El tráfico de los niños soldados por la Junta Militar Birmana

A few days ago, a news article reported a story on MTV documentary to raise awareness of human trafficking in Myanmar. The documentary was produced in support of USAIDS and was reported to be broadcast through several channels in Myanmar TV stations. The Myanmar regime has shown increasing efforts to fight against human trafficking of the Burmese women. The military junta closed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with its neighboring countries including China and Thailand to fight against human trafficking. [1] According to a recent report, the military junta also claims to rescue 1000 victims of human trafficking since the year 2005. [2] The same report also stated that more than 1100 traffickers were arrested in connection with 400 trafficking cases according to the regime's agency. [3]

Military junta: fighting against human trafficking on its own convenience

Simultaneously, the regime also decided to increase the recruitment of child soldiers before the upcoming election. [4] Though many people picture a trafficking victim as a young girl or women who are forced into prostitution, the case of the child soldier recruitment in Myanmar precisely falls into the UN protocol definition of human trafficking in person: [5]

“Trafficking in persons” shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs;

(b) The consent of a victim of trafficking in persons to the intended exploitation set forth in subparagraph (a) of this article shall be irrelevant where any of the means set forth in subparagraph (a) have been used;

(c) The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation shall be considered “trafficking in persons” even if this does not involve any of the means set forth in subparagraph (a) of this article;

(d) “Child” shall mean any person under eighteen years of age.

According to a report, the family of child soldiers receive food and money in exchange of their children's military services. [6] In other words, the children are recruited for the purpose of exploitation by the military junta by purchasing food and money to their family members. Does this sound familiar?

So, do not be fooled by the media saying that the military junta is fighting against human trafficking. Keep in mind that the military junta has used the anti-human trafficking legislation as a mechanism to oppress the rights of innocent Burmese according to a nonprofit organization reports. [7] The military regime may be interested in sex trafficking victims, but it'll try to change the subject when talking about the recruitment of child solider issues.

http://www.examiner.com/x-24740-Norfolk-Human-Rights-Examiner~y2009m12d25-Myanmar-fights-against-human-trafficking-wait-what-but-they-want-more-child-soldiers

Little focus put on U.S. man jailed in Myanmar By Glenn Kessler

WASHINGTON – After his arrest in September, the American was held for 17 days in a dank Myanmar jail and denied food, medical treatment, sleep and the chance to speak with a U.S. government official. Even after he finally met with a representative from the U.S. Embassy, the American was transferred to solitary confinement in a cell for military dogs.

But the harsh treatment on what advocates say are trumped up charges has barely merited a peep from the Obama administration.

Nyi Nyi Aung, a Montgomery County, Md., resident and Myanmar democracy advocate who has traveled there often, appears to be politically inconvenient for both the United States and the Myanmar military dictatorship at a moment when the two countries have taken tentative steps towards engagement after years of stormy antagonism.

"It is shocking to me that an American citizen has been treated this way and higher U.S. officials are silent on that," said Wa Wa Kyaw, Nyi Nyi's fiancee and also a U.S. citizen and Maryland resident. "It will let the generals think, 'We can do whatever we want, even torture and inhumane treatment of a U.S. citizen,' because America wants to do the engagement policy."

In one apparent concession to American sensitivities, the government in October abruptly dropped charges of instigating unrest in concert with pro-democracy groups. Instead, it accused Nyi Nyi of purely criminal acts - allegedly possessing a forged Myanmar identification document and failing to declare U.S. currency totaling more than $2,000. His lawyers say he is innocent of both offenses; they note that he appears to have been seized by authorities before he even made it through customs, where he would have had to declare the currency.

Officials at the Myanmar Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is regarded as one of the world's most oppressive nations, ruled by generals who have enriched themselves while much of the country remains desperately poor. The National League for Democracy, the party of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won a landslide electoral victory in 1990, but the military leadership refused to accept it. Since then, she has been under house arrest for most of the time, as have hundreds of her supporters.

The 40-year-old Nyi Nyi was one of the leading organizers of demonstrations against the junta in 1988 and fled the country after a violent crackdown, eventually settling in the United States as a political refugee in 1993. He became a U.S. citizen in 2002 and earned a college degree in computer science, but he also remained deeply involved in Burmese democracy efforts.

Wa Wa said that her fiancee managed to often travel to Myanmar to visit his family and work with the underground because his U.S. passport is in his legal name, Kyaw Zaw Lwin. In his professional and personal lives in the United States, he has used Nyi Nyi Aung - an amalgam of a childhood nickname and his father's first name - and for years the Myanmar government never made the connection.

But last summer Nyi Nyi's profile was raised when he helped deliver a petition to a senior United Nations officials with 680,000 signatures calling for the release of all political prisoners in Myanmar.

Wa Wa, who has lived with Nyi Nyi since 2005, also has secretly traveled back to Myanmar even though she is a political refugee. "We have taken the risk because we want to organize and train the new generation for democracy and freedom," she said.

Nyi Nyi's mother and sister are serving prison sentences of five years and 65 years, respectively, for their involvement in 2007 anti-government demonstrations known as the "Saffron Revolution." Wa Wa said that he tried to enter the country again in part to see his ailing mother. But he appears to have been seized as soon as he landed at the airport in September.

Nyi Nyi's treatment in prison has attracted worldwide attention, with both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International issuing statements on his case. Fifty-three members of the House of Representatives, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman, D-Calif., sent a letter last week to Senior Gen. Than Shwe calling for Nyi Nyi's immediate release and return to the United States.

On Nov. 6, Sen. Barbara Milkulski, D-Md., sent Wa Wa a letter saying she had asked Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to condemn the detention in the "strongest terms possible." But Clinton - who over the summer called for the release of another American, John Yettaw - has been silent. Yettaw, who was tried for entering Aung San Suu Kyi's compound, eventually was freed through the intervention of Sen. James Webb, D-Va., when he traveled to Myanmar and met with senior leaders in August.

Sources also said that Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell did not raise the case when he met with senior Myanmar officials in a rare high-level visit to Myanmar last month, though it has been raised at lower levels. Jared Genser, a Washington lawyer who is assisting Wa Wa, said Westerners put on trial in Burma are usually treated well and then deported, but Nyi Nyi appears to be the first American of Myanmar descent on trial, which might account for the rough treatment.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the department is handling the case as it would for any American citizen. "Embassy representatives have monitored his court appearances and been able to talk with him in that setting," he said. "We continue to press the Burmese government for ongoing consular access as required by the Vienna Convention so that we can ensure that he is treated appropriately.

Birmania incrementa la exportación de arroz a más paises

YANGON, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- Myanmar has been endeavouring to expand its international rice market in a bid to increase rice export to more other countries especially those of the European Union (EU), reported China's Xinhua news agency.

The export of Myanmar's high-grade Ziya rice to Europe came after coordinations were made between Myanmar and EU rice producers at the World Rice Conference held in the Philippines in October this year.

As its market expansion, Myanmar has also planned export of good-quality rice to Kuwait, Middle East and African countries.

The country also attended the Middle East-Africa-Asia Rice/ Grain Global Summit in Dubai earlier in June.

The summit was held during which rice and grain producers, traders and experts discussed investment opportunities and challenges facing the rice and grain sectors and strengthen information exchange and partnership to harness the potential of agricultural food investments and production.

Myanmar enjoyed yearly rice surplus of 5 million tonnes, Xinhua said.

According to official statistics, the country generated about 30 million tonnes of rice out of 8.26 million hectares of paddy cultivated in the last fiscal year 2008 to 2009 which ended in March.

The growing paddy output had raised the export of rice of Myanmar, setting a new record high of the export in 2008 to 2009 with over 700,000 tonnes compared with 100,000 tonnes six years ago.

The 2008-09 rice export earned about US$200 million.

There are so far 35 private companies in the country undertaking the export of rice to South Africa, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirate, South Korea and Egypt.

Meanwhile, the export of rice stopped for five months due to cyclone Nargis which occurred in May last year but such export resumed since October last year with up to 100,000 tonnes monthly.

The cyclone destroyed about 900,000 hectares of farmland which accounted for 24 percent of the country's total cultivated area from where 1.35 million tonnes of paddy could be produced, Xinhua cited the statistics as saying.

Myanmar has set a new target for producing 40 million tonnes of paddy annually over the next few years, saying that the move is not only for self sufficiency but also for surplus in food, according to the government's Special Projects Implementation Committee.

Agriculture represents the mainstay of Myanmar's economy with over 70 percent of the country's 57.37-million population being engaged in the sector and contributing 40 percent to its gross domestic product.

Myanmar targeted to generate 32 million tonnes of rice in 2009-10 ending March, of which 1.5 million tonnes of rice are to be exported.

The country's per capita rice consumption stands 510 kg per year which are for rural people, while 408 kg for urban people. The annual consumption of rice by the entire country people reached over 17 million tonnes, statistics revealed.

Meanwhile, Myanmar is endeavoring to extend its contract farming system to three more divisions with cultivation area in extra -- Sagaing, Ayeyawaddy and Bago in addition to Yangon's where such project is underway.

Standing as the second main crop after rice, Myanmar's beans and pulses also fetched large amount of foreign exchange for the country.

According to the statistics, it exported over 1.5 million tonnes of beans and pulses in 2008-09, up 15.3 percent from 2007-08 when it registered 1.3 million tons, earning US$806 million from the export out of 4.25 million hectares cultivated.

Myanmar stands the second largest beans exporter in the world after Canada with 70 percent of the crop being shipped to India.

-- BERNAMA

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/bm/newsworld.php?id=464015

Rusia vende a Birmania veinte cazas MiG-29, según periódico

Rusia cerró un contrato para la venta de 20 cazas MiG-29 a Birmania por un monto de 400 millones de euros, reveló hoy el periódico de negocios ruso "Védomosti".

Según el rotativo, que cita fuentes de la exportadora estatal de armas Rosoboronexport, el contrato para el suministro de esa partida de aviones para las Fuerzas Aéreas de Birmania fue firmado hace "varias semanas".

Sin embargo, ni Rosoboronexport ni la fabricante de los aviones han confirmado oficialmente la transacción, que sería la mayor venta de aparatos MiG-29 desde la ruptura, en 2007, por Argelia de un contrato de compra de 34 cazas de este modelo.

Actualmente, las Fuerzas Aéreas de Birmania cuentan con doce cazas MiG-29, que fueron adquiridos en 2001.

Según el jefe del Servicio Federal de Cooperación Militar y Técnica de Rusia, Mijaíl Dmitriev, este año las exportaciones rusas de armamento y equipos militares totalizarán más de 8.500 millones de dólares.

"El año saliente será el décimo consecutivo en el que el volumen de venta de armas supere el monto del año anterior", señaló ayer Dmitriev en declaraciones a las agencias rusas.

El funcionario se enorgulleció de que "ni siquiera la crisis financiera más profunda pudo afectar a las exportaciones de armamento y equipos militares" por parte de Rusia.

"La cartera de pedidos supera los 40.000 millones de dólares", resaltó.

Corte Suprema de Birmania revisará arresto domiciliario de Suu Kyi

YANGON, Mianmar (AP) - La corte del más alto nivel de Miamnar acordó el lunes revisar la extensión más reciente del arresto domiciliario de la dirigente pro democrática Aung San Suu Kyi.

Los abogados de Suu Kyi presentaron una apelación ante la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Mianmar le mes pasado luego que una corte inferior reiteró la decisión de mantener el arresto domiciliario por otros 18 meses en contra de Suu Kyi.

La activista pro democrática fue hallada culpable de violar los términos previos de su arresto domiciliario al albergar brevemente a un activista estadounidense que nadó e ingresó sin invitación a su casa ubicada al centro de un lago.

El equipo legal argumentó que la extensión de su arresto domiciliario era ilegal pues estaba basado en las reglas de la Constitución de 1974 que ya no están vigentes, indicó el abogado principal del equipo de defensa de Suu Kyi, Kyi Win, a los periodistas después de salir de un juzgado el lunes.

La corte publicó su decisión en un tablero de notificaciones y acordó con escuchar la apelación. Los argumentos finales se presentarán en una fecha posterior.

Suu Kyi, de 64 años, la ganadora del Premio Nobel de la Paz, fue condenada inicialmente a tres años de prisión con trabajos forzados pero esa condena fue conmutada por el jefe de la junta militar, el general Than Shwe.

Suu Kyi ha estado detenida durante 14 de los últimos 20 años.

La condena de Suu Kyi garantiza que no pueda participar en las primeras elecciones en dos décadas que estaban programados para el próximo año.

Su partido ganó ampliamente las elecciones anteriores de 1990, pero los resultados nunca fueron respetados por los militares, que han gobernado al país desde 1962.

EMBOLICA PER BIRMANIA- ENVUELVE POR BIRMANIA- CAMPAÑA NAVIDEÑA EN LA LLIBRERIA BERTRAND DE BARCELONA- CONVOCATORIA URGENTE VOLUNTARIOS

En Birmania por la Paz necesitamos incorporar voluntarios para envolver regalos en un stand solidario habilitado en estas fechas navideñas en una librería de Barcelona

Las tareas a desarrollar serán las siguientes:

- Atención a los clientes que entren en la librería y se interesen por la ONG, sus acciones y campañas.

- Ocuparse de la venta de libros editados por la ONGD y de la suscripción de futuros socios a la organización.

- Envolver regalos a las personas que así lo deseen.

Necesitamos personas con ganas de formar parte de un grupo de voluntarios que trabajan desinteresadamente en favor de la Paz, los Derechos Humanos y la No-Violencia en Birmania y en todos los pueblos del mundo.

Buscamos personas con disponibilidad para las fechas del 18 al 24 de diciembre, y los días 2, 3, 4 y 5 de enero, en horarios de tarde.

Si estás interesado ponte en contacto con la organización a través del email: birmaniaporlapaz@yahoo.es o llámanos al 686 54 79 54 ( Albert )

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Birmania per la Pau necessitem incoporar voluntaris per embolicar regals en un stand solidari habilitat en aquestes dates nadalenques a la llibreria Bertrand de Barcelona.

Les tasques a desenvolupar sòn les següents:

-Atenció als clients que entrin a la llibreria i s’interessin per la ONGd, les accions i les campanyes que portem a terme.

-Ocupar-se de la venta de llibres editats per la pròpia ONGd i de la captació de futurs socis.

- Embolicar regals a les persones que així ho desitgin.

Necessitem persones amb ganes de formar part d’un grup de voluntaris que treballin desinteressadement en favor de la Pau, els Drets Humans i la No-Violència a Birmània i a tots els pobles del mòn.

Busquem persones amb disponibilitat per atendre les dates del 18 al 24 de desembre i els dies 2, 3 ,4 i 5 de gener, en horari de tardes.

Si estàs interessat posa’t en contacte amb l’organització mitjançant l’adreça electrònica birmaniaporlapaz@yahoo.es o al telf. 686 54 79 54 ( Albert )

ESPECTACULAR RESPUESTA CIUDADANA A LA CAMPAÑA SOLIDARIA “PAQUETES DE PAZ”

La iniciativa de Birmania por la Paz, que ha contado con la colaboración de MRW, ha conseguido recoger más de 6.000 regalos, que alegrarán esta Navidad a los niños y niñas birmanos que se encuentran refugiados en la frontera de Thailandia

El pasado 9 de diciembre se cerraba la Campaña solidaria “Paquetes de Paz”, una iniciativa de la ONG Birmania por la Paz que ha contado con la colaboración de MRW. Superando todas las expectativas de la organización, finalmente se han recogido más de 6.000 paquetes de paz, regalos que ahora llevarán la ilusión de la Navidad a los niños y niñas birmanos refugiados.

Birmania por la Paz ha querido agradecer públicamente el apoyo y la solidaridad de los ciudadanos españoles, que se han volcado en esta Campaña. “El éxito sin duda se ha debido a que hemos contado con mucho apoyo de niños, familias, organizaciones, instituciones y empresas que han comprendido la finalidad de esta Campaña, que no es otra cosa que el fomento de la solidaridad con los niños en Navidad.”

Desde el pasado mes de octubre, las Franquicias MRW han sido puntos de recepción de los “paquetes de paz”. Diariamente llegaban a las Franquicias regalos envueltos e identificados con etiquetas donde se indicaba si se trataba de un regalo para un niño o una niña y su grupo de edad (0 -2 años, 2-4 años, 4- 6 años, 6- 8 años, 8-10 años). Se ha recogido de todo, desde material escolar, ropa y calzado hasta juguetes de todo tipo. Añadir que muchos de los regalos venían acompañados de cartas de apoyo y de dibujos realizados por los propios niños españoles.

Destacar el encomiable trabajo realizado por los voluntarios y voluntarias de Birmania por la Paz, que han estado atendiendo el teléfono, contando y clasificando regalos e incluso cargando el contenedor. “Era emocionante ver como todos esos paquetes que habían hecho los niños- algunos con cartas en birmano- pasaban como una cadena humana llegados desde Barakaldo, Puerto de Santa María, Loeches o Barcelona al contenedor y partían en el barco camino de Bangkok”.

Acerca de Birmania Por la Paz: Birmania por la Paz es una organización de Desarrollo, Acción Social y Ayuda Humanitaria que trabaja para la paz, los derechos humanos y la democracia en Birmania. Se trata de una ONG formada por personas que trabajan diariamente en red en más de 30 países por la construcción de la paz en Birmania. Como único miembro español del Thai Burma Border Consortium, Birmania por la Paz pone en práctica su compromiso de sostenimiento a los 140.000 refugiados birmanos que viven en la frontera.

Acerca de MRW: MRW-Grupo nace en 1977. De capital 100% nacional, más de 13.000 personas están vinculadas a la Marca en más de 1.300 Franquicias y 60 Plataformas Logísticas en Andorra, España, Gibraltar, Portugal y Venezuela. Desde 1993 destina más del 1,5% de su facturación bruta anual a acción social. En 2008 facturó 767.601.602 euros.

Laura Cortada

Directora de Gabinete de Prensa MRW

Valoración de la Campaña PAQUETES DE PAZ

La valoración de la Campaña de PAQUETES DE PAZ para los niños refugiados birmanos en Tailandia ha sido excepcional, la iniciativa que tenia como expectativas recoger 1500 paquetes ha recogido 6000. El exito sin duda se ha debido a que hemos contado con mucho apoyo de niños, familias, organizaciones, instituciones y empresas que han comprendido la finalidad de esta campaña, como es el fomento de la solidaridad con los niños refugiados birmanos en Navidad, y ha sido tanto el exito que la cifra ha superado con mucho nuestras expectativas.

Los puntos de recogida de MRW ha sido un factor decisivo, ya que muchos solidarios y solidarias han enviado tantos paquetes que en ocasiones han llegado incluso a colapsar oficinas. Decoexsa la empresa de transporte maritimo ha contribuido de una manera excepcional tambien en la logistica del envio

El trabajo de los voluntarios y voluntarias de Birmania por la Paz ha sido encomiable, han estado desde el telefono hasta cargando el contenedor. Era emocionante ver como todos esos paquetes que habian hecho los niños- algunos con cartas en birmano- pasaban como una cadena humana llegados desde Barakaldo, Puerto de Santa María, Loeches o Barcelona al contenedor y partian en el barco camino de Bangkok.

Hemos abierto una via, que no pudimos hacer ni en el Ciclón Nargis, y estamos orgullosos de todos vosotros, de todos los que habeis participado, incluso desde el pensamiento en esta acción. Pero nuestra acción no ha acabado y por eso el 2010 os vamos a visitar, pueblo a pueblo para hacer una mayor incidencia politica, y enseñaros la verdad sobre Birmania.

En el nombre de los niños y niñas birmanas receptores de vuestros paquetes os damos las gracias por no olvidar Birmania