APPPB Update

I. Update on Raids, Threats, Hostage, & Arrests:

1) Two Mothers Taken Hostage (Oct 11): There is a hostage situation of the mother and mother-in-law of a young woman activist in Rangoon. Thet Thet Aung and her husband, Chit Ko Linn, are both members of the '88 Generation Students. Chit Ko Linn was arrested on 8th October while Thet Thet Aung was able to evade the arrest on the street during the daylight in Rangoon.

Then yesterday morning on 10th Oct, Her mother and her mother-in-law were arrested from homes and the authorities said they would release two mothers only when Thet Thet would turn herself in.

The young couple has three boys aged 8, 6 and 1&1/2 year-old, and they had to leave these children in the care of their mothers while both were unable to return home trying to avoid the arrest. Now both grandmothers are in detention and the kids are left alone home. Thet Thet gave out interviews to Burmese media this afternoon.

2) Update on Student Leader, Hla Myo Naung: Hla Myo Naung's house was raided last night and all books and papers were taken away. His wife was informed by Rangoon Division police personnel that he had eye operation this morning at Kanthayar Hospital in Kandawgyi, Rangoon and his nervous system was damaged. She was not allowed to visit him. Hla Myo Naung and his wife, Aye Mar, have a 10-year-old son.

Amnesty International (London) has issued a statement today on October 11 voicing its concern for him.

3) Two More Arrested and 5 More Houses Raided: Last night on Oct 10, at least 5 houses of youths who were studying at American Center were raided. And two students were arrested.

4) Actor Kyaw Thu & Wife Arrested: Famous actor Kyaw Thu who supported the monks during the peaceful protests by donating alms to the monks along with detained satirist Zarganar was arrested last night on Oct 10 at home. It’s reported his wife was also arrested.

5) Update on the Monks (Oct 10-11): Five more monks were accused for involving in the marches and forced out from La Yaung Win Buddhist Temple in Sittwe of Arakan state, Gissapa News reported.

Hundreds of monks who fled Rangoon have arrived to their home towns in Mon State, Shan State and Tenaserrim Division after the army forced them out of Rangoon while hundreds of others continue to go back. Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA) reported that local authorities are making lists of the monks who have arrived from Rangoon and made inspections. At the same time, they banned the laypeople from donating the monks.

There are reports of arrest of a number of monks in Mon and Shan States upon their return. A Shan monk also reported to Shan Herald Agency News (SHAN) that at least 100 Shan monks are among those who have been detained in Rangoon.

II. The Junta’s Response:

The state-owned newspaper claimed that 60,000 pro-government demonstrators had gathered on Tuesday in Pa-an, Karen State to support the junta's version of "roadmap to democracy" while denouncing the US and foreign radio stations.

On the other hand, the junta announced the deferment of scheduled show of similar mass rallies in Arakan State for unlimited period due to the protests against these rallies as there were signs and posters posted in public areas denouncing the national convention and calling for release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and national reconciliation.

III. NLD’s Response: The National League for Democracy party on Tuesday called for talks with the junta, but urged it not to set conditions for any meetings.


IV. International Response:
UN: U.N. Security Council ambassadors failed to agree on Wednesday on a statement deploring the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators, and sent it to capitals for a decision on one key phrase. The latest, and third, version of the statement first circulated on Friday by the US, Britain and France said the council "strongly deplores the use of violence against peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar." But after nearly five hours of discussion the 15 council envoys could not agree on how to word a sentence about the release of political prisoners and included two versions in square brackets, according to a text obtained by Reuters.
IPU: The Inter-Parliamentary Union is calling for the release of 26 parliamentarian members jailed in Burma. The IPU says the Burmese lawmakers include people who have been imprisoned for a long time as well as some who were jailed during the recent military crackdown of peaceful protesters in addition to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and innocent civilians and Buddhist monks.

US: The US Ambassador to the UN has said it is time to prepare for a government transition in Burma but also admitted that the ruling military would continue to play a role in the country's future. Khalilzad called for conditions to be improved for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi so that she could prepare for negotiations and also urged Mr. Gambari return as soon as possible to assist a dialogue.
As world attention continues to focus on the recent protests and crackdown in Burma, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter says he is closely watching events in the region. Burma has been at the forefront of President Jimmy Carter's worldwide human rights agenda since he left the White House in 1981. In May, President Carter, a vocal critic of the military government, joined 59 other world leaders in signing a letter demanding an end to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's confinement.
V. Axis of Devil:

INDIA: India is close to signing an agreement with the Burmese military junta to develop the port of Sittwe, officials in Delhi said. India will put $103m into the project, despite international calls for sanctions against the military rulers. India is building roads and railways in western Burma, and its companies are trying to gain access to rich deposits of oil and natural gas.

SINGAPORE: Singapore, one of Burma's biggest investors, is under pressure from rights groups to use its economic clout to push the generals down along a more democratic path. Singapore, key investor in Burma’s tourism sector, provides medical care for the regime's generals and is seen as a financial centre for the Burmese Generals and their elites.
EU parliamentarians visiting the island last week called on Singapore to ease bank secrecy laws and seize assets of Burmese generals, or risk a proposed pact with the EU. Burma activist groups last week urged the US Senate foreign relations committee to compel Singapore banks to freeze the accounts of junta leaders, and prohibit US institutions from dealing with those that refuse.
INDONESIA: In Jakarta, Indonesian Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said yesterday that Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition movement was not a credible alternative to the junta, warning that a rush to democracy could create "another Iraq."
VI. Solidarity & Support around the World:

1) Statements: The Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC) released a statement of solidarity in which it called on the UN to immediately deploy its peacekeeping force to be able to abate the mayhem and upon the ASEAN to exhaust all diplomatic courses to pressure the military junta to agree to a constructive and peaceful dialogue with the participation of the ethnic nationalities. Burma Rivers Network (BRN), a network of ethnic youth organizations, also issued a statement yesterday denouncing the Burmese junta’s violence against the civilians.
2) Commemoration by Shan Community: Shan community in Thailand commemorated today the recent killings of Buddhist monks in Central Burma as well as those monks killed by the Burma Army during the civil war in Shan State. Ceremonies will be held at temples in ten locations to make merit for the deceased monks and to chant for peace in Burma.

3) Canberra Network for Democracy in Burma: The first event will be the handing over of a Free Burma Message Book to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Wayne Berry at 11.45 pm in Civic Square on Friday 12th October. A further 7 books will be distributed to all faith groups in the ACT community to ask their congregations to sign messages of support to the monks and people of Burma. The second event will be a rally on Saturday 13 October at 11 am in Civic Square.

4) More Protests: Today in Manila, Philippines, there were protests in front of Chinese Consulate and SPDC Embassy by members of the Free Burma Coalition-Philippin es and Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC).

5) Protests in Hamburg, Germany: Sorry, that APPPB missed out to report the Burma actions by friends in Germany in our previous updates.

Burma Action Group Hamburg and Hamburg based Amnesty International staged demonstration in front of the Chinese Consulate General on 2nd October and dropped a letter of protest against China's misuse of veto at the UNSC; waged a protest march at down town Hamburg on Oct 5; and joined the world wide protest on Oct 6. Another demonstration was organized by a newly formed group called Solidaritätskomitee Burma.

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