Photo News - July 2012

Burma prepares for SEA Games

Zabuthiri Football Stadium in which the opening and the closing ceremonies of SEA Games will be held in December 2013. Sports Minister Tint San said that more than 80 per cent of the construction work for the stadium has been completed and it will be finished by December 2012. He said Burmese athletes could win up to 100 medals. Photo: Myo Thant/Mizzima

A javalin athlete trains at Lewe Field in Naypyitaw on July 23. Photo: Mizzima / Myo Thant

Vice President Sai Mauk Kham and members of the Committee for Preparation of the 27th SEA Games speak to athletes at Lewe Field in Naypyitaw on July 23. Photo: Mizzima / Myo Thant

Dr. Sai Mauk Kham and Sports Ministe Tint San observe athletes at Lewe Field in Naypyitaw on July 23. Photo: Mizzima / Myo Thant

Zabuthiri Football Stadium in Naypyitaw. Photo: Mizzima / Myo Thant

Archers at the archer training field in Naypyitaw prepare for the 27th SEA Games.

A cycling practice field in Naypyitaw awaits athletes. Photo: Mizzima / Myo Thant

Vice President Dr. Sai Mauk Kham, patron of the Committee for Preparation of the 27th SEA Games, and the government coordination committee in Naypyitaw on July 23, 2012. He said Burmese athletes have a chance to write history. Photo: Mizzima / Myo Thant

Vice President Sai Mauk Kham speaks at a meeting of the government’s coordination committee, in Naypyitaw on July 23. Photo: Lin Ko Ko Htet / Mizzima

Sports Ministe Tint San speaks at a meeting of the government’s coordination committee in Naypyitaw on July 23. Photo: Lin Ko Ko Htet / Mizzima

A female weight lifter trains at Lewe Field in Naypyitaw on July 23, 2012, to prepare for the 27th SEA Games. Photo: Mizzima / Myo Thant

A female Tai Chi Chuan [Chinese marital arts] athlete trains at Lewe Field in Naypyitaw on July 23 to prepare for 27th SEA Games. Photo: Mizzima / Myo Thant

Derek Mitchell, the first U.S. ambassador to Burma in 22 years, speaks to local and foreign media at the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon on Friday, July 20, 2012. He said that the U.S. has donated US$ 3 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization to buy 3,400 tons of food, which is enough for six months for 55,000 refugees in Kachin and northern Shan states. Photo: Mizzima

People turn out for NLD Martyrs Day ceremony

A child holds a picture of Gen. Aung San at the commemoration of Martyrs Day at the National League for Democracy (NLD) headquarters in Rangoon on Thursday, July 19, 2012. For the first time in recent years, top government officials held a ceremony at the Martyrs Mausoleum in Rangoon. The government denied gatherings at a number of cities across the country. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

People hold a moment of silence in front of the NLD headquarters on Friday, July 19, 2012, to commemorate Martyrs Day. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

National League for Democracy (NLD) chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi attends the commemoration of Martyrs Day at the National League for Democracy headquarters in Rangoon on Thursday, July 19, 2012. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

National League for Democracy (NLD) chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi speaks at NLD headquarters on Thursday, July 19. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

Aung San Suu Kyi speaks at the commemoration of Martyrs Day at the National League for Democracy headquarters on Thursday, July 19, 2012. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi prays in honour of her late father, independence hero Gen. Aung San, during a ceremony to mark the country's 65th anniversary of Martyrs Day at the Martyrs Mausoleum in Rangoon on Friday, July 19, 2012. The memorial is a tribute to Aung San and several other independence leaders who were killed on July 19, 1947. Photo: AFP

Vice president Sai Mauk Kham at a ceremony to mark the country's 65th anniversary of Martyrs Day at the Martyrs Mausoleum in Rangoon on Friday, July 19, 2012. Photo: President's office

Burmese Ambassador to Thailand Tin Win at Wat Sai Moon Buddhist Monastery in Chiang Mai on Tuesday, July 17, 2012. The Burmese Buddhist Abbot Arthaba, 91, died on December 19, 2011. Thailand’s Department of Religion and Thai monks are preparing to replace U Arthaba with a Thai Buddhist monk, but the Burmese community objects to the plan. For many years, succession of Burmese abbots took place at the monastery. Tin Win said he would work to have a Burmese abbot appointed. Photo: Mizzima

Wat Sai Moon Buddhist Monastery in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Photo: Mizzima

Commerce Minister Win Myint and Rangoon Region Chief Minister Myint Swe at the opening of the Myanmar Rice Industry Association conference at the Myanmar Convention Center in Rangoon on Saturday July 14, 2012. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

Rangoon Region Chief Minister Myint Swe at the conference of Myanmar Rice Industry Association (MRIA) at the Myanmar Convention Center in Rangoon on Saturday, July 14, 2012. Myint Swe will be nominated as the new vice president. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

Commerce Minister Win Myint and Rangoon Region Chief Minister Myint Swe at the Myanmar Rice Industry Association conference at the Myanmar Convention Center on Saturday, July 14, 2012. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

Commerce Minister Win Myint speaks at the Myanmar Rice Industry Association’s conference  in Rangoon on Saturday, July 14, 2012. He told the confeence the ministry would allow people to import agricultural machinery and farm equipment freely. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

Rangoon Region Chief Minister Myint Swe  at the Myanmar Rice Industry Association conference in Rangoon on Saturday, July 14, 2012. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

Myanmar Rice Industry Association chairman Chit Khaing at the conference in Rangoon on Saturday, July 14, 2012. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shakes hands with Burmese President Thein Sein before a meeting in Siem Reap on Friday, July 13, 2012. Clinton met Thein Sein for talks days after Washington eased its sanctions against Burma on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, the U.N.  High Commissioner for Refugees, speaks at a press conference in Rangoon on Thursday, July 12, 2012. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, the U.N.  High Commissioner for Refugees, speaks at a press conference in Rangoon on Thursday, July 12, 2012. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

The newly accredited U.S. Ambassador to Burma Derek Mitchell presents his letter of credence to Burmese President Thein Sein at the Presidential Palace in Naypyitaw on Wednesday, July 11, 2012. Mitchell is the first U.S. ambassador to Burma in 22 years, a sign of normalized diplomatic relations between the two countries. Photo: President Office

Antonio Manuel de Oliveira Guterres,  left, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, greets Thura Shwe Mann, the speaker of Burma's Lower House of Parliament in Naypyidaw on Wednesday, July 11, 2012. Photo: AFP

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) foreign ministers and Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsawan join hands for a group photo during the 45th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on Tuesday, July 10, 2012. Photo: Asean

Celebrated actor and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Jackie Chan speaks at a press conference held at the Sedona Hotel in Rangoon on Saturday, July 7. Chan was in Burma to campaign against child trafficking. He met Burmese officials and also traveled to Mandalay to speak with children and officials. Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Jackie Chan speaks to the press in Rangoon on Saturday, July 7, 2012. The action movie star said, “Trafficking and exploiting children are horrific crimes. They leave lifelong scars and rob children of their childhoods.” Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

Prominent 88-Generation Student Group leaders on Saturday mark the 50th anniversary of the destruction of Rangoon Student Union building, which was attacked and dynamited by General Ne Win’s government on July 7, 1962. 88-generation student leaders Zaw Zaw Min, Htay Kywe, Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi and Ko Ko Gyi and members of All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) attended the ceremony. ABFSU leaders D Nyein Lin, Sithu Maung, Phyo Phyo Aung and Ye Myint Hein were arrested on July 6, but they were released the next day after protests by human rights groups. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

88-Generation leader Min Ko Naing speaks at the commemoration to mark the anniversary of the destruction of the Rangoon University Student Union building in 1962, in which many students were killed. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

88-Generation Student leader Ko Ko Gyi speaks to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of students at Rangoon University during demonstrations that saw the dynamiting of the Student Union building in 1962. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

88-Geneation leader Htay Kywe speaks on Saturday, July 7, 2012, at the commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary of the destruction of the Rangoon University Student Union building. Photo: Myo Thant / Mizzima

UNICEF Burma Representative Ramesh Shrestha welcomes movie star Jackie Chan at the Mandalay International Airport on Thursday, July 5, 2012, before he meets with officials and children on a three-day tour to combat child trafficking. Photo: UNICEF

Jackie Chan is in Burma as a UNICEF ambassador for a 3-day mission to help raise awareness on child trafficking. He  will also visit with government officials in Naypyitaw, the capital. Photo: UNICEF

Jackie Chan, standing center, with UNICEF staff members in Mandalay on Thursday, July 5, 2012.  Burma has made important changes during the past year, in association with the International Labour Organization, to combat human trafficking. Photo: UNICEF

Members of the Burmese Parliament attend the opening of the Lower House session in Naypyitaw on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. The issue of sectarian unrest in Rakhine State is expected to be raised and discussed. Photo: AFP

Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to the media during a press conference at the National League for Democracy Party headquarters in Rangoon on Tuesday, July 3, 2012, following the decision to postpone her debut in the country's Parliament this week to give herself time to recover from a gruelling European tour. Photo: AFP

Hundreds of supporters crowd around Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, center, upon her arrival at Yangon International Airport on Saturday, June 30, 2012, after her five-nation European tour. Photo: AFP