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အဓိကအကြောင်းအရာ

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Title: ANTI-MUSLIM VIOLENCE IN CENTRAL BURMA
Description/subject: Anti-Muslim violence hits Meikhtila... Attacks spread to Pegu Division... Rangoon tense... Thein Sein warns of ?use of force?... Regime authorities fail to intervene... UN cites possible regime complicity... Int?l community expresses concern, calls for regime to take action... Buddhist Monk U Wirathu and ?969? spearhead anti-Muslim campaign... Chronology of events.
Source/publisher: ALTSEAN-Burma
Date of publication: 2013-04-17
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-17
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Mapping of Myanmar Peacebuilding Civil Society
Description/subject: This paper was prepared in the framework of the Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN) http://www.eplo.org/civil-society-dialogue-network.html The paper was produced as background for the CSDN meeting entitled ?Supporting Myanmar?s Evolving Peace Processes: What Roles for Civil Society and the EU?? which took place in Brussels on 7 March 2013...."The peace process currently underway in Myanmar represents the best opportunity in half a century to resolve ethnic and state-society conflicts. The most significant challenges facing the peace process are: to initiate substantial political dialogue between the government and NSAGs (broaden the peace process); to include participation of civil society and affected communities (deepen the peace process); to demonstrate the Myanmar Army?s willingness to support the peace agenda. Communities in many parts of the country are already experiencing benefits, particularly in terms of freedom of movement and reduction in more serious human rights abuses. Nevertheless, communities have serious concerns regarding the peace process, including in the incursion of business interests (e.g. natural resource extraction projects) into previously inaccessible, conflict-affected areas. Concerns also relate to the exclusion thus far of most local actors from meaningful participation in the peace process. Indeed, many civil society actors and political parties express growing resentment at being excluded from the peace process..."
Charles Petrie, Ashley South
Source/publisher: Civil Society Dialogue Network
Date of publication: 2013-03-07
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-16
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 266.26 KB
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Title: Myanmar?s Alarming Civil Unrest
Description/subject: "Anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar, which last year had seemed confined to the western state of Rakhine, has exploded across the country. Mobs of Buddhists, some with ties to the militant 969 Movement, have attacked Muslims in the towns of Meiktila, Naypyidaw, Bago, and most recently, in Yangon, the largest city. Many Muslims in Yangon, Bago, and other large towns are afraid to go to the mosque, enter shops catering to Muslims, or show displays of their faith outside their homes or stores. At least 100,000 Muslims have been made homeless in the past two years, and hundreds have been killed. Many Muslim leaders had been warning of such attacks for months. Although the government had tried to tell donors, investors, journalists, and foreign diplomats that the violence in Rakhine state in 2012 was an issue localized to that area, in reality even last year there had begun to be attacks on mosques and some Muslim shops in other parts of the country. A number of donors and investors believed this reassurance because of the enormous opportunities in Myanmar, one of the last giant emerging markets to open up..."
Joshua Kurlantzick
Source/publisher: Council on Foreign Relations (USA)
Date of publication: 2013-04-09
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-11
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Submission of Evidence to Myanmar Government?s Letpadaung Investigation Commission (full text - English)
Description/subject: Submission of evidence by Lawyers Network and Justice Trust to the Letpadaung Investigation Commission...(Submitted 28 January, 2013, re-submitted with exhibits 5 February, 2013)...EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: "The evidence submitted in this report covers two main issues: 1) the circumstances and validity of contracts signed by local villagers in April 2011 to allow their farmlands to be used by a copper mining joint venture between Wanbao, a Chinese military-owned company, and U Paing, a Burmese military-owned company, and 2) the circumstances and validity of the police action used to disperse peaceful protesters at the copper mine site during the early morning hours of 29 November, 2013. This submission presents relevant laws and facts concerning the Letpadaung case; it does not draw legal conclusions or make specific policy recommendations. The evidence indicates that local government authorities, acting on behalf of the joint venture companies, used fraudulent means to coerce villagers to sign contracts against their will, and then refused to allow villagers and monks to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest. The evidence also indicates that police used military-issue white-phosphorus (WP) grenades (misleadingly termed smoke bombs) combined with water cannons to destroy the protest camps and injure well over 100 monks with severe, deep chemical burns. White phosphorus spontaneously ignites in air to produce burning phosphorous pentoxide particles and, when combined with water, super-heated phosphoric acid..."
Source/publisher: Lawyers Network and Justice Trust via AHRC
Date of publication: 2013-02-14
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-11
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.76 MB
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Title: BURMA: Lawyers? report on Letpadaung released in English
Description/subject: "(Hong Kong, April 10, 2013) A Burma-based lawyers group has released its findings on the Letpadaung land struggle in English. The 39-page illustrated report was submitted by the Lawyers Network (Myanmar) and the Justice Trust in February to the government?s investigation commission into events at Letpadaung, recounts the land struggle and subsequent crackdown on protestors. The Asian Human Rights Commission said that the report offered further evidence to support arguments that the mining operation ought to be halted, and criminal actions brought against police and other officials responsible for orders to disperse protestors through the use of incendiary weapons. "It is alarming that despite having such evidence available to it, not only did the investigation commission endorse the continuation of the mining project, but also said literally nothing about the criminal responsibility of the police and other authorities involved in the brutal attack on peaceful demonstrators," Bijo Francis, acting executive director of the Hong Kong-based regional rights group, said. .."
Source/publisher: Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Date of publication: 2013-04-10
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-11
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Burma?s Ethnic Violence ?Poses Threat to Foreign Investment?
Description/subject: "Continued religious and ethnic violence in Burma could deter much-needed investment by fostering a ?wait and see” attitude among foreign companies and entrepreneurs, according to a study of the recent spate of anti-Muslim rioting and arson in the country. ?Failure to prevent the spread of sectarian violence could dampen the influx of critical foreign investment,” the briefing on Burma by British business risk consultants Maplecroft said. The report identifies the booming tourism industry as the most vulnerable, with the negative impact quickly spreading to the retail and infrastructure sectors. ?[Burma] has attracted significant interest from investors since the US and EU pared back sanctions in 2012. However, stakeholders remain cautious about making significant investments in the country, preferring to wait and see how the reform process moves forward,” said Maplecroft?s principal Asia analyst Arvind Ramakrishnan..."
William Boot|
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy"
Date of publication: 2013-04-11
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-11
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: "Eleven" (English version)
Description/subject: English version (see Alternate URL for Burmese)...Wide range of stories...Archive from June 2012 (go from the top bar to access the archive by topic
Source/publisher: Eleven Media Group
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-11
Type: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English (Burmese)
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Title: Asian Development Outlook 2013 -Asia?s Energy Challenge (Myanmar section)
Description/subject: "Policy reforms stimulated economic growth last year and are expected to drive further development during the forecast period. Inflation is projected to remain moderate. Improved economic prospects have sparked a surge of interest from foreign investors. Achieving the country?s potential depends on maintaining momentum on the government?s reform agenda..."...N.B. there is a lot of material on Myanmar, e.g. in the statistics, not included in the Myanmar pages
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Date of publication: 2013-04-09
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-10
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Myanmar?s Trade and its Potential
Description/subject: Abstract: "The paper tabulates Myanmar?s merchandise trade as reported by its partner countries, thereby circumventing the data constraints stemming from Myanmar?s patchy trade records. It then estimates Myanmar?s export potential, based on the bilateral export patterns observed for six other countries in Southeast Asia. Against that benchmark and controlling for outliers, Myanmar is found to be trading at about 15% its potential. The bulk of this gap is explained by very low trade with the industrialized countries. Through reintegration with the world economy accompanied by deep economic re forms domestically, Myanmar would be expected to be closing this gap rather swiftly."... Keywords: Myanmar, gravity model, export potential
Benno Ferrarini
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB) ADB Economics Working Paper SeriesNo. 325
Date of publication: 2012-12-31
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-09
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 836.04 KB
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Title: "There is no benefit, they destroyed our farmland" (English and Burmese)
Description/subject: WITH SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING A PHOTO ESSAY...Selected Land and Livelihood Impacts Along the Shwe Natural Gas and China-Myanmar Oil Transport Pipeline from Rakhine State to Mandalay Division..."Yesterday, we published a photo essay and companion report highlighting the severe impacts of the Shwe natural gas and Myanmar-China oil transport pipelines on the lives and livelihoods of local communities living around these mega-projects. Set for operation later this year, these Chinese and Korean led projects will transport Myanmar and foreign resources to China while providing little benefits to communities; lands have been taken, destroyed and damaged with inadequate compensation to make way for the dual pipelines and associated infrastructure. Based on over one year of on-the-ground fact-finding inside Myanmar by EarthRights International, the photos and essay amplify the voices of communities who are calling for the projects to be suspended or diverted to avoid ongoing harms..."
Source/publisher: EarthRights International (ERI)
Date of publication: 2013-04-08
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-09
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese/ မြန်မာဘာသာ
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Title: President?s Office - Laws (English and Burmese)
Description/subject: Burmese: 51 laws back to September 2011 (full text)... English: 7 laws back to September 2011 (full text)
Source/publisher: President?s Office
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-09
Type: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Title: SPECIAL REPORT - Buddhist monks incite Muslim killings in Myanmar
Description/subject: "...Ethnic hatred has been unleashed in Myanmar since 49 years of military rule ended in March 2011. And it is spreading, threatening the country?s historic democratic transition. Signs have emerged of ethnic cleansing, and of impunity for those inciting it. Over four days, at least 43 people were killed in this dusty city of 100,000, just 80 miles (130 km) north of the capital of Naypyitaw. Nearly 13,000 people, mostly Muslims, were driven from their homes and businesses. The bloodshed here was followed by Buddhist-led mob violence in at least 14 other villages in Myanmar?s central heartlands and put the Muslim minority on edge across one of Asia?s most ethnically diverse countries. An examination of the riots, based on interviews with more than 30 witnesses, reveals the dawn massacre of 25 Muslims in Meikhtila was led by Buddhist monks - often held up as icons of democracy in Myanmar. The killings took place in plain view of police, with no intervention by the local or central government. Graffiti scrawled on one wall called for a "Muslim extermination."..."
Jason Szep (Additional reporting by Min Zayer Oo.; Editing by Andrew R.C. Marshall, Michael Williams, Bill Tarrant.)
Source/publisher: Reuters
Date of publication: 2013-04-08
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-09
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Announcements (English)
Description/subject: Back to October 2011
Source/publisher: President?s Office
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-08
Type: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: Orders
Description/subject: Back to March 2011
Source/publisher: President?s Office
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-08
Type: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: Notifications
Description/subject: Notifications back to March 2012. 18 notifications, as of 9 April 2013
Source/publisher: President?s Office
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-08
Type: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: ENGINEERING PEACE IN KACHIN STATE
Description/subject: "On 4 February 2013, representatives from the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) and the Burmese Government?s Union Peace-making Working Committee (UPWC) met in the Chinese Town of Ruili (Shweli). It was the first time the two sides had met since the escalation of the conflict in December 2012. A later meeting, held on 11 March, further solidified the two side?s attempts to find a compromise and end the conflict. It was also the first time that the United Nationalities Federal Council was officially engaged in the peace process on behalf of one of its members. Initial indications suggest that both sides are hopeful that a compromise can be met and an end to the conflict may soon ensue..."
Source/publisher: Burma Centre for Ethnic Studies (Briefing Paper No. 13, March 2013)
Date of publication: 2013-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-08
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 94.32 KB
Local URL: PDF icon BCES-BP-13-red.pdf
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Title: Myanmar: Meikhtila inter-communal violence Situation Report No. 3 (as of 2 April 2013) - UNOCHA
Description/subject: Highlights: • Since 28 March the authorities began to clear damaged houses and debris in Meikhtila as shops and commercial businesses reopen. • As a result of the Government-led ?family reunification process? several persons have been reunited with family members. IDPs sheltering in monasteries are being relocated to two schools whilst others will be relocated from four schools to training centers. • Sporadic acts of arson and unrest spread from Meikhtila to Bago Region and in Yangon reports of disturbances in four townships continue. • A state of emergency remains in place for four townships in Meikhtila (Mahliang, Meikhtila, Thazi, and Wundwin) and Bago townships (Gyobingauk, Minhla, Monyo, Nattalin, Okpo, and Zigon townships
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)
Date of publication: 2013-04-02
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-03
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 184.2 KB
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Title: Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013) Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - C087 - Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948
Description/subject: "The Committee notes the comments submitted by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in a communication dated 31 August 2012 which, while raising certain concerns about specific provisions in the recently adopted legislation, observes that there have been a number of welcome and positive developments in the freedom of association situation in Myanmar. The Committee notes the comments made by the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) on the right to strike, in a communication dated 29 August 2012, which are dealt with in the General Report of the Committee. The Committee observes that, at its 316th Session, the ILO Governing Body decided to take no further action on the complaint under article 26 of the Constitution, which had been pending in relation to the application of this Convention..."...In separate paragragraphs the Committee comments on the Legislative framework and Civil liberties...
Source/publisher: International Labour Office
Date of publication: 2013-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-03
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Comments adopted by the CEACR: Myanmar
Description/subject: This is a portal to the Committee?s comments on all the ILO conventions Myanmar is party to (in addition to Conventions 29 and 87, Myanmar is party to 11 other ILO conventions).
Source/publisher: International Labour Office
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-03
Type: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Title: GB March 2013 (317th session): Decision on the fourth item on the agenda: Matters arising out of the work of the International Labour Conference. Follow-up to the resolution concerning the measures on the subject of Myanmar ...
Description/subject: Decision on the fourth item on the agenda: Matters arising out of the work of the International Labour Conference‎... Follow-up to the resolution concerning the measures on the subject of Myanmar adopted under article 33 of the ILO Constitution by the Conference at its 101st Session (2012)...In light of the 2012 resolution of the Conference and taking note of the situation reported by the Liaison Officer, the Governing Body:
Source/publisher: International Labour Office
Date of publication: 2013-03-28
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-03
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: BURMA: Two sharply contrasting reports on the struggle for land at Letpadaung
Description/subject: "The Asian Human Rights Commission has since mid-2012 closely followed, documented and reported on the struggle of farmers in the Letpadaung Hills of central Burma against the expansion of a copper mining operation under a military-owned holding company and a partner company from China. After repeatedly being refused permission to demonstrate against the operation under the terms of the country?s new antidemocratic public demonstration law, the farmers began public protests, which were met with a range of repressive measures, culminating in the night time attack on encamped protestors last November. The attack received international media coverage because the police fired white phosphorous into the protest camps causing extensive burns to protestors, the majority of them monks who had joined villagers in resistance to the mine project. In recent months two reports have been issued, in Burmese, on the struggle against the mine. The reports make interesting reading because they represent very different perspectives and understandings of the issues for the affected villagers in Letpadaung. One is the official report of an investigative commission headed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, published in the 12 March 2013 edition of the state newspaper. The other is an unofficial report by the 88 Students Generation group and the Lawyers Network, Upper Burma, issued before the official report, on 21 January 2013. Whereas the latter report represents a genuine effort to identify the causes for the opposition to the mine and speak to the human rights questions concerned with events in Letpadaung of 2012, the former is little more than an exercise in playing at politics, and an attempt to sidestep and obfuscate the questions of human rights involved through the use of "information" that conceals more than it reveals..."
Source/publisher: Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Date of publication: 2013-04-03
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-03
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: A Dangerous Resurgence of Communal Violence in Myanmar (English and Burmese)
Description/subject: "Over the past week there has been more inter-communal violence in Myanmar, this time in the country?s heartland – with the worst incidents in the town of Meiktila, between Mandalay and the capital Naypyitaw. The incident started with a brawl in a gold shop and rapidly escalated into large-scale Buddhist-Muslim clashes that left nearly 50 people dead and over twelve thousand displaced, according to the latest government figures. Other credible estimates put the number of displaced even higher. The Muslim community was the hardest hit, as it has tended to be in previous such clashes. More than three-quarters of those displaced were Muslims. Many of their homes were destroyed, and a number of religious buildings (mosques and madrassas) were burned down. Although a state of emergency and a visible presence of the security forces on the streets has restored calm, it will be weeks or months before the displaced can rebuild their homes and lives. And, given that most have lost everything – and are in fear of further attacks – there is uncertainty about how many of them would have the means or the confidence to return to their former neighbourhoods..."
Jim Della-Giacoma
Source/publisher: International Crisis Group
Date of publication: 2013-03-28
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-02
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese
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Title: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar at the 22nd Session of the Human Rights Council, 28th meeting, 11 March 2013 (video)
Description/subject: 1. Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar (Opening Remarks), Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana 2. Myanmar (as Concerned Country), Mr. U Maung Wai 3. Germany, Mr. Hans Schumacher 4. Democratic People?s Republic of Korea, Mr. Kim Ju Song 5. Austria, Mr. Peter Guschelbauer 6. Thailand (on behalf of ASEAN), Mr. Thani Thongphakdi 7. European Union, Ms. Anna Kostinen 8. Slovakia, Mr. Branislav Lysak 9. France, Mr. Pierre Le Goff 10. Denmark, Ms. Kristine Vangkilde Berner 11. Cuba, Ms. Yurmika Fernadez Palacios 12. Lao People?s Democratic Republic, Ms. Viengvone Kittavong 13. Canada, Ms. Anne-Tamara Lorre 14. Czech Republic, Ms. Katerina Sequensova 15. Switzerland, Mr. Amadeo Perez 16. Cambodia, Mr. Sun Suon 17. Thailand, Mr. Thani Thongphakdi 18. Russian Federation, Mr. Roman Kashaev 19. United States of America, Ms. Eileen Donahoe Chamberlain 20. Indonesia, Mr. Triyono Wibowo 21. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ms. Karen Pierce 22. Viet Nam, Mr. Thanh T. Nguyen 23. Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Mr. Edgardo Toro Careno 24. Australia, Mr. Peter Woolcott 25. China, Mr. Chen Chuandong 26. Philippines, Mr. Enrico T. Fos 27. Norway, Ms. Harriet Elisabeth Berg 28. Argentina, Mr. Alexix Am 29. Japan, Mr. Takashi Okada 30. Turkey, Mr. Selcuk Ozcan 31. Forum-Asia, Ms. Khin Ohmar 32. Maarij Foundation, Mr. Mohd Azmi Abdhamid 33. Human Rights Now, Ms. Kazuko Ito 34. Human Rights Watch, Ms. Juile de Rivero 35. Jubilee Campaign, Mr. Matthew Jones 36. Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar (Final Remarks), Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana
Source/publisher: United Nations Human Rights Council (22nd Session) webcast
Date of publication: 2013-03-11
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-26
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English (with choice of original languages)
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Title: Myanmar draft printer?s law to reverse media freedom gains (English/ Burmese မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Description/subject: "The media community in Myanmar, international groups and observers are abuzz with criticism towards and protest against the Ministry of Information?s (MOI) draft Printers and Publishing Enterprise Law (PPEL) submitted to Parliament recently. And rightfully so. The PPEL bill ensures government?s continued grip on the print media through licensing controls, which represent a renewal of the old 1962 Printers and Publications Act (PPA). Furthermore, the MOI?s lack of transparency surrounding the process points to a regime still unwilling to embrace media freedom in its fullest sense. The bill is being introduced by the MOI for the ostensibly benign purpose of establishing rules for conducting such businesses. Apart from the PPEL, bills to regulate the broadcast and online media are also on the agenda of the government..."...Commentary includes Burmese text
Source/publisher: Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)
Date of publication: 2013-03-11
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-26
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Title: Supplement to ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY OF BURMA/MYANMAR (Fourth Edition) Articles for February 2013
Description/subject: This is the eleventh in a series of supplements to the fourth edition of The Electrical Industry of Burma/Myanmar which was published in April 2012. Approximately 350 cross-linked articles in the original cover many aspects of the industry including the development of the hydro and thermal power resources of the country, the increasing intervention of foreign and national companies in this economic sector, the production of electrical and electronic goods, government plans and regulation of the industry, the development of the national power grid and alternative and sources of electricity, among others. This supplement covers articles published in February, 2013. The fourth edition of the compendium can be accessed using the following URL: http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs2/ELEC-Burma-4th-edition.pdf. Previous supplements for April-May 2012 through to January 2013 are available at http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs13/Elec-Sup-April-May2012.pdf, http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs13/Elec-Sup-June2012.pdf, http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs13/Electricity-Sup-3July2012.pdf http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup4-August-2012.pdf. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup5-Sept-2012-red.pdf http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup-Oct-2012-red.pdf http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup-Nov-2012-red.pdf http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup-Dec-2012-red.pdf http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs15/Elec-Sup-2013-01-red.pdf Note that the titles of some of the articles included in the supplements have been altered to indicate with more precision the contents of the item or article. Summaries of some of the articles are included
Source/publisher: Courier Research Associates
Date of publication: 2013-03-25
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-26
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 110.16 KB
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Title: KAREN MESSAGE: NO BIG DAMS (video)
Description/subject: "On March 14, 2013, about 2,000 internally displaced people and villagers from the Wei Gyi area gathered at Ei Htu Hta Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp on the Salween riverbank to mark the International Day of Action for Rivers and Against Dams in an event organized by Karen Rivers Watch (KRW) and its local member Salween Eyes (SEE). The event, organized to raise local voices about current and future impacts, was joined by environmental activists from other areas. The ceremony was also attended by community leaders from Dawei, who are resisting massive development projects in their area, including dams. As part of the ceremonies, Christian, Buddhist, and Animist religious rituals were conducted. Afterwards, participants shouted the following slogans: -Our priority need is: Peace, Peace, Peace! -What we want is: No dams on the Salween River! -Why we are calling for this: our Salween River must flow free -All planned dams on the Salween River must be stopped!..."
Source/publisher: KESAN via Youtube
Date of publication: 2013-03-23
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-26
Type: Individual Documents
Language: Karen, Burmese (English subtitles)
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Title: Myanmar: Ministry?s draft press bill would restore prior censorship and full government control (English/ Burmese မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Description/subject: "A draft press bill put before parliament by the Minister of Information and Communications should be withdrawn or rejected when it has its first reading in June as it would be a major step backwards for freedom of expression and freedom of the media, restoring prior censorship and full governmental control over the press..." ပြန်ကြားရေးဝန်ကြီးဌာနက လွှတ်တော်တွင် အဆိုတင်သွင်းသည့် ပုံနှိပ်ဥပဒေမူကြမ်းသည် ကြိုတင်စိစစ်ခြင်း (ဆင်ဆာပြုလုပ်ခြင်း) နှင့် မီဒီယာများအပေါ် အစိုးရချုပ်ကိုင်မှုကိုအပြည့်အ၀ ပြန်လည်အားပေးပြီး လွတ်လပ်စွာထုတ်ဖော်ရေးသားခွင့်နှင့် မီဒီယာလွတ်လပ်ခွင့်တို့ကို ကြီးမားစွာအဟန့်အတား ပြုလိမ့်မည်ဖြစ်သောကြောင့် ဇွန်လတွင်ပြုလုပ်မည့် ပထမအကြိမ် လွှတ်တော်တွင်း ၎င်းမူကြမ်းဆွေးနွေးပွဲတွင် ရုပ်သိမ်းသင့်ကြောင်း (သို့မဟုတ်) အတည်ပြုရန် ငြင်းဆိုသင့်သည်။...
Source/publisher: Article 19
Date of publication: 2013-03-25
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-26
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Title: Supplement to ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY OF BURMA/MYANMAR (Fourth Edition) Articles for January 2013
Description/subject: "This is the ninth in a series of supplements to the fourth edition of The Electrical Industry of Burma/Myanmar which was published in April 2012. Approximately 350 cross-linked articles in the original cover many aspects of the industry including the development of the hydro and thermal power resources of the country, the increasing intervention of foreign and national companies in this economic sector, the production of electrical and electronic goods, government plans and regulation of the industry, the development of the national power grid and alternative and sources of electricity, among others. This supplement covers articles published in January, 2013. The fourth edition of the compendium can be accessed using the following URL: http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs2/ELEC-Burma-4th-edition.pdf. Previous supplements for April-May 2012 through to December 2012 are available at http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs13/Elec-Sup-April-May2012.pdf, http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs13/Elec-Sup-June2012.pdf, http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs13/Electricity-Sup-3July2012.pdf http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup4-August-2012.pdf. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup5-Sept-2012-red.pdf http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup-Oct-2012-red.pdf http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup-Nov-2012-red.pdf http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs14/Elec-Sup-Dec-2012-red.pdf Note that the titles of some of the articles included in the supplements have been altered to indicate with more precision the contents of the item or article. Summaries of some of the articles are included
Source/publisher: Courier Research Associates
Date of publication: 2013-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-24
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 146.85 KB
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Title: Current Status of Dam Projects on Burma?s Salween River
Description/subject: "In late February 2013, Burma?s Deputy Minister of Electric Power informed Parliament that six dam projects on the Salween River in Shan State, Kayah State (Karenni) and Karen State had gained approval. With a combined installed capacity of 15,000 MW, the projects will include the Upper Salween or Kunlong Dam, Mai Tong or Tasang Dam, Nong Pha Dam, Mantawng Dam (on a tributary), Ywathit Dam, and Hatgyi Dam. The investment will come from five Chinese corporations, Thailand?s Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand (EGAT) International Co. Ltd and three Burmese corporations. Originating in the Tibetan Himalayas, the Salween River fl ows for 2,800 kilometers through China?s Yunnan province, into Burma and Thailand, and down to the Andaman Sea. One of the last largely Current Status of Dam Projects on Burma?s Salween River free- fl owing rivers in the world, the Salween River boasts one of the richest ecological hubs in the region and is home to at least 13 indigenous groups including the Nu, Lisu, Shan, Karen, Pa-o, Karenni and Mon. Over the past decade, numerous dam projects have been planned on the Salween River: thirteen in the upper reaches of the Salween in China, and six along the lower reaches in Burma and along the Thailand-Burma border. The projects in Burma are proceeding in areas where conflict is continuing between ethnic resistance forces and the Burmese Army, and are shrouded in secrecy. Salween Watch has compiled available information about these projects in this brief update..."
Source/publisher: Salween Watch
Date of publication: 2013-03-13
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-24
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English, Thai
Format : pdf pdf
Size: 609.38 KB 718.72 KB
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Title: Myanmar: Making the Reforms Count (audio)
Description/subject: Summary: "Myanmar is rapidly emerging from half a century of isolation. Over the last two years, the government has made great strides in political and economic reforms and in improving its diplomatic relationship with the international community. Despite these changes, Myanmar faces many challenges in sustaining the momentum of reform and transformation. In addition, the international community has not developed a strategy for working together to assist the country?s progress. On February 26, Global Economy and Development at Brookings and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) hosted a discussion on the shifting landscape and new challenges in Myanmar as well as the IMF and international community?s role in addressing these. Panelists included: Priscilla Clapp, former U.S. mission chief to Myanmar; Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Lex Rieffel; Anoop Singh, director of the Asia and Pacific Department at the International Monetary Fund; and Frances Zwenig, president of the US-ASEAN Business Council Institute, Inc. Vikram Nehru, senior associate in the Asia Program and Bakrie Chair in Southeast Asian Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, moderated the discussion."
Vikram Nehru, PRISCILLA CLAPP, Lex Rieffel, Anoop Singh, Frances Zwenig.
Source/publisher: Brookings Institution
Date of publication: 2013-02-26
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-24
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: An Early Assessment of Foreign Aid to Myanmar (audio and transcript)
Description/subject: Summary: "In the past two years, Myanmar has undergone a remarkable transformation: an unanticipated shift from military to quasi-civilian governance, the election of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to the legislature, steps toward peace with ethnic minorities, and economic reforms designed to alleviate poverty. These developments prompted Western countries to suspend or lift wide-ranging political and economic sanctions, which were responses to the regime?s suppression of the democratic opposition and dismal human rights record after 1988. As sanctions were withdrawn, aid agencies and international NGOs rushed to Myanmar to support the Thein Sein government?s reform agenda. The interest in Myanmar among the donor community and the level of aid activity are extremely high, leading some observers to question whether Myanmar is receiving too much attention from the foreign aid community. On March 14, Global Economy and Development at Brookings hosted a discussion on foreign aid to the new government of Myanmar. Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Lex Rieffel and former USAID Senior Economist James W. Fox presented their new report, ?Too Much, Too Soon? The Dilemma of Foreign Aid to Myanmar/Burma,” which was published by Nathan Associates. Discussion about the report and broader issues followed the presentation and included: Joseph Yun, acting assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and David Steinberg, distinguished professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Alex Shakow, former USAID assistant administrator for policy and program coordination and former executive secretary of the IMF-World Bank Development Committee, moderated the discussion."
Lex Rieffel, James W. Fox, David Steinberg, Joseph Yun, Alex Shakow
Source/publisher: Brookings Institution
Date of publication: 2013-03-14
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-24
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Are Aid Donors Repeating Mistakes in Myanmar?
Description/subject: "...In our assessment of foreign aid to Myanmar, we have pointed to three steps donors can take to make their aid more effective: Slow down and do more joint operations. To ensure that senior officials are not overwhelmed by visitors, some host countries have adopted formal limits on the number of aid delegations they will receive. It would be better for Myanmar?s donors to act first to control the flow, including an effort to undertake more joint operations. It would be reasonable for donors to commit at least 30 percent of their funding to these types of operations. Provide scholarships for foreign study. It will take years for Myanmar to raise the standard of education in its universities to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) norm, let alone to the prominence it had in Asia when it gained its independence in 1948. To build the expertise Myanmar requires in the short term to meet its development objectives, the only solution is education abroad on a massive scale. One advantage of allocating aid resources to scholarships is that it has the least potential for doing harm. Be more innovative. A number of techniques for making aid more effective have been proposed since the Paris Declaration was adopted. One of these is ?cash on delivery aid.? This technique has the advantage of reinforcing good management within government ministries, minimizing the administrative burden of aid, and ensuring that every dollar of aid goes to support successful projects. None of Myanmar?s donors appear to be using approaches of this kind.
Lex Rieffel, James Fox
Source/publisher: Brookings Institution
Date of publication: 2013-03-16
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-24
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Too Much, Too Soon? The Dilemma of Foreign Aid to Myanmar/Burma
Description/subject: Introduction: At the end of March 2011, Myanmar began an ambitious political transition led by newly elected President Thein Sein. Bold moves in his first year included opening a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, suspending construction of the Chinese-funded Myitsone Dam, and abandoning a grossly overvalued exchange rate in favor of a market- determined rate. These moves unleashed a swarm of visitors seeking to support the transition and ?make a difference?: prime ministers, foreign ministers, heads of donor agencies and international NGOs, chief executives of multinational corporations, and many others. The question posed in this report is whether the outpouring of foreign aid to Myanmar expected in the medium term (three to five years) will be more of a blessing than a curse. The question may seem unfriendly or ideological on the surface, but merits being taken seriously because of the experience of a handful of countries over the past 10 to 15 years that have suffered from large and rapid build-up of foreign aid. As posed, however, the question is too stark. A gentler version is: what steps can be taken by aid donors and the Government of Myanmar to enhance the effectiveness of aid programs and projects, and mitigate possible adverse consequences? Our report begins with a brief discussion of the dilemma of foreign aid to Myanmar: how it can be harmful despite the best intentions of the donors. We then present the policy implications of our findings, for the Government of Myanmar and for the donor community. The next two parts of the report describe the Government of Myanmar?s national planning process and the steps it is taking to manage foreign aid. We then assess donor performance against the principles of the Paris Declaration and the Busan Partnership. The last two parts describe donor activity in general terms and then individually for Myanmar?s major development partners. In 1989, the military junta changed the country?s name from Burma to Myanmar and this change was officially accepted by the United Nations. We generally use Burma when referring to the country before 1989 and Myanmar afterwards. We have included four appendices with different audiences in mind. Appendix A describes the historical, political, and economic context for readers who are not familiar with this background. Appendix B elaborates on the standards of aid effectiveness contained in the Paris Declaration and Busan Partnership. Appendix C highlights lessons learned from other countries that have been challenged by strong donor interest. Appendix D recounts newly independent Burma?s first experience with national development planning, featuring the work of the American economist Robert R. Nathan, and calls attention to a comparable Japan- supported effort launched in 2001. We should be clear about the limitations of our report on foreign aid for Myanmar. In particular, our knowledge of Myanmar is limited. Altogether we have spent less than six months inside the country over the past 45 years and we do not speak any of the local languages. Moreover, with our 50-year perspectives on economic development, we know that the world?s leading experts are still unsure how to explain China?s phenomenal progress or Argentina?s lack of progress. These experts are even more unsure about how to adapt lessons from global experience to a country like Myanmar that is undertaking a sweeping reform effort with a legacy of complex internal conflicts and poverty-inducing governance.
Lex Rieffel, James W. Fox
Source/publisher: FOR Nathan Associates Inc.
Date of publication: 2013-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-24
Type: Individual Documents
Language: Burmese/ မြန်မာဘာသာ and English, English
Format : pdf
Size: 497.05 KB
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Title: Powers Seek Influence in Burma?s Conflict
Description/subject: "Burma?s President Thein Sein, while visiting Europe, announced that the government?s fighting against ethnic resistance forces has ended – even as the government moves more troops into the troubled areas. Meanwhile, the United States and China are scrambling for influence by brokering peace to end the ethnic conflicts. Dozens of think tanks and NGOs from the West are attracting donor funds and pouring into the country. ?The outcome has been overlapping initiatives, rivalry among organizations – and, more often than not, a lack of understanding by inexperienced ?peacemakers? of the conflicts? root causes,? explains journalist and author Bertil Lintner. China, unhappy with Burma?s embrace of the West, has been actively leading peace talks since January. Lintner points out that China?s Yunnan Province has more than 130,000 ethnic Kachin who sympathize with their fellow Burmese Kachin. Motivations may differ, but China and the US both want the conflicts to end. Burma?s leaders may find it difficult to pursue military solutions, continuing sending troops north, while playing China and the United States off each other..."
Bertil Lintner
Source/publisher: Yale Global Online -Yale Center for the Study of Globalization
Date of publication: 2013-03-18
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-23
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: BURMA: President too quick to proclaim state of emergency
Description/subject: "The Asian Human Rights Commission has been following with concern news of the latest outbreak of communal violence in Burma. Although the circumstances of how the violence began are clouded, the president on 22 March 2013 declared an indefinite state of emergency over four townships of Mandalay Region--Meikhtila, Wundwin, Mahlaing and Thazi--after the imposition of an order under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code on March 20 to shut down businesses until the situation improved failed to quell growing conflict that has officially left eleven people dead. Eyewitness accounts put the number of dead possibly in the dozens, with many people besides injured. It would be disingenuous of the authorities in Burma to describe the violence as unexpected. Throughout the latter part of 2012, they permitted demonstrations by thousands of persons calling for the expulsion from the country of Muslims in the west alleged to have entered illegally. At that time, a number of reprise attacks occurred against targets in other parts of the country, although these did not spread widely and attracted little media attention. Yet now the response has been, as previously, to react with the introduction of a state of emergency as if confronted with an event that was wholly unexpected, for which the authorities had not been prepared..."
Source/publisher: Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Date of publication: 2013-03-23
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-23
Type: Individual Documents
Language:
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Title: Myanmar: Authorities must protect communities at risk of violence
Description/subject: "Violence between Buddhist and Muslim communities in Myanmar that reportedly left several people dead demonstrates an urgent need for Myanmar authorities to protect people at risk, Amnesty International said. On Wednesday 20 March, violent clashes broke out between Muslim and Buddhist communities in Meiktila, a town in Myanmar?s Mandalay Division, following a dispute at a Muslim-owned gold shop. According to local sources, several people have been killed. There was also widespread damage to property in the town, including the destruction of mosques and a government building. Tensions between Muslim and Buddhists have been heightened in certain parts of Myanmar, such as in Rakhine state where violence erupted in June 2012..."
Source/publisher: Amnesty International (Press Release)
Date of publication: 2013-03-21
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-21
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Air War in Kachinland: Burma Military Air Attacks on Kachin Territory, December 4, 2012 - January 18, 2013
Description/subject: "This Project Maje report provides a summary of current (as of January 18, 2013) information on the use of aircraft in the North War. For background on the origins of the conflict, and maps, see Project Maje?s reports The North War: A Kachin Conflict Compilation Report (August 2011) and The North War, Part II: The Kachin Conflict Continues (December 2011.) This update report is intended as convenient background information for journalists, military analysts, and others interested in the situation in Kachinland..."
Source/publisher: Project Maje
Date of publication: 2013-01-18
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-21
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Myanmar Rule of Law Assessment
Description/subject: Executive Summary:- Background: • In June 2012, Perseus Strategies and New Perimeter, in partnership with the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, initiated a broad rule of law assessment of Myanmar • Upon completion of this assessment, New Perimeter and Perseus Strategies will launch a program where potentially thousands of pro bono hours from the global law firm DLA Piper will be invested into a focused project to advance law reform efforts in Myanmar... Current situation: • On November 7, 2010, Myanmar held its first election in 20 years – much of the reaction to the reforms instituted by President Thein Sein, inaugurated in March 2011, reflects the hope that the country can break free of its authoritarian past that involves widespread human-rights abuses • Following by-elections in April 2012, Aung San Suu Kyi has joined the government as an elected MP, along with several dozen representatives of the National League for Democracy and ethnic political parties • Major reform efforts have been initiated by the government across an array of areas, which has reinforced these hopes, but there remains a large gap between public perception and the reality of the impact of reform efforts on the ground • There is a strong consensus across the political spectrum that advancing the rule of law and law reform efforts are a top priority, but the government, opposition, and other parties have different views as to the sequencing of specific efforts... Key findings: • President Thein Sein and his allies in the government are making genuine reforms; however, many government institutions are quite fragile and the role of the military remains opaque • For these changes to be permanent and irreversible, constitutional reform is important, but it is unclear if the government will undertake such efforts in the near term • Law reform is being implemented from the top‑down, but these efforts must be driven into government bureaucracies and down to the local level, and coupled with major grassroots efforts to educate people about their rights • The judicial system is in need of large‑scale reform – corruption is a serious issue and decisions are sometimes made by the executive branch • The parliament will be a significant player in law reform efforts, but requires major investment to build its capacity so its contributions can be meaningful • Myanmar requires unprecedented effort to create a criminal defense and legal aid system, reconstitute the Bar Association, and rebuild the legal education system • The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission has potential, but should be reconstituted by the parliament as an independent government agency, in accordance with the Paris Principles • The government has signed several new treaties, but reform efforts could also be advanced through the signing and ratification of the Int?l Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Int?l Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment (CAT), which the government has indicated its intention to do.
Source/publisher: DLA-Piper (New Perimeter), Perseus Strategies, Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights
Date of publication: 2013-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-14
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.28 MB
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Title: UN Human Rights Council, 22nd Session: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar (English)
Description/subject: "This report looks at the impact of ongoing reforms on the human rights situation in Myanmar, assessing positive developments, shortcomings, areas that remain unaddressed and gaps in implementation"
Tomás Ojea Quintana
Source/publisher: United Nations Human Rights Council (A/HRC/22/58)
Date of publication: 2013-04-17
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-12
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 293.28 KB
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Title: Joint Statement by the UPWC and UNFC
Description/subject: "...The eleven-member Union Peace Working Committee delegation, led by its Vice Chairman H.E. U Aung Min, and including Union Ministers H.E. U Khin Yi, H.E. U Ohn Myint, and Deputy Attorney General U Htun Htun Oo met with a United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) twelve-member political negotiation team led by Nai Hong Sar and Dr. La Ja to discuss the Framework for Political Dialogue between 9:00 am to 17:00 pm on February 20, 2013 in Chiang Mai, Thailand..."
Source/publisher: Thailand-Burma Border
Date of publication: 2013-02-20
Date of entry/update: 2013-03-11
Type: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 64.89 KB
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