[DEBATE] : (Fwd) Burma update

[Patrick Bond]

Dear Friends,
 
It's been reported that the SPDC Prime Minister General Soe Win has just passed away today. 
General Soe Win was receiving medial care in Singapore for some months before and was 
brought back to Burma from Singapore yesterday on October 1, due to his seriously 
deteriorating health condition.   

As you all are aware of, UN Special Envoy Gambari is in Burma and was allowed to meet pro-
democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.  Mr. Gambari has also met five members of the 
SPDC including senior general Than Shwe. The positive and substantial outcome of his trip to 
Burma is doubted by many in the international community but many in Burma are hopeful and 
have tried to meet him. We will give you another up on the proceedings and results of his visit 
in tomorrow briefer.
 
Meanwhile, heavy presence of army in the city continues as well as military regime's pre-
staged counter protests have been held at number of places in the country. Many people are 
forced to attend these counter protest rallies in Kyineton, Wetlet and Loi Kaw in Karenni (Kayah) 
State.
 
Around 2,000 monks and nuns are held and detained at Yangon Institute of Technology (YIT) 
and Government Technology Institute (GTI) and all together there are about 6,000 people are 
detained at four different sites.  Detained or arrested monks have been disrobed, shackled 
and moved to prisons miles away from Rangoon.
 
There are as many as 200 people have been killed although some media even estimated this 
number to be around 1,000.  More military raids are still happening at nights. Those people 
involved in protests are worried for their safety and many are on the run and in hiding. More 
monasteries were raided last night. 
 
Internet and media have been cut off by the military regime and some Burmese citizens who 
have been working with foreign news agencies have been harassed, physically attacked and 
arrested.  Despite these difficulties, we will continue to do our best to update you with 
information at hand.
 
Japan's Vice Foreign Minster requests a meeting with pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San 
Suu Kyi while Japan is considering to stop new aid to Burma.
 
Australia is not accepting new Burmese Ambassador, Thura Thet Oo Maung's credentials.  
He holds Brig-General position and had served in Shan and Karen State.  Australia refuses to 
accept him as a new ambassador on the basis him being military personnel.
 
We hope that the international community will not tolerate the "normalcy" brought by extreme 
brutality and cruelty.  We are, however, delighted to see the way some of the governments and 
the international community have responded to our country's situation and pouring solidarity 
supports from around the world at your individual as well as organizational levels.
 
For APPPB to make sure that all your efforts are informed and exchanged among each other 
and recorded, please send the information to the APPPB Secretariat @ 
<appartnership at gmail.com>  and also copy to me @ <freeburm at loxinfo.co.th>. 
 
Thank you.
 
In Solidarity,
 
Khin Ohmar
Coordinator, APPPB
Email: appartnership at gmail.com, freeburm at loxinfo.co.th 
Blog: www.apppb.blogspot.com