Day: October 9, 2009
Junta said to be supplying chemical mortars to army
by Mungpi
Friday, 09 October 2009 21:48
New Delhi (Mizzima) – In what seems to be a sinister design, the Burmese military junta, while reinforcing its troops in Shan state for a massive offensive against ethnic ceasefire groups, is supplying its army with mortars laced with chemical ingredients, sources said.
According to the Thailand-based ethnic Kachin News Group (KNG), the junta’s troops since last month have been stockpiling a strange type of mortar shell, marked with red, yellow and green colours.
“We have our source in the army. Our source tells us that the army is bringing in these mortars, which are made of chemicals. But they have been strictly told not to use it without orders from higher ups,” said Naw Din, Editor of the KNG, quoting a military source.
Naw Din said, the mortars, according to an insider, were imported from North Korea and have a deadly chemical impact, once fired.
“When the mortars are fired, it contaminates the air and causes people to faint, results in bleeding of the nose, causes breathing difficulties and blurs the eye sight,” Naw Din said.
He added the army source told him that at least two military trucks carrying these mortars were sent to the Burmese Army’s No.1 Nyaung Pin military base on the mountain top near Mongkoe in Northeast Shan State, in early September. Continue reading “Junta said to be supplying chemical mortars to army”
Senior NLD leaders to meet foreign diplomats
New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Central Executive Committee of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party the National League for Democracy has said that they were sounded out for a meeting by western diplomats, after they met party leader on Friday morning.
Ohn Kyaing, NLD spokesperson said diplomats from United States, United Kingdom and Australia have approached party leaders for a meeting.
“So far, we know that these diplomats are the same diplomats, who met Aung San Suu Kyi this morning. They said they wanted to come and meet the [NLD] CEC members,” Ohn Kyaing said.
While the diplomats did not mention why they wanted to meet CEC mmebers, Ohn Kyaing said, it may be to go over the same topic that they discussed with Aung San Suu Kyi.
However, details of the meeting between the diplomats and detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, is not yet available.
“We are now contacting the CEC members. U Win Tin said he cannot come because of health reasons,” Ohn Kyaing added.
While a few other members including Chairman Aung Shwe and Secretary U Lwin have not yet arrived, members such as Nyunt Wai, Hla Pe, Than Tun, Lun Tin and Khin Maung Swe reached the party headquarters in Rangoon’s West Shwegondine Street in Bahan township, Ohn Kyaing said.
In late September, Burmese democracy icon Aung San SUu Kyi sent a proposal to junta’s military supremo Snr Gen Than Shwe offering to work together in trying to ease western sanctions. But in order to do so, she asked to meet diplomats of the US, European Union, and Australia.
Following the letter, Aung San Suu Kyi was met twice in the past week by the junta’s Liaison Minister Aung Kyi.
Veteran politician U Win Tin to undergo eye operation
by Mizzima News
Friday, 09 October 2009 16:01
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Veteran politician Win Tin will undergo an eye operation on Friday, his close friend said.
The senior member of Burma’s opposition party – the National League for Democracy – has been suffering from blurred vision and will be operated on by Dr. Hla Myint at his clinic on 12th street in Rangoon’s Lanmadaw township.
“He was supposed to have the operation a long time ago, but since he also had a cardiac problem, he was first operated for this. After having placed a pace-maker, he is now ready for the eye operation,” Maung Muang Khin, a close friend with whom Win Tin has been staying said.
Win Tin spent over 19 years in prison and was released in September 2008. Since his release, he has been suffering from various illnesses, including heart and eye problems.
“The operation will start at 4:30 p.m. (local time). It will be his left eye, as he has already had his right eye operated,” said Maung Maung Khin, adding that since the operation is minor, Win Tin will be allowed to return home after the operation.
A strong advocate for dialogue and national reconciliation, Win Tin is a co-founder of the NLD, and is also known as the brain behind Aung San Suu Kyi.
The bachelor veteran journalist, since his release has been staying with friends and relatives and has been unable to rent a house as no landlord seems to be willing to accommodate him due to indirect pressure applied on them by authorities.
Reporting by Salai Han Thar San
The Chairman of Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the political arm of the Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ Colonel Yawd Serk:”Burma has no government”
FRIDAY, 09 OCTOBER 2009 18:13 S.H.A.N.
The Chairman of Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the political arm of the Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ Colonel Yawd Serk said the current ruling military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), cannot be called the Government of the Union of Burma because the 1947 union constitution ratified by all nationalities had already been overthrown.
According to him, the ruling military SPDC is an ethnic organization like many others. The government of the Union has yet to emerge as the union has ceased to exitst since 1962 together with the 1947 constitution. “The ruling junta is not the government. It is just a military clique led by Gen Than Shwe,” he said. “One way to undermine their power therefore is not to call them government. If we do, it will mean that we still accept them as our government.”
The juntas’ much vaunted 3 causes: Non disintegration of the Union; Non disintegration of National Solidarity and Perpetuation of National Sovereignty were also wrong because the union formed by all the ethnic nationalities has gone, according Yawd Serk.
“There was a union because of the 1947 constitution,” he said, “Now that it is no more, it means all the ethnic states have returned to their independent previous status.”
To reestablish the Government of the Union, the Union must be restored first. To restore it, respective representatives from all ethnic nationalities must meet and talk similar to the 1947 Panglong conference, according to him.
Hkun Okker of the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) also shared the view of Col Yawd Serk that the Union has been destroyed, but the spirit of the Union is still being used by the junta military and they are still ruling the country as a government even though they are not recognized by the people. 
“They are called illegal government or de facto government. The union they are ruling is an artificial union,” he said.
To be a legitimate government and build a genuine union of Burma, they must draft a constitution which truly guarantees the ethnic equality and right to self-determination and accepted by all ethnic nationalities. “The difference will be whereas 1947 was a process of coming together, this time it will be a process of holding together,” he said.
The exile opposition had already launched a credentials challenge campaign at the UN last year.
“It was essentially a fact-finding meeting on the part of Aung San Suu Kyi to try and understand what the situation is regarding sanctions,” UK embassy spokesperson Alex Page
Suu Kyi led ‘fact-finding’ meeting with diplomats
Oct 9, 2009 (DVB)–A meeting today between Western diplomats and Aung San Suu Kyi focused mainly on discussing Western sanctions on Burma, a UK embassy spokesperson said.
Diplomats from the UK, the US and Australian met with Suu Kyi at a government guesthouse for around one hour this morning.
“It was essentially a fact-finding meeting on the part of Aung San Suu Kyi to try and understand what the situation is regarding sanctions,” UK embassy spokesperson Alex Page told DVB.
“All three of the visitors basically outlined the situation of the government’s concerned, and explained why the sanctions have been imposed, what the time-scale was, and what the sanctions actually implied.”
He added that he was unclear what the next steps would be, or whether another meeting was likely to take place.
A spokesperson for the US embassy in Rangoon, Drake Weisert, confirmed that sanctions were discussed, but said “we do not want to pre-empt Aung San Suu Kyi’s discussions with the authorities by discussing the details of the meeting”. Continue reading ““It was essentially a fact-finding meeting on the part of Aung San Suu Kyi to try and understand what the situation is regarding sanctions,” UK embassy spokesperson Alex Page”
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