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Myanmar: Freed Blogger's First Post

tan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:24:14 +0000

Myanmar Blogger Nay Phone Latt, who was released on January 13th along with other prominent political prisoners after being imprisoned for 4 years, wrote his first blog post about his experience in prison.

Myanmar: A Year After Suu Kyi's Release

tan — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:47:45 +0000

The Burmese people in Myanmar and the whole world rejoiced after Aung San Suu Kyi's release last year on November 13, 2010. Now it has almost been a year since she had been released.

Maydarwii wrote on her blog as soon as Suu Kyi was released:

I thought that I will blog again only after I finished my exams, but today, I will blog because of a happy occassion. Because of the vague news I've been hearing, my mind was in a limbo since yesterday. For this kind of news is heard all the time, but they sometimes turned out to be false. I wished that this news was correct but not feeling too positive about it. While eating breakfast that morning before going out, my uncle told me that the news I heard yesterday was still unconfirmed so I was feeling a bit let down. After coming back home at 1pm, I was hungry so was preparing lunch when my uncle came into the kitchen happily announcing, “She's been released!” We left our lunches at the table, and came in front of the TV watching the news for a long time. We forgot that we were hungry. After all, we have been waiting to hear this news for many years.

I was feeling so overjoyed to see the joyous crowd in front of Daw Suu's house which made me feel goosebumps and tears were forming in my eyes. I couldn't stop looking at Daw Suu's blurry face on TV. I feel so happy and sad at the same time. Indescribable feelings overwhelmed my heart.

Aung San Suu Kyi, 8 October, 2011. Image by Flickr user Utenriksdept (CC BY-ND 2.0).

Htoo Tayzar was one of the Burmese bloggers who went to NLD Headquarters to listen to her speech to the Burmese people the next day after release. He wrote:

At 10:30am, there was a lot of people already, and many of them was holding “We Love Su” posters. I noticed that there was no uniformed men around there, except for the traffic police. There are also a lot of people at the betel nut shops and tea shops which were directly in front of the headquarters. I saw that many grand dads and grand moms came, holding little kids by the hand. People who came were from different generations

He took many photos at the event, even though “it was too crowded to even stand properly and had to be stand on tip-toe to take these photos.”

Meanwhile, Kyaw Thu, a Burmese actor who has also won many hearts because of his Free Funeral Service Society, gave paintings he drew to Suu Kyi. When asked how he feels about Suu Kyi's release, he said:

We now have a warm light in our lives. I don't want us to lose our goals. I don't want us to have a life that prevents us from working because of fear. Now “Mother” Suu can lead and guide us on our way. We can't just be happy for her release. It is important that we will follow her guidance.

Many local news journals were not allowed to put her release as headline and reporting about her release was heavily censored. However, a local sports journal was reportedly suspended for two weeks due to its headline which read, “Sunderland Freeze Chelsea,” “United Stunned by Villa” & “Arsenal Advance to Grab Their Hope”, but with light-colour letters in the headline can be read out as “Su Free. Unite & Advance to Grab The Hope.”

Furthermore, nine other local journals were suspended for a week for putting Suu Kyi's release news on front page.

However, after the new government has been inaugurated in 2011, there were relaxations of press censorship on news about Aung San Su Kyi. An article written by her, called “My Holidays” was featured on Pyi Thu Khit Journal.

She traveled to Bagan with her son in July 2011. It was her first trip outside Yangon after being released from house arrest. She greeted hundreds of local residents, and many were elated to be able to meet her.

A resident said:

“I'm so happy to see our country's daughter,” said a 70-year old flower seller at the pagoda. “Nobody but Suu Kyi can unite this country.”

She was also against the implementation of Myitsone Dam Project in Kachin State. She also seemed to be catching up with social and cultural events after having been imprisoned for years. She attended several events, such as “Sketch of A River Art Exhibition“, 150th Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore at the Indian Embassy, a football match and the recent opening of Baydar Library. She will also be sponsoring the Art of Freedom Film Festival, where she took financial responsibilities for awarding the entries.

In August 2011, she met with Myanmar's President U Thein Sein for the first time, and said she was “satisfied” with the talks.

She also met with other foreign dignitaries, such as United States Senator John McCain.

Meanwhile, Suu Kyi said that she wil make a decision about re-registering her party National League for Democracy (NLD) after parliament amends the election laws. She said:

Whether we re-register our NLD party depends on the law. That is the reason why we will need to wait until that law has been endorsed to decide about this. When this law has been endorsed, we will hold a meeting according to party laws and decide on this issue. We are very precise. We only do things according to the law. That is why I cannot decide yet because I haven't seen the law.”

On November 13, 2011, she will be holding a press conference in the NLD headquarters in celebration of her one-year freedom.

Myanmar: Controversial Dam Project Suspended

tan — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:24:08 +0000

The Weekly Eleven quoted a memo sent to the Parliament by Myanmar's President U Thein Sein which ordered the suspension of the controversial Myit Sone Dam project on Ayeyarwaddy River in Kachin State.

Myanmar: Bomb Blasts in Three Cities

tan — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:00:14 +0000

Bombs have exploded almost simultaneously in the capital city Naypyidaw, Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin on Friday, June 24, 2011.

A Car Bomb Blast in Mandalay, Myanmar. Source: Eleven Media.

According to Mizzima, the two bomb explosions in Naypyidaw and Mandalay happened almost at the same time. The bomb explosion in Mandalay was planted on a car parked in front of Zaycho Hotel. Eyewitnesses saw two injured people being carried away by ambulances.

The Voice Weekly has posted photos of the bomb explosion at Mandalay on their Facebook page.

Another bomb explosion in Naypyitaw happened at a home on Ngu War St. near Tha Pyay Kone market place. An eyewitness said:

The explosion was very severe and I saw the debris from the explosion landing as far as 80 feet. Officials are now investigating in the area, and I also saw them bring a mine-searching dog.”

The bomb explosion in Pyin Oo Lwin was also at a vacant home. An eyewitness said the bomb explosion caused the whole house to collapse.

Myanmar: Post-Earthquake Stories from Aid Workers

tan — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:57:14 +0000

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the northern Shan State in Myanmar on Thursday, and according to a state-run TV report, the death toll has increased to 74 people, and the number of injured has climbed past 100 people.

According to an updated report from Weekly Eleven, several aftershocks have been recorded in areas near the eastern Shan State spreading fear among the residents. One resident in Oak Kyin village said on March 26, around 12pm:

There was another earthquake last night and one this morning also. I don't dare to stay in my house anymore. The shaking is felt more because my house is ground-based. Nothing can be predicted because it is a nature event. I will let fate decide.

Residents also said that because of the earthquake, the death toll in Tarchileik, Tarle, Nar Yaung village, Mine Lin village, and Mine Koe village is estimated to be more than a hundred, with Mine Lin village having the most number of casualties.

Earthquake damage in Myanmar. Photo from blog of akm-kunta

In the same report by Weekly Eleven, an aid worker described the situation in Tarle:

Wounded people have been sent to Tarchileik Hospital and Mine Phyat Hospital. Aid groups from Tarchileik and Kyaing Tong have based their camps in Tarle. I can say that the situation has calmed down a little. Reconstructions have begun. Rehabilitation camps have been opened in Tarle and Nar Yaung village.

An aid worker who went to Tarle, one of the worst-hit areas, was interviewed by The Irrawaddy:

I arrived in Tarle around 10am. Most of the 3-storey buildings on the side of the road only has 2 stories now. Many 2-storey buildings have also collapsed. Monasteries were also included in those collapsed buildings. Some of these buildings are more than 20 years old, so it made things worse.

Not only residents of Tarle, but also the residents in Tarchileik had to sleep on tarpaulins. When I arrived in Tarle, I saw that some people were clearing the things at their house by themselves. Some were crying in front of relative's houses. I also saw some crying because they lost their relatives. I couldn't ask them anything. I should say some were lucky to be alive.

The government hasn't done anything yet. Some were sent to hospitals. But I didn't go to the hospital so I don't know what's happening there. As far as I see, I see that there are about 60 deaths in Tachileik. There were about 20-30 deaths there (in Tarle). Death toll would be above that.

I donated some materials, instant noodles and water. I gave all of them to residential officials. I don't know what they will do with these things. They have opened temporary shelters. Those who have relatives go and live at their house.

Now, the highway has been closed temporarily. They said that it will be going under maintenance.

Another aid worker from Tarchileik said:

The earthquake happened on March 24, 8:25pm. Some hours after, officials from Tarchileik came and asked me to volunteer so I went with them. I arrived in Tarle at midnight.

On the road to Tarle, there is one big bridge. When we reached that place, our car cannot go forward anymore. So we had to cross the bridge on foot and continue on to Tarle. The road at the edge of the bridge had moved down about 5 feet. There was a great deal of destruction. With some houses, only the roof was visible and the whole house has went down into the ground.

What I had to do there was to send wounded people to Tarchileik hospital. There is a hospital at Tarle, but that hospital had also collapsed. So at first, we had to place the patients at the empty yard in front of the hospital and give them treatment. Afterwards, they were carried by stretchers to the car at the other side of the bridge. The walk there takes about 15 minutes.

When we get to the other side of the bridge, we can't immediately send the patients to the hospital. Because we didn't have many available stretchers, we had to take that stretcher back to the hospital and carry another patient. There wasn't enough cars so we couldn't send one patient to Tarchileik hospital with one car. Therefore, the patient who was sent first to the car had to wait for other patients to arrive.

Another thing is we had to wait for many levels of officials' approval for clearance in order for the car to leave to the hospital. That wastes a lot of valuable time. In the car I had to drive, one patient died when we were about to reach Tarchileik Hospital. There were people who had survived the earthquake, but died when they shouldn't have because they were not treated in time for their sustained injuries. It really makes me sad.

U Win Swe, president of Myanmar Geological Society, said to Weekly Eleven:

In the past, strong earthquakes have occured in areas around Shan State. But it has been awhile since that has happened. Earthquakes usually reoccur in areas that were previously hit before. It was only a matter of how frequent. In areas among the quake fault line, there is a tendency for after shocks to follow after a big earthquake has hit.

He also warned that because the Indian plate keeps pushing into Asia, Myanmar should be on alert for earthquakes in the future.

Myanmar: Over 3,000 Attend Mandalay Barcamp 2011

tan — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:54:44 +0000

The city of Mandalay in Myanmar held its first Barcamp from February 12 to 13. It took the organizers almost one year to prepare for this event.

According to Weekly Eleven, over 3,100 people attended the two-day event, and on Feb 12, the first day of Mandalay Barcamp, a total of 56 topics were discussed, and on the second day, 52 topics were discussed. A wide range of topics were discussed at the Barcamp, such as information technology, literature, language, society, economics, health and education.

At first, Mandalay Barcamp was supposed to be held at Innwa Hotel, but the location was later changed to Poppa Hotel, on 78th St.

Nyi Min San wrote in his blog about the location change and why it was so difficult to choose a spot in Mandalay:

“… Though we had initially chosen Innwa Hotel, we had to re-think about the location (of Mandalay Barcamp) because of certain problems we faced. We all discussed for a possible solution, and the only solutions we were able to arrive at were to change the location or change the date. Changing the date is a very difficult task for it will not be good for the businesses who have sponsored our event, and also, we have already advertised the dates, and the costs of that are a lot. Therefore, we decided not to change the date, and just thought about changing the location.

Because Mandalay did not have an ICT Park like in Yangon, choosing the location was a really difficult problem for us. I do wish that there was an ICT Park in Mandalay.

For the location, we had to choose within available hotels, and had to find a hotel that meets with the budget we have. The location would also have to be a place with easy access.”

On the 12th, Nyi Min San and Ko Agga held a discussion about CMS Technology. Nyi Min San wrote about the discussions he planned to hold on the 13th:

“Today, MBS (Myanmar Blogger Society) would be holding a Panel Discussion. From Mandalay side, Ko MgHla, Ko Thakhingyi, Ko Ye Myat Thu and I will join. Others who are interested in this topic are also welcomed. …

Another topic that Ko MgHla, Ko Thakhyingyi and I are thinking of having is a discussion on Lightroom. We will all discuss about photo-retouching.”

MgHla, a blogger from Mandalay and PR Team Leader for Mandalay Barcamp, wrote in his blog:

“We were able to successfully hold Mandalay Barcamp 2011, the first barcamp for Mandalay, at Poppa Hotel from February 12-13. It was a barcamp where various topics were discussed, and not only IT-related topics. There were over 3100 attendees for the 2-day event. We were wrong to estimate that only a 1000 people will attend. Because we had to move to another location, the new location does not have big rooms, so that became a weakness. I would like to thank the main organizers Mandalay MCPA and MICA for their organizing efforts.”

Photos of the Barcamp event were also uploaded to Barcamp Mandalay page on Facebook. MandalayBloggers.org also wrote a photo post on Mandalay Barcamp.

Because of the big success of Mandalay Barcamp, there are plans underway to hold a Photo Camp in Mandalay.

Myanmar: Suu Kyi is free at last

tan — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 01:57:38 +0000

She has been in prison for 15 years in the past 21 years, but now she is free at last. Burmese pro-democracy icon and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was released from detention by the military-backed government of Myanmar Saturday afternoon, a week after the holding of a nationwide election which was dominated by pro-administration candidates.

The Democratic Voice of Burma was able to document the first few minutes of her release. This video shows Suu Kyi waving to supporters in front of her lakeside house.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI RELEASED from DVBTV English on Vimeo.

News spread out last Thursday that Suu Kyi will be freed this weekend on the date of expiration of her house arrest sentence. It was reported that she has signed the paper for her release around 12pm on that day. Even members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), Suu Kyi's party, started cleaning the headquarter's secretariat office in anticipation of her release. On Friday, there was a crowd of 500 or more people gathering in front of the NLD office in Yangon, all waiting for “Aunty Su's” release. A banner in front of the headquarters reads “Today's the Day of Her Release“.

More than 100 NLD members and supporters also donated blood at a local hospital to draw attention to her release.

Suu Kyi's impending freedom was later doubted when the Burmese top court rejected her final appeal against her house arrest this Friday, making the people anxious whether she will be released or not.

Meanwhile, Kim Aris, Aung San Su Kyi's son reportedly has gotten his visa approved to visit Myanmar.

Now that Suu Kyi is free at last, independent media site The Irrawaddy urges its readers to submit suggestions and other ideas to Suu Kyi

The world rejoiced when Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was freed from house arrest. Twitter users used the hashtag #aungsansuukyi as they joined the global conversation in celebrating Suu Kyi's freedom.

Myanmar: “Boycott elections” campaign

tan — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:17:26 +0000

Although the November 7 elections in Myanmar has been criticized as a sham by many countries around the world, the government is determined to push ahead with it. As the day draws near, there are mixed reactions among the Burmese people within the country and abroad.

The opposition party, National League of Democracy, has boycotted the election citing that it is “unfair and undemocratic”, and is urging the citizens not to vote in the elections. Detained Burmese pro-democracy leader, Aung San Su Kyi, also decided that she will not vote in the election even though she is on the electoral roll.

In Japan, the 2010 Election Boycott Committee has held a protest march in Ebitsu Park, Tokyo.

In Rakhine State, “NO Campaign” posters were posted in several townships, which read,
“Boycott 2008 Constitution and 2010 Election: NO 2010″. One of the people who participated in this campaign said to Arakhan Review:

For Boycott Election Campaign, we have posted around 1000 posters in 12 villages of Taung Kote and Ma Ei Townships one month before the Nov 7 election. We have gone down to these villages so that everyone in these villages can participate in this campaign against the government's election. We have to do this campaign together in both townships of Taung Kote and Ma Ei because these two townships together make up one constituency. Another thing is Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) and National Unity Party (NUP) will be the only two parties running in this constituency, so we don't need to feel bad towards other parties by this boycotting. We totally opposed the 2008 Constitution, so we cannot accept this 2010 Elections which will legalize this constitution.

In the November 7 elections, about 498 seats in the lower house of Parliament (Pyi Thu Hlut Taw), 224 seats in the upper house (Amyo Thar Hlut Taw) will be contested including the other seats in the States and Divisional Legislatures. Around 25 percnt of these seats will be reserved for defense service personnel.

Myanmar: Overcrowding in Hledan

tan — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:19:11 +0000

Pink Gold from Myanmar blogs about the road side shops in Hledan, a popular hangout place in Yangon, Myanmar.

Myanmar: Women Candidate Percentage in the Elections

tan — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:26:35 +0000

According to a survey conducted by The Irrawaddy, less than 8 percent of the candidates running for the November 7 elections in Myanmar will be women.

Myanmar: Elections To Be Held on November 7

tan — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:37:19 +0000

Myanmar has announced today that elections will be held on November 7, 2010, which will become the first election to be held after 1990. Political parties were urged to submit their candidate list between August 16 and August 30, 2010.

Myanmar: World Cup Reactions

tan — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 12:58:30 +0000

The 2010 World Cup craze is also felt in Myanmar. Football fans in Myanmar are cheering for their favorite teams and many are staying up late at night to watch the midnight matches. Bars, restaurants and tea shops are showing World Cup matches to attract customers.

Football fans living in Yangon are happy that electricity became more regular, so they were able to watch the football matches. However, some areas still faced electricity shortages. Maung, who had come back to Myanmar wrote:

While I was in Japan, I was able to watch the Group Matches daily together with my friends. However, just when more interesting matches were being played, I came back to Myanmar. I felt the urge to knock on the doors of neighbours who were running electric generators and request to watch matches there.
….
I sit down.. I stand up.. I curse. I've only been back to Myanmar for a day or two, and I am now experiencing how it feels like to live in Myanmar. Later, I got an idea, which is to go to downtown area, and watch football matches at a beer pub that were showing the matches.

Many Burmese females are also big fans of the World Cup. They followed match results, and posted them on social network sites such as Facebook. Thet Wai, a female Burmese living in Singapore, wrote in one of her posts:

The event that fans have all been waiting for, World Cup, will start soon. Not considering whether I will have time to watch or not, whether I will be able to watch or not, I registered to Singtel MiO TV channel, just like everybody else. Because of the early bird special discounts, I was able to get a S$24 discount.
…
Before registering at SingTel, my husband asked me whether I will really be able to stay up late and night, and watch the matches. As a person who is very interested in sports, I replied in jest, “I will watch it no matter what time. What I am interested in is school work and sports!”

Unlike Singapore, fans in Myanmar were able to watch the live matches free of charge because football matches were aired on two state-owned TV channels: MRTV and Myawaddy.

“It is quite exciting to watch the Word Cup from the first match to the final on my screen at home for the first time,” said a soccer fan in Rangoon, reported by Irrawaddy Media.

However, Myawaddy channel was not able to show a few of the matches between June 18 to June 21st due to “technical difficulties“, angering many fans. So fans had to watch the matches that came on MRTV. The problem was resolved after June 22nd.

During the World Cup matches, a few weekly journals were allowed to issue a daily World Cup sports journals and were popular among fans. Premier Eleven Sports Journal also sent its Editor-in-Charge to Johannesburg for live coverage of the World Cup event, and Eleven Media launched a World Cup Special news site in Burmese language.

Many Burmese bloggers wrote World Cup-related posts such as 11 Dreams, who shared with his readers images of the 10 stadiums where World Cup matches are held. Many were overjoyed that there were 2 Myanmar females in Shakira's Waka Waka music video. Htoo Tayzar wrote:

I heard that there were Burmese people in the music video, so I watched it carefully. I read in the interview that there were 3 sisters in the video. Yes, that's right: you can see in the back, and at the right that they were wearing blue and purple. They were wearing Burmese traditional blouse and longyi.

Nay Nay Naing shared videos and lyrics of the World Cup theme songs, and wrote:

In the past, I rooted for a certain team, and hoped that certain team will win. How about now? Don't ask… I will root for the team that wins! :))

However, some will be waiting for the time when the World Cup is over. Sales of state lottery have fallen since last week, and Burmese traditional dance troupes had to postpone their shows until after the World Cup.

As Myo Thein wrote in Mizzima's editorial,

Those who have been claiming that they will enter the 2010 Elections are silent during this World Cup era. Because of the seduction of Jabulani World Cup ball (meaning “Rejoice” in Zulu), the minds of the people will be in South Africa until July 11.

Myanmar: Birthday Wish for Aung San Su Kyi

tan — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:36:19 +0000

Breathe.Dream.Write wishes a happy birthday to Aung San Su Kyi, who will be celebrating her 65th birthday under house arrest on June 19. The birthday celebrant is Myanmar's major opposition leader.

Myanmar: Landslide Kills 46 People in Rakhine State

tan — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:35:28 +0000

Floods and landslides claimed the lives 46 people in Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships in Northern Rakhine State in Myanmar.

Myanmar: April Fool Blood Donation

tan — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:53:01 +0000

July Dream wrote about a blood donation drive organized on April Fool's Day in Myanmar.