Thai PM refuses to step down despite ongoing protests; Thailand offers to mediate between Myanmar and KNU; Than Shwe urges political parties to abandon ‘foreign ideologies;’ Najib Razak to replace Abdullah Badawi as the next PM; Violence in Aceh peaks
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    • Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva refused to step down despite the ongoing protests with around 30,000 supporters of fugitive former premier Thaskin Shinawala sieging the government complex on March 261. Ahisit also rejected the national reconciliation bill which was proposed by the opposition Puea Thai Party with a view to paving a way for the return of Thaskin2.

    Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya meanwhile has agreed to help push the Karen National Union (KNU) to disarm its cadres3. The KNU on its part has welcomed Thailand’s offer to mediate with the Burmese government to forge reconciliation with it4. In other developments, the Thai government has assured Sri Lanka of its assistance in monitoring movements of LTTE members within Thailand5.

    In Myanmar, junta chief Than Shwe urged political parties to do abandon foreign ideologies if they wanted true democracy to emerge within the county6. The opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) meanwhile has issued a fresh appeal for permission to visit its leader Suu Kyi as well as some other central executive committee members7. The appeal was issued a few days after a UN panel stated that by keeping Suu Kyi under house arrest, the military junta had not only violated international law, but that it has violated the state law as well8.

    In Malaysia, reports noted that Najib Razak will replace Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the next PM. Najib has pledged to bring about reforms within the ruling UNMO party.
    However, reports also stated that allegations of corruption and murder against Najib, along with his low popularity ratings, may prove to be a hindrance in fulfilling that pledge9. In other developments, two Malaysian opposition newspapers have been banned for three months on charges of inciting hatred against the government10.

    Indonesia’s military has firmly denied US mining giant Freeport McMoran’s recent declaration that it had paid Indonesian troops to guard its Grasberg mine in Papua.
    Reports noted that despite efforts by the Indonesian government to stop such payments, they have continued11. Political violence meanwhile between former separatist guerrillas and the military has reached its peak in Aceh province, bringing into question the relevance of the 2005 Helsinki deal reached between the conflicting parties12. In other developments, Indonesia agreed to swap currency worth US$15 billion with China, as part of an effort to help boost confidence in the rupiah vis-a-vis the US dollar13.

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