Burma Review welcomes the release of people’s queen of
13 November 2010
Note on Release of people’s queen of Asia – Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
03 October 2010
Zuma - Gandhi common denominator for freedom in India & S Africa
"Gandhi walks through our histories leaving imprints that still direct the paths of both India and South Africa," Zuma said at the closing banquet of the first regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on African soil here last night.
Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi and Minister of State for Human Resources Development D Purandeshwari were also present at the banquet.
"Gandhi's philosophies remain relevant today as they were during their formulation and practise in his lifetime. It is these beliefs that have ensured the continuity of our relations over the years and led to the strengthening of political, economic and social ties between our two nations," Zuma said.
Gandhi's ideology of empathy, respect for one another irrespective of race, appreciation of one another and each other's beliefs and understanding have been the foundation of the constitutions of most countries, he added.
Zuma attributed the "warm relationship" with India to the fact that the two countries have a lot in common, such as the vision of an impartial, just, peaceful and prosperous world order aimed at bringing an end to centuries of poverty and marginalisation.
"Together the two countries cooperate in several multi-lateral forums such as the UN, the non-aligned movement, WTO, G-20, Commonwealth, IBSA and the BASIC groupings. We also share a common approach on a number of global issues including reform of the UN, the future of multilateralism, climate change, South-South cooperation and multilateral trade negotiations," the South African President said..
"This has led to fruitful cooperation in the Commonwealth, International Atomic Energy Agency and the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NASP)."
Commending the South African community of Indian origin, Zuma said, their deep commitment to cultural identity was evident in all spheres of their lives from their beliefs to their practises.
"This is greatly admirable, at a time when cultures and traditions worldwide have been undermined. We are pleased that while this community remains distinctively Indian, they are still proudly South African. They are as committed to this country as those whose cultural roots are indigenous," he said
Addressing the gathering, Ravi called on India and South Africa to work together and said "India and South Africa hold the promise of becoming giants in future."
Lauding the first Indians who arrived as indentured labourers for the sugar cane plantations in the province in 1860, Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini said "their determination to succeed in the face of great hardship should serve as an inspiration to all of us."
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Obama hails India's thriving democracy to promote freedom
'There is no right more fundamental than the ability to choose your leaders and determine your destiny,' he said at the opening of the UN General Assembly here Thursday but stressed democracy would not succeed because America dictates it.
At the same time, he believed 'There is no soil where this notion cannot take root, just as every democracy reflects the uniqueness of a nation,' said Obama citing several examples including India, that he is set to visit in early November.
'Later this fall, I will travel to Asia. I will visit India, which peacefully threw off colonialism and established a thriving democracy of over a billion people,' he told the annual gathering of world leaders.
'I will continue to Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, which binds together thousands of islands through the glue of representative government and civil society.
'I will join the G-20 meetings on the Korean peninsula, which provides the world's clearest contrast between a society that is dynamic and open, and one that is imprisoned and closed,' he said.
'I will conclude my trip in Japan, an ancient culture that found peace and extraordinary development through democracy.'
'Each of these countries gives life to democratic principles in their own way,' said Obama describing civil society as 'the conscience of our communities'.
Vowing to always extend American 'engagement abroad with citizens beyond the halls of government', Obama said: 'We will call out those who suppress ideas, and serve as a voice for the voiceless,' said.
'We will promote new tools of communication, so people are empowered to connect with one another - and, in repressive societies, to do so with security,' he said.
02 October 2010
Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom...
Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home—
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene—one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on.
I loved to choose and see my path, but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will: remember not past years.
So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on,
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone;
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.
(By: John Henry Newman, From Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Ashram Bhajnawali, Collected & Compiled by K. Khare Shastri, Published by – Nabjiban Prakashan Mandir, Ahmedabad – 380014, India, Year 1922, pp.222-223)
29 September 2010
Myanmar's prime minister issues election warning
Courtesy AFP News : 29 September 2010
YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar's prime minister warned citizens to protect the country's image during November elections and to prevent anyone from derailing the first polls in 20 years, state media reported Wednesday.
The Nov. 7 vote is a keystone of what the military-ruled country says is a transition to civilian rule after five decades under the army, although many see it as a means of prolonging its dominance.
"The success of the election is a matter of national dignity and concerns every citizen. Thus, it is necessary to prevent those who are trying to disrupt the election," Prime Minister Thein Sein was quoted saying in comments carried by Myanma Ahlin and the two other state-run newspapers.
State media often accuse "terrorists" or anti-government groups of plotting to disrupt the vote. It was first such warning from a senior official.
Thein Sein did not elaborate on any alleged threat, though the junta's biggest perceived threat is detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Her National League for Democracy opposition party is boycotting elections and Suu Kyi has said through a spokesman that dissatisfied voters have the right not to vote — stopping short of calling for a voter boycott.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner and governments around the world say that restrictive rules governing the elections show it will be unfair and undemocratic.
Suu Kyi's party won the country's last election in 1990 but the junta refused to let the party take power. Suu Kyi has been in jail or under house arrest for 15 of the past 21 years.
Thein Sein also urged voters to choose "patriotic persons and those who will prevent the Union (of Myanmar) from disintegration" when casting ballots. He made the comments at the opening ceremony of a hospital in the Irrawaddy Delta, the area hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, which left 140,000 people dead or missing.
Thein Sein is the leader of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party which was formed in April after he and 26 other Cabinet officials resigned their military posts to make them eligible to take part in politics.
The USDP is widely expected to win the most votes in the election because its ties with the junta give the party access to easy funding and a nationwide presence.
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UN chief backs call for 'inclusive' Burma election
Courtesy BBC News: 28 September 2010
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Burma's upcoming elections will not be credible without the release of political prisoners, including democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said.
Mr Ban was speaking after a ministerial meeting in New York of the so-called "Group of Friends" of Burma.
He said the group had called for a "more inclusive" poll on 7 November.
Ms Suu Kyi's party won Burma's last election in 1990 but was never allowed to take power by the ruling junta.
The November poll is part of the junta's long-announced "roadmap to democracy", but critics have dismissed it as a sham designed to keep the military in power.
'Stability and development'
Mr Ban said after Monday's meeting behind the closed doors that the ministers had reiterated the need for the election process to be "more inclusive, participatory and transparent".
"Members called for steps to be taken for the release of political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi.
"This is essential for the election to be seen as credible and contribute to Myanmar's stability and development," the UN chief said.
Burma - whose representatives did not attend the meeting - has not publicly responded to Mr Ban's comments.
Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) was forcibly disbanded in May, under the new election laws.
Ms Suu Kyi has spent most of the last two decades in some form of detention and is currently under house arrest in Rangoon.
The "Group of Friends" of Burma includes Australia, the UK, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the US, Vietnam and the EU.
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08 September 2010
China’s offer of cooperation must be welcomed
24 March 2010
Myanmar: UN Secretary-General voices concern at new electoral laws
10 March 2010 – New electoral laws unveiled by authorities in Myanmar do not meet international expectations of what is required for an inclusive political process in the Asian country, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today.
The United Nations is carefully studying the laws as they are being published by the Government in preparation for planned national elections later this year, Mr. Ban said in a statement issued by his spokesperson.
According to media reports, the new laws relate to the registration of political parties and prohibit anyone with a criminal conviction from being a member of an official party.
“The indications available so far suggest that they do not measure up to the international community’s expectations of what is needed for an inclusive political process,” Mr. Ban said.
“The Secretary-General reiterates his call for the Myanmar authorities to ensure such an inclusive political process leading to fair, transparent and credible elections in which all citizens of Myanmar, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, can freely participate.”
Ms. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), a prominent opposition leader, has been under house arrest for much of the past two decades. In August last year she was sentenced to an additional 18 months of detention after being convicted of violating State security laws.
Last month Mr. Ban expressed disappointment that Ms. Suu Kyi’s appeal against her house arrest was rejected and reiterated his call for her release.
Myanmar is slated to later this year conduct its first elections in over 20 years as part of a Government-designed timetable towards greater democratization.
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20 March 2010
Which one is true – China or United Nations on British PM’s Letter on Burma to UNSG?
However, later China’s ‘Xinhua’ published another news story on 19th of March 2010 entitled, “Group of Friends on Myanmar to meet at UN headquarters”, correcting the earlier story and accepting the validity of the letter of British Prime Minister – Mr. Gordon Brown in a balancing diplomatic move to maintain cozy relationship with Burma’s military junta as well as with European Union and Britain.
Now comes the question of de-mystifying the truth about meeting of ‘Group of Friends on Myanmar’ scheduled for 25th of March 2010 and the letter of British PM – Gordon Brown to UNSG denied by China’s official media on 17th of March 2010. The official website of the United Nations Secretary General’s press briefings archives from 15th of March 2010 to 19th of March 2010 (latest available on concerned time period) suggests that UN Secretary General has not denied the receiving letter from British PM calling for a meeting of ‘Groups of Friend on Myanmar’. In addition, the press briefings of 18th of March 2010 of the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Mr. Martin Nesirky declares that, “Secretary-General did receive a letter from UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Tuesday 16th of March 2010 contradicting the concerned news of China’s official media. Moreover, the spokesperson of UNSG also acknowledges that, UN Secretary-General has scheduled a meeting of that Group on 25th of March.
Although, another mystery is related about the scheduled meeting of ‘Group of Friends on Myanmar’ proposed for 25th of March 2010. The office of Spokesperson of UNSG’s list of programme scheduled for 25th of March doesn’t indicate holding any meeting on Burma. The programme which is given entitled - THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS (20-26 March 2010) has following list of schedules missing the announced meeting of Group of Friends on Myanmar -
Thursday, 25 March
Today is the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
At 11:00 a.m., Hania Zlotnik, Director of the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, will hold a press conference about the results of the 2009 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects, in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium.
At 12:00 p.m., Mr. Alain Le Roy, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations; and Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, will hold their quarterly press conference.
At 1:00 p.m., the Department of Public Information will hold a press conference to commemorate the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
From 3 to 4:30 p.m., a solemn Commemorative Ceremony will take place in the Trusteeship Council Chamber to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Today is the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members.
In Copenhagen, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark will give remarks to the MDG3 Conference, with World Bank President Robert Zoellick.
Now comes the question, which one is true – United Nations or China’s official media report about the letter of British PM – Mr. Gordon Brown related with proposed meeting of Group of Friends on Myanmar scheduled for 25th of March 2010? If China is so much concerned about the detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners of Burma, then, what was she doing in previous three meetings of UN Security Council on the concerned issue? The truth has yet to come…., So one passerby announced – “Say apple – an apple, mango – a mango, monkey – a monkey…..don’t make a monk…?”
16 March 2010
No indication Myanmar will release prisoners ahead of elections – UN rights expert
News Courtesy: UN News Centre
15 March 2010 – An independent United Nations human rights expert who recently visited
Tomás Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, had stated prior to his 15-19 February visit that the elections should be fair and transparent, that freedom of speech, movement and association should be guaranteed in the country, and that all prisoners of conscience should be released before the polls so they can be as inclusive as possible.
“Without full participation, including by the some 2,100 prisoners of conscience, and an environment that allows people and parties to engage in the range of electoral activities, the elections cannot be credible,” he said today, as he presented his report to the 47-member Human Rights Council in
Mr. Quintana has also stated that the Government missed an opportunity to prove its commitment to holding inclusive elections by extending the house arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, effectively barring her from participating in the country’s elections.
His request to meet Ms. Suu Kyi during last month’s visit was rejected. “I consider her a prisoner of conscience and reiterate my call for her release without delay,” he said today.
The Special Rapporteur added that he did not come away from his most recent visit with a “clear sense of progress” on the four core elements he put forward to the Government in August 2008.
He had urged the Government to complete the following tasks ahead of this year’s elections: the revision of domestic laws that limit fundamental rights, the progressive release of the prisoners of conscience still in detention, the reform and training of the military so that it conforms with human rights, and changes to the judiciary so that it is fully independent.
“The same large number of prisoners of conscience is to be found in prisons across the country, while new arrests and sentences continue, though there have been some occasional releases,” said Mr. Quintana, who was given access to three prisons during the visit.
Stating that the human rights challenges that the Government has to deal with are “daunting,” he stressed that accountability for past violations has to be established. “The possibility that the gross and systematic nature of the human rights violations may entail crimes against humanity must be seriously examined and addressed accordingly.
“It is now the time for the Government of Myanmar to assume its responsibility to undertake steps in this direction,” said Mr. Quintana. “And it is also now for the international community to consider further steps to ensure accountability and to assist the authorities of
Mr. Quintana noted that
“The process towards the organization of elections should represent an important opportunity for the Government of Myanmar to address a range of human rights issues and to initiate the much-needed reforms towards the building of democratic institutions.
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02 January 2010
Notice to Readers of Burma Review
Burma Review wishes a very happy new year to its readers for 2010. Last ten month’s journey of Burma Review has been a most difficult one. I don’t have words. I hope some good news for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will come up in the year 2010. This is to also inform you all that I’m going off the web and don’t know when I would resume the web board of Burma Review? May almighty God save India’s open society structures. Thank you or Ce-zu tin-ba-deh once again for visiting Burma Review!
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