Detained Burmese comedian Zarganar allowed treatment

by Phanida
Tuesday, 28 April 2009 21:34

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – With the health of famous comedian and film director Thura a.k.a. Zarganar, serving 35 years in prison, deteriorating, he was finally allowed a medical check-up on Monday.

Zarganar (48), suffering from a heart disease, was taken to Myitkyina People’s Hospital in Northern Burma’s Kachin state and allowed a check up by a cardiologist.

“He was taken outside yesterday but they did not inform his family. He was not in the prison when we went to see him yesterday. We went to the hospital and waited for him from 2:15 p.m. The medical Check-up was completed at about 4 p.m. and he was taken back to prison,” his sister-in-law Ma Nyein who visited him at Myitkyina prison told Mizzima.

“There is a prison ward at the hospital but Thura was not admitted. His liver function has improved and is ok now. A senior doctor at the hospital said that he might need oxygen,” she added.

Zarganar underwent ultrasound, X-Ray and ECG checks on Monday and doctors said his heart was swelling.

“After the medical Check-up, Thura told me that both Ultrasound and X-Ray results were good. But he underwent 2 ECG tests and the result said his heart was swelling. The doctor, who was not satisfied with the ECG result, said the heart is getting bigger when Zarganar asked him about the medical reports. He was disappointed with his heart condition,” Ma Nyein said.

“We will build another camp, we will build more camps and we will invite them to come and step on landmines again.”

Daniel Pedersen
Mae Sot

The Burma Army assisted by its Karen ally militia, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army has overrun the Karen National Liberation Army’s base camp of Wah Lay Kee.
The KNLA base camp, home to its Sixth Brigade’s Battalion 201 and besieged since April 12, has been abandoned.
Soldiers who had mounted a stoic defence turned their backs on home and walked away this afternoon
This evening, at about 5pm, soldiers of the SPDC and the DKBA, were picking through the significant encampment, trying to secure it.
It was not a safe mission.
The camp was left rigged to the hilt with explosive booby traps.
The combined SPDC/DKBA force suffered heavy casualties today in its final approach – the KNLA had blanketed the camp’s perimeter with landmines and tripwires.
“There were many casualties on the other side,” said KNLA Colonel Nerdah Mya.
“We have abandoned the camp and everybody is safe, we will fight another day,” he said at 5.15pm.
He said between 400 and 500 SPDC/DKBA soldiers took part in the final push to take the base camp.
About 80 came from the Thai side, said Nerdah.
He said the Thai Army was nearby, but stayed in Phadee, home to about 500 people who were evacuated yesterday as shells fell near their homes.
“They were there, but they didn’t go into the forest,” he said.
The KNLA was heavily outnumbered, with a skeleton force of 50 to 60 men finally departing the camp.
“We will set up more camps, we will fight another 20 years if we have to,” said a determined Nerdah.
The KNLA camp had been in trouble since June 30 last year, when an unexpected assault quickly overran the camp before dawn.
Colonel Nerdah said he thought the DKBA and SPDC put such importance on Wah Lay Kee mainly because it was the headquarters of Sixth Brigade’s 201st battalion.
“It is really a symbol, it’s not a big area,” he said.
“We can build more camps like that, we have more camps.”
Until last year Wah Lay Kee had never fallen to the Burmese and had been a secure base camp for many years.
It was established when Nerdah’s late father, the General Bo Mya, loomed large in both the KNU and KNLA.
It contained hardwood and bamboo buildings and had stood since 1988.
KNU vice president David Thackrabaw, on hearing the news, said any position that was untenable should be left and then work should begin “behind the lines”.
“It’s relatively easy to block approaches [from within Burma], but if they can get access to the Thai side it makes very difficult,” he said.
ENDS
The Burma Army and its ally, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, have lost a total of 10 soldiers in their push to take a Karen National Liberation Army base camp south of the border town of Mae Sot.

PLEASE DONATE FOR Karen Freedom Fighters http://www.danielpedersen.org/?p=473

if everyone gives 10 dollars or pounds euro…….

Wa leader’s speech on ceremony of 20th anniversary( english)

continue
http://www.shanland.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2553:wa-leaders-speech-on-ceremony-of-20th-anniversary&catid=102:mailbox&Itemid=279

Junta to introduce 3-P programme for military officers

by Mizzima News
Tuesday, 28 April 2009 18:43

Chiang Mai – In order to facilitate a smooth transfer of officers within the Burmese military – Tatmadaw – the authorities will soon implement a new programme, known as the 3-P programme, sources in the military said.

According to the new programme, officers till the age 36 and who continue to remain in the rank of captain, would be transferred to the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), Royal Police, and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The 3-P refers to the USDA, Royal Police and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Officers, who were transferred to the USDA, would be assigned as officer in-charge of the Township Police, while those transferred to the Royal Police would be made in-charge of security of government offices, such as the Parliament building.

However, for those transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs, they would be transferred as per the police department’s rules and regulations.

We will set up more camps, we will fight another 20 years if we have to,” said Colonel Nerdah -Please donate, urgent

Wah Lay Kee is a significant camp that has been maintained for more than a decade.
Asked why he thought the DKBA and SPDC put such importance on Wah Lay Kee, he said mainly because Wah Lay Kee was the headquarters of Sixth Brigade’s 201st battalion.
“It is really a symbol, it’s not a big area, but it is very important to the KNLA. Wah Lay Kee has never fallen to the Burmese and has been a secure base camp for many years now.”
“It has stood since 1988 until now, there has been a lot of fighting, but it has never been taken over by the Burmese. And we have a military cemetery there, so we must hold it.

TODAY Burmese Army overruns Karen rebel camp

by Daniel Pedersen
Tuesday, 28 April 2009 17:39

Mae Sot (Mizzima) – The Burmese Army has overrun the Karen National Liberation Army’s base camp of Wah Lay Kee.

The KNLA base camp, home to its Sixth Brigade battalion 201 and besieged since April 12, has been abandoned.

At about 5 pm, troops of State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and its ally, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army DKBA), were picking through the significant encampment, trying to secure it. It was deserted, rigged to the hilt with explosive booby traps.

The combined SPDC/DKBA force suffered heavy casualties today. The KNLA had littered the camp’s perimeter with landmines and tripwires.

“There were many casualties on the other side,” said KNLA Colonel Nerdah Mya.

“We have abandoned the camp and everybody is safe. We will fight another day,” he said at 5.15pm.

He said between 400 and 500 SPDC/DKBA soldiers took part in a final assault on the base camp. The KNLA was heavily outnumbered, with a skeleton force of 50 to 60 men. They finally abandoned the camp.

“We will set up more camps, we will fight another 20 years if we have to,” said Colonel Nerdah.

To donate click on

http://www.danielpedersen.org/?p=473

The Burmese Army has overrun the Karen National Liberation Army’s base camp of Wah Lay Kee.

Burmese Army overruns Karen rebel camp
by Daniel Pedersen
Tuesday, 28 April 2009 17:39

Mae Sot (Mizzima) – The Burmese Army has overrun the Karen National Liberation Army’s base camp of Wah Lay Kee.

The KNLA base camp, home to its Sixth Brigade battalion 201 and besieged since April 12, has been abandoned.

At about 5 pm, troops of State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and its ally, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army DKBA), were picking through the significant encampment, trying to secure it. It was deserted, rigged to the hilt with explosive booby traps.

The combined SPDC/DKBA force suffered heavy casualties today. The KNLA had littered the camp’s perimeter with landmines and tripwires.

“There were many casualties on the other side,” said KNLA Colonel Nerdah Mya.

“We have abandoned the camp and everybody is safe. We will fight another day,” he said at 5.15pm.

He said between 400 and 500 SPDC/DKBA soldiers took part in a final assault on the base camp. The KNLA was heavily outnumbered, with a skeleton force of 50 to 60 men. They finally abandoned the camp.

“We will set up more camps, we will fight another 20 years if we have to,” said Colonel Nerdah.

Leaders of the two ethnic Kachin ceasefire groups’ in Burma’s northern Kachin State arrived in the state’s capital Myitkyina two days ago to meet the junta’s Northern Command commander Brig-Gen Soe Win

Kachin ceasefire group leaders to meet Burma’s ruling junta
Written by KNG
Tuesday, 28 April 2009 17:42

said local sources. On the meeting’s agenda is the role the groups will play in next year’s general election.

The meeting will be between the Northern Command commander Brig-Gen Soe Win and leaders and brigade commanders of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), its armed-wing the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K). They have been specially invited to join the meeting, said KIO/A and NDA-K sources.

The official meeting will begin tomorrow but KIO/A leaders and Burmese military officials of the Northern Command headquarters based in Myitkyina began preliminary interaction last night, KIO sources said.

Thaksin-Two passports confirmed, third might be Cambodian travel document

aking every possible step to narrow the political space fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s has on the globe by using the Interpol and other diplomatic moves to corner him, a senior government official said yesterday.

Thaksin might be able to stay in Dubai, but United Arab Emirates will not allow him to use the gulf state as a launching PAD against the Thai government, said Vice Foreign Minister Panich Vikitsreth.

“The UAE government has told us that Thaksin could not use the country as his political base, but could return as an investor,” Panich said in an interview yesterday.

The UAE and Thailand are preparing an extradition treaty, he said, adding that Abu Dhabi had already sent a draft for consideration.

Asked if the government was aware of the movements being made by some former executives of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party to meet Thaksin in Dubai, Panich said nobody could be barred from travelling abroad or meeting anybody. continue
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/04/28/politics/politics_30101473.php

MYANMAR-THAILAND: More refugees settle in a “strange new world” (IRIN)

UMPIUM, 28 April 2009 (IRIN) – Several blue and white buses of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are about to depart Umpium refugee camp of some 20,000 people in Thailand, close to the Myanmar border. The buses are filled with dozens of Burmese refugees who are beginning their resettlement journeys to countries as diverse as Australia, Norway, New Zealand and the United States. Most had fled Myanmar years, even decades, ago, fearing persecution and longing for a better life.

It is a scene that has been repeated hundreds of times since 2004 when the Burmese refugee resettlement programme first began. As of January 2009, some 43,000 have been resettled. Another 13,000 are expected to be resettled this year, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
continue http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=84136

Col. Padung Yingpaiboonsuk, commander of a Special Task Force of the 34th Infantry Regiment, said the fighting broke out at about 11 am Monday morning when more than 200 Myanmar soldiers and DKBA guerrillas jointly attacked a KNU base in Myanmar, opposite a Thai border village in Phop Phra district of Tak province.

Three Thais wounded after Myanmar border fighting
TAK, April 27 (TNA) — Two Thai soldiers and a villager were wounded Monday while some 200 villagers were evacuated to a Buddhist temple after fierce fighting between Myanmar Army troops and the Myanmar-based Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) against Karen National Union (KNU) guerrillas broke out opposite a Thai border village, a senior Thai army officer said.

Col. Padung Yingpaiboonsuk, commander of a Special Task Force of the 34th Infantry Regiment, said the fighting broke out at about 11 am Monday morning when more than 200 Myanmar soldiers and DKBA guerrillas jointly attacked a KNU base in Myanmar, opposite a Thai border village in Phop Phra district of Tak province.

The situation worsened when at least three mortar shells landed on Thai soil and a group of Myanmar soldiers of undetermined size clashed with Thai soldiers on patrol near the border, he said.

Two Thai soldiers were shot and wounded while a Thai villager suffered injuries from a strayed shell, said Col. Padung.

He said the condition of the two wounded soldiers were now out of danger while Thai troops were reinforced along the common border to prevent an intrusion of Thai territory.

About 200 Thai villagers living near the scene of fighting were temporarily evacuated to a Buddhist temple in Phop Phra district, said Col. Padung. They are expected to return home when the situation has returned to normal. (TNA)