Analysis: How real are Myanmar’s reforms?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9uTLDCXncGdHQIvlZUtjxqxW-EJu70wzH7bKmjwS58pTWIURPtpXFPG-F4hMMuSOoZrbySS2g2MS9VkjEPOndIt3LKlRijDpBJt4lBER1m2vFuOC4aM8MvKG2vZctuZF_GSpdeaQrz0/s1600/201210311502060404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9uTLDCXncGdHQIvlZUtjxqxW-EJu70wzH7bKmjwS58pTWIURPtpXFPG-F4hMMuSOoZrbySS2g2MS9VkjEPOndIt3LKlRijDpBJt4lBER1m2vFuOC4aM8MvKG2vZctuZF_GSpdeaQrz0/s1600/201210311502060404.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/film" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">IRIN Film</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Fighting continues in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kachin</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">LONDON</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (IRIN) - The visit of <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region> President Barack Obama to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region> on 19 November has renewed international interest in the country’s democratic reforms, but also skepticism about their impact on the lives of ordinary Burmese.<br /> <br /> Since <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s reform-minded President Thein Sein came to office in March 2011, hundreds of political prisoners have been released, freedom of assembly has been allowed, media censorship has eased, and the country’s cabinet has been reshuffled.<br /> <br /> “Ministers regarded as conservative or underperforming were moved aside, and many new deputy ministers appointed. There are now more technocrats in these positions and the country has its first female minister,” Jim Della-Giacoma, <st1:place w:st="on">South East Asia</st1:place> project director for the International Crisis Group (ICG), told IRIN.<br /> <br /> But analysts and observers argue that economic hardship, ongoing ethnic conflicts and a history of media censorship will prove more serious challenges to reform in this former pariah state.<br /> <br /> According to an ICG report entitled <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>: Storm Clouds on the Horizon, much of the government’s attention will need to be focused on controlling the country’s multiple internal ethnic conflicts - a real threat to national stability.<br /> <br /> “Containing and resolving the inter-communal conflict that has engulfed <st1:placename w:st="on">Rakhine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype>, and reaching a ceasefire in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kachin</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place>, are the government’s main immediate problems,” said the 12 November report.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> <b>Economic hardship<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> While the headline-grabbing democratic reforms are welcome, resulting in millions of dollars in international development and humanitarian assistance, many believe they fail to address the economic hardships of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s 58 million people.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> Maung Zarni, founder of the Free Burma Coalition and a fellow at the London School of Economics, says Thein Sein’s reforms “are largely geared towards creating a `late developmental state’ along the lines of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>… Sadly, the West and the rest alike are choosing to overlook the apparent pitfalls of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region>'s reforms, ignoring the cries of the wretched of a new <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>.”<br /> <br /> Sein Win, managing editor of New Delhi-based Mizzima News, (founded by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region> exiles), agrees. “Change is happening in the upper levels of government... but the lives of the people are largely the same as before,” he said.<br /> <br /> And while there are high hopes that the recent easing of international sanctions will change things, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region> remains one of the poorest countries in <st1:place w:st="on">Southeast Asia</st1:place>.<br /> <br /> Ordinary people see little tangible improvement in their day-to-day lives, and inflation is having an adverse effect on the lives of many Burmese.<br /> <br /> According to the UN’s most recent Integrated Household Living Conditions Assessment, the average proportion of total household budget spent on food is 68 percent (74 percent for the poorest 30 percent of the population).<br /> <br /> Almost one third of the country’s population lives below the poverty line, according to the World Bank, which recently approved a US$245 million development package to the country.<br /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“We want the people of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region> and the poor in particular to see the reform can lead to real benefits,” said Kanthan Shankar, the World Bank’s country manager for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> <b>Internal conflict<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> But the path to reform will be difficult given long-standing ethnic conflicts, many of which date back to independence from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 1948, analysts say.<br /> <br /> While the government over the past year has forged a number of tentative ceasefire agreements with many non-state armed groups which have been fighting for greater autonomy in the east, fighting in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region>’s northern <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kachin</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place> between government forces and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), continues unabated.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> Since the collapse of a 17-year-old ceasefire in June 2011, some 75,000 people have been displaced and humanitarian needs are growing, reports the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).<br /> <br /> At the same time, more than 100,000 people, nearly all Rohingyas, have been displaced in western <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rakhine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place>, after inter-communal violence between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims erupted in June.<br /> <br /> The conflict is a major test for the Thein Sein government, say activists, who are calling on Obama to make it clear that the attacks on the Rohingya need to stop if the government wants to avoid renewed international sanctions.<br /> <br /> “This is crunch time because <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region>’s failure to contain sectarian violence in Arakan [Rakhine] State and hold accountable those responsible calls into question the Burmese government’s stated goal of becoming a rights-respecting, multi-ethnic state,” said Brad Adams, <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place> director at Human Rights Watch (HRW).<br /> <br /> According to HRW, Burmese security forces have restricted the access of international humanitarian agencies to the area, while aid workers say international donors are failing to deliver.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> <b>Upcoming elections<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> And then there is the future role of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party and its iconic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who have been on the frontline of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s fight for democratic reform for decades.<br /> <br /> Political leaders have conflicting views about how power should be shared under the constitution as well as after the 2015 election; while many believe what is needed now is moral leadership to calm tension and seek compromises if divisive confrontation is to be avoided.<br /> <br /> An NLD landslide “may not be in the best interests of the party or the country, as it would risk marginalizing three important constituencies: the old political elite, the ethnic political parties and the non-NLD democratic forces. If the post-2015 legislatures fail to represent the true political and ethnic diversity of the country, tensions are likely to increase and fuel instability. The main challenge the NLD faces is not to win the election, but to promote inclusiveness and reconciliation,” the ICG report says.<br /> <br /> The NLD could support developing a system that would give a greater say in politics to marginalized minority groups under the current “first past the post” system, says ICG.<br /> <br /> Alternatively, the government could form an alliance with other parties, particularly with ethnic parties, and agree not to compete against them in certain electorates.<br /> <br /> “Finally, the government could support an interim `national unity’ candidate for the post-2015 presidency. This would reassure the old guard, easing the transition to an NLD-dominated political system. Critically, this option could also build support for the constitutional change required to allow Aung San Suu Kyi to become president,” says ICG.<br /> <br /> <b>“Window dressing”<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> Although Thein Sein has spearheaded unprecedented change in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>, some critics remain cynical about his motives for allowing Aung San Suu Kyi to run for election.<br /> <br /> “The government is using her image as a democracy icon to promote and protect their way of reform. Their strategy is one of using your enemy's good name to reach your own objective,” says Sein Win of Mizzima News.<br /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The impetus behind the government’s democratic reforms, he adds, goes beyond just promoting foreign trade.<br /> <br /> Some accuse the government of carrying out “window-dressing” reforms to please Western governments and enable the lifting of sanctions.<br /> <br /> “The dictatorship hurt the nation's pride. But they also want to lead the change. There will be less electoral fraud in 2015, but at the same time they will be smarter and will effectively use their political framework to weaken opposition. Of course, monitoring from the UN and international community is essential,” Sein Win adds.<br /> <br /> He believes that Western countries can help <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region> by permanently lifting sanctions, which proved to be extremely harsh on the majority of the non-political classes.<br /> <br /> Derek Tonkin from the NGO Network <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region> says that sanctions are potentially a valuable diplomatic weapon, noting, however, that over the past two decades they damaged <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s economic development and badly affected the lives of ordinary Burmese.<br /> <br /> <b>New press and social freedoms<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /> Meanwhile, Mark Farmener, director of the London-based Burma Campaign <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> describes the reforms to date as “top down and skin deep”.<br /> <br /> Censorship laws have not been repealed, though how they have been applied has been changed, he said, adding that while there is currently more freedom for certain subjects to be reported, others, such as ethnic issues, remain banned. “Media are still not allowed to criticize the government,” he said.<br /> <br /> Sein Win agrees: “I haven't seen any reports by Burmese journalists exploring the how and why about what happened in the conflict between Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya communities… Will the government and local authority tolerate it if someone exposes the truth? Will the concerned communities tolerate someone's independent reporting on the conflict? I don't think so.”<br /> <br /> According to a recent report entitled Virtuality, Perception and Reality in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s Democratic Reform by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), self-censorship continues as many journalists are unsure what they can write about without fear of government reprisal.<br /> <br /> The report says internal factions in the government are delaying reforms: “There is an internal power struggle [in the government], at minimum between the government and the military and potentially between the president and his supporters and potentially with more hardline factions in the government.”<br /> <br /> “The long-term outlook is not positive,” Farmener warns. “There are more civil liberties in the cities but these are not guaranteed in law, and human rights abuses have actually increased in the past year. However, the changes so far have been enough to persuade the international community to rush to relax pressure and normalize relations.”<br /> <br /> He said 2016 would be a critical year for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>. “That’s when a new parliament dominated by the NLD will push for genuine constitutional change, and the military will either agree or block it.”<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--></span></div>

Analysis: How real are Myanmar’s reforms?

Photo:  IRIN Film Fighting continues in Kachin State LONDON (IRIN) - The visit of US President Barack Obama to Myanmar on 19...

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Aung San Suu Kyi Delivers Memorial Lecture of Indian's First Pm in New Delhi

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr73KWNd3v6PDuN5fSlZQoYmdO96Ak6led5xOtfJ_-EJ-qdz7flN_lVqVk1zPP8BLAuFc9vsT9k1J-7kipYdFIli1YspdlrMLwwO_I7xN_cGhnmQ0jzzUjUi6vyrLsiYvASQVBPCkBlwg/s1600/aungsukideliveringlectureatdelhi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr73KWNd3v6PDuN5fSlZQoYmdO96Ak6led5xOtfJ_-EJ-qdz7flN_lVqVk1zPP8BLAuFc9vsT9k1J-7kipYdFIli1YspdlrMLwwO_I7xN_cGhnmQ0jzzUjUi6vyrLsiYvASQVBPCkBlwg/s1600/aungsukideliveringlectureatdelhi.jpg" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NNN--- Myanmar</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (L), Indian Congress party President Sonia Gandhi (C) and Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari hold books written by Suu Kyi after a memorial lecture of Indian's first Prime Minister Late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> on Nov 15, 2012. Suu Kyi arrived in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> on Nov. 13, 2012 on a nearly weeklong tour of the country. Photo courtesy Partha Sarkar---NNN<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

Aung San Suu Kyi Delivers Memorial Lecture of Indian's First Pm in New Delhi

NNN--- Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (L), Indian Congress party President Sonia Gandhi (C) and Indian Vice President Ha...

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After Sectarian Violence in Myanmar: Rohingyas Heading to Malaysia

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">  <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUo6cdx6lW6M6z46VPfF9uSPu18lc9xHrb6Si4b3Vbv9gZnHGNSXkTOA0TID8m0kRkhb0B0Tn8OogpWEFe5ZlWg7Xj_0EO-vT1VOuJNN14kY7svrmpPJVOC1jDNiXINc0yFHYWnxsMR-k/s1600/201211061354390816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUo6cdx6lW6M6z46VPfF9uSPu18lc9xHrb6Si4b3Vbv9gZnHGNSXkTOA0TID8m0kRkhb0B0Tn8OogpWEFe5ZlWg7Xj_0EO-vT1VOuJNN14kY7svrmpPJVOC1jDNiXINc0yFHYWnxsMR-k/s1600/201211061354390816.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/photo/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Maher Sattar/IRIN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mohammad Johar wants to leave for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> soon<o:p></o:p></span></div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">BANGKOK</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-IRIN) -- Thousands of Rohingya - whether currently in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region> or <st1:country-region w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:country-region> - may take to the high seas and head to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region> after last month’s deadly sectarian violence in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region>’s western <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rakhine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place>, activists warn.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The risk factor is certainly there,” Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project, an advocacy organization for the Rohingya, told IRIN. “Many simply feel they have no other choice. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region> has closed its borders so there is no other escape.” <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“More people are getting on boats to get to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region>,” Phil Robertson, the deputy director of the <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place> Division of Human Rights Watch, said. “This year might be one of the largest sailing seasons [of Rohingya refugees going to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> from the two countries].”<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">According to UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), there are more than 24,000 Rohingya refugees and asylum seekers in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> today. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Close to 110,000 mostly Rohingya residents are displaced in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region> following inter-communal violence between Muslim Rohingya and ethnic (mainly Buddhist) Rakhine residents, and need humanitarian assistance, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Nov 5. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On Oct 21, more than 35,000 people were displaced across eight Rakhine townships (Kyaukpyu, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Myebon, Pauktaw, Ramree and Rathedaung) after a wave of inter-communal violence resulted in 89 deaths and the destruction of more than 5,000 homes and buildings. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In earlier violence in June, dozens were killed and some 75,000 Rohingyas were displaced following the alleged rape of a Rakhine woman by a group of Muslim men in May. Most of the displaced are staying in nine overcrowded camps in Sittwe, the capital of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rakhine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite the presence of thousands of soldiers and police, security across Rakhine remains tense, while access for aid workers is increasingly proving problematic. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">OCHA says more displacements are likely. "The situation is still very, very volatile, it's very tense. The government is doing its very best to keep the situation under control, but it's still very fragile,” said Jens Laerke, an OCHA spokesman. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Bangladesh responded to the June violence by enforcing its “closed door” policy more strictly, leaving the Rohingyas in Rakhine State - described by the UN as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world - in an even tighter spot.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Bangladesh</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> is already home to more than 200,000, mostly undocumented Rohingya refugees, and <st1:place w:st="on">Dhaka</st1:place> insists it is in no position to accept any more. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thousands could well seek shelter in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region>, an escape that requires undertaking a dangerous voyage across the Indian Ocean often in rickety, and overcrowded boats ill-equipped to make the journey, said Maung Kyaw Nu, president of the Burmese Rohingya Association in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Whether they are able to get to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> is another issue,” he said. Many of those getting on the boats are desperate enough to shell out more than US$1,500 for the passage, he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Many think the risk is worth it. Mohammad Johar, an undocumented Rohingya in the town of <st1:city w:st="on">Teknaf</st1:city> in southeastern <st1:country-region w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:country-region> bordering <st1:placename w:st="on">Rakhine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype>, is already plotting his escape after saving up money for almost a year, and motivated by his longstanding fear of life back in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Many things can go wrong. The boat’s motor can stop working. The authorities can try to stop you, since what we’re doing is illegal,” the 23-year-old said. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Groups of 20-30 passengers are typically picked up in the dead of night from various areas in <st1:city w:st="on">Chittagong</st1:city>, Cox’s Bazaar, and Teknaf in southeastern <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region>, he explained, from where they are transferred to larger boats at sea. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On Oct 31, one such boat on its way to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> reportedly sank. Some 130 Rohingyas on board are believed to have drowned. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“I have learned that last year perhaps as many as 50 percent of all boat refugees died,” said Maung Kyaw Nu. -- NNN-IRIN (www.irinnews.org)<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

After Sectarian Violence in Myanmar: Rohingyas Heading to Malaysia

  Photo:  Maher Sattar/IRIN Mohammad Johar wants to leave for Malaysia soon BANGKOK (NNN-IRIN) -- Thousands of Rohingya -...

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Aung San Suu Kyi Refuses to Take Sides in Burma Ethnic Violence

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi has urged tolerance in response to a wave of ethnic violence in the west of the country, but says she will not take sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In an interview with the BBC Saturday, the Nobel Peace laureate said she does "not think one should use one's moral leadership" to promote a particular cause without looking into the sources of the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">She says advocates of both sides are displeased with her, but says the rule of law should be established as a first step before looking into other problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Aung San Suu Kyi spoke in the administrative capital of Naypyidaw after talks with European Commission President Jose Manual Barroso, who has said the European Union is deeply concerned about the ethnic violence and the consequences for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s reforms.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The U.N. chief in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Rangoon</st1:place></st1:city>, Ashok Nigam, said a week ago that more than 22,000 people had been displaced in a week of violence between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">New York-based Human Rights Watch has said that the fighting has disproportionately targeted Muslims. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Some rights groups say the Burmese military, which has a long history of abusing minorities, unfairly targeted Muslims during the unrest.  <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s government denies the charges. ---VOA News</span></div>

Aung San Suu Kyi Refuses to Take Sides in Burma Ethnic Violence

Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi has urged tolerance in response to a wave of ethnic violence in the west of the country, but ...

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MYANMAR: Rohingyas Call for Global Day of Action on Nov 8

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">YANGON (NNN-MIZZIMA) -- Rohingya groups from across the world have signed a statement calling for a Global Day of Action on Nov 8 in support of human rights for the Rohingya people of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“We call upon all organisations and individuals who support human rights for the Rohingya to unite to take action on November 8th. On this date it will be 5 months since violent attacks against the Rohingya began in Arakan (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>),” the joint statement said. “We call [on] you for demonstrations at Myanmar Embassies or the Foreign Ministry in your respective countries.”<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Rohingya umbrella group, which includes Rohingya Organisation UK and similar NGOs in Europe, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region>, claims that since violence erupted in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rakhine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place> in June, thousands of Rohingya people have been forced to flee their homes.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In its statement on Thursday, the group also drew attention to allegations that many Rohingya villagers have been living under a state of siege and that many are suffering from starvation and disease. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Rohingya groups also called for support for its call to the United Nations to send UN peacekeepers and international observers into the restive region, the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to those affected, and for the establishment of a UN commission of inquiry into the violence.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">They also called on the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region> government to repeal the 1982 Citizenship Law under which the Rohingya are effectively rendered stateless.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Washington-based US Campaign for Burma (USCB) released a statement on Nov 1 demanding “extreme elements from both sides [Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya] immediately stop utilizing violence as a solution, and to end the distribution of false and fabricated information with an aim to fuel further violence and instigating discrimination.”<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">USCB urged President Thein Sein to take action against those responsible for the violence. It also called on the Myanmar Parliament to review the 1982 Citizenship Law and amend the law in accordance with the international standard, thereby allowing stateless persons in the country to be granted citizenship.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The recent communal violence in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rakhine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place> is a product of decades-long, deep-seeded cultural distrust between the two communities,” the USCB said. “When people are committed to the democratic principle to tolerate and respect differences, such distrust can be overcome, which sets up the future possibility of unity. Diversity is the destiny of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>.” -- NNN-MIZZIMA<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

MYANMAR: Rohingyas Call for Global Day of Action on Nov 8

YANGON (NNN-MIZZIMA) -- Rohingya groups from across the world have signed a statement calling for a Global Day of Action on Nov 8 in su...

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At Least 56 Dead in New Ethnic Violence in Myanmar

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-IRNA) -- At least 56 people have been killed and nearly 2,000 homes destroyed in the latest outbreak of ethnic violence in western <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country></st1:place>, a government official said on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The 25 men and 31 women were reported dead in four Rakhine state townships in violence between the Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya communities that re-erupted on Sunday, PTI reported quoting local government spokesman Win Myaing as saying in Kyauktaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He said some 1,900 homes had been burned down in fresh conflict, while 60 men and four women were injured. In June, ethnic violence in the state left at least 90 people dead and destroyed more than 3,000 homes. Tens of thousands of people remain in refugee camps.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Curfews have been in place in some areas since June, and been extended to others due to the recent violence. --NNN-IRNA<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

At Least 56 Dead in New Ethnic Violence in Myanmar

NEW DELHI (NNN-IRNA) -- At least 56 people have been killed and nearly 2,000 homes destroyed in the latest outbreak of ethnic violence...

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Sectarian Violence Spreads in Burma

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By Daniel Schearf<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">VOA News--- Renewed sectarian violence between Muslim Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine is spreading in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country>’s western Rakhine state.  At least two people were reported killed and there are concerns the death toll may grow.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Authorities say fighting erupted late Tuesday in two more towns, Kyaukpyu and Myebon.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Burma</span></st1:place></st1:country><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'s state media said communal violence has left more than 1,000 homes burned since Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported two people were killed in the fighting, while unconfirmed reports say casualty figures are much higher.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Al Haji Nyunt Maung Shein is chairman of <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country>'s Islamic Religious Affairs Council.  He says they received reports as many as 178 Muslims and Buddhists were killed, but were unable to independently confirm the figures.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Still the violence is going on in Rakhine state, especially in Kyaukpyu area and Myinbya area last night.  And recently they are suffering so much.  And almost all, nearly 2,000 houses are burnt," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The council cancelled celebration of the Islamic religious festival Eid al-Adha out of concern for security.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It is not clear what started this week's unrest.  <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Human Rights Watch <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country> researcher Matthew Smith says the remoteness of Rakhine state is partly to blame. But he says prejudice also plays a role.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"This is an issue that has not been covered in any sort of adequate way.  And, the sympathies that few people have in the country for the plight of the Rohingya are certainly drowned out by opposing viewpoints," said Smith.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Rohingya Muslims are not recognized as citizens in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country>, despite many living there for generations.  Most Buddhists in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Burma</st1:country> consider them illegal migrants from <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country>.  Their legal status leaves them open to exploitation, and the United Nations calls them one of the most abused minorities in the world.  <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Toronto-based democracy activist and <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country> analyst Vijay Sappani says the government needs to offer the Rohingya better protection.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I think the long-term solution is to find some form of a citizenship status or some form of a status that can be given to them so that there is a law which is clearly defined and that can be implemented," said Sappani. "The challenge right now is that there is a law that is fairly discriminative and the majority do support it."<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The government withdrew an offer last week for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to open an office in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rakhine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place>, following Buddhist-monk-led protests.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tensions between the Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims broke out in June over allegations in state media that Rohingya men raped a Rakhine girl.  A Rakhine mob attacked and killed a busload of Rohingya and spiraling revenge attacks left close to 90 people dead and tens of thousands homeless.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A government appointed investigation commission is to deliver a report on the violence in November.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Victor Beattie in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Washington</st1:city> <st1:state w:st="on">D.C.</st1:state></st1:place> contributed to this story<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

Sectarian Violence Spreads in Burma

By Daniel Schearf VOA News--- Renewed sectarian violence between Muslim Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine is spreading in Burma ’s we...

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An Interview with Aung San Suu Kyi by Scott Stearns at VOA in Washington D.C.

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzN7G-FO5rYyQt9JVT_t2UQ7GvI-hClpr6lhs82QbIk9mUsZ9HDfMwRpt2_l3gURVpiyV83qUFKBBNvlp6P0DGYiHZHR-uBEqR0FSb_T5UmSWIos7FocGhk-UhGkP-zGpfrMkaADy7iM/s1600/D191EDB4-761E-481C-A4F7-5623536E4271_w640_r1_s_cx0_cy10_cw0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzN7G-FO5rYyQt9JVT_t2UQ7GvI-hClpr6lhs82QbIk9mUsZ9HDfMwRpt2_l3gURVpiyV83qUFKBBNvlp6P0DGYiHZHR-uBEqR0FSb_T5UmSWIos7FocGhk-UhGkP-zGpfrMkaADy7iM/s1600/D191EDB4-761E-481C-A4F7-5623536E4271_w640_r1_s_cx0_cy10_cw0.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">VOA's Scott Stearns interviews Burmese opposition leader <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Aung San Suu Kyi at VOA in Washington D.C., <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012. (VOA/A. Klein)<o:p></o:p></span></div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: Thank you for being with us this afternoon. Our time is short; we'll get right to the questions. Political and economic reforms in Burma are clearly not yet complete. What needs to happen next?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK: We need to just go on with the process. We need to find out what we have to do in order to keep the democratization process on track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Economic reforms have to be taken one by one. You see it's not just speed that's important, it's sequencing as well. You've got to get the speed right; you have to get the sequencing right. Save to get the sequencing right. So we have to find out what next should be done. There is so much to be done.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Keeping democratic reforms on track, what you think is the biggest impediment there?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I think it's knowing what kind of reforms should come first.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Do support United States lifting trade sanctions against Burma?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK: Yes I do because I think it's time we tried to stand on our own and I've been very grateful to the United States for what they've done to help the forces of democracy. I think sanctions of helped us greatly. There have been many claims that sanctions have hurt Burma economically, but I did not agree with that point of view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>If you look at reports by the IMF, for example, they make quite clear that the economic impact on Burma has not been that great. But I think the political impact has been very great and that has helped us in our struggle for democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Do you think that this process is gotten to the point now where the changes are reversible?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>That I don't think we can say until the Army is totally committed to change because under the present Constitution, the Army can always take over all parts of government if they think this is necessary. so until the Army comes out clearly and consistently in support of the democratic process we cannot say that it’s irreversible. But I don't think we need fear a reversal too much either.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>You’ve spoken of the need to change the Constitution to remove the military's guaranteed portion of seats in Parliament. How do you intend to go about that?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK: I've never emphasized the military's guaranteed proportion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>That's what others of emphasized. That does not worry me so much as the provision for the commander-in-chief to take over the powers of government when he thinks necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>And of course there are other parts of the Constitution which do not actually mesh with the working of the genuine democracy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>But whatever we do whatever changes we bring about with regard to the Constitution I want to bring these changes about with the cooperation and willing cooperation with of the Army.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: Why do you think the Army has engaged in this process of reform now?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK: The process of reform was actually started by the executive and the legislature. It was President Thein Sein who started the reform process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>But of course you must remember that democracy is made up not of made up only of the executive, but the legislature and the judiciary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The legislature has also played its part in promoting reform. The military are part of the legislature in that they are 25% of that, but I think they also work closely with the executive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>What we are lacking in Burma is an independence effective judiciary, and unless we have all three of these democratic institutions - strong and healthy, we cannot say that our democratic processes (is complete).<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: Is there something at present that you think made this a ripe time for these changes in Burma?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>There are other regimes that have entrenched themselves…<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK: There were the elections in 2010 when they said they were turning the administration over to civilian government. Actually most of the people in the civilian government recently retired from the previous Army government, but they did have elections and there are many who question the fairness of the elections and even the United Nations has said these elections were flawed, but certainly was no longer officially a military government, it was a civilian government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I think it is a civilian government which is close to the military because many of them are retired members of the military, but I think the desire for reform of President Thein Sein is very genuine. And now that I've been in a couple months in the legislature I can see that both the speakers of the upper and lower house also are very committed to the democratic process.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>We've had many questions on our Twitter feed about violence against Muslims and specifically how the treatment of Rohinja reflects some on the tenets of Buddhism. What do you think of that?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Communal tensions are very, very difficult to dissipate in a short time and there have been communal tensions in Burma for decades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The latest episodes of violence erupted because of, from my point of view, from a lack of rule of law. It all started with a criminal act, and if action had been taken quickly, if justice had been done and seen to be done, it would not have escalated in the kind of almost full-scale violence that it did. We believe as a National League for democracy that human rights must be protected by the rule of law, and there can never be occasions where human rights can be neglected or ignored or the rule of law set aside. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: What about efforts to trying to find a lasting solution to the Karen and Kachin issues as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK: Lasting solutions are always difficult to come to. But they will have to persevere. I've been repeating ad nauseam that we in Burma we are weak with regard to the culture of negotiated compromises, that we have to develop the ability to achieve such compromises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>If you want to bring an end to long-standing conflict, you have to be prepared to compromise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>If either or both sides insist on getting everything that they want – that is to say 100 percent of their demands to be met, then there can never be a settlement. So we have to negotiate the kind of compromise that is acceptable to all the parties concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: A question to you from Facebook: What role do you think of the role of the the Burmese artists and authors can play in the social changes that are undergoing?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK: Burmese authors and artists can play the role that artists everywhere play. They help to mold the outlook of a society -- not the whole outlook and they are not the only ones to mold the outlook of society, but they have an important role to play there. And I think if they take up this role seriously and link it to the kind of changes were wish to bring about in our country they could be a tremendous help.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: Can you speak to us for a moment about the need to improve primary education in the country as well as a means of preparing this next generation of Burmese?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>We need to improve education in the country -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>not only primary education, but secondary and tertiary education. Our education system is very very bad. But, of course, if you look at primary education, we have to think in terms of early childhood development that's going back to before the child is born - making sure the mother is well nourished and the child is properly nurtured. Early childhood development has proved to be very beneficial and very cost-effective in societies where this is been tried. So let’s not confine ourselves to primary education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Let’s think of early childhood development and education as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>But at the moment I would like to emphasize the need for vocational training, for non-formal education in our country to help all those young people who have suffered from a bad education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>They have to be trained to earn their living. They have to have enough education vocational training to be able to set up respectable lives for themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: There are many foreign investors interested in coming to Burma, especially with the lifting of trade sanctions. Do you see a role for the private sector to play in supporting that vocational education?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK: Of course. Already I am going to start a small vocational training program in my Township. We've bought a plot of land and were going to build vocational training center. This I've been able to do from funds contributed by private citizens.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: Your country has a long history with China. Do you have any concern that the competition between China and the United States in that region could affect the development of a young emerging economy in Burma?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I don't think we should think of it as competition between the United States and China. And if it is competition, I hope there will be healthy competition and not the kind of competition that is adversarial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>We don't want this to be adversaries, we want them to be partners in developing that economic stability of the region.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: Do you think United States has pressed China enough on its human rights situation?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I think you would know that better than I.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: One final question. Another question from Facebook - In your years under house arrest, what is it that kept it going? Did you feel that it was just never going to end?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>No I never felt it was never going to end,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>and I didn't really feel the need for anything to keep me going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I felt myself to be on the path that I had chosen and I was perfectly prepared to keep to that path.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS: What would you say to people in other countries who are in similar situations, under house arrest, who look to you for inspiration?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK: First of all I would say don't give up hope. At the same time I would say there is no hope without endeavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>You've got to work, you got to make an effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>It is not enough to sit and hope. You have to work in order to realize your hopes.---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

An Interview with Aung San Suu Kyi by Scott Stearns at VOA in Washington D.C.

VOA's Scott Stearns interviews Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi at VOA in Washington D.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012. ...

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OIC Keen to Send Mission to Myanmar on Rohingya Muslims

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (NNN-Bernama) -- The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will ask the Myanmar Government to allow an OIC fact-finding mission to be sent to Myanmar, said OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He made the remarks in an OIC statement at the conclusion of the Executive Committee meeting to discuss the Muslim Rohingya issue at the Permanent Representative level at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah over the weekend. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ihsanoglu has expressed disappointment over the failure of the international community to stop the tyranny and discrimination by the Myanmar Government against the Rohingya Muslims in Arakan, formerly known as Rakhine state. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He suggested looking into the possibility of considering the formation of an Islamic fact-finding committee to seek the best solution to the issue among all parties, including the Myanmar Government, as well as international and regional organisations. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The secretary-general said the indifference of the international community to the rights of the Rohingya people, and fragmentation of the 25 Rohingya organisations, had motivated the largest Muslim organisation to make efforts to unite the organisations at the OIC headquarters in May last year. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“OIC has directed its offices at the United Nations in New York to work in coordination with the Member States that are also non-permanent members in the UN Security Council, namely, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo, to urge the <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Council to look into the suffering of the Rohingya Muslims,” he added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He also urged the OIC Permanent and Independent Human Rights Commission to study the crisis of Myanmar Muslims and its human rights implications during its next session in Turkey at the end of this month. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile, Ihsanoglu hoped that Bangladesh could review its position on the Rohingya Muslims, although he understood Bangladesh's position and the sensitivity of the issue. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Violence, which erupted in June, this year, in the Rakhine state between Buddhists and Rohingya, left about 80 people dead on both sides, official figures showed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Reports said the Myanmar Government’s restrictions on humanitarian access to the Rohingya community had left many of the over 100,000 people displaced and in dire need of food, shelter, and medical care. --- NNN-BERNAMA </span></div>

OIC Keen to Send Mission to Myanmar on Rohingya Muslims

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (NNN-Bernama) -- The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will ask the Myanmar Government to allow an OIC fact...

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Rohingya Muslims' Massacre "Blot On Face of Humanity" - India's Scholar

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Massacre of Rohingya Muslims of Arakan region in Myanmar is "a blot on the face of humanity", IRNA news agency reported General Secretary of Majlis Ulema-e-Hind, Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawwad Naqvi as saying here. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Thousands of innocent people including women and children were butchered and millions displaced. This constitute not only human rights violations, but are crimes against humanity, IRNA quoted Jawwad, who is also an eminent Indian Shi'a Scholar, as saying in an exclusive interview with the news agency. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And yet the international bodies, who call themselves "champions of humanity”, are watching as mute spectator. It is most regrettable," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Strongly condemning the barbaric attack on the Muslims in Myanmar, Jawwad urged the world community not only to condemn it in the strongest words but play a positive and constructive role for the human rights of minority Muslims there. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"The pain and suffering the recent incidents have caused to a large number of people have saddened not only the Muslims but all peace loving people around the globe. The ethnic conflict which occurred is unacceptable and must come to a stop," said Jawwad, who is also the Friday Prayer Leader of historic Asafi Mosque at Lucknow. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He urged India's Government to take a stand on the matter and called on the Muslim world to "break their silence" and protest against the killings.--NNN-BERNAMA <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div></div>

Rohingya Muslims' Massacre "Blot On Face of Humanity" - India's Scholar

NEW DELHI, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Massacre of Rohingya Muslims of Arakan region in Myanmar is "a blot on the face of humanity", ...

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Burma's Suu Kyi Gives First Parliament Speech

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">By VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has used her first speech in parliament to call for laws protecting the rights of the nation's ethnic minorities</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Nobel Peace Prize winner spoke Wednesday, urging equal rights for all ethnic groups as part of Burma's transition to democracy</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="RTL"></span>"</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">To become a truly democratic union with a spirit of the union, equal rights and mutual respect, I urge all members of parliament to discuss the enactment of the laws needed to protect equal rights of ethnicities," she said</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Aung San Suu Kyi's was elected to parliament earlier this year, marking a new phase in her long struggle to bring democracy to her homeland, after she spent nearly 15 years in detention under the nation's military rule</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Her party, the National League for Democracy, is now a mainstream political party, following Burma's landmark April elections and other sweeping changes by the new, nominally civilian government</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Aung San Suu Kyi has spoken out in the past in support of ethnic minorities including the Shan, Karen and Kachin.    She has been relativily quiet on the situation in western Rakhine state where longstanding tensions between the Buddhist Rakhines and Muslim Rohingyas erupted into communal violence</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Burmese government regards Rohingya Muslims as illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 12.75pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amnesty International has said hundreds of Muslims have been arrested and held incommunicado during massive security sweeps through Rohingya areas. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Burma's Suu Kyi Gives First Parliament Speech

By VOA News Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has used her first speech in parliament to call for laws protecting the rights of ...

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Aung San Suu Kyi Honored in Ireland

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi received a rock star welcome in Ireland Monday where she received Amnesty International's highest human rights award at a concert in her honor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Nobel peace laureate took to the stage with rock singer and philanthropist Bono to collect her long-postponed Ambassador of Conscience Award.  She won the human rights group's most prestigious prize in 2009, but could not collect it, because she was under house arrest in Burma at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Amnesty's annual presentation is awarded to those showing "exceptional leadership" in promoting human rights and human conscience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Aung San Suu Kyi was greeted at a riverside theater by crowds of wellwishers.  She attended a three-hour show organized in her honor by the London-based human rights group.  The show featured Irish stars, including Bono and Bob Geldof, as well as singers and entertainers from around the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Aung San Suu Kyi, detained under harsh military rule in her homeland for much of the past two decades, arrived in Dublin from the Norwegian capital, Oslo, where she received a thunderous welcome and the Nobel Peace Prize denied her in 1991 by her jailers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From Ireland, the democracy icon will continue to London, where she will be reunited with her two grown children.  On Wednesday, she will speak to students at Oxford University and on Thursday she will address both Houses of Parliament.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in late 2010, as a period of political change began in Burma, also known as Myanmar, following half a century of military rule.  A new, nominally civilian government was elected in November 2010 and took office four months later. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After her release, Aung San Suu Kyi resumed active leadership of the National League for Democracy, which she co-founded, and won election to an open seat in parliament in April.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Aung San Suu Kyi Honored in Ireland

By VOA News Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi received a rock star welcome in Ireland Monday where she received Amnesty I...

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Aung San Suu Kyi Voices Concern Over Burmese Ethnic Violence

<div style="color:; background-color:; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi voiced concern about violence in the north and west of Burma Saturday, saying despite a cease-fire with the government, hostilities among some ethnic groups continue.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">She noted that "communal violence resulting in arson and murder" are occurring in western Burma, where state media say some 50 people have died in fighting between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and ethnic Rohingya Muslims over the past few weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">Officials say tens of thousands of people have been displaced and more than 2,500 homes burned in Rakhine state.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">On Friday the U.N. refugee agency urged neighboring Bangladesh to open its borders to refugees from the violence.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">In a statement, the agency said those trying to escape are not able to find the "safety and security they desperately need."<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">The U.N. agency also said it has first-hand, credible accounts of boats from Burma not being allowed to access Bangladesh territory.  It said women, children and wounded people are among those on the boats.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">Earlier this week, officials in predominantly Muslim Bangladesh said their border guards turned back hundreds of Rohingya Muslims trying to flee the fighting.  Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said it is not in the country's best interest to let them in.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"">Violence erupted June 3 when a mob of Buddhists in Rakhine ambushed a bus and killed 10 Rohingya Muslim passengers, in apparent retaliation for the earlier rape and murder of a Buddhist woman by three Muslims. --- VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></div></div>

Aung San Suu Kyi Voices Concern Over Burmese Ethnic Violence

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi voiced concern about violence in the north and west of Burma Saturday, saying despite a cease-fir...

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Suu Kyi Takes Seat in Myanmar's Parliament for First Time

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaO5J8SN1vks-znV4-gLnXKtVdAR59Zk8Gn3AMF9nW2mYBuZz6qJbXO6EDZjzE2y9awsl0B6jIUr-hCqnZJxiEotuxo4-fSFKv0R_LLHp3tzdpPEqvyK6TH3stdaI7Tjfla5LmEJrJiY/s1600/2012050312473766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaO5J8SN1vks-znV4-gLnXKtVdAR59Zk8Gn3AMF9nW2mYBuZz6qJbXO6EDZjzE2y9awsl0B6jIUr-hCqnZJxiEotuxo4-fSFKv0R_LLHp3tzdpPEqvyK6TH3stdaI7Tjfla5LmEJrJiY/s1600/2012050312473766.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">Aung San Suu Kyi (L, front), leader of Myanmar's National League for Democracy (NLD)<br />  takes the oath in Myanmar's parliament in its capital Nay Pyi Taw on May 2, 2012.<br />  Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi took her seat in the parliament for<br /> the first time on Wed. photo courtesy Xinhua---NNN</span></i></td></tr> </tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /> </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /> </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /> </i></span></span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /> </i></span></span><br /> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Burma's long-time democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi has officially been sworn in as a member of parliament, taking public office for the first time after spending much of the past two decades under house arrest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">The Nobel laureate on Wednesday took the oath of office to enter Burma's lower legislative house, ending a parliamentary boycott that had threatened to interrupt the country's political reform process.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">For over a week, the 66-year-old opposition leader and her National League for Democracy had refused to take the oath because it required them to “safeguard” the constitution, which was drafted by Burma's former military rulers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">But the NLD earlier this week agreed to take the pledge, while vowing to push for constitutional change through legislative action. Aung San Suu Kyi said Tuesday that compromise was necessary for the sake of reform.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Parliament member Win Oo of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party praised Aung San Suu Kyi's decision, as she entered the parliament on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">“The fact that Suu Kyi has come to the parliament is good because as we have said so many times, if we want to achieve things for the benefit of the people and the country we should let sleeping dogs lie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">The United States on Tuesday also welcomed the move. State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said the U.S. hopes Burma's government and its opposition groups will work together to “build on the democratic progress that has been made.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">The NLD, which won 43 of the 45 available seats in Burma's April 1 by-elections, now becomes the main opposition party in a parliament that is still dominated by military-backed political parties.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a landslide victory in general elections in 1990. But military leaders at the time refused to relinquish power and the victors were refused entry into parliament.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">The NLD boycotted the 2010 elections that ended decades of military rule in Burma.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Since then, President Thein Sein and his new nominally civilian government have enacted a series of democratic reforms, including easing press restrictions and releasing some political prisoners.---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></span></i></div></div>

Suu Kyi Takes Seat in Myanmar's Parliament for First Time

Aung San Suu Kyi (L, front), leader of Myanmar's National League for Democracy (NLD)  takes the oath in Myanmar's parliament in ...

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