Burma’s Union Parliament Speaker misinforms on war with ethnic rebels
By Zin Linn
The Union Parliament Speaker of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar or Burma Thura U Shwe Mann met with parliament representatives in Yangon Region and responsible persons of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry at the meeting hall of Yangon Region Parliament on Pyay Road Friday afternoon, according to the New Light of Myanmar newspaper.
It was also attended by people’s parliament representatives, national parliament representatives and Yangon Region parliament representatives in Yangon Region, RUMFCCI President and CEC members, media persons and guests.
In his speech, Union Parliament Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann said that the meeting was to inform parliament representatives, traders, industrialists and media persons about the tasks the parliament and parliament representatives are implementing and will implement. The RUMFCCI is formed with 59 associations. As it is known to all that members of RUMFCCI have much experience in educational and economic fields. They are influential in dealing with the matters of socio-economic, management and administration.
Media persons represent the fourth estate. So they were invited to the meeting as they have the ability to analyze the ongoing tasks.
“In enacting laws, provisions are stated in the constitution to ensure check and balance between the parliament and the President. To ensure check and balance, delicacy and effectiveness are necessary. So, the parliaments, parliament committees and representatives are to perform their duties by correctly using their powers and rights,” the Union Parliament Speaker said.
The battles between the Burmese soldiers and KIA caused fear among the local people as well as in the nation. In this case, U Thein Zaw, a representative of the people’s parliament in Myitkyina, coordinated with authorities concerned and was able to put the situation under control, Union Parliament Speaker said.
He also said, “As a result, the region has restored peace and stability to nearly a full extent. Duty-conscious people and responsible and dutiful representatives of the people are required to act so in their regions. People’s representatives are to take precautionary measures if there is a likelihood of an attempt to harm peace and stability and to try to solve such problems without fail if they occur.”
However, people throughout the country do not agree with his speech because they have been listening to news on the armed conflict in Kachin State aired by foreign radio stations – BBC, VOA, RFA AND DVB. Battles are going on constantly, three Burmese soldiers were killed on Thursday afternoon in a clash with Kachin Independence Army (KIA) troops in Manje (Mansi) township in Manmaw district, Burma’s northern Kachin State, referring sources on the frontline Kachin News Group said.
The skirmish continued for 20 minutes, when two groups of soldiers from either side met near Sin Khan, according to a KIA officer from Battalion 12. There was no casualty on the KIA side, he added.
Eyewitnesses said they saw three bodies of Burmese soldiers were carried to Gawng Run village after the short armed clash. The skirmishing took place between the KIA’s Battalion 12 and the Burmese Army’s Mogaung-based Infantry Battalion (IB) No. 74, said KIA officers.
The Burmese Battallion No. 74 arrested Maraw Brang Mai and Salang Kaba La Seng, two civil administrative officers of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the political wing of the KIA on March 24, when it was deployed in Hpakant Township.
The war continues in KIA territories in the two states in Northern Burma – Kachin State and northern Shan State – after the President Thein Sein-led proxy military regime launched a military offensive against the KIO/KIA in Sang Gang in Manmaw (Bhamo) district, Kachin State on June 9.
The KIA is fighting against intruding Burmese troops under the newly-set “wide defensive policy” of the KIO/KIA, according to KNG.
On June 21, Lt-Col Soe Shwe, Commander of Tamonye-based Infantry Battalion No. 290, threatened civilians with death. He pronounced that people supporting the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its allies with meals, ration and military information in Northern Burma will be shot dead without any warning, said sources from local pro-government militia groups.
The worst is that at least 18 women and girls have been gang-raped by government soldiers since June 10. Four of these women were killed after being raped. One incident was so inhumane that the victim was raped in front of her husband, who was tied up and forced to watch. Another woman died from her injuries due to gang-rape, According to The Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT).
On June 17 in Sinbo, a woman with four children and three other girls under 20 years of age were raped by Burmese troops. Two particularly brutal incidents took place on June 18, in Dum Bung village, Bhamo. Government soldiers from LIB 437 caught six women and girls and gang- raped, and seven kids were killed cruelly. In Je Sawn village, Man Si township of Bhamo, soldiers from LIB 139 gang-raped a 7-year-old girl and her grandmother and killed them.
Therefore, the Union Parliament Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann’s recent speech to his special audience – people’s parliament representatives, national parliament representatives and Yangon Region parliament representatives in Yangon Region, RUMFCCI President and CEC members, media persons and guests – was totally different from the update news from the battle frontline in the Kachin State.
Otherwise, the Union Parliament Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann have no power at all to control the Burma armed forces that using rape as a weapon of war in the Kachin State. Or Thein Sein government has already planned to crack down all ethnic armed groups as its imperative enemies, as it does not accept the 1947 Pang Long accord.
