Burma Democratic Concern has the firm determination to carry on doing until the democracy restore in Burma.

Thursday 11 February 2010

Burma: You Can Win

Burma: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on "Unity in Diversity"

Unity in diversity has to be the principle of those who genuinely wish to build our country into a strong nation that allows for a variety of races, languages, beliefs and cultures to flourish in peaceful and happy coexistence. Only a government that tolerates opinions and attitudes different from its own will be abel to create an environment where peoples of diverse traditions and aspirations can breathe freely in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust.

(Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's Elected Legitimate Leader)

Burma Constitutional Conference (Discussion 4)

The International Community and UN : Lack of Focus on SPDC's 2008 Constitution. From the aspect of the Rule of Law, major flaws of the SPDC's 2008 Constitution are found, inter alias, as follows: (1) The Constitution does not guarantee equality. The military, as a privileged class, assumes state powers, in terms of the legislature, executive and judiciary, which is contrary to the major concept of the rule of law, that is, every person is equal before the law.....

Internet cafes ordered to keep tabs on users

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – In a renewed attempt at putting internet users on the leash, internet cafe owners in Pegu have been ordered by the Chairman of Pegu Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) in Burma to keep a record of personal profiles of internet users.

The TPDC Chairman Aung Swe Myint summoned internet cafe owners to his office on February 5 and told them to maintain a record of internet users including their names and addresses. The orders, he said, percolated from the higher authorities.

"He called us to a meeting at 10 a.m. today and told us to keep a record of names and addresses of users. We had to sign on a paper acknowledging the order. He mentioned it was for security reasons," an internet cafe owner in Pegu told Mizzima.

Earlier, cafe owners had to note down names of users only. Now they have to record their addresses keeping users on tenterhooks. Most are youths, another internet cafe owner said.

"However, one is not sure if the addresses given are true. Anyway we have to note down whatever our customers tell us. The new regulation is another blow to internet freedom," he said.

There are over 20 internet cafes spread over Pegu. Most cafes use generators as they receive electricity on a rotational basis. And they charge users Kyat 400 per hour.

Most internet users in Pegu are young students, internet cafe owners in Pegu said.

"Our acquaintances know well what we do on the net. We don't use the internet for business purposes but for acquiring knowledge," an internet user told Mizzima.

The Thai based Burma Media Association (BMA) Vice-Chairman Zin Lin said that the new internet regulation violated Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which stipulates freedom in seeking and dissemination of knowledge.