Burma | Burma Center Prague

When I decided that the first Letter from Burma of 2012 should be about the late Vaclav Havel, I wondered how I should entitle the article. My thoughts immediately went to the little red heart he usually drew as part of his signature. Perhaps I should write about him as "The Heart President" or "The Heart Leader" or "The Dissident with A Heart" or "The Intellectual with A Heart?" In the end I decided that the name Vaclav Havel alone was more potent and meaningful than any fancy title I could think up.

Source: Aung San Suu Kyi / The Mainichi Daily News

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Exiled Burmese lawyers are among voices to demand an end to the draconian Unlawful Association Act in Burma, which has been used for decades by the regime to jail a sizeable cross-section of the country’s opposition movement. Those calling for it to be abolished argue that the law, which dates from 1908, is no longer consistent with positive developments seen inside the country since a pseudo-civilian government came to power in March last year.

Source: DVB

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Burmese soldiers have been withdrawn from conflict zones in Kachin state as both sides push for ceasefire talks, but reports from nearby Shan state suggest extra battalions have been deployed to guard the lucrative China-backed Shwe pipeline. The movement of troops has taken place in the wake of recent talks between government officials and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in the Chinese border town of Ruili. The negotiations ended on 19 January with both sides failing to secure an agreement.

Source: DVB

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The European Union has rewarded Burma for a "remarkable" flurry of moves towards political reform by easing some sanctions against the regime. In a move that could lead to more comprehensive sanctions being dropped, the EU's foreign ministers said they were lifting a visa ban on the President, Vice-Presidents, cabinet ministers and parliamentary speakers.

Source: The Independent

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The release of more than 200 political prisoners and a tentative ceasefire with the rebel Karen National Union represent the latest of steps taken by Myanmar president Thein Sein's government to improve its international image and assuage its many critics at home and abroad. The cosmetic change in the traditionally military-run country is unmistakable. In recent months, it has become easier for ordinary citizens to access the Internet and local magazines and journals are able to publish articles on topics that would have been unthinkable only a year ago. Pictures of pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent 15 of the past 21 years under house arrest, are now for sale in markets not only in the former capital Yangon but also in small upcountry towns.

Source: Bertil Lintner / Asia Times

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