fes and eu's danger in burma

8/8/2019 FES and EU's Danger in Burma

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The Problems of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

- Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has been working on Burma issues since the early 90s and it used tobe focused primarily on federal constitution of Burma and ethnic nationalities issues.

- But since Dr. Paul Pasch who is the representative for Malaysia and Burma (he was based inMalaysia) come in he change the ways of FES and tried to engage with the military regime of

Burma and its cronies and supporters hoping to change them to become more democratic.

- FES supported and funded Myanmar Institute of Security and International Studies (aBurmese brunch of ASEAN ISIS). But unlike other ISISs in fellow ASEAN countries MISIS is

directly controlled by the Foreign Ministry of junta and doesnt function as a research and

think tank organization.

- When Dr. Paul Pasch was still the country representative of Myanmar, he made a lot of rudeand irrational comments that were totally against Burmas democratic struggle. For instance

in 2004, he went to Burma and met Shan democratic leaders including U Khun Htun Oo who

are now serving lengthy prison sentences and tried to persuade them to accept juntas

National Convention, but they didnt accept his advice. Just a few days after he went back

from Burma, these leaders were arrested tried arbitrarily and given unusual sentences.

Instead of showing sympathy towards the leaders and deplore the junta for their ruthless

act, he even said that these Shan leaders do deserve such sentences because they were so

stubbornly going against the government. We can see Dr. Paul Paschs mentality from this

incident.

- Even more bizarrely, when monks and others were being killed and arrested in Rangoon,the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, a German foundation, organized a Burma tour, in which,

according to The New Light of Myanmar of October 7, thirteen scholars with two from the

European Union and the European Parliament took part. The FES delegation visited a

showcase drug eradication project in a remote corner of northeastern Burma, where, the

paper said, they were received by U Phon Kyar Shin, who, in fact, is Peng Jiasheng, one of

Burmas most notorious drug lords. From:

http://www.asiapacificms.com/articles/bringing_generals_to_justice/

- Current Representative to Myanmar form FES is Henning Effner who is also based in

- FESs official stand is social democratic and it supports progressive and social democraticmovements and networks in Southeast Asia, but in dealing with Burma, they drops their

principle to support social democratic organizations and instead supports the neo-liberals,

free marketeers, and reactionary group like Myanmar Egress.

- It is because they are simply doing all of their activities for their country (Germanys) interestand not because they want to promote a principal, a value or an ideology. Germanys

interest is to protect Southeast Asian countries and potential market form the hands of

other global hegemonic powers like US and thus the ideology if social democracy becomes

their tool to mobilize anti-American and anti-globalization sentiments in our region. So that

it can wield that soft power to bring the interest to its home country Germany.

- FES position on supporting genuine people who are struggling is as follows; the status ofFES as a "guest organization" might be jeopardized if some groups' tickets are paid for with

FES funds/ under FES accounts. The possibility of political censure or retaliation is very real;

it has happened before, For Singapore, it will be the discretion of the FES Singapore Office

whether they are open to inviting opposition youth groups from Singapore

- And please check out the following links to learn more about FESs policy on Burma

Malaysia.
http://www.asiapacificms.com/articles/bringing_generals_to_justice/http://www.asiapacificms.com/articles/bringing_generals_to_justice/http://www.asiapacificms.com/articles/bringing_generals_to_justice/


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Myanmar Egress

- Myanmar Egress take up the social democracy mask as last resort, because other regionalnetworks and organizations that hold either liberalism or socialism are already associated

with Burmese exile networks.

- E.g. Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) is associated with National Coalition ofthe Union of Burma (NCUB), and NLD (Liberated Area), International Union of Socialist Youth(IUSY) is associated with Democratic Party of New Society (DPNS), International Union of

Students (IUS) is associated with All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), Asian

Student Association (ASA) is associated with All Burma student Democratic Front (ABSDF)

and World Youth Movement for Democracy (WYMD) is associated with Student and Youth

Congress of Burma (SYCB). So the only channel left for them is social democratic networks.

- Myanmar Egress is doing all sectors just to gain control of the respective sectors; politics,business, NGO works, media and education.

- Myanmar Egress related organizations:1. Myanmar Youths In Actionhttp://myanmar-youths.com2.

Myanmar Internet Networking Grouphttp://www.myanmaring.asia

3. Myanmar Green Societyhttp://groups.google.com/group/myanmargreensociety4. The Nargis Action Grouphttp://www.nargisaction.org5. Myanmar Fisheries Federation6. Myanmar Shrimps Association7. Gracious Myanmar Travel Co., Ltd8. Chindwin College9. Alpha Computerhttp://www.alpha.com.mm10.Myanmar Partners Think-Tank

http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=1684

11.Living Color Magazine12.

The Voice Weekly Newspaper13.Foreign Affairs Journal

- Partner organizations of Myanmar Egress:1. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung2. Community Development and Civic Empowerment Program (CDCE)

- Donors of Myanmar Egress:1. Action Aid http:www.actionaid.org2. DFID http://www.dfid.gov.uk3. Hope World Widehttp://www.hopeww.org4. European Commission Humanitarian Aidhttp://ec.europa.eu/echo/5. Oxfam Novibhttp://www.oxfam.org6. International Development Enterpriseshttp://www.ideorg.org7. UNDPhttp://www.undp.org
http://myanmar-youths.com/http://myanmar-youths.com/http://myanmar-youths.com/http://www.myanmaring.asia/http://www.myanmaring.asia/http://www.myanmaring.asia/http://groups.google.com/group/myanmargreensocietyhttp://groups.google.com/group/myanmargreensocietyhttp://groups.google.com/group/myanmargreensocietyhttp://www.nargisaction.org/http://www.nargisaction.org/http://www.nargisaction.org/http://www.alpha.com.mm/http://www.alpha.com.mm/http://www.alpha.com.mm/http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=1684http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=1684http://www.actionaid.org/http://www.actionaid.org/http://www.actionaid.org/http://www.dfid.gov.uk/http://www.dfid.gov.uk/http://www.hopeww.org/http://www.hopeww.org/http://www.hopeww.org/http://ec.europa.eu/echo/http://ec.europa.eu/echo/http://ec.europa.eu/echo/http://www.oxfam.org/http://www.oxfam.org/http://www.oxfam.org/http://www.ideorg.org/http://www.ideorg.org/http://www.ideorg.org/http://www.undp.org/http://www.undp.org/http://www.undp.org/http://www.undp.org/http://www.ideorg.org/http://www.oxfam.org/http://ec.europa.eu/echo/http://www.hopeww.org/http://www.dfid.gov.uk/http://www.actionaid.org/http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=1684http://www.alpha.com.mm/http://www.nargisaction.org/http://groups.google.com/group/myanmargreensocietyhttp://www.myanmaring.asia/http://myanmar-youths.com/


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Established 1914

11th Waning of Tawthalin 1369 ME Sunday, 7 October, 2007Volume XV, Number 174

Emergence of the State Constitution is the duty of all citizens of Myanmar Naing-Ngan.

* Development of agriculture as the base and all-rounddevelopment of other sectors of the economy as well

* Proper evolution of the market-oriented economicsystem

* Development of the economy inviting participation interms of technical know-how and investments fromsources inside the country and abroad

* The initiative to shape the national economy must be keptin the hands of the State and the national peoples

* Uplift of the morale and morality ofthe entire nation

* Uplift of national prestige and integ-rity and preservation and safeguard-ing of cultural heritage and nationalcharacter

* Uplift of dynamism of patriotic spirit* Uplift of health, fitness and education

standards of the entire nation

* Stability of the State, community peaceand tranquillity, prevalence of law andorder

* National reconsolidation* Emergence of a new enduring State

Constitution* Building of a new modern developed

nation in accord with the new StateConstitution

Four economic objectives Four social objectivesFour political objectives

Director of Yangon Division General Administration Department U Hla Soe supplicates matters related to religious affairs to Sayadaws of

Yangon Division Sangha Nayaka Committee (All Ganas). MNA

NAY PYI TAW, 6 Oct A ceremony to seek

ovada from Sayadaws of Yangon Division Sangha

Nayaka Committee (All Ganas) was held at Yangon

Division Sangha Nayaka Committee (Sudhamma) in

Bahan Township, Yangon, yesterday afternoon.

Director of Yangon Division Administration

Department U Hla Soe supplicated on religious mat-

ters saying violent disturbances occurred in some

townships of Yangon Division due to some mem-

bers of the Sangha and laypersons.

During the disturbances, monks of the mon-

asteries who did not take part in the disturbances

faced threats and insulting group throwing bottled

water at their monasteries. Troublemakers commit-

ted assaults even on eminent monks.

(See page 7)

NAY PYI TAW, 6 Oct Scholars of Friedrich

Ebert Foundation (FES) headed by Dr P Christian

Hauswedell went on a study tour of development

achievements of Laukkai of Special Region No 1 and

Kaungkha of Special Region No 5 in Shan State

(North), Muse 105th-mile border trade station, thegateway to the Peoples Republic of China and trade

Leader of Spokes Authoritative Team of the State Peace andDevelopment Council Minister for Information Brig-Gen

Kyaw Hsan receives scholars of Friedrich Ebert Foundation

FES scholars tour Shan State (North), Yeywa hydelproject in Mandalay Division

businesses in Muse, and Yeywa hydroelectric power

generation project in Kyaukse Township in Mandalay

Division on 1 and 2 October.

The FES scholars together with local and

foreign journalists arrived in Laukkai in Special region

No 1 in Shan State (North) on 1 October morning.(See page 8)

INSIDE1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1

Control yourselves with awareness

A VILLAGE MONKPAGE 5

I would like to remind you that you will loseyour monkhood like the monk I have presented ifyou keep on doing wrong acts, relying on themade-up stories manufactured and aired by in-

ternal and external destructive elements and BBC,VOA, RFA and DVB who you have never seenand met, who have never done any good deedsin the interests of the Sasana, and who are hatch-ing plots to destroy the interests of the lay per-

sons who offer four kinds of requisites to youevery day.

Monks are to follow Vinaya rules of the Buddha,rules and regulations and instructions

If they breach any one of those orders action may be taken against them

Ovada sought from Sayadaws of Yangon Division Sangha Nayaka Committee

7-10-07NL 8/6/18, 02:37 AM1


4/17

8 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Sunday, 7 October, 2007

(from page 1)

They were welcomed bynational race leaders, dis-

trict and township level

departmental officials and

local national people.

Afterwards at the

Anti-Narcotic Drugs Mu-

seum in Laukkai, U Li

Man Kwan on behalf of

Special Region No 1 na-

tional race leader U Phon

Kyar Shin briefed regional

development endeavours

and accomplishments in

cultivation of opium sub-

stitution crops. FES schol-

ars inquired the require-ments in carrying out re-

gional development ac-

tivities, U Li Man Kwan

replied that there were re-

quirements in transporta-

tion for agricultural pro-

duces. Although the ma-

jor roads have been built

with the assistance of the

State, village-to-village

roads are still required to

be built to access remote

hilly areas, he mentioned.

Similarly, it is required to

obtain modern cultivation

Leader of Spokes Authoritative Team

techniques, fertilizers and

pesticides, he observed.Water is scarce in Kokang

region for domestic use

and agricultural purposes,

he said. The international

community should recog-

nize the achievements in

anti-narcotic drugs activi-

ties undertaken by the

Government and the na-

tional people, he stressed.

Later, FES schol-

ars visited the Anti-Nar-

cotic Drugs Museum and

viewed round the devel-

opment in Laukkai. They

proceeded to Kaungkha ofSpecial Region No 5 in

Shan State (North). They

were welcomed there by

national race leader U

Mahtu Naw, departmen-

tal officials and the local

national people.

Afterwards, at the

briefing hall of Kaungkha,

national race leader U

Mahtu Naw explained

matters on regional devel-

opment endeavours and

accomplishments in culti-

vating opium-substitution

crops. FES scholars in-

quired about the reason

for making peace, their

views and attitudes to theNational Convention, the

future of the peace groups

and the relations among

the Kachin peace groups.

National race leader U

Mahtu Naw explained that

armed insurgency started

as their region did not de-

velop and was left isolated.

They attained peace as the

Government gave them a

chance to join hands with

the Tatmadaw in regional

development endeavours

and to participate in the

National Convention, hesaid. The National Con-

vention the first step of

the Road Map has now

been completed and when

the remaining steps are

completed the elected

government will emerge,

he observed. At that time,

the peace groups will be-

come auxiliary forces of

the Tatmadaw, he men-

tioned. There are alto-

gether three Kachin peace

groups and the relation

among them is fraternal.

Afterwards, FES scholars

visited the Kaungkha hy-

droelectric power plant

and the 100-acre opium-substitution tea plantation.

On 2 October,

FES scholars visited the

105th-mile border trade

station in Muse in north-

ern Shan State. At the

briefing hall there, they

were briefed matters re-

lated to construction

works at the 105th-mile

station, border trade and

developments of Muse re-

gion by Director-General

of the Border Trade De-

partment U San Pyae.

Deputy Director-Generalof the Hydroelectric

Power Generation Depart-

ment U Win Kyi explained

matters on Shweli hydro-

electric power project.

Later, the FES

scholars went on excur-

sion tour to Mongyu in-

spection centre where

loaded trucks are in-

spected with the use of

X-ray machines; the in-

spection of vehicles at

the export-import check

point and cold storage for

marine products. Next,they also visited the

Shwe Nandaw gateway

in Muse to the Peoples

Republic of China and

studied business and

trade activities.

The FES scholars

proceeded to Yeywa hy-

droelectric power plant

project site in Kyaukse

Township of Mandalay

Division. They were wel-

comed by Deputy Minis-

ter for Electric Power-1 U

Myo Myint and officials.

At the briefing hall there,Deputy Minister U Myo

Myint explained the work

progress so far achieved

and the future works. FES

scholars inquired that

whether the project was

harmful to environment ornot. The Deputy Minister

clarified that feasibility

studies were made also for

environmental conserva-

tion before starting the

project. When the project

is under way, a consultant

team from Switzerland

was hired to avoid effects

to the environment. No

villages were removed by

the project which was be-

ing implemented by

Myanmar technicians

only, he explained. Then,

FES scholars viewedround the Yeywa hydel

power project site.

On 3 October

morning, the FES schol-

ars met with State Peace

and Development Coun-

cil Spokes Authoritative

Team Leader and mem-

bers, Deputy Ministers

and senior officials from

the Ministry of Home Af-

fairs, the Ministry of La-

bour, the Ministry of De-

fence, the Ministry of

Health, the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs at theMinisters Office of the

Ministry of Information

in Nay Pyi Taw. Officials

concerned from various

ministries clarified the

salient points of their

works and replied to the

queries made by the FES

scholars. In the afternoon,

Minister for Information

Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan re-

ceived the FES scholars

and clarified the current

political situation of

Myanmar.

(The Ministersclarifications are re-

ported separately).

Next, the FES

scholars inquired the co-

operation between

Myanmar and the UN.

Minister for InformationBrig-Gen Kyaw Hsan re-

plied that Myanmar as a

member nation has been

cooperating with the UN

and at present Myanmar

is fully cooperating with

it; Head of State Senior

General Than Shwe re-

ceived UN Secretary Gen-

erals Special Envoy Mr

Gambari on 2 October; Mr

Gambari also met with

Spokes Authoritative Team

of the State Peace and De-

velopment Council, na-

tional race peace groups aswell as officials from reli-

gious organizations,

Myanma Motion Picture

Asiayon and Myanmar

Music Asiayon; Mr

Gambari was allowed to

meet with those he would

like to meet; he also got

opportunities to witness

development of the coun-

try and mass rallies to ex-

press Peoples Desire. The

Minister also disclosed that

he explained to Mr Gambari

not only the current situa-

tion but also the stance ofthe Government on

Myanmars politics. The

Minister also expressed his

hope that Mr Gambari

would explain about

Myanmars actual situation

when he arrives back to the

UN.

FES scholars then

inquired about the possi-

bilities of the groups which

did not participated in the

National Convention to

enter election to be held

according to the seven-step

Road Map. Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan replied that

the Constitution draft and

(See page 9)

E Experts from FES foundation visits Yeywa Hydroelectric power Project in Kyaukse.MNA

Scholars from FES foundation paying a visit to Drug Elimination

Museum in Laukkai. MNA

7-10-07NL 8/6/18, 02:37 AM8


5/17

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Sunday, 7 October, 2007 9

NAYPYITAW, 6 OctThe following is the clarification

on current Myanmars political affairs made by Chairman

of the Information Committee of the State Peace and

Development Council Minister for Information Brig-

Gen Kyaw Hsan to scholars of FES Foundation.

Excellencies and distinguished guests,

First, I would like to express that I am glad to have

this opportunity to make clarifications to FES (Friedrich

Ebert Foundation) scholars.

I believe you have obtained a wide range of data and

facts from officials concerned of various ministries. I

would like to apprise you of the progress of the democracy

reform as well as the situations caused by inside and

outside antigovernment groups trying hard at their utmost

to jeopardize the momentum being achieved in the

democratic reform.

We are pro-democracy. Therefore, since the

Government took over State responsibilities unavoidably

in 1988, it has earnestly been making efforts for democratic

reform as aspired by the people. We have declared the

seven-step Road Map to the world for building up our

nation into a discipline-flourishing democratic State.

Today, the National Convention which is the first step of

the seven-step Road Map has successfully been completed.

All delegates of the National Convention have

unanimously adopted Fundamental Principles and

detailed basic principles.

In this context, I would like to mention the stance

of the delegates representing former armed groups

who participated in the National Convention. All those

delegates have expressed their stances and attitude inmeeting with UN Secretary-Generals Special Envoy

Mr Ibrahim Agboola Gambari in the year 2006 that

they believed in the National Convention; would join

the Government and the people according to the

forthcoming Constitution; and would never return to

underground for any reason.

According to the principles adopted by the

National Convention, a Constitution with basic

democratic rights for the people will emerge. The

national races will have extensive range of rights to

exercise legislative, administrative and judicial powers.

In addition to the existing seven States, Wa, Danu,

Palaung, Pa-O, Kokang and Narga nationals will

have Self-Administered Division or Self-Administered

Zones to exercise legislative, administrative and

judicial powers extensively.

In addition, efforts have been made for the

minorities who do not get Self-Administered Division

or Self-Administered Zone to enjoy democratic rights

deservedly. The national race whose population

exceeds 0.1 per cent of the nations total population

can send a representative to respective Region / State

Hluttaw. That representative can participate as

minister at the respective Region / State. On behalf of

the national race concerned, that representative can

participate in exercising legislative and administrative

powers. Similarly, the national race which does not

get SAD or SAZ and its population exceeds 10,000 can

send a representative to respective Leading Bodies of

SAD or SAZ so as to participate in legislative and

administrative affairs.

Provisions guaranteeing the rights of various sectors

including citizen sector, religious sector, social sector,

etc which will be equal to those of other democratic

nations will be prescribed in the forthcoming

Constitution. Hence, we would like to stress that the

Constitution to be drafted with the Fundamental

Principles and detailed basic principles will be the best

and the most suitable to our nation. These Fundamental

Principles and detailed basic principles are adopted

unanimously by all the delegates from every township

including those delegates from former armed groups which

have returned to the legal fold.In undertaking democratic reform, we have to

start with the steps harmonious to the prevailing

conditions and current situations. We will get little

advantage and much disadvantage if we give priority

to the wishes and dreams rather than to prevailing

conditions. Democracy will mature with the intellectual

level and maturity of the people and developments in

economic, education, social and other sectors. Todays

democracy flourishing big nations have achieved the

present mature stage of democracy in this way.

Likewise, Myanmars reform to democracy will also

get mature gradually.

In transforming a nation into a democratic one,

essential requirements are the stability, peace and the

rule of law; the prosperity of the people; and the well

educated citizens. Hence, nation building efforts are

made politically, economically and socially by the

Government. Antigovernment groups are trying to bring

about democracy through violence and unrests. We would

like to stress the point that according to the conditions of

our nation, democratic reform cannot be made forcefully.

We assume that in bringing about democracy, all the

violence are not suitable to democracy.

Regarding the situations in Myanmar, I would explain

in brief in two parts, the first part up to 2007 and the

second part in the year 2007. Since taking over Stateresponsibilities, the Tatmadaw Government has constantly

been making earnest efforts for the national stability,

development and democracy reform. Due to these

endeavours, development is achieved on all fronts with

momentum and the people are enjoying the fruitful

results of development. As you friends have visited

Myanmar for at least three times, you all have witnessed

the stability and peace and developments of the country.

As you all have known, the Government started to

convene the National Convention in view of democracy

reform. From 1993 to 1996, The National Convention

adopted 104 Fundamental Principles and detailed

basic principles. However in the year 1995, NLD

walked out of the National Convention on its own

volition. Since then, antigovernment groups inside

and outside the country making efforts for

jeopardizing the National Convention, hindering thedevelopment pace and destroying peace and stability.

Especially, NLD has constantly been sticking to its

wrong policies such as Defiance of All Orders,

Confrontation, Utter Devastation, Imposing Four Kinds

of Sanction, Relying on External Elements, and Opposing

all the endeavours of the Government, etc. As efforts

were made to destabilize the nation, create violence and

unrests and jeopardize the National Convention, the

Government has to make some detentions. Similarly, the

so-called 88 generation students group launched

antigovernment activities such as signature campaign,

(See page 10)

According to the principles adopted by the National Convention, aconstitution with basic democratic rights for the people will emerge

The national races will have extensive range of rights toexercise legislative, administrative and judicial powers

Leader of Spokes Authoritative Team

(from page 8)

related laws and bylaws will be consisted of stipulations

for formation of political parties. In accordance with the

stipulations, antigovernment groups can be able to form

political parties, he said. NLD is still sticking to wrongful

policies of Defiance of All Orders, Confrontation, Utter

Devastation, Imposing Four Kinds of Sanctions and

Relying on External Elements, he noted. Only when the

NLD give up these policies, cooperation can be made,

he pointed out. One cannot plead for dialogue on one

hand while putting pressures on the other, the minister

remarked. Now the National Convention which is the

first step of the seven-step Road Map has been com-

pleted, and continued efforts will thus be made for

implementing the remaining steps, the Minister ob-

served.

The FES scholars then inquired about the forma-

tion of a committee for drafting the Constitution. The

Minister clarified that the drafting committee will be

formed with adequate number of legal experts and

intellectuals. By seeing the completion of the Na-

tional Convention in the year 2007, one can see that

the Government has been expediting the implemen-

tation of the seven-step Road Map, he said. However,

antigovernment groups do not see the completion ofthe National Convention as a progress and assuming

that it rendered them lesser opportunities to grab

power, they accelerated their efforts to jeopardize the

National Convention, he noted. Thus, their efforts

were deterred by security unit members and the

people collectively, he said. The Minister continued

to say that the Government has sound evidences

about the collaborated attempts of antigovernment

groups within and without the country to jeopardize

the National Convention. The destructive elements

had also plotted to blast bombs at the National Con-

vention. Such destructive acts could delay the Road

Map implementation process, he noted. He also

stressed that international community as well as

antigovernment groups should render cooperative

hand to the Governments implementation of the

seven-step Road Map. The Government would like to

see the antigovernment groups to enter elections in

the future, the Minister mentioned. The Tatmadaw

Government is not hindering the democracy reform

but bringing about the discipline-flourishing democ-

racy, he stressed. He continued to say that Fundamen-

tal Principles and detailed basic principles wereadopted at the National Convention by peoples del-

egates from eight delegate groups unanimously . Dur-

ing the previous trips as well as in this trip, the FES

scholars have toured the regions of peace groups and

known the views and stances of these groups upon the

National Convention, the Minister said.

The Third Workshop on ASEAN-EU relation was

held on 4 and 5 October at Kumudra Hotel in Nay Pyi

Taw attended by FES scholars as well as researchers

and scholars of Myanmar Institute of Strategic and

International Studies.

The FES Foundation included 13 scholars with

two from the European Union and the European Parlia-

ment. The two scholars from the EU and the Eurpean

Parliament were unable to attend the workshop though

they were in Yangon because they were recalled due to

the foreign medias exaggerated broadcasts on the

demonstrations that took place in Myanmar.

MNA

7-10-07NL 8/6/18, 02:37 AM9


6/17

10 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Sunday, 7 October, 2007

According to the principles

adopted by the(from page 9)

white expression campaign, prayer campaign, white

Sunday campaign etc. Yet, the Government with

broad-mindedness pardoned such antigovernmentactivities in view of enabling them to have

democracy practices.

Likewise the expatriates who fled after

violating laws in the country in one way or another

made collaborative efforts for creating unrest and

violence in the country, for jeopardizing stability and

disrupting National Convention. The remnant

insurgents seeking refuge at border areas are no longer

strong enough to fight the Government militarily and

they joined with inside and outside antigovernment

groups in carrying out sabotage acts to harm the

stability in the country. These destructive elements

blasted bombs even at the religious ceremony to pay

homage to Lord Buddhas Tooth Relic at Maha Pasana

Cave in Yangon. They also blasted bombs

simultaneously at Yangon Trade Centre, Junction-8

Centre and Dagon Shopping Centre. Due to the cruelbomb blasts, 23 persons were killed and 162 wounded.

Some western powers also put pressure upon

the Government by imposing economic sanctions and

cut off humanitarian aids. Similarly, foreign media

made exaggerations and fabrications in order to

instigate violence and unrest in the country. Thus, the

people of Myanmar dubbed these foreign broadcasting

stations as centres with skyful of lies.

Although inside and outside antigovernment

groups, insurgents, western powers and western

media are collectively attacking the Government,

the entire people of Myanmar absolutely believe in

and support the Government. It is obvious that with

the support of the people, the Government

successfully carries on the process of democracy

reform. Despite various difficulties and hardships,

the Government gains developmentaccomplishments and democracy reform process is

not delayed.

I will continue to explain about the situations

in the year 2007. When the Government declared in

June to convene the final session of the National

Convention soon to accelerate the pace of democracy

reform process, the antigovernment groups inside and

outside the country raised the momentum of

antigovernment activities. They employed three

strategies. The first strategy was to disrupt the

National Convention. If they could not disrupt it,

they would try to make efforts for preventing the

drafting of the Constitution. If they fail to do so,

they would try to instigate the people not to support

the Constitution. Their second strategy was to

create unrest and violence like those in 1988. Their

third strategy was to launch sabotage acts including

blasting of bombs throughout the country. These

three strategies were employed by antigovernment

groups within and without the country as well as

those at the border areas with harmonious timings

collectively.

At the same time, in order to assist these three

strategies, some western powers misused UN Security

Council, ILO and Human Rights Council to try to take

lopsided actions against Myanmar. The intelligence

organizations of some western powers also provided

cash and kind assistance to the inside and outside

antigovernment groups. NLD and the so-called 88

generation students group in collaboration made

instigations through various ways and means to create

instability and unrest in the country. Diplomats of the

embassies of some western countries visited the NLD

headquarters almost daily and gave advice and

suggestions. The centres opened by those embassies

also conducted various training courses which were

not related with education but with antigovernment

activities. Although, these centres are opened to

further promote understanding between the peoples

of the two countries, they are actually providing

training courses on antigovernment activities. You

friends can consider it is appropriate or not.

The expatriate groups abroad under the guise

of democracy, human rights and labour affairs made

contacts with NED (National Endowment for

Democracy) USAID, etc and provided cash andnecessary assistance to antigovernment groups inside

the country to launch UG activities. With the funds

provided by these foreign financial organizations, the

antigovernment groups inside the country made efforts

to create unrest and violence.

While the antigovernment groups inside and

outside the country were carrying out antigovernment

activities collectively, the Government had to refix

fuel prices unavoidably. The Government has been

subsidizing for fuel prices since 1988. Nowadays in

the world, fuel prices are skyrocketing and the

Government has to spend huge amount of money for

the subsidies. Therefore, balancing the expenditure

of State funds and for subsidies and the consideration

for relieving the people from the burden of oil price

hikes, fuel prices were refixed unavoidably. Yet, the

revised fuel prices are still less than the prevailinginternational fuel prices as the Government continues

to subsidize. By taking advantage of the rise in fuel

prices, the antigovernment groups started to make

instigations to create protests. In other words, they

employed their strategies.

At first, the antigovernment groups attempted

to infiltrate the students to create unrest. However,

the majority of the students know the truth and they

could not be instigated. Then, the antigovernment

groups tried to infiltrate the workers. And the workers

did not accept their instigation. Therefore, the

antigovernment groups infiltrated the monks and

instigate to create protests. As a result, some monks

started to protest beginning 28 August.

In the beginning, the monks did not make

political demands and they wandered reciting parittas

for the physical and mental well-being of the people.

However, authorities handled the issue with restraints

and patience. As no restrictions were made by the

Government, antigovernment groups turned the

situation into political movement so as to make

political demands and create unrests.

In fact, there are about 500,000 monks in the

whole country and only 2 per cent of monks

participated in the protests. Those 2 per cent of the

mass of monks include those bogus monks who got

their heads shaved and wore monks robes temporarily

as arranged and paid by NLD and the so-called 88

generation students group. The lay persons who took

part in the protests were also members of the

antigovernment groups. The majority of the people

did not participate in the protests. With the passage

of time, there emerged dangers to harm the

national peace and stability. Some protesters even

threatened reverend monks who did not

participate in the protests.

The most significant incident was that on 24th

September, some 350 monks and NLD members

shouted abusive words and attacked monastic

buildings with purified water bottles at the monastery

of Kyakhatwaing Sayadaw who is the Joint Sasana-

paing (the most reverend bishop) of Shwekyin Gana

of the Sangha with membership strength of about

50,000 monks all over the country. The Kyakhatwaing

Sayadaws monastery is located in Bago and the

residence of about 1,200 monks. Being the Joint

Sasana-paing, the Sayadaw is highly respected by the

mass of the Sangha. Hence the mass of the Sangha is

very frustrated with that incident.

Since the situations was leading to

deterioration like in 1988, the Sangha Maha Nayaka

Sayadaws tried to settle the issue with Dhamma. In

addition to the previous directives, the sangha Maha

Nayaka Committee issued the directive No 93 on 24

September for the monks to perform the religious

duties only and not to get involved in violence and

political affairs. Neglecting the directives, the monks

continued to launch protests. As the situation had

worsened like in 1988 and the nation was on the brink

of disintegration, authorities issued a curfew in

necessary places of Yangon and Mandalay. Authorities

had to take necessary measures for preventing the 1988

disturbances-like deterioration.The Government handled the situations with

much patience, tolerance and broad-mindedness.

Authorities at different levels handled the situation

very carefully with much restraints at their best. On

the other hand, the protests and violence harmed

the transportation, business and daily lives of the

people. Thus, the people themselves rounded up

the protesters and handed over to authorities. Due

to the efforts of the people, the nation has come to

normalcy.

Authorities handled the situation without

any hatred or prejudice. Focus was made only on

ensuring the prevalence of peace and stability.

Though the authorities handled the situation with

much care and restraints, there have been some

arrests and bloodshed incidents. We are more

sorrowful than foreigners and foreign nations asthis situation rose in our country and to our people.

At the bottom of our heart, we absolutely do not

want such incident happen. Please understand the

fact that the incident that occurred in Myanmar

due to sponsorship of the western powers and

collective efforts of antigovernment groups inside

and outside the country.

Actually, the entire people do not want or

accept such protests and unrests. So, mass rallies

are being held throughout the country unanimously

by the people to denounce violence and protests as

well as to support the National Convention and

the forthcoming Constitution. More such rallies will

take place all over the country.

We would like to ascertain that as the

Government has already adopted the seven-step Road

Map for building up a discipline-flourishing democraticnation, it will never deviate from its policy no matter

how the international community impose sanctions or

render assistance. We are eager to have better ties with

EU and we welcome the assistance of EU in the

procesas of democracy transition and for the

development of human resources. The European Union

however needs to have true picture of Myanmars

political situation and actual conditions so as to act fair

and square without bias. As some member countries

of EU are bluntantly interfering in our internal affairs,

the progress in the relations between Myanmar and EU

will remain far and far. During the recent strikes, some

leaders and senior officials of some member countries

of EU encouraged the protesters bluntantly to continue

to go on strikes. Such acts will tarnish the image of EU

and make it difficult to play a fair and square role in

Myanmars affairs.While EU aspires the flourishing of

democracy in Myanmar, the Tatmadaw will see to

the emergence of democracy without fail as aspired

by the people. It is hoped that this workshop can

find ways and means to solve difficulties caused by

different approaches although we have the same

aspiration. In this context, I would like to express

our deep gratitude to Friedrich Ebert Foundation

for its endeavours for these workshops through

various difficulties.

What I have clarified are underlying facts as

regards the progress of the seven-step Road Map and

the political transition. Other ministries have also

clarified their views frankly as regards the actual

conditions and situations of Myanmar and possibilities

for cooperation between Myanmar and EU. Thus, it is

believed that Excellencies and guests have had more

useful facts. You friends can raise questions for further

details. And you all are invited for free and frank

discussions.

Thank you. MNA

7-10-07NL 8/6/18, 02:37 AM10


7/17

2 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 19 July, 2010

Monday, 19 July, 2010

PERSPECTIVES* Oppose those relying on external elements, acting as stooges, holding negative views

* Oppose those trying to jeopardize stability of the State and progress of the nation

* Oppose foreign nations interfering in internal affairs of the State

* Crush all internal and external destructive elements as the common enemy

Peoples Desire

As development of human resources is

essential for national development, the

government is generating better access to

education by opening new basic education

schools, universities and colleges the length and

breadth of the nation to bring about more and

more educated people.

As part of the lofty drive, the government

is expediting school enrolment week activities

across the nation in the run-up to the school

season in order that every school-age child can

attend classes. Simultaneously, it is constantly

taking measures to ensure that schoolchildren

complete education, to reduce dropout rates,and to sharpen the abilities of students.

In a bid to improve access to education,

the University for Development of National

Races and the Nationality Youths Development

Degree College were established with a view to

producing intellectuals and intelligentsia

throughout the nation including in border areas.

Moreover, a good number of vocational

training centres for women have been opened in

border areas to improve the living conditions

for women.

Now, endeavours are being exerted on a

self-reliant basis to build a peaceful, modern

and developed nation. To provide impetus for

the plan, new generation youths are nurturedand trained to enable the motherland to catch

up with global partners through the might of a

growing number of intellectuals and

intelligentsia.

Today, emergence of new roads, bridges,

factories and dams all over the Union is the

result of the development of human resources

brought up by the State.

National people are therefore to do their

bit as well as to work hand in hand with the

government to achieve the goal of building a

peaceful, modern and developed nation.

Intellectuals, intelligentsia

on the increase

YANGON, 18 July

Minister for Energy U

Lun Thi visited

construction site of No 5

Fertilizer Plant

Construction Project

(Pathein) in Pathein,

Ayeyawady Division

yesterday.

The minister viewedWater Plant, Prilling

Tower, Substations,

Ammonia Plant, Urea

Plant, Ammonia Ball

Tank, Nitrogen Plant and

Control Room in the

plant. He instructed staff

of the plant to produce

fertilizer through correct

technical process on

schedule.

At the briefing hall

of the plant, after hearing

the reports on ongoing

tasks presented by the

director of the project

Energy Minister looks into No 5 Fertilizer Plant

Construction Project in Ayeyawady Div

and officials from Asia

World, HQCEC and

China II Co Ltds and the

minister fulfilled the

needs.

The minister

presented baskets of

fruits to foreign

NAY PYI TAW , 18 JulyThe Myanmar

Strategy and International Studies Department

under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Friedr ich

Ebert Stiftung co-organized workshop on

biodiversity and deforestation issues and solutions

on 15 July and workshop on management skills,

leadership and teamwork on 16 July at the Sedona

Hotel in Yangon.

Myanmar, India, South East Asia and Europe

submitted 12 papers at the first workshop, and

Myanmar submitted one paper and an expert from

Bangkok, one paper at the later workshop.

The workshops were attended by officials

and representatives from ministries, UNDP andspecial agencies, EU, and governmental and non-

governmental organizations on environmental

conservation and forestry.MNA

Workshops on biodiversity,

deforestation held

YANGON, 18 July

The open ing

ce rem onies o f new

school bui ldings of

a f f i l i a t ed Bas ic

Educa t ion Midd le

S chool and Bas ic

Educa t ion P r im ary

Schools in Ayeyawady

Division, donated by i

Love Myanmar, tookplace on 12 and 14

July.

At the ceremonies,

i Love Myanmar donates new school buildings in

Ayeyawady Div

Donor U Denial La Lin

f rom Em m anue l

Foundation and wife

Chairman of i Love

Myanmar Daw Levi

Sap Nei Thang and

offic ia ls opened the

school buildings.

The BEP S s a re

located in Bogale and

Labutta townships, anda f f i l i a t ed BEMS in

Labutta Township.

MNA

Minister for Energy U Lun Thi inspects installation of machines at No

5 Fertilizer Plant Project in Pathein.ENERGY

Opening ceremony

of new school

building in progress

at Basic Education

Primary School in

Padaukkon Village

of Labutta

Township.

MNA

YANGON, 18 JulySupervised by Yankin

Township subcommission of Yangon east District, the

signboard opening ceremony of No. 5 ward

subcommission office was held at the ward Peace and

Development Council Office, here, today.

Chairman of the ward sub commission U HlaWin and Chairman of the ward PDC U Soe Naing

formally opened the signboard.

MNA

Subcommission Office

opened

technicians who are

working at the pro-

ject.

MNA

19-7-2010 NL.pmd 7/19/2010, 2:58 PM2


8/17

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Region

Workshop on Kunming-Mandalay-Kyaukpyu/Sittwe Development Corridor opens

Yangon, 14 Dec - The workshop on Kunming-Mandalay-Kyaukpyu/Sittwe Development Corridor,organized by Human Settlement and Housing Development Department of the Ministry ofConstruction, was opened at Sedona Hotel on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road here this afternoon.

It was attended by Deputy Minister for Construction U Tint Swe, departmental heads and officials,resource persons from the People's Republic of China, India, Germany and Czech Republic andguests. First, the deputy minister addressed the workshop. Next, Prof Li Xiaoxi of the PRC, ProfSanjoy Hazarika of India, Mr Norbert von Hofmann of Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Bonn and Berlin ofGermany and Deputy Director General of HSHDD U Win Myint made speeches. Later, the workshop

commenced at 2:45 pm. It continues till 16 December.

Today Myanmar

Information

Tourist Attraction

Myanmar Media
http://www.web2pdfconvert.com/?ref=PDFhttp://www.web2pdfconvert.com/?ref=PDF


9/17

E-mail : mailto: [email protected]
http://www.web2pdfconvert.com/?ref=PDFhttp://www.web2pdfconvert.com/?ref=PDFmailto:[email protected]://www.myanmar.gov.mm/NLM-2004/http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/NLM-2003/http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/NLM-2002/http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/NLM-2001/


10/17

Pro-election Think Tank Feels the Pressure

By WAI MOE Wednesday, July 21, 201 0

Burma's election will attract an estimated 77 percent turnout, according to the Burmese think tank Myanmar Egress.

The group, which describes itself as a third force in Burmese politics, announced its estimate at meetings in the Thai capital,

Bangkok, with diplomats and non-governmental organization officials from Europe.

At one meeting in Bangkok last week, participants were told that a surv ey undertaken by Myanmar Egress after the 2008

constitutional referendum found that 85 percent of respondents agreed with the constitutionvery close to the government's claim

that 93.8 percent of voters had cast y es ballots.

Although Myanmar Egress claims political independence, it supports the planned election, advocating it at meetings such as those it

held in Bangkok and with donor organizations from Europe. A pro-election Thailand partner, the Vahu Development Institute took

part in the meetings.

At the meeting in Bangkok, said a source, they made several presentations to diplomats and foreign NGOs and expert groups

regarding the election.

Basically they asked money from European countries. Interesting is that they claimed at the meeting that key political parties for

the coming election give them a mandate to seek funding aboard.

The press were not invited to the meeting and Aung Naing Oo of the Vahu Development Institute declined to describe the

proceedings when contacted byThe Irrawaddy. When contacted byThe Irrawaddy, Myanmar Egress denied the meeting had

even taken place.

Main speakers at the Bangkok meeting were businessman Hla Maung Shwe, vice president of the Myanmar Egress, and its general

secretary Nay Win Maung, who is owner ofLiving Color magazine and The Voice Weekly journal.

Hla Maung Shwe, a key member of the Myanmar Shrimps Association, was a member of the opposition National League for

Democracy in the 1980s and 1990s. He was arrested in the early 1990s and spent three years in prison.

Hla Maung Shwe's younger brother is Brig-Gen Hla Myint Shwe, commandant of the Defense Services Institute of Nursing and

Paramedical Science, according to sources.

Sources said the Bangkok meeting was shown video footage of three Burmese political partiesthe National Democratic Force

(NDF), the Democratic Party (Myanmar), led by veteran politician Thu Wai, and the Union Democratic Party (UDP).

They came to our office and interviewed us on the difficulties we are facing, said Khin Maung Swe, a NDF leader. We sent

messages to the international community through them as they requested, as we think the media is biased. That is all. We did not

give any mandate to them for any purpose,

Phyo Min Thein, a leader of the UDP, also denied his party had given any mandate to Myanmar Egress. A few weeks ago, they

came to take a video about our perspective on the election and the difficulties, he said.

A third denial of any mandate issued to Myanmar Egress came from Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein of the Democratic Party (Myanmar).

We are not dependent on others, including for funding, she said.

The Myanmar Egress is popular with some young people who want to study abroad as they can build capacity at the groups

training sessions in Rangoon, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand.

According to a report in The Christian Science Monitor in June, Tin Maung Thann of Myanmar Egress said training young people

in areas such as rural development, and securing the best and brightest to study overseas, is one way to speed change.

Nevertheless, most young intellectuals are critical of Myanmar Egress, accusing it of pro-government bias.

The Myanmar Egress or the Third Force people say they are not for the government or the opposition. But what they say and

write are quite biased, advocating the juntas constitution and election, said a y oung Rangoon researcher who spoke on condition of

anonymity. However, they are quite clever when they meet diplomats and foreigners, speaking like pro-democracy activists.


11/17

Myanmar Egress executives are the product of the country 's elite.

Nay Win Maung is the son of a military officer and a friend of former spy chief Gen Khin Nyunts son, Ye Naing Win. Helped by

good connections with the ruling generals, Nay Win Maung and Ye Naing Win establishedLiving Color magazine in the late 1990s.

Nay Win Maung was also an executive member of the Kanbawza Bank run by Aung Ko Win, one of the juntas associates.

Executive members of Myanmar Egress benefit from opportunities from the military rulers in the export and import business,

including diesel import licenses.

It has been alleged that Nay Win Maung and his colleagues have reported to government agencies such as the Military Affairs

Security and the Special Branch of the Burma police.

The West knows what the 'Third Force' is really up to. But theywestern policy circles of academics, diplomats, NGOs, donor

agencies, etcetera want to expand their 'own' space together with an organization like Egress, said a Burmese political analyst in

Rangoon.

According to observers in Rangoon, contacted byThe Irrawaddy, Myanmar Egress also has created opportunities for foreigners to

work with the organization and conduct research. Other groups that try to organize similar classes or activities are immediately

harassed or banned by the authorities.

Sources said the Myanmar Egress is now engaged in educating voters, teaching them the SPDC constitution and encouraging

participation in the election.

Official limitations are still placed on Myanmar Egress, however. Training sessions held outside the organization's premises have

been banned in the past by the authorities.

The space Myanmar Egress has enjoyed is not a benchmark for our civil liberties, one source said. Now, some foreigners got

distracted by this illusion of 'space,' a pure rhetoric of the Third Force which came into our political vocabulary only a few y ears

back.

An art icle in The Voice by Nay Win Maung in favor of the constitution and the election was even reportedly suppressed and

the journal ordered to close for two weeks because one minister was upset by its moral tone.

The article was totally pro- constitution, pro-election and pro-roadmap of the junta, said a Rangoon editor. But journalists here

learned that one minister read the article and got angry because the article adopted a morally high ground tone.

The editor, who works for a private publication, commented: The 'third force people said they know how to create political space

under military rules. But the space even for apologists of the system is limited.

Copyright 2008 Irrawaddy Publishing Group | www.irrawaddy.org


12/17

EDITORIAL

The Trouble with the EU and EC

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Last month, a European Union delegation canceled its planned trip to Burma after the Burmese regime refused to allow it to meet

detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

However, several informed EU sources suggested that some of the community's member states are still interested in visiting

Naypyidaw for talks with Burmese officials even if the request to meet Suu Kyi is not granted.

The Irrawaddy has also learned that several EU officials who belong to the engagement camp are also pushing the policy of

greater engagement with the regime.

Piero Fassino, the EUs special envoy on Burma, is clearly in favor of visiting the country again. Recent requests by Fassino to visit

Burma have been rejected by the junta, however, while missions he was able to undertake in the past failed miserably.

Fassino is known to have little knowledge of Burma and its political situation. So why would he want to revisit the country?

Engaging the regime in Burma is fine as long as the regime has the political will and engagement produces a tangible outcome. But

the EU's engagement policy has produced nothing positive so far.

Burma campaign groups previously expressed concern that the EU envoy on Burma has on occasion appeared to publicly and

privately undermine the very common position which he is mandated to advocate with Asian countries.

Indeed, the EU common policy is to maintain or increase sanctions against the regime and support political dialogue and national

reconciliation between the opposition and the regime. It can also increase pressure if necessary, including imposing an arms

embargo on Burma.

Yet the EU has still failed to employ its full economic and political pressure to produce a positive outcome in military- ruled Burma.

The complexity of the EU cannot be deniedbut, alarmingly, some member states dont stick to the community's common policy,resulting in tension and confusion within the grouping.

The trouble is that the EUs Burma policy sends mixed signals to Burmese democratic forces inside and outside Burma.

The Irrawaddy has learned that detained democracy leader Suu Kyi herself and senior members of the now-banned NLD have

recently ex pressed concern over the EUs policy.

It is believed that the UK, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Denmark and the Netherlands want to maintain the EUs common

policy but some other member countries, especially Germany and Spain, are pushing more of a pro-engagement line if not openly

supporting the regimes sham election and some controversial and shady figures belonging to a third force inside Burma.

Unlike European Parliament members, bureaucrats at the European Commission (EC) have supported a dialogue with the juntaand increased its cooperation with some shady allies of the junta and the third force while cutting funding for refugees on the

Thai-Burmese border.

Cooperation with a third force and some shady figures supporting the regimes sham election and undermining the main

opposition parties and activists and civil society groups inside and outside Burma is questionable.

What is interesting is that some EC officials have covertly supported the third force inside the country in the creation of a civil

society. Do EC bureaucrats really believe that these half-baked third force people, who are merely spokesmen of the regime, can

create a civil society in Burma?

No wonder Burmese inside and outside the country see EC bureaucrats as part of the problem in Burmas complicated political

landscape. They appear to support a controversial third force inside Burma and the regimes sham election instead of increasing

targeted sanctions against the regime and its cronies or supporting the UN human rights envoys commission of inquiry on crimes

against humanity.

In March, the UN Special Rapporteur on Burma stated that human rights abuses in Burma are very serious and that the UN

should consider establishing a commission of inquiry into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. So far, the EU is silent


13/17

on this issue, as if the regime has committed no crimes at all.

Sadly, on the Thai-Burmese border, the ECs decision to cut funding for relief work on the Thai-Burmese border sent a shock wave

through the area as the EU is one of the major donors there.

Refugee agencies on the Thai-Burmese border said they are concerned that a cut in funds could hurt medical programs for

Burmese refugees.

According to London-based Burma campaign UK: The European Commission has consistently refused to fund such aid, and has

failed to provide an adequate explanation as to why, instead making vague statements about accountability and monitoring. Thisargument is not credible, as the British government and other EU members with strict monitoring requirements are satisfied with

monitoring of cross-border aid.

Burma Campaign UK also said: There are around 100,000 Internally Displaced People in Eastern Burma who are in need of cross-

border aid, and around 2.5 million people in Eastern Burma for whom cross-border assistance is the only or easiest way to deliver

aid. Cross-border aid is also needed in other states in Burma.

On May 20, the European Parliament called on the EC to reverse cuts in funding for refugees on the Thailand-Burma border and

immediately start funding cross-border aid, especially medical assistance.

However, after Thailand's foreign minister said in June that the Bangkok government hoped to send Burmese refugees home after

the elections a EU official told The Irrawaddy: The EU does not expect that the elections in Myanmar [Burma] in 2010 will create

conditions conducive to an immediate return of the predominantly Karen to eastern Burma, particularly since a ceasefire between

SPDC [the Burmese government] and the Karen leadership seems unlikely to materialize and armed conflict persists to this day.

So just what do the EU and EC currently stand for?

EU observers believe that internal confusion and rifts within the community have also compounded its Burma position and its very

reputation.

The Irrawaddy has recently learned that some EC officials and bureaucrats take personal positions that go against not only EU

common policy but also democratic principles.

They are said to be highly critical of Suu Kyi and her party's decision not to contest the coming election. Moreover, these ECofficials and bureaucrats also see civil society groups, campaigners on the border and ethnic campaign movements as

troublemakers.

If this is true, the integrity and dignity of the EU and its democratic principles have to be questioned. We assume these officials and

bureaucrats were born in a democratic society. The irony is that they have expressed a dislike of civil society and campaign groups

working for a better Burma.

The regime keeps over 2,000 political prisoners in gulags, soldiers continue to commit human rights abuses in the ethnic regions

and refugees and displaced persons are stranded along the border. A climate of fear pervades the country.

However, the EU is sending conflicting signals to Burma and the pro-democracy movementa shameful state of affairs, which has

contributed to

deep unhappiness among Burmese inside and outside Burma when discussing EU policy.

In a recent letter to EU foreign ministers, European-based Burma lobby groups said they were deeply concerned that European

Commission staff openly and publicly advocate against the agreed Common Position of EU member states and against the positions

taken by the European Parliament in its resolutions. We believe that it is unacceptable that Commission officials who have no

democratic mandate undermine the official position of democratically accountable member states and the European Parliament."

The EU and EC should now officially clarify the issues outlined aboveand

Burmese democratic forces, campaign groups and exiled news groups should investigate more thoroughly EU and EC Burma

policies, in order to make those organizations more accountable in this critical time for Burma.

Copyright 2008 Irrawaddy Publishing Group | www.irrawaddy.org


14/17

-Why the US really wantsBout

-Behold, bewareMyanmar's fourth empire

-UN ignores Burmajunta's drugs role

-Deception and denialsin Myanmar

dictator

-Australia's strategic littledots

-Myanmar's nuclearbombshell

-The Roots of Thailand'sTurmoil

ARTICLES

PAPERS

BOOKS

GRAPHIC DESIGN

PHOTOGRAPHY

ABOUT

BURMA

Putting the Boot In

By Bertil Lintner

It's time to consider how to bring the brutal generals to justice

Nothing galvanized the Burmese nation against its colonial masters more than a proclamation in1917 saying that British officials would not have to remove their shoes when entering Buddhisttemples, pagodas and monasteries.

It may sound strange to Westerners that this caused such an outcry, but, to the Burmese, it was theultimate insult against their religion. The Shoe Issue dominated nationalist agitation in the 1920s,and it marked the beginning of the end of colonial rule in Burma.

Today, history is repeating itself, but in a much more brutal way. During the recent crackdown on theBuddhist clergy, heavily armed Burmese government soldiers not only tramped into sacred places ofworship with their army boots on, but they also stole gold objects, televisions, mobile phones, fansand other items from the monasteries.

Monks were beaten, arrested and some were even killed. The armys stampede into the monasteriesshould be seen as the beginning of the end of military rule in Burma.

But the question is, how will military rule end and a democratic order replace it? Certainly not throughsome kind of dialogue with junta leader Than Shwe and his coterie of thugs, who have shown timeand again that they are willing to do anything to cling on to power, even desecrating the countrysholiest institution.

Dialogue followed by national reconciliation are popular buzz words with the NGO community, andwith the donors on which they depend. But, under present circumstances, such a scenario is totallyunrealistic. Worse, it is playing into the hands of the junta, as it gives it the benefit of the doubt.

For, as Kyaw Zwa Moe pointed out in an online commentary carried byThe Irrawaddyon October 9,after the crackdown, Its game time again for the generals. Having killed lots of people, the juntasstandard tactic is to throw out some bait to the international community to keep them guessingandcriticism at bay.

This time it is the appointment of a deputy labor minister Maj-Gen Aung Kyi to l iaise with oppositionleader Aung San Suu Kyi. It would be a serious mistake to see this as a concession; the junta is justbuying time by making some foreign observers believe that progress is in motion.

At the same time, the junta is showing its intransigence by rebuffing resolutions by the UN SecurityCouncil and clinging to its own roadmap to disciplined democracy, a euphemism for continuedmilitary rule. At home, the generals have organized mass rallies in support of themselves.

A Canadian friend, Bradford Duplisea, sent me an e-mail after reading about thissoi-disantspontaneous outburst of pro-juntasentiment: While reading the most recent news from Burma, I remembered this quote from George Orwells 1984: All over Oceania thismorning there were irrepressible spontaneous demonstrations when workers marched out of the factories and offices and paradedthrough the streets with banners voicing their gratitude to Big Brother for the new, happy life his wise leadership has bestowed upon us.

Clearly, Burmas Big Brother is no more likely than Oceanias to listen to reason; it will just go on as before, whipping people into line,with brute force, if necessary.

Thus, the recent crackdown on the monks and others should also give Westernand Asianproponents of engagement with the so-called State Peace and Development Council something to think about.

Among the most vocal of those advocates is Robert Taylor, who, in an essay in the 2004 National Bureau of Asian Research report,Reconciling Burma/Myanmar, suggested that the junta would be a good partner for the US in its war against terror. Another advocate ofengagement, Morten Pedersen, a Dane who in his recent book, Promoting Human Rights in Burma: a Critique of Western SanctionsPolicy, asserts that the best way to promote human rights in Burma is to cozy up to the generals.

Even more bizarrely, when monks and others were being killed and arrested in Rangoon, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, a Germanfoundation, organized a Burma tour, in which, according to The New Light of Myanmarof October 7, thirteen scholars with two from theEuropean Union and the European Parliament took part. The FES delegation visited a showcase drug eradication project in a remotecorner of northeastern Burma, where, the paper said, they were received by U Phon Kyar Shin, who, in fact, is Peng Jiasheng, one ofBurmas most notorious drug lords.

Clearly, a more enlightened approach is needed, and the time has come to explore the possibilities of bringing the top leadership of thepresent junta to international justice.

Presently, there is only one international institution that can deal with crimes against humanity: the International Criminal Court in TheHague, Netherlands. But there are other ways as well. The Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic, for instance, was tried by a special UN-initiated International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The UN Security Council also set up a special court to try theperpetrators of genocide in Rwanda. In Cambodia, another special court is now trying some of the leaders of the Khmer Rouge, who arebeing held responsible for crimes against humanity when they were in power from 1975 to 1979.

The ICC was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and warcrimes. The ICC should not be confused with the International Court of Justice, usually called the World Court, which is also based inThe Hague and is the United Nations organ that settles disputes between nations, such as the 1962 settlement of the question of Thaior Cambodian ownership of the Preah Vihear temple complex.

Although crucial states such as China, India and the United States have not joined the ICC, it has managed to open investigations intofour cases: Northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and Darfur in Sudan. To date, the ICChas issued eight arrest warrants and two suspects, Congolese warlords, are in custody, awaiting trial.
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The ICCs Office of the Prosecutor acts independently and is empowered to open an investigation under three circumstances:

When a situation is referred to the office by a state party;When a situation is referred by the UN Security Council, acting to address a threat to international peace and security;When the Courts Pre-Trial Chamber authorizes the Prosecutors Office to open an investigation on the basis of informationreceived from other sources, such as individuals or NGOs.

The problem here is that, if the UN Security Council determined that the crimes committed by Burmas ruling junta did pose a threat tointernational peace and security, permanent members China and Russia could veto such a resolution. Nevertheless, it is necessary forthe discussion to move away from repeating the dialogue mantra, and to involve experts on international law to examine thepossibilities of seeking justice for the victims of Burmas present junta.

Acampaign to bring the top leaders of the junta before the ICC or some other international judicial body would send a clear signal toother Burmese officers that the behavior of the Burmese army is unacceptable. It could also encourage those other officers to realize that

it is pointless to continue to support an atavistic and anachronistic regime, which has no future. Then, a dialogue might eventually bepossible, not with the incorrigible junta stalwarts, but with more reasonable army officers.

Amain problem that Burma will have to face when the present regime collapses is that the civilian opposition does not have adequatecapacity to fill the ensuing power vacuum. Burma has not had a truly civilian government since 1962 and lacks people with administrativeskills and experience. For 45 years, Burma has had no power centers other than the military, and civil society has been almost totallysuppressed, so a transition to civilian rule is not going to be easy.

However, Than Shwe and his closest associates are not going to give up power voluntarily, or negotiate away their power and privilegesand street demonstrations are not enough to oust their regime.

Burmas only hope is a meeting of minds between elements of the armed forces and the pro-democracy movement. Together, they maybe able to hold the country together when the junta falls. But first those alternative military elements have to be identified in order toisolate the top leadership.

Involving international judicial expertise could be the first step forward, but that should not be seen merely as a tactical maneuver. Thoseresponsible for the carnage in Rangoon and elsewhere must be held accountable for what they have done, and it is only reasonable thatthe victims of their brutal rule are demanding justice.

As with a dialogue, national reconciliation can be achieved between more moderate elements of the armed forces and the population atlarge. But not with Than Shwe and his cronies.

This article first appeared in The Irrawaddy, November 1, 2007

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Published on Transnational Institute (http://www.tni.org)

Home > European Union: most anti-democratic and neoliberal in history

European Union: most anti-democratic and neoliberal inhistory

Interview informationInterviewer:

Nick BuxtonInterviewee(s): Susan George [1]

Susan George shared these reflections in the run-up to the Asia-Europe People's Forum. Find out more on how to get involved

[2]

What kind of Europe is Asia meeting with in October?

Asia will be meeting with the most neoliberal and undemocratic Europe in history. The European Union (EU) has just forced througha constitution, under the name of the Lisbon Treaty, which has the same elements that were rejected by the French, the Dutch andlater the Irish. In the words, of the architect of the constitution, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, the European Commission has made

cosmetic changes so it will be easier to swallow.

The European Union is not a democratic entity. We have to vote how they want us to vote or it doesn't count. EU commissionerGunter Verheugen captured their attitude after the French and Dutch 'No' votes, saying We must not give in to blackmail. This isextraordinarily disturbing. It is a rejection of enlightenment thought, the rightful capacity of people to intervene in how they aregoverned. Anti-democratic values are taking hold. We have become stakeholders instead of citizens, consumers instead ofsovereign people, we are offered consultation rather than real participation. I don't accept this.

Asians should therefore not take any lessons about democracy from the Europeans. Clearly there are several Asian countries thatare not democracies, but that is not my main concern as I am not Asian. My concern as a European is that we are going backwardsand that makes me very angry.

Now that the Lisbon Treaty has been forced through, what are your remaining key points of concern?

Apart from the clear democratic deficit - indeed the contempt for democracy- my main concern is that the Lisbon Treaty puts Europeunder the umbrella of NATO, and therefore under the military control of the US, and hence the Commanding Chief of the US army.The Treaty says specifically that for the countries which are members [of NATO], which is the vast majority of the EU- 27, the NATOcommitment is the "the foundation of their collective defense and the forum for its implementation." Obama might be a betterCommander in Chief than Bush but it means we are still under thumb of whoever is in charge of the US.

The treaty also confirmed a further push towards the privatisation of public services. The Treaty affirms Europe's commitment toundistorted competition and opens up all services of general economic interest to competition. Since nearly all public serviceshave an economic interest, this will enable the handover of public services to the private sector (apart from a few deliberatelyexcluded like the judiciary, police, army etc). What they have achieved with telecommunications, they now want to extend to healthcare, water and education.

And the European Union will also clearly use any way it can to advance these objectives. A typical example is the BolkesteinDirective, which is another long and complex text but included an attempt to make European workers subject to the labour laws and

conditions from their country of origin. For example a Lithuanian worker taken to work in Scandinavia would still be subject toLithuanian labour laws. Labour unions pointed out that this would put Lithuanian workers in competition with Scandinavian workers,undercutting them with lower standards.

The Directive was defeated in some aspects politically but immediately after this apparent victory, the European Court of Justicecame up with four decisions that legalised different elements of the Bolkestein Directive such as the country of origin rule. Whatthey don't get one way, they will do another way.

This creates a very unfair and unbalanced battle for non-governmental organisations like TNI or ATTAC. It is difficult enough to followall the developments in the EU, and even harder to confront proposals as corporations want all of these things and have far moremeans to lobby and pressure for them.

How do you see the economic state of Europe in the aftermath of the Euro crisis and the recent shift to austerity

budgets?

I think what we are seeing is a disaster comparable with the Herbert Hoover period of 1930-1931, where US elites believed thatdoing nothing would bring salvation and tightening up spending would take out the country out of depression. Before FranklinRoosevelt was elected, Republicans were practising the same policies Europe is practising now, but Europe is going further, withdraconian structural adjustment policies like those forced upon southern countries by the IMF from 1980 onwards. These austeritybudgets won't create an impulse for jobs or industry; they will lead to stagnation. However, they will once more enrich the elites atthe expense of ordinary people.
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We desperately need Keynesian policies. We must reject the idea that are there are fixed laws on things like deficits. The Germanssay 3% but these are artificial numbers. The most important thing to grasp is that even if you are creating deficits, you must do thisan investment in the future by investing in education, research, supporting small and medium-scale businesses with environmentaland social ends. We need to start by socialising the banks we bailed out and then forcing them to lend to innovative enterprises.

We also need to put the European Central Bank back under public control. Did you know that the ECB lends to private banks at 1%and they lend to states like Spain, Ireland and Greece at whatever markets will bear? It is completely perverse but states cant getcredit from ECB directly. This is mindboggling but is like that because the financial sector want it that way.

Meanwhile the European economy has lost 4 million jobs in last 2 years since the crisis was formally recognised. This growth in

unemployment will continue while EU governments are allowed to practice austerity. This is a moral crisis, I am sorry to say, wherethe innocent - workers, retired people are punished while the guilty - the financial sector - are rewarded.

What kind of relationship do you think the EU is looking to forge with Asia?

Unfortunately, I think they are approaching the talks with a narrow market vision incapable of seeing beyond horizon of three monthsahead. We used to be a centre for a social vision, demonstrating that this was possible for a whole world. That it was possible toshare the benefits of growth so everyone profits and provide education at a high level, healthcare, retirement benefits,unemployment benefits. This gave people protection but also allowed people to innovate because they were not afraid that theywould lose everything if they made a bad decision.

Instead we have chosen exactly the opposite course, trying to compete in market terms with people prepared to work for ten, twenty,thirty times less. That is a losing game. We have become subject to the British Conservative Party's vision of Europe which has nosocial vision, but sees Europe only in market terms.

Meanwhile Europe is pursuing an agenda of trying to exploit weaker partners through so-called 'Economic PartnershipAgreements' (EPAs), which force developing countries to abandon any investment rules or anything that blocks the freedom ofEuropean transnational companies. Many governments succumb to these agreements particularly countries from Africa, theCaribbean and the Pacific because they fear losing aid or trade preferences. So they end up handing over their sovereignty. It is akind of neocolonialism.

What kind of relationship should we be looking to forge as social movements?

The best thing we can do is show we can have successful workers movements and demonstrate that by giving workers maximumprotection that we can create a culture in which one can innovate and take risks. That is the way to be competitive todaynot byforcing down wages and benefits to rock bottom.

Trade Unions have to get together with ecologists, women, development organisations and others. We have to seize every

opportunity to forge alliances of this kind, something TNI is very good at.

We have to make common cause between Asian movements and our own, because we are all losing out from current policies.Governments and transnational companies are very effective at forming cross border alliances to defend their own interests, so it isabsolutely crucial that we do this effectively as social movements.

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Woman carrying Euro [Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gepat] [3]

references

AEPF Declaration [4]

AEPF civil society recommendations [5]AEPF overview [6]

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fes and eu's danger in burma

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