The Junta Carries Out New Year Arrests Original report by Maung Too, DVB
5 January 2008
More than 10 pro-democracy activists, including a monk, have been arrested by the military junta since New Years Day, in Rangoon alone, it is reported.
NLD (Youth) members
Miss Htet Htet Aung from South Dagon,
Ko Kyaw Kyaw and
Ko Kyaw Zin Win from Dawbone were all arrested yesterday according to U Nyan Win, member, information team, National League for Democracy Party.
On 3rd January,
a monk and
4 poeple were arrested at 'Sate Taing Kya' Teashop in Lewis Road. On separate occasion,
Ko Ko Maung and
Ko Min Han were also arrested. Both men were former political prisoners of 8888 generation, according to the leader Ko Soe Tun.
The house, where
Kyaw Ko Ko, leader of All Burma Student Union was staying was surrounded and searched but he escaped. Details of the arrests were not known.
Some NLD members of Ye' Nan Chaung, who were arrested and detained during the Independence Day celebration period have been all released.
The military junta has been carrying out these arrests despite the requests and appeals from International organisations including the United Nations.
Posted by Goldie Shwe
whoiswhoinburma.blogspot.com
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Burma to Attend Bimstec Meeting on Poverty Alleviation
1/5/2008
Dhaka: Burmese ministerial level delegates will attend a meeting in Dhaka of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, or Bimstec, on poverty alleviation in the region, on 10 January 2008, according to an official report.
Burma's senior officials will arrive in Dhaka on 8 January to prepare the agenda for the ministerial meeting that will be held on Thursday. There are no reports of which ministers from Burma will be in attendance.
snip Bangladeshi Monks United for Saffron Revolution in Burma
1/5/2008
Dhaka: A leading monk organization working on Burmese monk affairs was formed by five monks' organizations in Bangladesh on Friday at a monastery in the Chittagong Hill Tract area in Bangladesh, said U Thiha, the spokesperson of the new organization.
He said, "All monk organizations agreed in a meeting to form an umbrella monk organization to lead Bangladeshi monks in cooperating with Burmese monks for carrying out their religious purpose in Burma."
The meeting was held at Mazi Para monastery in Rangamati District of Bangladesh, with 42 monk delegates from five organizations in attendance.
snip
narinjara.com
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Singaporeans hiring more maids from Thailand, India and Myanmar Posted : Sun, 06 Jan 2008 Author : DPA
Singapore - Increasing numbers of maids are being hired from Thailand, India and Myanmar by Singaporean employers claiming their temperaments are sweeter and they are better behaved than Filipinos and Indonesians, a newspaper reported on Sunday.
Those from Thailand, India and Myanmar account for 6 per cent of the 170,000 domestic workers in the city-state. Agencies said the numbers are rising.
snip
The Myanmarese have become particularly popular. "From employer feedback, the problems of Myanmarese maids are less complicated," Kwang Fend Fang, owner of United Channel Employment Agency, was quoted as saying.
Those who are university graduates can read and understand English even if they do not speak it well, agencies said.
With the recent political upheavals in Myanmar, 23-year-old Nang Kham Kyein said she welcomes the opportunity to work overseas. Her employer has a household of six.
Agencies said the average monthly salary for maids is 300 Singapore dollars (208 US dollars).
snip
earthtimes.org
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Land Customs Stations to be upgraded to boost border trade
6 Jan, 2008
NEW DELHI: With a view to boost border trade, over a dozen Land Customs Stations (LCSs) along India's borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal will be upgraded into Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) in next three years for providing better facilities to businessmen.
snip
economictimes.indiatimes.com
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Scrounging for the generals' scraps
Jan 06, 2008 04:30 AM
Paul Watson
Los Angeles Times
Burmese pay heavily to pan for gold, using mercury that poisons them and river's fish
KHARBAR, Burma–Squatting along rocky banks of the Nmai Hka River, villagers labour dawn till dusk over large wooden pans, scrounging for crumbs from the junta's table.
Children barely big enough to swirl the heavy silt toil beside adults, doing backbreaking work that exposes them to toxic mercury.
Every few minutes, they pause and tilt their dripping pans to catch the sunlight, hoping for the glint from a few golden flecks not scooped up with the rest of Burma's vast mineral wealth by the ruling generals and their cronies.
On a recent day by the river, Ja Bu, 46, strained to shovel loads of silt as a 10-year-old boy, ankle-deep in cold, muddy water, worked a pan big enough for him to bathe in.
About 95 kilometres west, Ja Bu's younger brother searched for jade in the drainage ditch of a mine exhausted years ago by the junta.
The few dollars Ja Bu and her brother scratch together each day from the generals' leavings buys food, clothes and shelter for 10 people.
snip
thestar.com
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Myanmar sanctions pass
Sunday, January 6, 2008
The Senate has passed legislation to further tighten economic sanctions on the military junta in Myanmar, also known as Burma.
The legislation, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Biden, a presidential hopeful, awaits final action in the House.
courier-journal.com
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Myanmar suspends business of some customs clearing companies, agents in 2007
2008-01-06
YANGON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar finance authorities revoked the business licenses of two customs clearing companies and 18 customs agents in 2007, according to Monday's edition of the local journal Voice published in advance on Sunday.
These companies and agents, allegedly linked with corruption, were temporarily stopped to run their business for a period of up to six months, the Director-General of the Customs Department was quoted as saying.
snip
news.xinhuanet.com
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Myanmar sets up herbal park to promote traditional medicines
Yangon : Myanmar has set up the first national herbal park in the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw to grow herbal and medicinal plants, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Sunday.
The herbal park is part of the government's efforts to protect and preserve the time-tested herbs from depletion and extinction and to keep alive the country's traditional system of medicines.
Over 20,000 herbal and medicinal plants of over 700 species from some 10 states and divisions for producing medicines used in treating diseases like cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hypertension, diabetes, malaria and tuberculosis are being grown in the 81-hectare park, the report said.
snip
indianmuslims.info
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National Herbal Park opens in Nay Pyi Taw
Nay Pyi Taw, 5 Jan - Hailing the 60th Anniversary Independence Day the National Herbal Park was opened at the park, here, yesterday.
myanmar.com
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from the blog world ............
Burmese Activist was called up by Singapore Police
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Source: To protect the identity of the Activist I don't want to reveal the source.
According to the Burmese Activist who participated in the protest at the Orchard during the ASEAN summit was called up by the Singapore police just recently and was advised to come to Tanglin Police Station for "interview".(Orchard area is the vicinity of Tanglin Police Station).
This information was posted on that Activist's Blog in Burmese.
The Activist mentioned that the phone call from the police caught the activist by surprise because it was quite some time ago. The police asked the activist when will the activist be able to come to the police station for interview regarding the Protest issue. According to the activist, the police talked quite nicely on the phone.
The activist was not sure about how many Burmese Activists who participated Orchard Road Protest during ASEAN summit were called up by the police.
(If I get more information, I will post as soon as possible .. Bay Dah)
baydah.blogspot.com
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Petition Starts In Rakhine Original report by Aye Nai, DVB
5 January 2008
Thousands of people signed the petition in Rakhine State, Western Burma, the first of the mass movements for 2008.
About 7000 people signed in the petition for the release of
U Khin Hla, secretary, NLD Party , Rakhine and
Ko Min Aung, treasurer, which is to be sent to authorities, it is reported.
Both gentlemen were arrested and imprisoned for reporting the prevalence of forced labour and forced recruitment of child soldiers. This is in direct contravention of the Supplementary Understanding reached on 26 February 2007 between the
ILO (International Labour Organisation) and
the junta.
Ko Moe Naing Soe, an NLD Party promotional team member, said, ' Signatures from all over the state have been collected and we have had about 7000, altogether. The petition will be sent off to senior general Than Shwe, in a few days' time.'
U Khin Hla is serving 4 years sentence and Ko Min Aung 2 years in Than Dwe' prison.
There have been some other petitions in Rangoon and other areas.
To read the agreement of the 26 February 2007 (a Supplementary Understanding between the
ILO and Myanmar government, please click
here.
Posted by Goldie Shwe
whoiswhoinburma.blogspot.com
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