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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Man Burns Near Police Station

by Joshua Lipes

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Tibetan Man Burns Near Police Station OCT. 23, 2012- A Tibetan man set himself on fire and died Tuesday in front of a police station near the famous Labrang monastery in Gansu province-the seventh self-immolation in protest of Chinese rule in nearly a month, according to Tibetan sources. Local Tibetans jostled with Chinese police and managed to retrieve the remains of Dorje Rinchen, 58, after the self-immolation at 3:30 p.m. along the main road of Labrang town in the Kanlho (in Chinese, Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Tensions flared when Chinese security forces prevented Tibetan monks from the Labrang monastery from going to Dorje Rinchen's residence in Upper Zayu Village in Kanlho prefecture's Sangchu (in Chinese, Xiahe) county to pay their last respects. In a sign of protest, the monks recited prayers for him on the roadside. Local Tibetans also headed to Dorje Rinchen's residence amid reports of a Chinese security buildup in the area. Brief scuffle The latest burning is the third to take place in Gansu since Saturday and the seventh in Tibetan regions in less than a month, and brings to 58 the total number of self-immolations challenging Chinese rule and demanding the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama since February 2009. "Chinese security personnel stationed in the area tried to remove Dorje Rinchen's charred body, but local Tibetans also tried to take possession of the remains," a Labrang resident told RFA's Tibetan service, speaking on condition of anonymity. "After a brief scuffle, the Tibetans got hold of his body and took it to his house," he said. "On hearing the news, monks from Labrang Monastery rushed to the deceased's house to say prayers, but were stopped on the way by Chinese police," the source said. "So they sat down on the road and prayed there." Area closed off Dorje Rinchen's self-immolation was confirmed in a brief report in official Chinese media on Tuesday. "Dorje Rinchen got up very early this morning and went to pray at Labrang monastery. He walked around the monastery several times, and walked three times between the monastery and his home," a source said. "After that, he cleaned his house inside and out and then went to the Chinese police station, where he self-immolated and died." Many Tibetans "are now heading to Zayu, where a large number of security personnel have already been deployed," the online Tibet Times said in a separate report. "Communication channels in the area have been cut following the protest, making it difficult to get more details," Tibet Times said. Dorje Rinchen leaves behind a wife, Luthar Tso, and a son, Tabo. 'Drastic actions' Tuesday's burning came a day after a protester named Dhondup set fire to himself at Labrang, and two days after a Tibetan father of two named Lhamo Kyap set himself ablaze and charged at Chinese security personnel at Bora monastery in the same county. Lhamo Kyap succumbed to his burns after shouting slogans against Chinese rule and calling for the return to Tibet of the Dalai Lama. The self-immolation protests have intensified despite recent calls to Tibetans by Tibetan exile groups to stop the "drastic actions." Similar expressions of concern from the Dalai Lama himself over the burnings have gone largely unheeded in the past. In the latest statement at the weekend, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Tibet's India-based government in exile, called on China's government to "address [Tibetans'] genuine and long-standing grievances, and find a lasting solution to the problem of Tibet through dialogue." "We again strongly reiterate our long-standing appeal to the international community to press the Chinese government to end the deepening crisis in Tibet," CTA spokesperson Dicki Choyang said. Chinese authorities have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists, outcasts, criminals, and mentally ill people, and have accused the Dalai Lama of encouraging the burnings. Reported by Guru Choegyi and Lumbum for RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burns-10232012134008.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, 2 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Fresh Violence in Rakhine; Three Dead

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Fresh Violence in Rakhine; Three Dead OCT. 22, 2012— Three people have been killed and hundreds of houses torched in renewed violence between Muslim Rohingyas and Buddhist Rakhines in western Burma, where authorities have declared a state of emergency in two restive townships, officials said Monday. The riots erupted late Sunday in Rakhine state capital Sittwe’s Minbya and Mrauk U townships, in the first major violence between the two communities since deadly clashes rocked the state in June. Rakhine state authorities said three people were confirmed dead and 300 homes razed by fires in the rioting, which broke out around 10:00 p.m. in Mrauk U’s Paik village and continued overnight. "The bodies of two Muslim women and one Rakhine man have been found,” the state’s Chief Justice Hla Thein told RFA’s Burmese service. “Around 300 houses—which were small thatched roof houses—were destroyed,” he said. The townships have been placed under a state of emergency in an apparent bid to contain the violence and officials have been ordered to call in the military if the unrest escalates. “All local administrative officials are ordered to request assistance from the military if the situation in their areas gets out of hand,” Hla Thein said. “Two ministers from Rakhine state have been sent to the affected areas to meet with security officials and the local public to control the situation,” he said. The townships were among those spared curfews during the Rakhine-wide state of emergency that was declared in June amid the worst fighting in years between Rohingyas and Rakhines. International rights groups have said Rohingyas bore the brunt of the June violence, which left more than 80 dead and tens of thousands displaced. OIC The fresh clashes in Rakhine on Sunday followed weeks of demonstrations against Muslim states’ wanting to provide humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya in the wake of the summer violence. The demonstrations were sparked by plans by the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to open an office in Rakhine state in a bid to provide aid to Rohingyas reeling from the violence. Thousands of monks and laypeople have demonstrated against the OIC in cities across the country, where the Rohingya are considered outsiders even though they have lived in the country for generations. But at a press conference on Sunday, Burmese President Thein Sein that the country has no choice but to welcome aid for the Rohingya, or else it will face an international backlash. "We need humanitarian assistance. If we reject the humanitarian assistance, the international community will not accept us," he told reporters at a press conference. "Regarding the OIC, I do not differentiate between religions or ethnicities. They want to give humanitarian assistance and also they have given some," he said, according to the Associated Press news agency. Rakhines form the majority in Rakhine state, which is also home to some 800,000 Rohingyas. The U.N. has called the Rohingya a stateless people and one of the most persecuted groups in the world. Reported by RFA’s Burmese service. Translated by Win Naing. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/rakhine-10222012133243.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, 2 months

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, 2 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Another Tibetan Burning Protest Hits County

by Rachel Vandenbrink

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Another Tibetan Burning Protest Hits County OCT. 13, 2012 — A Tibetan man set himself on fire in protest against Chinese rule and died Saturday in a Tibetan populated area in Gansu province, in the same county where another man self-immolated last week, according to local residents. Tamdin Dorjee, 54, the grandfather of a revered Tibetan Buddhist figure, self-immolated on the grounds of the Tsoe monastery in Tsoe (in Chinese, Hezuo) county, the administrative center of the Kanlho (Gannan) prefecture in southern Gansu. “He did it a little after 1:00 p.m. local time on October 13, and died,” a Tsoe resident told RFA’s Tibetan service. Security forces moved into the area as monks took his body to his home village, another resident said. “The monks of Tsoe monastery and Tibetans who reached the site of the self-immolation took the body of Tamdin Dorjee to his home village.” “At the same time, large numbers of police both in uniform and in plainclothes flooded the area,” the source said. “The Chinese police also arrived at the home village of Tamdin Dorjee. They had already put restrictions on phones and other lines of communication.” Photos of the scene obtained by RFA showed security forces on the grounds of the monastery and dozens of monks and bystanders gathering around the Tamdin Dorjee’s burned body to say prayers. Tamdin Dorjee, who left behind a wife and three grown children, is the grandfather of a revered religious figure, the 7th Gungthang Jampal Yang, who is believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be the reincarnation of an important lama. Tsoe county His burning protest is the second self-immolation death in Tsoe county in a week, following Sangay Gyatso who set himself on fire on Oct. 6 at the Dolkar monastery 10 kilometers (6 miles) outside the Tsoe town center. After Sangay Gyatso’s self-immolation, authorities severed communications and interrogated monks at the Dolkar monastery, sources said this week. Tamdin Dorjee brings to 55 the total number of self-immolations challenging Chinese rule since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009. Most of the burning protests have occurred in Tibetan-populated areas of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu. The location of his protest on the monastery grounds was the same site as where a 26-year-old mother of two, Dolkar Tso, died after setting herself on fire in August. “Tamdin Dorjee self immolated at the same site of the last incident of self-immolation near a stupa in the compound of Tsoe monastery,” the source said. The Tsoe monastery is an important one for Tibetan Buddhists and monks from the monastery were among participants in large-scale protests in the area against Chinese rule in 2008. Appeal The 55th self-immolation came despite an appeal by more than 400 Tibetan exiles from 26 countries to end the burning protests. The exiles had met in the Indian hill-town of Dharamsala, where Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama lives in exile, and expressed “grave concern” over the burnings and urged Tibetans living under Chinese rule not to take “drastic actions.” “Tibet is a thinly populated country, and in the present situation losing even one life is a great loss for the Tibetan people,” said one of 31 recommendations and resolutions adopted by the delegates to the four-day gathering, the largest meeting of its kind in four years. “Please preserve your lives in the future,” it said. Similar expressions of concern from exile figures and from the Dalai Lama himself over the burnings have gone largely unheeded in the past. Reported by Kunsang Tenzin, Kalden Lodoe, Lobsang Sherab, and Guru Choekyi for 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-10132012120716.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 mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

12 years, 3 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Third Tibetan Burning Protest in a Week

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Third Tibetan Burning Protest in a Week OCT. 6, 2012 — A Tibetan man set himself on fire in protest against Chinese rule and died Saturday in a Tibetan populated area in Gansu province, the third self-immolation in a week, according to sources inside Tibet. Sangay Gyatso, 27, self-immolated in a monastery compound near Tsoe (in Chinese, Hezuo) county, the administrative center of the Kanlho (Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southern Gansu. "He set himself on fire a little after noon near a stupa in the premises of the Dokar monastery," a source inside Tibet told RFA's Tibetan service. The monastery is situated about 10 km (6.2 miles) from the Tsoe town center. The sources provided grisly photographs of Sangay Gyatso's charred body but little information of his personal background, only saying his father was identified as Gonpo Dhondup and his mother as Gonpo Tso. Sangay Gyatso's death is the third from Tibetan self-immolation protests challenging Chinese rule over the past week, bringing to 54 the total number of burnings since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009. Most of the burnings have occurred in Tibetan-populated areas of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu. Death note On Thursday, a man identified as Gudrub, 41, shouted slogans calling for Tibetan freedom and for the return to Tibet of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as he self-immolated in Driru [in Chinese, Biru] county in the Nagchu prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, a source said. He left a written statement calling on the Tibetan people to “foster unity and solidarity” and not “lose courage” in the struggle for Tibetan freedom, according to a former classmate now living in Australia. On Sept. 29, another protester named Yungdrung, 27, set himself ablaze on a shop-lined street in Dzatoe (in Chinese, Zaduo) county in the restive Yulshul (Yushu) prefecture in Qinghai province. Appeal defied The three self-immolations came despite an appeal by more than 400 Tibetan exiles from 26 countries to end the burning protests. The exiles had met in the Indian hill-town of Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama lives in exile, and expressed “grave concern” over the burnings and urged Tibetans living under Chinese rule not to take “drastic actions.” “Tibet is a thinly populated country, and in the present situation losing even one life is a great loss for the Tibetan people,” said one of 31 recommendations and resolutions adopted by the delegates to the four-day gathering, the largest meeting of its kind in four years. “Please preserve your lives in the future,” it said. Similar expressions of concern from exile figures and from the Dalai Lama himself over the burnings have gone largely unheeded in the past. Reported by RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai View this story online at : http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burn-10062012100251.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 mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

12 years, 3 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Dies in 53rd Burning Protest

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Tibetan Dies in 53rd Burning Protest OCT. 4, 2012— A Tibetan man set himself ablaze and died Thursday in a central Tibetan county in the second self-immolation protest challenging Chinese rule in the past week, according to Tibetan sources. Gudrub, 41, shouted slogans calling for Tibetan freedom and for the return to Tibet of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as he self-immolated in Driru [in Chinese, Biru] county in the Nagchu prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, a source told RFA’s Tibetan service, speaking on condition of anonymity. He left a written statement calling on the Tibetan people to “foster unity and solidarity” and not “lose courage” in the struggle for Tibetan freedom, according to a former classmate now living in Australia. So far, 53 Tibetans have torched themselves to protest Chinese rule since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009, with most occurring in Tibetan-populated areas of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu. Thursday's burning is the fifth to be reported in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), with other self-immolations in the TAR taking place in the regional capital Lhasa, in Chamdo county's Karma township, and in Damshung village just outside Lhasa. The latest burning comes after another protester set himself on fire in Sichuan’s Dzatoe county on Saturday, defying calls by a mass gathering of Tibetan exiles in India that had urged an end to the fiery protests, calling the death of even one Tibetan “a great loss” for the Tibetan people. Gudrub’s self-immolation was confirmed by separate phone calls from Tibet. Sources said he died shortly after he was taken away by Chinese police. “[The protest] occurred at a marketplace in Kham Driru at around 10:30 a.m.,” one caller said, also speaking on condition of anonymity. “He was shouting slogans while he burned, and he collapsed in less than a minute. The Chinese police took him away, but he may already have died,” the caller said. 'Unity and courage' Gudrub left a final statement, titled “Brotherly Love,” on China’s online network qq.com calling on Tibetans to uphold their unity and courage in the face of China’s rule in Tibetan regions. “If we reflect on the past, we can see nothing but signs of defeat, anger, anguish, and tears,” he wrote. “I pray that you all have good health and success in the coming new year of the Water Dragon. At the same time, I appeal to you to foster unity and solidarity, and to not lose courage in spite of the defeat and loss that we face.” Gudrub, who returned to Tibet in 2005 after studying at the exile Sogar School in Dharamsala, India, was a resident of Kali village in the Shagchu subdistrict of Driru county, and was an enthusiastic reader of Tibetan history, sources said. His protest came just seven days after more than 400 Tibetan exiles from 26 countries meeting in India called for an end to self-immolations by Tibetans challenging Chinese rule. The meeting held in the hill-town of Dharamsala expressed “grave concern” over the burnings and urged Tibetans living under Chinese rule not to take “drastic actions.” “Tibet is a thinly populated country, and in the present situation losing even one life is a great loss for the Tibetan people,” said one of 31 recommendations and resolutions adopted by the delegates to the four-day gathering, the largest of its kind in four years. “Please preserve your lives in the future,” it said. Similar expressions of concern from exile figures and from the Dalai Lama himself over the burnings have gone largely unheeded in the past. Reported by Lobsang Sherab and Dawa Dolma for RFA’s Tibetan service and Dan Zhen of the Mandarin service. Translated by Karma Dorjee and Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burning-10042012144221.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, 3 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Burma Moves to Share Revenue With Ethnic States

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Burma Moves to Share Revenue With Ethnic States OCT. 2, 2012— The Burmese parliament should amend the country’s constitution to enable the central government to share revenue with ethnic states on exploiting their natural resources, a government minister said. Senior minister Soe Thein said President Thein Sein’s government was all for providing greater autonomy to ethnic states, where armed conflicts had raged for years, particularly under the previous military junta rule. “It is our dream, the president’s and ours, to transfer the power to [the ethnic nationalities] to govern their regions,” he told RFA’s Burmese service on Monday. “Parliament needs to amend some of the revenue sharing [laws], for instance, to increase [the ethnic states’] portion in revenue sharing, as stated in the appendix to the constitution, for their development,” said Soe Thein, who is on a U.S. visit. Ethnic groups have long been excluded from Burma’s politics during decades of brutal military rule which came to an end in March 2011 when Thein Sein’s nominally civilian government took over. Parliament is at present considering a proposal to change rules in the appendix to the country’s 2008 military-written constitution to allocate a percentage of revenue from natural resources to each of the country’s states and divisions. The proposal was made by a head of the ethnic Rakhine Nationalities Development Party. Soe Thein, who is a minister in Thein Sein's office, said that ethnic-based parties should not be ignored in the national agenda. “There are not only two main parties, the USDP and the NLD; we have multiple parties, including ethnic parties and others,” he noted, referring to the ruling, military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. Investment Most of Burma’s natural resources, which include mineral and gas deposits, are concentrated in the country’s predominantly ethnic states, particularly Kachin, Shan, and Karen. Under Burma’s previous military junta, much of the income generated from exploitation of natural resources was used to fund wars with ethnic rebels, some of them in those states. But since Thein Sein’s government came to power and enacted a series of reforms, Burma is poised for fresh investment, officials say. The U.S. announced plans to lift an import ban on Burmese goods last week, during Thein Sein’s visit to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly—the first U.S.trip by a Burmese government leader in nearly half a century. Soe Thein said Thein Sein had discussed with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton details of how to proceed with removing the ban. The minister said he would also meet with officials at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank this week to speed up the process of easing financial restrictions. The import ban and other restrictions were imposed by countries aimed at punishing the previous military junta for rampant human rights abuses. Negative impacts Soe Thein denied there would not be any relaxation of environmental protection measures as the once-pariah state moves to attract foreign investment. “The president's investment policy has four points of emphasis and one of them is ‘not to affect the environment,’” he said. “We will strictly apply these rules to protect our citizens. If these issues are affected, I will be responsible. We will make sure this doesn't happen,” he said. There are also plans to compensate states and divisions for potential environmental damages from development projects, Soe Thein said. “We also have a plan to provide payment for ecological system for the projects that are in their regions.” The countries interested in investing in Burma had similar concerns about managing the environmental and social impact of investment, he said, citing Japan, South Korea, Singapore, U.S. and EU member countries as among them. The Burmese parliament has passed a new investment law but Thein Sein is sending it back to parliament for amendments amid foreign investor concerns regarding protectionist provisions. Soe Thein said that the new measures would “definitely” draw more investments within the next year. He also spoke about the vision for the country one decade from now, saying he expected Burma to achieve a development standard of that enjoyed by neighboring Vietnam. “In 10 years, I expect that we overtake Cambodia and Laos and at least become like Vietnam. I want to aim like Thailand, but practically that is not possible, as we have much more to do.“ Reported by Khin Maung Soe for RFA’s Burmese service. Translated by May Zaw Khin. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/soe-thein-10022012192353.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, 3 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Thein Sein Predicts Tough Fight in 2015 Elections

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Thein Sein Predicts Tough Fight in 2015 Elections SEPT. 28, 2012— Burmese President Thein Sein predicted Friday that his ruling military-backed party will face a "neck-and-neck" fight from opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) in crucial 2015 elections. He said unlike the 2010 polls, when his Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) swept nearly 80 percent or 883 seats out of the 1,154 electoral seats that were up for grabs, the elections in three years time will be very different. "Back in 2010, USDP hardly had a rival as it was the strongest one," Thein Sein told RFA's Burmese service on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York which he is attending. "It [USDP] has been organizing for many years, and had a good foundation then. But later, the NLD came in and it also has certain amount of supporters. So in 2015, both have to compete neck-and-neck and have to try hard, that's what I see," the former military general said. The NLD had boycotted the 2010 elections called by the then ruling military junta and the party was legally banned as a result. Reform process Although the polls were seen as unfair by human rights groups, they ushered in a nominally civilian government led by Thein Sein who launched a reform process that encouraged Western governments to lift long running sanctions on the once pariah state. Thein Sein also allowed the NLD to re-register itself, paving the way for the party to contest in April 2012 elections for the first time since 1990, when the NLD's poll victory was not recognized by the military rulers then. The NLD swept 43 of the 44 seats up for grabs in April by-elections, becoming the biggest opposition party in the military-dominated parliament. Four of the seats captured by the NLD were in Naypyidaw, the country's capital and bastion of the military and government. Political pundits say the next election in 2015 will be crucial as it will determine whether the powerful military will accept a win by the NLD. At present, 25 percent of parliamentary seats are reserved for active duty military officers and together, the military and the USDP control more than 80 percent of the seats. Another term On Thursday, Thein Sein said in reply to a question at a forum that he may consider serving another term in office if the country and people want him to do so. "If I have my way, I will only serve one term,” said the 67-year-old leader, who assumed office for a five-year term beginning March 2011. “But of course the future of the position depends on the needs of country and the wishes of the people,” he said in response to a question from the floor at a forum hosted by the New York-based Asia Society. It was believed to be his first direct response to a question on his future since he came to power under a nominally civilian government replacing decades of brutal military rule. Reported by Thin Thiri of RFA's Burmese service. Translation by Khin May Zaw. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/election-09282012195833.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, 3 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Burma ‘One Step’ Away From Peace in Kachin

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Burma ‘One Step’ Away From Peace in Kachin SEPT. 20, 2012— Authorities in Burma are just “one step” away from striking a peace deal with ethnic Kachin rebels, removing one of the last key obstacles to the process of national reconciliation in the country, the government’s top peace negotiator said Thursday. “For now, only the Kachin are left in the [peace] process. But I think even the Kachin issue—this problem will be solved in only one step further,” Aung Min, a minister in President Thein Sein's office, told RFA’s Burmese service in Washington. Burma recently signed peace agreements with 10 other armed ethnic groups, but the three rounds of peace talks since November held with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Burma’s Kachin state have yielded little outcome. As recently as the end of last month, Burmese government troops were pounding KIA positions in clashes that have raged since a 17-year peace agreement between the two sides was shattered in June last year. The war started when Burma won independence from Britain in 1948. Kachin organizations say that 90,000 people have been displaced—many across the border to China—in the fighting since the ceasefire ended. Minister Aung Min was a surprise attendee at a grand ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday when opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest U.S. civilian award, from American lawmakers for her decades-long "struggle promoting human rights and democracy" in Burma. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who attended and spoke at the ceremony, acknowledged Aung Min as well as Than Swe, the new Burmese ambassador in Washington, for putting aside their differences with the opposition and honoring Aung San Suu Kyi’s achievement. Aung Min said he was pleased to have been praised during the event by both Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi for his role in helping with Burma’s national transition. “I am very glad both Hillary Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi recognized us,” he said. “I am glad I had the chance to attend this kind of ceremony and to perform my duties as a politician. I am very proud and satisfied.” Clinton acknowledged the difficulties in reconciling between factions that have been at odds for so long, but said that Washington would lend its support throughout the process whenever necessary. Aung Min said his decision to attend the ceremony was a sign of how far the nation had come in mending ties between factions. "We are mainly focusing now on ethnic issues and reconciliation, which we all need. In national reconciliation we aim to be all-inclusive,” he said. “As you can see, we work together both inside and outside the Parliament,” where Aung San Suu Kyi is leading the opposition onslaught. Democratic model On Wednesday, the United States removed sanctions that blocked any U.S. assets of the Burmese president and the speaker of its lower house of parliament and that generally barred American companies from dealing with them. Thein Sein and lower house speaker Shwe Mann, once members of the former military junta who have received kudos for driving reforms in the 18 months since the military ceded power, were both removed from the U.S. Treasury's list of "specially designated nationals." The move came ahead of Thein Sein's visit to New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly next week, when he is expected to meet senior U.S. officials. Since Aung San Suu Kyi won a parliamentary seat in April, Washington has normalized diplomatic relations with Burma and allowed U.S. companies to start investing there again. Aung Min said Burma is appreciative of the model the U.S. provides and welcomed the assistance in transitioning the government towards a democracy. “The U.S. has been on this track for 200 years, and we have done so for only a little over a year. I would say the process is going smoothly.... We are on the right track,” he said. “The U.S. is a major democratic country. We will have to learn a lot from them and will also need their support. That's why I thank the U.S. for understanding and supporting us.” Aung Min also said he wanted the Burmese people to know that the new government has their interests in mind and said they should be assured that it was working towards a compromise among all ethnic groups in the country. “To the Burmese people, I would like to say that national reconciliation is, indeed, happening,” he said. “My trip to the U.S. is also for the good of national reconciliation. And on this, we have the support and recognition of the U.S. and the rest of the international community.” Reported by Khin Maung Soe. Translated by Khin May Zaw. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/kachin-09202012184127.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, 3 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Aung San Suu Kyi Calls for Removal of “Roots of Hatred'

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Suu Kyi Calls for Removal of “Roots of Hatred' SEPT 18, 2012— Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi called Tuesday for the removal of the "roots of hatred" that have fueled the conflict between ethnic Rakhines and Muslim Rohingyas in western Burma, saying the issue has to be resolved through respect for human rights and rule of law, and negotiations. "Basically, whenever there is hate, there is fear. So, hate and fear are very closely related. You have to remove the roots of hatred—that is to say you have to address these issues that make people insecure and that make people threatened," she told RFA's Burmese service in an interview. "Whenever people talk about conflict resolution, whatever kind of advice they give, there is one that is unavoidable—you have to talk to one another, you have to negotiate, you have to sort out your problems through speech rather than violence," she said. Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticized by rights groups for not speaking out more forcefully on the Rohingya issue following bloody violence between the Rohingya and Rakhine communities in Rakhine state in June, which killed 80 people and left tens of thousands displaced. The clashes had sparked international allegations that human rights violations were being committed against the Rohingya, who the United Nations says are the world's most oppressed group. The Burmese authorities do not regard them as an ethnic group even though they have lived for generations in the country. Last week, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama told students in India that he had written to Aung San Suu Kyi about the Rohingya issue but did not receive a response. "We wrote a letter to Suu Kyi regarding the violence but we got no reply. My representative in [New] Delhi even met the Burmese Ambassador here but it has been four weeks and we have not heard from them. There is no channel for us to approach," the Dalai Lama said, according to the Press Trust of India. Silence In an indirect reference to her relative silence on the Rohingya issue, Aung San Suu Kyi said earlier that many did not realize that her National League for Democracy (NLD), the main opposition party in parliament, was not in the government. She said that the NLD is not in a "position to decide what we do and how we operate because we are not a government." "This needs to be understood by those who wish the NLD to do more." Aung San Suu Kyi, who arrived on Monday for a nearly three-week U.S. visit, also explained that her NLD gave top priority to human rights and the rule of the law in any resolution of the conflict, noting that such differences were a universal problem and not confined to Burma only. "I have always said—this is the policy of my party—that human rights and rule of law are necessary in order to bring down tensions in such a situation." "But in the long run, you have to build up harmony between the communities through understanding, through exchange." She also stressed that human rights should be applied to "everybody and equally" to all groups. "To ignore either human rights or rule of law or to insist on human rights and pretend rule of law is another matter will not work. These two have to go together." Aung San Suu Kyi also said that her NLD party wants to help the government to end the crisis in Rakhine state. "We [the NLD] do not want to make political capital out of the situation in Rakhine state. We want to give the government all the opportunities it needs to defuse the situation there," she said earlier when speaking at a Washington forum organized by the Asia Society. "We want to help the government in any way possible to bring about peace in Rakhine state." 'Great concern' Two weeks ago, the United States expressed “great concern” over the humanitarian situation in Rakhine state, following a visit by the American ambassador to the area. "Broad swathes of both communities have been affected, and the humanitarian situation remains of great concern,” the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon said in a statement after the visit by a group led by newly appointed Ambassador Derek Mitchell and senior State Department official Joseph Yun. “Going forward, it will be important to address the urgent needs, while also laying the groundwork for a long-term, sustainable and just solution” to the conflict," the embassy said. Burmese President Thein Sein had recently suggested that the Rohingyas should be deported, raising an outcry from rights groups. Thousands of Buddhist monks took to the streets to back his call and protest against the Rohingyas. Reported by Nyein Shwe for RFA's Burmese service. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai, Joshua Lipes and Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/rohingya-09182012133807.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, 3 months

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