Pinheiro: I will go wherever I want in Burma

The United Nations expert on human rights in Myanmar vowed on Wednesday he would not be constrained by the military junta when he visits the country next month to report on the recent crisis.

U.N. special rapporteur Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (photo) said he believed detentions continued after last month's suppression of demonstrations, which were led by Buddhist monks in several major cities in the impoverished southeast Asian state.

"What annoys me is that the repression has not stopped a single moment -- this is what annoys me -- despite all the universal appeals," he told reporters at the United Nations.

In a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday, which was made public on Monday, Foreign Minister Nyan Win said Pinheiro could visit Myanmar before a summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) opening on November 17.

It will be his first visit to the country in four years.

"I will ask free access, the secretary general will ask free access," Pinheiro said, adding that visiting prison cells to speak to detainees was "a requirement."

"Today the ambassador (of Myanmar) assured me that they will give full cooperation," he added. "If they don't give me full cooperation, I go to the plane."

Asked if he was concerned that his movements might be restricted, Pinheiro said: "Usually I go where I want."

Pinheiro has said he believes the crackdown last month killed many more than the 10 deaths officially acknowledged.

Full story to be found here

China and Russia unified 'no' for Sanctions in Burma

China and Russia urged Myanmar's military rulers to talk with the country's opposition but said Wednesday that they opposed any U.N. sanctions against the junta.

The two veto-wielding countries on the U.N. Security Council say Myanmar's crushing of pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks was an internal issue, a position that has prevented discussions of sanctions.

Foreign Ministers Yang Jiechi of China and Sergey Lavrov of Russia said at a meeting with India's Pranab Mukherjee that, instead of punishment, they support efforts by U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to open talks between the opposition and the ruling generals.

"The initiatives (Gambari) has taken, he should be encouraged," Mukherjee told reporters. "There should not be any sanctions at this stage."

Lavrov warned that sanctions, threats or other forms of pressure on the junta risked "aggravating the situation and generating a new crisis."

Yang echoed that, saying: "We hope that countries concerned will play a helping role instead of applying sanctions and applying pressure."

Full story to be found here

More information

• China, Russia support Indian stand against sanctions on Myanmar

UN envoy to press China on Burma

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Envoy for Myanmar has arrived in Beijing, where he is expected to encourage the Chinese Government to do more to push the South-East Asian nation towards democratization and national reconciliation.

Speaking to the press just before his departure to Beijing, Mr. Gambari said China has been quite helpful in terms of the good offices role of the Secretary-General, adding that Beijing had encouraged Myanmar’s authorities to receive him at the height of the crisis.

“I am going to Beijing to acknowledge what they have done but also to encourage them to do more in delivering on the big issues – faster rate of democratization, greater respect of human rights and also in addressing the root causes of discontent, both in terms of social, economic and also of a political nature,” he said.

Mr. Gambari also stressed that the UN is counting on China and other regional partners to help the Organization work with the Government of Myanmar to achieve results sooner than later.

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Already 12 years House Arrest for Suu Kyi

Australia slapped financial sanctions on Myanmar's generals and their families today as supporters of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi marked her 12 years in captivity with protests in 12 cities across the world.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the measures, in response to last month's bloody crackdown on the biggest democracy protests in two decades, would hit 418 people, including junta leader Senior General Than Shwe.

"These new measures are designed to put further pressure on the regime and its supporters while avoiding harm to the people of Burma," Downer said in a statement.

Given that two-way trade with the former Burma amounted to just NZ$65 million in 2006, the measures appear to be aimed mainly at junta family members going to Australian schools and universities.

Mirroring tough restrictions imposed by the United States, the sanctions are a rare example of a government in Asia taking concrete action against the junta, which has so far only come under verbal pressure from its regional neighbours.

However, the marking of 12 cumulative years in custody for Nobel laureate Suu Kyi gave an added twist to street protests against the generals as UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari started the Chinese leg of a regional tour.

Twelve white-robed protesters in Suu Kyi masks stood outside the Chinese embassy in Bangkok, trying to force Beijing in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics to nudge its wayward southern neighbour and friend towards reform.

"China, China, go, go," the protesters chanted, along with "Free Burma" and "Free Aung San Suu Kyi".

Suu Kyi, 62, won the Nobel Peace Prize while under house arrest in 1991, a year after her National League for Democracy (NLD) won an election landslide only to be denied power by the army that has ruled unchecked since a 1962 coup.

Full story to be found here

CPPCC Annual Session 2007 - recap

The Communist Party of China (CPC) closed its 17th National Congress on Sunday, endorsing the incorporation of the scientific outlook on development into the Party Constitution and installing a new 371-member Central Committee and a 127-member Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Some of the highlights

Hu Jintao re-elected CPC Chief for second term

Chinese President Hu Jintao was re-elected on Monday as the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) for a second term till 2012, signalling political stability and continuity in the world's most populous nation.

More here and here

CPC seeks close co-op from non-communist parties

The Communist Party of China (CPC), China's ruling party, has pledged to work closely with its long-term partners, non-communist parties and the All-China Federations of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC).

More here and here

All nine new leaders

China on Monday unveiled a new leadership team that gave President Hu Jintao a stronger hand in governing the country and put forward potential successors to take over power from him in 2012.

The new committee and the 25-member Politburo underneath it that was also announced Monday contained more Hu allies than in previous versions, which had similarly been stacked by former president Jiang Zemin before he stood down.

More here

UN earlier to Burma

Bowing to international pressure, Myanmar's rulers on Tuesday agreed to bring forward to early November a return visit by UN mediator Ibrahim Gambari a day after clearing the first visit by the UN's top human rights official in four years.

UN spokeswoman Michele Montas announced Tuesday that Gambari, currently on a six-nation Asian tour, "expects to visit Myanmar in the first week of November as the Myanmar government agreed to bring forward his standing invitation to the country."

Last week Gambari said from Kuala Lumpur that he had been invited to return to Myanmar in the third week of November.

But the United States and its European allies made it clear that they wanted the UN emissary back in Myanmar as soon as possible."

"It's urgent that Mr Gambari be allowed to come into Burma, to facilitate in the reconciliation that is necessary and in the transition to a new order that's necessary for Burma (Myanmar) to become a normal state," US ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad said Monday.

Tuesday's announcement came a day after the ruling junta gave its consent for the first visit by the UN's top human rights official in four years.

Myanmar authorities suggested that Paulo Sergio Pinheiro of Brazil pay the visit before the summit meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) scheduled to begin in Singapore in the second half of November.

The Geneva-based Human Rights Council's independent human rights expert or Special Rapporteur on Myanmar had been refused permission to visit the country since 2003.

Myanmar has been in the world spotlight since pro-democracy protests spearheaded by the country's revered Buddhist monks were violently put down by the regime last month.

Gambari, a seasoned UN troubleshooter, was then sent to Myanmar to convey international outrage over the the violence that left at least 13 people dead.

Full story to be found here

More information

• Myanmar: UN envoy to visit earlier than planned
• Myanmar bows to world pressure, brings forward Gambari visit
• UN says Myanmar has agreed to earlier visit by UN envoy

China's major Space Adventure

China will launch its first lunar probe this week, an official said Monday — weeks after regional rival Japan put one in high orbit over the moon in a big leap forward in Asia's undeclared space race.

The rivalry is likely to be joined soon by India, which plans to send its own lunar probe into space in April.

The launch window for China's Chang'e 1 orbiter has been set for Wednesday through Friday, with the prime time being 6 p.m. (6 a.m. EDT) Wednesday, said Li Guoping, a spokesman for the China National Space Administration.

"The orbiting of the moon is a high-tech project of self-innovation," Li told reporters. "It will set the technological foundation for the development of China's space exploration."

The Chang'e 1 — named after a legendary Chinese goddess who flew to the moon — would be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province in southwestern China, Li said.

Pre-launch inspections have been completed and "they fully fulfill the technical requirements," he said, reading from a statement. He did not take questions.

The Chang'e will orbit the Earth while technical adjustments are made, and by Nov. 5, it will enter the moon's orbit, Li said.

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More information

• China's lunar probe launch likely on Wednesday, weeks behind Japan

China slams IMF

China on Monday said the world economy faced significant risks and the International Monetary Fund should have better things to do than criticize Beijing over its yuan currency.

"Growth in some major developed countries has slowed down since the second quarter, reflecting a significant downside risk in the global economy," said Vice Finance Minister Li Yong in a statement to the IMF annual meeting.

"At the same time, there is a widening gap between the north and the south, unbalanced global economic development, (a) resurge in trade protectionism, high oil prices, unstable exchange rates in the world major currencies and increasing pressure of expected high inflation," Li said.

The Group of Seven wealthy industrialized nations on Friday called on China to allow its yuan currency to appreciate faster, while IMF Managing Director Rodrigo Rato (photo) on Sunday said that the yuan was "considerably undervalued".

The IMF has toughened its surveillance of exchange rate regimes, adopting this stance as policy in June. China said it regretted that move, and bluntly told the IMF to butt-out.

"We believe that the Fund's exchange rate surveillance should focus on whether a member country's exchange rate regime is consistent with its medium-term macroeconomic policies, rather than the level of the exchange rate," Li said.

Full story to be read here

Opinion: "India isolated China in Burma"

India could have helped isolate China over Burma's crackdown on pro-democracy activists by refusing to stand by the military junta, says a senior official of Human Rights Watch.

At the same time, Brad Adams (photo), Executive Director of its Asia Division, admitted that international pressure alone might not be enough to make the Myanmar rulers throw in the towel.

Speaking to IANS, Adams said the junta appeared to have overcome the challenge of the protests due to international disunity and also the military's ability to crush or come to terms with various armed opposition groups.

'As long as China, India and Thailand keep behaving they way they are, I don't see (any future),' said Adams, who is visiting New Delhi.

'India could have isolated China as the only backer of the regime' by taking a hard stand against the military rulers, he added. 'This would have made it much harder for the Chinese.'

He cited the example of Darfur, where Beijing at one point emerged as the only visible friend of the Sudanese government despite the massacres of the innocents that the world condemned in no uncertain terms. 'That (isolation) mattered.'

Adams argued that India could have taken some tangible action such as recalling its ambassador from Myanmar to tell the regime that it did not approve of its suppression of the tens of thousands including Buddhist monks.

When the protests erupted in Myanmar last month, almost like the way they gripped the country 20 years ago, India first dismissed it as an internal issue.

However, as Western pressure mounted on China and India, New Delhi shifted its position slightly, saying it wanted the junta to probe reports of excesses and to work for reconciliation with its critics.

The whole story can be read here

Related

• UN Envoy Looks To Pressure India To Be Vocal Vs Myanmar Junta

CPPCC Annual Session 2007

Most of you must now that China's National Committee of the CPPCC (Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China) has just finished its 2007 annual session. In the upcoming posts I will try to update you with some of the highlights discussed during the meeting.

Hu Jintao (C), Wu Bangguo (4th R), Wen Jiabao (4th L), Jia Qinglin (3rd R), Li Changchun (3rd L), Xi Jinping (2nd R), Li Keqiang (2nd L), He Guoqiang (1st R) and Zhou Yongkang (1st L), who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), meet the press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 22, 2007. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Source picture is Xinhua

High level talks China and UN over Burma

Xinhua news reports that Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Saturday discussed the situation in Sudan's Darfur region and in Myanmar during a telephone conversation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

Critics say China has not used its influence with the governments of Sudan and Myanmar to try to alleviate major humanitarian crises in the two countries. Some international human rights groups have called for boycotts of next year's Beijing Olympics unless China acts.

China is one of Sudan's closest allies, buying two-thirds of its oil output and supplying the government with weapons. Beijing has been urged to pressure Khartoum to hasten the deployment of an African Union-U.N. peacekeeping force in the troubled Darfur region. More than 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been driven from their homes during the 4-year-old Darfur conflict.

The Chinese have also come under pressure to use their influence with Myanmar's ruling junta to urge the regime to show restraint after a violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

Source

More information

• China, UN talk of Sudan, Myanmar

US: Lifting of Curfew is "cosmetic"

Myanmar lifted a curfew on Saturday and ended a ban on assembly imposed during a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protests - the latest sign the military rulers are confident they have fully crushed the largest demonstrations in two decades.

The White House dismissed the move as "cosmetic," a day after President Bush announced new penalties against the military-run government.

"The actions of the regime are `cosmetic'. What we need are signs of serious intent to move toward a democratic transition," presidential press secretary Dana Perino (photo) said.

The relaxing of restrictions imposed Sept. 25 was announced from government vehicles driven through the streets of Myanmar's largest city, Yangon.

"The curfew and ban on assembly has been revoked effective today, because security and stability has improved," according to the announcement issued from a speaker atop one of the vehicles.

It was not immediately clear if the restrictions were also lifted in Mandalay, another major city and a focus of last month's anti-government demonstrations.

The lifting of the 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and ban on gatherings of more than five people indicates the junta believes it has stamped out the uprising that was sparked in August by public anger at a sharp rise in fuel prices. Small protests quickly grew into anti-government demonstrations tens of thousands of people strong and spearheaded by legions of the country's respected monks.

It was the largest showing of dissent in the tightly controlled state in nearly two decades.

The junta responded by detaining thousands of demonstrators and shooting into the crowds, killing as many as 10. Diplomats and activists say the death toll is much higher.

Since the crackdown, authorities in Myanmar have attempted to apply a softer touch. They have cleared the streets of soldiers and released some prominent activists.

In Maryland, Perino said Saturday's announcement was "a bad sign that the regime now feels confident that it has cleared the monasteries of dissidents by either jailing them or sending them to their home villages, and arrested all the major players in the demonstrations and sent into hiding or exile those they have not captured."

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More information

• Curfew lifted in two Myanmar cities
• Myanmar ends nighttime curfew
  

Burma's Neighbours can do little for Burma

Countries neighbouring military-run Myanmar can exert only limited economic influence on the regime, Singapore’s foreign minister has said following fresh US sanctions against companies here. Foreign Minister George Yeo (photo) told his hosts at a Myanmar Buddhist temple on Saturday evening that Asian countries could only do so much.

“While we in ASEAN have limited economic leverage, we do have a certain moral influence, because Myanmar is part of the ASEAN family,” a transcript of his remarks, posted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, said Sunday. Yeo said he visited the temple to express solidarity with the Myanmar people “during this very difficult period in their history.”

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More information

• ASEAN to keep engaging Myanmar, sanctions won't work: George Yeo
• Singapore FM says ASEAN to discuss Myanmar
  
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Notice: Short technical error over the weekend

Sorry for the abrupt silence over the weekend, technical difficulties have prevented me from updating you on the latest developments in Burma. We are now back online!

Panties for Burma

Women in several countries have begun sending their panties to Myanmar embassies in a culturally insulting gesture of protest against the recent brutal crackdown there, a campaign supporter said Friday.

"It's an extremely strong message in Burmese and in all Southeast Asian culture," said Liz Hilton, who supports an activist group that launched the "Panties for Peace" drive earlier this week.

The group, Lanna Action for Burma, says the country's superstitious generals, especially junta leader Gen. Than Shwe, also believe that contact with women's underwear saps them of power.

To widespread international condemnation, the military in Myanmar, also known as Burma, crushed mass anti-regime demonstrations recently and continues to hunt down and imprison those who took part.

Hilton said women in Thailand, Australia, Singapore, England and other European countries have started sending or delivering their underwear to Myanmar missions following informal coordination among activist organizations and individuals.

"You can post, deliver or fling your panties at the closest Burmese Embassy any day from today. Send early, send often!" the Lanna Action for Burma Web site urges.

"So far we have had no response from Burmese officials," Hilton said.

Source

New US Sanctions against Burma #3

U.S. Treasury Department's freezing of the assets of 14 senior members of the Burma junta has been expanded on Friday to include 11 more members. In addition, President Bush decided to extend the sanctions to 12 individuals associated with Burma's government.

Washington's move to broaden the scope of existing economic sanctions on Myanmar is in response to the military regime's continuing suppression of pro-democracy supporters. This is in addition to substantial trade, investment and diplomatic sanctions that the U.S. has already imposed on the Southeast Asian country.

"We must not turn a deaf ear to their cries," Bush said referring to those who had to bear the brunt of the military regime. "Burma's rulers continue to defy the world's just demand to stop their vicious persecution," the President added explaining his decision in Washington Friday.

While admiring countries that have joined in sanctions on Myanmar, Bush asked others to follow in line to pressure the junta for democratic reforms in the country.

Full story to be read here

More information

• Bush imposes new sanctions on repressive Myanmar regime and its backers

New US Sanctions against Burma #2

For the second time in two months, U.S. President George W. Bush announced sanctions against Myanmar to punish the military-run government and its backers for the recent violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Bush ordered the Treasury Department Friday to freeze the financial assets of additional members of the repressive military junta. He also acted to tighten controls on U.S. exports to Myanmar, also known as Burma, and called on the governments of China and India to do more to pressure the government of the Southeast Asian nation.

"Monks have been beaten and killed. Thousands of pro-democracy protesters have been arrested," Bush said in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House.

"Burma's rulers continue to defy the world's just demands to stop their vicious persecution."

Last month, tens of thousands of people turned out for rallies, which started as protests of sharp fuel increases and later snowballed into the largest show of government dissent in decades. The junta claims that 10 people were killed when troops opened fire on demonstrators to disperse them, but diplomats and dissidents say the death toll is likely much higher.

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More information

• Bush expands sanctions against Myanmar rulers
• Bush Imposes New Sanctions on Myanmar
  

Chevron pulling out of Burma

Proposed sanctions introduced in the US House of Representatives would pressure US energy giant Chevron to pull its investment from Myanmar, which rights activists say is helping prop up the ruling military junta.

Under the strategy, similar to one used against US companies during the anti-apartheid campaign in South Africa, the legislation introduced Thursday would end tax write-offs enjoyed by Chevron on revenues earned from its natural gas project in Myanmar.

Chevron will also be barred from making any payments to the junta from its joint venture with French oil giant Total, Thailand's PTT Exploration and Production, and MyanmarÂ’s Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise operating the lucrative Yadana gas fields, congressional aides said.

The sanctions were introduced as part of a package of new US measures aimed at punishing the military regime for its recent crackdown on pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks that left at least 13 people dead and 3,000 detained.

Under US law, "no deduction or credit against tax shall be allowed ... with respect to amounts paid or incurred with respect to" the junta or joint production agreement of the Yadana gas project, a copy of the proposed legislation reads.

Neither US citizens or US institutions can make any "direct or indirect payments of any tax, cancellation penalty, or any other amount" to the junta, according to the measure, known as the Block Burmese JADE (JuntaÂ’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007.

The proposal was introduced by Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Source and full story can be found here

Death Toll Burma will never be known

Hundreds of pro-democracy supporters are being detained daily by Burma's military junta, and it may never be clear how many died during the violent suppression of their protests, a senior British diplomat said Friday.

The official said figures released by Myanmar authorities showed around 800 people had been arrested in the last 10 days alone. Britain estimates between 2,000 to 2,500 are being held in squalid labor camps, prisons and makeshift detention centers, said the senior diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

"There are substantial nighttime raids still going on. They have scooped up hundreds of people," he said.

He said all remaining leaders of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising had been seized by authorities, among a total of 2,927 people arrested since new protests began last month.

The British official told reporters it is proving impossible to assess the death toll.

"The official figure remains at 10," he said. "We believe it is many, many multiples more and we will never get to the bottom of that I'm afraid."

British diplomats have received accounts from those held in prisons and labor camps, describing "excrement-smeared rooms, hundreds to a room," where detainees have been denied food and interrogated.

"There is a profound sense of trauma amongst the population, and amongst, I would guess, certain parts of the army and the government too. There is a huge sense of outrage, the anger is quite extraordinary if you just scratch the surface," he said.

Full story to be found here

No Boycott Olympics over Burma Issue

Moves to link China's role in Myanmar to a boycott of the 2008 Olympics would be "inappropriate and unpopular," the vice major of Beijing said Friday.

"I believe that any political issue or issues that have nothing to do with the Olympics should not be linked with the Olympic games," Liu Jingmin, who is also a vice president of the Beijing organizing committee.

He spoke in a briefing on preparations for the Olympics, which are less than 10 months away.

China's communist government has been criticized for its ties with governments in Sudan and Myanmar, and calls from boycotts have stemmed from business China does with both countries.

"The Chinese government has played a constructive and responsible part in the Myanmar issue," Liu said. "The constructive role by China has been recognized by all. I think the attempt to use this issue as an excuse to boycott the Beijing Olympics is both inappropriate and unpopular."

Full story to be found here

More information

• Beijing official says Olympic boycott over Myanmar would be 'inappropriate'

Bush will call China to stand up against Violence in Burma

President George W. Bush, who is to announce more U.S. sanctions against Myanmar on Friday, will call on China and India to take more action to pressure that Asian country, the White House said.

"He will call on, in his statement, China and India to do more," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said. "And so this is all headed toward pressuring the regime to try to make a difference." Bush is to make his public statement on Myanmar at 1:50 p.m.

Source

New US Sanctions against Burma

US President Bush plans to announce new economic sanctions against Burma today.

The White House says the latest steps will target individuals responsible for the military-run government's violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Spokesman Tony Fratto says Bush will make a statement this afternoon (at 1:50 p.m. EDT), and the Treasury Department will issue a statement outlining the additional sanctions.

Last month, Bush announced sanctions against more than a dozen senior officials in the Southeast Asian country, also known as Burma, freezing the assets they have in U.S. financial institutions.

Fratto says additional action is needed because "the regime has not responded to the calls of the international community."

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More information

• U.S. to impose additional sanctions on Myanmar

New Constitution in Burma

The ruling Myanmar State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) formed a state constitution drafting commission Thursday to start drafting a new constitution, Radio Burma reported in a night broadcast.

The formation is to reflect the continuation and the future completion of the government's seven-step roadmap to democracy, said a SPDC announcement, signed by its first secretary Lieutenant-General Thein Sein (photo) .

The 54-member commission is chaired by Chief Justice U Aung Toeand Attorney-General U Aye Maung as Vice-Chairman. The remaining members include two ministers -- Information Minister Brigadier-General Kyaw Hsan and Cultural Minister Major-General Khin Aung Myint as well as several legal experts.

The establishment of the commission to draft a new state constitution represented another step of the seven-step of the roadmap following the end of the National Convention on Sept. 3, which completed laying down all detailed basic principles to be based for the purpose.

In the national convention, which lasted for 14 years starting 1993 after the 1990 multi-party democracy general election, detailed basic principles under the headings of a total of 15 chapters of a new state constitution were adopted by the convention participated by more than 1,000 delegates of eight categories of delegate groups.

The 15 chapters are termed as "State Fundamental Principles", "Structure of State", "Head of state", "Legislature", "Executive" ,"Judiciary", "Tatmadaw (Armed Forces), "Citizenship and Citizens' Fundamental Rights and Responsibilities", "Election", "Political Parties", "Provisions on State of Emergency", "Amendments of Constitution", "State Flag, State Emblem, National Anthem and Capital", "Transitory Provisions" and "General Provisions".

According to the government roadmap announced in August 2003, the new constitution draft is to be endorsed through a national referendum, then a new general election will follow to produce parliament representatives and form a new democratic government.

Source

China will have to do more in Burma

China will be asked to do more to encourage the military rulers of Myanmar to engage in dialogue with the opposition, the UN special envoy to the troubled Southeast Asian nation said on Thursday.

Ibrahim Gambari praised the role of Beijing, Myanmar's main ally, in helping to arrange his visit to Yangon last month in the aftermath of a bloody crackdown on street protests in Myanmar.

"They (China) have helped a lot," he told a news conference in the Indonesian capital, the latest stop on a regional tour to drum up support for a united front against the generals.

"Therefore in the recognition of that I've been asked to come to Beijing to encourage the Chinese authorities to continue to do more, to move the authorities in Myanmar to move along the path which will sustain dialogue."
Human Rights Watch also urged China to use its UN Security Council membership to help end state repression in Myanmar.

"Chinese officials have publicly called for 'cooperation' and 'dialogue' between the Burmese generals and their critics, but said nothing when these critics were arrested, 'disappeared' or killed," Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director of the New York-based rights group, said in a statement.

"Even worse, the Chinese government has blocked most of the international efforts to effectively address the crisis."

Washington has urged China to do more to lean on its junta ally and the two have differed over what action the Security Council should take.

Fulls story to be read here

More information

• UN-Gesandter will Druck auf China wegen Krise in Myanmar erhöhen (German)
  

Short News: More Company Bans for trading with Burma

18 EU sanctions have forced seven more British companies to halt trading with Myanmar.

The additional companies deal with metal, timber, minerals and gemstone industries.

The European Union identified the new concerns affected by the sanctions as three small timber companies based in Bristol, Oxford and Sheffield; three top jewelery retailers in London -- Asprey, Harrods and Leviev --- and one mining finance company.

They must stop doing business with Mymanmar, formerly known as Burma, or face prosecution. The union said there maybe more sanctions in the future.

Source

UN: "Burma need Food"

The U.N. agency in charge of fighting hunger issued a plea Thursday for the world not to neglect providing food aid to the people of Myanmar, even as countries step up sanctions against its ruling junta for its crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Some 5 million people in Myanmar are chronically short of food, and the World Food Program has been seeking to provide supplies to 500,000 of them each month, the organization's Asia regional director, Tony Banbury, said after an inspection tour of the isolated country last week.

However, the agency is now reaching only about 200,000 of them, he said.

The U.N. estimates that more than a third of Myanmar's children suffer from malnutrition, and about 100,000 of them die each year.

"In a food surplus country like Myanmar, no one should go hungry — but millions are," Banbury told reporters in Bangkok. explaining that under the junta's existing restrictive policies, some farmers are forced to sell the government their crops at below-market prices, which discourages production.

Speaking to reporters in Bangkok, Banbury warned that tightening of government controls in the wake of the recent protests could further restrict the distribution of food to the needy, who represent about 10 percent of the country's 54 million people.

Banbury also charged that countries worldwide have been quick to endorse sanctions to punish the military regime, but at the same time have failed to increase humanitarian aid for ordinary people, who are suffering.

"Unfortunately, there have been some verbal commitments to expanding aid, and WFP, at best, has not seen it," he said, not naming those who failed to honor their pledges.

He said that Australia, which donated A$300 million (US$270 million; €190 million) to WFP, was the only country to provide such aid since the protests were quashed.

To meet its three-year goal of providing aid to 1.6 million people a month by 2009, the WFP says it needs US$51.1 million (€36 million). Banbury said it lacks about 70 percent of the funding needed to do so.

Source

UN: Incentives for Democratisation

Financial incentives could be offered to Myanmar's military rulers in exchange for democratic reforms after a bloody crackdown on protesters sparked international outrage, the U.N. envoy for the country suggested Thursday.

Ibrahim Gambari, who was visiting Indonesia on a six-nation tour to press Asia to help resolve the crisis, also urged regional powerhouse China to "continue to do more to really move the authorities in Myanmar" along the path of change.

Though Europe and some other governments have threatened to widen sanctions imposed on the Southeast Asian nation, Gambari said another approach could be to offer "incentives to say that...the world is not there just to punish Myanmar."

He suggested providing "financial resources" and "capacity building" to Myanmar to address underlying sources of discontent, but he didn't elaborate.

Myanmar's junta claims 10 people were killed late last month when troops opened fire on demonstrators calling for an end to 45 years of military dictatorship, and that nearly 3,000 people have been detained. Diplomats and dissidents say the tolls are likely much higher.

"The people of Myanmar need help," Gambari told reporters after meeting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (photo).

Gambari said years of isolation have ensured Myanmar's 54 million people remained desperately poor.

They are also grappling with diseases like AIDS and malaria, he said.

Full story can be read here

More information

• Incentives needed to resolve Myanmar problem: UN envoy
• UN envoy says incentives could move Myanmar toward democratic reform

Monks and Bombs

Burmese authorities have confiscated explosives that were allegedly hidden by a Buddhist monk who participated in anti-government protests last month, a state-run daily reported Thursday.

The New Light of Myanmar said a total of 48 blocks of U.S.-made TNT were found hidden near a house in the northwestern town of Chaung Oo. Further investigations revealed that the explosives belonged to U Kovida and were initially hidden in Nan Oo monastery before they were transported, it said.

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Brown threatens Junta

Prime Minister Gordon Brown held out the threat of investment sanctions against Myanmar on Wednesday but said he was also ready to offer economic aid to a new government.

Brown said sanctions agreed by the European Union against Myanmar (Burma) this week were important. "We must move forward and look at investment sanctions as well," he added.

"The Burmese regime must know that unless they change we will step up the sanctions against their regime."

EU foreign ministers agreed to strengthen sanctions against Burma's military rulers in response to a crackdown on pro-democracy protests last month.

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• Myanmar: Brown seeks India's help

Canada makes Suu Kyi an honorary citizen

The Canadian lower chamber of Parliament on Wednesday granted honorary citizenship to Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent nearly 12 of the last 18 years in prison or under house arrest.

"She remains one of the leading forces in the continuing struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma," Prime Minister Stephen Harper told legislators. Myanmar used to be known as Burma.

Suu Kyi is only the fourth person to receive Canadian honorary citizenship after South African leader Nelson Mandela, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and Sweden's Raoul Wallenberg, who saved thousands of Jews in World War Two.

"The adoption of today's motion sends a message to her, her people, and the world, that Canada stands up for the universal values that are under siege in Burma today," said Harper.

More information

• Canada makes Myanmar's Suu Kyi an honorary citizen - Vancouver Sun
  
• Canada makes Myanmar's Suu Kyi an honorary citizen - Reuters