USDP Official Hints Suu Kyi's Party Under Foreign Influence

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - People from Burma say USDP party Under Foreign Influence.

Thursday, 15 December 2011 ------------------------------------------ USDP Official Hints Suu Kyi's Party Under Foreign Influence Dissident Monk Officially Condemned as "Inobedient" Govt Sending More Troops to Kachin State by Helicopter: KIO Opium cultivation rises due to political volatility in Burma Shanmugam visits Aung San Suu Kyi China says its envoy met Myanmar opposition leader China says its ambassador to Myanmar met Suu Kyi China says its ambassador met Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi From a jack to a nightingale Union government, MRCS, UNHCR, UNICEF and USDP donate relief supplies ----------------------------------------- USDP Official Hints Suu Kyi's Party Under Foreign Influence By THE IRRAWADDY Thursday, December 15, 2011 An official from Burma's military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which dominates the country's national Parliament, implied that the Burmese opposition party led by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is under the influence of foreign countries. Burma is at risk of being influenced by external powers because of "a certain political party" that is operating under the influence of foreign nations, said Aung Thein Lin, who is the former mayor of Rangoon and a leading MP representing the USDP. Although he did not mention either Suu Kyi or her National League for Democracy (NLD) by name, Aung Thein Lin's remark was widely viewed as referring to the NLD because it was made at a meeting in Rangoon on Dec. 10 between USDP officials and representatives from a coalition of ten opposition parties that does not include the NLD. Suu Kyi's party has maintained close connections with the US and other Western countries since it was founded more than 20 years ago, and Suu Kyi, an Oxford graduate, has consistently supported Western economic sanctions against the Burmese government. Ironically, it is a widely shared view that the Burmese government, which is dominated by USDP members, has been subject to enormous influence from neighboring China over the past twenty years. The USDP, led by former army generals including President Thein Sein, won a majority of the seats in last year's parliamentary elections, which the NLD boycotted and observers condemned as widely fraudulent. However, the NLD recently declared its plans to contest coming by-elections and Suu Kyi has stated her desire to compete for a seat in the Parliament. After the NLD registered as a political party, the USDP began courting other smaller and underfunded opposition parties to form a counterweight to the NLD, according to a Rangoon politician who attended the Dec. 10 meeting. The politician said that Aung Thein Lin noted at the meeting that since the USDP was formed by ex-army generals who don't read, lack political experience and only know how to take orders and instructions from their superiors, the party needs to cooperate with other political parties. The opposition parties who attended the meeting included the National Democratic Force, a breakaway party from the NLD, and certain ethnic parties represented in Parliament. Although the ten-party coalition was formed with the intention of countering the USDP in Parliament, its member parties do not enjoy a close relation with the NLD due to their differences regarding last year elections. In addition, unlike the NLD, the coalition parties frequently call for the lifting of Western sanctions on Burma. In a press conference, the coalition roundly rejected accusations that their meeting with Aung Thein Lin meant that they had joined forces with the USDP. Its representatives said that the discussions were informal and the coalition has no intention of siding with the USDP. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22660 ----------------------------------------- Dissident Monk Officially Condemned as "Inobedient" By BA KAUNG Thursday, December 15, 2011 A prominent Buddhist monk in Rangoon, who actively supports democracy activists, and recently met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit to Burma, is now under increasing pressure from the official Buddhist monkhood, and looks set to be defrocked. The news of Ashin Pyinna Thiha's potential humiliation has sent shockwaves across the city, and protesters have gathered at his monastery to show their concern. A few months ago, Ashin Pyinna Thiha of the Sardu Pariyatti Monastery, turned his monastery Kyeemyindine Township in Rangoon into a venue for popular political events that were even attended by foreign diplomats. More recently he hosted an event marking the 20th anniversary of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Before his recent meeting with Clinton, the abbot delivered a sermon at the office of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party in Mandalay in Upper Burma, calling for national unity and emancipation from injustice. The speech was made in September, but a recorded video of the event recently spread among the Burmese public, in which Pyinna Thiha said he had been forbidden by the State Sangha Committee---which is the authoritative council of Buddhist monks backed by the government---from delivering public speeches due to his anti-government stance. Apparently citing this video, the 47-member State Sangha Committee issued a statement on Monday that the abbot was "disobedient," within the monk community, and he was to be evicted from his monastery in Rangoon. They also stated that the monastery could no longer be used for any political events. In an interview, the abbot only responded to the statement by saying, "The days of arbitrariness are gone. Things must go democratic." However, he currently remains in his Rangoon monastery though police had reportedly set up a presence around the compound. The news has sent a chilling sense of anxiety and frustration around the former capital. Burmese blogs have responded actively, and much resentment seems to rest on the premises that there was a growing acceptance at home and abroad that the days of repression were starting to fade under the country's quasi-civilian government, which had relaxed control over the society in a number of areas. At 1 pm on Thursday, about 300 lay supporters of the abbot, including leading officials of the NLD, gathered at his monastery in Rangoon due to their concerns that he would be forcibly defrocked. "We have come here to see that this situation is settled smoothly," said a Rangoon democracy activist who attended. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22662 ----------------------------------------- Govt Sending More Troops to Kachin State by Helicopter: KIO By SAW YAN NAING Thursday, December 15, 2011 Burma's army is using helicopters to send reinforcements to Kachin State in a bid to avoid ambushes by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), despite a call from the country's president to halt fighting, according to sources in the conflict area. La Nan, a spokesperson for the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the KIA's political wing, said that the government has stepped up its use of helicopters since last month, noting that previously they were used primarily to evacuate wounded government troops. "Since Nov 25, they have been using more helicopters, not only to transport injured troops, but also to bring in ammunition and reinforcements, because they were suffering heavy casualties when they tried to bring more soldiers into the combat zone overland," he said. Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Thursday, La Nan said that the most severe clashes have been near Mai Ja Yang, where the KIA's Brigade 3 is based and where hundreds of civilians have been displaced by the fighting. Despite a call by Burmese President Thein Sein earlier this week to end a conflict that has been raging since June, the government army seems to be preparing for an escalation of the conflict, said La Nan. Observers in the area said that anger over heavy casualties inflicted by the KIA could be fueling the army's apparent unwillingness to end its offensive. In one recent three-day battle with the KIA's Battalion 15 alone, some 73 Burmese troops were killed, according to KIO records cited by La Nan. Heavy casualties have been reported on both sides, although complete figures are not available. However, sources who visited the conflict zones recently said they witnessed hundreds of dead government troops. According to one Western observer who spoke to The Irrawaddy on Thursday, fighting continues to rage on unabated near the KIO's headquarters of Laiza, on the Sino-Burmese border. "I just returned from Laiza and as of late last night they were still fiercely fighting just outside of Mai Ja Yang, a few kilometers away as the crow flies," he said. "The KIA and the Burmese army had been struggling over the mountaintop post of Mu Bum. Late in the afternoon, three Huskies could be seen circling and dropping supplies and some think perhaps even bombs, as major ground-shaking explosions could be heard and felt all the way to Mai Ja Yang. So it seems the president's orders are falling on deaf ears," he added. Meanwhile, efforts to bring relief supplies to civilians displaced by the conflict continue to face hurdles. According to La Nan, a group of UN relief workers that recently visited KIO-controlled areas for humanitarian aid delivery were stranded for several hours as they attempted to travel to Bhamo Township because of mortar shelling by government troops. There are estimated to be more than 34,000 refugees sheltering in Laiza, the majority of them women, children and the elderly. As winter sets in and temperatures fall in this northernmost corner of Southeast Asia, there are concerns that they are becoming increasingly vulnerable to health problems. On Wednesday, the government's newly established human rights commission also warned that children living in temporary shelters in Kachin State could be suffering from psychological trauma, while "the adults seem to experience a sense of insecurity and diminished confidence," according to a statement published by the state-run New Light of Myanmar. However, the KIO has made it clear that it does not welcome offers of help from the government. "We don't accept their donations because they are not sincere. We refuse to take anything offered by groups affiliated with the government that is attacking us," said La Nan. In addition to 2,000 kg of supplies from Kachin State officials and 200 bags of rice donated by local MP Thein Zaw, the KIO also turned down 400 family kits---containing blankets, clothing and other basic necessities---from the government-backed Myanmar Red Cross Society. However, it has accepted relief supplies provided by UN organizations such as the the United Nations Children's Fund, which provided 300 family kits to displaced families in Laiza on Tuesday. All rejected donations were returned to their respective sources on Wednesday, according to La Nan. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22661 ---------------------------------------- Opium cultivation rises due to political volatility in Burma By Zin Linn Dec 15, 2011 7:17PM UTC UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific launched the report "South-East Asia Opium Survey 2011 -- Lao PDR, Myanmar" -- today at The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand in Bangkok. The presentation of the Report was highlighted by Mr. Gary Lewis, Regional Representative, UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific. Suggestion for drug eradication in Myanmar (Burma) was put forward by Mr. Jason Eligh, Country Manager, UNODC Myanmar and implication for Lao PDR was made by Mr. Leik Boonwaat, Representative/Deputy Regional Representative, UNODC Lao PDR. In 2011, opium cultivation in Burma's war torn Kachin and Shan states was estimated at 43,600 ha, representing an increase of 14 per cent compared to 38,100 ha in 2010. The rising of poppy-growing area started slowly in 2007 after 6 years of decline (2001 to 2006), a United Nations report said Thursday. According the estimation of the report, opium cultivation took place in 34 per cent of the surveyed villages in Shan State, with high concentrations in East Shan State 44 per cent and South Shan State 46 per cent. The UN Agency agreed the regional increase of opium poppy cultivation to rising prices for the illicit drugs, and a lack of crop-substitution projects in these remote areas, where in Burma's question there are ongoing ethnic insurrections. Opium prices in Burma this year, as said by the report, have significantly increased. The average farm-gate price of opium was US$ 450/kg in 2011. It was up 48 per cent from US$ 305/kg in 2010. The report spotlighted that poppy farmers are very vulnerable to loss of income derived from opium, especially those who count on this earnings source for food security. Moreover, opium cultivation is generally linked to a lack of peace and security, which points out the need for political and economic solutions. According to Shan Drug Watch program (October 201) by Shan Herald Agency for News, poppy cultivation was continuing unchecked in 46 of the 55 Shan townships, mostly in areas under the control of the Burma Army and its militias. However, unfavorable weather conditions caused a massive drop in opium output during the last season. But, there is no evidence of constant effort by the Burmese regime to eradicate opium. On the contrary, opium farmers throughout the state are being taxed by Burma Army units, Shan Drug Watch said. In Kachin State, northern part of Burma, poppy growing areas were up 27 per cent, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime's annual South-East Asia Opium Survey 2011 said. Laos saw its opium poppy cultivation increase from 3,000 hectares in 2010 to 4,100 hectares, up 37 per cent, according to agency estimates. The agency's executive director Yuri Fedotov said that the lack of security, political stability and sustainable development are some of the key drivers behind increased opium production. The high prices for opium in Lao DPR and the Thailand, as well as steep price increase in Burma, are also making production attractive to poppy farmers, Fedotov criticized. Many analysts say that political reforms, improved security and stronger economic growth are needed to shift poppy farmers away from growing opium and to cut drug addiction. The making of illicit drugs in Burma has considerable international, regional and national end results. At the international level, the opium and heroin produced in the country are consumed in Asia distributed through China and Thailand as well as the rest of Asia, reaching destinations as far away as Australia, North America and Europe. At the regional level, drugs are at the root of various problems, including the spread of HIV/AIDS fuelled by injecting drug use, corruption of border officials and the large influence of criminal elements seeking on undermining the rule of law and further instability in the border areas. Some political analysts pointed out, poppy growing and opium production in Shan State have increased over the past two years due to political volatility in Burma and growing economic despondency caused by cronyism, corruption and unprofessional conduct of the military-backed government. http://asiancorrespondent.com/72054/opium-cultivation-rises-due-to-political-volatility-in-burma/ ----------------------------------------- Shanmugam visits Aung San Suu Kyi inShare.AsiaOne Thursday, Dec 15, 2011 Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Minister for Law K Shanmugam met with Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi at her residence in Yangon on Wednesday afternoon. During the hour-long meeting, the two exchanged views on recent developments in Myanmar and the challenges facing the country going forward, said a statement from MFA. They discussed the importance of all parties working together for national reconciliation and Myanmar's continued progress. Shanmugam then paid a courtesy call on President Thein Sein in Nay Pyi Taw and held a meeting with him which lasted for an hour. During the meeting, MFA said that both sides reaffirmed the ties between Singapore and Myanmar, and President Thein Sein briefed Shanmugam on his development priorities. Thein Sein also expressed the government's appreciation for Singapore's technical assistance and post-Cyclone Nargis humanitarian assistance. Minister Shanmugam also affirmed Singapore's readiness to share its developmental experiences with Myanmar. During his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Shanmugam also called on Upper House and Union Parliament Speaker U Khin Aung Myint, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, Union Attorney General Dr Tun Shin, and Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) Secretary-General U Htay Oo. http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20111215-316382.html ---------------------------------------- China says its envoy met Myanmar opposition leader Originally published: December 15, 2011 2:46 AM Updated: December 15, 2011 4:21 AM By The Associated Press BEIJING - (AP) -- China's ambassador to Myanmar has met Aung San Suu Kyi in the first reported meeting between one of the military regime's biggest backers and the high-profile opposition leader. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Thursday that the meeting came at Suu Kyi's request. He would not say when it took place. "Madam Aung Sang Suu Kyi expressed her hope several times that she could meet with the Chinese ambassador to Myanmar, and the ambassador met with her in response to her request and listened to her opinions," Liu told a daily news conference. The meeting comes amid democratic stirrings in Myanmar that have raised hopes of change after decades of military rule. Suu Kyi met earlier this month with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whose visit raised questions about Myanmar's ties with China. China and Myanmar have historic ties, but Myanmar pulled back recently from a major dam project sought by its northern neighbor. Liu repeated that Beijing is committed to a comprehensive partnership between China and Myanmar and backs resource-rich Myanmar's efforts to boost its economic and social development. Beijing has long provided key diplomatic and economic support for Myanmar, but relations have been strained by fighting between Myanmar's army and rebel groups that has sent refugees into southwestern China. China was caught off guard by the suspension of the $3.6 billion China-funded Myitsone dam being built by a Chinese company in Myanmar. The suspension was a significant about-face in Myanmar's domestic politics. The project had drawn protests from ethnic and environmental groups. Liu said that Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, Beijing's top foreign policy official, would take part in regional meetings on the Mekong River early next week in Myanmar, and would also have bilateral meetings with Myanmar government officials. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/china-says-its-envoy-met-myanmar-opposition-leader-1.3390436 ----------------------------------------- China says its ambassador to Myanmar met Suu Kyi (AFP) 3 hours ago BEIJING China's ambassador to Myanmar has held talks with democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition National League for Democracy, Beijing said o n Thursday. China also said that State Councilor Dai Bingguo, the top official on foreign affairs, would go to Myanmar for meetings next week, after a landmark visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to China's longtime ally. "The Chinese ambassador met with (Suu Kyi) in response to her request and listened to her opinions," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin, offering no details about what the two discussed. "Based on the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, the Chinese side engages in contact with all sectors of society," Liu told a regular press conference. Suu Kyi was freed in November last year after seven years of house arrest, and authorities gave the green light on Tuesday for her previously banned opposition NLD party to rejoin mainstream politics as a registered party. Myanmar's leadership has long counted on China as its main supporter but the new government has rolled out a series of reformist measures as the former generals who dominate it have sought to reach out to political opponents and the West. China is also Myanmar's biggest foreign investor, buying up vast amounts of oil, gas and timber as it offers unwavering diplomatic support. But some projects have caused resentment in Myanmar, due to environmental damage and the displacement of populations. In a surprise decision in September, Myanmar's new President Thein Sein ordered work on the huge $3.6 billion Chinese-backed Myitsone Dam to stop due to local pressure -- sparking anger in Beijing. Clinton this month became the top US official in more than 50 years to visit Myanmar, also known as Burma, as she sought to encourage reforms by the government which has opened talks with the opposition and ethnic minorities. Suu Kyi tried at the time to ease China's concerns over the trip, saying as she appeared next to Clinton in Yangon that she hoped Myanmar would have "friendly relations" with its giant neighbour. China's foreign ministry did not say when the meeting between the ambassador and Suu Kyi took place. In the days running up to the Clinton visit, China repeatedly said that it welcomed increased engagement between Myanmar and the US as long as Washington respects the will of the people of Myanmar. But Beijing also urged the US to lift its sweeping sanctions on Myanmar, a step that Washington says is premature without further reforms. Copyright ? 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More ? http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iTYjodQtEz2C1dxdgbEqpbWfqmkw?docId=CNG.d96740d7b33e1f9da02bd659d2fc27aa.b1 ----------------------------------------- China says its ambassador met Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi By Associated Press, Updated: Thursday, December 15, 4:22 PM BEIJING Chinas ambassador to Myanmar has met Aung San Suu Kyi in the first reported meeting between one of the military regimes biggest backers and the high-profile opposition leader. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Thursday that the meeting came at Suu Kyis request. He would not say when it took place. inShare..Madam Aung Sang Suu Kyi expressed her hope several times that she could meet with the Chinese ambassador to Myanmar, and the ambassador met with her in response to her request and listened to her opinions, Liu told a daily news conference. The meeting comes amid democratic stirrings in Myanmar that have raised hopes of change after decades of military rule. Suu Kyi met earlier this month with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whose visit raised questions about Myanmars ties with China. China and Myanmar have historic ties, but Myanmar pulled back recently from a major dam project sought by its northern neighbor. Liu repeated that Beijing is committed to a comprehensive partnership between China and Myanmar and backs resource-rich Myanmars efforts to boost its economic and social development. Beijing has long provided key diplomatic and economic support for Myanmar, but relations have been strained by fighting between Myanmars army and rebel groups that has sent refugees into southwestern China. China was caught off guard by the suspension of the $3.6 billion China-funded Myitsone dam being built by a Chinese company in Myanmar. The suspension was a significant about-face in Myanmars domestic politics. The project had drawn protests from ethnic and environmental groups. Liu said that Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, Beijings top foreign policy official, would take part in regional meetings on the Mekong River early next week in Myanmar, and would also have bilateral meetings with Myanmar government officials. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/china-says-its-ambassador-met-myanmar-opposition-leader-aung-san-suu-kyi/2011/12/15/gIQANqsNvO_story.html ----------------------------------------------- From a jack to a nightingale Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:54 By Sai Awng Murng The fourth annual Sao Thusandi Leadership Award ceremony was recently held at Loi Kawwan, Shan State, to recognize the achievements and contributions of a senior medic, Sai Bayta. The award, established by the American humanitarian organization Burma Lifeline, is to honor "young people from Shan State who are committed to taking a leadership role in establishing a democratic, peaceful and thriving Shan State," and "to encourage and support the awardees in their work to uphold local customs and culture, and to inspire others in Shan State to follow their example in pursuit of a democratic society in their homeland, which presents opportunities for all." Sai Bayta This year's recipient, Sai Bayta, is a 27 year old senior medic who has served at the camp clinic for over 12 years. Hailing originally from Namzang in central/southern Shan State, the future looked bleak for Sai Bayta whom, like hundreds of thousands of ethnic Shans, had been forced to flee their homes in central and southern Shan State in the late 1990s as the Burmese military launched a scorched earth policy in the region. The campaign entailed destruction and forced relocation of thousands of villagers, accompanied by widespread human rights abuses including torture, forced labor, extrajudicial execution, and rape, as was documented by the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) in its 1998 report, Dispossessed, and the Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN) in their 2001 report, License to Rape. Recalled Sai Bayta, "For over a year, my mother and I were living and hiding in the forest. We were afraid to go out, because, for one thing, we didn't have the money to buy anything. And, for another, we were afraid we might run into Burmese patrols." Book cover: Dispossessed Yet the young IDP persevered. Despite only a first grade formal education, shortly after emerging from the jungle at age 14, he pursued training as a community health worker along the Thai-Burma border. The originally illiterate teenager would continue to acquire further skills through relentless pursuit of all possible educational opportunities open to him, including English and leadership training at the School for Shan State Nationalities Youth (SSSNY), and thematic trainings focused on public health data collection, dental care, and basic laboratory skills. "During that time, I heard my mother, who was working in Fang, was in poor health," he recalled. "So I went back to look after her. But then she was arrested by the police and was detained for 8 days. It took me a lot of trouble and almost 10,000 baht ($ 333) to secure her release." "Bayta really exemplifies the individuals the award was designed to recognize," noted Dr. Vit of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at Johns Hopkins University. "His qualities of hard work without complaint, his dedication to his IDP community, his patience, and ongoing quest for more knowledge and skills. I had absolutely no qualms at all about nominating him for this year's award." Established in 2008, the award is named after the founder of Burma Lifeline, Sao Thusandi, the former ruling Mahadevi (celestial princess) of the Shan state of Hsipaw. Originally from Austria, Sao Thusandi is is also known as Inge Sargent. In 1951, she had won a Fulbright scholarship to study in Colorado, USA, where she met and fell in love with another young foreign student, Sao Kya Seng, who was from Burma. The couple married in 1953 and moved to Burma, where the young bride soon learned she had, in fact, married a Shan prince. "...he wanted to be sure I loved him for who he was, not what he was," she later recalled. She would document her experience in a book, Twilight Over Burma: My Life as a Shan Princess, published in 1994. Book cover: Licence To Rape She quickly learned the language and customs of her adopted family and, along with Sao Kya Seng, were known to be amongst the most progressive of the Shan royalty. The young couple, in particular, focused on expanding farming and improving the livelihoods of their subjects, along with bringing basic health and education services to the people of Hsipaw. "The two of us were like a Little Peace Corps," noted Ms. Sargent, who is often referred to affectionately as Sao Mae (royal mother) by the Shans. However, the fairy tale did not last. When the Burmese military, led by General Ne Win, seized power in a coup d'etat in 1962, Sao Kya Seng was detained by Burmese troops near the state capital of Taunggyi. He was never heard from again. Sao Mae was placed under house arrest before fleeing two years later with their two children. She would return to Colorado, remarry, and work as a high school teacher until retirement, upon which she, along with her current husband, Howard Sargent, established Burma Lifeline to provide much-needed aid to people from Burma, particularly ethnic peoples otherwise unable to access basic social services. Wrote Sao Mae from Colorado, "I am so glad for Bayta... this award is not about me, it is about Bayta and all the other recipients. They have shown potential to become the future leaders of the Shan State once they are able to return to their homeland. I am very proud of their accomplishments- so would Sao Kya Seng have been." "I don't think I've been given this award, because you think I'm clever," he told Burma Lifeline. "I think it's because of my perseverance and attention to duty. I hope this will set an example for future recipients who are not only hardworking and responsible but also brighter and smarter." Sai Awng Murng is a pseudonym. http://shanland.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4280:from-a-jack-to-a-nightingale&catid=93:general&Itemid=291 --------------------------------------------- Thursday, December 15, 2011: New Light of Myanmar As humanitarian activities, Union government, MRCS, UNHCR, UNICEF and USDP donate relief supplies such as rice, sweater and personal goods to families who were displaced due to conflict in Maijayan region of Bhamo District NAY PYI TAW, 14 Dec-The government formed a Union level peace group with 11 members for achieving eternal peace in Kachin State and assigns duty to the group to meet KIA/KIO group not only for serving the interest of local national people but also for focusing on peace and stability of the Union. In so doing, the President Office on 10 December has instructed the Office of the Commander-in- Chief of Defence Services for the government military columns in the Kachin State not to engage in offensive operations against the KIA and not to move the troops except in its defence to be able to build trusts between the two sides while making peace talks. It was reported that the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services has sent instructions to regiments, units and columns in the region. On other hand, members of the peace group are seriously striving for holding peace talks. As humanitarian activities, the Union government, the Myanmar Red Cross Society, UNHCR, UNICEF and Union Solidarity and Development Party donate relief supplies such as rice, sweater and personal goods to the families who were displaced due to present conflict in Maijayan region of Bhamo District. The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission went to Bhamo and coordinated with local authorities for soonest distribution of donated supplies possible to the respective camps in Bhamo. The donations for the families displaced as a result of conflicts comprised six relief items for 1000 households by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, 300 bags of rice and 1000 sweaters by Union Solidarity and Development Party, 400 sets of family kit by Myanmar Red Cross Society, four relief items for 500 households by UNHCR, 25 relief items for 300 households by UNICEF. All donations have been sent to Maijayan region on 12 December. Moreover, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement has provided six relief items for 2345 households, 300 boxes of instant noodle and 3560 sweaters for 3022 households from 55 relief camps, WFP 343.87 tons of rice, 43.862 tons of gram, 22.17 tons of edible oil and 3.655 tons of salt, UNHCR 270 tents, 1459 blankets, 1459 mosquito nets, 755 sets of kitchen utensils and 755 sheets of tarpaulin, and UNICEF medicines for emergency cases, 30 boxes of medical equipment and health aid materials. Under the arrangements of the ministry, Nyein Foundation donated stationery, soaps and mosquito nets worth K 49,553,030, Myitta Foundation general relief supplies worth K 255.2 million, Kachin Baptist Church (KBC) cash and general assistance worth K 121 million, World Vision 18 items of general supplies worth K 49,227,000, Karuna (Myitkyina) Social Society general supplies worth K 92.3 million, Swiss Aids K 400,000 and World Concern stationery and clothes. Likewise, the Kachin State Government and people donated foodstuffs, personal goods, clothes, medicines and school stationery worth K 32,092,000 and K 2,8643,000, departments concerned in Kachin State relief supplies worth K 99,833,530 and K 23,014,400, MRCS family and kitchen utensils worth K 165 million, social and religious associations and wellwishers various items of aids worth K 50 million and K 33.7 million, and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw representatives K 70 million. The donations and provisions for the families who temporarily moved in Kachin State due to situation of security by the government, the UN and international organizations, social organizations and wellwishers amounted to K 268 million and clothes, personal goods, foodstuffs, medicines and school stationery worth K 1222.5 million. The Kachin State Government is systematically providing necessary assistance for basic needs of the households at the relief camps while making systematic arrangements for enabling the children to pursue education. As a total of 51 schools where altogether 7872 students from 10 townships were closed down due to the conflict in the state, the state government has opened temporary schools for the students from the relief camps to continuously learn education. A total of 3153 students from the temporary relief camps are attending the schools. Furthermore, free health care services are being provided to the families of the relief camps by opening the clinics systematically. At present, under coordination by the Kachin State Government, humanitarian assistance by various government departments, internal social organizations and UN agencies are being distributed to the population in the relief camps and their basic necessities were provided for. However, with the coming of cold weather, there is a need for warm clothes and blankets. Families are randomly put together in temporary accommodations which pose a challenge to families, particularly, those with young children. From the individual interviews, almost all the people from the relief camps want to return to their own villages. Children appear to be suffering from psychological trauma and the adults seem to experience a sense of insecurity and diminished confidence. Over 14,000 displaced persons had to leave behind their homes and worldly possessions which adversely affected their economic, social and spiritual well-being. It was learnt that as now is time to harvest paddy, the people at the relief camps especially want to live in their own areas peacefully and they are delightfully welcoming and waiting for the endeavours of the President and the Government for peace.-MNA http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html