August 9-14, 2014

US Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Burma for ASEAN foreign ministers summit

State-owned media

New Light of Myanmar – “There will be no ‘backsliding,’ President U Thein Sein,” 10 August 2014

• Burma hosted the 47th ASEAN foreign ministers summit, which began on 7 August.
• On Saturday morning, a US delegation called on President U Thein Sein to discuss bilateral relations, technical assistance, cooperation in economy and trade. They also talked through developments in Rakhine State, peace building processes, improvement of human rights and recent lawsuits against journalists.
• President U Thein Sein spoke of challenges facing Myanmar’s development of democracy, and said his country had succeeded in implementing reform processes much more smoothly than new democracies in the Middle East region, adding that the country’s  achievements should be recognised fortified instead of it’s challenges being highlighted.
• Kerry described Myanmar’s reforms as historic and recognised the presence of certain hardships, pledging the support and friendship. But with the international community thinking highly of Myanmar, a few unexpected incidents have potential to have a negative impact on the country’s reforms, Kerry warned, promising that the US will work with Myanmar to help it overcome difficulties in the transition.

Private media

Democratic Voice of Burma – “Kerry urges Burma to speed up reforms,” 11 August 2014

• After his two day visit, John Kerry urged Burma’s leaders to speed up democratic reform.
• Kerry raised concerns in a press conference that the reform process still had a long way to go, particularly noting the lack of media freedom, ethnic wars, communal violence in Arakan State and land rights issues that continue to mar the transition period, and that have caused some in Washington to believe that Burma is backsliding on reforms.
• “The serious crises in Rakhine [Arakan] State and elsewhere, profound development challenges to raise the country’s standard of living, ethnic and religious violence that still exists, fundamental questions regarding constitutional reform, and of course the role of the military, all of these remain significant challenges on the road ahead,” he said.
• Thein Sein assured Kerry that Burma is not backsliding on reforms, and Minister for Information Ye Htut relayed the President’s message. “In the meeting, the president pledged that there will be no backtracking with the reforms being carried out in Burma. It will only move forward. He also stated that cooperation from the international community including the United States is necessary for this,” he said.
• Kerry said that US would help Burma, but made it clear that US aid would be forthcoming only on the condition that Burma’s reforms were sped up.

Democratic Voice of Burma – “Shan community urges US Secretary of State to pressure Thein Sein,” 8 August 2014

• Shan community organisations urged US Secretary of State John Kerry in a letter asking US to suspend all military engagement with the current Burmese government, as the Burmese Army is escalating military operations in central Shan State.
• 14 Shan based organisations issued an open letter on Thursday to inform the US official of how the Burmese Army had seized territories in Shan State Army-North in June, an action which violates an existing cease-fire agreement.
• The letter read, “This aggressive expansion into Shan ceasefire areas, endangering and displacing civilians, throws further doubt on claims by the Burmese government that it is seeking a peaceful settlement to the ethnic conflict… We also deplore the huge costs of this offensive, with a single day of shelling costing hundreds of thousands of dollars on the national budget.” 
• The Shan community organisations added that the Burmese government needed to begin the immediate withdrawal of troops in Shan State and other ethnic areas “in order to build confidence in the peace process”.

Police shoot one dead at relief camp

State-owned media

New Light of Myanmar –  “One killed as police try to rescue two men abducted and tortured by a mob,” 8 August 2014

• While rescuing two people being abducted and tortured by a mob, a member of the security forces in Sittway fired at an attacker on Wednesday, resulting in his death.
• Two brothers on their way to buy betel near Hmansi Relief Camp were abducted at 7pm, and were tied with ropes and tortured by a mob who accused the two of habitual theft.
• As the mob were breaking Section 342 of the Penal Code, the police went to the scene to rescue the abuctees but 70 people camp members armed with swords, rods and catapults, shouted abuse at the police who warned the mob to disperse.
• The mob refused, and fired five warning shots to warn the mob.
• The mob advanced and attacked the police, who fired at one attacker, killing him on the spot. The victim was named as Shaungshu Arlong.
• Sittway Myoma Police is taking necessary measures to take action against those who committed crimes including the two other men with swords according to the law. Security personnel are handling riots and violence according to the law, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. 
• See page 3 of:  http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs19/NLM2014-08-08-red.pdf 

Private 

Democratic Voice of Burma – “One dead in violence at Arakan refugee camp,” 8 August 2014

• 30 year old Shaungshu Arlong was shot and killed on Wednesday night as he ‘tried to attack a member of the police with his sword,’ state media has reported.
• Others have reported that at least 15 people were arrests in relation to the violence, and that over 100 security forces entered the camp, although these reports are yet to be verified.
• The civilians are believed to have been Rohingya Muslims, some living in displacement camps. 

Land rights issues

Private 

Democratic Voice of Burma – “Kanbalu villagers say they’ll get some land back from military,” 12 August 2014 

• Villagers in Kanbalu have reached an agreement with the Burmese Army over the return of their farmlands that were seized by the military in the 1990s.
• According to one villager, around 3000 acres of farmland was seized by the military in 1999 for a sugarcane plantation project.
• Commander General Min Naung has now agreed to return 384 acres to the villagers as a first step.
• However, locals do not believe that they will ever see the return of all their land.
• The Burmese Army has confiscated almost 13,000 acres since 1991, many of which were then tilled by the very same farmers who lost the land in the first place, who were then hired by the military.
• Since the imposition of U Thein Sein’s government, farmers have campaigned for the return of their land; some have even started ploughing it again to emphasise that it remains rightfully theirs. 

Democratic Voice of Burma – “Kanbalu farmers demand the release of 57 jailed ‘plough protestors,” 14 August 2014

• 1,500 farmers in Sagaing Divisions campaigned for the release of 57 jailed land rights activists on Wednesday.
• “These are our demands: the return of all farmland confiscated by the military; the release of farmers jailed for previous land rights protests; the dismissal of all outstanding trials related to land protests; and an immediate halt to the destruction of crops being carried out by the military,” said Mar Swe, a resident of Ngapyawdine village in Kanbalu, where locals have been protesting for months over land they say was seized by the military in the late 1990s. “We have sent letters to the president and relevant government departments calling for mediation, but they have not done anything about it,” she added. 
• Of the farmers charged for the March protest, at least 20 have been transferred to prisons far from their homes and families.
• Ko Gyi, the coordinator of a farmers’ assistance group, said that optimism for the release of those already convicted is fading. “Judging by the situation right now, it’s unlikely that things will turn out how we want,” he said. “We have demanded the release of the farmers who were jailed, and also for the army to stop bulldozing the farmland. “I don’t think these demands will be met,” he said, “but we will continue to do whatever we can.”