Burma Democratic Concern has the firm determination to carry on doing until the democracy restore in Burma.

Wednesday 24 February 2010

The Burmese military government proposes to raise the salaries of its employees and make it at par with ASEAN countries. It is believed that the move is to woo voters for the forthcoming 2010 general elections.

“Prime Minister Thein Sein announced that a government employee will get eight times his current salary, when he visited Chin state,” said a secretary of the Township general administration.

A report said that the Finance Department is chalking out the new budget and the final draft will be completed in April 2010. The Finance Department will soon review the 2009 budget.

“Very senior employees nearing retirement will be paid compensation and made to retire from service. Employees above 45 years will also be paid compensation and pension. The rest of the employees will have their salaries increased by about eight times the current salary,” he added.

The Finance Minister General Hla Thun announced on 3 December 2009 that Ministers will get salaries on the scale of Kyat 15000-1000-200000 and Kyat 19000-2000-100000 in 2010.

“The increase in salary is welcome but the price of commodities will escalate immediately and the consequences for ordinary people will be bad,” said a government employee.

Most government employees are of the opinion that the salaries are being increased by the military junta to woo voters for the forthcoming 2010 general elections.- Khonumthung News
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Thailand to deport 1.3m
BANGKOK - MORE than 1.3 million mostly Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand are scrambling to file papers by end of this month to register for an exercise to verify their nationality, failing which they may face deportation.

The 'nationality verification' exercise theoretically will help the workers get additional social security benefits in Thailand. The workers need to register by Sunday to begin the process, which could take up to two years to complete.

One problem for many though is that the Myanmar authorities have been dragging their feet over the process, and even extracting money in some instances, leaving many in limbo just days before the Feb 28 deadline. Many Myanmar workers are fearful of giving their personal information to the authorities back home.

The Thai authorities have refused to extend the deadline despite increasing calls from international rights organisations to do so.

Thai officials say they are fully aware of the issues of human rights. And given the logistics of deporting more than a million people - and the disruption to the Thai economy - it is likely that the deportation may be deferred.

In a written response on Monday to a letter from the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other organisations, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: 'We are certainly well aware that the question of deportation needs to take into account both the enforcement of immigration law and respect for human rights.
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Myanmar: Government claims destruction of poppy plantations figures hits 13139.09 acres
Source: Government of Myanmar - During the poppy cultivation season for 2009-10, a total of 13139.09 acres of poppy plantation - 12705.65 acres from 1 September 2009 to 13 February 2010 and 433.33 acres from 14 to 20 February 2010 - have been destroyed.

The total acres of poppy plantation that have been destroyed from 14 to 20 February 2010 were 149.85 acres in Tangyan, Namhkam, Kutkai and Mongyan Townships of Shan State (North), 25. 5 acres in Phekhon and Kunhing Townships of Shan State (South), 134.3 acres in Mongton, Mongping and Monghsat Townships of Shan State (East) and 123.79 acres in Tanai, Waingmaw and Phakant Townships of Kachin State.
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