BURMA RELATED NEWS AUGUST 08, 2012.
Aug 9th, 2012
AP – With government’s OK, Myanmar marks 1988 protest
AFP – Myanmar facing ‘worsening’ drug problem
Deutsche Welle – India seeks closer military ties with Myanmar
Marketwire - Tri-Star Resources plc: Antimony Technical Collaboration in Myanmar
Bangkok Post – EDITORIAL: Myanmar digs itself a big hole
Bernama – Myanmar mechanic found dead with slash wounds
Bernama – Indonesian MPs To Visit Myanmar
PRWeb – Mesmerizing Myanmar: Luxury Journeys Uncover Myanmar’s Hidden Gems
Xinhua – Myanmar’s foreign investment law under hot discussions in parliament
Xinhua – ASEAN marks 45th anniversary
Marketwire – Tri-Star Resources plc: Antimony Technical Collaboration in Myanmar
Asia Times Online – Myanmar and the vindication of quiet diplomacy
Variety.com – NHK to air news service in Myanmar
The Nation – Eleven Media officially launches news website
Jakarta Globe – Marty: Myanmar Considering Allowing OIC to Investigate Rohingya Situation
Canada.com – Turkish foreign minister travels to Myanmar, to discuss aid to Muslim Rohingya
The Irrawaddy – Fallen Honored but Work Not Yet Done
The Irrawaddy – The Day a New Burma was Born
The Irrawaddy – Min Ko Naing’s 88 Uprising Video Tribute
Mizzima News – Burma will sign agreement for South Korean-built power plant
Mizzima News – Website of Burmese Information Ministry hacked
Mizzima News – Fighting claims four dead during Karen peace talks
DVB News – Labour activist arrested in Mandalay after protest
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With government’s OK, Myanmar marks 1988 protest
By YADANA HTUN | Associated Press – 3 hrs ago
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Crowds turned out Wednesday in cities across Myanmar to commemorate the 24th anniversary of massive pro-democracy protests, with the government giving its approval — and even financial support — for the first time.
Former political prisoners joined hundreds of others at rallies in Yangon, Mandalay and elsewhere to mark the Aug. 8, 1988, start of weeks of protests across the country that were bloodily suppressed by the military.
Government approval for Wednesday’s rallies would be unthinkable a few years ago. While the country was under military rule, citizens did not dare to mark the anniversary publicly for fear of arrest.
President Thein Sein, who has introduced a wave of globally praised reforms since taking office last year, sent two Cabinet ministers to inform organizers on Tuesday that the government was approving their request to hold the rallies. The ministers also handed over 1 million kyat ($1,200) in cash to help fund the events, said Ko Ko Gyi, a leader of the 1988 uprising who spent many years in prison.
“It’s as if the government is also participating in this commemoration,” Ko Ko Gyi said in a telephone interview from Mandalay, where the main rally was being held. “I feel like this is a step toward reform.”
Presidential spokesman Nay Zin Latt said the government recognized the anniversary as a “historic event” and the president wanted to show his sincerity about achieving national reconciliation.
“The president always talks about national reconciliation,” the spokesman said. “This action can help build better mutual understanding.”
After a demonstration by students on Aug. 8, 1988, the uprising spread throughout the country, drawing an estimated million people. Several thousand were killed before the protests were crushed the following month. The military repealed the constitution and imposed martial law.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi emerged as a leader of the democracy movement during the protests. Her political party swept elections held in 1990, but the military refused to let it take power.
“The ‘88 uprising was the symbol of the people’s cooperation,” Ko Ko Gyi said. “It makes us remember our friends who are still in prison and those who live abroad. It also reminds me of our hard times.”
Human rights groups say authorities are still holding an unknown number of political prisoners, although the most famous have been released over the past two years, including Suu Kyi.
Last month, authorities temporarily detained more than 20 activists ahead of a planned commemoration of the 50th anniversary of a brutal military crackdown on students in July 1962.
Although all were freed after about a day, their colleagues said the detentions showed that the government remains repressive despite its reforms.
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Myanmar facing ‘worsening’ drug problem
AFP – 1 hr 8 mins ago
Myanmar authorities warned Wednesday that it was facing a deepening drug crisis after seizing narcotics including more than 1.4 million amphetamine pills and 116 kilos of heroin in July.
“The drug problem is very dangerous now in Myanmar,” a police official in the drugs control department who did not want to be named told AFP.
“It’s getting worse,” he added. “Although the country has vowed to be drug free by 2014, it can only be opium free because of the problem of stimulant tablets,” he added.
Official media on Wednesday reported 342 drug-related cases across the country in July, resulting in the arrests of 473 suspects.
Most of the stimulant tablets were seized in the borderlands of eastern Myanmar, but their use is also spreading in Yangon, the police official said.
“Tablets are easily available to buy. It’s a very big concern for drug control authorities,” he added, warning that a lack of resources was hindering the nation’s war on drugs.
Synthetic drug production and poppy cultivation for opium is prevalent in Myanmar’s remote border areas, where armed ethnic minority rebels have used the profits from narcotics to fund their operations.
President Thein Sein’s reformist government has signed peace accords with a number of armed groups as part of sweeping reforms since taking power last year.
The country, which is slowly emerging from decades of military rule, is the world’s second-largest opium poppy grower after Afghanistan.
Shan state is a major source of methamphetamine tablets, according to the UN, which estimates that global seizures of amphetamine-type stimulants nearly tripled between 1998 and 2010, reflecting fast-growing demand.
In May the government and Shan rebels together agreed to wipe out drug production in the vast northeastern state.
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Date 08.08.2012
Deutsche Welle – India seeks closer military ties with Myanmar
India says it seeks better ties with Myanmar to get the Burmese army act against the north-east Indian insurgents. Experts, however, say that India’s main aim is to counter China’s influence in the region.
Security analysts say the Indo-Burmese cooperation is not only aimed at the crackdown on insurgents, but more significantly, it is part of India’s strategy to court Myanmar to counter China’s influence in the region.
Earlier this week, Myanmar’s defense chief General Min Aung Hlaing was on a week-long Indian visit in which he met Indian Defense Minister A K Antony and other Indian military officials.
Apart from assuring the Burmese general that India would train the Burmese army, the Indian defense officials also promised more military aid to Myanmar.
Indo-Burmese military cooperation
Burmese President Thein Sein, who took office after the military handed over power just over a year ago, has introduced a series of political reforms, which have led to the European Union, the United States and other Western governments to lift economic sanctions on Myanmar.
In 1988, when the Burmese military junta began its crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar, India chose to support opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. But in 1993, India started mending relations with the Burmese generals and sought better economic and military ties with Myanmar.
In 2006, then Indian army vice-chief Lieutenant General S Pattabhiraman admitted that India was supplying Myanmar with a host of military hardware including field guns and howitzers. In 2007, it was reported in the media that Myanmar was seeking extra supply of Indian field guns, mortars, helicopters, submarines surveillance aircrafts and spare parts for its fighter planes.
Last year, a north-east India based Burmese exiled pro-democracy activist said that India was supplying secret arms consignments to Myanmar since 2003.
For years the US and European Union sought to isolate the Burmese junta through an arms embargo and economic sanctions, but India took the opposite path in the hope of getting Myanmar’s rulers to crack down on north-east Indian insurgents hiding in western Myanmar forests.
Countering China’s influence
Traditionally, the Burmese army, which is known as Tatmadaw, has been dependent on Beijing for military supplies since 1988. China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has long been assisting the Burmese army.
Analysts say India is becoming desperate to counter China’s influence in Myanmar.
“In view of Myanmar’s aim to reduce its dependency on China and India’s desire to counter-balance China’s influence in Asia, the military friendship between Myanmar and India is natural,” Jacob Zenn, a security analyst with Washington-based Jamestown Foundation, told DW. “This move would also be welcomed by the West, which, like India, seeks to contain China’s increasing influence in Southeast Asia,” he added.
Ralph A Cossa, president of the Honolulu-based Pacific Forum of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told DW that India was seeking to provide a counterbalance to the countries in the region.
“India is becoming more and more involved in East Asia as a member of the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum, and is looking to open doors to all southeast Asian countries to increase its influence and to provide these countries an alternative to Beijing’s might,” said Cossa.
“Now that Myanmar seems to be reforming itself, India’s new friendly gestures for Myanmar are unlikely to draw Western criticism, so it is a smart diplomatic move,” he added.
On his part, Udai Bhanu Singh, a researcher at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi told DW that India had legitimate concerns for the security of its north-eastern states bordering Myanmar.
“Myanmar is experiencing ethnic turmoil. India is equally concerned about the Indian insurgents hiding in Myanmar. It is in this context that one has to look at the renewed military cooperation between Myanmar and India,” said Singh.
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Marketwire - Tri-Star Resources plc: Antimony Technical Collaboration in Myanmar
- Tri-Star enters Collaboration Agreement with RDP Singapore on Myanmar antimony projects
- Myanmar has a very rich mineral record but is relatively underexplored
- Opportunity to access world class resources since sanctions lifted
Press Release: Tri-Star Resources plc – 3 hours ago
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM–(Marketwire -08/08/12)- Tri-Star (TSTR.L), the integrated antimony exploration and development company, has entered into an agreement with RDP Singapore Limited (”RDPS”) (the “Collaboration Agreement”) under which, Tri-Star will provide technical collaboration and advice to RDPS in relation to its Myanmar antimony projects, which include exploration rights surrounding two existing producing deposits and any additional antimony projects identified in Myanmar by either Tri-Star or RDPS (the “Antimony Projects”). RDPS is a subsidiary of Resource Development Partners Limited (”RDP”), the London based mining finance house specializing in natural resource investments.
The first stage of the Collaboration Agreement will involve Tri-Star providing technical expertise to RDPS and performing a series of geological and metallurgical assessments at the Antimony Projects. Following the completion of the initial assessment work, the board of directors of Tri-Star (the “Board”) will make a decision regarding any further collaboration with RDPS. The Board expects this initial work to be completed within 6 to 12 months and subject to the results of the assessments the Board will consider further investment in the Antimony Projects and seek to negotiate an exclusive off-take arrangement with RDPS.
RDPS is a private holding company incorporated in Singapore, which invests in the Myanmar mining industry, in addition to other sectors. The principals, James Hyndes and Christian West, have regional investment and mining experience, and are supported by a strong board with members based both in South East Asia and Myanmar. RDPS has identified two operating antimony mines in Myanmar and will focus on expanding the surrounding prospective areas over which it owns the exploration rights. RDPS is engaged in seeking other projects of merit and its strategy is to develop strong local relationships in key commodity sectors.
Commenting on the Collaboration Agreement, Emin Eyi, Managing Director of Tri-Star Resources, said:
“The experience RDPS has, together with the strength of its relationships locally, means the company is very well positioned to develop opportunities in Myanmar and we look forward to utilising our geological and metallurgical skills in assisting them, and in turn the Myanmar resource industry, to improve standards and enhance exploration and production potential. Importantly, we are encouraged by the possible sourcing of raw materials which can potentially be processed at Tri-Star’s proposed UAE roaster facilities in the future.”
Myanmar opportunity
Myanmar has a very rich mineral record but is relatively underexplored. The geology of the region has the potential to host world class metal deposits. Located between the Cathy (Asian) and Indian plates the large continental sutures and faults such as the Shan Boundary Fault control a large number of mineral formations. Metal deposits in Myanmar include antimony, tin, lead, zinc, copper, precious metals and industrial minerals.
There are over 30 known antimony occurrences recorded in the Country. Many of the antimony deposits are associated with tungsten and gold.
Myanmar is estimated to have produced over 14,000 tonnes of antimony in ore form in 2011, sold almost entirely overseas. It is one of the largest single country sources of antimony raw material for Chinese facilities.
About RDP & RDPS
RDP is a London based mining finance house specialising in early stage investments in the natural resource sector. RDP provides support services, seed financing and direct investment to a number of companies, including companies exploring and or producing in the Philippines, Guinea, Kazakhstan and, via RDPS, in Myanmar.
RDPS is a special purpose Singaporean company established by RDP and its Singaporean director James Hyndes, specifically to invest in Myanmar based opportunities. RDPS has signed letters of intent and joint venture contracts in relation to projects in the mining and natural resources sectors, as well as manufacturing and property sectors. It has offices in Singapore and is in the process of staffing and establishing a Yangon based office.
About Tri-Star Resources
Tri-Star Resources is a focused antimony company whose management has many years experience in trading and mining this critical mineral. The Company objective is to become the leading integrated antimony metal and products manufacturer to western economy consumers utilizing a new technical and environmentally advanced 20,000 tonnes per annum name plate capacity metal and tri-oxide production facility in the UAE, with raw material supplied from its upstream resource projects in Turkey & Canada and from third party producers.
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Bangkok Post – EDITORIAL: Myanmar digs itself a big hole
Published: 8/08/2012 at 01:37 AM
Newspaper section: News
Myanmar may not even be aware of it, but it is digging its way into a huge diplomatic hole over the recent communal riots in the country’s western region.
Over the past few weeks, the Nay Pyi Taw government has turned progressively secretive, censorious and combative over the June riots and continuing unrest in Rakhine state. In short, it is taking entirely the wrong direction over the violence.
The riots in the region formerly known as Arakan peaked in June. Truthful reports on casualties and damage are as difficult to come by as details of the fighting and how the Myanmar authorities responded. However, available reports indicate that several hundred people died or were maimed, the number of buildings destroyed was more than 1,000, and the army and police behaved atrociously.
Myanmar’s current problem, apart from trying to calm Rakhine state, is how to deal with international concern and anger.
The instinctive reaction of the Myanmar authorities is still to try to clam up and ignore the world’s concern.
This will not do, not from a country demanding attention as a newly emerging democracy trying to throw off the shackles of a 50-year military dictatorship.
Everything that Myanmar has done since the riots has been wrong. Its refusal to open the region to objective reporters and its own media caused massive anti-government press from virtually everywhere outside its borders. Human rights groups have “demanded” _ a favourite word _ impartial reporting.
The result was that Myanmar, almost unbelievably, cracked down on the press again. Last week, the government banned two newspapers for refusing to submit stories to official censors. On Saturday, Myanmar reporters staged a public demonstration to demand an end to the censorship system.
Worldwide, members of the free press automatically sympathised with the Myanmar media who were brave enough to defy the system. The United Nations’ Special Rapporteur for Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, suggested the country hold a truth commission to try to discover the causes and effects of the riots, and come up with ways to prevent more communal battles.
Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin criticised the UN official for daring to suggest that the army and police might have used excessive force, specifically against the Rohingya Muslims of Rakhine.
And that extremely unthoughtful outburst caught the attention of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The OIC proposed sending a mission to Myanmar to look into the massacres of Rohingya by the Buddhist majority. That sort of inflammatory language is certain to result in the OIC rejecting such a proposal, but it is a lose-lose situation for Nay Pyi Taw. In addition to being a powerful political group, the OIC comprises Asean partners Indonesia and Malaysia. Thailand is an OIC observer.
Myanmar has only a couple of options of where to go next, neither of them attractive. It can try to continue to stonewall and earn the sort of criticism that was heaped on the country while it was run by army juntas.
It can release information and open the Rakhine area to objective observers, which will almost certainly result in even more criticism of its treatment of the Rohingya, a religious minority whose members are denied citizenship in their own country.
However, it would be a mistake for Myanmar and cause strong repercussions in Asean if the country takes the repressive road.
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MYANMAR MECHANIC FOUND DEAD WITH SLASH WOUNDS
Bernama Media – 3 hours ago
SHAH ALAM, Aug 8 (Bernama) — A 30-year-old Myanmar man was found dead with slash wounds on the neck at a car workshop in Batu 5 Ampang on Monday.
A blood-stained knife, believed to be the murder weapon, was found at the workshop where the unidentified victim had worked as a mechanic.
The police have detained six of the victim’’s compatriots who were employed at the workshop to facilitate investigations into the murder.
Selangor CID chief SAC Mohd Adnan Abdullah said today, the police were in the midst of tracking down a Myanmar, in his 20s, to shed light on the killing.
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August 08, 2012 13:29 PM
Indonesian MPs To Visit Myanmar
JAKARTA, Aug 8 (Bernama) — A delegation comprising House of Representatives (DPR) members and mass organisation activists will soon leave for Myanmar to urge the Myanmarese government to stop the conflict that befell Muslim Rohingnya, a legislator said.
“We are now attending to the issuance of visas and if they could be issued soon we can leave on Thursday,” Almuzzammil Yusuf, a member of the DPR`s Commission I on foreign affairs said here on Tuesday.
Indonesia’s Antara news agency reported that mass organisations’ delegates who will leave for Mynamar represent 14 mass organisations, such as the Syarikat Islam, Persistri, Matlaul Anwar, Rabitha Alawiyah and Mapadi.
Almuzzammil said the delegates will monitor the conditions and meet with the Myanmarese MPs to persuade for an end to the conflict.
He said Rohingya refugees in various Asean countries should also be protected and be given a clear status of citizenship under the coordination of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation.
The Myanmar government does not recognise Rohingya Muslims as its citizens and calls them illegal immigrants although they have been living in the country for decades.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported over 80,000 have become refugees.
House Speaker Marzuki Alie has also called on the Parliamentary Union of the Oorganisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States to show solidarity to Rohingya Muslims.
“That would be in line with resolution No. 11, which was adopted at the Seventh Session of OIC in Palembang, South Sumatra, early this year,” said Marzuki.
He added that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had also asked the Myanmar government to protect the Rohingya ethnic minority.
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Mesmerizing Myanmar: Luxury Journeys Uncover Myanmar’s Hidden Gems
PRWeb – 1 hr 14 mins ago
Bangkok-based Backyard Travel, Asia’s most innovative tour and travel operator, today announced exclusive new luxury tours in Myanmar.
Bangkok, Thailand (PRWEB) August 08, 2012
Bangkok, Thailand (PRWEB) August 08, 2012
Luxury travel is on the rise and Backyard Travel is meeting demand by offering exclusive individualized itineraries through Myanmar. Stylish boutique hotels, elegant modes of transport and carefully crafted excursions promise travel experiences currently unparalleled in the market.
Myanmar’s beauty is unique within Asia, its thick forests, vast deserted coastlines, and sheer abundance of temples setting it apart from anywhere else in the region. Having recently become more accessible to travelers, now is the time for discerning voyagers to delve into Myanmar arts, culture and tradition, and enjoy bespoke experiences at an unhurried pace.
Backyard Travel’s Luxury Myanmar tour delivers a fresh look at classic destinations, enabling a deeper appreciation of the country’s more visited sites, plus plenty of opportunities for new discoveries. Travelers can explore Bagan temple territory via horse-drawn carriage, enjoy Yangon from the seat of a 1945 vintage Chevrolet, or cruise across the stunning Inle Lake in the back of a motorboat.
Ensuring a journey that does justice to Myanmar’s breathtaking scenery and rich cultural heritage, luxury accommodation for this tour blends style and authenticity. Travelers wake one morning to panoramic water views from their stilted lakeside bungalow, the next, to the manicured gardens of the Governor’s Residence in Yangon. Wine-tasting, cocktails on the Irrawaddy River, village school visits and a traditional Inthar meal are all part of the trip, creating the perfect balance of refinement, relaxation and cultural enlightenment.
For a sophisticated seaside escape in Myanmar, travelers can opt for a luxurious beach break in Ngapali. Not only does the region offer up some of Asia’s most idyllic stretches of coastline, travelers seeking a true retreat can easily find seclusion surrounded by gently swaying palm trees and powder-fine sands. For those who want it, excitement is never far away, with optional tour extras including island-hopping and jeep tours to Mount Victoria and beyond.
The company’s Yangon-based Myanmar Travel Specialist Mr Ye Thi Ha says, “Luxury tours are not all about staying in five-star hotels, they’re more about creating that uniquely tailored journey, one that’s designed by experts who can interpret an individual traveler’s needs and turn it into the perfect travel experience. The Luxury Myanmar tour allows travelers to visit cultural sites in a highly customized manner with the most knowledgeable guides and a choice of unique tour add-ons.”
Aside from customized itineraries and insider information, Backyard Travel offers completely stress-free journeys, with all fees, tickets, and English-speaking guide included in the package. To discover more of Asia, check Backyard Travel’s complete range of specialized tours.
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Myanmar’s foreign investment law under hot discussions in parliament
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English.news.cn 2012-08-08 14:10:41
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YANGON, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) — Myanmar’s new foreign investment law was under hot discussion in the ongoing session of the parliamentary House of Representatives (Lower House) in Nay Pyi Taw Tuesday, involving the House’s committee, commission, entrepreneurs and scholars, official media reported Wednesday.
Speaker of the Lower House U Shwe Mann said the foreign investment law is a crucial one for the country which must be complete and in the interest of the state and the people, warning of a flood of investment opportunities for foreigners once the law is enacted.
After discussion in the Lower House, the foreign investment law would be sent to the House of Nationalities (Upper House), he said, adding that it would be assumed that the law has been approved by the parliament if there was no amendment from the Upper House and endorsement would be made by the president in 15 days subject to no comment from him.
He called for final rapid discussion of the law in the Lower House in not more than seven days to pave way for the completion of the process.
According to official statistics, total foreign investment in Myanmar had hit 41.029 billion U.S. dollars as of June 2012 since the country opened to such investment in late 1988.
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ASEAN marks 45th anniversary
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English.news.cn 2012-08-08 17:36:04
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JAKARTA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) — The ASEAN Secretariat on Wednesday held a flag hoisting ceremony at its headquarters here to commemorate the organization’s 45th Anniversary.
The ceremony was presided over by ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan with the participation by Indonesian foreign minister and ambassadors to ASEAN. Also on the same day, all ASEAN member states will organize similar ceremonies to represent their determination to build the ASEAN Community.
During the speech following the raise of the flag, Surin emphasized the invaluable friendship with all ASEAN Dialogue Partners for the success of the region. “We truly appreciate the work, the contribution, and cooperation, of Dialogue Partners as you have done so much,” said the Secretary-General. “You have responded effectively to the call to achieve the ASEAN goal and mission for the region.”
Marty Natalegawa, minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, reaffirmed his confidence in ASEAN’s role within the region and globally.
Representing all Dialogue Partner Countries, Ambassador Julian Wilson of EU stressed that regional integration is important, ASEAN succeeds because it is a good idea, ten together achieves more than ten apart.
Founded on Aug. 8, 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
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August 08, 2012 08:00 ET
Marketwire – Tri-Star Resources plc: Antimony Technical Collaboration in Myanmar
- Tri-Star enters Collaboration Agreement with RDP Singapore on Myanmar antimony projects
- Myanmar has a very rich mineral record but is relatively underexplored
- Opportunity to access world class resources since sanctions lifted
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM–(Marketwire – Aug. 8, 2012) – Tri-Star (AIM:TSTR), the integrated antimony exploration and development company, has entered into an agreement with RDP Singapore Limited (”RDPS”) (the “Collaboration Agreement”) under which, Tri-Star will provide technical collaboration and advice to RDPS in relation to its Myanmar antimony projects, which include exploration rights surrounding two existing producing deposits and any additional antimony projects identified in Myanmar by either Tri-Star or RDPS (the “Antimony Projects”). RDPS is a subsidiary of Resource Development Partners Limited (”RDP”), the London based mining finance house specializing in natural resource investments.
The first stage of the Collaboration Agreement will involve Tri-Star providing technical expertise to RDPS and performing a series of geological and metallurgical assessments at the Antimony Projects. Following the completion of the initial assessment work, the board of directors of Tri-Star (the “Board”) will make a decision regarding any further collaboration with RDPS. The Board expects this initial work to be completed within 6 to 12 months and subject to the results of the assessments the Board will consider further investment in the Antimony Projects and seek to negotiate an exclusive off-take arrangement with RDPS.
RDPS is a private holding company incorporated in Singapore, which invests in the Myanmar mining industry, in addition to other sectors. The principals, James Hyndes and Christian West, have regional investment and mining experience, and are supported by a strong board with members based both in South East Asia and Myanmar. RDPS has identified two operating antimony mines in Myanmar and will focus on expanding the surrounding prospective areas over which it owns the exploration rights. RDPS is engaged in seeking other projects of merit and its strategy is to develop strong local relationships in key commodity sectors.
Commenting on the Collaboration Agreement, Emin Eyi, Managing Director of Tri-Star Resources, said:
“The experience RDPS has, together with the strength of its relationships locally, means the company is very well positioned to develop opportunities in Myanmar and we look forward to utilising our geological and metallurgical skills in assisting them, and in turn the Myanmar resource industry, to improve standards and enhance exploration and production potential. Importantly, we are encouraged by the possible sourcing of raw materials which can potentially be processed at Tri-Star’s proposed UAE roaster facilities in the future.”
Myanmar opportunity
Myanmar has a very rich mineral record but is relatively underexplored. The geology of the region has the potential to host world class metal deposits. Located between the Cathy (Asian) and Indian plates the large continental sutures and faults such as the Shan Boundary Fault control a large number of mineral formations. Metal deposits in Myanmar include antimony, tin, lead, zinc, copper, precious metals and industrial minerals.
There are over 30 known antimony occurrences recorded in the Country. Many of the antimony deposits are associated with tungsten and gold.
Myanmar is estimated to have produced over 14,000 tonnes of antimony in ore form in 2011, sold almost entirely overseas. It is one of the largest single country sources of antimony raw material for Chinese facilities.
About RDP & RDPS
RDP is a London based mining finance house specialising in early stage investments in the natural resource sector. RDP provides support services, seed financing and direct investment to a number of companies, including companies exploring and or producing in the Philippines, Guinea, Kazakhstan and, via RDPS, in Myanmar.
RDPS is a special purpose Singaporean company established by RDP and its Singaporean director James Hyndes, specifically to invest in Myanmar based opportunities. RDPS has signed letters of intent and joint venture contracts in relation to projects in the mining and natural resources sectors, as well as manufacturing and property sectors. It has offices in Singapore and is in the process of staffing and establishing a Yangon based office.
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Aug 9, 2012
Asia Times Online – Myanmar and the vindication of quiet diplomacy
What do you do with a problem like Myanmar? It’s something Asian leaders have puzzled over for years, and all signs suggest they’ve finally found a solution to rehabilitate the Southeast Asian pariah state. Africans, take note: this successful approach bears a striking resemblance to a little something Thabo Mbeki likes to call ‘quiet diplomacy’. By SIMON ALLISON.
The centrepiece of the Giant Reclining Buddha temple in Yangon is exactly what it says on the tin: a giant sculpture of the Buddha in a state of languorous repose, looking like he doesn’t have a care in the world – which, as far as Buddhism is concerned, is really the point.
Surrounding the temple is a complex of 87 monasteries, representing various schools of the religion and different regional groups. The monasteries come in all shapes and sizes, from simple wooden huts raised slightly to protect against sudden flooding to ornate, whitewashed buildings with a few basic amenities.
Out of the windows and strung along all the pavements are bright squares of red and orange fabric; even monks need to do laundry. In fact, unlike the Giant Reclining Buddha, monks have plenty of temporal concerns, and these monks in particular have more than most.
In 2007, Myanmar’s military junta brutally suppressed the Saffron Revolution, where thousands of monks took to the street in a protest precipitated by the government’s sudden decision to scrap fuel subsidies, raising the cost of living substantially. The monks also demanded democracy, and specifically the release from house arrest of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, universally known as The Lady. Tens of thousands of ordinary people joined their protest, acting as a human shield against the inevitable government crackdown. Officially, 13 people were killed, but this number is believed to be significantly larger; and hundreds of people were arrested, mostly monks who had started the temporary insurrection.
Many of those monks were from the monasteries around the Giant Reclining Buddha temple, a hotbed of discontent. Of the 87 monasteries, 22 took part in the protests. Every night, the rebellious monasteries hold vigil for their colleagues that remain in prison and for those who have been released but were so scarred by their experience that they abandoned the spiritual life. As punishment, these orders have been relegated to a lower class of accommodation within the complex, and denied access to any state facilities, including hospitals.
The monk who told me all this spent a few months in prison for his participation in the Saffron Revolution, where his leg was broken by security forces. I won’t name him. “Things were bad,” he said. “Very bad. But they are improving.”
His optimism stems from recent reforms announced by the government, which is now based in the shiny new ghost city of Naypyidaw. The Lady was released; her party won a landslide in by-elections and are just a few seats away from a parliamentary majority; absurd foreign exchange rules have been lifted; amnesty granted to hundreds of political prisoners; and media and Internet censorship slowly relaxed.
“We could not have had this conversation before,” the monk told me. “Even in the monastery, you never knew who was listening. Everything is changed now. Aung San Suu Kyi is in parliament, everything is more open. It’s not perfect, but it is better.”
It’s certainly a long way from perfect. Despite the progress, the junta remains firmly in control and up to all of its old tricks. Outside major urban areas, on the periphery of the 48-million strong country, the military are not afraid to use extreme force to quell separatist organisations representing various ethnic groups, such as the Karen and the Kachin. And in Rakhine state, violence between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims (who are not recognised as Burmese citizens) has been fanned by state security forces. Human Rights Watch last week accused them of targeting the Rohingya through sexual violence, killing and mass arrests.
But this hasn’t stopped the international community from getting excited about Myanmar’s relative progress. Both the United States and the European Union recently lifted some of the sanctions levelled against the junta. Easing of the economic sanctions is expected to follow shortly, which would allow Myanmar to participate fully in the international economy for the first time in more than two decades.
Leading Myanmar’s reforms is the country’s new president, Thein Sein. After long-term dictator Than Shwe stepped aside for reasons that remain unclear (although cancer is the most popular explanation), Thein Sein, a regime stalwart, was given the top job. Think of him as FW de Klerk to Aung San Suu Kyi’s Mandela.
More interestingly, from an African perspective, is the support that Myanmar has been getting from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the region’s Sadc-equivalent. More than just support; some argue that Asean’s involvement was in fact the trigger for the recent progress, or at the very least a necessary condition. Malaysia’s prime minister, Najib Razak, certainly thinks so: “The Asean way won Burma over”, ran the headline of a recent op-ed he wrote in the Wall Street Journal.
But even Razak (as leader of an Asean country he’s hardly a neutral observer) acknowledges that Asean’s approach hasn’t always been well-received in the international community. “Over the past four decades Asean has been widely credited with helping its member nations boost trade, investment and growth, but it has also been criticized in foreign policy circles for doing too little to promote democracy and human rights,” he wrote.
This criticism stemmed from Asean’s very public rejection of traditional methods used by the international community to whip pariah states into line. Razak continued: “For many decades, Myanmar was on the receiving end of very public diplomatic scoldings, often backed up by sanctions. Implicit in this stance was the idea that democratic nations such as Malaysia should shun their less-free neighbours, and that the only way to bring about improvements was to economically cripple those who had not yet embraced the ballot box. But Asean members took a more nuanced view, believing that constructive engagement and encouragement were just as effective, if not more, than sanctions and isolation in creating positive change.”
Asean’s ‘constructive engagement’ approach favours dialogue over confrontation or coercive measures. The idea is to exert some kind of moral influence over Myanmar, or other problem countries, without isolating it from the international community – an isolation that would only increase the regime’s excesses and push it closer to China. It recognises that the pace of change is slow, and the best way to get Myanmar’s recalcitrant generals on board is to show them what they’re missing. An important element of the policy is a recognition that peaceful transition can only happen with the cooperation, and indeed the leadership, of the regime.
It’s a policy that contains unmistakeable echoes of Thabo Mbeki’s ‘quiet diplomacy’. This much-maligned doctrine has guided SADC’s approach to Zimbabwe and strongly influenced how the African Union handles conflict resolution. Like Asean’s constructive engagement, quiet diplomacy is built around finding consensus, avoiding confrontation and measuring progress in increments rather than revolutions.
And like Asean, SADC and the African Union have been pilloried by the international community for supporting dictators and standing idly by while human rights abuses are committed. Western nations in particular would rather the likes of Zimbabwe and Myanmar were cut off from polite diplomatic society, pushed into the naughty corner until they decide to repent.
Perhaps neither approach is right – or, more accurately, perhaps they both are.
“While Asean’s approach might not have worked without Western sanctions simultaneously in place, it is probably just as true that the US’s and EU’s policy would not have worked without Asean’s complementary policy,” wrote Kilian Spandler, an academic studying Myanmar’s transition. “By freezing relations with Burma and imposing sanctions, the West hit the regime hard, but it also lost the chance to influence the regime’s policy – in contrast, Asean was able to push the country in the direction it wanted by creating incentives for policy change. While the West provided the stick, Asean fed the carrot – an unintended division of labour, but one that worked.”
The lesson in this for African leaders is that there is space for more nuanced, non-confrontational foreign policy responses in dealing with pariah states and other delicate political transitions. Asean’s success in Myanmar, assuming it’s not a false dawn, is at the very least a partial vindication of Mbeki’s quiet diplomacy, and at most it is a glowing recommendation. Now all that’s left to do is wait and see if it works in Zimbabwe. DM
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Posted: Wed., Aug. 8, 2012, 8:52am PT
Variety.com – NHK to air news service in Myanmar
Channel to be offered by local provider Skynet
By Mark Schilling
TOKYO — NHK, Japan’s giant pubcaster, launched its NHK World English-language service in Myanmar on Wednesday.
The service, which is on air 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is being offered by local provider Skynet to its 200,000 subscribing households.
Skynet is also beaming the Japanese-expat-targeted service NHK World Premium.
Although Japan has long had friendlier relations with the Myanmar regime than its close ally the U.S., such a launch would have been unthinkable until quite recently, with the country’s political and economic opening to the outside world.
NHK World TV broadcasts news mainly about Japan and the rest of the Asia, as well as cultural, lifestyle and other programming. It is can be seen in nearly 130 countries and regions around the globe.
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The Nation – Eleven Media officially launches news website
August 8, 2012 8:24 am
Eleven Media, the number 1 news media in Myanmar, has officially launched its new website at http://elevenmyanmar.com/ Wednesday.
The launch was to mark the anniversary of the August 8 uprising in 1988 (the 8888 event).
The English website will bring more news and information to global audience who are closely watching political, economic and social changes taking place in Myanmar after decades of closure.
Eleven Media Group has a comprehensive partnership with Thailand’s Nation Multimedia Group Plc to do a number of English-languge publications.
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Jakarta Globe – Marty: Myanmar Considering Allowing OIC to Investigate Rohingya Situation
August 08, 2012
Foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said Myanmar is considering allowing the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) secretary general into its borders to investigate the situation surrounding Rohingya ethnic group.
Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin made the statement at a meeting with Marty on Tuesday, according to reports.
Marty said the idea of the OIC secretary general’s visit was among the suggestions made by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The Myanmarese foreign minister also said that Myanmar’s President Thein Sein received President Yudhoyono’s letter, and would immediately reply.
“The President’s letter has been handed to President Thein Sein. Myanmar appreciates Indonesia’s view as a friendly country that has long had a good understanding over developments in Myanmar,” Lwin said. Yudhoyono’s letter came after weeks of mounting calls from human rights activists, legislators and students for Indonesia to take a role in finding a solution in Myanmar.
Marty said Indonesia hopes Myanmar will be more open to the international community with regard to the Rohingya situation.
“And we, in the talks with the Myanmarese foreign minister, have reiterated the importance of Myanmar to open the region so that the international community can check directly the actual developments there,” he said.
Violence erupted in June in Rakhine state in western Myanmar between Buddhists and Rohingya, leaving about 80 people dead from both sides, according to official estimates deemed low by rights groups.
Myanmar security forces opened fire on Rohingya Muslims, committed rape and stood by as rival mobs attacked each other during the recent wave of sectarian violence, according to the New York-based Human Rights Watch.
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Canada.com – Turkish foreign minister travels to Myanmar, to discuss aid to Muslim Rohingya
By The Associated Press August 8, 2012
ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s foreign minister has left for Myanmar to discuss ties and possible aid distribution to members of the Muslim Rohingya minority.
Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters Wednesday he would hold talks with senior officials before a rare visit to camps sheltering Rohingya and Buddhists.
Many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar consider the Rohingya to be illegal settlers from Bangladesh. Violence in June between Rohingya and Rakhine Buddhists in western Myanmar left at least 78 dead and tens of thousands homeless.
The U.N. considers the Rohingya to be among the most persecuted people in the world.
Davutoglu said he would negotiate the distribution of Turkish aid to the Rohingya. The Turkish prime minister’s wife and daughter are accompanying Davutoglu on the two-day visit and are taking a “symbolic” amount of aid.
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The Irrawaddy – Fallen Honored but Work Not Yet Done
By HPYO WAI THA / THE IRRAWADDY| August 8, 2012 |
RANGOON—For the last 24 years, making offerings to monks or falling silent in prayer to honor those killed in the historic 1988 popular uprising has been considered taboo in Burma.
However, on the eve of the 24th anniversary of the 8-8-88 democracy demonstration that toppled dictator Ne Win, two government ministers made a surprise visit to the 88 Generation Students group with reformist President Thein Sein’s permission.
The former political prisoners were given one million kyat (US $1,250) as a contribution towards the commemoration ceremony they planned to hold in Mandalay, Burma’s second largest city.
Ko Ko Gyi, one of the 88 Generation Students leaders, told The Irrawaddy that their visit can be interpreted as the government now acknowledging the 8-8-88 movement and attempting to spur national reconciliation.
“It’s a positive move from the government,” he said. “Previously, people celebrated in a very low profile for they were afraid of the authorities’ interference. [The ministers’] visit and contribution show they have a better understanding of us.”
Toe Kyaw Hlaing, one of the students who took part in the 1988 uprising in which at least 3,000 peaceful demonstrators were slaughtered, said it was difficult to hold ceremonies in the past as the topic stayed so politically sensitive for the government.
“If you applied for government permission, they never said ‘no,’ but they never issued permission on time,” he explained. “We were also summoned for questioning. Everyone who tried to celebrate felt very jittery.”
But on Wednesday morning, hundreds of mostly middle-aged people gathered at a restaurant in Rangoon to remember the popular uprising they joined more than two decades ago.
“We welcome the government’s participation. Their contribution means they acknowledge the 88 movement,” said Ye Aung, one of the event organizers.
In his opening address to the ceremony, Tin Oo, the chairman of the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), said the 88 movement was a “blessing” as it ended Ne Win’s single party rule that had oppressed the Burmese for the previous 26 years.
In a separate event, leaders of the 88 Generation Students organized a commemorative ceremony for the movement they spearheaded as young men.
“The 88 movement not only belongs to us,” said Ko Ko Gyi. “It was a nationwide popular protest. We chose Mandalay to allow our comrades living in areas of Upper Burma easy access to the ceremony.”
Their celebration at a monastery near Maha Mhuni Pagoda attracted nearly 2,000 people including representatives of ethnic minorities, according to those in attendance.
“Min Ko Naing said the ceremony is to honor everyone who took part in the 88 movement and fallen unsung heroes,” said Mandalay resident Thurein, adding that there was also some discussion of the country’s future and the ongoing peace process.
After an initial demonstration by students on Aug. 8, 1988, the uprising spread throughout Burma comprised of around one million people. Thousand were killed before the protests were finally crushed the following month with the junta repealing the Constitution and imposing martial law.
Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi first emerged as the leader of the dissident movement during the protests. Her NLD swept elections held in 1990, but the military refused to honor the result and placed her under house arrest for much of the following two decades.
Back in Rangoon, Win Kyu and his wife were among those remembering the movement that took their 16-year-old daughter away.
Win Maw Oo, the subject of the infamous photograph of a young woman soaked in blood being carried by two doctors, was shot down with other pro-democracy demonstrators by the Burmese military on Sept. 19, 1988.
During her last hours on that day, she pleaded with her father not to share merit with her so her soul would be allowed to remain free until the country enjoyed democracy.
Asked if he was now ready to call for merit to be bestowed upon her soul as the country embarks towards democratic reform, Win Kyu replied “no.” As a parent he feels sad for the loss of his daughter and thinks about her wandering soul but cannot yet make that decision.
“You cannot say democracy is now flourishing in our country,” he told The Irrawaddy. “We still have human rights abuses. You still can’t express your opinion freely. So I simply cannot call her name to bestow merit upon her soul.”
“I’m proud of my daughter for she sacrificed her life for what she believed,” said Win Maw Oo’s mother Khin Htay Win. “I really want to see genuine democratic days in my country as we want to share our merit so she can rest in peace. I don’t want her soul to wander.”
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The Irrawaddy – The Day a New Burma was Born
By HPYO WAI THA / THE IRRAWADDY| August 8, 2012 |
RANGOON — When he woke up early on a drizzling Monday morning in August 24 years ago, Sanny, then 21 years old, probably had no idea that the day would end in tragedy. He was in high spirits when he left home at 7:30 to attend a downtown demonstration. He wasn’t worried about a thing—just very excited.
It was August 8, 1988, or “8-8-88” as it’s widely known, when hundreds of thousands of Burmese from all walks of life joined a popular protest in the former capital Rangoon to topple the dictator Ne Win’s single party rule that had oppressed them for 26 years.
“Even today I have no regrets about joining the demonstration at that time. I was doing something I felt I had to do,” said the then third-year physics student at Rangoon University, who later received a long prison sentence for his participation.
Twenty-four years later, the day still stands as an important milestone in modern Burmese history—a day that marked the emergence of a full-fledged democracy movement that managed to topple Ne Win’s regime, only to see a new junta seize power and spend the ensuing decades relentlessly suppressing its leaders, including Burma’s newfound democracy icon, Aung San Suu Kyi.
It was a day of hope, bullets, blood and tears.
Whenever he thinks about that day, the first thing that comes to Sanny’s mind is the huge column of demonstrators shouting anti-Ne Win slogans and the people on both sides of the road who expressed their full support for the protesters.
“The road was packed with people as far as the eye could see. There were countless people lining the sides of the roads, giving us food, drinking water and cigarettes. They said ‘May your cause succeed,’” he recalled.
“It made me cry, and what I learned on that day was that people are always ready to be with you when you stand on their side. With that much popular support, I was convinced that we would easily win,” he added.
But the military crackdown on thousands of protesters at Rangoon City Hall that night proved he was wrong.
Pyone Cho, a leading member of the 88 Generation Students group, was among the demonstrators near the City Hall a few minutes before the army opened fire. He was 22 years old at that time, doing his masters degree in geology at Rangoon University.
“Around 11 pm, someone informed us that we were surrounded. The army gave us three warnings to disperse. Then came a sudden blackout and the bullets started to fly in. I was lucky to narrowly escape,” he recounted.
Pandavunsa, 55, has a vivid memory of how bloody the crackdown was.
“When they began shooting, I was in total shock. Then two guys near me fell down. So I grabbed them and started to run for my life,” remembered the Buddhist monk, who took part in the protest as a member of the Rangoon Young Monk’s Organization and was later a leading figure in the monk-led Saffron Revolution in 2007.
“A few minutes later I stopped to find out that the head of the man I carried away was open. His brains were like smashed tofu. The other one, a monk, had been shot in the stomach. I could see his intestines. He was already dead, too,” he said.
The next morning, an eerie silence descended on the whole of Rangoon and there was no trace of the previous night’s mass killing in front of the City Hall. The number of casualties still remains unknown.
Dr Tin Myo Win, the family doctor of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was a surgeon at that time at Rangoon General Hospital, where he treated many wounded protesters.
Although he also has vivid memories of that day and its aftermath, he said he is reluctant to recount them, lest he reignite public resentment over the crackdown and cause any obstacle to the national reconciliation process that Suu Kyi is now working on. He acknowledges, however, that the 8-8-88 uprising has had an indelible impact on the country.
“Nobody can deny that it brought out leaders and players for today’s Burmese politics. The uprising opened our eyes to the need for national reconciliation and unity, which are the essential forces to complete our mission that originated 24 years ago,” he said.
Pyone Cho said the 88 movement was the mother of all subsequent uprisings, all of which have had only one strong message that still echoes today: People want democratic changes.
“After our repeated demands for change, the government is now doing some reforms. But I have to say, there’s a long road to the change we want. Take the Constitution, for example. If we all take part in the reform process, as we did in 1988, we will win,” said the 46-year-old ex-political prisoner who has spent nearly 20 years behind bars.
For Pandavunsa, Burmese democracy begins with the 88 movement.
“It was the very first time we Burmese collectively fought against the dictatorship. It was the first time we talked about democracy. Anyone in their right mind knows today’s changes are the long awaited results of the 88 uprising,” the monk commented.
Tin Myo Win said it was the “88 spirit”—working for the people’s interests and having comradeship among protesters—that toppled single party rule 24 years ago.
“If we were able to work together even at that time when the doors to change were closed, why can’t we reapply that spirit now, when changes are visible and our goal is in sight?” he said, adding that “the goal is a long way to go.”
Meanwhile, the 24th anniversary of the 8-8-88 uprising has revived Pandavunsa’s memories of that fateful day.
“I still remember the faces of people on that night. Even in their death, I felt hope for change was written on their faces,” said the monk.
“We have sacrificed a lot. I saw comrades die young. I pray for no repetition of that day.”
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Min Ko Naing’s 88 Uprising Video Tribute
By LAWI WENG / THE IRRAWADDY| August 8, 2012 |
“Today is the day when we came out among the explosives and cheered our slogan. We were beaten by the butts of guns and batons on the street during our demonstration,” Min Ko Naing, a leader of 88 Generation Students group, said in a video speech to mark the 24th anniversary of the popular uprising.
“Sometimes when we walked down the street, our flag fell down when we were challenged. But we picked it up again and displayed it in the rain. We had to struggle very hard for the last 24 years.”
Min Kon Naing was a 26-year-old zoology student at Rangoon Arts and Science University during the mass demonstration on Aug. 8, 1988. He helped lead the student activists and spent many years in prison as a consequence, while at least 3,000 of those who took part were gunned down by the then-military junta.
Min Ko Naing recollected the events of that fateful day during a broadcast to highlight the current political changes underway and prospects for national reconciliation.
“A lot of flashes from cameras hit us today unlike over the past 24 years,” he said. “Today, we put up our flag on the wall and even put our full flag on the carpet at our office.”
The anniversary of the 88 uprising was marked in Mandalay, Burma second biggest city, where Min Ko Naing and other leaders of the 88 Generation Students joined hundreds of democracy activists.
Railways Minister Aung Min, Naypyidaw’s chief peace negotiator with ethnic armed groups, donated one million kyat (US $1,250) towards the occasion. Aung Min met group leaders in Mandalay on Tuesday and said that his visit was conducted with the blessing of President Thein Sein.
The 88 Generation Students viewed the donation as a contribution towards national reconciliation in recognition of their activities.
“There is a big political change in our country. It is a historic change. If we had to ask, who made this change? The answer is the people,” said Min Ko Naing. “We want our people to remember that there is political change because of them. They wrote this history. We want the people to consider what more they can do in the future.
“Regarding national reconciliation, the president said that he wants all-inclusive politics. But there are our comrades who remain behind bars. There are also ethnic people who are behind bars for feeding one meal to the rebels. There should be no political prisoners.
“Burma’s Parliament is tightly controlled by military uniforms, but despite this there has been change as there was a single party Parliament in the past. Yet today there are many political parties in Parliament.”
Regarding the life of factory workers, Min Ko Naing said, “If we look at our sisters who work in textile factories, they suffer from poverty and a lack of education. If we look at their packed lunch, they do not have even one egg for a meal. This is how they have to struggle in their daily lives.
“There are educated people who stay abroad and ask us if they need to come back. We are constructing roads. If you want to walk on a smooth road, the time is now to cooperate with us. To be able to sing a song of victory beside the Irrawaddy River, we all need to cooperate to write the words.”
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Burma will sign agreement for South Korean-built power plant
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 15:15 Mizzima News
Burma will sign an agreement later this year to build a natural gas-fired power plant in Tharkayta Township to help meet electricity demands in the country, the Ministry of Electric Power-2 has announced.
A coal-fired power plant in Kawthaung Township in southern Burma. The agreement will be sign for a 500-megawat gas-fired power plant later this year, said the Yangon Times.
The plant will be built in cooperation with BKB Co of South Korea.
South Korea will also carry out projects for a gas-fired power plant and waste-thermal power plant in Thilawa Industrial Zone, said the report.
According to earlier reports, Myanmar’s Ministry of Electric Power-2 also has plans to build power plants with General Electric Co. and Caterpillar Co. of the United States and J Power Co. of Japan.
There are 19 hydropower, one coal-fired and 15 gas-fired power stations in Burma, totaling 35 plants.
A 600-Megawatt (MW) coal-fired plant will be built near Rangoon in a joint venture with J Power Co of Japan, Mizzima reported in May. No details were given for the power plant to be built by the U.S. companies.
Burma generates a maximum of about 1, 610 MW during the monsoon season and 1,340 MW during the summer season. Of the 1,610 MW, 1,270 MW is generated by hydropower stations when a full storage capacity of water is available during the monsoon.
The country is woefully short of electricity to meet the needs of industry and private citizens. Many businesses rely on private generators to supply electricity during frequent power failures and general shortages.
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Website of Burmese Information Ministry hacked
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 12:54 Myo Thant
Rangoon (Mizzima) – Hackers broke into the website of the Burmese Information Ministry on Tuesday, posting a threatening message to the Burmese government which said in part, “Stop the killing of Muslims.”
The message, written in English, said, “Stop the killing of Muslims. Those Muslims have a message of peace to the world, but you are killing them. If you continue with the killing of Muslims, we will target all the worshipers of Buddha everywhere in the world…and your country will be a hell.” The message included a photograph of charred bodies.
The government website was down for several hours after the attack.
Meanwhile, a Burmese website, www.planet.com.mm, was hacked on July 26 by a hacker group using the name “Akincilar,” which posted a threatening message.
The message, written in English, said: “Stop this savagery. If you continue to this [sic] actions, as an AKINCILAR we will continue to our attacks to all of your systems too. [sic]”
According to the Internet, Akincilar is an anonymous Turkish hacker group. Ak?nc?lar is also a town and a district of Sivas Province in Turkey.
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Fighting claims four dead during Karen peace talks
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 13:07 Mizzima News
Four government soldiers reportedly died as the Karen National Union (KNU) and a Burmese government peace team were meeting on Sunday to talk about a cease-fire code of conduct.
Four members of the government’s Border Guard Force (BGF) were killed in a clash with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) in a firefight in Mae Seik village, Papun Township, in northern Karen State, according to KNLA sources.
The clash occurred at the same time as peace talks were underway in the border town of Myawaddy to work out details in relation to negotiations about a cease-fire code of conduct and location of government troops, said an article on the Karen News website on Wednesday.
Naw Zipporah Sein, the KNU secretary, told Karen News that the clash might have been caused by a “weakness of command.”
“This fighting occurred during the ‘peace-talk’ period and it could possibly be that orders haven’t reached to every command area. We are in the period of making sure all the details are in place and both sides need to continue to discuss these issues,” she said.
Major Kler Doh of the KNLA 5th Brigade office confirmed that soldiers under its command and BGF militia from Battalion 1014 had exchanged fire.
“It happened at 5 a.m. when a platoon from our 5th brigade headquarters clashed with soldiers from BGF battalion 1014. According to our reports, four BGF soldiers were killed, and we suffered two wounded. We also captured weapons of the BGF,” he said. The casualty figures could not be confirmed through other sources.
Major Kler Doh said that the fighting lasted about 30 minutes.
He said, “The BGF are trying to increase their area. We warned them not to do it during the peace talks between the Karen National Union and the government, but they ignored the warning.”
The KNU and government reached a cease-fire agreement at the state level on January 12, and at the Union level on April 6.
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DVB News – Labour activist arrested in Mandalay after protest
By MIN LWIN
Published: 8 August 2012
Police detained labour activist Aye Thein who was assisting vendors that were protesting potential relocation in Mandalay’s Kidan Market yesterday.
About 100 vendors protested in front of a municipal administration building before Aye Thein was arrested.
According to a Mandalay-based journalist who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Aye Thein was seen negotiating with authorities, which included the city’s mayor, the district administration director and a police commander, before being arrested.
The activist’s family was told that the police were holding Aye Thein, but they were unclear on what he was being charged with.
Aye Thein was also providing assistance to child soldiers and forced-labour victims who were seeking assistance from the ILO.
Family member Ma Moe said she went to Mandalay’s Police Station-3 yesterday morning after learning that Aye Thein was being detained there but was not allowed to see him.
“I was told around 8am that U Aye Thein was at the Policed Station-3 so I went there around 9am but was told it was not possible to see him,” said Ma Moe.
She said family members returned to the police station again in the afternoon but were unable to meet with Aye Thein but were allowed to send in food and personal items.
While Burma has plunged into a series of reforms in the past year, many experts say the moves are being driven from the top down. Unions and protests are now legal on tentative terms; however, this has not stopped local police from shutting down demonstrations and summarily arresting participants.
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