Is China’s influence on Burmese generals eroding?

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Though it may seem to many, including the international community, that China, Burma’s strongest ally, is the only country that can influence the rogue military rulers of Burma, an analyst said, China is also currently facing a tough situation as the Burmese generals are stupid and stubborn and do not do what they are asked to by their elder brother – China.

Mya Maung a long time Sino-Burmese analyst based along the two countries’ border in Ruili, during an interview with Mizzima said China is currently in a tight spot as the Burmese regime is stubbornly refusing to follow its suggestions.

Surprisingly, he said, China’s suggestions to Burmese military rulers include implementing an inclusive political dialogue with opposition groups, as well as to reconsider the constitution, which the junta had claimed was approved during a referendum in May.

“But the problem is China has its own national interests to think of at and they are not in a position to put too much pressures on the junta,” Mya Maung said. continue
http://www.mizzima.com/news/regional/1576-is-chinas-influence-on-burmese-generals-eroding.html

EU gives $52 mn in aid to Myanmar

The European Commission, executive body of the European Union (EU), has agreed to provide 40.5 million euros ($52.4 million) in humanitarian aid to Myanmar this year, with some of it aimed at assisting the Rohingya Muslims who are living ‘in terrible conditions’, officials said Tuesday.

Of the 40.5 million euros allocated, some 22 million will go to assisting communities hard hit by Cyclone Nargis, which left 140,000 people dead and affected 2.4 million others in March 2008.

The remaining 18.5 million will target ‘other highly vulnerable populations inside Myanmar, and Burmese (Myanmar) refugees in Thailand’, said a statement issued by the European Commission. continue http://story.irishsun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/baf10b3527f6df38/id/456249/cs/1/

SPDC (JUNTA) MONEY GOES……

Mr. CREATOR Than Shwe

Thank you Mr.Creator

Hillary Shuns Burma

Buffalohair Gazette International
19 Jan 2009

Dismay and shock are the only way to describe how the political exiles and refugees from Burma felt whence Hillary made her dubious speech as a new Secretary of State.

The reality of Hillary and Bill Clinton has become obvious to the Burmese community as Hillary deliberately side stepped the issue of Burma. Only under her breath did she mention Aung San Suu Kyi and it became all too apparent she was pandering to China, Bill Clinton’s cash cow.

Since the day President Bill Clinton gave China Favored Nation Status the Clinton’s were in the pocket of China as well as other tyrannical third world countries. The Clintons and the Bush’s have been involved with the Barrick Gold Company of Canada for decades and at the expense of the citizens of the nations Barrick and their private army encroached on. Barrick has been notorious for lining the pockets of dictators in an effort to glean the yellow metal. Barrick bought influence with the BLM to glean gold from the Western Shoshone of Nevada leaving the tribe with little recourse.

The selection of Hillary as Secretary of State sent an ominous message to the struggling people of not only Africa but the America’s. Now the people of Burma the feel betrayal the Clintons are infamous for. There will be no help from Hillary for she is in the pocket of China and their ruthless campaign of terror and slave labor camps filled with innocent people such as members of the Falon Gong. China’s cottage industry of slave labor and death has been mimicked by Than Shwe of Burma and his weapons of destruction come from China with blessings. The Clinton’s are only loyal to the corporate bottom line, the fabled One World Order and Globalization.

Surely you remember the Falon Gong organization. China’s slave labor camps have a burgeoning population of approximately 80 million people, 50 million of which are Falon Gong members. Subjected to torture, rape and murder healthy prisoners are also used for organ harvesting in China’s ghoulish human body parts industry. And they have the blessing of the Clinton’s, part and parcel. Sadly US shelves are filled with goods manufactured by slave labor and the blood of Chinese citizens.

This is the competitive edge China basks in as a favored nation, thanks to the Clinton’s. In all probability Bill Clinton’s donations list reads like a who’s who in human rights violations and it’s a sure bet the Clintons are invested in tyranny in Asia. http://buffalohair-jage.com/WP-BGI/
http://www.bdcburma.org/NewsDetails.asp?id=356

THAILAND-Australian writer gets three years in prison for lese majeste

Australian writer gets three years in prison for lese majeste
Reporters Without Borders
20 January 2009
News

Reporters Without Borders condemns the three-year prison sentence which Australian writer Harry Nicolaides received today from the Bangkok criminal court on a charge of lese majeste under article 112 of the criminal code for briefly alluding in a novel to the way King Bhumipol’s son treated one of his mistresses. Nicolaides pleaded guilty and asked the court to show clemency.

“Nicolaides was given the lightest sentence envisaged under the lese majeste law but this is nonetheless a serious violation of free expression.” Reporters Without Borders said. “The growing number of arrests on lese majeste charges and Nicolaides conviction today are disturbing developments that confirm our of fear of a dangerous politicisation of lese majeste, which is now apparently being used to silence people. We call for a review of Nicolaides’ case and his rapid release.” continue http://www.prachatai.com/english/news.php?id=948

http://ratchasima.net/2009/01/12/censorship-and-madness-in-thailand/
http://facthai.wordpress.com/
BEST page,you,ll find all there

THAILAND: Burmese Refugees Set Adrift, Hundreds Feared Dead

By Larry Jagan

BANGKOK, Jan 20 (IPS) – Hundreds of Rohingya (Burmese Muslim) refugees are feared dead after being pushed back into the sea by Thai authorities, according to human rights activists based in Thailand.

Up to 200 people are missing, while more than 300 others are believed to have died after they were set adrift by Thai soldiers – some with their hands tied behind their backs – in boats without engines, a survivor from one of the boats told IPS.

Thai military authorities have denied these accusations and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has promised a full investigation.

In a statement, the Thai foreign ministry said it was “investigating and verifying all the facts and surrounding circumstances.”

The ministry added that while the Thai government was dedicated to protecting its sea borders from all illegal activities, including illegal immigration, “we are committed to maintaining our traditional adherence to humanitarian principles and the protection of human rights”. continue http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45475

Lawyer appeals to PM to meet Suu Kyi

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Burmese democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer U Kyi Win is submitting an appeal to the Prime Minister Gen. Thein Sein requesting a meeting with his client.

“After our previous appeal was dismissed at the Police Special Branch level, we are submitting an appeal to the PM who is the Chief of the Appeal Authority. We will submit the appeal within a few days to the PM providing all reasons and effects,” U Kyi Win said.

Though he had requested the Rangoon Police Special Branch to let him meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 10 days ago, his attempt was not successful.

“The first point is to report to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that we have submitted an appeal for her on 9 October 2008 at Naypyitaw (the new capital city). We must meet her and let her know whether it has been accepted or not. The second point is ‘convening the court’ in accordance with the ‘Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) Act’. We have not yet reached that stage. We have to meet Daw Suu and report to her on these points,” U Kyi Win said.

The leader of the ‘National League for Democracy’ (NLD) submitted her appeal through her lawyer U Kyi Win to Naypyitaw on October 9 last year objecting against over-detention beyond the limit set by the law. She is under house arrest for over 13 of the last 20 years.

Though the NLD (Liberated Area) said that her appeal was dismissed by the junta, her lawyer U Kyi Win said that the junta has not got back to him yet on the appeal.

“If the authorities really reject this appeal, they must inform either Daw Aung San Suu Kyi directly or to me as I went to Naypyitaw and submitted the appeal. But I can’t understand the rumors now being circulated among the people,” he said.

U Kyi Win said that he hoped he would get a serious response from the Appeal Committee led by PM Gen. Thein Sein for letting him meet his client.

Lawyer U Kyi Win met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on September 11 last year for the last time. http://www.mizzima.com/

65year prison Nilar Thein’s health deteriorates

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Family members of Nilar Thein, serving a 65-year prison term, are anxious about her health on hearing that she has peptic ulcer.

The famous woman leader belonging to the 88 Generation Students is suffering from peptic ulcer and vomiting almost daily in prison, some prisoners, who have just been released from Thayet prison, told her family members. She has not been allowed to meet her family members for over a month.

“We could not meet her for nearly two months and don’t know about her health condition. Now we are worried about her health after hearing she is vomiting almost daily. She is said to have peptic ulcer and is being kept in solitary confinement. We heard about her health through some who have just been released from prison,” her mother-in-law told Mizzima.

It is learnt that her family members will ask the prison authorities for a meeting with her.

“She has been kept in a cell since her arrival in prison. The prison doctor saw her but did not treat her. He just advised her to go in for meditation and tell her beads,” said Zaw Lin, who has just been released from Thayet prison. Moreover two prisoners were punished and put in fetters for 15 days for giving her religious books, he said.

Nilar Thein is one of the leading figures among 88 Generation Students and played a pivotal role in the 2007 saffron revolution. Soon after the brutal crack down on the saffron revolution, she was on the run to evade arrest by the junta authorities. She was finally arrested on September 10 by the junta.

Earlier, she was punished twice for her political activities for two months in 1991 and for nine years in 1996. Her husband Kyaw Min Yuu a.k.a. Jimmy is also an 88 Gen Student leader and was arrested on 21 August 2007 along with his colleagues. He is also serving a 65-year prison term.
http://www.mizzima.com/

Nilar Thein (R) with her husband Jimmy (a) Kyaw Min Yu and infant daughter.

9 ASEAN member countries confirm attendance at ASEAN Summit in Thailand

9 ASEAN member countries confirm attendance at ASEAN Summit in Thailand

Nine ASEAN leaders express their intention to participate in the 14th ASEAN Summit in Thailand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says following news reports that Indonesia and Cambodia might not attend the meeting.

Foreign Affairs Spokesman and Director-General of the Department of Information, Tharit Charungvat (ธฤต จรุงวัฒน์), gave an interview to the press to correct the misunderstanding that Vietnam would reconsider its relations with Thailand as it was disappointed with Thailand’s role of ASEAN Chair.

The spokesman said he did not know why there was news about some ASEAN members’ dissatisfaction with Thailand. He stated that the government was pressing ahead with its policy to strengthen multilateral relations during the summit in an effort to create unity among ASEAN members.
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255201200064&tb=N255201&news_headline=9%20ASEAN%20member%20countries%20confirm%20attendance%20at%20ASEAN%20Summit%20in%20Thailand