Burma Gives ASEAN a Black Eye with Suu Kyi Case

By Marwaan Macan-Markar

BANGKOK, May 23 (IPS) – By pushing ahead with a sham trial to prosecute the country’s pro-democracy icon, Burma’s military regime appears set to shatter the credibility of the new, rules-based Southeast Asian regional bloc, of which it is a member.

The trial of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, which began May 18, goes against the language of the charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopted in the Indonesian capital Jakarta last December.

Under the ASEAN charter, the bloc’s 10 members agreed to strengthen democracy, the rule of law, and to promote human rights as part of their commitment to give the 42-year-old alliance a much-needed makeover – transforming it into a unified legal entity that resembles, in some ways, the European Union.

Yet barely six months into its new incarnation a major test looms for ASEAN – which includes Brunei, Burma (or Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The concern within ASEAN over its international standing is conveyed in a statement released on the second day of Suu Kyi’s trial by Thailand, the current chairman of the regional body. “With the eyes of the international community on Myanmar at present, the honour and the credibility of the Government of the Union of Myanmar are at stake,” noted the strongly- worded statement, departing from the usual diplomatic niceties that often pepper such official declarations.

In a first, the President of the Security Council, Russia, refused on Friday to read out a statement to the press because it dealt with he situation in Burma, but allowed the British UN envoy to read it on behalf of all council members, including Russia

UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (KUNA) — In a first, the President of the Security Council, Russia, refused on Friday to read out a statement to the press because it dealt with the situation in Burma, but allowed the British UN envoy to read it on behalf of all council members, including Russia.
Recalling its previous statements, the council reiterated “the importance of the release of all political prisoners,” the press statement, read out by British UN envoy John Sawers instead of council President Russian UN envoy Vitaly Churkin, said.
“The members of the Security Council express their concern about the political impact of recent developments relating to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,” in an indirect reference to the military junta crackdown on its chief opponent ahead of the election next year.
She is accused of violating the terms of her house arrest by allowing an American man, who swam across a lake, to spend at least one night in her house.
The council also reiterated the need for the Government in Myanmar “to create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue” with the pro-democracy leader and all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation with the support of the UN.

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Suu Kyi’s Letter of Thanks to Than Shwe

Dear Senior-General,

I trust you will excuse my handwriting. I am writing by candlelight. It seems there is not much electricity in this part of Rangoon these days.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you. After so many years of looking out at Inya Lake, a change of scenery was most welcome, although I must confess I am somewhat disappointed with the décor and landscape gardening in my new compound.

Most importantly though, I must thank you for your unflinching political support. I thought that the world had forgotten about me, but you made sure that my face reappeared on TV all over the world.

You had previously cautioned foreign governments not to focus so much on one person (me), but now you have magnanimously ensured that my name is on the lips of every diplomat in Rangoon.

The international community has a reputation for having a short attention span. Thanks to your efforts, Burma is back on the front pages of the newspapers.

I believe that the US and the EU were in a bit of a pickle about how to handle the economic sanctions issue and recognition of next year’s election.

The statement of ABFSU_FAC on DASSK case

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Burmese FM Says Yettaw Visit Part of Opposition Plot

John W Yettaw’s visit to the home of Aung San Suu Kyi was part of a Burmese opposition plot to intensify international pressure on the government, according to Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win.

The state-own daily newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported on the fifth day of Suu Kyi’s trial on Friday that Nyan Win made the claim in a telephone conversation on Monday with his counterpart in Japan, Hirofumi Nakasone.
The report said Nyan Win believed the incident was probably “trumped up to intensify international pressure on Myanmar [Burma], by internal and external anti-government elements” at a time when the US, Japan and some European countries were reviewing their policies toward the military-ruled country. continue

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=15715

KHRG Report-Military movements, forced labour and extortion in Nyaunglebin District

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FBR REPORT: Clash between Arakan villagers and Burma Army Leaves Four Soldiers Critically Wounded

In Maungdaw Township, western Arakan State, Burma, over 100 Muslims have fled to Bangladesh, fearing arrest by the SPDC after a clash between Rohingya villagers and Burma Army soldiers. Four soldiers were critically injured by swords in the attack and have been hospitalized. The clash between the villagers and soldiers broke out at the border village of Thi Chaung under Taungbro Sub Township at about 3pm on April 21. The violence flared up as soldiers started breaking an embankment for shrimp farms to drain the water out before building a fence. The soldiers were seen to be stealing the shrimps, sparking the conflict.

A government employee from the area said, “All men, about 100 in the village
of Thi Chaung, fled after the clash broke out. At present, there are only women, children and elders in the village.”

The border security forces of Burma have been searching for the villagers in order to punish them for attacking the soldiers.

The FBR team reports that “In Burma, no legal court solves such incidents between army personnel and the people. The army authority punishes ordinary people severely if they indulge in any kind of quarrel with the Burma army.”

The clash between the villagers and the soldiers has happened for the first time since the soldiers arrived in the area to construct a border fence. The Burma Army is to supervise construction of a 240km long fence along Burma’s border with Bangladesh and India.

Compensation for loss of land/property is due to be paid to those on the Indian side of the border, but the team leader reports no such compensation is anticipated for those on the Burmese side. Furthermore, it is expected the Arakan villagers will be forced to provide labor for the project. continue

http://www.freeburmarangers.org/Reports/2009/20090520.html

Former South Korean President Kim Dae Jung on Friday donated US $ 10,000 to be used for Aung San Suu Kyi’s political cause during a meeting with Burmese members of Parliament and members of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party in exile at his home in Seoul,

Kim Dae Jung donates US $ 10,000 for Suu Ky
Friday, 22 May 2009 20:41

Former South Korean President Kim Dae Jung on Friday donated US $ 10,000 to be used for Aung San Suu Kyi’s political cause during a meeting with Burmese members of Parliament and members of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party in exile at his home in Seoul, the Korean Times reported.

Kim invited the Burmese MPs and members of the Korean Chapter of the NLD-Liberated Area to his house and made the donation, the report said.

VDO Aung San Suu Kyi’s trial Day 5

“I am not guilty because I have not broken any law,” Suu Kyi was said to have replied.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader, on trial for allegedly breaching the terms of her house arrest, has proclaimed her innocence in front of a prison tribunal.

But the court on Friday said that it accepted the charge against her and that the trial can now proceed to a verdict, which could see the Nobel peace Laureate jailed for up to five years.

Suu Kyi’s lawyer said that the presiding judge accepted the government’s charge that she violated the terms of her house arrest and asked Suu Kyi if she was guilty.

“I am not guilty because I have not broken any law,” Suu Kyi was said to have replied.

The court also accepted the charge levelled against two of Suu Kyi’s companions and John Yettaw, and American man whose intrusion into Suu Kyi’s lakeside home triggered the case. continue

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2009/05/2009522124424522979.html