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Despite a surplus of rice in some parts of the country, such as Arakan State, consumer rice prices have doubled in the past several months.

NLD Wants Offices Reopened

Executives, women and youth from branches of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) throughout Burma are pressing the junta to allow their offices to reopen. All of the opposition party’s offices have been closed since May 31. The campaign began when Rangoon Division members in all 40 townships filed their demands in letters to the township election commissions on Oct 22. Members from Mandalay and Magwe divisions forwarded their demands soon thereafter. The letters say that the NLD is a legal political party and should be able to perform party duties systematically and peacefully. The government has not yet responded to the demands.

DKBA Soldier Killed in Drug Sting

Thai anti-narcotics officers posing as drug buyers killed a soldier from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) in early November. Officers seized 90,000 methamphetamine pills, a 9mm pistol and a hand grenade from the 35-year-old dealer, who opened fire on police as they tried to apprehend him. The sting took place northwest of Mae Sot, Thailand, across the Moei River from the headquarters of the DKBA’s 907th Battalion. The DKBA is a Karen National Union splinter group which forged a ceasefire agreement with the military government in 1994.

Mass Arrest of Burmese in New Dehli

Police clearing a demonstration by Burmese asylum seekers at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees office in New Dehli arrested over 400 people on Nov 12. Demonstrators clashed with the officers, resulting in many injuries caused by police wielding batons and using water cannons to disperse the crowd, according to an eyewitness. Police sources told Indian daily newspapers that 22 Burmese and 12 police officers were hurt. Demonstrators returned to the scene the following day, and another 222 were arrested. Only 24 remain in detention, on charges of illegal entry and rioting. The demonstrators are demanding refugee status and resettlement in a third country.

Bangladesh Holds Burmese Terror Suspects

Bangladeshi police arrested seven Burmese suspected of being terrorists in early October. A Bangladesh trade group spokesperson said the men are legal traders from Rangoon who came to the country to study setting up a cold storage complex near Chittagong. The men were picked up by police two days after their visas expired and remain in prison. Their lawyer told Narinjara news service, a Bangladesh-based exile media group from Burma, that he was unaware what grounds the police had for alleging the men were involved in terrorist activities. Bangladeshi traders worry the incident will threaten bilateral trade, which declined by one-third in the month of September.