The Myanmar Times (a mouthpiece of Burma's State Peace and Development Council) reported last week that Natalie Glebova, Miss Universe 2005, was going to serve as a judge for a beauty pageant in Rangoon on December 16, 2007. 

Canadian Campaign for a Free Burma (CC4FB) has been investigating this and cannot find the story to be credible, but nor do they say it can be denied as of yet.  They were informed but cannot verify that Glebova's father told a Bangkok-based reporter from Canadian Broadcast Corp. (CBC) that the Myanmar Times story is "pure rubbish."

Because of her image, and the fact that she lives in Thailand and must be fairly aware of what has transpired in Burma recently, CC4FB is seeing the story as essentially "untrue until more evidence surfaces".  Given the information they are looking at, we have to agree.

One theory is that the story was deliberately planted to make pro-democracy groups outside of Burma look bad when they respond to the rumor with an outcry against Ms. Glebova.  In reality, we were suckered as well and wrote to the Miss Universe pageant. 

There can be a couple of other explanations for Myanmar Times "getting it wrong". 

First, we remind our readers that the media corps are not independent journalists.  Or, if you'll forgive us quoting Wikipedia, "The newspaper, although privately-owned by Myanmar Consolidated Media Co., Ltd., is affiliated to the government. Its publications are heavily censored by the Ministry of Information." 

So, it is possible that they simply got it wrong - we are guessing that Ms. Glebova was invited to judge the tournament.  Next, whether by officials of the government or by officials of the pageant, it is possible that a form of "operator" occurred in passing this information (about her being INVITED) to the Myanmar Times.  If they are not journalists trained to check all of their facts, it is possible that this rumor of her coming was reported as true, by mistake and due to a miscommunication.

Our second theory: the story was indeed planted by the regime, but not to make foreign groups look bad.  In our view, the only entity whose image is tarnished if she isn't going to Burma is the Myanmar Times.   So why would the regime plant the story?  Because, they believe in this form of gentle coercion.  That is, they invited her, and without hearing a clear denial from her, they reported it deliberately.  In this way, it would be much easier for her to say yes than to say no.

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Source: Radio Free Asia, Burmese language

Dec 3 2007

This might be an English language exclusive to Burma Confidential (but it will get out there tomorrow).  We learned this from several Burmese langauge sources: Htay Kywe has been (temporarily) released in order to attend his mother's funeral today.  His mother had been sick for four years. 

At Htay Kywe's request, he family deliberately concealed his arrest from her.  It is likely that his visit to her in the hospital led to his arrest.

Per Mizzima: 

Htay Kywe, one of the 88 generation student members, who led the September peoples' protest, was arrested after visiting his mother in Shwegonedine Special Clinic when her health deteriorated.

However, fearing that his mother's health might deteriorate further, Htay Kywe requested family members not to disclose his arrest to her. Daw Mi Mi Lay died unaware about her son's detention.

"Our mother was waiting for her son. Since she was terminally ill, we did not dare disclose the truth about him [Htay Kywe]. We appealed to the authorities to allow him to come to the hospital before mother died but not long after we made the request mother passed away," continued Khin San Myint.

Although his mother died from a long battle with cancer, it is appropriate to inform our readers that many other students have learned of their parents' deaths shortly after the students were taken in by the regime.  It is widely referred to as "death of a broken heart".   If the process for arrest, booking, charging and assigning legal counsel were transparent in Burma, this would not occur.  But what has happened on each occasion is that when the parents went to inquire as to their child's condition and whereabouts, the regime has said nothing.  The parents of 88 Generation Students rightly assume the worst and, believing their child to be in the process of being tortured, they cannot bear it.

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UPDATE:  LAST EVENING SCREENINGS & WEEKEND MORNING SCREENINGS

FAIRFAX CINEMA - 7807 Beverly Blvd. (Fairfax & Beverly)
THURSDAY NOV 1 at 8PM & 10PM Screenings

FILMMAKER MILENA KANEVA WILL BE PRESENTING AT THE FOLLOWING SCREENINGS:

SUNSET LAEMMLE - 8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046
SATURDAY, NOV 3 at 11AM
SUNDAY, NOV 4 at 11AM

LAEMMLE MONICA 4 THEATRE - 1332 2nd ST SANTA MONICA (this part will be updated)
The following Saturday and Sunday at 11 am

Click for clean image

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News & Analysis:

This act of defiance may seem small relative to September's events, but it should not be underestimated.  Pakokku is what sparked the nationwide monk movement.  From Khin Ohmar of APPPB:

At about 8 am this morning on October 31, about 100 (one hundred) monks held a peaceful march in the central Burma town of Pakkoku in Magwe Division, in lines of 3 and ended the walk back at the monestary after one hour.

According to Irrawaddy News Group, the monks marched through the town's streets chanting the “Metta Sutta” (the Buddha’s words on loving kindness). Many residents bowed before the protesting monks and the march ended peacefully about one hour later. 

Pakokku Monks March Again

By The Irrawaddy and AP
October 31, 2007

Story here.

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Urgent Actions Needed

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