http://www.burma-center.org News on Burma from the NGO Burma Center Prague en-us Burma Center Prague Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:53:18 +0200 C.A. with PHP http://www.burma-center.org/left.jpg http://www.burma-center.org http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/LH25Df02.html Myanmar's government has announced democratic elections will be held on November 7 and Western pundits are busy speculating whether the polls will lead to a new, more open era in the troubled country's modern history. A far more important and potentially sinister plan is unfolding as the country's military rulers seek to consolidate a vision of empire that affords them a permanent grip on the country and its many nationalities. 8k5R07eOO5SSE1A8yeK0q2yL78Sp5Z Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:16:05 +0200 Bertil Lintner / Asia Times http://www.irrawaddy.org/opinion_story.php?art_id=19309&page=1 No government or local or external actor can claim to support genuine democratic change while disengaging from dissidents at best and quietly undermining them at worst. It is, however, dissidents—monks, civilians, student activists, labor activists, ex-army men, ethnic resistance fighters and so on—who have risked life and limb to keep their uphill battle for real change going against all odds and pressurize the paranoid regime by their mere existence and their refusal to capitulate. (opinion piece) jKgH8U5A5557W97PS0FUMdI43t39hZ Thu, 26 Aug 2010 23:00:08 +0200 Zarni/The Irrawaddy http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/burmamyanmar/7970489/Burmese-generals-conduct-reshuffle-to-secure-hold-on-power.html Burma has carried out its biggest military reshuffle in 22 years as the ageing junta moves to consolidate its rule through November elections that are set to be dominated by retired generals. 498eJax0ERe8HoPu8E010WZ71XJdzC Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:26:29 +0200 Telegraph http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=19361 Lt-Gen Myint Aung, the army's adjutant general, who has reportedly been appointed as the future commander-in-chief in the recent reshuffle, supported the decision to kill 81 innocent civilians on Christie Island near Thai territorial waters. In April 1998, after receiving reports about arms smugglers from the Indian military, a joint Burmese air, navy and army operation took place on Christie Island. 59 people from nearby villages including children, newly-born babies and a pregnant women were arrested. One month later they were killed and their bodies buried at the direct order of Snr-Gen Than Shwe. q0Gm2yq352oOL61kiJD6X1s4FM6D82 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:52:45 +0200 The Irrawaddy