Day: February 14, 2009

The Truth and Legality of the Panglong Agreement

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According to the state-run news paper, New Light of Myanmar Than Shwe’s message on the 62nd.anniversary of Union Day said that the Union Day marks the signing of the ‘Panglong’ agreement between Burmese independence architect General Aung San and ethnic leaders to form the Union of Burma in 1947 and urged the people to nurture the Burmese spirit regardless of where they were.

Only the Union Spirit is true patriotism that will ever protect and safeguard all the national races,” the paper quoted Than Shwe as saying.

Has anyone ever wonder why Than Shwe gave such a speech?

1. Is he admitting that the Union of Burma was formed because of the Panglong Agreement, after being in denial for decades?

2. Is he admitting to the legality of the Panglong Agreement?

3. Is he beginning to realise that he cannot break up the Union and glue the pieces together by force?

4. Is he in trouble, and now needs the loyalty of all ethnic nationalities

5. Or could this be his first step towards reconciliation with the ethnic nationalities? If it so, wonder will never cease

6. Has he misunderstood the meaning of Panglong Agreement altogether?

7. If he meant to accept that the Union of Burma was formed due to the principes of the Panglong Agreement is he willing to accept all the clauses that are contained in the Agreement? For instance

1. All ethnic nationalities are to be treated as equal partners, with equal status and opportunities?

2. All states have the right to self-determination?

3. Each state has the right to secede after ten years? And etc.

The Panglong Agreement is a whole package with many built in clauses. Bogyoke Aungsan and the Ethnic Leaders signed an agreement to all the clauses that made up the Panglong Agreement. The Panglong Agreement is a fact and legal

It has been decades since the military regime has been in conflict with citzens of Burma. It is about time the Generals realise that conflict can be resolved only through talking with all Leaders of the Opposition? It is about time they release all political prisoners. The citizens are tired and weary with this unresolved dire situation.

S.n. Oo
The author is from the former illustrious State of Lawkzawk in the Federated Shan States, as today’s Shan State of Burma was known until 1948. Opinions expressed here are those of the author – Editor

http://www.shanland.org/Mailbox/2009/the-truth-and-legality-of-the-panglong-agreement

As Thailand Admits Sea-Dump of Rohingya, UN Hasn’t Studied as Trafficking

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UNITED NATIONS, February 12 — For weeks, scandal has swirled around Thai’s practice of pulling boats of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar out to sea and leaving them to the elements. It widely reported that some of the flow of Rohingya is attributable to human trafficking. Thailand’s prime minister on Thursday admitted the towing had happened. In New York, the head of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime Antonio Maria Costa while launching a report on trafficking was asked about the Rohinya’s plight. We did not look at this, Mr. Costa said. You’re not kidding. continue
http://www.innercitypress.com/un1rohingya021209.html

Burmese consular says Rohingya do not belong to Burma

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by Salai Pi Pi
Friday, 13 February 2009 23:36

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Burmese consulate in Hong Kong has denied that the Rohingya people are part of Burma’s ethnic groups, saying that Burma does not have Rohingya ethnics.

In a letter to diplomats and heads of missions to Hong Kong on February 9, Burmese consular General Ye Myint Aung said Rohingya people were “neither Myanmar [Burmese] People nor Myanmar’s [Burmese] ethnic group.”

They are “dark brown” in complexion and do not resemble the Burmese people, who are “Fair and soft, good looking as well,” the Burmese consular said.

Ye Myint Aung’s letter came even as recent news surfaced regarding Rohingya boatpeople, who are stranded in Thailand, Indonesia and India.

In his letter, he urged his fellow diplomats not to be fooled by the news, which suggests Rohingya are an ethnic group belonging to Burma.

Ye Myint Aung’s letter is in line with Burma’s military government’s announcement in its mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar newspaper, which denied the presence of Rohingya people in Burma.

However, the Rohingya migrants, who were rescued from India, Thailand and Indonesia, said they had come from the northwestern region of Burma’s Arakan state.

A Rohingya activist in the United Kingdom told Mizzima that they had lived in areas of Maungdaw and Buthidaung in northwestern Arakan state, for centuries, but are denied citizenship rights. http://www.mizzima.com/news/breaking-and-news-brief/1708-burmese-consular-says-rohingya-do-not-belong-to-burma.html

In a letter dated 9 February 2009, addressed to All Heads of Mission, Consular Corps, Hong Kong and Macau SAR, and copied to Ian Holliday, the Hong Konk-based academic and the editor of The South China Morning Post among other recipients, the Consul-General Ye Mying Aung wrote as follows:

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to inform you that you might have read some news about “Rohingya Scandal” in recent papers. Some journalists expressed that as if Rohingya are Myanmarese (We do not have Myanmarese. We have only Myanmar People) and tried to seek a better place to stay or to look for a better jobs etc. And an academician Ian Holliday wrote an article by expressing that “Rohingya crisis a part of Myanmar’s ethnic strife” and he mixed his article with other internal affairs which can be confused for innocent readers, because of his lack of knowledge of back ground history.

In reality, Rohingya are neither “Myanmar People” nor Myanmar’s ethnic group. You will see in the photos that their complexion is “dark brown”. The complexion of Myanmar people is fair and soft, good looking as well. (My complexion is a typical genuine one of a Myanmar gentleman and you will accept that how handsome your colleague Mr. Ye is.) It is quite different from what you have seen and read in the papers. (They are as ugly as ogres.)

Therefore I would like to enclose two pieces of paper from the New Light of Myanmar Daily Newspaper, concerned with the recent Rohingya Scandal among various media, for your information. Thank you.

Kong hey fat choi!

Yours Sincerely, yemyintaung

Ye Myint Aung

Consul-General
The Consulate General of The Union of Myanmar
Hong Kong & Macau SAR
http://whoiswhoinburma.blogspot.com/2009/02/consul-generals-letter.html

Suu Kyi’s party urges UN action

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YANGON – AUNG San Suu Kyi’s opposition party urged the United Nations on Saturday to take action against human rights abuses in military-ruled Myanmar, voicing hope and frustration over the visit of another UN envoy.
UN human rights investigator Tomas Ojea Quintana was scheduled to arrive late on Saturday for a six-day stay that comes less than two weeks after a visit by UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari and in the wake of a judicial crackdown on pro-democracy activists.

There have been no signs of progress since Mr Gambari’s visit, which was aimed at promoting democracy and political reconciliation and trying to secure Suu Kyi’s freedom. The Nobel laureate has been under house arrest for more than 13 years.

‘There are numerous human rights abuses in Myanmar but human rights missions ought to be followed by action to address such violations,’ Mr Nyan Win, spokesman for Ms Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, said when asked to comment on Mr Quintana’s visit.

In recent months the junta has locked away pro-democracy activists in an apparent attempt to clear away dissent prior to general elections promised for 2010. Military courts sentenced hundreds of pro-democracy activists to harsh prison terms of up to 104 years behind bars.

The UN said in a statement that Mr Quintana will evaluate progress on human rights issues since his visit last summer.

It said Mr Quintana has asked to meet government officials and privately with prisoners of conscience and leaders of political parties, a clear reference to Suu Kyi, whom he was not allowed to see on his last trip.

On Friday, the government extended the house arrest of 82-year-old Tin Oo, the deputy leader of Suu Kyi’s party, for another year. Tin Oo was arrested with Suu Kyi in May 2003.

The timing was a blatant snub to the United Nations, which has persistently called for the release of political prisoners.

Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962. The current junta came to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement and killing as many as 3,000 people. It called elections in 1990 but refused to honor the results when Ms Suu Kyi’s party won overwhelmingly. — AFP
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_338299.html