A long-time reader has drawn my attention to a recent “undercover” Al Jazeera report by Hazel Chandler. The 20-minute video about all matters Burma is available here.

To put together her story, Chandler interviewed a range of people: Burmese monk Ashin Issarija Kinzero, Maung Zarni from the London School of Economics, Human Rights Watch Burma-watcher David Scott Mathieson, Than Khe from the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front, and various other Burmese anti-government voices, including some speaking inside the country.

The report deals with the Saffron Revolution, Burma’s new constitution, Cyclone Nargis, the wars in eastern Burma, refugees, the situation in Mae Sot, etc. It is quite informative, and certainly gives one flavour of life on the border, and inside Burma.

But it is Chandler’s interview with a defector, spliced throughout the report, that will probably be of most interest to New Mandala readers. It is the first time, as far as I know, that testimony from one of the “nuclear” defectors has been broadcast so widely. In his final flourish, the un-named man says:

I can only tell you that General Maung Aye told us in 2020 they must own a nuclear weapon.

Thoughts and comments from readers are, as ever, very welcome here.