UN rights expert dismayed over continued arrests, detentions

keralanext.com : Nearly five months after Myanmar’s forceful crackdown on peaceful protesters, political and human rights activists continue to be arrested, detained and sentenced to prison, an independent United Nations expert said today.

US Imposes New Sanctions on Burma

VOA News – David Gollust : The United States Tuesday imposed additional sanctions against Burma over the military government’s human rights violations and suppression of democracy. The new Treasury Department action targets family members of Burmese leaders and business figures associated with the Rangoon government. VOA’s David Gollust reports from the State Department.

U.S. Imposes Sanctions Against Some in Myanmar

he Associated Press : WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department said it’s imposing more financial sanctions against Myanmar.The Bush administration said it will take action against the country’s military rulers “and those who prop it up so long as human rights violations continue and democracy is suppressed.”

Chinese residents in Myanmar to hold lin dance competitions

Xinhua : Myanmar-Chinese residing in the Chinatown area in Myanmar’s biggest city of Yangon will hold the third traditional lion dance competitions during the forthcoming lunar new year, an event organizer told Xinhua Tuesday, two days ahead of the fall of Chinese Spring Festival.

Blogger mysteriously missing; authorities deny arresting him

(Mizzima/IFEX) – The Burmese blogger, Nay Phone Latt, allegedly arrested by the police on 29 January 2008, has mysteriously gone missing, according to his mother, Daw Aye Aye Than. Daw Aye Aye Than said her son’s whereabouts could not be confirmed as the authorities have denied detaining him.

Funeral fund’s announcements blocked

DVB : The Free Funeral Service Society’s announcements in the weekly Ray of Light journal have been banned by the government censor board, a donor to the charity said. The FFSS regularly publish announcements in the journal on funding they have received from private donors.

Burmese students protest against “illegal detention” of their 34 countrymen

Kolkata : Members of the All Burma Students League (ABSL) on Monday staged a demonstration alleging that 34 nationals of Burma were ‘illegally detained’ in India since 1998.

Burma’s censors are now also code-breakers

Saw Yan Naing : Burma’s censorship authorities have found new tools to monitor submitted written manuscripts before approval—mirrors and magnifying glasses.

Rangoon-based writers told The Irrawaddy that censors working in the Press Scrutiny and Registration Board office are now equipped with mirrors and magnifying glasses to help them seek out hidden messages in poems, novels, stories and advertisements.

Illegal Rambo VCDs circulating Rangoon

Nay Thwin : Despite the Burmese government’s effort to ban the recently released Hollywood film Rambo, local esidents in Rangoon say a downloaded version of the movie is making its way among a circle of friends. While cinema halls cannot show the movie, which takes as its storyline Burma’s current political crisis, and video rental shops in Rangoon are not to posses copies, a downloaded version from the Internet is making its rounds, said a local resident, who wished not to be named.

Calls to reform exiled government grow

Wai Moe : Debate over the need for Burma’s government-in-exile to reform has become louder, as elected leaders living in exile prepare to meet for a conference of the Members of Parliament Union (MPU), scheduled to be held soon on the Thai-Burma border.
San Aung, of the Washington-based National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), told The Irrawaddy that some exiled politicians want the exiled government to reform, and especially to include more ethnic leaders.