Saturday, 09 January 2010 15:21 Dr. Tint Swe (Commentary)
Mizzima News - These days death sentences come from China and Burma. The coincidence is that both cases in two countries started in July 2009. All are against the rulers in power.
More or less every day, there are reports of peoples’ defiance in Burma. On Friday three more Burmese were added to the list. They are guilty of leaking State secrets to the media in exile. Retired Major Win Naing Kyaw, Thura Kyaw a.k.a. Aung Aung Ko and a commoner Go Byan Sein a.k.a. Ah See were arrested, tried and handed death sentence plus 20 years imprisonment, death sentence plus 15 years imprisonment and 15 years imprisonment respectively by Rangoon North District court sitting inside the Insein prison.
Those sentenced Burmese are active and retired government employees. Two of them are uniformed officers. It shows that military personnel and government employees continue opposing the rulers. Definitely there are more of such courageous people in service. One of them was the personal assistant to a former Lt. Genera who was killed in a mysterious helicopter crash in February 2001.
“State” is the favourite terminology of the regime and it stands for the regime. Whatever mandatory public work is done it is said to be the State’s contribution. For instance the expenditure for construction of a school is to say a gift by the “State”. So is all foreign assistance, which are handled, manipulated, siphoned and misused by the State as the people of Burma have no say at all. The same was applied with international aid for Cyclone Nargis which lashed Burma on May 2, 2008, resulting in catastrophic destruction and nearly 150,000 deaths. So the Head of the State deserves all the credit.
Twenty years ago it was the “People”, the annotation of Burmese Socialism for 26 years. Everywhere there were billboards which displayed “People”. But Burma became one of the Least Developed Countries in 1987. So thanks went to the Chairman of the Burma Socialist Program Party. Euphemism is the routine practice of the generals for the last 48 years in Burma and it is true till today.
Now it is death verdict for so-called State secrets! What are the secrets? What are the consequences if leaked to media and the public?
Obviously the leakages are official records of the State visits to three foreign countries namely North Korea, Russia and India. Apart from China, those are enthusiastic supporters of the regime. The people of Burma look at what the contents are of those documents, what agreements were reached with Burmese leaders by those three countries?
North Korea provided technology for secret underground tunnels around the new capital Naypyidaw. Nuclear technology is also shared by Kim Jong-il. Photographs of construction are available on Internet. And North Korea ships came to Burma water.
Through the number two of the regime, Russia promised nuclear and military hardware. It proved correct as Russia has signed a contract to deliver 20 MiG-29 fighter planes to Burma on Christmas eve. The contract is worth 400m Euros. The regime spends less than 3% of national expenditure on health, while the military consumes 40%.
What is there from the Republic of India? The 7-member delegation headed by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam would provide US$90 million for Kaladan project, US$10 million as loan for the same project, US$7 million for Cyber Optical Link, US$1.3 million for upgrading satellite ground station in Rangoon, establishment of ICT park in Mandalay, US$3 million for on-board training, (Physical Connectivity), (Electronic Connectivity), (Knowledge Connectivity) 50 officers form e-government training, 20 PhD students, upgrading science labs in Rangoon and Mandalay Universities, establishment of Entrepreneurship Development Center etc. The political assurance from India was gratefulness to the Roadmap and the promises given on 6 March 2006. India would defend Burma at the UN, ILO and UNHRC. India kept its promise and voted for SPDC at all three assemblies.
The sad news followed the announcement of increase in salaries by the end of January 2010. Therefore the regime is making rigorous self-assuring preparations for the forthcoming election which could be held this year. The message to the people is that they enjoy State’s salary increment and then to choose between 20-years or death sentence and vote for them.
Meanwhile in Burma a woman reporter for the Democratic Voice of Burma TV and radio was sentenced to 20 years. It is also equivalent to a death sentence.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
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