The Shan Herald Agency for News has reported on a spate of land confiscations recently in Muse Township, near the Chinese border. So far, 175 households have lost about 620 acres of land. By logical deduction, most believe that this land has been taken as part of the 37,000 acres within Muse that have been earmarked for a rubber plantation - as part of the contract farming agreement that was reached last month between Burma and Thailand.

In the December 2 MoU, Burma agreed to reserve 17.5 million acres for Thailand, to be farmed under a contract system managed by Thailand. Burma supplies land and labor, Thailand takes care of infrastructure and ensures workers are underpaid. 17.5 million acres happens to be an area as large as Ireland. Thailand's Agriculture Minister Khun Ying Sudarat Keyuraphan says that it will be a 'win-win' situation. Burma gets jobs and money, Thailand gets cheap labor, sugarcane, oil palm, maize, cassava and rubber, and in theory, a stop-gap to keep so many Shan migrant workers from illegally fleeing to Thailand. And what do the people of Shan State get? Well, they now get the same crappy agricultural jobs they work in Thailand, with the added bonus of still being at the mercy of the Burmese military within their own borders!   more »

As usually happens when I find a new issue to debate relating to Burma, I look at the few most recent articles and editorials and then blog about it. Afterwards, I start to google a bit and find that the same debate has been going on for years. The sanctions issue is case and point. In the interest of not being dogmatic, I don't want to reject outright the 'sanctions only hurt the people' argument. But I find that the same rationale get recycled and applied to every country that's ever faced sanctions, and has similarly been re-used over the years in relation to Burma. Perhaps that implies some validity to the argument, but I'd like to see someone come up with some more case-specific examples and reasoning as to why US sanctions are responsible for the economic woes of Burma. Many of the anti-sanction arguments, like 'US constitutes only 10% of foreign investment in Burma', (thus providing no impact when taken away) could actually be used both against and for sanctions.

Anyway, here are some links to both older and recent articles on the issue, which are worth a look-see.

Burma Sanctions: The Case For
Burma - Sanctions vs. Humanitarian Aid
Economic change is not enough to reform Burma
Do sanctions against Burma work?

In other news, there are a few new links in the side bar worth checking out. The Kachin News Group has been around for a while, but just recently revamped their site in English. Their focus, obviously, is on Kachin issues and news from Burma, and the site looks set to become a valuable news resource.

The Independent Mon News Agency is another new site I've come across. At least, it looks new to me, I don't know if I've just missed it until now, or if they have also just recently started an English language page. Either way, it also looks good. So check it out.

And finally, you'll notice the nifty little ad to the right here, for World of Good. Its a fair trade shop, and if you click on the ad and buy something Burma Underground will get an 8% commission. I previously had a little google ad down below but decided to switch because tracking the burma and myanmar ads I didn't want was too much trouble. But anyway, the 8% we get will go to support a few projects currently under development, including an online network to provide free hosting and website development for Burmese Civil Society Organizations and individuals, as well as the Books for Burma Project.

The founder of the Free Burma Coalition, Zar Ni, recently released a statement regarding the negative impact of sanctions on Burma’s people. The Free Burma Coalition was the original driving force behind the campaigns to boycott companies and to institute sanctions. In the first place, Zar Ni and the FBC deserve some recognition for having the humility to reconsider their strategy in the face of evidence that its been unsuccessful. As he states, sanctions are too ‘simplistic’. To quote, “[Western approaches]...overemphasise democratisation above other important aspects of nation building, and seek to affect regime change through pressure and sanctions which are in many ways doing more harm than good.” This sentiment was also expressed by Ian Halliday, a professor at the City University of Hong Kong who has apparently done some research into the issue of economic engagement in Burma. Halliday said this, “At present, too much faith is placed in quick political fixes. Burmese activists and Western commentators in liberal think tanks frequently insist that with just one more ratcheting up of sanctions, the junta will fall and a transition to democracy will ensue.” Although I’m a little reticent to lump Zar Ni and Halliday together in this instance, namely because Halliday seems to be a conservative who also said this:

“Take, for instance, the involvement of Western oil corporations in the Yadana gas project. Though highly controversial, Western oil corporations have created well paid jobs, established microcredit schemes to boost indigenous entrepreneurship, and reached out to local communities. They have made considerable investments in education and health care, on a local and nation scale.”

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We, Kachins, are living in northern part of Burma, so-called Kachin State bordered by China and India.

On January 2,2006, five freedom fighters of the Kachin Independence Army ( KIO/KIA) were deliberately shot dead by Burmese Infantry Battalion (68), led by Major Hla Moe, near Naung Hant village in Northern Shan State, Burma.Two other civilians were also injured during the attack and have been taken to a military hospital. This is such an incident since KIO/KIA took ceasefire with SPDC ( State Peace and Development Council ) in 1994.

Chronological events of KIO/KIA Servicemen Killed By Burmese Junta after 1994 Ceasefire Agreement

1. 1996 Sergeant Mahka La Seng, a well known Infantry Intelligence Chief of Battalion 6, under KIO/KIA 2nd Brigade.
   Arrested from Seng Tawng Village in Hpakant Township, Kachin State and secretly killed on the road between Namya and Ntau Villages, by Burmese Army Infanty Battalion 74


2. 1997 4 KIA soldiers from Battalion 6, under KIO/KIA 2nd Brigade.
   Arrested on the road between Seng Ra and Lawng Hkang Villages in Hpakant, Kachin State, and killed secretly by Burmese Army Infantry Battalion 74


3. 1998 Njai Naw, a well known KIO/KIA Intelligence Agent.
   Arrested from Mashi Kahtawng Village of Hpakant, Kachin State and killed secretly. The culprits have not yet been identified.


4. 19 March, 2001 11 KIO/KIA Servicemen
   Arrested from where they were working in their agricultural field in Battalion 9, under KIO/KIA 4th Brigade, Norhteast Shan State, and killed secretly by Burmese Army Battalion 242 led by Maj. Nyo Win

Thus, we, Kachin people in Malaysia, strongly condemn the recent killings and urge all the International Communities to support the causes of ethnic nationalities in Burma.


Names of those were shot dead by Burmese Infantry Battalion 68
on January 02, 2006

(1) Mr. Labang Gam Hpang
(2) Mr. Zehkung Hkawng Hkam
(3) Mr. Maran Zau Mai
(4) Mr. Maran Tu Shan
(5) Mr. Maran Brang Shawng

Further Information:
Kachin News
Kachin Post

The following statement references a recent attack by the SPDC on a unit of the Kachin Independence Organization at their base in Muse, in Shan State. Article Link


KNO Statement on SPDC killing of KIA soldiers and violating the Cease-fire Agreement against KIO/KIA

4th January 2006

Five freedom fighters of Kachin Independence Army (KIO/KIA) were deliberately shot dead by Burmese Infantry Battalion near Naung Hant village in Northern Shan State, Burma on January 2, 2006. Two other civilians were also injured during the attack and have been taken to a military hospital. This is the second incident since KIO/KIA took ceasefire with State Peace and Development Council in 1994.

The similar atrocities happened in Si Za Pa village in Northern Shan State on 22nd March 2001. In that incident, the Burmese troops intentionally killed nine soldiers of the KIA’s army and two other civilians. Despite the ceasefire, the Burmese army continued their genocidal activities all over Kachin inhabited areas.

Evidence shows that the Burmese army resumed exterminating all the ethnic nationalities in Burma. Thus, we, the Kachin National Organization strongly condemn the recent killings and urge all the International Communities to support the causes of ethnic nationalities in Burma.

We, KNO call up all the Kachin National individuals and organizations living inside and outside Burma; and the International Communities:-

-          To condemn the violation of the Cease-fire Agreement.
-          To urge KIO/KIA to withdraw from sham National Convention.
-          To take immediate action against SPDC by UNSC.


Central Committee
Kachin National Organization

Contact: 8, Dene Avenue,
TW3 3AH, London, UK.
Tel: 44-1234 360 725,
Fax: 44-1295 273 225,
Email: knoffice_uk@yahoo.com

78, Soi- 4, Bumrungrat Rd.,
Waket, Muang, Chiang Mai, 50000, Thailand.
Mobile: 66 - 955 38030, Fax: 66 - 53 – 249 114,
Email: kno_office@yahoo.com