Six staff members of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Chin state, Myanmar were suspended in March for being involved in corruption.
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The Canada-based Burma Herald reported today that General Shwe Mann, chief of general staff of Burma’s Defence Services, was hospitalized in Singapore as his health deteriorated unexpectedly.
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Excerpt from report by Norway-based Burmese Democratic Voice of Burma on 28 May
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The International Labour Organization’s liaison officer in Rangoon, Richard Horsey, has resigned and will be succeeded by an ILO senior officer, Steven Marshall.
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An eight member Burmese delegation arrived in Imphal despite the international border in the Manipur sector being sealed. (more…)

New Delhi: The government has decided to re-visit its future investment plans in Myanmar’s energy sector after the country chose to sell gas from its A1 and A3 blocks to China, and not to India Petroleum ministry officials told FE that India’s interest in purchasing gas had been overlooked despite the fact that Indian oil and gas PSUs had equity in the two blocks. (more…)

The Export-Import Bank of Thailand on May 28 defended itself against allegations that it made a controversial Bt4-billion loan to Myanmar (Burma) under pressure from the former government of Thaksin Shinawatra, saying the borrower has so far dutifully serviced all interest payments, The Nation reports.
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Foreign ministers from Asia and Europe called Tuesday on Myanmar to release Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace laureate who was told last week she faced a further year under house arrest.
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Cape Town, South Africa: Opposition parties on Tuesday castigated the government for not doing more to uphold human rights around the world, particularly in Burma (Myanmar) and Zimbabwe.
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The Philippines government Tuesday urged the Burmese junta to reconsider its decision to extend the house arrest of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi one year.
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Mozambique’s former President, Joaquim Chissano, is one of 59 former heads of state and government who have sent an open letter to the Burmese military junta calling for the immediate release of the leader of the country’s National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi.
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On May 25th Myanmar’s military rulers extended for another year the house arrest of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. (more…)

Everything changes, but some things stay the same. We in ASEAN face this paradox. Over several years, the premier regional grouping in Southeast Asia has evolved, in many respects for the better.
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