Weekly Diary, No. 336 (24 – 30 January 2009)

• JUNTA REJECTS EXISTENCE OF ROHINGYA!
• OVERALL LEADERSHIP FOR THE OPPOSITION IN THE OFFING?
• BUILDUP ON BANGLASHI BORDER: AGAINST BANG OR FOR GAS PIPES?

Cartoon
Tips for the Senior General
 

Think Piece
When you are lacking in faith
Others will be unfaithful to you
_{Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 17}
 
The World
26 January 2009
_{Susan Solomon}
Susan Solomon, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Earth System Research Laboratory, says many global warming effects are already basically “irreversible.” (AP)

International Relations
21-22 January 2009
_{Erik Solheim}
Ulla Toraes, Danish Development Minister, and Erik Solheim, Norwegian minister for environment and development, visit Burma. Hold meeting with Burma’s Red Cross and fly to the delta region. The two countries have contributed $ 11.4 million and $ 7.7 million respectively to the relief fund. (Irrawaddy)
 
24 January 2009
Xinhua reported that 10 kidnapping victims released yesterday and 5 suspects are in custody. The victims had run up gambling debts in Burma. (UPI)
 
26 January 2009
Health officials in Fort Wayne, Indiana, are trying to find out what is causing high lead levels among Burmese refugee children. (AP)
 
26 January 2009
_{Barack Obama}
President Obama’s inauguration speech that included sensitive political messages, for instance, “to those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent” censored by the Press Security and Registration Division. The speech is included in The Voice weekly journal. (Irrawaddy)
 
29 January 2009
_{Susan Rice}
New US ambassador to UN Susan Rice says the international community has responsibility to protect civilian populations from violations of humanitarian laws when states are unable or unwilling to do so, as agreed by UN member states in 2005 and the Security Council in 2006. (Irrawaddy)

30 January 2009
Rohinja (Rohingya) is not included in the 135 national races of Burma. (New Light of Myanmar)

Thai-Burma Relations
26 January 2009
_{General Maung Aye}
Deputy Senior General Maung Aye promises visiting Thai Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jaggabat authorities will try to stem the flow of Rohingya refugees. (Irrawaddy)
 
27 January 2009
78 Rohingya boat people arrested by Thai navy off the Ranong coast. (Xinhua)
 
29 January 2009
Two Akha hill tribes men who had killed and robbed a UK citizen David Lytall, 60, in Chiangmai on 22 January caught. Their accomplice has already fled into Burma. (Khao Sod) Some newspapers had reported earlier that the culprits were Shans – Editor
 
29 January 2009
There is no so-called Rohingya in Burma. They are Bangladeshis and therefore the problem of Bangladesh, according a senior Burmese official. (AFP)

Politics/ Inside Burma
NCGUB
22 January 2009
33 MPs meets in Dublin. Welcomed by Irish FM.
 
24 January 2009
_{Dr Sein Win}
Sein Win re-elected as “PM”. “Credentials Challenge” campaign dropped.
Re-elected:                       Bo Hla Tint
                                        Dr Tint Swe
                                        Khun Markoban
Newly elected:                  Khun Myint Tun
                                        Win Hlaing
                                        Tun Win
Responsibilities of the new ministers have yet to be outlined. (DVB)
 
26 January 2009
Burma will publish ‘Northern Star’, the first political journal, on 30 January. The editor in chief is Thiha Aung, army veteran and former editor in chief of the New Light of Myanmar. (Mizzima)
 
27 January 2009
Dissident organizations meeting in Malahide, Ireland, 24-26 January, including All Burma Students Democratic Font (ABSDF), Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC), Members of Parliament Union (MPU) and National Coalition Government (NCG) pledge “to develop a unified leadership with an integrated action plan to achieve common objectives of establishing democracy and federalism in Burma.” (Burma Partnership)

Shans/ Shan State
19 January 2009
_{Lt-Gen Ye Myint}
30 member Burmese delegation led by Lt-Gen Ye Myint, chief of Military Affairs Security, forced to disarm by the Wa, according to Aung Kyaw Zaw. (Irrawaddy/SHAN)
 
28 January 2009
Tai Coordination Committee (TCC), an alliance of Shan groups, says the meeting of Shan State Coordinating Committee (SSCC) with non-Shan groups to discuss the formation of a strong and effective alliance is on track. The effort is “parallel not rival” to that of the Shan State Army (SSA) South, that has formed a 7-person committee to draw up an alliance charter, according to one of its members Peunkham Payakwong. (SHAN)
 
29 January 2009
_{Shwe Ohn}
Shan politician Shwe Ohn, 86, says his group, to be called the Union Democratic Alliance Party, is just waiting for the enactment of the election law. (Irrawaddy)

Economy/ Business
26 January 2009
Yangon Times report Burma has targeted to export 500,000 tons of surplus rice from the delta during the current 2008-09 fiscal year. (Xinhua)
 
26 January 2009
The kyat has hit a 3-year high of nearly 1,000 to the dollar:
2005                     K 880
Last week            K 1,190
Causes:

• Fall in border trade and decrease in need for foreign currencies
• Rising reserves in Central Bank
• Aid money

Whatever the causes, Burma’s rice farmers will be hard hit by falling world prices and slack demand. (Irrawaddy)
 
28 January 2009
Cheng Feng, economist for the FAO, told AP rice production in the delta fell 32.5% in the second half of 2008 to 1.93 million tons from a year earlier. 85,000 tons of food relief will be needed this year in the delta alone, says FAO-WFP report released today. (Irrawaddy)

Human Rights
23 January 2009
Zaw Htay, who helped farmers file a report to the ILO on land seizure in Natmauk township, sentenced to 10 year imprisonment. Steve Marshall, ILO liaison officer in Rangoon, says the organization is doing what it can for Zaw Htay. (DVB)
 
29 January 2009

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) petitions junta to release bloggers Nay Phone Latt and Zagana. They are recipients of the RSF’s press freedom prize. (Statement)

Environment
27 January 2009
Ministry of Forestry says Burma is building a national wildlife park in Putao. (Xinhua)

Drugs
26 January 2009
32 kg of heroin found hidden inside container boxes. A crab exporter form Bogalay, Kyaw Kyaw Min, arrested. (DVB)
 
30 January 2009
Police says raids in Rangoon have yielded substantial quantities of heroin:
25 January                        28 kg on Singaporean flagged ship Kota Tegap
- January                           another cache at FMI City, Hlaing Thaya township
(Irrawaddy)

War
10-15 January 2009
General Maung Aye visits Arakan. Inspects new artillery camp in Buthidaung. (Kaladan)
 
28 January 2009
Burma Army is constructing an airbase for jet fighters near Buthidaung, opposite Bangladesh. 13 more battalions are being deployed in and around the town, including: Light Infantry Battalions 551, 552, 345, 352, 353, 535, 536, 565, 564 and 537. Artillery Battalion 378 also moved to the town from Burma proper. (Mizzima/Narinjara) Politician Aye Tha Aung believes the increased army presence could be due to the gas pipeline project. (Mizzima)
 
30 January 2009
Maj-Gen Soe Win, Commander of Northern Region Command, told a recent meeting held in Naypyitaw that Burma considers Bangladesh a hostile neighbor and that the army has received information of US Navy fleet movements using Thailand and Bangladesh waters as a base. (Mizzima)