“I believe there is scope for greater regional and international action to pressure Burma’s dictators, including by ASEAN countries. Multilateral sanctions should be pursued, despite the opposition that such measures have faced in the past. This will require creative strategies that push the key regional states to support tougher action.” – Susan E Rice in a written response dated 15 January 2009 to Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, at the time of her confirmation hearing for US Permanent Representative at the United Nations President Obama and Myanmar: an issue of importance, but is it urgent? (more…)

Unity for Democracy & Civil, Liberties; Ethnic, Democratic Organizations from Burma To Work for Integrated Action Plan (more…)

The Burma Rivers network works to protect the health and biodiversity of river ecosystems and the rights of communities negatively impacted by large-scale river development. The Network is pleased to announce a new website: www.burmariversnetwork.org. This is the first-ever website to compile information about large dams being constructed on Burma’s major rivers and tributaries. (more…)

“We have to take the engines off the boats or [the Rohingya] will come back. The wind will carry them to India or somewhere.”

Senior National League for Democracy member Win Tin has said the party will not discuss the 2010 elections with United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari when he visits Burma this week. (more…)

Labour activist Zaw Htay, who helped farmers file a report to the International Labour Organisation on land seizure in Magwe’s Nat Mauk township, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by Magwe court on Friday. (more…)

A political journal will be published for the first time on Thursday in Burma notorious for its censorship. (more…)

The Burmese government’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) censored publication of a major part of US President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech in the Rangoon-based weekly journal The Voice, according to journalists in the former capital. (more…)

The Burmese government’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) censored publication of a major part of US President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech in the Rangoon-based weekly journal The Voice, according to journalists in the former capital. (more…)

The Singapore Red Cross signed an agreement on January 22 with its Myanmar counterpart to provide humanitarian aid to victims of Cyclone Nargis. (more…)

A Thai naval officer has confirmed claims that ethnic Rohingya boat people from Myanmar, detained along Thailand’s south-western coast, have been taken back out to sea and set adrift. (more…)

Five suspects were in custody in the kidnapping of young Chinese who allegedly had run up gambling debts in neighboring Myanmar, Chinese authorities said. (more…)

Myanmar has targeted to export 500, 000 tons of surplus rice from the Ayeyarwaddy delta during the current financial year of 2008-09 ending March, the local Yangon Times reported in this week’s issue. (more…)

The Three-Diseases (3-D) Fund has provided nine non-governmental organizations in Myanmar with a total of 630,000 U.S. dollars to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB)and malaria this year, the local Flower News reported Monday. (more…)

The exiled Members of Parliament Union of Burma has appointed three new ministers to the National Coalition Government of Burma and reappointed Sein Win as prime minister at its fourth conference in Dublin. (more…)

Health officials are trying to find out what’s causing high lead levels among Myanmar refugee children in Fort Wayne, Indiana. (more…)

THAILAND’S CALL for a conference in Bangkok of a focus-group on the Rohingya issue is a good initiative. All the stakeholders could meet and work out practicable and durable solutions on a transnational issue that increasingly needs a comprehensive and multilateral approach. (more…)

The black market value of Burma’s currency, the kyat, has hit a three-year high of nearly 1,000 to the US dollar, after years of steadily declining in value. From 2005, when a dollar cost just 880 kyat, until just last week, when the going rate was 1,190 kyat to the dollar, the Burmese unit had shown only persistent weakness. In the past few days, however, this trend has reversed dramatically. (more…)

Child labor has become widespread throughout the cyclone-ravaged Irrawaddy delta, according to sources in the region. (more…)

The pro-government organization – Union Solidarity and Development Association – in Burma’s western Chin state on Friday denied rumors that it will be changed into a political party to contest the ensuing 2010 general elections. (more…)