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B U R M A B U L L E T I N
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A month-in-review of events in Burma
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A L T E R N A T I V E A S E A N N E T W O R K O N B U R M A
campaigns, advocacy & capacity-building for human rights & democracy
Issue 36
December 2009
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China and the SPDC cement ties with the signing ofkey economic deals aimed at securing Beijing’senergy supply and guaranteeing Naypyidaw’s muchneeded cash flow.
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Beijing conveys its concerns to the SPDC overstability in Burma’s regions bordering China toensure that major Chinese investments in Burma willnot be adversely affected by internal instability.
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UNODC’s latest report says that opium poppyproduction in Burma has risen by almost 50% since2006 and poppy cultivation is up for the third year ina row.
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The UN General Assembly condemns the SPDC’songoing human rights violations and calls on thejunta to undertake a transparent, inclusive, andcomprehensive review of the 2008 constitution.
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Four hundred forty-two MPs from 29 countries callfor the UN Security Council to create a Commissionof Inquiry to investigate war crimes and crimesagainst humanity in Burma.
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The regime accuses Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of being“dishonest” and “insincere” as she meets SPDCLiaison Minister Maj Gen Aung Kyi and is allowed topay her respects to three senior NLD colleagues.
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Russia beats China’s competition and sells 20 MiG-29 fighter jets to the SPDC for nearly 400 millionEuros (US$570 million).
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At an economic forum in Naypyidaw, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz urges the SPDCto drastically increase spending on health care andeducation and to use revenues from oil and gas topromote access to agricultural financing.
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Gambari no longer UN Special Advisor on Burma.KEY STORY
In December, China and the SPDC cemented ties with the signing of key economic deals aimed atsecuring Beijing’s energy supply and guaranteeing Naypyidaw’s much needed cash flow. At the sametime, Beijing conveyed its concerns to the SPDC over stability in Burma’s regions bordering China toensure that major Chinese investments in Burma would not be adversely affected by internal instability.
Beijing presses SPDC on stability
On 20 December, visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping told SPDC Chairman Sr Gen Than Shwethat he hoped that Burma would achieve “political stability, economic development and national
IN THIS ISSUEKEY STORY
1 China presses SPDC2 China & SPDC sign key deals
INSIDE BURMA
3 Ethnics prepare for conflict3 Opium cultivation increases3 SPDC snubs Daw Suu4 2010 elections news4 Officials charged with spying4 SPDC dooms Burma’s children
HUMAN RIGHTS
5 Detention conditions5 In and out of prison5 Freedom of information
DISPLACEMENT
5 Rohingya pushed back6 Burmese migrants strike
INTERNATIONAL
6 MPs call for COI7 UNGA condemns SPDC7 Goodbye Gambari7 US sees no progress in Burma7 EU engages SPDC
ECONOMY
8 Stiglitz offers advice to SPDC8 From Russia with love8 Power to China9 Credit Suisse sanctioned9
OTHER BURMA NEWS
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REPORTS
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reconciliation” at a meeting in Naypyidaw.
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Xi pressed the SPDC on stability along the China-Burmaborder, and urged the SPDC to resolve “the relevant problems through peaceful ways such as dialogueand consultation.”
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On 5-10 December, Chinese Army’s Chief of Staff for the Chengdu Military Region Lt Gen AiHusheng traveled to Naypyidaw and Shan State to discuss stability on the Sino-Burma border. AiHusheng met with SPDC Commander of the Bureau of Special Operations-2 Lt Gen Min Aung Hlaing,who is responsible for military affairs in Shan State.
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China and SPDC sign key economic deals
Beijing’s public statements over Burma’s political stability andnational reconciliation stem from economic concerns. On 20December, with Xi and SPDC Vice Sr Gen Maung Aye in attendance,China and the SPDC signed 16 Memorandums of Understanding.
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The MoUs included five agreements on development of trade,economy, transport infrastructure, technological cooperation, andpurchase of machinery; seven financial agreements; three agreementson hydro-electric power; and one agreement in the energy sector.
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This final MoU was the most noteworthy. The SPDC Energy Ministryawarded exclusive rights to build and operate the China-Burma crudeoil pipeline to China’s oil and gas firm China National PetroleumCompany (CNPC)-controlled Southeast Crude Oil Pipeline Company.
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The SPDC will guaranteepipeline safety and will also grant the Chinese company tax concessions and customs clearance rights.
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CNPC started building a crude oil port in Burma at the end of October as part of the 771-km pipelineproject aimed at bypassing the Malacca Strait.
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The crude oil pipeline, cutting across most of Burma,will start from Maday Island in Arakan State, pass through Arakan State, Magwe and MandalayDivisions and Shan State, and will finally enter China’s Yunnan Province. The pipeline will cost aboutUS$2.5 billion and will have a capacity of 84 million barrels per year. Once completed in 2013, it willchannel about 85% of China’s energy imports from Africa and the Middle East.
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In addition to the oil deals, in December Beijing also reaped the benefits from controversial hydro-electric dam projects in Burma. Chinese developers conducted tests on the 790-megawatt capacityYeywa hydro dam nearing completion on the Myitnge River in Mandalay Division. In addition, on 21December, the SPDC inaugurated the construction of the Myitsone dam on the Irrawaddy River inLahpe, 22 miles north of Myitkyina, Kachin State. These dams, besides their social impacts on local
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Irrawaddy (21 Dec 09) China Tells Than Shwe it Wants 'Stability, National Reconciliation'; Xinhua (21 Dec 09) China putsforward four-point proposal to further ties with Myanmar; Xinhua (22 Dec 09) Myanmar official media hail Chinese vice president'svisit
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Irrawaddy (21 Dec 09) China Tells Than Shwe it Wants 'Stability, National Reconciliation'
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Irrawaddy (11 Dec 09) Chinese, Burmese Military Leaders Discuss Border Security
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Asia News (19 Dec 09) Economy and energy at the centre of meeting between Beijing and the Burmese junta; Mizzima News(21 Dec 09) Xi concludes Burma visit with handful of MoUs; Xinhua (22 Dec 09) Myanmar official media hail Chinese vicepresident's visit
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Mizzima News (21 Dec 09) Xi concludes Burma visit with handful of MoUs; Xinhua (22 Dec 09) Myanmar official media hailChinese vice president's visit
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Reuters (21 Dec 09) CNPC gets Myanmar backing on China-Myanmar oil pipe; Mizzima News (21 Dec 09) Xi concludes Burmavisit with handful of MoUs; Times of India (21 Dec 09) China extracts more concessions from Myanmar for oil pipeline; Xinhua (21Dec 09) CNPC gets exclusive operating rights of China-Myanmar oil pipeline; China Knowledge (21 Dec 09) CNPC subsidiary tobuild, manage China-Burma oil pipeline; DPA (22 Dec 09) Chinese company wins ownership of Myanmar-China pipeline project
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Reuters (21 Dec 09) CNPC gets Myanmar backing on China-Myanmar oil pipe; Irrawaddy (26 Dec 09) Chinese Oil Firm saysBurmese Military Responsible for its Cross-Country Pipeline
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Mizzima News (21 Dec 09) Xi concludes Burma visit with handful of MoUs; Times of India (21 Dec 09) China extracts moreconcessions from Myanmar for oil pipeline; Xinhua (21 Dec 09) CNPC gets exclusive operating rights of China-Myanmar oilpipeline
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Times of India (21 Dec 09) China extracts more concessions from Myanmar for oil pipeline; Xinhua (21 Dec 09) CNPC getsexclusive operating rights of China-Myanmar oil pipeline; DPA (22 Dec 09) Chinese company wins ownership of Myanmar-Chinapipeline project; China Knowledge (21 Dec 09) CNPC subsidiary to build, manage China-Burma oil pipeline; Asia News (19 Dec09) Economy and energy at the centre of meeting between Beijing and the Burmese junta
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communities, are likely to benefit the SPDC and the Chinese and not the people directly impacted bythese massive projects [See below
Power to China
].
INSIDE BURMAEthnics prepare for conflict, chemical warfare
As the extended 31 December deadline for ethnic armies to transform into SPDC Army-controlledBorder Guard Forces (BGF) approached, the United State Wa Army (UWSA) showed no sign of accepting the junta’s ultimatum.
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In addition, media reported that Chinese Vietnam war veterans have crossed into Burma to fightalongside the UWSA.
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The UWSA is also reportedly recruiting and mobilizing retired soldiers fromthe former Communist Party of Burma (CPB) in Shan State in anticipation of an offensive by the SPDCArmy.
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On 25 December, sources close to the UWSA and the National Democratic Alliance Army(NDAA) said that the groups were purchasing thousands of protective suits in the event of chemicalwarfare by the SPDC Army.
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Opium cultivation in Burma increases
On 14 December, the United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report titled“Opium Poppy Cultivation in South-East Asia - Lao PDR, Myanmar.” The report’s findings with regardto Burma included:
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Opium poppy production has risen by almost 50% since 2006;
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Opium poppy cultivation is up for the third year in a row, and the area under cultivation increased by11% from a year ago;
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More than one million people are now involved in opium poppy cultivation in Burma, most of themin Shan State, where 95% of Burma’s poppy is grown;
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The estimated number of households involved in opium poppy cultivation increased by 14% from ayear ago;
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Opium addiction prevalence rate in Shan and Kachin States (population aged 15 and above) increasedby 36% from a year ago;
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Increased instability in Northeast Burma seems to be affecting the opium market. There areindications that ceasefire groups are selling drugs to buy weapons, and moving stocks to avoiddetection.
SPDC snubs Daw Suu
Despite Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent attempts to cooperate with the SPDC for the benefit of Burma’s people [See
November 2009 Burma Bulletin
], the junta failed to positively respond to DawSuu’s conciliatory moves. On 9 December, the three state-run newspapers published a commentary thataccused Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of being “dishonest” and “insincere” in dealing with the SPDC byleaking her two letters to SPDC Chairman Sr Gen Than Shwe to the media.
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[See
September and November 2009 Burma Bulletin
]The regime granted Daw Aung San Suu Kyi only small concessions for public relations:
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SHAN (03 Dec 09) Junta, Wa both placed high alert
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Mizzima News (19 Dec 09) UWSA reinforces army with retired personnel; SHAN (19 Dec 09) Chinese volunteers return;Kachin News Group (15 Dec 09) Thousands of Chinese Vietnam war veterans join Wa
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Kachin News Group (15 Dec 09) Thousands of Chinese Vietnam war veterans join Wa
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SHAN (25 Dec 09) Wa, Mongla seek protection against CW
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UNODC (Dec 09) Opium Poppy Cultivation in South-East Asia - Lao PDR, Myanmar
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AP (09 Dec 09) Junta official meets with Aung San Suu Kyi; AP (09 Dec 09) Myanmar junta official meets Aung San Suu Kyi;AP (09 Dec 09) Myanmar state media scolds democracy icon Suu Kyi; BBC (09 Dec 09) Burma junta official meets Aung SanSuu Kyi; DPA (09 Dec 09) Myanmar opposition leader meets with junta representative – Summary; AFP (09 Dec 09) Suu Kyimeets again with junta officer; Reuters (09 Dec 09) Myanmar junta labels detained Suu Kyi "dishonest"; Reuters (09 Dec 09)Dissident Is Criticized; Mizzima News (09 Dec 09) Aung San Suu Kyi meets junta’s Liaison Minister again
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