Match-fixing scandal at South East Asian Games;

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A senior Vietnamese soccer official has resigned over a match-fixing scandal at the recent Southeast Asian Games, the Vietnam Football Federation said.

                   Last week, police arrested star striker Pham Van Quyen and midfielder Le Quoc Vuong for helping fix the game in which Vietnam defeated Myanmar 1-0. The two reportedly received tens of thousands of dollars (euros) from a local betting ring for agreeing to ensure that their team won by only one goal.

                  Five of their team-mates have also been questioned and suspended pending a police investigation.

                  Tho reportedly told the VFF leadership that he found out about the plan just two minutes before the match, too late for him to do anything, according to Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper.                 

                  The SEA Games scandal is only the latest, though perhaps worst, embarrassment to befall the country's corruption-plagued sport.

                  Nearly two dozen referees, coaches and sports officials are facing criminal charges for various match-fixing incidents in the past year.

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Refugee International told United Nations Security Council that;

Refugees International, a humanitarian advocacy organization, has worked in more than 30 countries worldwide, including a number of states where the United Nations Security Council has become involved. We consider Burma to be a country which requires immediate Security Council debate and action and we applaud the decision of the Council to request a formal briefing on Burma.

                   Burma is one of the most neglected humanitarian and human rights crises in the world. As a result of severe restrictions by the government on access to the most vulnerable people, it is virtually impossible to reach large segments of the population most in need and provide an appropriate response. The Burmese government has not provided any kind of protection to a majority of its citizens. Consequently, people often have no choice but to flee to neighbouring countries in search of protection.

                  The large refugee outflow from Burma has regional implications. In previous instances of Security Council action, such as Afghanistan, Haiti and Rwanda, refugee outflows and internal displacement have been key indicators considered by the Council in determining the existence of a threat to peace. The flow of people out of Burma is Southeast Asia's largest migration movement. Most of the Governments in countries neighbouring Burma have not signed the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and consider only a small number of Burmese on their soil to be genuine refugees. The majority of the Burmese asylum seekers, with legitimate fear of persecution, are incorrectly classified in neighbouring countries as economic migrants.

                  The actual number of refugees from Burma may be significantly underreported.

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Professor A. Bahar of Canada said,

                  Only democracy, respect and happiness in the life of its citizens which also brings unity and peace in the country is the best way to protect a country from foreign rule.

                  China is a very strong neighbour next door, Bangladesh is afraid of India. Who knows what could happen to a decaying Burma. Can you protect your country with ethnic unrest against a mighty China? Please Learn from the example of Iraq. In the name of protecting his country Sadam killed minority members. What right did he have?

                  By not having democracy and denying the rights of the Karens, Shans, Chins etc. you SPDC military regime) aren’t helping to bring peace and prosperity in the country.

                  It is also true that the earth belongs to all humans beings. That is why many Burmese people are even given shelter and full citizenship in Western countries. We aren’t living in the Medieval period of  rule by death and destruction any more. Those times are long gone. This is the time of Aung San Suu Kyi.

                  America and Canada know that unity lies in the respect for diversity, and they aren’t afraid to have multicultural societies. We in the West live in democracy, and in Canada we love it where the rule of law protects us from racists, fanatics and extremists of all kinds. We have peace which brings prosperity.

                  We are proud to be Canadians. Don’t be afraid to be proud and enlightened Burmese.

Dr A. Bahar
Professor, CEGEP Dawson
Montreal, Quebec
Canada
abidbahar@yahoo.com

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Tein Gyar Min Gaung thinks,

                  If you carefully look into SPDC, Than Shwe is a lone man. He was hand picked by Ne Win but he is too old and I believe there are not much of supporters behind Than Shwe. Mang Aye is from DSA (Defence Services Academy) 1st Intake and most of the Young Guns who are holding Burma Army key positions also are DSA products.

                   If Maung Aye wants the total control of this country he can easily dethrone Than Shwe and take over the power. I think this is the time for Maung Aye to take the oppotunity and to save the country. Considered Than Shwe is a hard liner and an idiotic guy that Burmese people do not deserve to have him as a leader. He was not so popular in the Tatmadaw and only few people knew him. Maung Aye and the other Generals are more educated and talented than Than Shwe.

                  Sadly our country was ruled by single idiots for many decades (Ne Win and Than Shwe, am I right or wrong??). If Than Shwe is rooted out I think Burmese people can expect better hope towards National reconciliation and development towards Democratic reforms.

Tein Gyar Min Gaung