'400 Children A Day' Die In Burma

Original report : The Press Association

Hundreds of children aged under five, die from preventable diseases each day in military-ruled Burma, UN officials said.

The figures are the the second-worst mortality rate for children in Asia except for Afghanistan.

Dr Osamu Kunii, a nutrition expert in Burma for the UN, said there were between 100,000 to 150,000 child deaths per year in the country - or between 270 and 400 daily.

He was speaking at a briefing by Unicef of the presentation of its annual report - The State of the World's Children.

The mortality rate is a critical indicator of the well-being of children. About 21% of child deaths in Burma are caused by acute respiratory infection, followed by pneumonia, diarrhoea and septicaemia.

The report rated the country as having the 40th highest child mortality rate in the world. However, it said the death rate for young children in Burma had been reduced by 1.6% between 1990 and 2006.

In 2000, the World Health Organisation ranked Burma's overall health care system as the world's second worst after war-ravaged Sierra Leone.

Tens of thousands of people die each year from malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS, dysentery, diarrhoea and other illnesses.

Arrests Across The Country, Around Independence Day

7 January 2008
Original report by Naw Say Paw, DVB

Many members of the National League for Democracy Party across the country, have been arrested and detained just before 4 January, the Independence Day, it is reported. Areas, NLD member's name and position, dates of arrest, detention and release are listed as follows:

Shwe Bo, U Than Nyunt (Chairperson) + 4 members , 3 January to 5 January

Ye'Nan Chaung, U Khin Win (Chair), and U Than Aung (promotional team member) , 3 January, until 4 January, pm

Pwint Hpu, MP Dr Aung Moe Nyo + 5 members, 2 January until 4 January, pm

Rangoon, at least 10 (members + other activitists), on several occasions, still being detained.

"All the arrests were thought to be the authorities' desperate effort to stop the NLD members from celebrating the National Independence Day," remarked U Nyan Win of NLD communication team.

Public Movement Organising Committee's Open Letter

4 January 2008 (the Independence Day)

To His Excellency Senior General Than Shwe and Leaders of SPDC

This letter is written with the intention wholly and entirely in respect and appreciation of the freedom and dignity of every individual and the desire for the present and long-term well-being of the national economy and the love and respect of the nation.

It has been 60 years since our country gained Independence after many decades as a colony. However, far from enjoying the benefit of freedom and independence, people of this proud nation are suffering from civil wars and many other continuous problems such as lack of human rights and freedom, equality and justice under the law. Most of the people and their families are unable to avoid the curse of poverty at some point in their daily lives and all the difficulties and troubles which follow from that.

Moreover, the country and its citizens are deeply ashamed of the headaches and problems which our nation is causing in both the regional and international context.

Our ethnically united nation is facing and struggling to deal with political, humanitarian and economics issues. To avoid or find solutions to these problems and to recontruct a peaceful, humble and developed nation and society, it is most important to first achieve the united solidarity of the nation.

To negotiate meaningful discussion concerning our national affairs, there is no other way except for the discussion between SPDC leaders, democracy groups led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and all other ethnic leaders in a manner that is free, open, friendly, affectionate and equal to jointly find solutions to the country's problems.

Being a day early or late to start the meaningful discussions will have a huge impact on the benefits to the country. Therefore, we are determined to express the desire to constructively unite and join hands for the convening of immediate and genuinely meaningfull discussions.

It is vitally important for the fate of our nation that you, and I, and all of us, learn from the wounds of the past , draw the curtains for the final time, without any anger, hatred or revenge, look forward to the future in the eyes of tolerance love and affection.

Other than that, if we carry on as we are, riding on the parallel hard-line tracks , with our backs to each other, there will be no medicine to cure our crippling humanitarian and economic national ills. There is also no doubt that as a consequence of that, the public which is desperate and drowning in the sea of troubles and sufferings will lead to public revolution and create scenes of blood and tears.

Therefore, we hereby seriously and respectfully request and urge the leaders of SPDC to act for obvious and visible change towards improvement, meaning the unconditional release of every political prisoners from today 4 January (the Independence Day) while 12 February (the Union Day) being the final date for the release and the immediate start of genuine meaningful discussion, without delay.

Public Movement Organising Committee

1 All Burma Monks Alliance (ABMA)

2 United Groups of Ethnic Youths

3 All Burma Federation of Students Union

4 8888 Generation Students

5 Peace loving Muslim Organization

6 Generation Wave (New Blood Youth Organization)

7 Lawyers Union

8 Poets Union

9 New Generation Journalists Union

10 Public Activities Development Committee (Mandalay)

11 Public Activities Development Committee (Rangoon)

12 Writers and Artists Group

(To read the original letter published in DVB site please click here)