Burma: Junta Rebrands

Burma’s military junta, which seized power in a 1988 coup, no longer officially exists following the new “Union Government” being sworn in on Wednesday morning, state media announced.

MRTV said on Wednesday that regime supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe had signed into effect the dissolution of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Alongside the SPDC, other state /division level, district level, township level and ward/ village level Peace and Development Council offices have been dissolved and ordered to close by the Burmese dictator.

The move coincided with President Thein Sein’s announcement of all the appointed ministers to the new government. According to MRTV, Maj-Gen Hla Min is the new minister of defense, Lt-Gen Ko Ko is minister of home affairs, Maj-Gen Thein Htay has been appointed as both minister of border affairs and minister of national industrial development, while ex-military officer Wanna Maung Lwin has been assigned the role of foreign minister.

Under the 2008 constitution, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces has the authority to appoint the ministers of defense, home affairs, and border affairs.

On Wednesday, military sources in Naypyidaw said Gen Min Aung Hlaing, currently the joint chief of staff (army, navy, air force), will be appointed Than Shwe’s successor as commander-in-chief of the Tatmadaw [armed forces], confirming previous speculation among many military observers.

Although the SPDC may officially have ceased to exist, military sources said that Than Shwe and top junta officials—such as Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye, ex-Gen Shwe Mann (current Lower House speaker), ex-Gen Thein Sein (current president), ex-Gen Tin Aung Myint Oo (current vice-president), ex Lt-Gen Tin Aye (current Union Election Commission chairman) and Min Aung Hlaing—through their power within the “Supreme Council,” will continue to be the de facto leaders of the country.

Like the North Korean model, Than Shwe will be de facto head of state of the Republic of Union of Myanmar like Kim Jong Il, while President Thein Sein will be de jure head of state like Kim Yong Nam, the sources said.

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March 30, 2011 | | Tags: | No Comments »

Palestinian Land Day: Settlement Activities Quadrupled in 2010

Researchers of the Palestinian Census Bureau revealed in an official research that “Israel’s” settlement construction in occupied Palestinian had quadrupled in 2010 comparing to the number of settlement units constructed in 2009. This escalation in settlement activities occurred despite “Israel’s” claimed 10-month settlement freeze in 2010.

The Bureau issued a statement on the eve of March 30, the Palestinian Land Day, stating that in 2010, “Israel” built 6764 housing units for Jewish settlers in Jewish only settlements built in the occupied West Bank, and in occupied East Al Quds (Jerusalem), comparing to 1703 units built in 2009.

The significant increase in settlement construction and expansion took place despite the so-called 10-month freeze in construction that was declared by the government on “Israeli” Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in 2010.

Last month, the Palestinian Authority headed to the United Nations Security Council to obtain a ruling that obliges “Israel” to halt its settlement activities in the occupied territories, the United States used its Veto power to topple the vote.

In addition, the Palestinian Census Bureau stated that data collected in the occupied territories revealed that the number of settlement outposts and military bases increased to 470 in 2010 as seven new settlement outposts were built while 141 settlements were expanded.

Settlement outposts are outposts installed by settlers without the approval of the “Israeli” government. Although a few outposts were removed by the “Israeli” army, outposts generally expand to become “recognized” settlements and start receiving full services by “Israel”.

The Bureau also stated that the “Israeli” Annexation Wall built deep in the West Bank and not on the Green Line (that separates between “Israel” and the West Bank) led to the annexation of 733 square kilometers (%13 of the West Bank).

Only in 2010, “Israel” demolished 31 Palestinian homes in occupied East Al Quds (Jerusalem) as in 2009 the Jerusalem Municipality handed dozens orders to demolish homes that belong to Palestinian residents of Silwan, Shu’fat, Sheikh Jarrah and other Arab neighborhoods in the city.

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