From editor@burmanet.org Thu Nov 14 22:17:44 2002 From: editor@burmanet.org (editor@burmanet.org) Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2002 17:17:44 -0500 (EST) Subject: BurmaNet News: November 13-14 2002 Message-ID: <15201.207.10.94.131.1037312264.squirrel@webmail.pair.com> November 13-14 2002 Issue #2121 INSIDE BURMA Bangkok Post: Razali holds talks with Than Shwe DVB: Razali also met CRPP AFP: Aung San Suu Kyi greeted by supporters on visit to restive Shan state Kaladan: Army used forced labour in Arakan state DVB: Rice shortages reported at military units in Shan State township DVB: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Shan State tour GUNS SHAN: Triple X comes to Burma DRUGS FEER: Cheap Burmese heroin back on the streets MONEY Xinhua: Myanmar, Japan to cooperate in computer field REGIONAL Xinhua: Myanmar newspaper appraises ASEAN-Japan relations Mizzima: India to close down illegal gates across Manipur-Burma border STATEMENTS & PRESS RELEASES Dictatorwatch: Photodocumentation of war crimes in Burma Foreign & Commonwealth Office (UK): EU promotes visit of UN Secretary General’s special envoy to Burma Reporters Without Borders: Lighting operation reminds world that 110 journalists are in prison ___INSIDE BURMA______ Bangkok Post November 14 2002 Razali holds talks with Than Shwe United Nations envoy Razali Ismail met with Burma's leader Senior General Than Shwe yesterday in talks critical to the diplomat's efforts to revitalise a stalled reconciliation process, officials said. Mr Razali, who warned recently he would quit if the junta failed to make progress on democratic reforms, had planned to confront Gen Than Shwe over a broken promise to begin a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. But in a clear sign that little was achieved, the meeting which was also attended by junta number-two Deputy Senior General Maung Aye and number-three General Khin Nyunt lasted just 15 minutes, official sources said. ``It can't be particularly good. You'd have thought that if they went to the lengths of committing to the meeting then it would have been half an hour or so at least,'' said one Rangoon-based diplomat. ``Fifteen minutes is not much ... it's not usual,'' he said. Another diplomat said Gen Than Shwe had held a number of similarly brief meetings in recent months that were merely ``protocol formalities'' and lacking in any substance. Mr Razali was tight-lipped after the meeting, saying only that he met Gen Than Shwe and that he was cancelling a visit to northeastern Shan state planned for today. Aung San Suu Kyi is currently on a political trip to Shan state and the pair had planned to meet there, giving them an opportunity to discuss the exchange with Gen Than Shwe before Mr Razali leaves Burma tomorrow. The UN envoy had indicated that the meeting with the junta leader was the top priority during his ninth mission to Burma. Mrs Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy said earlier that the meeting between Mr Razali and Gen Than Shwe was crucial to the envoy's efforts to reignite the reform process. __________ Democratic Voice of Burma November 13 2002 Razali also met CRPP After meeting the NLD members, Mr Razali also met members of the CRPP at the League's head office. The CRPP's Secretary and spokesman, U Aye Thar Aung told us more details of the meeting: Ko Moe Aye : Could you tell us first who attended from the CRPP today? U Aye Thar Aung : Everyone from the CRPP except Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attended. Ko Moe Aye : Who were with Mr Razali? U Aye Thar Aung : There were four of them including their local representative. Ko Moe Aye : Could you tell us what you discussed in particular? U Aye Thar Aung : We mainly discussed the current economical difficulties. We also asked him to urge the generals to start a dialogue in connection with economical difficulties and to allow political parties and ethnic nationality parties to freely partake in political activities. Ko Moe Aye : Yes. How did he react? U Aye Thar Aung : He told us that he would do his best. He also said that he is meeting Senior Gen. Than Shwe tomorrow. Ko Moe Aye : As a member of the CRPP, what kind of hope do you harbour from his trip? U Aye Thar Aung : We don't harbour any particular hope because we have often demanded a situation for dialogue. I often demanded for a dialogue as a member of an ethnic group and of the NLD. We also have been expressing our desire to have a dialogue on the current economical difficulties. BUT the SPDC authorities show no sign of interest for a dialogue and they have been giving several excuses for not having a dialogue and we don't hope any possible dialogue during Mr Razali's trip. ____________ Agence France-Presse November 14 2002 Aung San Suu Kyi greeted by supporters on visit to restive Shan state Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was greeted by thousands of supporters on a visit to Shan state Thursday as she exercised her newly won right to travel freely through the country, party officials said. National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman U Lwin said the Nobel peace laureate would make an extensive tour of the restive state during the nine-day trip which began Wednesday. "She is going to open four NLD offices there," he told AFP. The trip was meant to coincide with a separate visit to Shan state by United Nations envoy Razali Ismail, who is in the midst of a crucial five-day mission aimed at reviving Myanmar's stalled political reconciliation process. The pair were scheduled to meet Friday in the southern Shan capital of Taunggyi, giving them an opportunity to discuss the Malaysian diplomat's talks with junta leader Senior General Than Shwe. But in a sign that little was achieved, Thursday's meeting lasted just 15 minutes. Razali declined to comment on their progress but told reporters that he would not now be travelling to Shan state. The talks with Than Shwe are seen as critical to Razali's efforts to push forward democratic reforms through a dialogue between the military government and the opposition which he brokered two years ago. Aung San Suu Kyi continued her tour of southern Shan state Thursday, stopping in several villages and towns where supporters lined roadways to meet and catch a glimpse of her, U Lwin said. She was due to spend the next few days in Taunggyi before proceeding north to the town of Lashio. Rainy weather and landslides may force the opposition leader to fly to Shan's northern regions instead of traveling overland as she usually does. Aung San Suu Kyi has made several political trips around the country since she was released in May from 19 months under house arrest with a guarantee that she would have complete freedom of movement. Her trips have gone off smoothly, although Yangon is informed of her movements in advance and dispatches a security detail for her "protection" wherever she goes. Shan state, where ethnic unrest and tensions with government forces have simmered for decades, has been in the spotlight recently with the release of a report alleging systematic sexual abuse of ethnic minority women there. However, Aung San Suu Kyi is not expected to look into the rights abuse claims during her trip, which will focus on building up the NLD which has suffered in recent years due to government repression. The military has ruled Myanmar for the past four decades, and refused to recognise a landslide election victory claimed by the NLD in 1990. _________ Kaladan News 14 November 2002 ARMY USED FORCED LABOUR IN ARAKAN STATE Buthidaung, November 14: The Commander of the Military Operation Command of (MOC-15) of Buthidaung Township, Arakan State used forced labor for reaping his own crop, according to our source. The villagers of Nanragoon and Quandaung village tracts of Buthidaung township of Arakan State had to pay 100 labors daily for reaping the said Commander’s own paddy crop from last October 22 to 27. The two village tracts, about one mile east of Buthidaung town consisting of 1125 households, said a villager preferring anonymity told our source. Besides, they had to do other works: such as threshing, carrying, storing the grains in his granary, put the paddy into heat, etc, source further added. The aforesaid Commander previously seized 10 acres of farmland from Rohingya villages adjacent to the MOC-15 headquarters and growing paddy with forced labor and now the time of harvest. According to the order of the aforementioned Commander, one person per family was called by the Village Peace and Development Council Chairmen of both village tracts and gathered them in one suitable place. Afterwards, 100 villagers were picked up and sent to the MOC-15 headquarters for forced labor and the rest were set free after taking Kyats 300/- per head. This money was going to their pockets, said a teacher to our source. After 6 days of continued forced labor, the villagers were freed and paid Kyats 300/- per head by the MOC-15 Commander while outside labor charge is Kyats 1000/-per day. But, the SPDC authorities have declared that there is no forced labor in Burma, said sources. For the earnings of army Headquarters, they had previously seized about 750 acres of arable lands include camp area from nearby villages for growing crops. The army authorities again let the villagers to grow paddy on condition that the villagers have to pay 37.5 Tongs of paddy (1 Tong = 14 kg) to the headquarters per acre. But, the villagers are freed from Tans of paddy (1 Tan=35 kg) which are payable to the Government, said our correspondent. ________ Democratic Voice of Burma November 13 2002 Rice shortages reported at military units in Shan State township It is learned that due to rice shortages at Kunghing Myanmar Burma Agriculture Products Trading MAPT , it can no longer provide rice to the military units of Kunghing township, Shan State. Every month , the Kunhing MAPT has to provide over 700 baskets 1 basket = approximately 1 bushel of rice to the military units in the township. This month, MAPT cannot distribute rice to the military units as rice has stopped entering from central Burma. Regional farmers are not able to sell the quota of paddy they had earlier pledged they would to the government. Moreover, the Wa group has been buying the paddy and rice available in the township. The Democratic Voice of Burma learned that the Myanmar Police Force and MAPT have planned to buy rice jointly from the local farmers because of rice shortages. _________ Democratic Voice of Burma November 13 2002 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Shan State Tour Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo and some members of the NLD have departed for Shan State today. Before she left, she met the UN envoy Mr Razali yesterday at her home. The NLD spokesman, U Lwin told us about it as followed: U Lwin : She has started the journey. She will soon be arriving in Kalaw. She will be mainly visiting the three towns of Shan State, Taunggyi, Kengtung, Lashio. She is rallying the people and having discussions with existing supporter groups. She is also visiting the areas of possible supporters. She will be mainly concentrating on core supporters and have discussions with them thoroughly. The roads she is taking are quite bad. We can't predict when and where she will be arriving. There are some landslides in the highlands. For these reasons, there is no fixed timing. Ko Moe Aye : Is she travelling by car for the whole journey? U Lwin : She has to travel by car mostly. She has to fly where she can't travel by car. Ko Moe Aye : Like her previous trip, she is rallying people? U Lwin : It's true. There is no other reason. Ko Moe Aye : The trip could be quite long? U Lwin : It's possible. At least, two weeks. Ko Moe Aye : How is the rallying condition in Shan State? U Lwin : We can't definitely say about that yet. The communication line with us is not good. There are plans to erect NLD billboards in Taunggyi and Lashio Townships. Ko Moe Aye : What about security arrangements for her trip? U Lwin : As for security, it's like before. There are special conditions in some places. As for her security, local military authorities concerned will be arranging for her. _____GUNS_______ Shan Herald Agency for News November 12 2002 Triple X comes to Burma Hundreds of Chinese six-wheelers for military use, with triple axles, were poised for entry into Burma yesterday morning, reported S.H.A.N. correspondent Hawkeye. The trucks, called Dongfeng (East wind) in Chinese, were being washed alongside the road between Zegao and Mongmao (Ruili in Chinese), opposite Muse, the northernmost city of Shan State when S.H.A.N saw them. "Their destination is Mandalay (290 miles from Muse)," according to a hired truck attendant. "These are mountain-climbers suitable for rugged terrains like areas opposite Thailand where we have the Shan State Army of Yawdserk and such, "said an ex-resistance member who claimed to have come across them in Laos. "But they are also known as inordinate fuel-consumers." According to Bangkok Post, 6 November, Burma has been hoarding 3 million liters of gasoline since the border was reopened on 15 October. A Thai source, it says, believes it points out to a major crackdown on dissident groups along the Thai border. "It would also mean Rangoon was not interested in parleying with the opposition," said a veteran Thai border-watcher. ___DRUGS__ FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW November 13, 2002 Cheap Burmese heroin back on the streets Cheap heroin is back on the streets in the two main markets for Burmese producers and traffickers of the narcotic -- Australia and China. The police in Sydney have warned senior officers about an increase in user and dealer activity in the entertainment district of Kings Cross and the suburb of Cabramatta, home for many Australians of Southeast Asian origin. In 2000, the Australian police seized almost 200 kilos of Burmese heroin, which led to a sharp reduction in the availability of the drug. But now the police are saying that there is more - and cheaper - heroin in the streets than at any time in the past two years. Meanwhile, authorities in the Chinese province of Yunnan, bordering Burma, announced on November 8 that they had made their largest-ever seizure of heroin from across the border. Police found 672 kilos of heroin hidden in hollowed-out tree trunks. Seven men from Hong Kong and six of their mainland accomplices were arrested. It was the biggest heroin seizure in China since the mid-1990s. _____MONEY_______ Xinhua News Agency November 14 2002 Myanmar, Japan to cooperate in computer field YANGON, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) --Myanmar and Japan have reached a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of computer. The MoU was signed here on Wednesday by the Myanmar Computer Federation (MCF) and the Japan Technology Engineer Examination Center, official newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday. The memorandum covers the holding of information technology (IT) engineering examination in Myanmar, supply of computer machines for Myanmar-Japan electronic (e)-Learning Center, computer training and training of Myanmar computer engineers in Japan, the report said. Myanmar and Japan have been cooperating in the IT sector since October 2001, when a Myanmar-Japan e-learning center was established here to train Myanmar teachers from computer-related universities and schools by Japanese experts. Myanmar started introducing e-education data broadcasting system in the country in January 2001, integrating the system into its education system. In January 2002, Myanmar set up its first Information and Communication Technology Park in Yangon. So far, a total of 304 e-learning centers have been reportedly opened across the country. ______REGIONAL________ Xinhua News Agency November 14 2002 Myanmar newspaper appraises ASEAN-Japan relations YANGON, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) --The official newspaper The New Light of Myanmar Thursday appraised the deepening relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan, citing some cooperation agreements reached at the ASEAN-Japan Summit held earlier this month in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The paper commented in an article that the signing at the summit of ASEAN-Japan Joint Declaration on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership has kicked off a 10-year process of building a "broad based economic partnership covering not only liberalization of trade and investment, but also their promotion and facilitation". The paper recalled that ASEAN and Japan established informal ties in 1973 and formalized them by setting up the ASEAN-Japan Forum in 1977. In recent years, it noted, ASEAN and Japan have moved closer not only in the sphere of trade and investment, but also in broader areas ranging from political and security issues to culture and the environment. In addition to the ASEAN-Japan summits which have been held every year since 1997, Japanese foreign ministers attend the annual ASEAN Regional Forum and Post-Ministerial Conference meetings, with ministers responsible for economics and trade also meeting regularly, it also recalled. Noting that Japan has long been ASEAN's most important trading partner and source of investment, the paper said, a unique feature of ASEAN-Japan cooperation is the ASEAN Promotion Center for Trade, Investment and Tourism in Tokyo, which was set up in 1981 and has been actively promoting ASEAN trade to Japan as well as Japanese investment and tourism to ASEAN. The paper cited another fact that Japan has been a major contributor to development cooperation in ASEAN, contributing substantially to the ASEAN Culture Fund set up in 1978 while providing technical assistance through programs such as the Japan-ASEAN Cooperation Promotion Program, the Japan Scholarship Fund and the ASEAN-Japan Friendship Program. Another program known as the Japan-ASEAN General Exchange Fund, it added, has supported recent workshops in Phnom Penh and Vientiane to identify steps to integrate Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar and Vietnam into ASEAN under the initiative announced at the ASEAN Summit in Singapore in 2000. In January this year, the paper went on to say, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi proposed designating 2003 as the Year of ASEAN-Japan Exchange and strengthening cooperation in the areas of education, human resource development and security. The paper believed that "the collective efforts will bear good results when the Southeast Asian region, which is full of future opportunities, and Japan, the world's second largest economic powerhouse, enhance their mutual cooperation". _______ Mizzima November 14 2002 India to close down illegal gates across Manipur-Burma border Moreh, November 14, 02: Worried over increasing illegal trade across the Indo-Burma border, the Indian Union Commerce Ministry, has decided to close down three gates at Moreh point in Manipur, bordering with Burma. The Commerce Ministry's move came in the wake of complaints lodged by several trade organizations in the region. There are four gates at Moreh bordering Burma to facilitate trade with the South East Asian countries. But, now only one gate will be in operation. The Commerce Ministry sources today informed that the move has been initiated to channelise the legal trade. It may be mentioned here that several trade organizations and the Burmese Government had been demanding the Centre to close down the illegal gates for which the Commerce Ministry has taken the step. Mizzima has learnt that the Commerce Ministry has taken a serious note to non-availability of Letter of Credit (LoC) system, which has sealed down the legal trade between India and Burma. The sources further stated that though Moreh has become a focal point of export and import between India and Burma after the trade agreement, signed in 1994, the region has not been successful in generating revenue due to the illegal trade. "A huge chunk of money generated from the border trade, has been siphoned off resulting in loss of revenue," they said, adding that the insurgent groups operating along the border have imposed heavy taxes on the traders. Moreover, the statistics reveal that the growth of export between India and Burma is less than import, due to some restrictions imposed by the Burmese Junta. In this context, the sources said that the Indian central government's move to close down the gates, would help in restricting the entry of third country goods into the Region, which has already created a major problem in the North East India. Commenting on poor export growth rate in the North East despite vast potential, they revealed that the on going militancy has remained a major problem affecting the trade. Moreover, infrastructure is not up to the mark for which exporters are facing severe hardship in running their trade. Meanwhile, North East Federation on International Trade (NEFIT) has welcomed the move of the Indian Commerce Ministry to close down the illegal gates at the Moreh trade point. The NEFIT president, Mr. R C Agarwal informed that this would help the exporters of the North East in accelerating their business with Burma. He further expressed the hope that the export growth would be higher as the traders had to pay a huge sum of money during their export. "We had also submitted a memoranda to the Commerce Ministry to close down the illegal gates earlier," he informed. Year-wise volume of trade through Moreh point (Amount in rupees) Year Export Import 1999-2000 3,25,65,827 3,67,97,316 2000-2001 5,29,107 19,38,523 2001-2002 1,25,08,345 8,29,71,255 ______STATEMENTS _______ DICTATORWATCH November 13 2002 PHOTODOCUMENTATION OF WAR CRIMES IN BURMA Dictator Watch announces the publication of two photo series documenting assault and murder by the State Peace and Development Council and the SPDCOs direct involvement in what is arguably the worldOs largest narcotics trade. The photos are available on the DW site at www.dictatorwatch.org/phmain.html Dictator Watch believes it is the obligation of the free states of the world to end the commission of war crimes in dictatorial nations. For Burma, we ask the question: when will the killing end? Our answer: When Kofi Annan fires the United Nations Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, because of his complicity with the SPDC, and installs instead an envoy who will draw a line in the sand and announce to the dictators: leave now, or else! When the United States and the European Union impose real sanctions against the SPDC, including a retroactive ban on all business investments and an import ban; and, when they actively support the resistance movement in Burma. When the democracies of the world make it clear to China that they will not and do not accept its Odictatorship in perpetuity,O and demand that it end its support of the SPDC. When the democracies of the world make it clear to the authoritarian leaders and states of ASEAN, including Thaksin and Thailand, Mahathir and Malaysia, and Lee and Singapore, that they understand that the groupingOs go slow policy towards democracy in Burma, and in their own nations, is a shield to hide their own obsession with power, and corruption, and further demand that they end their Oconstructive engagementO with the SPDC. When the people of the world recognize that Odialogue,O and not only in Burma, is a sham, and renounce it; that OtalkO does not solve problems, that OtalkO does not save lives. When the people of Burma, starting with the National League for Democracy and the Committee Representing the PeopleOs Parliament, accept that they must do more, however difficult and dangerous this might be, to win the war for their freedom. When will the killing in Burma end? The killing will end when the SPDC is DEFEATED; when the generals, starting with Than Shwe, Khin Nyunt and Maung Aye, are removed from power. Contact: Roland Watson, roland@dictatorwatch.org www.dictatorwatch.com _______ Foreign & Commonwealth Office (UK) November 11 2002 EU PROMOTES VISIT OF UN SECRETARY GENERAL'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO BURMA The European Union today conveyed the following message to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Burma/Myanmar on the subject of the visit to Burma/Myanmar on 12 November by the United Nation Secretary General's Special Envoy, Tan Sri Razali Ismail: 'The European Union strongly supports the visit to Burma/Myanmar on 12 November of the United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy Tan Sri Razali Ismail. 'The European Union regards the efforts of Tan Sri Razali as central to facilitating political dialogue in Burma /Myanmar and to furthering the national reconciliation process there. 'The European Union urges the Burma/Myanmar authorities to take advantage of the visit by arranging a meeting for the UN Special Envoy with Senior General Than Shwe. The European Union believes it is important that the Burma/Myanmar authorities use this opportunity to take clear and substantive steps to initiate a genuine political process, leading to reconciliation and democratisation in Burma.' ________ Reporters Without Borders November 13 2002 Lighting operation reminds world that 110 journalists are in prison A moving convoy of French and foreign journalists demonstrated in front of five Paris embassies yesterday to demand the release of colleagues imprisoned in those countries. The lightning operation was staged on the eve of today¹s tribute by Reporters Without Borders to the 110 journalists in jail around the world for simply doing their job and to those who continue to do it despite major obstacles. The Reporters Without Borders staff members, renamed the streets after the imprisoned journalists and daubed on the embassy gates the words: ³When you enter here, you enter a country where news is censored.² They went first to the Burmese embassy, where they demanded news of journalists, especially U Win Tin, detained under the military regime. Next target was the embassy of Kazakhstan, where they called for the release of Sergei Duvanov, an opposition journalist, before going to the Chinese embassy to appeal for Gao Qinrong and 41 other journalists and cyber-dissidents to be freed. At the Cuban embassy, the convoy symbolically renamed the embassy ³the prison of (jailed dissident journalist) Bernardo Arévalo Padrón² on the eve of the 15-16 November 12th Ibero-American Summit. Arévalo Padrón is serving a six-year sentence for accusing Cuban President Fidel Castro of breaking promises he made at the 1996 Ibero-American Summit to respect human rights. At the Russian embassy, they demanded the release of journalist Grigory Pasko, who is in prison for reporting that the Russian military dumped liquid radioactive waste in the Sea of Japan. The entire operation aimed to point out that press freedom is an important matter for citizens everywhere. Details of the situation in the five targeted countries can be found on the Reporters Without Borders website, www.rsf.org, where petitions can be signed calling for the release of the journalists. Don¹t wait to be deprived of news to stand up and fight for it!