Day: April 10, 2010
Naypyitaw turns down Wa’s latest proposal
Latest reports say Naypyitaw has turned down the United Wa State Army (UWSA)’s latest 8 point counterproposal submitted to Naypyitaw on 3 April, yesterday.
Yesterday morning,a 7 men junta delegation led by Col Than Htut Thein, Staff Officer Grade 1, of the Triangle Region Command and the Wa delegation led by Vice Chairman No.1 Xiao Minliang, held a meeting at the Wa headquarters, Panghsang from 8:30 to 10:00 over Naypyitaw’s response to the group, said an informed source from the Sino-Burma border.
The junta delegation did not refer direcly to the Wa proposal. It only reminded the group that if they accepted the principle to transform itself into junta run border guard force, they must totally abide by the Naypyitaw’s BGF program, “nothing more and nothing less.”
Than Htut Thein
“They did not mention the Wa proposal, but what they said was connected to all the points written in it,” he said.
For instance, the first point of the proposal was to keep Mongpawk and Mongphen under Wa administration (Naypyitaw has placed Mongpawk-Mongphen inside Mongyang township, under Burma Army control).
The junta’s response on the point was the two towns have been officially in Mongyang township for decades; that the group was already given 6 townships: Hopang, Pangwai, Mongmai, Panghsang, Markmang (Metman) and Naphan townships, according to its 2008 constitutions.
“Nobody can change what is already written in the constitution,” a source quoted Lt.Col Than Htut Thein as saying.
Afterwards, Vice Chairman Xiao Minliang reportedly thanked the junta delegation for the response to their proposal, saying the group will respond to Naypyitaw again as soon as the group has finished considering among themselves regarding Napyitaw’s stand.
The Wa leadership is expected to be holding a meeting together with officers from the southern Wa 171st Military Region who recently arrived in Panghsang.
Likewise, negotiations between the other ethnic ceasefire group, Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burma Army have failed regarding the BGF program, according to Kachin News Group (KNG) report yesterday.
At the same time, more Burma Army movements in ethnic ceasefire groups’ areas: Wa, National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), Shan State Army (SSA) ‘North’ and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) are being reported.
shanland org
Kachin leaders to speak out about failed negotiations to form the BGF
Burma’s ethnic Kachin leaders will speak publically in northern Kachin State about failed negotiations with the Burmese junta regarding formation of the new Border Guard Force, next Friday, April 16th, local sources said.
The Kachin Independence Organization, the last remaining Kachin armed group, will conduct a public meeting which is to be held in the group’s headquarters, in Laiza, in east of Kachin State, near the China border, said KIO officials.
Laiza, the HQ of KIO in northern Burma, near China border.
The meeting has to be held after the junta’s April 28 deadline, which is the second time it demanded the KIO respond with a clear answer on wether it will accept the formation of the proposed BGF.
The first deadline, February 28, expired without a clear decision from the KIO.
The Kachin public, as well as social and religious leaders and regional representatives from Kachin State and Northeast Shan State, are invited to the meeting by the KIO. It will be the 3rd public meeting called by the group concerning the transformation of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the armed-wing of KIO, into to the junta-proposed BGF since April, last year, according to KIO officials in Laiza.
In the meeting, KIO leaders will officially reveal their reasons the dialogue between the KIO and the Burmese junta about forming the BGF failed, even though delegates from both sides met at least 13 times in the Kachin capital of Myitkyina.
Burmese military leader, Snr-Gen Than Shwe, wants the KIO to respond with “acceptance or rejection” of the proposed BGF. However, the KIO has avoided a clear answer and proposed to Snr-Gen Than Shwe that it would like to discuss the armed-wing issue after the political problems between the two sides are resolved.
In fact, the KIO itself has a plan for transforming the KIA in principle, immediately after Kachins have their political rights restored in the Kachin land and all the political problems are resolved between the KIO and the majority Burman-led government, according to KIO leaders.
On the issue of transforming the KIA to the junta-proposed BGF, the KIO called the first public meeting in Laiza in May 12 and 13, last year and the second public meeting in Laiza on September 5 in the same year.
In the two meetings, Kachin people rejected the idea of a new civil war between the Burmese junta and the KIO. But, they disagreed with the junta’s plan to disarm the KIO to form the new BGF before the root political problems between them are resolved, according to the meeting’s statements.
Currently, the KIO is increasingly under pressure to accept the Burmese junta’s proposal regarding the BGF, which was also suggested in a letter from leaders of other Kachin armed groups— New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) and Lasang Awng Wa Peace Group which were disarmed by the junta late last year and Dr. Tu Ja, former Vice-president No. 2 of KIO while transforming to the BGF.
Kachin news
Doctor visits Suu Kyi twice in eight days
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Burmese democracy icon and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, was medically examined by her family doctor on Thursday for the second time in eight days.
The doctor’s visit was confirmed by NLD spokespersons and her lawyers, who said she may be suffering from low blood pressure and gastric problems.
Dr. Tin Myo Win her family physician was allowed by the junta authorities to examine her on Thursday, her lawyer Kyi Win told Mizzima. The doctor is permitted to visit the National League for Democracy General Secretary on the first Thursday of each month.
“When we met her last Wednesday and discussed matters we didn’t think that she was ill. But she told us she felt dizzy and had low blood pressure. We informed the authorities about her health. They in turn informed her family doctor. We have heard Dr. Tin Myo Win examined her but we are not aware of the details,” Kyi Win said.
NLD leaders said that the doctor carried an ECG machine to her house on Thursday.
“We have heard about her medical checkup. Her family doctor took an ECG machine for a checkup. We don’t know her detailed health situation,” NLD vice-chairman Tin Oo said. Continue reading “Doctor visits Suu Kyi twice in eight days”
Following the completion of their prison terms, the Burmese military junta released twoTwo NLD township leaders
Following the completion of their prison terms, the Burmese military junta released two National league for Democracy (NLD) leaders of Bogalay Township.
The released political prisoners are Aung Khin Bo, Chairman of Bogalay Township (Irrawaddy Division) organization committee of the NLD and Mi Mi Sein, the Joint Secretary. They were freed on Friday morning.
Aung Khin Bo was released from Thayet prison and Mi Mi Sein was released from Insein prison.
“U Aung Khin Bo was released this morning. He is on his way and will be in Rangoon office tomorrow,” a party spokesman, Ohn Kyaing, said.
A total of 300 prisoners were released on April 9.
“I was released at 11 am. They released me because I completed my prison term,” Mi Mi Sein told Mizzima.
Aung Khin Bo and Mi Mi Sein participated in the Bogalay market protest against mounting fuel and commodity prices and were imprisoned in September 2007. They were charged with violation of Article 505 (b) of the Penal Code upsetting public tranquility and violation of Article 143 of the Penal Code – unlawful assembly and sentenced two years and six months.
“I was ill in prison and needed medical treatment. I arrived in the prison on September 10, 2009 and was in the hospital of the Insein prison. On September 18, they told me if I signed bond 401, I would be free. I refused. I believe that we were sentenced even though we did not flout the law so I refused to sign the bond and therefore I had to serve the full prison term,” Mi Mi Sein said.
She said she supported the decision of NLD leaders, not to re-register the party because the electoral laws of the junta are unjust.
democracy for burma 