By Zin Linn

The President Thein Sein government has publicly declared its political and economic reforms including national reconciliation since it took office in March 2011. However, the government failed to handle its armed forces to keep up consistently with the peacemaking efforts.

Currently, Burma Army’s actions are not likely supporting the peace plan strived by its government. If it was a fictional story, the people would consider the president’s reform plans as sham and farce. The consequences of the army’s confusing acts will push the country into an additional disintegration.

Last month, Burma Army opened fire on a Buddhist temple in central Shan State during an attack violating the ceasefire agreement with the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) released a press statement on 2 July. As the government army turned the temple into a military base, dozens of monks had to abandon their sanctuary became internally displaced persons, SHRF said.

As said by the SHRF, on June 23, after sending in reconnaissance planes, over the Light Infantry Battalions 525 and 569 launched an artillery attack on the village of Wan-Warb, 30 kilometers north-west of the SSA-N headquarters at Wan Hai, in Ke See township. As government soldiers used 60 mm and 79 mm field gun, the Buddhist temple and seven houses were smashed, injuring four villagers. Besides, a 90-year-old woman died of fright when shells hit her residence.

Military confrontation between the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and the Burma Army (BA) that began in May has yet to show any signs of let-up and is slowly building up to showdown, according to local and Thai border sources.

“Wa villagers (who had moved down to the Thai Burmese border since 1999) are no longer arrogant toward their Shan and Lahu neighbors as before,” said a respected local. “They are selling their livestock cheap and saying they’ll take refuge on the Thai side of the border once the shooting begins.”

shih-kuo-neng

According to sources, the Burma Army has issued a series of demands to the UWSA’s 171st Military Region that is holding several areas along the border in two townships: Mongton in the west and Monghsat in the east, opposite Maehongson, Chiangmai and Chiangrai provinces:

    No expansion of rubber plantations and founding of new towns without permission
    Not to travel through BA controlled areas bearing arms and wearing UWSA uniforms
    To present a list of the UWSA outposts and bases together with the names of the commanders and strengths.
    To pull out from outposts in 4 locations: Kiulom in Mongjawd; and Namzarm, Hsarm Hsoom and an unidentified location in Monghsat by Sunday, 7 July 2013

Action Targets North Korean Military Sales to Burma

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Lt. General Thein Htay, the head of Burma’s Directorate of Defense Industries (DDI), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13619, which targets those involved in arms trading between North Korea and Burma.  This action specifically targets Thein Htay, who is involved in the illicit trade of North Korean arms to Burma; it does not target the Government of Burma, which has continued to take positive steps in severing its military ties with North Korea.  In November 2012, the Government of Burma publicly announced its intention to abide by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874, which prohibits the procurement of military goods and assistance from North Korea.

“Thein Htay has disregarded international requirements to stop purchasing military goods from North Korea, the revenues from which directly support North Korea’s illicit activities,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen.  “We will continue our efforts, alongside our international partners, to shut down North Korea’s dangerous and destabilizing weapons proliferation.”  

Posted by Jamie Pinnock on Monday, 1st July, 2013

Compassion, humility, and tranquillity: these are the images that we have typically come to associate with Buddhism in the West. It is a religion that preaches non-violence, and many in the Europe and America have adopted its philosophies as a result.

It may then come as a surprise that militant Buddhist groups in Burma (Myanmar) are actively persecuting the minority Muslim population. In stark contrast to the Saffron Revolution of 2007 when Buddhist monks marched peaceably with their alms bowls, Buddhist mobs, led by the radical monk Ashin Wirathu, have so far killed more than 200 Muslims and forced more than 150,000 from their homes. But many are asking how the 45-year old monk, dubbed the “Buddhist Bin Laden”, has been able to galvanise such high levels of religious intolerance from the Buddhist community?

Sitting cross-legged in his orange robes, with a shaved head as is required when part of the Buddhist monastic community, Wirathu’s appearance in no way suggests that this man could be the leader of the nationalist Buddhist movement known as the 969, who are responsible for what is happening in Burma at this time. The image is one of serenity and calm. He speaks in a slow and intent manner, picking his words carefully and meticulously in explaining his unique breed of Buddhist radicalism.

Police in the Indian city of Nagpur are on high alert after a survey conducted by the city Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) found that at least a dozen international students from Burma have been missing since 2008, according to a report by The Times of India. The 12...

At least two civilians were killed by Burma’s government army in Kachin State last month, despite an agreement signed in late May to deescalate tensions between government forces and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a...