http://www.asiaportal.info/ The 20 newest items in the In Focus 2009 Week 10 collection at the Asia Portal en-us Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/26ac7e3a-248f-4799-a5a1-f265a4ad9b48 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/26ac7e3a-248f-4799-a5a1-f265a4ad9b48 Information from the Euroepan Commission on relations with Myanmar http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/3c643397-a67d-4bef-951d-546740456882 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/3c643397-a67d-4bef-951d-546740456882 Swedish support to Burma is guided by Sweden’s regional strategy for Southeast Asia for the 2005–2009 period. The strategy has raised the level of ambition slightly, and most of the support provided by Sweden has been targeted, to date, towards humanitarian help for Burmese refugees, particularly in neighbouring Thailand. This support, which amounted to SEK 61.75 million in 2005-2006, is used for basic necessities, material for temporary housing, food and education. Support is channelled through Diakonia, a Swedish NGO that is also one of the founders of the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC), a group of NGOs providing food and shelter for some 150,000 refugees. The support has been organised with a great deal of participation from the refugees themselves. Sida also contributes to the Dutch aid organisat http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/d6a6b3bb-e172-4995-acff-d5d8f2c79048 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/d6a6b3bb-e172-4995-acff-d5d8f2c79048 Strategy for development cooperation with parts of South-East Asia : January 2005 – December 2009. - Stockholm, Sida, 2005. - 45 p. The present regional strategy replaces current strategies for the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor). It also includes a discussion of the composition and extent of future support for Burma. The strategy additionally addresses regional cooperation in Asia, and South-East Asia in particular. For the purposes of the present document, South-East Asia is defined as the ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste. Concern is focused on the poorer countries in the region. Cooperation with Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam is covered in separate country strategies. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/9f271afc-8a97-4c1f-8542-a93faf867dcd http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/9f271afc-8a97-4c1f-8542-a93faf867dcd 14.11.08 Copenhagen. DanWatch: Danish pension funds and investment funds still have billions of DKK placed in energy companies that are cooperating directly with the Burmese military dictatorship. This is documented in a newly published report from DanWatch. In 2007 DanWatch was able to document how Asian and Western oil and gas companies cooperate directly with the Burmese military regime and thereby contribute to the continued oppression of the public. As a consequence several pension funds chose to sell their Burma related stocks. However, a new report from DanWatch shows that seven out of the ten biggest Danish pension funds have maintained their investments. According to the latest accessible numbers at least one billion DKK handled by the pension funds are still invested in companies that financially support the military regime. This is the case even though nine out of ten pension funds state officially that they do take ethics and social responsibility into account when they invest. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/dccc9c33-509f-464e-8c1f-2e265eff5a88 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/dccc9c33-509f-464e-8c1f-2e265eff5a88 Official web portal organised by the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/7ad335c6-3a95-4088-b5f1-4ba5bbb96b6a http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/7ad335c6-3a95-4088-b5f1-4ba5bbb96b6a ReliefWeb is a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This web page includes: links to maps of Myanmar (Burma), a country profile, and information on specific topics such as agriculture, water and sanitation and food. Links are also provided to information about other Southeast Asian countries. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/0e31740c-2cab-413b-82f8-3f7c0cd690ef http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/0e31740c-2cab-413b-82f8-3f7c0cd690ef Self-description: "Project Maje is an independent information project on Burma's human rights and environmental issues. It was founded by its project director, Edith Mirante, in 1986." Site contents: * The Mekong Network Project (Cambodia, Burma, Laos, Vietnam, China Thailand, Tech info. Random Land); * Documents (We Built This City: Workers from Burma at Risk in Malaysia ( 2007), Razor's Edge: Survival Crisis for Refugees from Burma in Delhi, India (2004), Burma "Sea Gypsies" Compendium (2004), Mithuns Sacrificed To Greed: The Forest Ox of Burma's Chins (2004), Ashes and Tears: Interviews with Refugees from Burma on Guam (2001), A Chin Compendium (1997), Dacoits, Inc. (1996), This Revolutionary Life (1995), A Swamp Full of Lilies (1994), Difficult Lives (1991), Jumping Rope on the Front Line (1991), Our Journey (1991), Women Speak Out for Peace in Burma (1989), The Victim Zone (1988), A Gray Area (1987), Adrift in Troubled Times (1987), I Am Still Alive (1986)); * Books (Burmese Looking Glass: A Human Rights Adventure and a Jungle Revolution by Edith Mirante (1994); Down the Rat Hole: Adventures Underground on Burma's Frontiers by Edith Mirante (2005)); * Links (Grace Under Pressure, Burma Project, Burma Border Projects, Chin Freedom Coalition, Chin Human Rights Organization, US Campaign for Burma, Burma Underground (Ethnic Voices), Shan Women's Action Network, Online Burma Library, Foundation for the People of Burma, The Irrawaddy News and Magazine, Narinjara News, Shan Herald Agency for News, Mizzima News, Kao Wao News Group, Karen Human Rights Group, Mon News Agency (Rehmonnya), Rohingya News Agency (Kaladan), Free Burma Rangers, Burmanet News, Earth Rights); * Search. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/39e272be-1b08-456d-9884-a347a1201cee http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/39e272be-1b08-456d-9884-a347a1201cee The official website for Myanmar supported by the government. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/be3491fd-f126-439e-b74a-48bd24cd1feb http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/be3491fd-f126-439e-b74a-48bd24cd1feb A country guide for Myanmar (Burma), which forms part of the Intute World Guide. The information provided includes: general factual information, demographics, spatial and geographic data, satellite images, and links to a range of country-specific Internet sites. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/042941f0-1d11-4ae6-b8d2-2510e46757a3 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/042941f0-1d11-4ae6-b8d2-2510e46757a3 Self description: Mizzima News was established in August 1998 by a group of Burmese journalists in exile with the aim of promoting awareness about the ongoing situation in Burma and promoting democracy and freedom of expression in Burma by improving the flow of information in and out of the country and through advocacy and lobbying. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/9a3e254a-7e64-4242-956c-f6683ffb81c7 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/9a3e254a-7e64-4242-956c-f6683ffb81c7 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/eb85e315-e16b-4830-b901-208a5a801647 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/eb85e315-e16b-4830-b901-208a5a801647 Our reports on Myanmar/Burma are listed below, starting with the most recent. You can also search for relevant reports using the search box in the top right hand side of this page. Articles, op-eds, speeches and media releases can be found under the media section. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/270d5283-5bf2-4fdf-8435-51f07be957e3 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/270d5283-5bf2-4fdf-8435-51f07be957e3 Burma gained independence in 1948. Since then, it has seen communist insurgency, a series of ethnic rebellions, a coup d’etat, years of authoritarian military rule, numerous cease-fires and continuing armed conflict in its eastern border zones. More than two million Burmese people are now displaced and living outside the country. Another 500,000 are internally displaced. Research from the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford, in the UK, focuses on crucial and overlooked aspects of forced migration in Burma, including the problem of serial displacement. Most literature on forced migration within the country has a human rights orientation. It focuses on the impact of armed conflicts in the eastern border zones accessible to aid agencies on the Thai border. This research attempts to redress the balance, concentrating on areas of Burma that are not affected by armed conflict and that are less accessible by international agencies. Drawing from interviews, the researcher describes how people try to rehabilitate their lives and communities against the odds. The paper also identifies new forms of forced migration that have emerged hand in hand with the ceasefires of the 1990s. It points out that forced migration rarely happens just once. In-depth interviews with 36 internally displaced Karen people reveal that they have experienced more than 1,000 migration episodes between them: a result of fighting, forced labour, and the devastation of agricultural land by conflict. The research draws on case studies from the Karen State, Kachin and Mon States and Kokang (in Shan State), to illustrate three distinct types of forced migration Source(s): ‘Burma: The Changing Nature of Displacement Crises’, Refugee Studies Centre Working Paper No. 39, by Ashley South, February 2007 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/c86b8e3a-103e-4172-8b1c-077886145958 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/c86b8e3a-103e-4172-8b1c-077886145958 The Food and Agriculture Organization for the United Nations and its 190 members highlight information as one of the priority areas in fighting hunger and achieving food security. The FAO Country Profiles and Mapping Information System is a pioneering information retrieval tool which groups the organization's vast archive of information on its global activities in agriculture and development in a single area and catalogues it exclusively by country. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/b5b67df7-1087-49d1-b993-dec5dd631994 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/b5b67df7-1087-49d1-b993-dec5dd631994 A country guide for Myanmar (Burma), which forms part of the Eldis World Guide. The information provided includes: general factual information, and links to a range of country-specific Internet sites. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/45713dcc-4f1a-4e8b-926b-16b7a47889c0 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/45713dcc-4f1a-4e8b-926b-16b7a47889c0 The Democratic Voice of Burma is a non-profit Burmese media organization committed to responsible journalism. Our mission is - - to provide accurate and unbiased news to the people of Burma, - to promote understanding and cooperation amongst the various ethnic and religious groups of Burma, - to encourage and sustain independent public opinion and enable social and political debate - to impart the ideals of democracy and human rights to the people of Burma. the organisationa is based in Norway http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/c45cd710-17fc-425f-b357-64224ec2b376 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/c45cd710-17fc-425f-b357-64224ec2b376 the latest report from the International Crisis Group, examines the implications of the mass protests in September 2007 and their violent crushing, and proposes an approach to resolve the crisis. While the military remains in firm charge, last year’s events emphasised the depth of the political and economic problems. Even regime allies recognise a new course is desperately needed. “Myanmar’s neighbours, especially China and members of ASEAN, need to seize the moment”, says John Virgoe, Crisis Group’s South East Asia Project Director. “Regional multi-party talks – coordinated with the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, and backed by the wider international community – hold out the best hope for launching a meaningful process of national reconciliation and broader reform”. “Indonesia could play a particularly important role, perhaps by hosting a regional meeting along the lines of the Jakarta Informal Meetings (JIM) which kick-started the Cambodia peace process in 1988 and 1989”, says Crisis Group President Gareth Evans (who as then Australian Foreign Minister was closely involved in that process). While new opportunities for change exist, there are profound structural obstacles. The balance of power is still heavily weighted in favour of the army, whose top leaders insist that only a strongly centralised, military-led state can hold the country together. Myanmar faces immense challenges, too, in overcoming the debilitating legacy of decades of conflict, poverty and institutional failure, which fuelled the recent crisis and could well overwhelm any future government. All international actors with some ability to influence the situation need to become actively involved in working for change, including the emergence of a broader, more inclusive, better organised political society. At the core, Special Envoy Gambari plays a vital role promoting dialogue and coordinating unprecedented international efforts. He deserves strong, consistent international backing, including from Ban Ki-moon personally, whose direct involvement in talks would be a powerful signal. Others also have important roles. A working group of China and key ASEAN members – possibly Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – should draw on close ties to engage the government in talks about issues affecting regional stability and development. In parallel, a support group from the wider international community, including the U.S., EU member states, Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway and others, must keep human rights issues at the top of the agenda. More effective sanctions targeting regime leaders are needed, coupled with positive incentives for reform. So, too, is assistance for saving lives and strengthening the future basis for successful transition to peace, democracy and an effective economy. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/5cebd03f-8094-4dd6-b8c9-45cc71c6131f http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/5cebd03f-8094-4dd6-b8c9-45cc71c6131f Burma/Myanmar After Nargis: Time to Normalise Aid Relations,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, October 2008, argues that the recent cooperation has proved that it is possible to work with the military regime on humanitarian issues and to deliver assistance in an effective and accountable way. If the current opening can be used to build confidence and lay the basis for a more effective aid structure, it may be possible not only to meet the immediate needs, but also to begin to address the broader crisis of governance and human suffering. “Political reform remains vital but withholding aid has done nothing to promote this”, says John Virgoe, Crisis Group’s South East Asia Project Director. “Aid is valuable in its own right for alleviating suffering, as well as a potential means of opening up a closed country, improving governance and empowering people to take control of their own lives”. The government’s initial response to cyclone Nargis shocked the world, with international agencies and local donors denied access to the affected areas. But, little noticed, the situation subsequently improved markedly, to the point where the UN humanitarian chief was able to describe it in July as “a normal international relief operation”. Communication between the government and international agencies has much improved. Visas and travel permits today are easier and faster to get than before. Requirements for the launch of new aid projects have been eased. By and large, the authorities are making efforts to facilitate aid, including allowing a substantial role for civil society. The international community should commit to continuing its support for post-cyclone recovery. But Myanmar faces a much deeper developmental crisis, with millions of households living on the edge of survival. Donors should end aid restrictions, which have seen Myanmar receiving twenty times less assistance than similar countries – and which have weakened, not strengthened, the forces for change. This means more aid, but also different aid, aimed at raising income and education as well as health levels, fostering civil society and improving economic policy and governance. “Aid alone will not bring sustainable human development, never mind peace and democracy”, says Robert Templer, Crisis Group’s Asia Program Director. “Yet, due to the limited links between Myanmar and the outside world, aid has unusual importance as an arena of interaction among the government, society and the international community”. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/d188c85c-ad56-49e4-adf5-e94abcb32033 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/d188c85c-ad56-49e4-adf5-e94abcb32033 The Asia-Pacific Peoples’ Partnership on Burma (APPPB) is a movement of organizations and individuals that aims to develop a strong broad-based partnership of peoples of the Asia-Pacific advocating and mobilizing a movement for promoting freedom, democracy and human rights in Burma. This movement facilitates strategic linkages; coordinates activities; develops and shares its capacity and resources; channels information resources; and promotes dialogue towards unified approaches. http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/fe70549a-a86f-45b3-ba22-6a7e7f3894b3 http://www.asiaportal.info/purl/fe70549a-a86f-45b3-ba22-6a7e7f3894b3 Selfdescription: ALTSEAN-Burma (Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma) is a network of organizations and individuals based in ASEAN member states working to support the movement for human rights and democracy in Burma. The network is comprised of human rights & social justice NGOs, political parties, think tanks, academics, journalists and student activists. We were formed at the conclusion of the Alternative ASEAN Meeting on Burma held at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, in October 1996. We are a regional network engaged in advocacy, campaigns and capacity building to establish a free and democratic Burma. We work with the democracy movement and its supporters to produce resources and create opportunities for: • Building and strengthening strategic relationships among key networks and organisations from Burma, ASEAN and the international community. • Implementing innovative strategies that are responsive to emerging needs and urgent developments. • Inspiring and building confidence for empowerment among activists, particularly women, youth and all ethnic groups of Burma.