From editor@burmanet.org Tue Dec 17 21:10:48 2002 From: editor@burmanet.org (editor@burmanet.org) Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 16:10:48 -0500 (EST) Subject: BurmaNet News: December 17 2002 Message-ID: <27055.207.10.94.131.1040159448.squirrel@webmail.pair.com> December 17 2002 Issue #2141 INSIDE BURMA SCMP: Ne Win: Myanmar’s strongman began with a method to his madness AP: Bangladesh: Myanmar Ruler Vows Democracy Xinhua: Myanmar makes efforts to improve irrigation GUNS Asian Tribune: Myanmar gets low-calibre Indian artillery DRUGS AFP: US denies Myanmar drug status upgrade: junta AFP: Thai army kills five suspected traffickers on Myanmar border Xinhua: Myanmar pledges to continue drug eradication efforts Myanmar Times: US envoy congratulates govt on narcotics control work MONEY AFP: Myanmar, Bangladesh agree on road, cooperation on ASEAN REGIONAL AP: Thai high court rules Myanmar gas pipeline legal STATEMENTS/OTHER J School: Accepting Applications for Journalism School IFJ: Extension of call for entries for IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize INSIDE BURMA South China Morning Post December 17 2002 Myanmar's strongman began with a method to his madness By William Barnes The death of Myanmar's former strongman, Ne Win, this month was an opportunity widely taken to flay his dismal record as a national leader and eccentric character. But for all his much-trumpeted quirks, Ne Win's journey to power was less mad and more organised than is generally recognised. After all, he did take definitive control of the chaotic country after his coup in 1962. During the civil war that followed independence in 1948, the ethnic Karen forces fought Ne Win's army on the outskirts of Yangon. It was Ne Win's finest hour. The experience of surviving provided the military with a vital esprit de corps, a feeling that anything was possible with enough determination. Many histories, certainly contemporary reviews, credit the success of the coup largely to Ne Win's charisma and the respect of his troops. This may have been important but it overlooks a perhaps more important point. In the years immediately after 1948, army commanders in the field had an unusual degree of freedom. Desperately short of resources, they did deals with local rebels, made money by taxing smugglers, traded in weapons and generally behaved like little warlords. Yet during the 1950s, when the country was partaking of its brief, chaotic experiment with democracy, the military underwent vigorous reform. Analyst Mary Callahan wrote a few years ago: "There is a tendency even today to hold up Ne Win as the residual cause for whatever curious politics or reforms come out of the country. "No amount of charisma could have pulled off either the coup of 1962 or the radical reforms that followed if the military planning staff . . . had not laid the framework," she said. In other words, a decade was spent creating an institution which, by the standards of the time and place, worked unusually well. That the army embarked after its coup on a radical restructuring of the economy was no whim of Ne Win's. Army officers had studied the foreign domination of the economy for years. A psychological warfare section had devoted itself to winning the hearts and minds of a bemused population. It was an unfortunate accident of history that the nation-building forces in Myanmar found their strongest, plainest expression not in any political party but in the military. This again was no Ne Win conspiracy. The ruling civilian coalition was a mess that might have developed into something under the independence hero Aung San. But this powerful personality was assassinated by a rival almost on the eve of independence, leaving an organisation that had little power to implement policy outside the capital. The ruling coalition was riven with tensions that hindered the development of workable policy, thwarted the ambitions of enterprising men and failed to provide a satisfactory outlet even for venting political differences. The country ended up with the irascible Ne Win - an intelligent man who spent many of his formative years in the company of friends-cum-rivals such as Aung San and U Nu, who later became prime minister. What Ne Win had that his former friends did not was both an organisation and a plan. It was probably not a very good plan even by the post-colonial standards of many newly free countries of the time, but it was a plan for all that. Ne Win was fond of saying in the early years after the coup that "cardinal virtues such as mutual trust, magnanimity and the spirit of co-operation are almost non-existent". Could it not be argued that that situation exists today? For all his faults, Ne Win set himself achievable targets. Who has a plan for Myanmar now? The military's goal is mere survival. The opposition's goal is to get the military out - but then what? If the past half-century has taught potential leaders of Myanmar anything, it is that nothing can be done without a strong platform and a clearly defined end. Too many of the military's opponents define themselves by their opposition to the regime - not by their ambition. William Barnes is the Post's correspondent based in Bangkok ________ Associated Press December 17, 2002 Bangladesh: Myanmar Ruler Vows Democracy Myanmar's military ruler has promised a return to democracy, the country's leader was quoted as saying by the Bangladeshi government Tuesday. But there was no indication of when the ruling junta might allow elections or a new constitution. "The military establishment has no intention to deny democracy to the Myanmar people, and state power ultimately belongs to the people. The present set up is a transitional arrangement," Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shamser Mobin Chowdhury quoted Myanmar's Senior Gen. Than Shwe as telling the Bangladeshi prime minister on Tuesday. Apart from the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and some political detainees, Myanmar's military junta has made no other concessions or given any indication that it is getting ready to give up its grip on power. The Myanmar side did not hold any news briefing after the meetings in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital. The Myanmar leader arrived Tuesday in Dhaka on a two-day visit, aiming to promote trade, communication links and cultural exchanges. ________ Xinhua News Agency December 17 2002 Myanmar makes efforts to improve irrigation Myanmar, as an agro-based country, the government places much emphasis on the construction of land irrigation facilities and encouraging achievements have been made in the past 14 years. According to the latest figures of the Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, during the past 14 years since 1988, the government has injected 58 billion Kyats (about 193 million US dollars) in the construction of irrigation facilities, building a total of 140 dams and reservoirs and irrigating 810,000 hectares of farmland. In addition, 36 more such facilities are under implementation. The figures also show that 265 river water pumping projects have been implemented to benefit 114,210 hectares of farmland. Besides, 26 more such projects are under implementation to irrigate 68,040 hectares. Moreover, 103 river water pumping projects are designated to be implemented for irrigating 106,515 hectares more farmland. Despite certain achievements made by Myanmar in land irrigation facilities construction, the completed ones are far from meeting the country's demand. Up to now, Myanmar's irrigated area accounts for only 13.16 percent of its cultivated area. Out of 1,073.87 billion cubic-meters of water flowing in the country's rivers and creeks, only 37 billion cubic-meters or 3.4 percent has been put on use. Out of 18.225 million hectares of Myanmar's cultivable land, 10. 12 million hectares have been put under crops with 8.1 million hectares of vacant land remaining to be reclaimed. This year, Myanmar's paddy cultivated area was 6.63 million hectares and the output was about 22.78 million tons. During the first eight months of this year, Myanmar exported 740,000 tons of rice, earning 90 million dollars. Myanmar's agricultural output value accounts for 42 percent of its gross domestic product. _________ GUNS Asian Tribune December 17, 2002 Myanmar gets low-calibre Indian artillery New Delhi: In line with its new policy of doing business with the military junta in Myanmar, India has begun shipping low-calibre artillery pieces, ammunition and pyrotechnic signalling devices to Yangon. The first consignment of these artillery pieces, drawn from ordnance stores at Jabalpur and Panagarh, was shipped last month. The Army's Eastern Command will also be sending the second consignment, comprising ammunition for the artillery, mortar pieces and signal hardware. Once the shipment is completed, an Army delegation will travel to Myanmar to familiarise their counterparts with the equipment. The cargo for Yangon includes: * 40,000 rounds of high-explosive (HE) ammunition for the 75/24 mm howitzer * 5000 rounds of smoke ammunition for the 120-mm mortar and 20,000 rounds of HE mortar ammunition * 25,000 rounds for the 40 mm L-70 AD gun * Pyrotechnic signalling devices, 25,000 rounds each of red, green and white * 5000 rounds for the Carl Gustav rocket launchers The military export follows the visit to India in February this year by Maj Gen Thura Shwe Mann of the SPDC - the junta functions as the State Peace and Development Council - which evinced interest in Indian ordnance equipment. Sources at Army headquarters said the Myanmarese fancied the 105-mm artillery gun but the request was turned down. Artillery pieces of lower calibre were instead shipped across with the promise to "familiarise and train" them. In February 2001, India signalled the start of a new phase in relations with its eastern neighbour when the then External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, flew to Myanmar to open the strategic Kalay-Kalewa-Kyigon-Tamu road constructed by the Indian Border Roads Organisation. This stretch will form part of the designated Asian Highway from Singapore to Istanbul. New Delhi considers Yangon as the gateway to the ASEAN though it is aware of the growing Chinese influence in Myanmar. India is also discussing measures to check North-East insurgents operating out of bases in Myanmar. DRUGS Agence France-Presse December 17 2002 US denies Myanmar drug status upgrade: junta The United States has told Myanmar it has failed to take enough steps to combat drugs production for it to be certified as cooperating in the fight against narcotics, the country's junta said in a statement released here. "The Government of Myanmar has been informed that its attempt to come into compliance with the US State Department's anti-narcotics program, and thus be certified by the Bush Administration for meeting certain basic anti-narcotics achievements, has been denied," the statement said. "The denial comes after a massive effort by Myanmar to achieve a series of drug-eradication accomplishments including significant decreases in opium production and cooperation with U.S. law enforcement authorities." ________- Agence France-Presse December 17 2002 Thai army kills five suspected traffickers on Myanmar border Five suspected drug traffickers have been killed in a fierce gunbattle with Thai soldiers near the Myanmar border that also netted a haul of weapons and cash, the army said Tuesday. A group of about 15 armed men engaged in a 10-minute firefight with Thai troops Sunday in Chiang Mai province, about six kilometres (four miles) from the frontier, the army said in a statement. Three AK-47 assault rifles, two hand grenades and 370,000 baht (8,500 dollars) in cash was left at the scene when the rest of the gunmen fled, it said, adding that they were believed to be from the Myanmar-allied ethnic Wa militia. Third Army Commander Major General Udomchai Ongkasing said the group was ferrying money earned in the drugs trade. "They were armed drug traffickers who were carrying money back to their base because they don't want to deposit it in Thai banks any more," he said, adding that the government had been confiscating suspect cash. Since October there have been four clashes between Thai troops and drugs traffickers which have left 10 gunmen dead and 15 arrested. The Thais accuse the United Wa State Army, a group which has signed a ceasefire deal with Myanmar's military government, of controlling the trade in opium and methamphetamines. ______ Xinhua News Agency December 17 2002 Myanmar pledges to continue drug eradication efforts Myanmar pledged on Tuesday to continue its drug eradication efforts despite the United States' declination to certify Myanmar for anti-narcotics cooperation. The pledge came after the Myanmar government was informed that its attempt to come into compliance with the US State Department's anti-narcotics program, and thus be certified by the Bush administration for meeting certain basic anti-narcotics achievements, has been denied. "Our struggle to become a drug-free society will continue on track with or without American recognition for our efforts," Myanmar government spokesman Hla Min said in a statement released here Tuesday night. Hla Min blamed that the US denial came after a massive efforts by Myanmar to achieve a series of drug-eradication accomplishments including significant decrease in opium production and cooperation with US law enforcement authorities. Hla Min claimed that Myanmar has been able to cut its opium production to a record low and will reduce the production by half again next year from 800 tons to 400 tons, working with ethnic tribes in the Golden Triangle region. He also pledged that under limited resources and no outside assistance, Myanmar will continue to fight the proliferation of methamphetamine labs which operate in remote jungles, using precursor chemicals smuggled in from Thailand and elsewhere outside of Myanmar. Hla Min said that huge reduction in opium production has been made even though the certification process fell victim into US politics, saying that it was an overwhelming landslide of media and political pressure to deny Myanmar's progress by connecting politics to narcotics law enforcement. He pointed out that the international community clearly realizes that lack of participation, interest or will of the consumer nations or the demand side will make the task of drug eradication almost impossible and unfair. He maintained that despite this major handicap, Myanmar will continue its efforts, not for the sake of the United States, but for the sake of Myanmar's youth of today and future generations as well. _____ Myanmar Times December 9-15 2002 US envoy congratulates govt on narcotics control work By Kimberly Fielding and Thet Khaing The United States charge d’ affaires, Ms Carmen Martinez, has congratulated the government for its efforts to cut drug production and reiterated Washington’s support for a home-grown political settlement in Myanmar. In an exclusive interview with Myanmar Times last Tuesday, Ms Martinez said the decline in opium production in Myanmar and increasing international cooperation in the fight against drugs were welcome developments. "The government has done a good job on counter narcotics efforts," said the envoy, who took up her appointment in August. Ms Martinez said the US was aware that the drug control work undertaken by the government was "really difficult, given the resources." She encouraged the government to continue its efforts to combat illegal drugs. Narcotics could destabilise societies through both addiction and the use of funds from the drug trade for other illegal activities, she said. The interview came ahead of a decision by US President George Bush this week on Myanmar’s cooperation in narcotics control. While declining to comment on Myanmar’s prospects in this year’s classification process, Ms Martinez said many considerations, including the arrest of traffickers and action against money laundering offences, would be taken into account in Mr Bush’s decision. Ms Martinez said a visit to Washington last May by a senior anti-narcotics official, Brigadier-General Kyaw Thein, for talks with senior Bush Administration officials on bilateral cooperation in the fight against drugs was a "very important step." They were the highest level talks on narcotics issues between the two sides in more than a decade. Ms Martinez, a career diplomat who described her Yangon posting as "interesting and tough," said Washington was in favour of a dialogue on humanitarian issues with the government and civil society in Myanmar. "We continue our support for democracy in the largest, broadest, most general sense," she said, adding that the people of Myanmar have to find a solution in "their style of government". "We are not trying to impose our style on this country or on the people. "We can understand how it is difficult to have a democracy in a multi-racial and multi-religious society; [it] is a difficult test," Ms Martinez said. "There are similarities between our country and this country; we have diverse ethnic groups, diversity of religions," she said. "We wish that foreign journalists could be permitted to visit the country, because there are positive things going on [and] there are changes going on, and the story of this country will be written by the press," Ms Martinez said. Despite political differences, the Myanmar authorities had been sympathetic towards the needs of the US mission in Yangon. Ms Martinez said the government had cooperated in a plan to move the American embassy from Merchant Road to a new site, though the location and a date for the relocation were yet to be decided. "Disagreements on policies and political theory are very deep rooted, we have great differences there, but on the basis of how you are treated as a diplomat, I think it has been good," Ms Martinez said. She also expressed her appreciation of the government’s pledge to support US operations to recover the remains of an estimated 600 American servicemen thought to have died in plane crashes in northern Myanmar during World War Two. As part of a familiarisation program for the operation, three members of the Myanmar army had travelled to Hawaii last month to visit a US army laboratory that specialises in identifying human remains, Ms Martinez said. "It is a really important issue for the US and I think the people of the US will be very grateful to the people of this country," she said. MONEY Agence France-Presse December 17 2002 Myanmar, Bangladesh agree on road, cooperation on Asean By Nadeem Qadir Myanmar and Bangladesh on Tuesday agreed to boost bilateral ties with linking their two capitals by road "at the earliest," a foreign ministry spokesman said. "Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe responded positively to (Bangladesh) Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's proposal for linking Dhaka and Yangon by road at the earliest," Foreign Secretary Shamser Mobin Chowdhury told reporters. He added:"Task forces on studying technical and economic feasibility study on the road link will be set up at the earliest." Chowdhury said Than Shwe, in reply to Zia's request on backing Bangladesh's eagerness to join the Asian Regional Forum (ARF), responded by saying "we will not only help Bangladesh, but will also talk with other ASEAN members to support Bangladesh." Joining ARF is the first step in becoming a dialogue partner of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Dhaka is seeking it as part of its efforts to develop ties with its eastern neighbours who have made great economic strides. Zia termed the visit as a "historical one" and hoped it has opened "a new era of bilateral ties." Zia told reporters "the talks have been very fruitful." Foreign affairs analysts here said a road link between the two capitals would open wider links to ASEAN member countries. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Earlier on the day, Than Shwe arrived on his maiden visit to neighbouring Bangladesh and held official talks with Zia. Than Shwe, Myanmar's military commander-in-chief, prime minister and defence minister, was greeted by Zia and cabinet members as he arrived at the colourfully decorated Zia International Airport in Dhaka. Four Bangladesh Air Force fighter aircraft had escorted his plane as it landed and a 21 gun-salute heralded his arrival. The leader reviewed an armed forces honour guard before driving to the nearby National Martyrs' Memorial, dedicated to those who died in Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence. Myanmar, formerly Burma, was among the first countries to recognise Bangladesh after it won independence from Pakistan in 1971. Than Shwe, whose planned trip last year was cancelled due to illness, is the first leader of Myanmar's junta to visit Bangladesh. In 1986 the then president Yu San Wu came to Dhaka. He is accompanied on his two-day visit by a 38-member delegation, including his wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and two daughters. The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding and agreement. Among the delegation are Foreign Minister Win Aung, Commerce Minister Brigadier General Pyi Sone and Industry Minister Aung Thaung. He will also meet President Iajuddin Ahmed on Wednesday. Current trade between Bangladesh and Mynamar is very small. Relations between the neighbours were strained in the early 1990s when around 250,000 Rohingya Muslims flooded into Bangladesh from Myanmar, claiming atrocities by the junta. Ties have improved since then, with the repatriation of most of the refugees under a United Nations agreement, but more than 20,000 still live in camps in Bangladesh. The spokesman said Than Shwe also assured of repatriating the remaining Rohingyas through proper process. REGIONAL Associated Press - Tuesday, December 17, 2002 Thai high court rules Myanmar gas pipeline legal Dismissing objections from social and environmental activists, Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled Tuesday that construction of a gas pipeline from Myanmar to Thailand was legal. Prominent social critic Sulak Sivaraksa had petitioned the court to rule the pipeline illegal, arguing that it violated the Thai constitution by damaging the environment and private property. The 238-kilometer (148-mile) pipeline was built between 1996 and 1998. It carries natural gas from Myanmar across the border to an electrical power plant in Thailand's Ratchaburi province, 95 kilometers (60 miles) west of Bangkok. The plant has been operating since Oct. 2000. The court ruled by a vote of 12 to 1 that the state-controlled Petroleum Authority of Thailand, or PTT, did not violate the law by building the pipeline. Two judges who had originally voted not to accept Sulak's petition did not vote. "The majority of judges ruled that PTT has the legal right to lay the pipeline through the jungles and cut down trees if necessary. It is not against the constitution. But if the agency caused damage to public or private property, PTT will have to pay compensation,'' Judge Jul Adirek said at a news conference. Thai environmentalists say the pipeline's construction damaged rain forests and displaced wildlife. Social and political activists charge that the project profits fund Myanmar's military regime, which has a poor human rights record and refuses to hand over power to a democratically elected government. They also charge that Myanmar's military junta used forced labor to build pipeline infrastructure on its side of the border. A U.S. federal appeals court in September reinstated a lawsuit on behalf of Myanmar farmers, alleging that Unocal Corp. _ part of the consortium that built the pipeline _ was legally responsible for the alleged human rights violations. The allegations against the El Segundo, California-based Unocal include complicity in slavery, murder and rape, which the farmers say were carried out by the Southeast Asian nation's military. The military provided the company with security and other help in the pipeline venture with the Myanmar government. Unocal has repeatedly denied the accusation. STATEMENTS/OTHER J School December 17 2002 Accepting Applications for Journalism School: The J School will offer a full-time, residential program to teach journalism to people from border and migrant communities starting next May 2003. The program will run for 10 months of classes followed by 3-month internships at news organisations in the region or elsewhere. The school’s main goal will be to increase the pool of independent and skilled reporters and editors working for all ethnic communities. The school will give16 young people intensive training in independent journalism, concentrating on print media skills, with classes on adapting those skills to radio. By the end of the program, students will have the skills and knowledge to start their own media projects or to work with existing news groups along the border. The training approach will be practical and interactive. The first 3 months will concentrate on English lessons to prepare students for the 7-month journalism course, which will be taught in English. World affairs, learning skills, computer skills and Thai will also be taught. Applicants must meet the following qualifications: - Have a strong interest in media and the news and be interested in learning news reporting skills. - Want to have a career in journalism. - Be able to speak, read and write English at an intermediate level. - Be able to commit to working along the border as a journalist or on media issues for 2 years. - Be available to move full-time to the school by the time class starts on May 5, 2003 - Have sent their application to the J School on or before February 7, 2003. If you are interested in applying or would like more information, please email the J School at: jschool@pobox.com ______ International Federation of Journalists December 17 2002 Extension of call for entries for IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has extended the deadline for entries for the IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize until 21 January 2003. The IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize, promoting tolerance, combating racism and discrimination, will be awarded to journalists in five regions of the world: Latin America; Central and Western Africa; Eastern and Southern Africa; South Asia; and South East Asia. In each region three prizes of Euro1,000 each will be awarded: one each for entries from print/on-line, radio and television. The Prize, supported by the European Union, has been launched at a time when cultural, religious and ethnic differences are increasingly contributing to instability and unrest in many regions of the world. Entries should be submitted directly to the IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize office in the relevant region (a list of offices is attached to this release) and must be submitted in accordance with the rules of the competition. PLEASE NOTE: - Entry forms are available from the IFJ, journalists' organisations in each region or online http://www.ifj.org - Entry is free and will close on 21 JANUARY 2003 - Three separate categories: television, radio and print/on-line - Entries must have been published/broadcast between 1 JANUARY 2002 and 31 DECEMBER 2002 For more information visit: http://www.ifj.org Or contact: Emma Walters IFJ Asia-Pacific Project Office C/- Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, 245 Chalmers St, Redfern Sydney NSW 2016 AUSTRALIA Tel: + 612 9333 0999 or 612 9333 0950 Fax: + 612 9333 0933 Email: federal@alliance.org.au or emma.walters@alliance.org.au WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD OF DEVELOPMENT IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize South East Asia office: C/O THE ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS (AJI) JL. LAN NO.12 A PEJOMPONGAN, JAKARTA 10210 INDONESIA TELEPHONE +62 21 5711044 FAX. +62 21 5711063 E-MAIL: ajioffice@aji-indonesia.or.id ALL ENTRIES SHOULD BE CLEARLY MARKED IFJ JOURNALISM FOR TOLERANCE PRIZE