Breaking News:Member of Mon ceasefire group attacked

by Phoe Zaw
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 21:09

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A member of an ethnic Mon party, the New Mon State Party (NMSP), was on Friday attacked by gunmen who fired at least six shots, according to party officials.

Naing Yazar was traveling with friends on three motorbikes along the Moulmine-Ye highway in southern Burma’s Mon state, on May 6th, when they were shot at by a group of armed men riding in a car.

“They [the gunmen] seem to have had fair knowledge about the travel of Naing Yazar and his friends because they came with a car and shot at them,” speculated an official from the NMSP, which also maintains an armed wing.

The official, who wished not to be named, said the gunshots missed Naing Yazar and his friends, though the gunmen escaped.

In a similar attack, Dr. Nai Min Naung, also a member of the NMSP, was shot dead on April 18th. Sources said three gunmen from a rebel faction led by Nai Aung Chan, have been arrested for his murder.

The New Mon State Party’s armed wing is one of among 17 ethnic armed groups that has inked a ceasefire agreement with the junta.

Members of the group, which has offices in Moulmine, capital of Mon state, are free to travel in Burma.

Mizzima News

Burma’s state-owned newspaper, the New Light of Myanmar, on Wednesday carried a front page story of the Burmese Prime Minister General Thein Sein meeting the North Korean delegation

by Salai Pi Pi
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 21:53

New Delhi (Mizzima) – In a bid to give a leg up to bilateral ties between military-ruled Burma and North Korea, a sports and physical health delegation from North Korea is currently visiting Burma.

Burma’s state-owned newspaper, the New Light of Myanmar, on Wednesday carried a front page story of the Burmese Prime Minister General Thein Sein meeting the North Korean delegation led by Mr. Pak Hak Son, chairman of the physical education and sports commission, at the Government Office in Naypyitaw.

The newspaper did not mention details of the meeting.

The visit is a part of the two countries’ efforts to boost bilateral relations, which resumed in April 2007 after a break of a quarter century.

Burma and North Korea cut off diplomatic ties in 1983, following a bombing in Rangoon by North Korean secret agents who targeted the then visiting South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan.

The bomb explosion killed 21 people including four South Korean Cabinet ministers. Chun Doo-hwan, however, had a narrow escape.

After a long gap of 25 years, the two countries agreed to resume diplomatic ties in April 2007.

In October 2007, Burma’s Prime Minister Nyan Win paid the first visit to Pyong Yang. The visit was followed by exchanges including the visit of Burma’s Sports Minister, Brig. Gen. Thura Aye Myint along with senior military officers, in early 2008.

Both Burma and North Korea have attracted international criticism, with the former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice terming them as “Outposts of tyranny”.

US embassy official meets with arrested swimmer

Yangon – Myanmar authorities allowed officials from the US embassy in Yangon to meet with American swimmer John William Yethaw who was arrested after he secretly entered opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s house last week, government radio announced Wednesday.
‘The US Embassy requested Myanmar authority to allow to meet with Mr. John William Yeattaw in a letter dated 11 May,’ said the state media.
‘Therefore second secretary and another official from US Embassy met Mr. Yethaw on 13 May, 4 pm at Aungthapyae Police quarters in Yangon,’ the radio said.
US national Yethaw, 53, reportedly swam to Suu Kyi’s house on Inya Lake on May 3, and stayed there until swimming back on Wednesday, when he was arrested in the lake.
Myanmar authorities said Yethaw was a Vietnam war veteran who was working on a book about human rights abuses. continue

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/news/article_1476979.php/US_embassy_official_meets_with_arrested_swimmer_

We would like to alert you to a new Trojan threat targeting Irrawaddy readers and others who follow Burma-related news.

Dear The Irrawaddy readers
We would like to alert you to a new Trojan threat targeting Irrawaddy readers and others who follow Burma-related news.

Several readers have complained that they received infected emails from news@irrawaddy.org with the subject heading “The Irrawaddy Today’s Newsletter.” These unsolicited spam emails contain no text, but have an attached Word document with the filename “Mystery Deepens around ‘Swimmer’s’ Arrest”.

These emails were NOT sent by The Irrawaddy. Please do not open them or click on the enclosed attachment. Doing so will infect your computer with the Trojan Troj/MalDoc-Fam, which can be used to steal information from your computer.

If you know anyone who regularly follows news about Burma, please inform them about this threat, which is not confined to subscribers to The Irrawaddy’s newsletter.
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update BBC- Country profile: Burma

Burma, also known as Myanmar, is ruled by a military junta which suppresses almost all dissent and wields absolute power in the face of international condemnation and sanctions.
The generals and the army stand accused of gross human rights abuses, including the forcible relocation of civilians and the widespread use of forced labour, which includes children. continue

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1300003.stm

Hotel Representation Australia (HRA)to open hotels in Thailand, Myanmar

Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 19:30 Hrs [IST]
By HBI Staff | Mumbai
Hotel Representation Australia (HRA) has expanded its hotel portfolio in Asia with two hotels in Thailand and another in Myanmar. In Thailand, HRA signed South Sea Group’s two properties: The Karon – Phuket and The South Sea Grand – Phang Nga. On Myanmar island in Thailand, HRA has signed the five-star Andaman Club.

South Sea Karon, Phuket is a beach front resort and offers 152 guest rooms with a combination of suites, executive deluxe rooms, premium rooms and superior rooms. All rooms have private terraces, satellite television and wireless Internet. The resort has three restaurants and a pool bar. The wellness spa offers treatments and massages..

Declaration of the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

The EU expresses its strong concern following reports on the health of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League of Democracy and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and on the recent detention of her physician, Dr Tin Myo Win.

The EU calls on the authorities of Burma/Myanmar to guarantee for Ms Suu Kyi immediate and proper medical care, as well as access for her personal attorney. It furthermore recalls that her house arrest, which has been imposed in clear breach of international norms, will expire this month, and therefore again urgently calls for her unconditional release.

On the sad occasion of the anniversary of Ms Suu Kyi’s detention, the EU urges the authorities to halt systematic torture and denial of health care to prisoners and to release all political prisoners.

Contact:
Jiří Beneš, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tel.: +420 224 182 052, GSM: +420 724 602 263 056, E-mail: press@mzv.cz

visitor from japan refugee association officer Megumi by sawkyawkhwi

continue http://sawkyawkhwi.blogspot.com/

Myanmar intelligence photo revel a wistful Aung San Suu Kyi with camera hound John Yethaw after a day of slots and fun at the Mandalay Hotel and Casino in Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada.

John was spotted in the sauna earlier. There is no denying they were enjoying a beautiful Las Vegas afternoon. It was rumored the twosome was headed to Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville to people watch and take in some sunshine “On the Strip”

Your Devil’s Advocate

Buffalohair

The American had also turned up in Thailand; he met with some exiled Burmese groups and reportedly told them he was working on a faith-based book on heroism.

Suu Kyi’s Stalker Swimmer

By AUNG ZAW Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Since John William Yettaw was arrested last week, several rumors and speculations have been aired.

Did he really swim across Inya Lake—some two kilometers—to meet Aung San Suu Kyi? If so, what was his motive? Had he really been there before? Who was backing him?

Unconfirmed reports suggest that he managed to find a way into Suu Kyi’s home once before, but was made unwelcome and told to leave.

This time—according to the rumor mill in my dissident circle—he pleaded with Suu Kyi to be allowed to stay there for a few days. The NLD leader, who is currently fighting for her freedom through legal channels, obviously did not want the American stalker there. Apparently, Suu Kyi’s caretaker even threatened to call the police.

Conspiracy theorists believe he was coaxed into breaking into Suu Kyi’s house so that the regime would have an excuse to extend her detention.

Junta supporters would rather see it as collaboration between the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a foreign intelligence intermediary—a real-life secret agent, an aquatic James Bond.