Day: September 18, 2012

Secretary Clinton delivers introductory remarks at an event honoring Aung San Suu Kyi at the U.S. Institute of Peace.LIVESTREAM !!

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Secretary Clinton delivers introductory remarks at an event honoring Aung San Suu Kyi at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Watch it here live at approximately 12:30 p.m. EDT today

On Tuesday, September 18th Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver introductory remarks at an event honoring Aung San Suu Kyi, at the U.S. Institute of Peace. The event, “On Burma/Myanmar in Transition: A Discussion with Aung San Suu Kyi” is sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Asia Society and the Department of State. The event will also include featured remarks by Aung San Suu Kyi. The discussion will focus on the democratic transition in Burma/Myanmar, the challenges that lay ahead, and the potential for a promising future.

The event is open to the press and will begin at approximately 12:30 p.m.

Pre-set time for video cameras: 11:30 a.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance of the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Final access time for journalists and still photographers: 12:00 p.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance of the U.S. Institute of Peace.

This event will be streamed live at www.state.gov.

Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver’s license, passport).

OR GO  http://www.usip.org/newsroom/webcasts

Webcasts at USIP

Burma/Myanmar in Transition: A Discussion with Aung San Suu Kyi

After decades of stagnation under military rule, Burma/Myanmar finds itself in a particularly fluid and fragile transition. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been at the fore of her country’s transition, helping reshape its political development path.

In her first visit to the United States in more than 20 years and her first public event, the United States Institute of Peace and the Asia Society are honored to host Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for an engaging discussion on the democratic transition in Burma/Myanmar, the challenges that lay ahead, and the potential for a promising future.

This event will be webcast live beginning at 12:30pm EST on September 18, 2012. Interested journalists should contact Alex Ortolani or Steven Ruder. Join the conversation on Twitter with #AungSanSuuKyi.

Burma: Report sent to the President of the arrival of the Burmese government’s 105 MM’s near Laizar

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10.september 2012

KIA’s spoke person, U La Nan, told Phophtaw News that government troops based at Doh Phone Yan, a part of Bamaw road, Myintgyinar were shooting with a 105 MM towards Lajaryan village near the LaiZar headquarters of brigade 5 on the 10th September at 6:30 pm.

“It was at around 6:30 in the evening. They shot three times with a 105 MM. The bullets fell near Lajaryan. It was not effective. It was a sign that 105 MM’s have arrived near Laizar. I think they are practice shots. We can clearly hear the sound of explosions from Laizar. We can hear them at Lajaryan, the exit gate of Laizar. I think 105 MMs can fire about 15 Kilometers. So, we can tell that the situation is getting serious.” U La Nan said.

Hence, the 105 MM shots on 10th September were practice shots and KIA assumes that it is their preparation for their attempt to take over KIA’s headquarters. The president has already confirmed in a meeting with Ethnic Affairs Ministers that the government is sending by air; weapons, rations and human resources. They further confirmed that this would include 105 MM’s and bullets.

“This is a mind attack operation on KIA. It is also for OP. OP is a military term that means the KIA tells the media about, where the weapon will attack. They want the KIA to attack back so they can find out where the KIA’s base is. The government will not know an exact place they will just shoot where they think we are” one of the KIA’s commanding officers said.

The KIA said that in last May when the government made a second military promotion they started using 105 MM Howitzer weapon. At that time there was very serious fighting, the howitzer was not effective. The reason is the 105 MM is useful for destroying camps but not effective in guerrilla warfare. Thus, government troops stopped using the 105 MM in May because it was not successful.

Military critics have said that Deputy Minister for Defence, Brigadier Aung Thaw, wrongly submitted information to parliament because currently the government is shooting the 105 MM towards KIA. This means the government has finished preparing to take over KIA’s military camps.

105_mmggThe deputy Minister for Defence replied to a question of a member of parliament in a parliamentary conference on 10thDecember 2011, saying that the government troops did not follow the orders from the president. The president has ordered that the army must not fight the KIO and may only defend themselves; they must not attack any KIO military units. For further information, see: http://www.mrtv3.net.mm/newpaper/79newsm.pdf.

The deputy Minister for Defence replied to a question of a member of parliament in a parliamentary conference on 10thDecember 2011, saying that the government troops did not follow the orders from the president. The president has ordered that the army must not fight the KIO and may only defend themselves; they must not attack any KIO military units. For further information see http://www.mrtv3.net.mm/newpaper/79newsm.pdf.

KIA and the government have fought over 30 battles from early September up to September 9th and the battles are gradually getting more serious said the KIA. According to reports of the situation, the government’s words and practical actions are irrelevant. Therefore, the president and ministers’ principles, words, promises and regulations are pointless as nobody with any sense would believe them.