Ultimatum of the Burmese monks – second wave of the Saffron Revolution starting October 3rd 2009

The Buddhist monks of Burma have delivered an ultimatum to the Burmese military government: If the government will not apologize for and stop the persecution, assassination and contempt of Buddhist monks and the people of Burma until October 2nd. 2009, a second wave of the Saffron-Revolution including demonstrations of the monks will take place, starting on October 3rd in Burma.

In solidarity, demonstrations in Thailand and the USA will take place:
– 21st September: Peace march in Mae Sot, northern Thailand led by the exiled Burmese monk Ashin Sopaka
– 23rd September: Protest at the UN Headquarters for 2nd Anniversary of the Saffron Revolution

For more information please go to bestfriend.org

Ruling junta is using the release of political prisoners as a ploy to ease pressure.

Junta’s amnesty welcomed in midst of discontent
by Mungpi
Friday, 18 September 2009 21:40

New Delhi (Mizzima) – While welcoming the release of a few political prisoners, a veteran politician on Friday said, ‘it is not enough’ and deplored the ruling junta for using the release of political prisoners as a ploy to ease pressure.

Win Tin, a central executive committee member of National League for Democracy, who was also a former political prisoner, said, “Though the numbers may be few, I welcome any release of political prisoners… but it is not enough.”

Burma on Thursday announced amnesty for 7,114 prisoners and on Friday began releasing more than 1,000 prisoners of which about 43 were political prisoners, according to Thailand-based Assistant Association for Political Prisoners (Burma).

Among those released were two journalists, who were arrested in 2008 for helping victims of Cyclone Nargis. But prominent student activists including Min Ko Naing and the monks, who led protests in the September 2007, were not among those freed.

While sources said a total of about 250 political prisoners are likely to be part of the amnesty, Win Tin said it is not to be applauded until all prisoners of conscience are released.

(NLD) party chairman U Tin Mya (74), who was accused of being involved in a bombing case and handed a prison term was released from Insein prison today.

” I was accused of being a bomber”
by Phanida
Friday, 18 September 2009 20:31

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The Thingangyun Township National League for Democracy (NLD) party chairman U Tin Mya (74), who was accused of being involved in a bombing case and handed a prison term was released from Insein prison today.

He was sentenced to five years and served one and-a-half years in prison. Mizzima interviewed the NLD party member, who said that he would be involved in politics as long as the NLD exists.

Q: Why were you released from prison? Did you have to sign a bond?

A: I didn’t have to sign a bond. The reason for releasing me has two parts. The first one is being a politician. The second one is my advanced age.

Q: When you were sentenced, how many years was your prison term and under which section?

A: I was given five years in prison for concealing information and bombing. I was arrested on April 1 last year at night. A youth member of our party came from Thailand and brought explosive materials. But we didn’t know about it. I realized it only when they were arrested. But they arrested me on suspicion though they knew I had nothing to do with the case.

Q: When did you know about your imminent release?

On the Edge of Survival-chin human rights group

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(AAPP) can confirm that so far 43 political prisoners have been released today from various prisons in Burma.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP) can confirm that so far 43 political prisoners have been released today from various prisons in Burma.

On Thursday evening in Rangoon, state-run MRTV carried a news bulletin announcing that 7,114 prisoners were to be released “on humanitarian grounds.”

The list of political prisoners released will be updated as AAPP receives more information.
On Thursday evening in Rangoon, state-run MRTV carried a news bulletin announcing that 7,114 prisoners were to be released “on humanitarian grounds.”

The list of political prisoners released will be updated as AAPP receives more information.

1. Ma Eik Khaing Oo (Insein) [More Detai]

2. U Tin Mya (Insein)

3. Ko Nyi Nyi Min (Butheetaung)

4. Ko Kyaw Kyaw Thant (Insein)

5. Monywar Aung Shin (a) U Aye Kyu (Insein)

6. U Naing Naing (Insein) [More Detail]

7. Ma Tin Tin Myint (Insein)

8. Ma Than Than Htay (Insein)

9. Ma Than Than Sint (Insein)

10. Ma Thin Min Soe (Insein)

11. Ma Kyi Kyi Min (Insein)

12. Ko Zaw Htut Aung (Kale)

13. U Tin Myo Htut (a) Kyaw Oo (Insein)

14. U Win Myint (Insein)

15. U Kyaw Maung (Myintkyina)

16. U Nay Win (Myintkyina)

17. U Kyi Lin (Myintkyina)

18. U Soe Wai (a) Than Zaw (Myintkyina)

19. Shin Sandaw Batha (Insein)

20. Ko Aung Gyi (Insein)

21. Daw Mi Mi Sein (Insein)

22. U Soe Han( Lashio)

23. U Bo Gyi (Pegu)

UNICEF-funded kindergartens in cyclone affected areas of Myanmar’s delta are empty.

The Kale Pyaw Neya (literally, Happy Children Place) kindergartens have no kids in them, Aung Kyaw Moe writes, because parents can’t afford to pay for carers. He quotes an INGO staff person working in Bogale Township as saying that:

“In just about every village I’ve been to, of the Kale Pyaw Neya only the buildings are left. I didn’t see any kids still attending. I was told the reason is that people in the villages can’t pay the salaries of the staff for the Kale Pyaw Neya.”

The author also quotes a farmer from Methila Village in Taungkale Tract, Ngaputaw as commenting that:

“To give a monthly salary of about 25,000 to 30,000 Kyat (USD 25-30) for a youngster to take care of the children, each household in the village had to put in about 500 Kyat. Now that the village economy isn’t good, people can’t put in money so the Kale Pyaw Neya kindergarten had to be shut.”

The article continues that these and other kindergartens were constructed after Cyclone Nargis with funds from UNICEF as well as donations from local groups and businesses, and with help from parents. The project included not only the buildings but also provision of toys, books and food, but after completion, responsibilities fell entirely to the local authorities, women’s groups, health and education officers, and parents.
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/newmandala/2009/09/17/“happy-children”-kindergartens-without-children/
new era 15.september

Junta’s amnesty meaningless sans political prisoners: AI

REPORT BY MUNGPI
FRIDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER 2009 10:16

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Unless the over 2,200 political prisoners languishing in prisons across the country are included among the prisoners being freed, the amnesty announced by the military rulers on Thursday would be meaningless, Amnesty International said.

Benjamin Zawacki, Burma researcher of the AI on Friday told Mizzima, “Unless the more than the 2,200 political prisoners are released, any gesture like this would be meaningless as far as Human Rights is concerned.”

Amnesty International’s stand came following the Burmese military junta’s announcement on Thursday evening about the release of 7,114 prisoners across the country in an amnesty based on ‘humanitarian grounds’ and to enable them to serve national interest.

Zawacki said, the junta in the past 18 months has twice made similar gestures where a tiny portion of prisoners of conscience were included.

“Unless the 2,200 political prisoners are included among the more than 7,000 prisoners released, it certainly does not meet the expectation of the international community articulated by Ban Ki-moon,” Zawacki said.

The United Nations Chief, Ban Ki-moon, during his visit to Burma in July urged the government to release all political prisoners including detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as a step to begin the process of national reconciliation in the country.

Following Ban’s visit, Burma’s UN Ambassador Than Swe told the Security Council that his government is preparing to release prisoners to allow them to participate in the forthcoming 2010 elections.

Exiled Media Misses Solo Protest in Taungup

9/18/2009
Taungup: A solo protest took place in Taungup in Arakan State on 31 August, but Burmese media in exile did not pick up the story due to a lack of communication, said a young activist in the town.

“The solo protest took place and the protestor was arrested by authorities on the same day in Taungup but no media organizatins abroad could pick up the story because townspeople neglected to send information the media groups out of fear of action by the authority,” he said.

Ko Zaw Naing, 27, from Chaung Gulf Ward in Taungup, staged a solo protest by hanging a portrait of Bogyoke Aung San around his neck on 31 August, in a statement against the military government’s detention of over 2,000 political prisoners in the country.

He was arrested by the police for staging the protest and brought to the police station for interrogation. After the interrogation, the police sent him to the Taungup Township court and charged him with causing unrest.

On 1 September, Taungup Township judge Kyi Min Soe sentenced him to seven days in prison.

“We wanted to send the information to exiled media but we could not do it because we were afraid the authority might intercept the telephone conversations in the town. Many telephone owners and shops would not allow us to speak of the incident with outside media due to fear of reprisals by the authority,” he said.

According to a local source, the authorities always intercept telephone links in Taungup if they suspect a phone may be used by anyone with a connection to outside media.

The authorities have not yet arrested anyone in the town for leaking information to outside media groups, but they have indirectly disturbed businesses and limited their ability to operate.

Because of this, townspeople have not sent information to outside media groups even though some anti-military government activities occurred in Taungup during the month of August.

All state-run media in military-ruled Burma have praised the recent resignation of six high ranking officers of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) for contesting the 2010 elections.

The six KIO leaders’ include Vice-president No. 2 Dr. Manam Tu Ja, who is for a peaceful political process. He decided to contest next year’s elections and was repeatedly praised by the junta-run daily newspapers The Kyaymon (The Mirror in English) and Myanmar Ahlin (The New Light of Myanmar in English) since early this week.

The newspapers also applauded the rejection by the KIO and ethnic Kachin people resumption of civil war and accepting in principle the transformation of the KIO and its armed-wing the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) for the country’s future as well as for solving the problems between the two sides with mutual trust for consolidating peace in the meeting in Laiza, the headquarters of KIO on Sino-Burma border in Kachin State on September 5.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP) can confirm that so far 19(22) political prisoners have been released today from various prisons in Burma.

On Thursday evening in Rangoon, state-run MRTV carried a news bulletin announcing that 7,114 prisoners were to be released “on humanitarian grounds.”

The list of political prisoners released will be updated as AAPP receives more information.

1. Ma Eik Khaing Oo

2. U Tin Mya

3. Ko Nyi Nyi Min

4. Ko Kyaw Kyaw Thant

5. Monywar Aung Shin (a) U Aung Myint

6. U Naing Naing

7. Ma Tin Tin Myint

8. Ma Than Than Htay

9. Ma Than Than Sint

10. Ma Thin Min Soe

11. Ma Kyi Kyi Min

12. Ko Zaw Htut Aung

13. U Tin Myo Htut (a) Kyaw Oo

14. U Win Myint (Very Good)

15. U Kyaw Maung 16. U Nay Win

17. U Kyi Lin

18. U Soe Wai (a) Than Zaw

19. Ashin Sandaw Batha
(20) Ba Min

(21) Nyo Mya

(22) Michael Kyaw Win

Note – Number 20 to 22 were members of the NLD and were released from Kale Prison in Sagaing Division, Upper Burma.

-ENDS-
For more information, contact:

AAPP Secretary Ko Tate Naing at +66-81-2878751
AAPP Joint-Secretary Ko Bo Kyi at +66-81-3248935