24 September (1988), Founding Day of National League for Democracy (NLD)

21 September, International Day of Peace

22 September (1992), Founding Day of National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB = DAB + NDF +
MPU + NLD-LA)

24 September (1968), death of CPB Chairman Thakin Than Tun

24 September (1988), Founding Day of National League for Democracy (NLD)
25 September (1994), death in custody at Tharawaddy prison, U Kyi, NLD Tharawaddy, Pegu

26 September (2007), By the order of Sr-Gen Than Shwe (Butcher of Burma 2007), Aung Thaung, U
Thaung, Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan, Brig-Gen Win Myint, Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Col Than Han,
Lt-Col Aung Kyaw Zaw; Fascist Burman soldiers shot and killed approximately 31-200 protesters,
ransacked Buddhist monasteries, beaten monks and dissidents and arrested an estimated 3,000-6000
people. The Burma army, Light Infantry Division 66, burned an undetermined number of bodies,
some still alive, at the Ye Way crematorium sealed off by armed guards northeast of Rangoon.
Shin U Thilawuntha, professor of sacred Buddhist scripture of the Yuzana Monastery in Myitkyina,
was beaten to death in detention. Maj-Gen Ohn Myint ordered the arrest and personally involved in
the brutal torture.

Webb discusses US-Burma relations with Nyan Win

by Mungpi
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 22:17

New Delhi (Mizzima) – US Senator James Webb, known to be a strong advocate of engagement with the Burmese military junta, met visiting Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win on Saturday and discussed taking forward US-Burma relationship.

Webb’s office on Wednesday told Mizzima that the Senator from Virginia met Nyan Win, who visited Washington from New York, where he is attending the 64th United Nations General Assembly.

“Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win was in Washington last weekend, and he met Senator Webb on Saturday. The two discussed how to further U.S- Burma relations,” Webb’s office told Mizzima in an email message.

The Burmese Foreign Minister was visiting the Burmese Embassy in Washington, where he met Webb. Prime Minister Thein Sein is also scheduled to arrive in New York on September 27.

It will be the first time in 14 years that a high-ranking Burmese official will attend the UNGA, after the Vice-Senior General Maung Aye attended in 1995.

Webb, who in August visited Burma during his tour of five Asian-countries, is also all set to chair a congressional hearing on US policy towards the military-ruled South East Asian nation next week.

The hearing, titled ‘U.S. Policy Toward Burma: Its Impact and Effectiveness’, is “tentatively scheduled for September 30, but it’s not yet confirmed,” the office said. But in a statement posted on the office website, the hearing will be held on October 1, 10 a.m. (local time).

The hearing, according to the statement, will examine Burma’s current economic and political situation and discuss how the country’s long history of internal turmoil and ethnic conflicts has affected the development of democracy, his office said.

Aung Tun, age 42, arrested in February 1998, was released on September 18 from Tharyawaddy prison, Pegu division.

Student writer Aung Tun freed
by Mizzima News
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 21:02

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Aung Tun, a prominent student activist, was among the prisoners released as part of the ruling junta’s amnesty to 7,114 prisoners across the country, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners – Burma.

The Thailand-based AAPP-B on Wednesday said Aung Tun, age 42, arrested in February 1998, was released on September 18 from Tharyawaddy prison, Pegu division.

Aung Tun, a central executive member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, the group led by prominent student leader Min Ko Naing, is known for his book on the history of Burmese students’ movement.

His incarceration, notwithstanding, friends and colleagues helped him to release the ‘History of Burmese Students’ Movement” in 2007. It is a collection of records of past student leaders and movements and includes secret documents of student organizations.

In 1999, he was honoured with a Hellman/Hammett grant and was made an honourary member of PEN Centres in Norway, Canberra, Australia and Canada respectively.

POLITICS-BURMA: Junta Up to Its Old Tricks, Plays with the West By Larry Jagan

BANGKOK, Sep 23 (IPS) – Having released more than 7,000 prisoners in the last few days as part of the preparations for next year’s planned polls, Burma’s military rulers are up to their old tricks, according to Burmese activists and human rights groups.

Most of those released are petty criminals, although around 200 political prisoners are among the freed.

Many analysts believe these releases are intended to increase the credibility of next year’s multi-party elections – the first in 20 years. But activists accuse the junta of releasing political prisoners to deflect international pressure, especially at the United Nations, where the annual general assembly got underway this week. Burma usually comes under intense scrutiny during this meeting.

“Every one of these prisoners is a person, and it is unacceptable that the junta uses them as chips to bargain with and play the international community,” said Thailand-based David Scott Mathieson, the Burma researcher for the Human Rights Watch, a U.S.-based independent organisation.

At least 127 political prisoners have been freed, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners – Burma (AAPPB) in Thailand, which closely monitors the situation inside the junta-ruled South-east Asian state.

So far more than 40 members of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, have been freed, three of whom were elected as members of parliament in 1990.

Six members of the 88 Generation Students group, who were sentenced to more than 60 years in jail for their alleged part in organising the Buddhist monk-led mass protests two years ago against rising food prices, were also among those released from jail. Four monks arrested after the Saffron Revolt in 2007, four journalists, 13 students and a lawyer were also freed, according to the AAPPB.

“These releases are a showcase to ease international pressure,” Bo Kyi, the head of the AAPPB, told Inter Press Service. “We expect more than 200 to be released within the next few days.”

Myanmar Juntas Press Scrutiny Board

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„UPDATE- Further information on the imprisonment of Mar Mar Aye“

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KHRG:Livelihood consequences of SPDC restrictions and patrols in Nyaunglebin District

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Thint Ye Baw Journal – Vol 3 No 1 – Aug 2009

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Than Shwe’s Grandson: Geek, Playboy or Gangster?

In a country like Burma where free speech and political opinions are so muzzled, it’s no surprise people love gossip and scandal. Dozens of popular magazines and Web sites are dedicated to the fashions, flings and romances of pop stars and actresses.

But one subject is echoing around the teashops and offices of Rangoon these days—the numerous tales of Snr-Gen Than Shwe’s favorite grandson, Nay Shwe Thway Aung, nicknamed “Pho La Pyae,” and his public tantrums and shady dealings.
The junta chief’s grandson is renowned in the former capital as a spoilt brat who aspires to be a gangster and a playboy. Aged 18 and a student of Yangon [Rangoon] Technological University, Nay Shwe Thway Aung is brash, loud and outrageously snobbish. Despite his skinny build and computer geek appearance, he has nursed ambitions of being a football player and was romantically linked to two well-known Burmese models.
Several months ago, persistent but unconfirmed rumors suggested that Nay Shwe Thway Aung, an alleged drug abuser, and his friends kidnapped Wut Hmone Shwe Yee, a famous model and actress, and held her in his house for several days.

Heightened security in Shan south

Heightened security in Shan south
News – Shan Herald Agency for News
WEDNESDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2009 09:12

Come the beginning of September, several towns in southern Shan State have been on high alert with civilians being forced to take turns standing guard at night, according to local sources.

In Mongkeung, 128 miles northeast of the state capital Taunggyi, there are 11 sentry posts:
One for each of the town’s six neighborhoods
One for each of the four compass directions
One in the centre of the town
“If a household member is unable to take part in sentry duty, it has to pay Kyat 1,000 ($1),” said a townsman.

It is mandatory for government employees to take turns standing watch over their respective offices.

The order for heightened security came from the Mongnawng-based Military Operations Command (MOC) #2 that commands the 12 infantry battalions in Loilem, Laikha, Namzang, Mongnai, Panglong, Mongpawn and Mongkeung.

“We have the same situation here,” said a source in Mongyai, northern Shan State, without elaborating.

Col Yawdserk, leader of the non-ceasefire Shan State Army (SSA), said Naypyitaw has declared a state of war in Shan State since its attack and occupation of Kokang last month.

“The government, as usual, offers little explanation,” said a respected local from Panglong. “But there have been some bomb attacks here.”

The first bomb exploded in the police station in Quarter #1 on 2 September and the second in the house of Khin Maung Aye, Secretary of the Quarter #2 Council on 19 September. In both cases, there were some damages but no casualties.

Since August, more troops, guns, ammunition and supplies are pouring into Shan State especially in the east, where the Burmese Army is facing the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and its ally the National Democratic Alliance Army-Eastern Shan State (NDAA-ESS). Both had rejected Naypyitaw’s demand to transform their armed wings into junta-run Border Guard Forces.