Suu Kyi's party to contest Myanmar by-elections

The party of Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, which boycotted last year's general election, said on Friday it would contest upcoming by-elections, the latest sign of political rapprochement under a new civilian government.

Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi shakes hands with people outside the National League for Democracy (NLD) head office after a meeting in Yangon November 18, 2011.

The 106-member Central Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD) voted unanimously to register the party, which was officially dissolved last year by the then military regime, and contest the by-elections, it said.
At a meeting to decide whether to re-register, Suu Kyi told members she was in favour of the party contesting the house seats, but she did not say whether she herself was interested in becoming a member of parliament.
"In my opinion, I would like the party to re-register and to run in the by-elections in all the 48 constituencies," she told the meeting, which was attended by reporters.
No date has been announced for the by-elections but they are expected by the end of the year.
The NLD, Myanmar's biggest opposition force, won a 1990 election by a landslide but the country's military refused to cede power and for the following two decade suppressed the party's activities, putting many of its members in prison.
The party boycotted the next election, held on November 7 last year, because of strict laws that prevented many of its members from taking part. As a result, the authorities officially dissolved it but it has continued to function and enjoys strong support from the public.
Myanmar recently amended a political party law removing a clause barring anyone convicted of a crime from joining a party or taking part in an election, paving the way for those who had served a prison term, including Suu Kyi, to contest the polls.
Suu Kyi, the daughter of late independence hero Aung San and a staunch opponent of the military dictators, spent 15 of the previous 21 years in detention before her release from house arrest a year ago.
CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate commands considerable influence over the party and the unanimous vote supporting her viewpoint was widely expected.
NLD insiders said the party was split on contesting last year's election but voted unanimously to boycott the polls after Suu Kyi said she "would not dream" of taking part.
The decision to amend the party laws was widely seen as a move to bring the NLD into Myanmar's new legislative apparatus, which has operated more freely than expected and allowed the kind of public debate that was forbidden under the military.
But even if it wins in all the by-elections, it would still be a minority voice in a parliament dominated by soldiers and proxies of the military, which ruled Myanmar for five decade before the civilian government took office in March.
Ko Ko Hlaing, a senior advisor to President Thein Sein, said on the sidelines of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Bali that the NLD's decision was a "significant step."
"(Suu Kyi's) party will be a formidable opposition force in the parliament. That is a very good formula for the democratic system," he told Reuters on Friday.
"So there are no political forces outside the constitutional framework. So we can work together ... (in a) truly democratic system."
The presence of Suu Kyi's party in parliament would be another sign of openness that could give more legitimacy to the retired generals in charge of the country, who are eager to be accepted by the public at home and the international community.
For that same reason, Myanmar lobbied hard for a chance to chair the 10-member ASEAN in 2014, two years ahead of schedule.
Under the leadership of Thein Sein, the government has started a dialogue with Suu Kyi, moves welcomed by the West, which has imposed sanctions on the country because of its poor human rights record.
The government recently released more than 230 political prisoners, eased media censorship and sought guidance from international financial institutions.
Many analysts believe Suu Kyi will not run for a parliamentary seat herself so she can focus on reconciliation and engagement with the government and international community.

Analysis - Obama gambles on Myanmar reforms

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is gambling that the United States can nudge Myanmar further towards true political reform, a bet that could bring major diplomatic and economic benefits for both countries after more than 50 years of estrangement.

U.S. President Barack Obama is pictured among participants of the ASEAN-US Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, November 18, 2011.

Obama's announcement that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Myanmar early next month marks a new stage of engagement with the country's new civilian government, which has enacted a series of reforms since it took over from the military after an election last year..
For the United States, rapprochement with Myanmar could eventually open a promising untapped market at the heart of the world's most economically vibrant region and counterbalance China, which has long been Myanmar's most important political and economic partner.
For Myanmar's civilian leaders the U.S. decision may mean the start of a broader political rehabilitation that could see economic sanctions eased or removed and the impoverished country begin to catch up with its booming neighbours.
But for both, it is a gamble that U.S. pressure and Myanmar's internal reforms will succeed in rolling back decades of entrenched military power and deliver real results rather than a fig-leaf for continued authoritarian control.
"This is the most important progress we have seen since the military took over and destroyed what should have been the wealthiest country in Southeast Asia," said David Steinberg, a Myanmar expert at Georgetown University.
"There has been some real effort at reform by the government, and the U.S. should do everything it can to increase the probability that it will continue."
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
Obama signed off on the trip after speaking with veteran Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who told him she favoured more U.S. engagement and a Clinton visit.
Suu Kyi, in a further vote of confidence in the reform process, said she supported her National League for Democracy taking part upcoming by-elections -- a step which could see the party start to emerge as a real opposition in parliament..
Aung Din, a former political prisoner who now heads the U.S. Campaign for Burma advocacy group, said he welcomed Clinton's trip but worried that the reforms announced thus far were fragile and incomplete.
"I hope that the regime will take this seriously and respond positively by releasing all the remaining political prisoners," he told Reuters. "There is some risk that they may not continue to change."
Obama and Clinton have emphasized that Myanmar's leaders -- who this week won their bid to chair the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2014 -- must do more to reform, release more political prisoners and end long-running conflicts in ethnic-minority areas.
Clinton said she would use her visit on December 1 to press home these points.
"One of the reasons that I'm going is to test what the true intentions are and whether there is a commitment to both economic and political reform," she told CNN.
"STAMP OF APPROVAL"
But analysts said Clinton's trip underscored Washington's belief that Myanmar was finally shaking off domination by the military, which took power in a 1962 coup and killed thousands in a crackdown in 1988.
"This is designed to give a very clear stamp of approval," said Priscilla Clapp, a retired diplomat who served as chief of the U.S. mission in Myanmar from 1999 to 2002 and is now a senior advisor at the Asia Society.
"All of the things we have been asking for the last 20 years are now suddenly happening, and the United States had to find a way to respond. They can't remove the sanctions right away, so this was one way to do it."
The Obama administration began cautiously opening to Myanmar in 2009, and the drive has gained steam in recent months as the military-backed civilian government freed a first batch of political prisoners and took other reform steps.
The United States has had broad economic sanctions on Myanmar since 1988, and the European Union, Australia and Canada have also imposed sanctions in an effort to put pressure on the ruling junta..
While U.S. officials say lesser bans such as travel limits on officials are being relaxed, movement on major U.S. economic sanctions would require action by Congress where many lawmakers remain sceptical about the country's leadership.
Ernest Bower, director of the Southeast Asia program at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and former head of the US-ASEAN Business Council, said many U.S. businesses hoped the door may open to the country, which has a population of about 54 million and rich resources including natural gas, minerals and timber.
"This is an incredible opportunity. You just don't find an Asian economy that has been untouched by the developed countries for the last 40 years," Bower said.
RED TAPE
Even if sanctions are eased quickly -- an unlikely prospect -- analysts say it would take time for foreign businesses to move in, citing Myanmar's extensive red tape and lack of treaties on investment or trade protection.
While businesses may have to wait for any payoff, the diplomatic benefits are clear as long as the reform process continues.
For Obama, Myanmar may represent the best hope for success in his policy of engagement with traditional U.S. foes, which has hit a brick wall with Iran, North Korea and Syria.
Strengthening ties with Myanmar also plays into the broader U.S. strategy of countering China's rising influence. Myanmar in September scrapped plans for a huge dam built and financed by Chinese firms, and Washington is eager to see it move further out of Beijing's orbit.
"I don't think anyone strategically wants to see Burma just become a quarry or a mine for China," said Sean Turnell, an expert on Myanmar at Australia's Macquarie University. "The Burma issue is one where Obama can really reassert that the U.S. is back in Asia, and not going to let China dominate.

Refugee face shortage of water in Lada camp

Teknaf, Bangladesh: The refugees of Lada unofficial camp have been facing shortage of water since the first week of April 2011, said a refugee leader from the camp who prefers not to be named.

Refugee waiting for water at water supply station in the camp

The Lada Refugee Camp is managed by Muslim Aid UK, including healthcare programs and Solidarity UK is working for the sanitation program in the camp, according to a NGO official from camp.

“The water shortage is facing in the camp while the Solidarity UK and local fighting for employing in the field work since last April, 2011. The local blocked the water way and drainage through their land. Locals are not allowing to supply water from cannel through their land.”

“The Solidarity UK had left their project from camp after cashed with locals and local leaders (Local MP and village members). But, the refugees are facing the shortage of water after clashed.”

Muslim Aid UK - as a managing NGO in the camp - has not solved the water problem and keep aside, said a refugee leader from camp.

“There are more than 12,000 refugees in the camp, but the management only provides eight water stations. We get only two pots per day,” said Sara Khatoon from camp.

At present, the refugees are not able to cook their food; they are even unable to take baths or to wash their clothes. And also the refugees are not allowed to take water from local area by locals, said Amina from the camp.

The local people neighboring the camp disturb the refugee women and girls when they go to the streams to fetch water from nearby a bottom of a mountain.

“Most of the children are facing various skin diseases because of the water crisis and the overall unhygienic situation.”

Now, the refugee children are also suffering from malaria, typhoid and fever because of unhygienic situation. The drains are blocked with dirty water, said a committee member on condition of anonymity.