Engnews July 2012

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Man Self-Immolates Near Lhasa

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Man Self-Immolates Near Lhasa JULY 9, 2012— A Tibetan man from a village outside of Lhasa set himself on fire at the weekend in protest against Chinese rule, sources told RFA, in a rare self-immolation in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The man, in his 20’s, shouted slogans in support of Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as he staged the fiery protest in the seat of Damshung county (in Chinese, Dangxiong) in Lhasa prefecture on Saturday. “He did it around 1 p.m. on July 7 in front of an old community hall in Damshung. He was able to walk about 100 meters (110 yards) with his body on fire before falling down,” a source in Lhasa city told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity. “He called for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” the source said. Police took him away from the scene to get him medical treatment, the source said. Condition unknown His identity and condition could not be confirmed, though he is believed to be 22 or 23 years old and a resident of Damshung’s Chode village. “The police arrived and took him to a local hospital in Damshung but they could not treat him there, so he was rushed to a hospital in Lhasa city,” one source said. “Ninety percent of his body was reported to be burnt.” A Tibetan in exile with contacts in Damshung said police had prevented others from seeing the protestor and telling others about his condition. “No one was allowed to see him after he was rushed to the [Damshung] hospital and at the same time some were warned not to give information to outside sources,” the source said. “At this point, we don't know where he is and dead or alive.” An officer at the Damshung police station contacted by RFA denied the incident. Authorities have tightened security in Damshung since the incident, the exile source said, citing contacts in the region. “Right now the security is extremely tight in Damshung. All phone lines are cut off and those in Lhasa city cannot reach their contacts in Damshung,” he said on Sunday. 43 self-immolations The Damshung incident brings to 43 the total number of self-immolations reported since February 2009 as Tibetans challenge Chinese policies which they say have robbed them of their rights. Of the 43, the Damshung man is the fourth to self-immolate in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). All of the other self-immolations have occurred in Tibetan-populated areas of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu. The burnings have intensified over the past year and resulted in a Chinese security clampdown across the region. The authorities have detained hundreds of monks from monasteries and jailed scores of Tibetan writers, artists, singers, and educators for asserting Tibetan national identity and civil rights, exile sources say. Previous self-immolator Meanwhile, the condition one of the two men who self-immolated in central Lhasa in May—in the only incident reported in Tibet’s capital city—remains unclear. RFA previously reported that Thargyal, who self-immolated along with another young man sources identified as Tseten Dorjee in front of the Jokhang Temple on May 27, had died Saturday evening after succumbing to his injuries. But subsequent information indicated that he remains under intensive care. “On July 7, Thargyal … had all the indications that he died. However the medical team at the police hospital in Lhasa conducted three hours of emergency recovery treatment and he recovered,” a source in Lhasa told RFA Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity. Since the two men self-immolated in Lhasa, authorities have tightened security in the city, closing down a hotel where the two men had stayed and a restaurant where they had worked, another source there said. "Security restrictions in Lhasa were increased after the incident and now the level of surveillance and restriction is still intense,” he said. He added that the restrictions had been tightened ahead of the Dalai Lama’s 77th birthday on July 6 and targeted those from the Tibetan-populated areas neighboring the TAR. “Tibetans who are not residents of Lhasa need five different permits to stay there and the restrictions are more intense on those Tibetans who come from the Kham and Amdo regions,” the source said. Reported by RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/self-immolation-07092012190739.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 8 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Burma Eyes Overtaking Cambodia, Laos in Average Income

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Burma Eyes Overtaking Cambodia, Laos in Average Income JULY 23, 2012—Burma hopes to overtake neighbors Laos and Cambodia in terms of average income per person within two to three years, as the country embraces political and economic reforms, Burmese Industry Minister Soe Thein said Monday. "I hope we will have higher average income per person than Laos and Cambodia by 2014-15. It is possible," he said in an interview with RFA's Burmese service. Soe Thein was answering a question on his expectations for the Burmese economy in the next five years. Burma is languishing with a gross national income per capita of U.S. $379.6, based on U.N. figures in 2009, the lowest among its fellow member states in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Laos has a per capita income of U.S. $1,130 while Cambodia has U.S. $830, based on 2011 figures by the World Bank. The gross national income per capita is the dollar value of a country’s final income in a year, divided by its population. It reflects the average income of a country’s citizens. A nominally civilian government that took over power in Burma in March last year after decades of harsh military rule and financial mismanagement is implementing democratic and economic reforms that have led the international community to ease sanctions on the country. As part of economic reforms, President Thein Sein's government, with the help of the International Monetary Fund, launched a managed float of its kyat currency in April to help normalize and unify its multiple exchange rates. Foreign investment law The country's parliament is also discussing a foreign investment law, which reports say will spell out new tax exemptions, land-use terms, legal structures and incentives for foreign companies. "Our existing law [on trade] are already good. But to be able to compete with [neighboring] ASEAN [countries] and to protect the people, to protect our environment, we are drafting the new law," Soe Thein said. "Actually it was already discussed at the parliament in the first session, and now this is going to be discussed again," he said. When asked when the much awaited law will be approved, he said, "It doesn't matter, it will be done at some point." "Even if this is not done yet, the existing foreign direct investment law is not bad at all. We can apply it for now. When the new law is approved, we can enjoy better benefits." Soe Thein said Burmese authorities will treat foreign companies on an equal basis based on market forces even though Burma has been close to China for decades especially under military rule. "This is a market economy. Local partners will choose. If we consider efficiency, let's say if you buy something, you will choose a good product. In business, you will have to choose the best partner," he said. Asked whether foreign investments are flowing into Burma rapidly in line with reforms, he said there could be a significant rise early next year. "We are going to have it. For now, we are still in the process of discussing. I myself have been discussing many times already. It will be a lot more progress by the beginning of next year, I think. Meanwhile, there is some increase." Jobs On potential employment benefits, the minister said some 110,000 jobs had been created over the last year with a potential for one million jobs when the government enters into peace with ethnic armed rebel groups. "When the peace process is done, we will have more job opportunities in the [ethnic] regions [through the efforts of] international donors. Creating jobs is considered the number one criteria. We choose factories that can provide more jobs. Eventually we will have up to a million [jobs]." The government has struck ceasefire agreements with several ethnic armed groups but their leaders said that the ceasefire is just the first step of a process that must include political solutions. Clashes have been reported regularly in Shan State, Karenni State, Karen State and most notably in Kachin State, where rebels have not reached a truce despite several rounds of negotiations. Reported by Kyaw Kyaw Aung. Translated by Khim May Zaw. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/industry-07232012210012.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 10 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetans Ready for 'Long' Struggle

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetans Ready for 'Long' Struggle JULY 20, 2012—Tibetans will continue to press for freedom of their homeland, now ruled by Beijing, even if their struggle takes “another 50 years,” Tibet’s exile prime minister said Friday as he expressed readiness to resume talks with Chinese authorities on the status of the troubled region. Lobsang Sangay, who was elected last year as prime minister, or kalon tripa, of Tibet’s India-based exile government, said that he still hopes for “meaningful” talks even though Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s envoys to the dialogue with Beijing quit a month ago after talks stalled. “We are always ready to appoint special envoys for dialogue with the Chinese leadership whenever we receive the right signals,” Sangay said in an interview with RFA’s Tibetan service in Washington, where he met with U.S. officials and lawmakers. China has ruled Tibet since 1950, and the Chinese government has repeatedly accused exiled Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, of stoking dissent against its rule. The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising. Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, who served as the Dalai Lama’s personal representatives in nine rounds of discussions with China beginning in 2002, resigned their posts in June. The Dalai Lama last year stepped down as political leader of the Tibetan people, devolving his responsibilities to Lobsang Sangay. And though China insists it will speak only with the Dalai Lama’s representatives, refusing to speak directly to the exile government, “we are more concerned with the substance of the dialogue than with the title of the envoys who consult with China,” Sangay said. “We are not discouraged by anything the Chinese government says or does … but we are unwavering on the path of the Middle Way,” Sangay said, referring to the Dalai Lama’s policy of seeking only greater autonomy, and not independence from China, for Tibet. “The ball is now in China’s court. Tibetan exiles are prepared to sustain our struggle even if it takes another 50 years,” Sangay said. Growing challenge In a growing wave of challenge to China’s rule, 44 Tibetans have set themselves ablaze in self-immolation protests so far in a bid to push for greater freedom and the Dalai Lama’s return. Though China has repeatedly claimed that Tibet’s exile government has incited the fiery protests, “we have made it very clear in numerous official statements that we appeal to Tibetans not to resort to drastic forms of protest, including self-immolation,” Sangay said. “At the same time, we need to highlight the underlying causes of [these protests] and the purpose for which they gave up their lives.” “Self-immolation is a political protest; there is no other way for Tibetans to protest,” he said. “As compatriots, we urge Tibetans to show solidarity with the goal of these sacrifices.” Lobsang Sangay met on Thursday with Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and with Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner. In this visit and during previous visits, Sangay said, “we have interacted constructively with all key U.S. officials who are responsible for issues related to Asia, Tibet, and China, and particularly with Maria Otero, the State Department’s Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.” “Our impression is that U.S. support for Tibetan concerns has remained steadfast and strong,” Sangay said. Reported by RFA’s Tibetan service. Translation by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/ready-07202012145209.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 11 months

Release: Radio Free Asia Wins Top Environmental Journalism Award

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2012 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia Wins Top Environmental Journalism Prize Award Recognizes RFA Series on China's Dong River Pollution WASHINGTON- Radio Free Asia's multimedia investigative <http://www.rfa.org/english/news/special/cantonese-pollution/hub-en.html> series exposing the extreme pollution of China's Dong River was named today as a first-place winner by the Society of Environmental Journalists for its 2011-2012 Awards for Reporting on the Environment. "Disappearing <http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/multimedia/pollution_dongjiang/hub.html> River," produced by RFA's Cantonese service, won the top award in the contest's category for outstanding, in-depth reporting in a large market. "A Radio Free Asia videographer worked at great personal risk to film this investigative series," said Dan Southerland, RFA's executive editor. "The final series also benefited from in-depth interviews conducted in Hong Kong and video editing done in Washington, D.C. "The award will inspire us to continue reporting on difficult stories that have an impact on the daily lives of our audience." "Disappearing River," a 10-part broadcast, text and online video series, utilized undercover work of RFA journalists to expose the pollution of China's Dong River, a primary source of drinking water for 50 million people in southern China, including the 7 million residents of Hong Kong. Industrialization, deforestation, and overuse from the growing population are among the factors that have led to the river's advanced environmental degradation. A few weeks after the series aired, the Chinese government put 32 polluting factories on its high-priority watch list for environmental protection. Other prize winners at Society of Environmental Journalists's annual <http://www.sej.org/initiatives/winners-sej-11th-annual-awards-reporting-env ironment> juried contest recognizing the best environmental reporting in print and on television, radio, and the Internet were National Geographic, the New York Times, the Associated Press, and the Seattle Times, among others. # # # Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA's broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to "seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

12 years, 11 months

RFA Breaking News: Burmese Authorities Detain Student Activists

by Rachel Vandenbrink

Burmese Authorities Detain Student Activists July 6, 2012- Burmese authorities on Friday detained more than two dozen members of a banned political organization and raided the headquarters of a student activist group in Rangoon ahead of the anniversary of a major protest against the country's former military regime, fellow activists said. The detentions and raid mark a significant step backward for democratic reforms implemented by the country's nominally civilian government since it took power in March of last year. In several locations around the country, Special Branch police detained members of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), an umbrella organization for all student unions in Burma and a voice for academic freedom and student rights, which was banned more than two decades ago but has continued to operate underground. The ABFSU was warned by the government last month to register as a political group or risk imprisonment of its members. But the group declined, saying that it did not qualify as a political party and did not need to register. Authorities also raided the Rangoon headquarters of the 88 Generation Students Group, a movement formed by activists who participated in student-led protests against Burma's former military regime in 1988. ABSFU chariman Kyaw Ko Ko spoke to RFA's Burmese service about an hour before authorities began looking for him at the 88 Generation Students' office in Rangoon, saying that he had recently received information about the detention of his fellow activists in various cities around Burma. "First, I heard about the detention of Soe Kyi Thar, ABFSU chair of Lashio [Shan state], together with a female student. We were waiting to see if they would be released. By 9:30 p.m. they were not released, so we talked with [ABFSU secretary] Phyo Phyo Aung to give the news to the media," Kyaw Ko Ko said. "Then we received additional news that the Abbot of Myawaddy monastery in Mandalay was being pressured about tomorrow's religious ceremony," he said, referring to a service honoring those who perished in the July 7, 1962 military bombing of Rangoon University's student union, which ended student protests against the junta. "So the Abbot is negotiating to shorten the ceremony." The organization that evolved into the ABFSU was founded by Burma's revered General Aung San, the father of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. In May, Aung San Suu Kyi pledged to help revive the banned national student rights organization, saying she accepts that the student union is legal and essential to promoting democracy in the country. Anniversary ceremonies The ABFSU had planned to conduct ceremonies throughout the country tomorrow to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the bombing incident. Authorities had warned the group against holding any memorials which would "dig up the past." Kyaw Ko Ko said that two ABFSU activists had been detained in Mandalay-Aung Hmyin Sant and Moe Htet-and that the group had yet to confirm the detention of a third, Yeyint Kyaw. ABFSU activists from Monywa had also been detained, he said. "Eventually, I couldn't contact Phyo Phyo Aung anymore and realized she had been taken by the police after contacting others," he said. "I also heard that [ABFSU members] De Nyein Lin, Sithu Maung, and Ye Myat Hein had been detained." Nay Win, father of Phyo Phyo Aung, confirmed his daughter's detention. "Two cars parked in front of our house at around 10 p.m. A lot of uniformed people came in and said they had some questions. The group leader said his name was Saw Thein from the Northern district of the SB [Special Branch]," Nay Win said. "Two female officers were among them and said they would take Phyo Phyo for questioning. Her mother asked if they could question her at home, and they said they couldn't," he said. "They said they would take her for only one or two days, and guaranteed to release her after that." Both Nay Win and his daughter are former political prisoners who were arrested in the aftermath of the May 2008 Cyclone Nargis disaster for helping to bury the estimated 138,000 killed by the storm, despite the then-ruling military regime's efforts to block aid to affected regions. Taken for questioning Zaw Zaw Min, father of De Nyein Lin, told RFA that his home had been visited by the Special Branch district chief and several local authorities at around 10:30 p.m. on Friday. "They requested to take him and said they would release him after questioning. When we tried to take pictures of them, they wouldn't let us. I can't believe this kind of thing could happen during this transitional [political] period. I am very surprised," Zaw Zaw Min said. "Just today we met with the deputy labor minister and he said they would welcome negotiations, and that the president and members of parliament trust the 88 students to work together. And now this happens," he said. "I consider this the destruction of peace. The president said he would leave behind those who want to turn back and will move forward [with reforms], so this kind of thing shouldn't happen at all." Zaw Zaw Min said the officers would not say how long they intended to keep De Nyein Lin for questioning. Both father and son are also former political prisoners. ABFSU said on its Facebook page that Special Branch police had detained "several students from Mandalay, Monywa, Myingyan, Shwebo, and Rangoon in connection with planned July 7 ceremonies." In a statement released Friday, the group said that other detained members include Ko Than Htike, Ko Min Khant, Ko Pyay Phyo Kyaw, Ko Wathan, Ma Htay Htay Win, and Ko Khin Oo. Headquarters stormed Around two dozen Special Branch police officers and regular Burmese police also stormed the headquarters of the 88 Generation Students group on Friday evening, looking for leaders of the ABFSU, 88 Student leader Ko Ko Gyi told RFA. "SB and police came to our office-about 20-25 of them. When I came to the office, I saw them in front of the building. They came to look for Kyaw Ko Ko," he said. "They didn't take anything from the office. They just said that they wanted to hold 'a discussion with [ABFSU members] briefly.' After about 40 minutes, they left." Ko Ko Gyi and fellow 88 Generation Student leader Min Ko Naing criticized the arrests and vowed to hold their own ceremonies on Saturday to remember the students killed on July 7, 1962. "We will continue our work until only one of us is left," Min Ko Naing said in a statement. "The act of detention during this transitional period is a threat for the country's civil society." Reported by RFA's Burmese service. Translated by Khin May Zaw. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/students-07062012160721.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA's broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to "seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org. ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 11 months

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Engnews July 2012