The Narinjara News

(12 June 2009)

www.narinjara.com

 

 

NEWS IN ENGLISH

 

‘Arakan's First Railway Breaks Down in Heavy Rain

Burma to sell electricity to Bangladesh

Six tribal villages relocated for hydro power plant

US Burma policy could be changed

 

 

NEWS IN BURMESE

http://www.narinjara.com/burmese.asp

 

Burma to sell electricity to Bangladesh

17 year mark of Nasaka foundation day held in Maungdaw with collection money

Two engines from an assurance company of Singapore came to Sittwe to inspect air crack

Construction of Ponna Kyunt jetty neglected by authority

School still close by army staying

 

 

 

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Narinjara News

Sittwe, 12 June 2009

 

 

‘Arakan's First Railway Breaks Down in Heavy Rain

 

The first railway track in Arakan State, which was opened by Prime Minister Lt. General Thein Sein on 19 May, 2009, collapsed in heavy rains on Monday, stopping the new train from running the route.

 

A monk confirmed the incident over the phone, saying, "The railway route was being repaired but needs some more time before operating normally. It was damaged after a mudslide under the railway track."

 

The railway route currently runs between Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, and the Government Technical College located 11 miles to the west.

 

The opening ceremony of the railway track on 19 May was presided over by the Prime Minister and had thousands of people turn out to see the train. Since there is no other railway track in Arakan State, people all around Sittwe attended the ceremony to see and ride the new train.

 

During the ceremony, Lt. General Thein Sein told attendees that Arakan State would be more advanced in the future because the railway would promote development of the state. He added that any region or province is in need of a good railway route and highway in order to be developed, and without such roads, development in the region would be impossible. He urged local Arakanese people to utilize the opportunity for the state's development.

 

The state-run newspapers, TV, and radio aired the Prime Minister's speech and the ceremony on their respective channels with highlights for people across Burma.

 

"Prime Minister Thein Sein's speech is good but not in line with practice and reality. Now the railway route has broken down and the train is stopped, just 20 days after the railway was opened," the monk said.

 

The railway was quickly constructed by the local army authority so that it could be opened before the rainy season, causing construction shortcuts. Because of that, the foundation of the railway is not strong.

 

After the railway route broke down, people in Sittwe, primarily students from GTC have avoided traveling by train.

 

This stretch of railroad is the first of a 250-mile rail route that is being constructed from Sittwe to Ann in Arakan State to Minbu Town in Burma proper. The project began in February of this year.

 

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Narinjara News

Dhaka, 12 January 2009

 

Burma to sell electricity to Bangladesh

 

By Tun Kyaw

 

A Burmese company is keen on setting up a 500 MW hydroelectric power plant in Arakan State and export electricity to Bangladesh. This was announced by Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni yesterday.

 

 During her recent visit to Burma she held discussions with the authorities of a local company the Shwe Taung Development Co. which has leased land in Arakan State to set up two power plants which will export electricity to Bangladesh in order to meet its rising demand.

 

 A team of technical experts from the Ministry of Energy is expected to visit Arakan State in the first week of July for a feasibility study on the prospects of electricity import, she said at a seminar on Bangladesh-Burma Relations organized by the Bangladesh Institute of International Strategic Studies ( BIISS).

 

The quantum of bilateral trade between the two countries will be increased from the present 140 million US dollar to 500 million US dollar during the 2009-10 fiscal year.

 

Establishment of direct banking facilities will also be beneficial to the businessmen of both countries, she said.

 

 On road communication Bangladesh is seeking a highway and a railway route linking Burma, other Southeast Asian countries and China. This is underway. Moreover, an airline between Bangladesh and Burma will start operating very soon. To facilitate trade and tourism, bi-weekly direct flights on the Mandalay-Cox’s Bazaar route can be operated by any Bangladeshi private airline, Dip Muni said.

 

The Bangladesh government is also preparing and updating a list of Muslim refugees from Burma who number around 22,000, at Burma’s request for repatriation to their home country, she said.

 

A political observer in exile says, there is no hydroelectricity in Arakan State for the Arakanese people under Burmese rule till today. This despite the abundant rivers, creeks and water-falls which can help generate hydroelectricity in the state. Natural gas is also available in great quantity in this state.  Despite all this the Arakanese people are in a state of extreme poverty.

 

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Narinjara News

Buthidaung, 11 June 2009

 

Six tribal villages relocated for hydro power plant

 

Six Khami ethnic villages in Buthidaung Township were forced to relocate by the Burmese Army recently for construction of the Sai Dan hydro power plant.

 

The villages are located in the upper Sai Din waterfall area - a famous waterfall in Arakan, 30 miles east of Buthidaung. The Burmese regime plans to construct a hydro power plant at the spot.

 

The six Khami tribal villages are: Swa Yay, Li Bo, Dauk Souk Pai, Mari Mi, Ree Chaung and Pana Chay. The villages are located near the place the power plant is to come up. The authorities therefore relocated the villages to upper Pana Chay village.

 

A village source said there are about 50 households on an average in a village and most villagers depend on the Sai Dan Creek for their survival.  

 

The junta has claimed that power generated from the Sai Dan waterfall hydro power plant will be distributed in Arakan State from 2012 when the project is completed.

 

The power plant is expected to produce about 70 MW of electricity.

 

The Burmese regime tried to construct the hydro power plant at the Sai Dan waterfall in the past too but did not succeed because of some problems.

 

Prime Minister U Nu’s government was constructing a power plant in the Sai Dan waterfall in 1950 but later stopped work after one US engineers were killed by the Burmese Communist party. 

 

The military government also tried to construct the power plant at the waterfall after seizing power in 1988 but two years later the project was stopped without any reason being given.

 

Now the authorities have again decided to construct the power plant at the waterfall. Local people believe this time the authorities will build the power plant in Sai Dan waterfall because many equipments and some foreign engineers have arrived in the area for the project.

 

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Narinjara news

Dhaka, 11 June 2009

 

US Burma policy could be changed

 

By Tun Kyaw

 

 Dhaka: The United States under the rule of President Barack Obama may ease its long- standing policy of isolation against military-ruled Burma, a top US diplomat in East Asia said on Wednesday.  However, the outcome of Suu Kyi’s trial will be a major consideration as the Obama administration reviews U.S. policy on Burma.

 

Kurt Campbell told U. S. law makers at his senate confirmation hearing that the Burmese junta’s attitude towards detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi hinders any U. S. effort to change its policy on the regime.

 

But, he said, the junta’s trial of Suu Kyi on charges that could put her in prison for five years is “deeply, deeply concerning, and it makes it very difficult to move forward.” Expectations are that democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi will be found guilty by the Burmese court, which operates under the influence of the military junta and almost always deals harshly with political dissidents.

To force the Burmese junta to respect human rights and release political prisoners the U.S. imposed sanctions against it.

 

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State Department, while visiting some member countries of ASEAN in last February, said that the U.S. administration’s dilemma with the Burmese junta is that neither tough U.S. sanctions nor engagement by the Asean’s countries  have persuaded the junta to embrace democracy or release Suu Kyi.

 

Jeremu Woodrum, co-founder of the U.S. Campaign for Burma said regional talks similar to the six-nation North Korean nuclear disarmament negotiation could be used with the junta.

If the Burmese generals were to make substantial changes, pressure could be lifted at that time, but sanctions have been important tools in confronting the junta, said Woodrum.

 

Observers say SuuKyi is charged with flouting conditions of her house arrest because an American, John W. Yettaw intruded into her house that was closely guarded by security forces. No one but one who was permitted by the junta entered her house.

 

Opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi gave her testimony in the special court in Insein prison outside Rangoon. She said that she had not seen any security guards inside her compound when Yettaw arrived and when he left the house.

 

Suu Kyi is on trial from last month and it has created outrage and anger internationally, Supporters say, the junta is using the bizarre case of an American intruder as an excuse to keep Suu Kyi detained during the election the government has planned for next year.

 

Critics say no one but Aung San Suu Kyi “can cease gun-fire” in Burma bringing “lasting peace and tranquility” for all the nationalities of Burma. The 2008 constitution can’t bring peace but only fuel ongoing civil war in Burma.

 

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Narinjara News (NN) was founded by a group of Arakanese in exile in Bangladesh from Burma in 2001 seeking to voice for the people depriving of human and democratic rights and to pave the way for them who are struggling for those rights. The Narinjara News is an independent organization, not affiliated with any political party or organization. Any opinion or advice relating to our News Agency is warmly welcomed and please email to: narinjara@...

 

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