Norwegian Nobel Committee will not take part in the Nobel laureates’ conference in South Africa if the Tibetan leader Dalai Lama is not granted visa to South Africa, the Norwegian Tibet Committee said today quoting Geir Lundestad, Director of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Norwegian Nobel Committee condemns visa refusal to Dalai Lama:Tibet group
Dharamsala, March 23 – Norwegian Nobel Committee will not take part in the Nobel laureates’ conference in South Africa if the Tibetan leader Dalai Lama is not granted visa to South Africa, the Norwegian Tibet Committee said today quoting Geir Lundestad, Director of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

“We will not take part in the conference unless His Holiness Dalai Lama is granted visa,” Geir Lundestad told Norwegian Tibetan Committee.

The South African government’s refusal to grant visa to His Holiness to attend the Nobel laureates’ conference under pressure from the People’s Republic of China is unacceptable for the Norwegian Nobel Committee, he said, according to the Norwegian Tibet Committee.

Meanwhile, the South African government has defended its decision saying the visit had nothing to do with the status or position of the Dalai Lama.

VDO-Burma, country in conflict

Thailand to ask KNU to reconcile with Myanmar government

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said on Monday that he had pledged to Myanmar government leaders that Thailand would help in negotiations for the Karen National Union (KNU) ethnic minority group organisation to join Myanmar’s national reconciliation programme.Mr. Kasit said he had told Myanmar leaders that Thailand supported that country’s national reconciliation programme, while he was told that a general election would be held next year.

Only the KNU members have not yet participated in the national reconciliation programme and if persuasion with the ethnic minority group succeeds, the fighting between Myanmar and KNU militaries would be resolved, Mr. Kasit said.

The KNU is the only major ethnic group not to have concluded a ceasefire with the State Peace and Development Council and its separatist struggle is one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies.

Touching on the Rohingya boat people who have fled Myanmar-Bangladesh border for destinations in several countries in this region – with thousands now stranded in Thailand, Mr. Kasit said, investigations are made with the boat people on a regular basis and Thailand will focus on providing humanitarian assistance to these people. – (TNA)

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=9176

Political activist Maung Maung Thet (20), hailing from Tungup Township, Rakhine State, reportedly suffered a stroke after which he could not move his arms or legs.

Political prisoner suffers stroke
by Ko Wild
Monday, 23 March 2009 20:29

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A political prisoner suffered a stroke while serving his prison term in Buthitaung prison, in western Burma, according to sources close to the prison.

Political activist Maung Maung Thet (20), hailing from Tungup Township, Rakhine State, reportedly suffered a stroke after which he could not move his arms or legs.

A source close to the prison said that cells inside the prison are always wet and damp, factors which could contribute toward the occurrence of a stroke.

The detainee in question, along with political prisoners including Moe Naing Soe, Chit Maung Maung and Than Lwin, was beaten last Union Day, February 12, by prison ward Sein Tun for purportedly communicating between prison cells.

Bo Kyi, Joint Secretary of the Thai-based Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP-B), told Mizzima that those who were punished for communication while detained from Tungup Township and serving four-and-a-half years each under sections 505(b) and 295 of the Penal Code.

But he added that he knew only that their health situation is deteriorating, absent of any details.

Political prisoners in Buthitaung, unlike criminal lock-ups, are not allowed to exercise.

AAPP-B said that 88 Generation student leader Ko Htay Kywe, Aung Zaw Oo (HRDP), U Han Sein (NLD), Kyaw Min, Pyi Phyo Hlaing, Si Thu Maung, U Tun Nyo, Uzin U Pyi Kyaw, Chit Maung Maung, Than Lwin, Maung Maung Thet, Moe Naing Soe, Moe Kyaw, Aung Naing Min, Khin Hla, Zaw Naing and Ma Ni Ni May Myint are also among the political prisoners currently being held in Buthitaung prison.

In sum there are about 1,200 inmates in Buthitaung, most of who are members of the Rohingya minority.

Sources close to the prison said those detained suffer discrimination and oppression at the hands of prison authorities, in addition to stints of forced labor.

According to AAPP-B, there are over 2,100 political prisoners across Burma.

A victim who escaped sexual abuse says Burmese migrant women should not work as domestic workers in Thailand

A Burmese domestic worker who ran away from sexual abuse by her employer said Burmese Migrant Women should not work as domestic workers in Thailand.
The girl, who is 20 years old and from the Pago Division of Burma, was working as a domestic worker in Thailand when she finally escaped from her employers who had been making many sexual advances towards her. She arrived at the Burmese Association in Thailand yesterday.
“I had been about 3 months in Bangkok. My employer’s wife is bisexual and she showed me sex movies all the time. When I took a bath she touched my body and sometimes they had sex in front of me. That made me really embarrassed and I was ashamed. They asked me to make another wife of him. I wanted to make money from my work, I did not want to be someone else’s wife” said the girl.
The employer is over 60 years old and his wife is about 30 years old. The girl had to stay in the same room as them so she was not safe. She was waiting to find the right opportunity to run away from the house. Now she and another Burmese maid have managed to run away from the house.

Food and other materials donated by Grassroots-HRE were given to Burmese inmates of Takuapa prison, Phang Nga province in Southern Thailand on 12th March.

The prison has 96 Burmese inmates who are being held for many various criminal offences but some are in prison for only on suspicion said Assistant Education Coordinator Mr. Min Thein Kyaw of GHRE.
Mr. Min Thein Kyaw continued to explain that there is a man called Ko Htun who had been held for over 2 years in prison under suspicion of murder because he once had a fight with the person who had been killed.
Grassroots-HRE is arranging to help those who are in prison only on suspicion of committing a crime or those who have not been involved in any crime and are innocent. Some GHRE staff got permission to visit the prison cells and go inside. They are clean enough for the inmates to remain healthy. The prisons also provide good food and health care services to the prisoners.This prison assistance program was done every month during 2006 and 2007 by GHRE but GHRE was unable to support the prisoners over 2008 due to some difficulties. This occasion was the first time GHRE has been to the prison in 2009 and GHRE will continue to provide supplies to Burmese prisoners. The prison authorities are also willing to accept our assistance.
http://www.ghre.org/en/

The economic hardship of civilians in Burma is directly connected to the Burmese ruling junta’s activities where it accumulates money from its people under different pretexts, said local businessmen.

Junta amasses money while civilians suffer

In Burma’s northern Kachin State, endowed with plenty of natural resources, the people are living under unusual economic hardship at the moment coupled by the current world economic crisis, said local people.

From July to November last year, the junta issued licenses for low-quality Chinese motorcycles where the junta earned at least 8,000 million Kyat equivalent to US $ 8,121,827 from some 35,000 motorcycle owners in Myitkyina alone, the capital of Kachin State, said local businessmen.

Depending on the models and type of motorcycles, the license fee is between 150,000 Kyat and 300,000 Kyat for each motorcycle, said residents of Bhamo and Myitkyina, the two main cities in Kachin State.

In Bhamo and Myitkyina towns the junta issued licenses to over 50,000 Chinese motorcycles which were imported from the Sino-Burma border, according to businessmen in the two towns. continue http://www.kachinnews.com/index.php

Than Shwe Sitting comfortably -Cartoon HarnLay

Report helps ease tension between Thai and Shan communities

MONDAY, 23 MARCH 2009 17:31 HSENG KHIO FAH HUMAN RIGHTS

A report released by Thai TV or formerly Thai PBS on 22nd March, at 21:00, about recent crackdown on Shan migrant workers in Chiangmai, has stimulated Thai society to learn about the Shan people after seeing how hundreds of Shan migrants had suffered the repercussions of the Mae Joe student’s rape and murder last month, according to sources.

The report “Thai Yai-Displaced labor” by Perdpom program showed how the 7 February Mae Joe student’s rape and murder had led to a mass departure of Shan migrant workers from different locations of Chiangmai province to their hometowns and villages.

Many viewers said the report was very touching and educative. A number of Shan viewers, including monks, wept after seeing it. A number of Thai viewers also said they have now learned how and why Shan came to Thailand and would wish to learn more about the Shan.

A monk studying in Bangkok said that, “I was very sad when I saw many of Shan migrants were had to hide in the jungle without no food and water. I could not help shedding tears.

Sit-in protest for freedom of political prisoners

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Nearly a hundred Burmese activists and Indian supporters on Monday staged a sit-in protest in New Delhi in demand of the release of political prisoners in Burma, including detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The protestors, who held a sit-in demonstration for at least five hours near India’s parliament building, demanded India pressure the Burmese military government for the release of political prisoners in Burma.

“We are here to send a message to the world that we show solidarity with the democracy movement in Burma and to respect political prisoners in Burma,” Dr. Alana Golmei, an Indian supporter who joined the protest, told Mizzima.

Golmei said the protestors also urged India, a neighbor to Burma and the world’s largest democracy, to pressure the Burmese junta for the release of prisoners of conscience, including Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

The sit-in protest came as a part of a global campaign seeking the release of the more than 2,000 political prisoners languishing in prisons across Burma. Campaigners in several countries have reaffirmed their call on the Burmese junta to immediately release Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

As part of the campaign, activists across the globe have begun collecting signatures and organizing online petitions, in addition to staging protests and sit-in demonstrations.