Feb. 20 was an overwhelmingly clear choice as there was a series of historical events that coincided on that date. It was on the 20th of February in 1928 that the Chin Hills Union Organization was established in Hlatui village in Kapetlet Township. And exactly 10 years later, on Feb. 20, 1938, the Chin Patriots submitted its nine proposals to the British colonial government. Then, 10 years to the day later—on Feb. 20, 1948—the General Assembly of Chin Land was held in Falam in Chin State. At the general assembly, representatives of the Chin people voted to overturn their traditional feudal system and adopt a democratic method of electing local and state leaders. The first Chin National Day was celebrated on that auspicious date in 1951 in Mindat, Chin State, and the event was attended by Burma’s first prime minister, U Nu. “We organize this special day every year so that the Chin people can get together to remember our history and to spread our valuable culture to our young people,” said Rose Zahaung, a member of the Chin Students’ Union in New Delhi. There are an estimated 20,000 ethnic Chin refugees living in New Delhi. Of course, Chin people inside Burma celebrate the anniversary, too, although it has been adapted and changed in name. “Today we celebrate Chin State Day—not National Day,” explained a resident of Hakha, the capital of Chin State. “We have many cultural traditions, but are afraid our history may disappear. It is our duty to urge the government to allow us to celebrate our National Day.” Chin National Day celebrations were modified after a new Constitution was introduced in 1974. Many Chin people express fears that this was the first step toward slowly erasing their culture. “We feel that the regime tried to abolish the ethnic identity of the Chins by taking away their rights,” said Col. Solomon Thang Ding of the Chin National Front. Over the past few decades, thousands of Chin people have fled the conflict in their homeland and taken refuge in other countries. Others have left due to economic hardship and a lack of opportunity for their children. “I would like to urge all Chin people around the world to bring back what they have learned from developed countries,” said Solomon Thang Ding. “Then we can work together in our Chin Land and better develop our society.” Naypyidaw 'Seriously Considers' Election Observers http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=23069 21-Feb-2012 Burma’s President Thein Sein has told the visiting head of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) that the country may allow observers from the regional bloc to monitor by-elections in April. According to a statement released by Asean on Tuesday, Thein Sein told the grouping's secretary general, Surin Pitsuwan, that Naypyidaw “will seriously consider having observers from Asean and the Asean Secretariat during the April elections.” Surin is currently leading a delegation from the Asean Secretariat on a four-day visit to Burma. Thein Sein and Surin also agreed that such a move will boost transparency, which will add to the international goodwill that Burma has attracted so far. Besides the election, the two leaders also discussed other issues. “Job creation is our top priority. We want to create as many jobs as we can, so Myanmar [Burmese] workers can work in the country, and ease the burden on our neighboring countries like Thailand and Malaysia,” Thein Sein said. He added that plans for a deep-sea port, as well as special industrial zones, are already in the pipeline to meet the objective of job creation. The Asean chief arrived in Burma on Monday to assess the country's readiness to assume the chairmanship of the regional grouping in 2014. Information Minister Kyaw Hsan, who also met Surin, said that plans and preparations are underway to make sure Burma is ready for the 2013 Southeast Asia Games, as well as chairing the Asean Meetings in 2014. He agreed with Surin that Burma can learn from the experience of other Asean members and the Asean Secretariat in hosting major events and meetings. Burma’s foreign minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, also gave his assurances that Burma is ready and willing to cooperate with the rest of Asean in meeting its commitment to the region. But he added that the lifting of sanctions would help matters a lot more. The United States and other countries with sanctions on Burma have said that a free and fair election in April will be key to deciding how soon the punitive measures are lifted. Burma's bid for the Asean chairmanship was approved by other members of the bloc last November, at around the same time that the opposition National League for Democracy announced that it would register to contest the by-elections after boycotting a general election in November 2010. Under the previous military regime, Burma was forced to skip its turn in 2006 to chair Asean in the face of international condemnation of its record of human rights violations and lack of democratic progress. Burma’s Election Commission Lifts Campaign Restrictions after NLD Complaints http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=23068 21-Feb-2012 Burmese election authorities lifted restrictions on political campaigning on Monday in an unusually swift response to complaints by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party. The National League for Democracy (NLD) said earlier in the day that the restrictions risked making upcoming by-elections unfair. The state Union Election Commission's decision to lift all restrictions was unusual. Bureaucratic wheels grind slowly even where there are no political hurdles in the country where an elected, nominally civilian government took office almost a year ago after a half-century of military rule. NLD spokesman Nyan Win had said the party was facing difficulty in getting permission to use public venues for its meetings ahead of the April 1 polls. “What we want is fair play but the restrictions have increased lately. It is very difficult to say that the upcoming by-elections could be free and fair,” Nyan Win told reporters. Later Monday, however, he said the state Union Election Commission had informed the party that “all restrictions are lifted for the organizational activities.” “There is now a flicker of hope,” Nyan Win commented. Suu Kyi, a former political prisoner and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is running for one of the 48 parliamentary seats being contested in April. Her party overwhelmingly won a 1990 general election but the military refused to allow it to take power. The NLD boycotted a 2010 general election, saying the rules were unfair. It agreed to rejoin electoral politics last year when the new military-backed elected president, Thein Sein, began implementing democratic reforms. The government has released political prisoners and amended some election laws among other changes, while arguing that Western political and economic sanctions imposed because of the repression under the past military regime should be lifted. The US and other nations have specifically cited a fair election as a benchmark by which Thein Sein's administration will be judged. Nyan Win, also the NLD's campaign manager, had said some government organizations blocked the party's campaign activities even though the election commission had approved them. He said Sports Minister Tint Hsan had objected to the NLD's use of football fields in three constituencies—Hlegu in northern Rangoon Division, the central city of Mandalay and the Irrawaddy Delta town of Pyapon—after local election commissions had approved such meetings. Tint Hsan's son, Phyo Ko Ko Tint Hsan, is a candidate in the by-elections for the ruling military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. Nyan Win also said the election commission in Mogaung Township in Kachin State had refused to allow the NLD to organize in a village called Namti on security grounds. Sporadic but sometimes fierce fighting has been waged in Kachin State between government troops and ethnic Kachin rebels, who have long sought more autonomy and have faced increased repression in the past year. “The authorities said they will not give permission for the NLD to campaign in Namti village because of security reasons. If security in the region is good enough for the government to hold elections, then it is inappropriate to ban organizational activity based on security grounds,” Nyan Win said. Nyan Win said the party would now be allowed to campaign in Namti. Suu Kyi is scheduled to visit Kachin State this Thursday and Friday on an organizational trip. 88-generation students to visit Kachin State http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/6627-88-generation-students-to-visit-kachin-state.html Tuesday, 21 February 2012 21:27 Phanida Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A group of 88-generation student leaders will visit Myitkyina Township in Kachin State to attend a prayer ceremony to mark the suspension of the Myitsone Dam Project. The prayer ceremony at Tanhpre village on Friday, near the Myitsone Dam project site, is meant to express gratitude to the government, which suspended the project, and to pray that the project will not be resumed, said Mya Aye, an 88-generation student member. “We will attend because Kachin young people and Kachin community leaders invited us,” Mya Aye said. Residents who had to relocate because of the project, young people from Myitkyina and community leaders will participate along with members of all major religions, said organizers. An organizer told Mizzima that 88-generation students and Rangoon journalists were invited because the two groups were involved in activities urging the government to stop the Myitsone Dam project. While in the area, they may also work to understand the plight of Kachin war refugees, said organizers. “Their visit will mean that Kachin war refugees might receive their help. They were involved in activities urging [the government] to stop the dam. I hope that they can be involved in activities to try to establish peace in Kachin State,” an organizer said. Mya Aye told Mizzima that 16 leaders of the 88-generation students group, including Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe, Min Zeya and Jimmy have expressed support and sympathy for the war refugees. “Our objective is not just to attend the ceremony. Although we don’t have any money or materials to give to the war refugees, we can give them mental support,” Mya Aye said. Mya Aye said the 88-generation student group is readily available to mediate between the Burmese government and Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) to achieve a cease-fire and establish peace in the country. “What can we do for the KIO or the government to end the war? We are readily available to mediate. We want peace. If they want us to help mediate, we will do it,” Mya Aye said. Meanwhile, sources said that the government and KIO would hold peace talks again in China in late February. Clashes between the two armies took place last week, sources said. Also, National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi plans to campaign in Myitkyina on Thursday and Friday, sources said. On Saturday, a group of 88-generation student leaders including Min Ko Naing will go to Mandalay and on February 28, seven 88-generation student leaders including Mya Aye, will return Rangoon. On September 29, 2011, President Thein Sein ordered the controversial Myitsone Dam project suspended after widespread pubic protests against the project, which is financed by China. Speaker Shwe Mann again pushes for pay increase http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/6626-speaker-shwe-mahn-again-pushes-for-pay-increase.html Tuesday, 21 February 2012 21:08 Myo Thant Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – After the Burmese finance minister opposed his motion to increase salaries for all government employees, Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann has again asked Parliament to raise government workers’ pay. In a message to Parliament on Tuesday, Shwe Mann said the minimum salary of government employees should be 100,000 kyat (US$ 122), Lower House MP Khaing Khin Maung Yee told Mizzima. He said Shwe Mann’s message to lawmakers noted that the daily wage of workers around Naypyitaw was about 2,000 kyat (US$ 2.44) per day and skilled workers and workers with more than five years experience earned up to 5,000 kyat (US$ 6.10) per day. Shwe Mann’s statement said, “The government will be good only if the government staff is good. The salaries and wages they get should be at an appropriate and reasonable level,” Khaing Khin Maung Yee said. Shwe Mann's motion is linked to an effort to end government corruption and abuse of authority, which some observers say is at least partially the result of low pay. Shwe Mann said in a speak to Parliament that almost all government employees take "tea money" or charge for routine services as a way to supplement their salaries. Previously, Shwe Mann had introduced a motion to Parliament on February 7, saying salaries should be set at the level they were in 1959-60. But Finance and Revenue Minister Hla Tun spoke against the proposal, telling Parliament that the current budget deficit of 2,517 billion kyat (US$ 3.1 billion) would be increased to more than 6,600 billion kyat (US$ 8.1 billion) if the salaries of all government staff were increased to the 1959-60 level. Hla Tun also argued that the pay increase would create inflation, commodity prices would rise and economic instability would result if the state borrowed funds to pay for the salary increase. He said a pay increase should be considered in the 2013-14 fiscal year. He suggested increases in wages for 37,817 government workers serving in 85 remote townships where they face hardship service. MP Kyi Myint told Mizzima that if the motion is not withdrawn it must be decided by a joint session of Parliament. In other Parliament business, on February 16 Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Myint Hlaing told lawmakers that the government would continue only the Shwehlanbo River water- pumping project in Singai Township, Mandalay Region. A total of 41 similar water-pumping projects had been included in the 2012-13 budget. He said a total of 270 small-scale water- pumping projects across the country (for under 2,000 acres) would be handed over to the local governments concerned. Burma will upgrade two airports to international status http://www.mizzima.com/business/6622-burma-will-upgrade-two-airports-to-international-status.html Tuesday, 21 February 2012 15:03 Mizzima News (Mizzima) – Burma is planning to create two more international airports, one in Bago to serve central Burma, and one at the Dawei deep-sea port project in the south, according to Civil Aviation Department officials. Both airports, which already exist, will be upgraded to international standards. Foreign investment is invited, most probably from Japan and Singapore, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. The two planned airport upgrades will become the Hanthawaddy International Airport in central Bago region, about 80 kilometres from Rangoon, and the Dawei International Airport at the Dawei deep-sea port in southern Tanintharyi Region. The existing Dawei domestic airport will be upgraded to international status within three years at a cost of about US$ 4 million, officials at the Civil Aviation Department were quoted as saying. The Italian-Thai Development Public Company is now expanding the Dawei airport runway and expansion of other facilities will follow, said the news agency. At present, Burma has three international airports, and 29 regional airports; international airports are located in Rangoon, Naypyitaw and Mandalay. Construction of the Dawei deep-sea port and industrial zone with road and rail links to Thailand is now underway. The project, which is estimated to cost $13 billion, is projected to be completed in 10 years in three phases. Tai Yi strike to go to arbitration court http://www.zonketours.co.za/ Tuesday, 21 February 2012 13:29 Ko Pauk New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Tai Yi footwear factory strikers in a Rangoon industrial zone will take their case to the government Trade Dispute Committee arbitration court on Wednesday, Mizzima has learned. The 1,845 workers, now in the 14th day of the strike, agreed to file a suit with the Mayangon Township trade dispute committee, said their lawyer, Pho Phyu. The workers, mostly women from rural areas, are asking for 150 kyat (19 cents) per hour. The factory owner offered 100 kyat (13 cents) per hour, which the workers rejected. The working hours at the factory are from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Workers are also asking for an 8,000-kyat bonus for those who have no absences for one month and better working conditions. Pho Phyu said that so far the company’s management and the authorities have not harassed or threatened the workers. “The number of police in the area isn’t much,” he said. “They have 14 military personnel with 14 motorcycles, seven motorcycles on each end of the road. They didn’t bring truncheons with them on previous days, but they brought riot gear on Monday,” he said. He said that if the workers take the case to arbitration, they would not have the right to continue their strike. Most workers did not want to continue the strike until security forces broke it up, so arbitration was the best course at this point, he said. “The court will hear our complaint and see our written statements. Both parties can say what they want to argue and defend in the court. Some of these trade disputes can be resolved between employers and employees. But some of these cases are appealed to a higher court if one party can not accept the verdict,” Pho Phyu said. Pho Phyu, attorney Duwa Khun Mar Mai and other colleagues are providing legal aid in the case. The Tai Yi footwear factory is a Chinese-owned company that has faced similar labour strikes for the past three years in row. Officials with the Labour Department and officials from region and township-level labour departments met with the factory owner and a workers’ committee to try to resolve the dispute on February 13, but they could not agree on the amount of increase in hourly wages. Ban on Suu Kyi rallies is lifted http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/6620-ban-on-suu-kyi-rallies-is-lifted.html Tuesday, 21 February 2012 12:11 Mizzima News (Mizzima) – Within hours after the main Burmese opposition party publicly accused a government minister of hampering its campaign activities, the military-dominated government lifted a ban on rallies by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Union Election Commission (UEC) said on Monday evening a ministerial order from the sports minister restricting campaign rallies in stadiums had been lifted, after the National League for Democracy Party complained in a press conference that the campaign process was not free and fair. Election commission officials contacted the NLD and said the ban on the use of sports stadiums and grounds, which had been denied in several instances in recent weeks, was no longer in effect. "It's a very significant change,'' campaign manager Nyan Win told Agence France Press. ''We are still hoping for fair play." In the NLD press conference on Monday, the sports minister, Tint Hsan, was named as the official responsible for the ban. He is a member of the government-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. The fairness of the April 1 by-election vote for 48 seats in various levels of the Parliament, mostly in the Lower House, is being studied carefully by the international community as a test of the newly elected government’s promise to hold a free and fair election. Western governments have said Suu Kyi’s judgment about the election’s fairness would be decisive in whether or not further sanctions are lifted on the military-dominated government. Campaign manager Nyan Win earlier had accused the country's biggest party, the government-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), of making promises of infrastructure and electricity upgrades that were tantamount to vote buying. He also said the government has prevented the NLD from holding election rallies in a village in Kachin State, citing security concerns. He said the restrictions were a threat to ree and fair elections. "So why do they hold by-elections in a constituency where they cannot ensure security?" Nyan Win asked. Suu Kyi’s campaign has attracted huge crowds and her party is expected to win many seats in Parliament, but all opposition parties combined will count for a small fraction of lawmakers. Supporters say the opposition’s power will be a matter of influence more than votes, and how successful it might be would be measured by how many USDP lawmakers support its programs. The current government is made up largely of former generals and businessmen, and Suu Kyi participation in the April 1 by-election is seen by some as a means for it to gain credibility and the lifting of Western sanctions. The U.S. and E.U. have already lifted some sanctions, but are awaiting the result of the election before removing more significant sanctions. Suu Kyi has said she trusts President Thein Sein, and believes that he is working sincerely to change the direction of the government, but much remains to be done to ensure the government is following his policies, especially at the lower-levels of government where change is slow to come. Observers note that there are hardline elements that remain protective of their power and privileges, both in the government and the military. BA-SSA stand-off in Tachilek http://www.english.panglong.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4435:ba-ssa-stand-off-in-tachilek&catid=86:war&Itemid=284 Tuesday, 21 February 2012 17:28 S.H.A.N. The Shan State Army (SSA) South that had signed the ceasefire agreement on 2December and the Burma Army are in a state of deadlock in Monghai, northwest of Tachilek, opposite Maesai, since last week, according to Lt-Col Gawn Zeun, Commander of the SSA’s Shan State East military region. “The Burma Army wants to push all our forces to the Thai-Burma border,” he said. “This is our land of birth. We cannot allow them to treat us this way.” The SSA claims that according to the agreement reached with Naypyitaw’s negotiator U Aung Min, it will operate outside the main motorroads and major towns, where Burma Army units are based. The Burma Army however argues, according to the signed agreements, the SSA is entitled to operate freely only in the Homong-Mong Hta area, opposite Maehongson and Chiangmai provinces. According to the 16 January agreement, Homong and Monghta subtownships are designated as seats of the SSA headquarters. Meeting Sao Yawdserk, SSA leader, in Chiangmai on 5 February, U Aung Min said he knew the Homong-Monghta area was not big enough to accommodate both the SSA and the thousands of civilians taking refuge near its bases. Accordingly he was looking for a suitable location. The SSA had requested that the resettlement area should be in Mongyawng township, as most of the areas along the Thai border have been occupied by the Wa people during the 1999-2001 forced relocations. “Unless something’s done, the stand-off can escalate into a pitched battle,” concluded Gawn Zeun. The SSA and Naypyitaw had earlier agreed to hold a third formal meeting but neither the date nor venue has been set. Loi Taileng, the SSA HQ, meanwhile, has lodged a formal complaint to Naypyitaw, said Yawdserk. It also included the killing of one SSA officer and his wife on 17 February while they were shopping at a village market in the Kyaukme-Hsipaw area. Burma army burns Kachin rice harvest http://www.kachinnews.com/news/2240-burma-army-burns-kachin-rice-harvest.html 21-Feb-2012 More than 1,500 Kg of rice recently harvested by farmers in war-torn Kachin state were set ablaze by government troops last week in Waingmaw township on the Myitkyina-Bhamo (Manmaw) road, eyewitnesses report. Soldiers from the Meiktila-based Light Infantry Division No. 88 were seen on February 16 and 17 ransacking a series of rice paddies in Mali Yang village. The arson attack followed heavy fighting in the area between the Burmese army and troops belonging to Brigade 5 of the Kachin Independence Army. [B]According to a local villager, the farms belonging to three separate families were destroyed, Kachin News Group has omitted the names of the individuals for their safety. The largest loss came after a storage hut housing approximately 1,050 Kg rice burned to the ground. Two families nearby lost 525 Kg and 63 Kg of rice when their farms and homes were also torched.[/B] Looting or destroying farmer's harvest is a common tactic deployed by Burma's army to carry out collective punishment in conflict zones. Recent reports released by Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights show that civilians in Kachin and northern Shan state have borne the brunt of the army's nine month offensive against the Kachin Independence Organization. [B]Atrocities against civilians continue to mount in February[/B] [B]In stark contrast to the Thein Sein government's self described democratic reforms the country's armed forces continued to kill unarmed civilians this month. On February 2, troops from the Meiktila-based Light Infantry Battalion No. 113 shot an unarmed Kachin couple in Han Htet village Manje (Mansi) township in southern Manmaw (Bhamo) district.[/B] Nam Gam who was walking to his rice paddy was fatally wounded during the incident which left his wife severely injured. According to eyewitnesses Nam Gam's shooting was unprovoked. Although the conflict between the KIO and government troops saw a brief lull earlier this year, the intensity of the fighting has gradually increased over the past few weeks. Fighting has been particularly intense in northern Shan State along the proposed route of the Shwe gas pipeline project. Peace talks between the two sides which were expected to be held last week failed to occur after the Burmese government delegation objected to meeting again in China.