PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    1/10

    .......................

    April 2011pril 2011The activities of NLD and domestic opposition forces

    The relationship between NLD and the military juntaThe relationship between NLD and the military junta

    Daw Aung San Suu Kyi stated on March 11 that the National League for Democracy wasready to talk with the forthcoming civilian government and compromise, and asserted that itwas still upholding non-violent tactics and striving for democracy rather than gaining power.She also said that everybody has to give support to the organization which could do betterthan the NLD to achieve democracy. She also urged on the 27 th to conduct dialogue in orderto smooth out misunderstandings between Burma army and pro-democracy forces. On thesame day, the NLD reaffirmed its readiness to talk national reconciliation with ex-Gen. UThein Sein's civilian-veiled government which was handed over power by the SPDC onMarch 30. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi commented on March 31 that she viewed the new

    government objectively and that she would like to get the best option for the country.Though the NLD was repeatedly calling for dialogue, the SPDC military regime wasobstructing some of NLD's social assistance acts. Local authorities blocked and harassedMandalay Division Kyaukbadaung Township NLD members donating medicine and moneyto senior citizens in Taungponetaung village, NLD member Ko Aye Khaing disclosed onMarch 23. On March 25, local authorities also harassed a Basic English Summer courseopened in Yeni town by Eastern Pegu Division Yedashay Township NLD, said TownshipOrganizing Committee member U Than Aung. An unknown group distributed open letters

    bearing fake signatures of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi through emails. The NLD claimed onMarch 29 that the open letter to Irrawaddy with her signature was not authentic.

    President-elect ex-Gen. U Thein Sein's appointing ministers and committee chiefs using presidential powers before assuming the Presidency on oath was incompatible with theConstitution, the NLD stated on March 8. After U Thein Sein took the oath for Presidency onMarch 30, NLD spokesperson U Nyan Win said on March 31 that the NLD would wait andsee whether U Thein Sein's pledge to enact laws needed for democratic reform was sincere ornot. However NLD Central Executive member U Win Tin expressed his doubt over ex-armyofficers' acting true to their words.

    NLD spokesperson U Nyan Win criticized SPDC's allotment of 25% of budget to militaryexpenditures for fiscal year 2011-2012, saying it could hurt nation's development projects. OnMarch 23, ex-General U Tin Oo said that Burma army should act "like water or moon"

    toward the people as indicated in "Warriors' Ethics", and that SPDC Generals need to reformthe army with goodwill. NLD statement issued on March 27, the 66 th Anti-Fascist Resistance

    PDC News Commentary ~ April 2011 (Eng) Page 1 of 1 0

    April 2011Compiled and commented by the Political Defiance Committee (PDC)

    National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB)

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    2/10

    Day, called for Burmese regime to draw lessons from political problems and popularuprisings unfolding in Arab world.

    With time approaching for handover of power to civilian-veiled government, the SPDC hasissued directives to regional commands and police to increase close watch on activities of the

    NLD and former NLD members in addition to executing harassments. We assume that thecivilian-veiled government would subdue NLD activities by all kinds of means.

    The relationship between ethnic groups and the military juntaThe relationship between ethnic groups and the military junta

    Battles between government troops and armed ethnic ceasefire groups intensified in 2011March with battle lines expanding. Clashes that began last December between SPDC andSSA (North) or SSA/SSPP escalated after March 13. SPDC's offensive against SSA/SSPP

    posts in Mongshu and Tangyan townships by using MOC-1, MOC-2, LID-33, LID-55 andLID-99 has caused heavy fighting. The offensive aimed to capture strategic posts on thecommunications route between UWSA and SSA (South) troops so as to prevent the UWSA

    from giving support to SSA/SSPP troops. Both sides suffered casualties while some outpostsof SSA/SSPP have to be abandoned due to manpower disparity. When the SPDC bombarded

    Nam Lao post in Tangyan Township, some houses and a monastery were hit resulting indeaths of some monks, novice monks and villagers, local residents reported. Hundreds of

    people fled from their villages due to fighting.

    The SPDC was reinforcing its troops around Wan Hai village where SSA/SSPP HQ islocated. It reportedly issued an ultimatum to the SSA/SSPP to completely surrender by April1. The regime also ordered eleven villages in Kunheng, Namsan and Kehsi townships toresettle along Kengtung-Taunggyi highway. Fourteen members of SSA/SSPP's TangyangTownship Administration have surrendered on March 19, the SPDC announced. By the end

    of March, clashes have spread to Namsang and Mongkao townships. The North-EastCommand HQ repeatedly pressured Loi Mawng, Chairman of the SSA (North) that hastransformed into Hsen Kiao Home Guard Force, to join SPDC's fight against Shan rebels butwas refused to do so.

    The SSA/SSPP issued an open letter to Burmese soldiers on March 27, denying SPDCregime's propaganda about the former's agreement to surrender. On March 17 th, the NDFannounced its denunciation of SPDC offensive against SSA/SSPP bases.

    SSA (South) troops and SPDC forces also battled in March. On the 1st, the SPDC shelled anoutpost of SSA (South) in Loilann near Thai-Burmese border with 120mm mortar. On thatday, SSA (South) troops raided opium refineries owned by Pa-O Home Guard Force

    transformed from SPDC stooge PNO in Namsan Township Mongsit Tract. On March 11 and12, SSA (South) forces clashed with IB 246 and LIR 524 in central Shan State Kholan Sub-Township, resulting in death of one RSM and many other soldiers.

    While SPDC troops were battling SSA/SSPP forces, adjacent UWSA territory saw a five-daylong annual departmental meeting of the UWSA at its Pansang HQ on March 15. UWSAVice-Chairman Chao Wen-Kuan expressed his satisfaction on March 16 about theorganization's united rejection of SPDC pressure to transform into a Border Guard Force(BGF). In his closing address to the meeting on the 20 th, Chairman Bou You-Chiang assertedthat the UWSA would not give up even one gun, one bullet or one inch of land to the SPDCregime.

    After that meeting, the UWSA hiked taxes in all its territories tenfold. NEC G-1 Col. Tun TunNyi refused to convey UWSA's letter expounding its stand to SPDC leaders. A UWSA officer

    PDC News Commentary ~ April 2011 (Eng) Page 2 of 1 0

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    3/10

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    4/10

    The attack on the SSA/SSPP might be military regime's sounding out the unity of ceasefiregroups. We assume that if the allies fail to provide effective mutual support, the regime wouldcrush them one by one.

    The activities of NLD and domestic opposition forcesThe activities of NLD and domestic opposition forcesThe NLD is found to be expanding its political and social activities. The NLD Central

    Executive Committee called a meeting with State/Division/Township organizing committeesstarting on March 3. At the first day meeting with over thirty townships from RangoonDivision, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi addressed that NLD members should do more deeds toserve the people and thereby display the concrete existence of the NLD while enhancing theirawareness of people's political feelings. After her release from detention, people's support forthe NLD significantly rose, said township organizers at the meeting.

    NLD Central Executive Committee met with Pegu Divisional and township organizingcommittee members on March 5, with Irrawaddy Divisional and township organizing

    committee members on the 9th

    , with State/Divisional and township organizing committeemembers of Mon State, Karen State and Tenasserim Division on the 10 th, with State andtownship organizing committee members of Arakan and Chin States on the 12 th, with MagweDivisional and township organizing committee members on the 14 th, with Sagaing Divisionaland township organizing committee members on the 16 th and with Kachin State and townshiporganizing committee members on the 18 th to discuss political and organizational works.

    They met with CRPP leaders on the 4 th to discuss regime's budgetary expenditure notificationand state financial budget laws, and probability of ecology damage wrought by deforestationin upper reaches of Irrawaddy River. On the 17th, NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and UWin Htein met with NDF leaders U Khin Maung Swe and Dr. Than Nyein at U Tin Oo's

    home.The NLD also conducted weekly roundtable discussions and lectures. During a discussion onMarch 27, economist U Myo Myint talked about corruption, prompting Vice-Chairman U TinOo and CEC U Win Tin to join in the discussion. At a discussion on March 31, agricultureexpert U Sein Win Han of Min Naing Aung Co. talked about rural development matters.

    Youth networks opened a summer charity school in Mandalay Mahar Aungmyay Townshipon March 1. Rangoon Division NLD Women Task Force was expanded to include Daw ThanThan Swe (Bahan) and Daw Aye Mi (Thaketa) on the 2nd in order to further women activities.Micro-credit programs initially suggested by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to lend Kyat 20000each to fifty vendors in Rangoon Division interest-free were doing well, CEC Dr. May Win

    Myint disclosed.Czech Republic Foreign Minister Mr. Karel Schwarzenberg phoned Daw Aung San Suu Kyito reaffirm his country's support for economic sanctions upon the SPDC regime, said NLDspokesperson U Ohn Kyaing on March 1. Mongolian President Elbegdorj also called her toexpress his support to Burma's pro-democracy efforts. Japan's ruling party DJP GeneralSecretary Mr. Katsura Okada also called her to talk about the issue of dialogue between themilitary regime and the opposition, and other political issues, said U Ohn Kyaing on March 3.On the 13th, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi sent a special message of condolences through theJapanese Embassy in Rangoon to Japanese people who lost their lives and property inearthquake and tsunami. She visited French Embassy Cultural Center on Prome Road,Rangoon, on March 14 to meet with about fifty Burmese students attending French languagecourses. She exhorted them to study not only for their own sake but also for the sake ofnation and people. During her phone discussion with the Amnesty International on March 20,

    PDC News Commentary ~ April 2011 (Eng) Page 4 of 1 0

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    5/10

    she urged them not to forget more than 2000 political prisoners languishing in Burma's jails.She told German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschauin an interview on March 23 thatWestern sanctions should remain in place because there has been no progress shown byBurmese military regime. In her video-taped address to a conference of internationalBurmese pro-democracy forces held in Fort Wayne, Indiana State, USA, she urged them to

    get united along with concrete responsibilities because Burma has reached an importantcrossroad.

    On March 26, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remarked that UN Security Council's Resolution 1973adopted on the 17th to intervene militarily to save Libyan people from massacre was a rightfulact. The NLD welcomed Human Rights Special Rapporteur on Burma Mr. Quintana's report

    presented to the 16th UN Human Rights Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, said Vice-Chairman U Tin Oo.

    In order to reopen Pann San Pyidawtha drainage canal needed for cultivation of damaged ricefields in Pegu Division Letpadan and Minhla townships, local farmers and some of PeguDivision Youth Network members asked the NLD for help on March 9. As per Daw Aung

    San Suu Kyi's suggestion, the NLD set up a farmers' network in Irrawaddy Division onMarch 22.

    The NLD has also stepped up its social assistance actions. On March 3, Pegu DivisionPeople's Democracy Network bought medicine with network members' donations and carriedout free medical treatment in Ward 5, Pegu Myothit, with help from private doctors. NLD andYouth social organizations donated waterproof canvases and clothes to people in RangoonDivision Dagon Port and Dagon townships hit by tornado on March 11, and also conductedfree medical service. The NLD also opened a charity clinic on the 21 st to provide free medicalservices to the needy in South Dagon Myothit.

    Among the services carried out by the NLD for the people, advocacy work for farmers whose

    lands were confiscated were increasing, reported NLD member U Thet Wai who wasassisting farmers in Naypyidaw. The current period was the most united period between NLDCECs, State/Division/township leaders and grass root members, asserted ThayawaddyTownship NLD Chairman U Aung Myint on March 7. On that day, NLD Information In-charge U Ohn Kyaing disclosed that they have obtained donors for more than 500 political

    prisoners.

    The NLD notified relevant State and township organizing committees to aid March 24earthquake victims of Eastern Shan State Talay and Monglin areas and arranged for cashassistance. In dedication to her parents Bogyoke Aung San and Daw Khin Kyi, Daw AungSan Suu Kyi donated the holy umbrella for Kyeekhaungtaung Pagoda in Arakan State

    Myebon Township damaged by Cyclone Giri, on the Full Moon Day of Tabaung month.The Arakan League for Democracy, a member organization of the CRPP, also carried outsinking of wells and digging of ponds as well as donations of food and cash in villages ofMyebon Township hit by Cyclone Giri. The United Nationalities Alliance conferred

    Nationalities Hero Award to Shan leader Khun Tun Oo currently serving a heavy prisonsentence. Since the first week of March, Mon Literature and Cultural Committee hasconducted summer language courses throughout Mon State attended by more than 65000trainees, reported Dr. Min Soe Lin on March 30.

    Local farmers form Rangoon Division Kayan Township together with people working for peasants' issues jointly commemorated the Peasants' Day at farmer U Myat Aye's house in

    Ward 3 on March 2, and issued an open letter to the regime demanding ownership of land.Daw Bauk Ja from Hpakant advocating for farmers whose lands were confiscated in Kachin

    PDC News Commentary ~ April 2011 (Eng) Page 5 of 1 0

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    6/10

    State filed a complaint to the ILO branch office on the 21 st about authorities' harassment onher. Seventeen farmers from Magwe Division Aunglan Township Ywama Htoen village tractfiled a complaint to the ILO branch office in the last week of March about local garrison'sconfiscation of their farmlands. However, on March 21 st night, an unknown group of menassaulted the farmers who have sued military-owned UMEH and Htoo companies for

    confiscation of their farmlands to jointly build a caustic factory. The companies also filed areport at the police station, resulting in arrest of the farmers.

    When former political prisoner U Tun Lwin of Bassein city distributed ILO educational flyerson March 8 concerning eradication of forced labor, police detained him and prohibited himfrom further circulation. On the same day, nearly 3000 workers from Taiyi Footwear mainfactory and a subordinate plant on U Shwe Ohn St., Hlaing Thayar Industrial Zone-3,Rangoon, staged a strike, out of displeasure over wage cuts and overtime work. Workers from

    New Way footwear factory in Hlaing Thayar Industrial Zone-4, Rangoon, also strike onMarch 22 to get full labor rights. Due to strikes for higher pay by Burmese wage workers anddemands for land seizure reparations in Dawei Deep Sea Port Project, the Italian-Thai

    Company has suspended its construction works for about one month. On March 25, theWorkers and Farmers Solidarity League of Burma issued a statement demanding fixation ofminimum wages in accordance with times. Movie community also demanded on the 31 st toease tight censorship policies.

    Over fifty students from Moulmein University drove to Ngantay Power Generator Plant andTownship Electrical Engineer Office by motorcycles and stoned the buildings on March 8after blackouts during the exam days. In the morning of March 13, the 23 rd anniversary ofRangoon Institute of Technology students Ko Phone Maw and Ko Soe Naing's deaths, '88Generation Students held a memorial merit-making service while ABFSU students carriedout a black color campaign. The Just Do It group which was carrying out dissident activitiesthrough Facebook social networks has its strength grown to about 2000 members within one

    month. Burma Rivers Network demanded the military regime on March 14, the InternationalRivers Day, to stop dam projects on Irrawaddy River. All Burma Monks Alliance, '88Generation Students and ABFSU also demanded on the 23 rd to withdraw the sanctionsimposed upon the people by the military regime first if the latter wished the internationalcommunity to remove economic sanctions upon the regime. The '88 Generation Students alsodemanded the civilian-veiled government headed by U Thein Sein on March 31 to initiatedialogue for peace of the country.

    There were activities of poster pasting and flyer distribution in Rangoon and Arakan State.On March 22, posters supporting the 21st century Panglong Conference were put up in ArakanState capital, Akyab. Similar posters were posted in Arakan State Taungup city's Padaunn

    Road, Municipal junction, jetty and Thaintaung State High School on the 27 th night. A groupcalled Rangoon Division Pro-Democracy Activists Force handed out flyers at busy places ofRangoon calling for soldiers to join hands with the people on 24 th and 25th.

    As NLD's activities steadily gathered steam, the military junta is found to be getting nervous.Since the regime is planning to infiltrate and split the unity, the NLD ought to be particularlyweary of disunity brought about by the regime.

    The military junta and domestic situation

    The situation of the activities of the military juntaThe situation of the activities of the military junta

    The military regime continued the sessions of National Assembly, People's Assembly andState/Division Assemblies, and formed respective governments, organs of power and

    PDC News Commentary ~ April 2011 (Eng) Page 6 of 1 0

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    7/10

    parliamentary committees. National Assembly and People's Assembly meetings on March 1set up a 15-member Bills Committee. Dr. Aye Maung of Rakhine Nationalities DevelopmentParty (RNDP) and SPDC Immigration Deputy Minister U Win Sein were respectively electedchairmen of National Assembly Affairs Committee and People's Assembly AffairsCommittee. State/Division Assemblies also set up parliamentary affairs committees.

    Prior to the formation of new cabinet, SPDC ministers answered relevant queries and motionsby MPs in National and People's assemblies. However clarifications were not clear enoughwhile some motions were prohibited from putting on the agenda. Motions not withdrawnwere put on and voted down in the parliament by majority USDP MPs. Speaker of People'sAssembly Thura U Shwe Mann warned the Parliament on March 15 to submit motions suitedto country's situation. Some motions were rejected because they were leaked to foreignmedia, alleged National Assembly Speaker U Khin Aung Myint in the session of March 23.

    On March 15 and 21, SPDC Finance/Revenue Minister U Hla Tun replied to queries thatthere were no plan yet to increase salaries and pensions of civil servants and that tariffs andcustom duties on imports and exports could not be cut. U Shwe Mann also replied on the 21 st

    that cessation of civil war and building of internal peace could be done only inside theframework of 2008 Constitution. SPDC Home Minister U Maung Oo also replied on March22 that total amnesty for political prisoners would depend on the new president. Out ofseventeen motions submitted to the People's Assembly, only two were sanctioned to be put ondebate. These two were USDP MP Agriculture/Irrigation Minister U Htay Oo's proposal forthe parliament to formally object to international sanctions upon Burma and a USDP MP'ssocial welfare bill.

    SPDC newspapers did not report democratic MPs' talks or questions in full but posted themafter censoring. Some MPs have talked in the parliament without knowing the issue well. Amotion for free middle school education proposed by National Democratic Force (NDF)

    Alone Township MP U Khaing Maung Yee was objected to by same party's Latha TownshipMP U Kyi Myint.

    When MP screening committee found out that two USDP MPs Daw Cho Nwe Oo and U AntGyi were alien residents, it sacked them from the parliament on March 4. The 2010 ElectionCommission also announced on March 21 that seventy-five candidates who failed to submitelection expenses in time have been debarred from next election. By-elections for vacant

    parliamentary seats might be held in October or November after the monsoon, said ElectionCommission Chairman U Thein Soe on March 14. In forming an MP screening committee inthe second meeting of first People's Assembly session, eighteen out of twenty-two committeemembers were from the USDP.

    At the Union Assembly session on March 29, Speaker U Khin Aung Myint read out messagesof felicitations to civilian-veiled president and vice-presidents from some countries andorganizations such as China, North Korea, Palestine, Indonesia, Belarus, Sri Lanka, SaudiArabia, Iran, UN and ASEAN Parliamentary Union. During the meeting of the day, USDPGeneral Secretary U Htay Oo thanked the SPDC military council which was going to handover power to the civilian-veiled government.

    On March 30, Union of the Republic of Myanmar Presidential Office issued Statements1/2011, 2/2011 and 3/2011 signed by new President U Thein Sein forming a 35-memberUnion Cabinet, a 21-member Finance Commission and a 7-member Union Supreme Court.On that day, President U Thein Sein and Vice Presidents U Tin Aung Myint Oo and SaiMawk Kham took the oath. Chief Ministers and Ministers of State and Divisions also tookthe oath on that day. After the oath-taking ceremony, Speaker of the Assembly read out SPDC

    PDC News Commentary ~ April 2011 (Eng) Page 7 of 1 0

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    8/10

    notifications 7/2011 and 8/2011 signed by Senior Gen. Than Shwe. The Speaker alsoannounced that new commander-in-chief and vice commander-in-chief have been appointed

    but failed to mention the names.

    SPDC Notification 7/2011 stated that Peace and Development Councils at district, townshipand village levels now in self-administered zones have been abolished and legislative andexecutive powers handed over to leading bodies of self-administered zones after the latter hastaken the oath. Notification 8/2011 stated that Peace and Development Councils at district,township and village levels in States and Divisions have been abolished and legislative andexecutive powers handed over to district, township and ward/village governors.

    After taking the oath, new President U Thein Sein gave an address on future program and policy that would be implemented by his civilian-veiled government. He talked aboutnational reconciliation, defense, economy, peasant rights, labor rights, education, health,human rights, ecology, domestic policy, legislation, foreign affairs, transition, governance and

    political parties. The overview of his address was found to be populist and superficial,claiming that they would carry on with the three main national tasks; strive for more powerful

    politics, economy and military; work for good governance and clean governance; providelabor rights, peasant rights and human rights in accordance with the constitution; modify

    pension rates in a suitable time; rectify some out-dated journalism laws; allow amendment ofthe constitution in accordance with law if desired to revise.

    News came out in early March that Joint Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing (DSA-19 th

    intake) has been appointed as the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) and promoted to the rank ofGeneral while news of BSO-6 Chief Lt. Gen. Soe Win's (DSA-22) appointment as ViceCommander-in-Chief came out in late March. However there were all kinds of speculationsover failure to specify their names when the Union Assembly Speaker announcedappointment of new C-in-C and Vice C-in-C in the Parliament on March 30, and over lack of

    announcement on two Senior Generals' official retirement from army. The line-up reported inSPDC news media for the rice donation ceremony in Naypyidaw on March 18 showed SeniorGen. Than Shwe, Vice-Senior Gen. Maung Aye, ex-Generals Thura U Shwe Mann, U TheinSein and Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo, ex-Lt.-Gen. U Tin Aye and Gen. Min AungHlaing, giving rise to guesswork about their status as Supreme Councilors.

    In the third week of March, the SPDC apprehended about 100 Rohingyas suspected asTaliban terrorists in Maungdaw Township on Bangladesh border, and thereby tried to patchup relations with the US and Western countries. We think this action could be related toAmerica's suspension on security grounds of about 750 UNHCR refugees in Malaysia

    planning to resettle in the US. Most of them were Rohingyas.

    The socio-economic situation of the peopleThe socio-economic situation of the people

    The SPDC military regime nabbed a record US 2.8 billion dollar sale at the 48 th BurmeseGems Emporium in Naypyidaw but the majority of Burmese people are still facing all sortsof poverty and hardships. Starting from March 1, the SPDC banned rice exports in order tocurb rise in consumer prices as fuel oil prices soared with political instability in Middle East.On the same day, the Road Transport Directorate officially announced that vehicles carryingover-tonnage on highways would be appropriated by the state. As Thai products continued toenter Burma through Myawaddy route, the SPDC imposed another blockade on the 9 th.Ministry of Energy issued special fuel oil ration books on the 19 th to allow a maximum sale of

    six gallons of gasoline a day to each car and to prevent a black market on fuel oil using fakeoil ration books.

    PDC News Commentary ~ April 2011 (Eng) Page 8 of 1 0

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    9/10

  • 8/7/2019 PDC Monthly News Commentary - April 2011 (Eng)

    10/10

    When EU members Denmark and Latvia gave support to the proposal to establish a UNCommission to investigate Burmese military regime's human rights violations, the number ofcountries in support became sixteen. EU Humanitarian Commissioner Kristalina Georgievavisited refugee camps on Thai-Burma border on March 14 to take a look and talked with Thaigovernment about Burmese refugees' future. British House of Lords member Baroness Cox

    and team also visited Thai-Burma border on excursion and issued a report on ethnic people'sconcern over SPDC offensives in their areas. In spite of SPDC's calling an election andreleasing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's human rights conditions have not visibly

    progressed, said British Foreign Office's annual report for 2010 on human rights anddemocracy.

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel who usually refrained from strongly criticizing themilitary regime called Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on phone, and urged the civilian-veiledgovernment on the 31st to release political prisoners and legitimize the NLD. German ForeignMinistry South-East Asia and Pacific Region Dept. Deputy Chief Theo Kidess and HumanRights Dept. Chief Dirk Sander invited Europe-based Burmese pro-democracy activists to

    discuss the matters of release of political prisoners, second Panglong and maintenance ofeconomic sanctions.

    UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur for Burma Tomas Ojea Quintana reported on March 7that Burma's human rights conditions were still worse. On the 25 th, UN Human RightsCouncil approved without putting to vote the draft resolution on Burma's human rightssituation. The resolution was proposed by the EU which strongly repudiated SPDC's 2010election and demanded revision of the 2008 Constitution to meet international standard. Theresolution also renewed the tenure of Tomas Ojea Quintana for another one year and stronglyrecommended to the Burmese regime to cooperate more with him. UN General Secretary BanKi-Moon also issued a statement on the 30 th demanding U Thein Sein's government to provethe complete termination of military rule that has been in existence for nearly fifty years in

    Burma.

    Though the SPDC military regime did not care about economic sanctions, we assume thateffective sanctions continued under the reign of civilian-veiled government could be fruitful.

    //End of Report /Sunday, April 10, 2011//

    //End of Translation/Tuesday, May 2, 2011//

    PDC News Commentary ~ April 2011 (Eng) Page 1 0 of 1 0