KAOWAO NEWS NO. 113

 

Newsletter for social justice and freedom in Burma

July 5-20, 2006

 

Readers' Front

Mafia network of Thai and Malay target illegal workers

Suspicions rise over deaths of 30 Burmese fishermen

The Mon Community: Ten years in Australia

Mon political prisoner: Nai Yekha's health deteriorating

Statement on Nai Yekha's and Nai Cheem Gakao's Imprisonments

3rd Chin Forum Managing Board Meeting

Seizure of unlicensed vehicles stepped up

Burmese government bets on its divide and rule policy

Torrential rains flood Ye Township

Global Warming 'Will Cancel Out Western Aid And Devastate Africa'

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 Readers' front

 Dear readers,

 We invite comments and suggestions on improvements to Kaowao newsletter. With your help, we hope that Kaowao News will continue to grow to serve better the needs of those seeking social justice in Burma. And we hope that it will become an important forum for discussion and debate and help readers to keep abreast of issues and news.  We reserve the right to edit and reject articles without prior notification. You can use a pseudonym but we encourage you to include your full name and address.

 Regards,

 Editor

Kaowao News

kaowao@hotmail.com, www.kaowao.org

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 Migrant Watch

 Mafia network of Thai and Malay target illegal workers

(KunYekha, Kaowao: July 20, 2006)

Migrant workers from Burma are the victims of a violent Thai-Malay border network composed of immigration and police personnel, who work closely with criminals to exploit Burmese migrant workers.

The mafia-style gangs (referred to in Thai as Nak-Lean) have been in operation, according to witnesses, for over two years. "Three major gangster groups are working closely with the Malaysian immigration officials and Thai police who extort, kidnap, bribe, beat and kill illegal workers upon deportation from Malaysia to Thailand," said a social worker (who wishes not to be named) from a Mon Refugee Centre based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Most arrested illegal workers are deported from Gota-Bharu in Malaysia to Sunngai Golok, Thailand. At this point, one of the gangs takes the released workers from the Malay immigration officials and transfers them to a secret holding cell in the jungle, in a remote area of Sunngai Golok. "The gangsters pay 50 Ringgit (14 $US) to Malaysia officials for a deported worker," said the social worker.

Gangsters pay bribe money to the Thai police to keep their mouths and eyes shut during the whole process at the border. Next, through the collaboration of Burmese speaking gangsters, they start asking the detainees for contact names of people who can pay for their release both in Burma and Malaysia. If their contacts are able to wire the 1,400 Ringgist (381 US$), they are free to go home, or cross back illegally again into Malaysia with the help of human traffickers, who charge them high rates. It is believed that hundreds of young Burmese migrants have been victims of the gangs.

For those who have no contacts, they are beaten inhumanely and threatened with weapons. If the gangsters believe they have real no contacts to pay them money, the men will be sold to Thai fishing boat owners and the women will be sold to brothels in Thai territory. The women will be locked up and raped. The men will be stranded on Indo fishing ships for as long as 2-3 years and face extreme hardship at the hands of the boat's owner and the only way out is if the men jump boat and try to swim ashore when the boat comes to port. Many have escaped this way and as a result are closely monitored and locked up by the owner while on board.

This year, the group detained five Mon women three months ago and nobody has heard anything from them since. A man from Chaungzon Township of Mon State was shot dead by one of them last year for secretly contacting his friend to come and help him get out.

"Last year, they kept the workers locked up on a rubber plantation and extorted about 700 Ringgit from them. Now they have built a holding cell, 3-4 months ago, to hold more migrant workers and we can only imagine how their dirty deeds are expanding," said Nai Pit from Hadyai of Thai-Malaysia border.

One outfit is composed of up to 6-8 men who are fully armed and dangerous including Thai-Malay citizens, Burmese and Arkanese nationalities. "Haji and Nawi are the masterminds of the main group and Aung Lay, a Arkanese man are the most infamous guys," said Nai Zaw Lan, who was a victim. Nai Zaw Lan says Haji and Nawi,Thai-Malay citizens, change their names frequently to escape detection. Men and women from Burma, including the Chin, Karen, Burmese and Mon nationalities are the majority of victims. Kaowao asked if any social organizations were working on the issue, but Nai Pit explained that only one NGO from Kuala Lumpur had attempted to document this situation. But he knows of no other group or authority to address this problem.

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Suspicions rise over deaths of 30 Burmese fishermen

(Kaowao: July 20, 2006)

The deaths of Burmese fishermen by an unknown disease working for a Thai company is in doubt after sources close to the fishermen say their boss most likely poisoned them.

In June, about 30 migrants working on a Thai fishing boat died suddenly of an unidentified infection while working in the Indonesian Sea.

The cause of the death has not been found yet or reported to the remaining family members of the fishermen.  A source close to the fishermen believes their own boss likely fed them with poisoned food.  "It is possible they were poisoned because the owner of the boat lost a huge amount of money in gambling recently; the Captain, mechanics, and other senior fishermen were alive and only the ordinary workers died," said a Mon community worker who spoke under condition of anonymity.

The victims were experiencing chest pains and difficulty in breathing.  Fishermen in six fishing boats had reportedly been infected for almost two months and most of the dead bodies were thrown into the sea.   The boats returned to Samutsakhon seaport on July 2, in the evening and about 12 sick seamen were treated in Samutsakhon hospital. 

The family members and outsiders were not allowed to visit them.  The doctors did not inform the community on the cause of the victims' deaths.

Most of those who died hail from Anin, Proi (Htin Yuu) and Hnit Kayin villages in Mon State.

Even though it is high risk working on the Indonesian sea due to abuse from employers, storms and pirates, fishing out on the Indonesia Sea is a big dream for most migrant workers from Burma.

The fishermen stand to make a good wage as their monthly salaries range from 6,000 to 10,000 Baht for 3 years.  Leaving their families behind, they venture off to sea for a long contract and will be paid when they return to port.  Since the Thai gulf has limited fish resources, the Thai boats fish in Indonesian waters and the fishermen are allowed to return Thailand when the contract is completed.

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The Mon Community: Ten years in Australia

(By Hongsar Channaibanya, Kaowao: July 19, 2006)

 The United National High Commissioner for Refugees has been active in resettlement programs for displaced persons and refugees in the Thai-Burma border in the last fifteen years.  The Mon refugees have been displaced as a result of human rights violations against the Mon people by the government troops in Burma. The Bangkok based UN refugee agency has acknowledged that the Mon ethnicity has suffered discrimination against racial and political beliefs by the military regime in their own country.

 Over the last ten years over 1000 Mon refugees have been resettled in Australia, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia and USA. Some Mon refugees have settled in New Zealand.

 Currently, there are over 40 Mon families and 150 Mon people in ACT and NSW.  A few Mon families live in QLD, WA and SA.

 The Mon refugee community struggled for community representation in the multicultural society for a few years after they arrived in 1995.  However, under the strong leadership of the Australia Mon Association Inc, the Australian and ACT Governments have acknowledged the Mon community as a disadvantaged community in mainstream Australian society.

 With the kindness and assistance of Australian Government Members of Parliamentary and local members of the Legislative Assembly of the ACT, the Mon community has received generous support to promote the Mon language, culture and community spirit in the ACT.     

 Several Mon refugees have completed tertiary education in various Universities and Institutes after settlement, while several other young people are pursuing post-graduate studies.

 There are challenges for the Mon refugees in the post-settlement period in terms of education, employment and cultural transition to the mainstream community. The Migrant Resource Centre, Companion House and ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs have explored new policy initiatives to tackle these issues over the next few years.

 Companion House, a local community service that assists survivors of torture and trauma, has initiated a new project, the Mon Community in Transition.  This project is part of an Australian Government initiative on early childhood development, the "Stronger Families and Communities Strategy - National Agenda for Early Childhood". The "Communities for Children" is a key program for the Mon community in the ACT.

 After ten years of post settlement, the Mon community has benefited from many government grants schemes for community development. The Australia-Mon Association is one of several communities that became tenants of the newly established Multicultural Centre, in the heart of Canberra City, opposite the ACT Legislative Assembly.

 The Mon teacher, music trainers, dancing groups and weekly radio programs are the most enthusiastic activities of the Mon community.

 Ten years after settlement, the Australia-Mon Association deserves much praise from the local Canberra community for its strong leadership in multiculturalism.

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 Mon political prisoner: Nai Yekha's health deteriorating

(Kaowao, July 17, 2006)

 Mon political prisoner, Nai Yekha has spent three years in detention in Burma's gulag, Insein prison, and has no idea when he will be released, according to the source from his family and New Mon State Party.

 The SPDC authority arrested the New Mon State Party members, Nai Yekha (Ne Win), Chem Gakow (Myo Thwe), and 10 other activists charging them state assassination attempts against Burmese military leaders in July 2003.  The SPDC said they were found with two grenades and a cell phone linked to an explosion that occurred in Moulmein and other cities in 2003.

 Nai Ong Ma-ngae, liaison officer of the NMSP said that Nai Yekha, who is a diabetic, is suffering from poor health, depression, and gastric problems.  The NMSP was permitted to visit him in Insein Prison in previous months.  "His family face many difficulties in making ends meet.  His health is deteriorating and he is weak, but the authorities do not allow him to leave the prison to get better treatment," Ong Ma-ngae added.

 Among the 12 arrested was Nai Ong Lorn, who died in the Insein Prision on September 28, 2005

 Some of those arrested were accused of contacting the International Labour Organization (ILO) and providing them with information on the use of force labour.  Following the arrest of the whole group, including Nai Yekha, all were sentenced to death.  The military government held a press conference and explained the reasons for their arrest and detention in 2003.

 The death sentences were later commuted due to international pressure.  The other prisoners including Nai Than Tun, Nai Shwe Marn, and Nai Min Kyi of Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF) members from Pegu were released, but Nai Yekha, Chem Gakow and another activist remain in prison.

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 Statement on the 3rd Anniversary of Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakao Imprisonments

 (July 17, 2006)

 On July 17, 2003, the Burmese military regime accused two Mon political activists, Nai Yakha and Nai Cheem Gakao, of conspiracy for attempting to overthrow the Burmese military regime and unjustly sentenced them to death.  The sentences were later reduced to life in prison, and Nail Yakha and Nai Cheem Gakao have been in a notorious Burmese jail ever since.  Today, on the third anniversary of their imprisonments, we, Mon people around the world join Nai Yekha's and Nai Cheem Gakao's families to pray for their freedoms.

 The arrests of Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakao were nothing but one of the various attempts by the Burmese military regime to eliminate democratic forces in Burma. The accusations of the regime were groundless. Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakao are members of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and they had been simply organizing activities to help bring freedom and democracy in Burma.  Both Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakao had received no fair trials since there have been no rule of law and independent judicial system under the military regime.

 Since it bloodily took power in 1988, the regime has made every attempt to eliminate everyone who tries to bring freedom and democracy in Burma. The arrests of Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakoa came after the regime attempted to assassinate the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi while she and her convey were travelling in Upper Burma.   Human rights activists and opposition parties' supporters were often given harsh sentences for their activities to bringing democracy and human rights in Burma. Currently, there are more then 1,000 political prisoners in Burma.

 Both Nai Yekha and Nai Cheem Gakao have been in notorious Innsein Jail since they were arrested.  Due to harsh condition of the jail, their health conditions have been deteriorated recently. The military government has denied them to access proper medical care.

 Therefore, we strongly urge:

The Burmese military regime to immediately release Nai Yekha, Nai Cheem Gakao and all political prisoners in Burma.

 The international community to support the efforts to bringing Burma case to th       e United Nation Security Council.

 This statement is joined by:       

 1. The Australia Mon Association (AMA)

2. Euro-Mon Community

3. Mon Canadian Society of Alberta

4. Monland Restoration Council (USA)

5. Mon National League for Consolidating and Aiding (Mae Sot, Thailand)

6. Mon Women's Association of America

7. Mon Youth Progressive Organization (Thailand)

8. Mon Unity League (Thailand)

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 3rd Chin Forum Managing Board Meeting

 (Chin Forum: 19 July 2006)

 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

 The Chin Forum was founded by 17 Chin compatriots including elected MPs, respected intellectuals and freedom fighters from inside and outside Chinland, at the first Chin Seminar held from April 29 to May 2, 1998 in Ottawa, Canada. The Chin Forum aims to promote unity by providing a common forum for all the Chin.

 The third Chin Forum Managing Board meeting was held from 17-19 July, 2006 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany to review the work of the Forum during the past eight years. Based on its past experiences and changing political situations, the meeting agreed to reform the Forum's structure and operations. Consequently, the meeting redefined the scope of the Forum's operations by identifying three major areas of focus: Constitution; Human Development; Information and Communication.

 The new Chin Forum Managing Board reaffirms the unique identity of the Forum as a group of individuals with a common interest of working together for the common benefit of all Chin people.

 The Chin Foum expresses its deepest sorrow for the loss of three of its founding members: Pu Luoise Mang Bur, Pu John Mangtling Cinzah and Pu Dr. Vumson Suantak. The CFMB expresses its appreciation for their services and contributions. The Forum pledges to carry on their unfinished work.

 The Chin Forum is deeply concerned about the worsening human rights and humanitarian situations in Chinland and the deteriorating conditions of internally displaced persons and refugees. The Chin Forum condemns the barbaric acts of the military regime against the people of Burma. We urge the international community including the United Nations Security Council to take immediate action to solve the human rights and humanitarian crises in Burma.

 The Chin Forum welcomes the formation of Chin National Council (2006) and Ethnic Nationalities Council (2004). The Forum considers these developments to be an important impetus for the realization of a Tripartite Dialogue as a means of creating peaceful co-existence and solving the long-standing political problems of the Union of Burma.

 The Chin Forum is committed to closely working together with the CNC and ENC. The Forum further calls on all the Chin communities around the world to unitedly support these leading ethnic political bodies in order to bring peace, self-determination, federalism and democracy to our country.

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Seizure of unlicensed vehicles stepped up

(IMNA: July 14, 2006)

Homes of residents are being surrounded by authorities in Moulmein, Mon State to seize unlicensed vehicles.

They encircled houses in San Pja Aye quarter in Moulmein and seized about 16 motorcycles, a local trader said.

The order to seize unlicensed vehicles and motorcycles came from the Southeast Command yesterday, said a person close to Command officials.

According to the local trader, "It was decided at the township meeting that the Village Peace and Development Councils would also help when the authorities seize vehicles without license." Those instructed to raid premises for unlicensed vehicles include policemen, traffic policemen, and officials of the Firemen Forced, Customs, and the Army.

They also invited brokers to the meeting to facilitate seizure of vehicles and motorcycles. The authorities in Thanbyuzayart Township held a meeting on July 12, the local trader added.

According to the local trader, if the authorities find vehicles and motorcycles without a license, they seize it and the owners are sent to jail for about three months.

Motorcycle owners without license are so scared that they are not being seen with their motorbikes on the road. Unlicensed vehicles and motorcycles are rarely seen on the road now, residents said.

However, the residents said that the motorcycles are seen as usual in Lamine sub-Township despite the order for seizure.

The New Mon State Party has also been warned by the Southern Command last month not to drive vehicles without a license.  The traffic policemen compiled a list of motorcycles without license in the last week of June in Mudon Township

In March 2004, the military authorities seized more than 10,000 vehicles.

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Burmese government bets on its divide and rule policy

(Kaowao: July 10th, 2006)

 The Burmese military junta continues to use its divide and rule tactics among the cease-fire groups to govern the country, according to a senior leader of the New Mon State Party.

 An officer of the New Mon State Party, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said the SPDC applies different degrees of strategies to armed groups to lay down their arms, depending on geographic location and access to resources, some groups such as the DKBA and Karenni are let off the hook since these groups are used to counter the KNU and KNPP.

 While other cease-fire groups such as Palaung and Pa-O in the northeast are under tighter control because the Burma Army surrounds their cease-fire zones.

 The NMSP meanwhile is somewhere in between and has 12 locations in designated agreed to areas, but in southern Mon State militarization has increased in areas with the SPDC taking over a good percentage of prime agricultural land. The SPDC is not happy with NMSP who have not complied with orders to join in the state sponsored National Convention, but instead demanded the Burmese government to hold a political dialogue with the opposition groups.  Hence, there is a constant pressure on the Mon to give up their arms, which leads to frustration and with the population not knowing what is going on only adds to misconceptions and misunderstanding.

"The cease-fire is a gentlemen agreement with no formal signing of a document or peace accord. In particular, there are no leaders to govern the process since Khin Nyunt was sacked and the nature of the transition period is on hold.  However, there were high expectations when it was first signed, the agreement was to lead to better security for the ethnic groups in which the rural area was to be developed and the basic rights of Mon culture were to be allowed as per the ceasefire agreement. There are constant problems with interference by the Burmese with local affairs and only a few development programs were implemented over the past decade, but all were carried out with forced labour, land confiscation and militarization," pointed out the NMSP leader.

The NMSP modestly celebrated the 11th anniversary of its signing in Moulmein, Southern Burma on June 29.  The local population and Mon in exile who say that the government has not followed through have raised questions as to the legitimacy of the ceasefire between the NMSP and the government. The NMSP has occasionally suggested to the Burmese government to agree to a Tripartite Dialogue adopted by the UN resolution.

Some 11 years after signing the agreement, the Mon people have been further marginalized within their homeland and human rights violation continue with increased repression of the ethnic nationalities. The Burmese government invests heavily in its military according to international assessments that say as much as 3 percent goes toward defense, but less than .4 percent for health, while utilities and services are out of reach for most of the ethnic population with the clampdown on the teaching of Mon in schools, on the local Mon media groups, on Mon literature activities, and other basics rights of freedom of expression.

Human rights violation such as land confiscation and forced labour continue in the Mon area which drives thousands of people to flee across the border seeking refuge or employment, those unable to make their way across the border remain hidden in the jungle as internally displaced persons. 

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Environment

 Torrential rains flood Ye Township

(Kaowao: July 17, 2006)

 Days of heavy rains have caused Bee Ree River to overflow its banks that flooded out the Ye City market, according to local sources.

 The market is built near the riverbank and the heavy flooding destroyed consumer goods such as food staples, construction materials, and clothing.

 "It's just miserable, the water came during the night, shop keepers found out only in the morning when they came to open their stores.  Their goods were destroyed by the flood last week," said Mi Mya of Yangyi Aung, in Ye.

 Reports say the flood situation in Mon State has further deteriorated.  Motor roads are inoperable and passengers from Moulmein and Rangoon postponed their trips due to road destruction.

 Nyan Seik, a youth activist of MEG (Mon Environmental Group) claimed the flood was a sign of the effects of deforestation in the area such as logging that turns the soil into a giant mudslide during the rainy season.

 Like other areas in southern Burma, Ye township faces a long summer and the production of betel nuts decreased due to dry weather.  In the rainy season, floods have occurred more frequently because of the diminishing forest due to illegal and legal logging.

 Witnesses say similar floods occurred in 1997 and the damage to the Ye market this year may exceed over a hundred million of kyats.

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 Global Warming 'Will Cancel Out Western Aid And Devastate Africa'

(By Andrew Grice, The Independent: 14 July 2006)

 Climate change could have a devastating impact on Africa, wiping out all the benefits from the measures to help the continent agreed by the world's richest nations last year.

 The warning will be issued by the British Government today when it announces plans to bring poor countries into the next round of international discussions to combat global warming.

 The serious threat posed to the developing world will be highlighted when Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for International Development, publishes his first White Paper setting out his department's strategy. It will warn that people in poor nations, while producing much lower carbon emissions than rich countries, could be the biggest victims of climate change.

 They will have to cope with more droughts, more extreme temperatures and sudden and intense rainfall causing greater food insecurity, loss of income, higher death rates and more diseases. Research by the department to assess the impact on Africa by 2050, taking account of poverty forecasts, suggests that southern Africa and the Sahel, the Great Lakes areas and the coastal zones of eastern and western Africa will be particularly at risk.

In some parts of east Africa, higher rainfall and and temperatures will help crop production in the short term but there will be more frequent crop failures in the future. "What is clear is that Africa appears to have some of the greatest burdens of climate change impacts, certainly from the human health and agricultural perspective," the research concluded.

"It is a region with a generally limited ability to cope and adapt; and it has some of the lowest per capita emissions of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. The likely impacts of climate change therefore present a global ethical challenge as well as a development and scientific challenge."

Mr Benn will pledge that British ministers and officials will help developing nations address climate change. He will signal a shift under which, instead of relying on help from rich nations on dealing with the consequences, governments from poor countries play a key role in formulating the world's response to the issue. That would mean developing countries joining talks on a new international agreement on the threat to the planet, called "Kyoto 2".

Mr Benn does not want the world to impose carbon emissions targets on poor countries, which they would be reluctant to accept, but wants them to form part of a new global consensus on the issue. In the long run, that could allow them to "sell" carbon emissions permits to raise money for their own development.

Mr Benn said yesterday: "Climate change is happening faster than any of us anticipated even five years ago. It is the most pressing global challenge of all, yet does not have a global framework for solving it. Climate Change knows no boundaries and neither should we."

Gordon Conway, the chief scientific adviser at the Department for International Development, said: "It is a phenomenon that occurs in a world that is already severely challenged. This is especially true of Africa where the existence of widespread poverty, hunger and poor health already affect millions of people. All prognostications suggest climate change will make their lives even worse."

Tony Blair said he hoped Africa and climate change would be discussed by G8 leaders at their summit in St Petersburg this weekend. But there is little sign of major progress at a meeting likely to be dominated by energy supplies. Jacques Chirac, the French President, criticised the US for blocking progress on climate change. He said: "Global threats require global responses. We shall not solve the problem of global warming if we each go our own way or increase the number of unilateral or partial solutions. This is particularly true for global warming. I am concerned at the weakening of the international regime for climate change. We must reverse this trend."

President Chirac said the seven G8 members party to the Kyoto protocol snubbed by America, should set an example by respecting their commitments, as Europe and France were doing. "It is up to them to show the way forward for the post-2012 period," he said. "We seek an ambitious agreement commensurate with the threat posed to humanity, one committing all the G8 countries, including the United States, as well as emerging countries."

Climate change could have a devastating impact on Africa, wiping out all the benefits from the measures to help the continent agreed by the world's richest nations last year.

The warning will be issued by the British Government today when it announces plans to bring poor countries into the next round of international discussions to combat global warming.

The serious threat posed to the developing world will be highlighted when Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for International Development, publishes his first White Paper setting out his department's strategy. It will warn that people in poor nations, while producing much lower carbon emissions than rich countries, could be the biggest victims of climate change.

They will have to cope with more droughts, more extreme temperatures and sudden and intense rainfall causing greater food insecurity, loss of income, higher death rates and more diseases. Research by the department to assess the impact on Africa by 2050, taking account of poverty forecasts, suggests that southern Africa and the Sahel, the Great Lakes areas and the coastal zones of eastern and western Africa will be particularly at risk.

In some parts of east Africa, higher rainfall and and temperatures will help crop production in the short term but there will be more frequent crop failures in the future. "What is clear is that Africa appears to have some of the greatest burdens of climate change impacts, certainly from the human health and agricultural perspective," the research concluded.

"It is a region with a generally limited ability to cope and adapt; and it has some of the lowest per capita emissions of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. The likely impacts of climate change therefore present a global ethical challenge as well as a development and scientific challenge."

Mr Benn will pledge that British ministers and officials will help developing nations address climate change. He will signal a shift under which, instead of relying on help from rich nations on dealing with the consequences, governments from poor countries play a key role in formulating the world's response to the issue. That would mean developing countries joining talks on a new international agreement on the threat to the planet, called "Kyoto 2".

M Benn does not want the world to impose carbon emissions targets on poor countries, which they would be reluctant to accept, but wants them to form part of a new global consensus on the issue. In the long run, that could allow them to "sell" carbon emissions permits to raise money for their own development.

 Mr Benn said yesterday: "Climate change is happening faster than any of us anticipated even five years ago. It is the most pressing global challenge of all, yet does not have a global framework for solving it. Climate Change knows no boundaries and neither should we."

Gordon Conway, the chief scientific adviser at the Department for International Development, said: "It is a phenomenon that occurs in a world that is already severely challenged. This is especially true of Africa where the existence of widespread poverty, hunger and poor health already affect millions of people. All prognostications suggest climate change will make their lives even worse."

 Tony Blair said he hoped Africa and climate change would be discussed by G8 leaders at their summit in St Petersburg this weekend. But there is little sign of major progress at a meeting likely to be dominated by energy supplies. Jacques Chirac, the French President, criticised the US for blocking progress on climate change. He said: "Global threats require global responses. We shall not solve the problem of global warming if we each go our own way or increase the number of unilateral or partial solutions. This is particularly true for global warming. I am concerned at the weakening of the international regime for climate change. We must reverse this trend."

President Chirac said the seven G8 members party to the Kyoto protocol snubbed by America, should set an example by respecting their commitments, as Europe and France were doing. "It is up to them to show the way forward for the post-2012 period," he said. "We seek an ambitious agreement commensurate with the threat posed to humanity, one committing all the G8 countries, including the United States, as well as emerging countries."

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Kaowao Newsgroup is committed to social justice, peace, and democracy in Burma. We hope to be able to provide more of an in-depth analysis that will help to promote lasting peace and change within Burma.

 Editors, reporters, writers, and overseas volunteers are dedicated members of the Mon activist community based in Thailand.

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