Date:
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(1) Border war gets in way of tourism
(2) Bangladesh- Burma Border Trade Turns Downward
(3) Military authourities
destroyed cross erected (In Burmese)*
(4) Rice production decline this year in Arakan (In Burmese)*
(5) Campaigners Protest Trilateral Gas Meet
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* For Burmese Language stories please go
to the BNI webpage, www.bnionline.net
Border war gets in way of tourism
=================================
S.H.A.N
January 12
Some local authorities have tried to prevent reports of the ongoing
conflict right on the border at Maehongson from getting out, fearing
that the news would stop holiday makers from visiting the province,
according to local sources.
"They were mad when some TV channels covered the engagement between the
Karenni and
Maehongson) and villagers fleeing from the shellings," said a reporter.
who asked not to be named. "They were afraid tourists who are coming to
see the Padaung long-necks would turn back instead."
Maehongson is known for the Padaung a.k.a Kayan tribe, whose chief
characteristic is the extraordinary neckband of brass coils worn by
their women.
"Thousands visit the Padaung each day," said another local reporter.
"Most of them, however, are Thais who, because of the Tsunami
catastrophe, redirected their holiday destinations from the south to the
north."
The 800-strong Burma Army and its allies that have arrived in border
areas opposite Maehongson since Dec. 24 began shelling Karenni positions
on Doi Yamoo (Nyan Moo in Karenni) on Jan. 6. More than 10 mortar shells
fell inside Thai territory on the evening of Jan. 10 when 168 villagers
of Mae Suay Oo in Phabong tract under Queen Sirikit's project were
forced to abandon their homes to seek refuge in neighboring villages
++++++++++++++++
Bangladesh- Burma Border Trade Turns Downward
=============================================
Kaladan News
Teknaf, January 12: Burma-Bangladesh border trade has turned downward
due to some dealings by a new administration body, according to our
source from Teknaf,
a
After the sack of prime minister Khin Nyunt last Oct. 18,
administration is being conducted temporarily by customs, police,
immigration and the army, excluding Military Intelligence, in place of
the Nasaka Force, so administration changed a little, he said.
The new administrative body imposed restrictions on businessmen’s
movements in mid-December upsetting border trade between the two
neighboring countries, sources said.
Due to restrictions, revenue collection at the Burmese border declined
to around 550 million takas during the last six months, the custom
officer of Teknaf said.
It is also alleged that since the beginning of the border trade,
non-cooperation from Burmese authorities has affected normal trade
relations between the two countries.
At present, the new administration body is not issuing visas to Burmese
businessmen, Bangladeshi Businessmen are also not allowed to stay in the
country, a businessman from Maungdaw town said, seeking anonymity.
As a result, provisions for visiting and staying in
purposes are being hampered seriously, sources said.
When asked, some local businessmen expressed their opinions that traders
of both countries should be allowed to carry out business as per an
agreement signed earlier for the sake of existing border trade between
++++++++++++++++
Campaigners Protest Trilateral Gas Meet
=======================================
Mungpi
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
In protest against a tri-state gas pipeline meeting in
memorandum to the Indian embassy in
extraction of Shwe natural gas from
government is installed.
The memorandum, dated Jan. 9, urged the Indian Government to" postpone
extraction of Shwe natural gas deposits until a time when the affected
people... can participate in the decisions about the use of their local
resources without fearing persecution."
Speaking to Mizzima News, Mr Kim, coordinator of the Shwe Gas Campaign
Committee (
in
relocation and large military deployment to protect the gas pipeline.
This will result in rape and other human rights violations, therefore,
as a free and democratic country,
said.
"We want
people of
a relationship with
Despite the protest,
trilateral meeting Jan. 12-13 in
laying natural gas pipelines from
liquefied natural gas (LNG) from
looking for more fuel as demand is expected to rise to 400 million
standard cubic meters per day by 2025 from 90 million per day available
now. Domestic production of fuel meets only half of the demand.
Reportedly,
negotiations remains with
passthrough.
Determined as it is,
pipeline either by crossing
altogether. In the 1990s, the Burmese military junta, in contract with
transnational oil companies, Unocal
(US) and Total(
gas pipelines in southern
The companies also contracted the military junta to provide security for
the projects. Thus, the Burmese army engaged in a pattern of systematic
human rights abuses and environmental degradation to fulfil its
contractual responsibilities to Unocal and Total. There have been
reports of extra-judicial killings, torture, rape, forced relocations,
forced labor and extortion by pipeline security forces.
According to analysts, gas reserves in the Shwe field are estimated to
be as much as 14 trillion cubic feet. Gas from Shwe field in block A-1
is expected to be imported to
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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.
.........................
Contact: Duty Editor
+66 9 54 94 296
bni_newsimna@yahoo.co.uk