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Imprisoned monks’ leader sends message of solidarity

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Staff Reporter
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Mar 16, 2009 (DVB), The imprisoned All-Burma Monks Alliance leader, U Gambira, has passed on a message of support to human rights and democracy activists in Burma to keep fighting for change in the political system, said his mother.

U Gambira, known for playing a key role in initiating the September 2007 monk-led protests, is serving 69 years' imprisonment in Sagaing division's Khandee prison.

He was previously held in Mandalay prison before being transferred to Khandee on January 18 for allegedly staging a hunger strike in solitary confinement.

His mother, Daw Yay, told DVB she went to Khandee last week to visit him. He still remains in solitary confinement.

"He reiterated that he was continuing his fight for the people of Burma whose rights were being abused by the government," said Daw Yay.

"He reminded everyone to fulfill their duties."

Last week six people, including two close relatives of U Gambira, were sentenced to five years imprisonment each with hard labour under the Immigration Act.

The group included U Gambira's brother, Aung Ko Ko Lwin, brother-in-law Moe Htet Hylan, Kyaw Myo Satt, Hlaing Myo, Soe Lwin and Ye Nyunt.

Family members said they were first arrested for planning to set off hydrogen balloons in Rangoon last year to mark the one years anniversary of the formation of the ABMA.

Reporting by Nan Kham Kaew

Communication impeded as NLD pressured to cancel meetings

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Staff Reporter
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Mar 16, 2009 (DVB), Rangoon's Thanlyin township Peace and Development Council has told a local National League for Democracy leader to postpone their March meeting in an effort to stop top NLD leaders from seeing local members.

The authorities have told the NLD branch that if members arrive, they will have to postpone the meeting or they will be reported to the authorities, said NLD leader Aye Than.

"We said we do not have time to stop our members from coming to the meeting, and that we cannot postpone the meeting as it is a regular activity," she said.

The authorities also told her to stop divisional-level NLD leaders from coming to see them if they could not postpone the meeting, Aye Than added.

"We said we could not do that either," she said.

"They come down to townships when it is necessary, depending on the situation at division level, and hold discussions with us. They also asked us who was coming."

NLD spokesman Nyan Win said the authorities’ latest attempt is not in accordance with the law.

"Although they say that the 2010 election will be fair and free, the government has no readiness when it comes to democracy," he said.

"I don’t know whether grassroots organizations such as Township Peace and Development Council have power or not, but they are carrying out bans and restrictions."

Reporting by Aye Nai

Burma named as an ‘Enemy of the Internet’

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Staff Reporter
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Mar 13, 2009 (DVB), Burma has been named, along with 11 other countries, in an 'Enemies of the Internet' report, released yesterday by international media watchdog Reporters without Borders.

The report names 12 countries – Burma, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam , as being guilty of threatening press freedom through heavy internet censorship.

"The 12 'Enemies of the Internet', have all transformed their internet into an intranet in order to prevent their population from accessing 'undesirable' online information," Reporters Without Borders said.

"All these countries distinguish themselves not only by their ability to censor online news and information but also by their virtually systematic persecution of troublesome internet users."

In November last year the ruling military regime sentenced internet blogger Nay Phone Latt to 20 years imprisonment (later reduced to 12 years and six months) after he posted a cartoon of General Than Shwe on his website.

Nay Phone Latt's blogging during the September 2007 protests were a key factor in drawing international attention to the treatment of protesters by the military.

Reporting by Francis Wade

UN refugee agency to increase focus on Muslim areas of Burma

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Staff Reporter
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Mar 13, 2009 (AP), The UN refugee agency said Thursday it would increase its focus on areas of Myanmar from which Muslim migrants have recently fled.

The announcement came after High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres’ visit to the country that began Saturday.

The group’s plight gained widespread attention earlier this year following reports from the Indian Navy that hundreds were believed to have drowned after being sent out to sea in rickety boats by the Thai military.

Other Rohingyas were detained after landing in Thailand, and more came ashore in Indonesia, fanning regional concern they could become an economic burden.

Both Thailand and Indonesia refused to accept those who landed as refugees, and Myanmar’s military government has agreed to accept them back only if they can prove their nationality.

Rights groups have also urged against returning them to Myanmar, which they say persecutes minorities.

The Rohingyas’ status in Myanmar is particularly precarious because they do not hold full citizenship.

The U.N. said in a statement that Guterres traveled to Sittwe, capital of northwestern Rakhine state near the Bangladesh border, where most Rohingya are settled.

It said he also visited Myeik, a southeastern port town on the Andaman Sea from which many refugees are believed to have departed.

"On the basis of his observations and the discussions held, the High Commissioner came to the conclusion that UNHCR’s current level of activities in northern Rakhine State does not correspond to the actual needs and a decision was taken to upgrade the program with immediate effect," said the agency’s statement, issued after Guterres’ departure Thursday night.

It said the agency had agreed with the government "on the importance of a continued presence of UNHCR in northern Rakhine State and the South East," said the U.N. statement issued after Guterres’ Thursday night departure.

888,888 political prisoner campaign launches today

By
Staff Reporter
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Mar 13, 2009 (DVB), A global signature campaign calling for the release of political prisoners has been launched today, on Burma Human Rights Day, with the support of 166 exiled Burmese and international solidarity groups.

The campaign was organised by the Forum for Democracy in Burma and the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma).

"Signatures will be collected online and on paper," said AAPP secretary Tate Naing.

"We aim to collect 888,888 signatures, and send them to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with a letter telling him the importance of the release of political prisoners."

It is to be launched with events and activities around the world, including in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, London, Dublin, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Manila, Seoul, Jakarta, Sydney, and Tokyo.

It will run until 24 May, the date when Aung San Suu Kyi should be released after six years under house arrest.

"It is up to the State Peace and Development Council to release her or not, but the law says that she should be released on that day," said Tate Naing.

"The law was issued by the SPDC itself, and we carry out this campaign to remind the world of this."

In Chiang Mai, former political prisoner Let Let will give talks on her experience in the prison.

"I was arrested in September 1998 and they didn’t notify my parents," she said.

"I was at the interrogation centre for two weeks and transferred to Insein jail. I was tried without being allowed to hire a lawyer and my family was not allowed to attend the trial.

"I was sentenced to 21 years. I was transferred to another prison and my family was not notified, and I was not allowed to see my family until eight months later," she said.

AAPP says there are currently 2128 political prisoners languishing in prisons throughout Burma.

Reporting by Naw Noreen

Brother-in-law of ABMA leader sentenced to five years’ hard labour

By
Staff Reporter
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Mar 13, 2009 (DVB), The brother-in-law of All-Burma Monks Alliance leader U Gambira has been sentenced to five years' imprisonment with hard labour under immigration laws, said his wife.

Moe Htet Hlyan, husband of U Gambria's older sister Khin Thu Htay was sentenced under an emergency provision act by Rangoon's North Dagon township court yesterday for illegally entering the country.

He was arrested 9 September 2008 while organising an activity to set off hot air balloons in Rangoon to mark the one-year anniversary of the formation of the ABMA.

The ABMA came to international attention after initiating the nationwide monk protests in September 2007.

Khin Thu Htay said the court's judge wanted to let her husband go but was forced to hand down the sentence by high-ranking government officials.

"The court judge previously promised me that justice will be sought and that there was not enough evidence to sentence my husband," said Khin Thu Htay.

"But then he was pressured by Burma's chief judge to pass the sentence."

In other news, two members of the National League for Democracy in Rangoon, Ma Cho and Theingi, who provided aid to victims of cyclone Nargis, were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Insein prison special court under charges of having links with unlawful associations.

Reporting by Nan Kham Kaew

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