Burmese blogger Nay Phone Latt, mysteriously missing
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
February 1, 2008
The Burmese blogger, Nay Phone Latt, allegedly arrested by the police on Tuesday has mysteriously gone missing, family members complained.
Daw Aye Aye Than, mother of blogger and writer, Nay Phone Latt, said, the whereabouts of her son cannot be confirmed as authorities including police officers in Thuwana and Thingan Kyun police stations and Ministry of Home Affairs deny detaining him.
Daw Aye Aye Than said her son left home on Tuesday at about noon but when they tried to contact him on cell phone at about 1:00 p.m. he could not be contacted.
"And at around 2:30 p.m. the authorities came to our house but did not ask for Nay Phone Latt. They looked around the house. So I think he must have been arrested before they came to us," Daw Aye Aye Than told Mizzima.
She added that the police team led by Maj. Hein Htet while not mentioning their purpose searched around the house, as if looking for someone in hiding.
"We went to the office of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Tingankyun and Thuwana police stations to inquire about him but all the authorities would tell us was they don't know him and he is not here," Daw Aye Aye Than said.
Daw Aye Aye Than said she is worried for her son and could not understand the reason for his mysterious disappearance.
"I am very sad for this kind of unlawful action, I don't understand why they [authorities] are doing this to my son because he is not involved in any illegal activities and does all his work openly," Daw Aye Aye Than said.
Nay Phone Latt, who has a blogsite www.nayphonelatt.blogspot.com, reportedly disappeared on Tuesday. While many of his colleagues believe he has been arrested by the police, there are, so far no eyewitness accounts.
While earlier, some friends said he was taken away by the police from an internet café in Thingan Kyun township in Rangoon, his mother's version indicates that he was arrested while on the road.
While either version cannot be independently verified, it is still uncertain that the authorities have taken him away, as there are no eyewitnesses.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Opening Shan embassy in Germany
Shan representative office inaugurated to mark 61st National Day
Solomon & Phanida
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
February 7, 2008
In commemoration of the 61st National Day and in order to highlight the struggle of ethnic Shans for freedom, equality, democracy and human rights, a Shan representative office was inaugurated today in Germany.
Spearheaded by a volunteer, Nicholas Ganz, the representative office will act as a liaison office for Shans and highlight the sufferings and struggles of Shans in Burma.
Nicholas Ganz, in an interview with Mizzima said, the representative office, which he named "Shan Embassy" will mainly deal with Public Relations in regard to the Shan people's political struggle and will represent the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS).
"The main purpose of the embassy [liaison office] is to represent the Restoration Council of the Shan State in Europe and in other countries politically," Ganz told Mizzima news.
Ganz, who will be heading the office said, the office came into being after discussions with leaders of RCSS, a political wing formed in 1998, and several visits to the Thai-Burma border, where thousands of Shan refugees continue to suffer as refugees and migrants after fleeing their homes in war-torn Shan state.
"The situation in Shan State is really one of despair because the whole Shan state is occupied by the ruling Burma Army and it has unleashed real war on them so the people are really suffering a lot," said Ganz.
In his statement on the inauguration of the Shan representative office released on Wednesday, Ganz said, "Now it is time, to transform some of the bullets into words and spread the words around the world. Words, that speak about the desire for freedom, equality, democracy and self-determination and the culture of the Shan people."
Ganz said the office will also act as a source of aid that will raise funds and donate to Shan people who are suffering such as refugees, orphan and farmers.
The office was inaugurated on the 61st Shan National Day to make a difference in the history of the struggle of the Shan people, Ganz said.
Meanwhile, Shans in Thailand and other countries today held separate ceremonies in commemoration of the National Day, which symbolizes the unity of the people of Shan State.
On February 7, 1947, four days prior to the Unions Day of Burma, the leaders of different ethnic groups living in Shan State came together to adopt a common flag and national anthem as a symbol unity as a nation.
"This is a significant day in the history of the people of Shan State. Wherever we are, we will always maintain the same spirit and observe this day," a Shan youth told Mizzima on the sidelines of the National Day ceremony in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Along with ethnic Chin and Kachin, the people of Shan on February 12, 1947 joined hands with ethnic Burmans, represented by General Aung San, and signed the historic Pang Long agreement, which eventually led Burma to independence from British colonial rulers.
However, the people of Shan state were among the earliest ethnic groups that rose against the Rangoon regime, when the spirit of the Pang Long agreement was violated after the death of General Aung San, who is regarded as the Independence father of Burma.
Solomon & Phanida
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
February 7, 2008
In commemoration of the 61st National Day and in order to highlight the struggle of ethnic Shans for freedom, equality, democracy and human rights, a Shan representative office was inaugurated today in Germany.
Spearheaded by a volunteer, Nicholas Ganz, the representative office will act as a liaison office for Shans and highlight the sufferings and struggles of Shans in Burma.
Nicholas Ganz, in an interview with Mizzima said, the representative office, which he named "Shan Embassy" will mainly deal with Public Relations in regard to the Shan people's political struggle and will represent the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS).
"The main purpose of the embassy [liaison office] is to represent the Restoration Council of the Shan State in Europe and in other countries politically," Ganz told Mizzima news.
Ganz, who will be heading the office said, the office came into being after discussions with leaders of RCSS, a political wing formed in 1998, and several visits to the Thai-Burma border, where thousands of Shan refugees continue to suffer as refugees and migrants after fleeing their homes in war-torn Shan state.
"The situation in Shan State is really one of despair because the whole Shan state is occupied by the ruling Burma Army and it has unleashed real war on them so the people are really suffering a lot," said Ganz.
In his statement on the inauguration of the Shan representative office released on Wednesday, Ganz said, "Now it is time, to transform some of the bullets into words and spread the words around the world. Words, that speak about the desire for freedom, equality, democracy and self-determination and the culture of the Shan people."
Ganz said the office will also act as a source of aid that will raise funds and donate to Shan people who are suffering such as refugees, orphan and farmers.
The office was inaugurated on the 61st Shan National Day to make a difference in the history of the struggle of the Shan people, Ganz said.
Meanwhile, Shans in Thailand and other countries today held separate ceremonies in commemoration of the National Day, which symbolizes the unity of the people of Shan State.
On February 7, 1947, four days prior to the Unions Day of Burma, the leaders of different ethnic groups living in Shan State came together to adopt a common flag and national anthem as a symbol unity as a nation.
"This is a significant day in the history of the people of Shan State. Wherever we are, we will always maintain the same spirit and observe this day," a Shan youth told Mizzima on the sidelines of the National Day ceremony in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Along with ethnic Chin and Kachin, the people of Shan on February 12, 1947 joined hands with ethnic Burmans, represented by General Aung San, and signed the historic Pang Long agreement, which eventually led Burma to independence from British colonial rulers.
However, the people of Shan state were among the earliest ethnic groups that rose against the Rangoon regime, when the spirit of the Pang Long agreement was violated after the death of General Aung San, who is regarded as the Independence father of Burma.
Burmese weekly journal suspending
Burmese Weekly Kumudra suspends publication for two weeks
Solomon
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
February 8, 2008
A Rangoon based Burmese weekly journal, Kumudra, has suspended its publication for two weeks, an official at the Weekly said.
Publication of the weekly journal has been temporarily suspended as the Weekly is awaiting permission from the authorities to allow an addition to the name of the paper, the official said.
While not revealing the additional name that is to be added, the official said, "We have been awaiting permission from the authorities about adding a new name on the old one and after that we will start publishing our journal again."
While the official reason for suspending publication for two weeks, since February 1, seems to be normal in Burma, where authorities have a tight control over the right to print journals, a Rangoon based journal editor said Kumudra has been facing a problem in renewing its license.
An editor of a Rangoon based journal, who wished not to be named, said Kumudra has been facing a problem in renewing its license as the license holder asked for a heftier sum to renew it.
"We heard that they have a problem with the person who owned the journal license but I am not sure of it," said the editor.
In Burma, several Weekly journals run their papers on rented license, as the license to print is mostly given to close relatives or friends of the authorities. Most publishers, who are unable to obtain a license themselves, act on rented license, which is normally leased out for a year, with the price depending on negotiations.
The information, however, could not be independently verified.
Solomon
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
February 8, 2008
A Rangoon based Burmese weekly journal, Kumudra, has suspended its publication for two weeks, an official at the Weekly said.
Publication of the weekly journal has been temporarily suspended as the Weekly is awaiting permission from the authorities to allow an addition to the name of the paper, the official said.
While not revealing the additional name that is to be added, the official said, "We have been awaiting permission from the authorities about adding a new name on the old one and after that we will start publishing our journal again."
While the official reason for suspending publication for two weeks, since February 1, seems to be normal in Burma, where authorities have a tight control over the right to print journals, a Rangoon based journal editor said Kumudra has been facing a problem in renewing its license.
An editor of a Rangoon based journal, who wished not to be named, said Kumudra has been facing a problem in renewing its license as the license holder asked for a heftier sum to renew it.
"We heard that they have a problem with the person who owned the journal license but I am not sure of it," said the editor.
In Burma, several Weekly journals run their papers on rented license, as the license to print is mostly given to close relatives or friends of the authorities. Most publishers, who are unable to obtain a license themselves, act on rented license, which is normally leased out for a year, with the price depending on negotiations.
The information, however, could not be independently verified.
Junta announced the date for referendum and election
Myanmar Voting Dates Win Few Plaudits
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YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Myanmar's surprise announcement that it will hold a vote on a new constitution this May and a general election in 2010 drew little enthusiasm Sunday among the military regime's critics and the public at large.
The official announcements late Saturday of the constitutional referendum and the election were the first moves by the junta to set dates for stages of its so-called road map to democracy.
"The time has now come to change from military rule to democratic civilian rule," said the announcement for the 2010 polls, broadcast on state TV and radio.
But critics claim the long-delayed road map is designed to perpetuate military rule, not promote democracy. And at tea shops in Yangon, where morning news and gossip is traditionally exchanged, many seemed unimpressed with the developments.
"I am not interested in their referendum because the results are known already," said 48-year old noodle salad seller Mar Mar Aye, echoing the popular belief that the government is confident its constitution will be approved.
Several people said they were unsure what the referendum was, noting the language describing it was similar to that used for the stage-managed mass rallies the government frequently holds to show the public supports its policies. Myanmar's last constitutional referendum took place in 1973.
The last election in the country, also known as Burma, took place in 1990, but the military refused to hand over power to the winning party - the National League for Democracy of detained Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been in prison or under house arrest for more than 12 of the past 18 years.
Suu Kyi and other independent political leaders have not been consulted on the constitution or the election process. Suu Kyi's party reacted cautiously, noting the lack of detail on how the referendum would be carried out.
"The announcement is vague, incomplete and strange," NLD party spokesman Nyan Win said Saturday night.
"Even before knowing the results of the referendum, the government has already announced that elections will be held in 2010," he said, also implying the government was certain the draft constitution would get approval.
Trevor Wilson, a Myanmar expert at the Australian National University in Canberra, called the move "a step forward," but added that "it is long overdue."
It "is in itself insufficient to mollify either Burmese opponents of the military regime or the international community," Wilson said.
The international community increased pressure on the junta to hasten political reform after it violently quashed peaceful mass protests last September, killing at least 31 people, according to a U.N. estimate. Thousands were detained.
Last week, the United States broadened financial sanctions against junta members and their families and friends, blaming the military's poor human rights record and failure to hand power to a democratically elected government.
A statement from the British Foreign Office in London said "a genuine and inclusive process of national reconciliation" was necessary for a transition to democracy, and called for the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
Scheduling the referendum for May makes it difficult for the junta's critics to mount a campaign against it, particularly because most of the country's leading pro-democracy activists are in jail, many detained in connection with last year's anti-government demonstrations.
Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962 and has not had a constitution since the last one was scrapped in 1988, when the army brutally put down earlier pro-democracy demonstrations and the current junta took power.
The country has been in a political deadlock since the military refused to recognize the 1990 election results, saying after the polls the country first needed a new constitution. It harassed and arrested members of the pro-democracy movement, particularly from Suu Kyi's party.
Guidelines for a new constitution were adopted by a military-managed national convention last year, and a government-appointed commission is now drafting the document.
The National League for Democracy has accused the junta of trying to draft a constitution unilaterally, and it therefore "could not be expected to guarantee democracy, human rights and public well-being."
Myanmar's ethnic minority groups, some of whom have been seeking greater autonomy for decades, complained the constitution would give the central government greater powers even as the minorities have been seeking more administrative and judicial autonomy in their home areas.
A clause in the draft guidelines guarantees the military 25 percent of the seats in the country's parliament, with the representatives nominated by the commander in chief.
The guidelines also disqualify presidential candidates who are "entitled to the rights and privileges of a ... foreign country." The clause would bar Suu Kyi, because her late husband was British, thus conferring on her some of the privileges of British nationality.
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Myanmar Faces Health Crisis
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Myanmar Voting Dates Win Few Plaudits
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YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Myanmar's surprise announcement that it will hold a vote on a new constitution this May and a general election in 2010 drew little enthusiasm Sunday among the military regime's critics and the public at large.
The official announcements late Saturday of the constitutional referendum and the election were the first moves by the junta to set dates for stages of its so-called road map to democracy.
"The time has now come to change from military rule to democratic civilian rule," said the announcement for the 2010 polls, broadcast on state TV and radio.
But critics claim the long-delayed road map is designed to perpetuate military rule, not promote democracy. And at tea shops in Yangon, where morning news and gossip is traditionally exchanged, many seemed unimpressed with the developments.
"I am not interested in their referendum because the results are known already," said 48-year old noodle salad seller Mar Mar Aye, echoing the popular belief that the government is confident its constitution will be approved.
Several people said they were unsure what the referendum was, noting the language describing it was similar to that used for the stage-managed mass rallies the government frequently holds to show the public supports its policies. Myanmar's last constitutional referendum took place in 1973.
The last election in the country, also known as Burma, took place in 1990, but the military refused to hand over power to the winning party - the National League for Democracy of detained Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been in prison or under house arrest for more than 12 of the past 18 years.
Suu Kyi and other independent political leaders have not been consulted on the constitution or the election process. Suu Kyi's party reacted cautiously, noting the lack of detail on how the referendum would be carried out.
"The announcement is vague, incomplete and strange," NLD party spokesman Nyan Win said Saturday night.
"Even before knowing the results of the referendum, the government has already announced that elections will be held in 2010," he said, also implying the government was certain the draft constitution would get approval.
Trevor Wilson, a Myanmar expert at the Australian National University in Canberra, called the move "a step forward," but added that "it is long overdue."
It "is in itself insufficient to mollify either Burmese opponents of the military regime or the international community," Wilson said.
The international community increased pressure on the junta to hasten political reform after it violently quashed peaceful mass protests last September, killing at least 31 people, according to a U.N. estimate. Thousands were detained.
Last week, the United States broadened financial sanctions against junta members and their families and friends, blaming the military's poor human rights record and failure to hand power to a democratically elected government.
A statement from the British Foreign Office in London said "a genuine and inclusive process of national reconciliation" was necessary for a transition to democracy, and called for the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
Scheduling the referendum for May makes it difficult for the junta's critics to mount a campaign against it, particularly because most of the country's leading pro-democracy activists are in jail, many detained in connection with last year's anti-government demonstrations.
Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962 and has not had a constitution since the last one was scrapped in 1988, when the army brutally put down earlier pro-democracy demonstrations and the current junta took power.
The country has been in a political deadlock since the military refused to recognize the 1990 election results, saying after the polls the country first needed a new constitution. It harassed and arrested members of the pro-democracy movement, particularly from Suu Kyi's party.
Guidelines for a new constitution were adopted by a military-managed national convention last year, and a government-appointed commission is now drafting the document.
The National League for Democracy has accused the junta of trying to draft a constitution unilaterally, and it therefore "could not be expected to guarantee democracy, human rights and public well-being."
Myanmar's ethnic minority groups, some of whom have been seeking greater autonomy for decades, complained the constitution would give the central government greater powers even as the minorities have been seeking more administrative and judicial autonomy in their home areas.
A clause in the draft guidelines guarantees the military 25 percent of the seats in the country's parliament, with the representatives nominated by the commander in chief.
The guidelines also disqualify presidential candidates who are "entitled to the rights and privileges of a ... foreign country." The clause would bar Suu Kyi, because her late husband was British, thus conferring on her some of the privileges of British nationality.
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