08 July 2008 : Burma News Late Extra
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Karenni refugees flee to Thai-Burma border
Surin says Burma, food crises strengthen Asean
Recent Burma News (08-07-08)
Burma aid tents through at last
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Karenni refugees flee to Thai-Burma border
Mizzima
Than Htike Oo
Tuesday, 08 July 2008 18:27
Chiang Mai - The Burmese Army's severe human rights violations have forced 165 Karenni refugees to flee to refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border this year, camp officials said.
The 165 refugees are from Shardaw and Phrusoe Townships in Karenni State. They fled to the border after being intimidated by the army. They were accused by the troops of having contact with insurgents, forced to relocated and forced into labour. The refugees started arriving at the camps situated in Mae Hong Song District, Thailand since January this year. The exodus continues till today.
"The Burmese Army soldiers summoned the refugees to their outposts repeatedly and lodged false complaints against them. They were wrongly accused of having contact with insurgents and some were arrested on suspicion. They did not dare stay in their villages and fled to the border after hiding in the jungle for some days," Pho Pya, Chairman of Karenni Refugee Camp Committee, told Mizzima.
"The junta forcibly and frequently relocated their villages. They were forced to perform labour without being paid. They were made to work in building, mending and renovating army outposts and fences built around them. Moreover they had to part with meat, food, fish, bamboo and timber free of charge to the soldiers. The soldiers forcibly relocated their villages under various pretexts such as withholding information on insurgent movements to the army, lading to encounters with the insurgents around these villages among other such fabricated charges. The refugees chose to flee to the border as a last resort after suffering harassment which was becoming unbearable," Khu Oo Re, Secretary II of 'Karenni Nationality Progressive Party' (KNPP), which is waging an armed struggle against the junta said.
KNPP has had numerous skirmishes and encounters with the Burmese Army in Shardaw and Mawchi areas. It is learnt that the Burmese Army's LIB 426, 530 and 531 are operating in these areas.
These new arrivals have been accommodated in their relatives' houses and provided food by the Refugee Camp Committee.
The Camp Committee will have discussions with the district authorities for giving them refugee status.
The camp officials said that there are about 23,000 recognized refugees in Karenni Camp No. 1 and 2.
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Surin says Burma, food crises strengthen Asean
Bangkok Post
Manila (dpa) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has emerged stronger in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis that whipped Burma and the rice crisis that plagued several member countries, a senior official said Tuesday.
Asean Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan said the quick response of the 10-nation regional group in leading the international humanitarian effort to help millions of cyclone victims gave the grouping "a sense of community and confidence."
"The Asean was baptized by Cyclone Nargis," he told reporters in Manila where he was on a visit. "We have shown to the world that we are an effective organization."
Surin said that an assessment meeting on the ongoing humanitarian efforts in Burma, where more than 140,000 people were killed or missing and displaced at least 2 million, was slated next week in Singapore.
"The level of support from the international community is extremely encouraging and giving us encouragement that more can be done not only for the victims of Nargis but also to pockets of poverty and underdevelopment in other Asean countries," he said.
Surin also noted that Asean's cohesiveness as a group was highlighted with the quick action of rice-exporting countries within Asean to help rice-importing countries in the group amid the grain shortage.
"There is enough rice stock to take care of the region and to also share with the world in times of need," he said. "The panic is over, the rice (prices) have gone down."
Surin said the humanitarian crisis in Burma and the rice crisis also provided an impetus for Asean members to ratify the group's first rules-based charter.
Surin said six Asean countries have already ratified the charter and the remaining four countries were expected to ratify it in time for the leaders' summit in Bangkok in November.
"I'm hoping that in Bangkok we will be able to celebrate the full ratification," he said.
Asean groups Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=128777
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Burma aid tents through at last
BBC News / 8 July 2008
Pictures of Shelterbox tents in use
Cornwall-based disaster aid charity Shelterbox has just received the first pictures of its aid helping victims of the Burma cyclone.
Hundreds of tents have been erected as part of the international response to the 2 May cyclone which left more than 130,000 people dead or missing.
Shelterbox had struggled to get its tents into the country.
But about a month ago Burma's military rulers opened the Irrawaddy Delta to international aid workers.
Shelterbox aid worker Mark Pearson has just sent back pictures of the tents in use from Labutta in the Irrawaddy.
'Good position'
The charity's boxes include tents, tools, stoves, cooking pots and ground sheets.
Mr Pearson said: "I found Three Mile Camp which is home to 5,250 survivors of the cyclone.
"There are around 700 Shelterbox tents there all arranged perfectly there is camp security, hospital, clean water, food and schools all run by the government.
"The Shelterbox kit was in a good position above sea level and a cool breeze all day and most importantly shelter from the heavy monsoon downpours which happen most days and night."
He said that a member of aid group Medicins San Frontier had told him that there were also 300 Shelterbox tents on the Burma island of Heignyi.
Sally Grint, Shelterbox's fund-raising manager, said the pictures vindicated the charity's persistence in trying to get aid into Burma.
The charity is sending another 200 tents, 2,000 mosquito nets, 2,000 tool kits, 600 woodburning stoves, 600 cooking pots, 4000 ground sheets and educational equipment to Burma.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7495461.stm
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Recent Burma News (08-07-08)
1500 visas issued after cyclone
Today, July 08, 2008, 4 hours ago
The New Light of Myanmar newspaper said the government has issued 1,670 visas to foreigners from the United Nations, nongovernment organizations and individuals between May 5 and June 30. It said abou...
Patriarch of Banned Vietnamese Buddhist Church Dies
Today, July 08, 2008, 4 hours ago
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Today, July 08, 2008, 4 hours ago
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Today, July 08, 2008, 4 hours ago
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Disputed Cambodian Temple Gets World Heritage Site Status
Today, July 08, 2008, 4 hours ago
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Today, July 08, 2008, 4 hours ago
The Burmese Army grabbed political power in a coup on 2 March 1962; and Burma again lost its political freedom 14 years after independence, to the native military dictatorship instead of a foreign col...
Burma - Journalists forbidden to refer to situation in Zimbabwe
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders condemns the Censorship Board’s latest measures, including a ban on journalists referring to the crisis of recent weeks in Zimbabwe and President Robert Mugabe’s...
NLD Challenged to Contest 2010 Election
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
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Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
Two months after Cyclone Nargis smashed into Myanmar’s central coast leaving at least 138,000 dead or missing, the number of children still searching for their parents exceeds 400, the United Na...
U.N. sets up emergency telecommunication center in Myanmar
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
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Security beefed up in Rangoon on July 7 Anniversary Day - Phanida
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
The government backed ‘Swanahshin’ has been deployed at crowded junctions, near the university campuses and in front of the NLD headquarters today the 46th anniversary July 7 day. Soldiers...
Commodity prices on border increase after road block
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
Commodity prices have skyrocketed on the western Burmese border after the primary connecting motor road between Buthidaung and Maungdaw was blocked by a landslide and collapsed bridges, said resident ...
Employment agencies hit with taxes - Aung Thet Wine
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
Employment agencies in Rangoon have been hit with new measures aimed at curtailing the industry’s notorious tax-dodging schemes, according to members of the city’s business community.
Third of Burmese fail to return home - Supamart Kasem
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
The provincial immigration office reported that 298,847 Burmese nationals crossed from Myawaddy to Mae Sot district over the Friendship Bridge in the first half of this year, and 86,517 had not gone b...
Dengue fever outbreak feared - Violet Cho
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
Some medical staff in Rangoon said that cases of dengue fever have already broken out in populated areas of the city, especially cases involving children. A doctor who asked not to be named said that ...
NLD critical of junta
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
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Bush urges Myanmar to free Suu Kyi
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
US President George W. Bush on Sunday renewed his call for Myanmar’s military regime to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.
Chevron’s dilemma over its stake in Burma - Zachary Coile
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
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Burmese generals surfing the internet - Peter J. Brown
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
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Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
The water level in Chindwin River was flowing six feet above the danger level in some places, the Meteorology and Hydrology Department in Rangoon said. The water level will rise another three feet ...
Boat sinking kills 38 in Myanmar - Siddique Islam
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
The motorboat was traveling on the Yway River in the cyclone-hit Irrawaddy Delta when it was sank on early Tuesday, the New Light of Myanmar, a state-run newspaper, reported on Friday. The delta regi...
Some progress in cyclone relief but help still needed - Htet Aung Kyaw
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
United Nations officials have said that progress is being made in delivering aid to victims in Burma two months after Cyclone Nargis devastated parts of the country, but help is still not reaching all...
Court sentences Myanmar protesters to jail
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
Nyan Win, a spokesman for the National League for Democracy, said Friday that a court had sent the four to prison “for trespassing with intent to commit offense.” They were arrested at To...
Aid groups face soaring rent prices - Solomon & Myint Maung
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
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Truck caught with drug chemicals released after bribe - Hseng Khio Fah
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
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The UN must set the agenda
Today, July 08, 2008, 8 hours ago
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Today, July 08, 2008, 15 hours ago
Myanmar’s premier promised better housing for cyclone victims in the devastated Irrawaddy Delta, where many people have received only a plastic sheet to use for shelter, state media said yesterday.Cyc. ..
Burma outlaws 1990 poll results
Today, July 08, 2008, 19 hours ago
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Burma cyclone recovery proceeding well
Today, July 08, 2008, 19 hours ago
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