6 November 2004
* Fire Bombs exploded in crowd, wounding more than 20
people
* Czech foreign minister counsels dissidents to be
pragmatic
* New Money Transfer Law Likely to Harm People in
===================================================
Fire Bombs exploded in crowd, wounding more than 20
people
Independent Mon News Agency
Three hidden fire bombs exploded in a crowd of people Nov. 3 at the
Kyaikkamort pagoda festival in Kamawet village, Mudon township,
wounding more than 20 people including an actress from the Mon Oung
Sorn Drama Performance group.
Because one fire bomb exploded during the stage show, some curtains
were burned and the stage show was stopped until last night.
The first Bomb exploded on the drama stage while actress Mi Jom Hpar
Sorn of the Mon Oung Sorn group was singing about
to eye witnesses. “Another two bombs exploded later on the crowded
road, wounding about 20 people. But no one was seriously wounded,” Nai
Jorn reported.
“At the moment, military authorities from Battalion No.209 have been
investigating the explosion,” he added. “Until now, military
authorities have not found the bomber, but they believe the bombs were
homemade,” he explained.
But military authorities took action against the leaders of the Mon
Oung Sorn group for disobeying their order, because the drama leaders
didn’t want to stop their show after the bombs exploded, according to
a performance leader.
The annual festival ended last night due to fear of fire bomb
explosions. There has never been a bomb exploded at the crowded pagoda
festival before. “It is the first time a bomb exploded at the
festival,” added Nai Pu, a Kamawet villager.
The Kyaikkamort pagoda festival, a famous winter festival in southern
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Czech foreign minister counsels dissidents to be
pragmatic
=================================================
Shan Herald Agency for News.
Pragmatism, the art of treating things in a practical and realistic
way, is the solution to
youthful Deputy Foreign Minister Petr Kolar urged
activists yesterday during an informal dinner in Chiang Mai.
“During the interim period that followed the Velvet Revolution (that
overthrew the Czech Communist Government in 1989), one of the old
establishment became prime minister and another defense minister," he
recalled.
Kolar was speaking to an ad hoc
group of
Buri, president of the Members of Parliament Union; Maung Maung,
general secretary of the National
Council of
former student activist and a researcher
for the U.S.-based
Fund, among others.
Aung Naing Oo replied that Aung San Suu Kyi, under house arrest in
take settlement, according to his most recent information.
The dinner lasted from
The dissidents have plenty of reasons to care about the Czech
Republic, according to a report:
some similarities to
is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a
big supporter of Aung San Suu Kyi
since May 1 and a strong advocate
of
Czech ambassador Jiri Sitler also advised the activists on the
importance of a transition plan. “The general public will stop
praising long-term activists and will want to know who has a plan for
the country," he was quoted as saying.
The
other part being
Day in 1993.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
New Money Transfer Law Likely to Harm People in Burma
===============================================
Independent Mon News Agency
The
money or goods or information is
likely to kill people in
U Xar Ni Thwe, general secretary of the Southern Thailand-based
Federation of Trade Unions
The new law sections act No. 35 (Kha), declared Nov. 3 and signed by
Senior Gen. Than Shwe bars illegal transfer of money and other items,
and providing information for such activity. By the law, the
government can give people transferring money a three-year sentence.
“How do migrant workers in
money to their family and have contact with their families?” said U
Zar Ni Thwe.
“If they cannot transfer money, people inside
be starved and all die. Most of them rely on money from family members
working in neighboribg countries as they have very little income for
survival,”
“If the government through their economic business can make enough
income for people it is okay to amend the law. However, the military
government cannot reform it or work widely with the exchange. The real
exchange rate in
the military government exchange rate is 6 Kyat to one U.S. dollar, U
Zar Ni Thwe added.
“However people cannot accept the government exchange rate. They
cannot pay eight baht to get one kyat as the government wants. The
real exchange is one baht to 22 kyat. This is why people transferred
money in an illegal way,” U Zar Ni Thwe explained.
After the government set up the new law, local military governments
have been trying to seize satellite phones used for transferring
money. Many local businessmen who transfer money are stopping work and
hiding their satellite and chordless phones.
“I have stopped transferring money in Hpa-an,
Nai Myit, (not his real name). a businessman based in Three Pagoda
Pass. I told my workers to take the phones back.”
Many local businessmen transferring money in
stopped from doing their work and some businessmen’s phones were
seized.
“Three satellite phones in Kwan-hlar
village,
people in the area relied on for contact with their families in
neighboring countries, were seized by local authorities,” Min Thit Swe
reported.
“We face the problem now. I cannot contact my home. All phones in my
village are closed,” migrant worker Win Naing told IMNA.
Because of the economic crisis and civil war many Burmese people go to
neighboring countries to work to
support their family in
Everyday hundreds of people flee
seek work. According to Thailand Migrant news in July, more than
906,000 Burmese migrants worked in
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Burma News International is a network of nine exiled media groups
such as Mizzima News, Shan Herald Agency for News, Kao Wao News Group,
Khonumthung News Group, Narinjara News, Kaladan Press Network,
Independent Mon News Agency, Karenni Information
Network Group and Network Media Group.
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Contact: Duty Editor
+66 9 54 94 296
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