Burma, More Forceful Sanctions May be Needed

On December 19 the Senate approved "The Burma Democracy Promotion Act", this places a new round of sanctions as well as travel restriction on Junta leaders and associates. The act also effectively outlaws the importing of gems and timber from Myanmar. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman, Joe Biden was quoted as saying, "The message to the people of Burma today is clear: The United States stands with you as you seek a peaceful, negotiated, transition to democratic civilian rule." A week earlier, U.S. President George W. Bush threatened to lead a a global campaign of sanctions against Myanmar If the Junta continues to defy calls for democratic rule.

It appears that more drastic steps may be necessary as today "The Democratic Voice Of Burma" is reporting that government brigade 66 continues to conscript new recruits by force. Brigade 66 is demanding that each village tract contribute one new recruit or pay 1500 Kyat (local currency) per household if they fail to do so. A villager from Chaung Gwa village in Nattalin township is quoted as saying “Our village group, which consists of four villages, had to pay 900,000 kyat to the military to hire a mercenary. We do not dare to complain about it,”

Meanwhile in Sibaw and Kyauk Mae townships in northern Shan state it is reported that local military brigades are demanding one new recruit from every household that has at least one male member.Failure to comply results in the family having to pay 100,000 kyat, a price many simply can not afford.

In other news from Burma today, Myo Thant or John Naw Thar as he is also known and two others, university student Zin Lin Aung and protester Htin Kyaw have been place in solitary confinement for staging a hunger strike while being held in Insein prison. the hunger strike is being staged as a call for the release of political prisoners. The trio reportedly began there strike at the end of November.

Preparing for Future Protest in Myanmar

A student at the Rangoon Eastern University says that the riot police battalion from Syriam has been seen taking additional anti-riot training at a football Field near the university. Apparently the police departments from Rangoon and Pakokku are undergoing the additional training so that they will be better prepared for any additional pro-democracy protest that should occur.

According to the student there were three instructor who had approximately 40-50 people line up as if they were protesters. The trainees would then kneel and aim mock rifles (sticks) at the crowd while keeping there batons handy students believe this is being done near the University as a show of strength and an attempt to intimidate them. The training is expected to last for about a month and focus on crowd control and basic military training.

The effectiveness of this attempt at intimidation may be questionable, in Pakhokku it has been reported that posters urging the monks to rise up again are being seen. The posters are thought to be an attempt to re spark the September uprising and are usually removed by police as quickly as they are found. The posters call for protest to be staged on January 4, Burma's Independence day. Some government employees say they have been ordered to work at monasteries so they can keep a close eye on the monks.

Pegu Division of the Zigone based Light Infantry Division known as LID 66 is now conscripting by force at least one person from each "village tract" in the rural areas of Myanmar. A village tract consist of about three to four villages. Zigone Township, for example, has 29 village tracts and therefor is required to conscript at least 29 new recruits by force if necessary.

On a more grim note the Junta has recently honored the soldiers who cracked down on the protesters during the September uprising with the Distinguished Social medal at the Tatmadaw (Army) museum while about 100 police vehicles performed military exercises in the Aung San Stadium.