From editor@burmanet.org Thu Jan 2 02:10:51 2003 From: editor@burmanet.org (editor@burmanet.org) Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 21:10:51 -0500 (EST) Subject: BurmaNet News: December 24-29 2002 Message-ID: <15614.207.10.94.131.1041473451.squirrel@webmail.pair.com> December 24-29 2002 Issue #2146 INSIDE BURMA Xinhua: Myanmar rejects US accusation of rape against national races AP: Myanmar reiterates denials of using rape as weapon of war DRUGS Xinhua: Myanmar exposes 251 drug-related cases in November SCMP: Seven SAR drug traffickers avoid death penalty Xinhua: Thai special anti-drug force relieved of suppression role MONEY AP: Total ruffles feathers for oil Xinhua: Myanmar’s crude oil reserve reaches over 3 bln barrels INTERNATIONAL Washington Post: U.S. verifies reports of mass rapes in Burma AP: State Dept. confirms Myanmar rapes NYT: U.S. says evidence confirms reports of mass rapes by Burmese REGIONAL AP: Thai Army repatriates dissidents to Myanmar AFP: Thailand deports Myanmar dissidents AFP: Thai-Myanmar joint cabinet meeting delayed by border security fears Xinhua: Thailand, Myanmar to exchange warship visits Kyodo News Service: Karen fighters seize Myanmar camp, at least 15 killed Xinhua: Thai Army denies treating villagers along Thai-Myanmar border violently STATEMENTS/EDITORIALS Washington Post: An opportunity in Burma The Guardian: Freedom slowly coming to Burma INSIDE BURMA Xinhua General News Service December 27 2002 Myanmar rejects US accusation of rape against national races The Myanmar government has rejected an accusation made by the US State Department with regard to the allegation that Myanmar military is using rape as a weapon against the national races. In its press release, the Myanmar Foreign Ministry said the government has never practiced such a policy and never will as accused by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the State Department of the United States on Dec. 17. "The idea of using rape to achieve one's objectives is alien to Myanmar culture. In Myanmar, rape is considered not only as a despicable and heinous crime, but also as an unacceptable infringement of basic religious precepts," the statement said. The allegations against the Myanmar military emanate from non- governmental organizations hostile to Myanmar and are patently false, it added. Through thorough and extensive investigations, it added, the Myanmar authorities have uncovered only five instances out of 173 allegations of rape. The release charged that the allegations are being repeated with ulterior motives and are aimed at tarnishing Myanmar's image and its armed forces. In July, two Thai-based Shan rights organizations accused Myanmar army men of committing sexual assaults on 625 girls and women between 1996 and 2001. ______________________________________________ Associated Press December 27 2002 Myanmar reiterates denials of using rape as weapon of war By Grant Peck Stung by criticism from the U.S. State Department, Myanmar's military government issued a new denial of charges that its army uses rape as an instrument of war. "The notion of rape as a systematic national policy is abhorrent to the Government of Myanmar, which has never ordered, supported or condoned rape in any form," read a statement issued in Washington on Thursday by a U.S. company that lobbies for the military regime. The government "stands with the rest of the world in denouncing rape of any kind, especially as an instrument of government policy or war," the statement said. The State Department said on Dec. 17 that its own investigation backed up allegations by two Thai-based human rights groups that Myanmar's military was conducting a campaign of sexual violence against females from the Shan ethnic minority. The Shan is one of several minorities that have been fighting for decades for autonomy from Myanmar's central government. The State Department said that its "short, preliminary investigation" in August located many victims whose stories were similar to those disseminated in a report by the Shan Human Rights Foundation and the Shan Women's Action Network. It said all 12 rape victims interviewed stated that they had been gang-raped by Myanmar soldiers sometime over the past five years, and most also reported knowing several other women or girls who had been raped or killed. "All of the victims under 15 appeared severely traumatized by their experiences, were disturbed mentally, and spoke in whispers if at all," it said. "The older women sobbed violently as they recalled horrific incidents of their own rapes as well as brutal rapes, torture and execution of family members." The report issued in June by the Shan human rights groups claimed to document 173 cases of rape and sexual violence. It received widespread publicity in July when the State Department said it would raise the issue with Myanmar officials. On several occasions since then, Myanmar's government has denied the accusation and questioned the credibility of the two Shan organizations that produced the reports. Both have loose ties to Shan anti-government groups. In its latest denial, Myanmar government spokesman Hla Min was quoted saying that rape "is not, nor has it ever been an instrument of government policy." "Prompt legal actions have been taken against servicemen as well as civilians in isolated cases which occurred not only in the Shan State but else where in the country," he was quoted saying. "We are committed to finding and severely punishing the individuals guilty of committing these heinous crimes, if the allegations are true." Hla Min said his government was ready "to assist and fully cooperate with any independent international organization," and had agreed to let the International Committee of the Red Cross carry out its humanitarian work in the areas where the rapes allegedly took place. A statement from Myanmar's Foreign Affairs Ministry charged that the rape allegations "are being repeated with ulterior motives and are aimed at tarnishing the image of the country and its armed forces. "It is not uncommon for insurgent groups and their supporters to propagate falsehoods whenever possible." It said the government "places the highest priority on national unity. Therefore, it is completely illogical to allege that it could commit acts that would result in discord among the national races." ___________________ DRUGS Xinhua General News Service December 28 2002 Myanmar exposes 251 drug-related cases in November The Myanmar authorities exposed a total of 251 narcotic-drug-related cases in November this year, said a report of the Myanmar Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control available here Saturday. During the month, the army units, police and the customs seized 20.19 kilograms opium, 15.76 kg heroin, 470.57 kg ephedrine and 86,951 tablets of stimulant drugs. The authorities punished 417 people for being involved, it said. According to official statistics, since the beginning of this year, the Myanmar authorities have exposed a total of 2,217 drug- related cases, seizing 1,757.19 kg opium and 315.76 kg heroin as well as 9.277 million tablets of stimulant drugs. The statistics also show that Myanmar produced 1,097 tons of opium in 2001. It is predicted that the production will be 828 tons in 2002 and the country targets to reduce the output to 400 tons in 2003. ___________________ South China Morning Post December 28 2002 Seven SAR drug traffickers avoid death penalty; Much to the surprise of legal experts, China's biggest cross-border smuggling operation results in lenient sentences By Chow Chung-yan in Qujing, Yunnan and Heike Phillips Seven Hong Kong people convicted of organising China's largest cross-border heroin trafficking operation escaped death sentences at a court in the western province of Yunnan yesterday. SAR residents Lam Yip-shing, Fong Che, Choi Pui-shing, Cheung Siu-pao, Wong Kin-keung, Choi Wai-shan and Kwok Wing-wah were found guilty with six mainlanders of trafficking 672.9kg of heroin from Myanmar into the mainland in November 2001. The drug was destined for sale in Hong Kong where it could have fetched more than $ 80 million on the streets. Lam, 40, the ringleader, was sentenced to life imprisonment, Choi Wai-shan to five years imprisonment and the other five Hong Kong people received 15-year jail terms, according to Qujing People's Intermediate Court. Legal experts last night expressed surprise at the "exceptional" leniency of the sentences. Drug trafficking usually carries the death sentence on the mainland. In his written judgment delivered to the defendants in a detention centre, Judge Qi Qiaofang said Lam and his associates were treated softly because they were "co-operative" and "showed signs of remorse". He said the convicts had 10 days to appeal. So far only mainlander Wang Xingchan, given life imprisonment, has done so. Lam and Wang were said to be the masterminds of an international drug syndicate that smuggled heroin manufactured in the Golden Triangle area straddling Myanmar, Thailand and Laos into Hong Kong via the mainland, according to the judgment. Wang handed the heroin divided into 651 blocks to Lam on November 5 last year. Lam arranged to have the drug hidden inside two hollow logs for shipment to Dangshui in Guangdong. The truck carrying the logs was intercepted by police near Luopin town in Yunnan on November 8. Officers inspecting the truck became suspicious when they found marks on the surface of the logs and arrested the mainland driver, the judgment read. Lam was arrested in a hotel room in Dangshui on November 12. Police found more than half a million Hong Kong dollars in cash, a piece of emerald and three mobile phones on him. Two days later, the police arrested another Hong Kong resident, Fong Che, 47, who came to meet Lam to buy drugs. The price for the heroin had been set by the gang at $ 120,000 per kilogram. Police later also arrested two other Hong Kong residents, Cheung and Kwok, who were employed to take the drugs across the border. Andrew Lam Ping-cheung, chairman of the Criminal Law and Procedures Committee of the Law Society of Hong Kong, said: "The sentences are exceptionally lenient - normally in China drug trafficking of even minimal quantities of drugs carries capital punishment. "We don't have evidence of corruption, but it may well be the case. There have been cases where offenders from a strong political background have been treated differently, although this case is unlikely to be political." David Hodson, director of the University of Hong Kong's Centre for Criminology and former assistant commissioner (crime) of the Hong Kong Police, said: "It sounds like they were very lucky. Certainly in both Hong Kong and China drug trafficking is considered a very serious offence. More than 600kg of heroin is a huge case." He said the court would have taken the men's prior convictions for drug trafficking and illegal gambling into account, as these were a "significant consideration". Priscilla Leung Mei-fun, associate professor at City University's school of law and an expert in Chinese law, said the possibility of corruption could not be excluded, but cautioned against jumping to conclusions. "The provincial court may have taken into consideration the Hong Kong people and been more careful in its sentencing." ___________________ Xinhua General News Service December 26 2002 Thai special anti-drug force relieved of suppression role Thailand's special anti-drug unit, Task Force 399, has been relieved of drug suppression role because Myanmar appears to regard it with suspicion and the Thai Army can not afford the budget burden, the Bangkok Post reported Thursday. The task force, a combined unit of four companies of special warfare soldiers, infantrymen and border patrol police, was set up in 2001 when Surayud Chulanont was army chief, specifically to fight drugs. The United States has promised to give 2.3 million US dollars to assist its drug suppression work, but has not yet handed over the amount. Moreover, Myanmar accused Thailand of sending Task Force 399 across the border during a Thai military exercise in May to attack positions of the ethnic Wa army, which was believed to be the most powerful methamphetamine producer and trafficker in the region. Thai Defence Minister Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya affirmed the move, saying that in order to dispel Myanmar's suspicion and because of budget problems, the army had decided to relieve Task Force 399 of its drug suppression duty. Thammarak also reiterated that Thailand has no policy to allow any of its armed units to launch attacks inside any of its neighbors. ____________________________________ MONEY Associated Press December 26 2002 Total ruffles feathers for oil By Kim Housego As TotalFinaElf has aggressively searched for new oil fields to explore, it hasn't been deterred by controversy. The French energy giant has provoked outrage in other countries by doing business with such pariahs as Iran and Myanmar. And the world's fourth-largest oil group has positioned itself to profit when Iraq is free of UN sanctions. "We have to go where the oil and gas is," said Christophe de Margerie, executive vice president in charge of exploration and production. "Though not at any cost." The secret behind Total's success is its exploration. It has the widest geographical spread of any major oil company and has made some of the biggest oil and gas discoveries in the last decade, notably in Angola, Iran, Venezuela and Kazakhstan - where costs are lower. Its assertive stance has allowed it to surpass larger rivals. While industry giants ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch/Shell and BP PLC have downgraded oil production targets amid tumbling profits, Total says it's on track to increase output 10 percent this year. "TotalFinaElf has been able to expand production and, above all, do it profitably," said John Parry, analyst at U.S.-based petroleum consultancy John S. Herold. The company posted net profits of $4.65 billion in the first nine months of this year, down from the same period in 2001 but still in line with expectations. Total brushed aside U.S. objections and invested heavily in Iran during the mid-1990s, then insulated itself from the threat of U.S. sanctions by selling its American activities. At the same time, it opened negotiations with Saddam Hussein's government to develop two vast oil fields once the UN lifts sanctions imposed after the Gulf War. Does expanding into unstable countries not leave the company vulnerable to Third World political risks such as coup d'etats, nationalization or terrorism? De Margerie, who sees Total's diversity as one of its greatest assets, says no. "We split our risks," he said in an interview at Total's headquarters outside Paris. "No one country has such an exposure that it would put our company at stake." Rising demand over the next 20 years, he said, means oil companies will need to find much more oil, but "it's not easy to find new opportunities, it's a big fight." "When we see new opportunities, we are very aggressive," he said. "But we will never operate in a country unless we are certain we can uphold our rules of conduct and respect the laws." That wasn't the case in Myanmar, according to labor unions who lodged a complaint in August alleging the company used forced labor in the construction of a pipeline. Total denies any wrongdoing. De Margerie rejected calls from some rights groups for Total to leave the country because of the ruling junta's poor human rights record, citing the company's commitments to communities there. Asked about Iran, de Margerie said Washington's decision to bar U.S. companies from doing business there did not apply to Total. Now the company is focused on Iraq. It is eager to develop vast energy deposits in a post-Saddam Iraq but also fears that two tentative agreements it has signed with the regime could be voided by U.S.-led military action. "The contracts . . . would be a major addition to the French company by giving them access to cheap oil," said Dr. Fadhil Chalabi, director of the Center for Global Energy Studies in London. Iraq has the second-largest proven oil reserves - an estimated 112 billion barrels - just after Saudi Arabia. Total, formed in the merger of Total Fina and the former state-owned oil company Elf Aquitaine, has also had to contend with damage to its reputation at home. Total Fina first took a beating after an aging tanker it contracted sank off the coast of Brittany in 1999, washing 10,000 tons of gluey oil up on the beaches. Two years later, an explosion in a TotalFinaElf subsidiary's fertilizer factory killed 30 people, injured hundreds and damaged many buildings in Toulouse. TotalFinaElf, France's biggest company, is responding, de Margerie said. "We have taken new measures to ensure maximum possible security," he said, saying that the company would invest $500 million in more precautions over four years. ____________________ Xinhua General News Service December 26 2002 Myanmar's crude oil reserve reaches over 3 bln barrels The recoverable reserve of crude oil in Myanmar's onshore and offshore areas have reached 3.154 billion barrels (419.5 million tons), according to the latest figures released by the state-run Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise ( MOGE). Meanwhile, the recoverable reserve of natural gas in the two areas totaled 50.956 trillion cubic-feet (1,442.05 billion cubic- meters). Myanmar produces annually over four million barrels (530,000 tons) of crude oil and over eight billion cubic-meters of natural gas, exporting over five billion cubic-meters of the gas and earning over 500 million US dollars. There are a total of 19 inland oil fields in Myanmar where at present foreign companies from Indonesia, Bahamas, Britain, Cyprus and China are operating. Myanmar's offshore oil and gas fields concentrate in Rakhine, Tanintharyi and Mottama areas. The MOGE figures also show that the gas reserve in Myanmar's western offshore Rakhine state has increased from 13.4 trillion cubic-feet (379.22 billion cubic-meters) to 47.3 trillion cubic- feet (1,338.6 billion cubic-meters). Myanmar's domestic crude oil production is far from meeting its demand and has to annually import crude oil. Last year, Myanmar bought 100 million gallons (420,000 tons ) of gasoline and more than 300 million gallons (1.26 million tons) of diesel. INTERNATIONAL Washington Post December 26 2002 U.S. Verifies Reports of Mass Rapes in Burma By Glenn Kessler A State Department investigation has corroborated reports earlier this year that Burmese military officials have systematically raped ethnic minority women and girls, according to a recently declassified copy of the investigation report. The Burmese government has denounced as a fabrication reports of mass rapes by the military. In June, the Thailand-based Shan Human Rights Foundation and the Shan Women's Action Network detailed rapes involving at least 625 girls and women by Burmese army troops in Shan state, the largest of the seven ethnic minority states in Burma, also known as Myanmar. The report by the Thailand-based groups concluded that the Burmese military, as part of its campaign to bring ethnic areas under its control, officially condones rape as a "weapon of war" against civilians. At the time, the State Department issued a statement saying it was appalled by the report and urged an investigation by the Burmese government, a step the regime initially resisted. Washington then sent a State Department investigator to the Burma border in August to make its own assessment. "We were able to locate many victims and record chilling new stories of rape and other atrocities in just three days," the investigator reported. All of the victims had been gang-raped by Burmese soldiers within the past five years, including a 13-year-old girl who had been raped two months earlier. "The older women sobbed violently as they recalled horrific incidents of their own rapes as well as brutal rapes, torture and execution of family members," the State Department report said. "Most of these women had just recently arrived in Thailand and were thin, lethargic, despondent and had no belongings or hope for the future." The investigator, to try to assess the credibility of the original report by the Thailand-based organizations, also met with one woman whose case was documented in the report. The woman, who had been gang-raped when she was seven months pregnant, "told us her story in generally the same terms as those recorded in the report." The State Department probe has helped spur the U.S. government to seek an international investigation of the rape charges, a State Department official said. The State Department investigation "collaborates that the rapes have been going on and likely on a widespread basis," the official said. "The international community cannot stand by and allow these heinous crimes by the Tatmadaw [the Burmese military] to continue with impunity," the department report concluded. "We should continue to pressure the regime to end this violence and punish the perpetrators." Last month, Assistant Secretary of State James A. Kelly blasted the regime's handling of the rape allegations, including an effort to claim that a field trip into the region by the International Committee of the Red Cross represented an investigation -- which the Red Cross denies. "For a regime spokesman to deny categorically all charges of rape without any investigation does more than strain credulity," Kelly said. The approach by the government "devalues the representations of the [regime] to the point that even tentative concrete steps -- such as the eventual, reluctant, acknowledgement by the government that rapes had indeed been committed by soldiers -- are submerged in the outrage over the indefensible." Human rights groups allege that the military regime has forced village elders in Shan state to sign petitions that the rapes did not occur. In November, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, reported to the U.N. General Assembly that the regime had given him "detailed briefings" on its investigations into the rape charges. He said he sought to explain that probes undertaken by the military "lacked the independence required to be convincing and credible" and that an international probe, either under U.N. control or with U.N. technical assistance, was required to address the charges. "We remain skeptical that any proper investigation into this issue can take place inside Burma while the military regime remains in power," said Mo Lao of the Shan Women's Action Network, which co-wrote the original rape report. _____________ Associated Press December 27 2002 State Dept. Confirms Myanmar Rapes The State Department has confirmed the systematic rape of ethnic Shan minority women and girls by the military in Myanmar and says it is appalled. Department officers located many of the victims, whose mistreatment over the last five years was detailed initially in June by the Shan Human Rights Foundation and the Shan Women's Action Network in Myanmar, also known as Burma. Rape continues to be a widespread problem in Myanmar, the department said in an announcement issued by its bureau of democracy, human rights and labor Dec. 17. The U.S. government has expressed its deep concern to the Myanmar government and urged an investigation. Twelve rape victims were interview by State Department officers and all said they had been gang-raped by Myanmar soldiers. _____________________ The New York Times December 27 2002 U.S. Says Evidence Confirms Reports of Mass Rapes by Burmese By STEVEN R. WEISMAN The United States has obtained corroborating evidence that mass rapes of hundreds of girls and women have been carried out by the Burmese army in central Shan Province, where the military government has tried for years to suppress an ethnic rebellion, the State Department said today. A department spokesman said the United States government had expressed "deep concern" about the rapes and other abuses to Myanmar, formerly Burma, and urged the government there to punish anyone guilty of "such heinous crimes." Washington has also called for the United Nations to carry out a more extensive investigation of the rape charges, which were first made by human rights groups. The Burmese government has denied the allegations. Washington has cooperated with other countries to impose economic and political sanctions against the military junta of Myanmar. The junta took power in 1988 and nullified the results of a parliamentary election in 1990 that was won overwhelmingly by the National League for Democracy, the political party led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Earlier this year, several nongovernment organizations published reports alleging human rights violations by the military in its effort to crush ethnic uprisings. Reports prepared by the Shan Human Rights Foundation and the Shan Women's Action Network said army troops had raped at least 625 girls and women as a "weapon of war" against civilians. Many victims of government repression have fled to Thailand for safety. In November, James A. Kelly, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said rape was not the only abuse against civilians. "We are deeply troubled by extrajudicial killings, forced relocations and forced labor that have intensified the refugee flow into Thailand this year and created a large population of internally displaced people," he said. In general, Mr. Kelly said, the release earlier this year of Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi, the principal Burmese opposition leader, from house arrest had not led to an easing of political repression, as many human rights groups hoped, although her political organization was allowed to open some offices around the country. In August the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor conducted its own investigation of the rape charges, locating several women who gave dramatic, detailed accounts from northern Thailand, where they had fled. Some said they had been gang raped by soldiers, with some attacks dating back five years. A 13-year-old girl said she had been raped in June. "All the victims under 15 appeared severely traumatized by their experiences, were disturbed mentally and spoke in whispers, if at all," according to a State Department report released on Dec. 17 and described today in The Washington Post. "The older women sobbed violently as they recalled horrific incidents of their own rapes as well as brutal rapes, torture and execution of family members." The report said that although the testimony was "necessarily anecdotal," the stories were consistent with each other and therefore credible. The State Department's report said the United Nations envoy for human rights in Myanmar raised the possibility of a separate investigation when he visited the country. The State Department said Washington was urging Myanmar to cooperate with outside investigators and to carry out its own inquiry. __________________________ REGIONAL Associated Press December 28 2002 Thai army repatriates dissidents to Myanmar About 100 Myanmar exiles who had sought refuge in Thailand are hiding out in the jungles just inside Myanmar after being evicted by the Thai military, one of the exiles said Saturday. The Thai army has acknowledged deporting some Myanmar nationals, saying they were involved in illegal activities. But it denied media reports that force had been used to evict them. One of the leaders, contacted by mobile telephone, said the group was recently given two days to leave the western border district of Sangklaburi and return to Myanmar, also known as Burma, or face arrest and repatriation. He spoke on condition of anonymity. The Thai border has been a refuge for a welter of dissident groups opposed to the military regime in Myanmar. Thailand has normally turned a blind eye to their activities but the current Thai government is seeking to improve relations with its neighbor and has put pressure on the activists. A statement from the Thai Army Friday said troops of its 9th Infantry Division were following a policy that does not allow any foreign groups to use Thai soil to conduct any activities which would be harmful to neighboring countries. Amnesty International, the London-based human rights group, said last week that six political activists from the Mon ethnic group were arrested Dec. 20 and released by the Thai military at the frontier after their offices in Sangklaburi, 200 kilometers (120 miles) west of Bangkok, were shut down. A number of other offices of Myanmar dissidents in the area were also closed at the same time, Amnesty said. The leader interviewed said some of those deported had lived in Thailand for the past decade. He said the evicted group had not carried out armed resistance but was involved in education. ____________________ Agence France Presse December 29 2002 Thailand deports Myanmar dissidents The Thai military said Sunday it had rounded up two batches of Myanmar dissidents illegally based along the border over the past week and deported them, realising fears voiced earlier by human rights groups. Army spokesman Somkhuan Saengpattaranate told AFP that two groups of Myanmar dissidents illegally living in Thailand were deported Wednesday and Friday from western Kanchanaburi province, but he did not specify numbers. Local media have reported that 65 Karen villagers were sent back. "After the Surasi Task Force inspected the border area, we found that these people had set up their own office on Thailand's soil," Somkhuan said, adding that the army would not permit foreign groups to use Thailand as a base for activities against a neighbouring government. The Surasi Task Force is charged with overseeing security along Thailand's western border with Myanmar. "Those who illegally entered or were without identification cards were sent back to Myanmar," he added. The spokesman said the move was not done to appease Myanmar's ruling military junta, but was merely the enforcement of Thai immigration law. Rights groups last week raised the alarm over the possibility of dissidents being repatriated to Myanmar after they reported that six Mon political activists were arrested and then released on the border on December 20. According to Amnesty International, their offices were shut down and other dissident offices were also told to close. "Amnesty International fears that in the following days Myanmar political activists in Thailand are at grave risk of being sent across the border by Thai security forces," the group said in a statement on Tuesday. "Many of these asylum-seekers would face human rights violations if returned to Myanmar, including arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment and imprisonment." Rights watchdog Forum Asia also reported on the Mon arrests and said it feared further crackdowns by Thai authorities. In June this year Thailand's National Security Council vowed to clamp down on dissident groups from Myanmar, including refugee students who oppose the junta in Yangon. It also accused the dissidents then of being intent on using Thai territory as a springboard to carry out attacks. _____________________ Agence France Presse December 27 2002 Thai-Myanmar joint cabinet meeting delayed by border security fears Thailand's planned joint cabinet meeting with Myanmar will be delayed due to concerns over security along their common border, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Friday. Thaksin said the meeting would be the last in a series of get-togethers with the leaders of neighbouring countries. A meeting with Malaysia's cabinet in the southern city of Hat Yai earlier this month was marred by a violent clash between police and protesters demonstrating over a planned Thai-Malaysian gas pipeline. After the trouble which broke out on the eve of the December 22 meeting, an unprecedented security operation involving 5,000 police, army and air force was rolled out in Hat Yai. Thaksin said the Myanmar talks would be held last after meetings with the cabinets of Singapore, Cambodia and Laos early next year. "The planned joint cabinet meeting with Myanmar probably will be last among our neighbouring countries due to border security concern," he told AFP. Several rebel armies operate on the Thai-Myanmar border, many of them involved in the opium and methamphetamines trafficking trade. Clashes between these groups and the Thai and Myanmar armies flare up frequently and are the source of constant diplomatic rows between the neighbours. Thaksin also said that the joint cabinet meeting with Cambodia is expected to be held in March in the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket. He said the meeting may be followed by dinner at Preah Vihear, an important 1,000-year-old temple set on a high ridge on Cambodian territory, which is only accessible from Thailand. During the 1950s and early 1960s, a dispute over the ownership of the temple seriously strained relations between the two countries. The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple, consecrated to the Hindu god Shiva, belonged to Cambodia. The next joint cabinet meeting will be with Singaporean ministers on January 10-12. _______________________ Xinhua General News Service December 30 2002 Thailand, Myanmar to exchange warship visits Thailand and Myanmar have agreed to exchange visits of warships to each other's naval bases for the first time, according to local TV news reports Monday. The agreement was reached at a meeting of the bilateral Regional Border Committee in Moulmein, Myanmar, last week. Thailand has been requesting for such an exchange for a long time and will be the third country to exchange such visits with Myanmar after China and India. The activity, for which the schedule is yet to be finalized, will see warships of the two countries entering each other's waters and naval ports. Thai officials said although both sides have not agreed to conduct a joint naval patrol, the exchange of warship visits is a good sign of further naval cooperation between the two neighboring countries. ____________________ Kyodo News Service December 27 2002 Karen fighters seize Myanmar camp, at least 15 killed Karen National Union (KNU) fighters seized a Myanmar military stronghold after launching a massive attack on Friday morning that killed at least 15 Myanmar soldiers, Thai military officials said Friday. The clash occurred around 3 a.m. when some 150 Karen soldiers attacked the Myanmar military's Burengnong Camp opposite the Phop Phra district of Thailand's Tak Province, about 500 kilometers northwest of Bangkok. The KNU seized the camp after both sides exchanged heavy weapons and mortar fire for about three hours. There has been no estimate of casualties on the KNU side, the Thai military said. The KNU has been fighting for Karen autonomy from the central government in Myanmar since 1949. The Friday attack is believed the largest this year, the Thai officials added. ________________________ Xinhua General News Service December 27 2002 Thai Army denies treating villagers along Thai-Myanmar border violently Thai Army denied that army troop from the 9th Infantry Division burnt a residential area of Karen in Kanjana Buri province, 150 kilometers west of Bangkok. A fax sent to Xinhua from the Office of Thai Army Secretary on Friday noted the press report that Thai Army treated Karen villagers violently and threatened to arrest and deport them to Myanmar is groundless. The fax said the 9th Infantry Division/ Surasi Task Force only resettled these villages along the border for security according to the government's policy that does not allow any foreign groups to use Thai soil to perform any activities against neighboring country's government. According to army unit's investigation, Myanmar nationalities had secretary done activities against neighboring government by settling an office in Wia Ka Dhi village in Kanjana Buri province, therefore Surasi Task Force searched and reordered the village and found this illegal immigration group, the Fax explained. The fax also stressed that according to immigration law, Surasi Task Force had closed their office and deported them back to their country without any violence. ______________________ STATEMENTS/EDITORIALS Washington Post December 27 2002 An Opportunity in Burma ONE OF THE CHALLENGES for those seeking to promote democracy in tyrannies around the world is the frequent absence of a peaceful opposition to work with. In Iraq, the reception exiles might receive upon return is uncertain, and Saddam Hussein's secret police have quashed any possibility of civil society inside the nation. North Korea's people are beaten into submission and starvation. In Iran, to complete the tour of President Bush's "axis of evil," there is a vibrant opposition, but America's checkered history in that country means that any support must be offered with delicate sensitivity. All of which makes Burma all the more remarkable as an exception to the rule. It's a lush and potentially wealthy nation with a population of close to 50 million, but its despotic regime (which calls the country Myanmar) would fit comfortably on Mr. Bush's axis. The ruling generals enrich themselves, protect drug lords and have imprisoned more than 1,000 people who peacefully expressed a desire for freedom. And yet, amazingly, a pro-democracy party survives. Led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy enjoys legitimacy rare in a dictatorship because it overwhelmingly won an election in 1990; the junta, having wildly mistaken its own popularity, annulled the results. Aung San Suu Kyi, though under house arrest for most of the past dozen years, continues to enjoy enormous respect and popularity, judging by reports of crowds that turn out to see her when she travels the provinces -- even though her party is not permitted to publish any kind of newspaper and the state-controlled press never reports on her travels. You would think this rare circumstance would be seized upon by the Bush administration as an opportunity. Some officials do in fact seek to support the democrats. But others are inexplicably tempted to consort with the dictators. There was lately a misguided move to increase cooperation on drug control that was derailed with difficulty, thanks in part to pressure from pro-democracy Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), incoming chairman of the Appropriations Committee's foreign operations subcommittee. More recently, America's highest-ranking diplomat in Burma gave a cheery interview to the junta's stooge newspaper. What could she have been thinking? Under pressure from U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and others, the junta released Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel peace laureate, from house arrest on May 6 and promised to initiate a dialogue with her party. But no dialogue is taking place; in fact, things seem to be moving in the wrong direction. A crowd of 20,000 people who gathered to hear their democracy leader in a provincial city recently was threatened with fire hoses; she climbed aboard a fire engine to block such abuse, then persuaded the crowd to peacefully disperse. President Bush should make clear that dialogue must begin; a number of levers, including a possible import ban, remain at his disposal. He'll rarely have a more unqualified chance to show U.S. support for nonviolent democrats. _________________________________________ The Guardian December 30 2002 Freedom slowly coming to Burma By Gwynne Dyer One should not speak ill of the dead, but an exception is justified in the case of Burma's late dictator Ne Win. He was responsible for almost 40 years of tyranny and poverty in his country, and most Burmese would gladly dance on his ashes if it were allowed. By the time he died at 91 on Dec. 5, however, the process of undoing his malignant legacy was well underway. Last May, Aung San Suu Kyi, the woman who is as much the symbol of democracy in Burma as Nelson Mandela was in apartheid South Africa, was freed from house arrest by the generals who are Ne Win's successors. "My release should not be looked on as a major breakthrough for democracy," Suu Kyi warned -- but she added: "I would cautiously say that where we are is better than where we have ever been." Even as he neared death, Ne Win tried to kill the hope for democracy in Burma: his son-in-law and three grandsons were arrested last March while trying to organize a coup that would have unseated his successors and aborted the talks for Suu Kyi's freedom. They were sentenced to be hanged, and Ne Win died a lonely and unhonoured death this month under house arrest at his home on a lake in central Rangoon -- just across the lake, in fact, from the house where Suu Kyi had been confined for so long. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Other Southeast Asian countries also had liberation heroes who turned into monsters and blighted their people's lives -- Indonesia's Sukarno and Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh spring to mind -- but none lasted so long or did as much damage as General Ne Win. One of the legendary 'Thirty comrades' who began Burma's war for freedom from Britain, he overthrew the country's shaky democracy in 1962 and ruled with an iron hand for the next 28 years. Ne Win was so superstitious that he once replaced the country's existing paper currency with 45-kyat and 90-kyat notes because nine was his lucky number. He was so suspicious of foreigners that he walled Burma off from almost all outside contact, imposing an erratic 'Burmese Road to Socialism' that turned the region's richest country into its poorest in only three decades. And then, when popular protests broke out in 1988, he abruptly resigned. A new kind of non-violent democratic revolution was toppling dictators all across Asia in the late '80s -- in the Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh, South Korea -- and in 1988 Burma was swept along. So was Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of Burma's greatest independence hero Aung San. Long settled in Britain with her English husband and their two sons, Suu Kyi just happened to go home that year to nurse her dying mother. To most Burmese her father, who had been assassinated when she was just two, was still the most powerful symbol of the future that had been betrayed, and so she suddenly found herself leading a democratic revolution. Then the frightened generals massacred thousands of citizens in the streets of Rangoon to save their power, Ne Win came back to power in another coup, and Suu Kyi discovered her destiny. Ne Win's new junta opened the country to foreign investment in an attempt to revive the devastated economy, and so much oil and timber money poured in that the regime was emboldened to hold an election in 1990. But the brief burst of prosperity changed nobody's mind: 82 per cent of the voters backed Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy against the generals. So Ne Win simply refused to accept the election's outcome, jailed most of the NLD's elected members, and embarked on a long duel with Suu Kyi (who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991) over the future of Burma. What is going on now is a delicate and secretive process in which the repressive regime negotiates a safe exit from power and an indemnity for its past crimes -- rather like the first year after Nelson Mandela was freed from jail in South Africa. As General Khin Nyunt put it in August, "The democracy that we seek to build ... will surely be based on universal principles of liberty, justice and equality ... (but) such a transition cannot be done in haste and in a haphazard manner." Aung San Suu Kyi concedes that after all this time it cannot simply be a matter of handing power over to the NLD government that was legally elected in 1990. But, she adds, "who's to say we won't get a bigger majority this time?" Gwynne Dyer is a London-based independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries. _______________________ The Houston Chronicle December 28 2002 Myanmar Rapes; The world must end sexual violence as war tactic The brutality that humans are capable of inflicting on each other apparently is limited only by the imagination. Among such cruel outrages that recently have come to light are the systematic gang rapes of ethnic Shan minority women and girls by the military in Myanmar. But all is not fair in war, and the world must condemn the use of rape as a weapon of conflict. The U.S. State Department this week confirmed the reports of widespread, government-sponsored rapes after department officers interviewed several victims, including a 13-year-old, who had been assaulted during the past five years. The horrors first were reported by human rights and women's advocacy groups in Myanmar. The Myanmar government, which is a military dictatorship, has denied the use of rape as a means of controlling ethnic minority separatists in the eastern state of Shan. But the government also has yet to undertake a credible investigation of the allegations. Its report on the allegations, readily available online at myanmar.com, is implausible propaganda. It's not enough to condemn the horror of mass, government- condoned violence. The United States and the United Nations must do more to support the Myanmar people's efforts to shake off their military oppressors, especially as the country incubates a pro-democracy party, which is led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel peace laureate who won a popular election in 1990. From editor@burmanet.org Thu Jan 2 02:11:37 2003 From: editor@burmanet.org (editor@burmanet.org) Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 21:11:37 -0500 (EST) Subject: BurmaNet News: December 30-January 1 2003 Message-ID: <15702.207.10.94.131.1041473497.squirrel@webmail.pair.com> December 30 2002-January 1 2003 Issue #2147 INSIDE BURMA Kyodo: Suu Kyi blames authorities for harassment in recent trip Kaladan: Forced labor and extortion still exist in Arakan BBC: Burma’s democracy leader optimistic DVB: Rangoon said collecting information on state employees linked to NLD DVB: More political prisoners are to be released? NYT: Dissident’s strong critique Myanmar Information Committee: Entrepreneurs, companies reclaim 1.2 acres of agricultural land MONEY SCMP: Van der Horst returns to operations GUNS Kyodo: Karen fighters seize Myanmar camp, at least 15 killed DRUGS AFP: Vietnam’s drug seizures up 10 percent REGIONAL NMG: Burmese activists Thailand at risk of arrest and deportation Xinhua: Myanmar’s head of state to visit China Xinhua: High-level Thai delegation to visit Myanmar in January Myanmar Times: Landmark agreement reached on direct road link Bangladesh visit being new era Myanmar Times: Mega dam project for Shan State INTERNATIONAL AFP: Britain voices concern over Suu Kyi harassment Myanmar Times: Myanmar, US at odds on drugs decision STATEMENTES/EDITORIALS Foreign & Commonwealth Office: Mike O’Brien calls on Burmese regime to end harassment of Aung San Suu Kyi and the democratic opposition Daily Excelsior: Former Indian officer on threat of China’s influence in Burma Irrawaddy: Bells are ringing Irrawaddy: Economic and social chaos of the state INSIDE BURMA Kyodo News December 31 2002 Suu Kyi blames authorities for harassment in recent trip Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), blamed central authorities Tuesday for harassment she encountered during a recent trip outside the capital Yangon. Suu Kyi branded those responsible for the harassment 'the true destructive elements' at a press conference at her party's head office attended by reporters and diplomats. She spoke of obstructions encountered during her visit earlier this month to Rakhine State and the Ayeyar-waddy Division, where local authorities used barricades to prevent the public from meeting her. 'There had to be some kind of instructions from above,' the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate said. 'But from how high above, that is not sure.' 'I also understand that a minister has been going around saying people should not demonstrate their support for us, and that we are destructive elements, and the people should not join hands with the destructive elements,' she said. 'It is those who are trying to stop us from achieving reconciliation with the SPDC who are the true destructive elements. Because they are the ones who will destroy the country by blocking the process of reconciliation,' she said, referring to the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Asked about dialogue with the junta, she said, 'The dialogue has not started.' 'The confidence building has come to an end. Present stage is in a state of limbo. The year 2003 is a year which we should work towards genuine dialogue which will help this country,' she said. Asked whether a new period of confrontation between the two sides has started, she said, 'I leave it to you to decide who started the confrontation process.' _________ Kaladan News December 26 2002 FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION STILL EXISTS IN A RAKAN Forced labour and extortion are still continuing in Arakan State even if SPDC authorities have officially denied the existence any forced labour across the country, according to our correspondent. The Commander of the Military Operation Command (MOC)-15 of Buthidaung Township, Arakan State had ordered the Chairmen of the Nanragon and Quandaung village tracts Peace and Development Councils (VPDCs) on December 01,to provide 200 laborers daily for cultivation of seasonal crops like chili, tomato, egg plant, potato, cabbage, pea and cauliflower…etc, he further added. About six acres of farmland had already been confiscated from nearby villagers for seasonal cultivation. The villagers of the two village tracts were also asked to complete the cultivation of six acres of land by December 15 for growing vegetables, said a daily labor to our correspondent. In this connection, Abul Kalam and U Kyaw Thein, the two Chairmen respectively of Quandaung and Nanragoon village tracts, had sent forcibly 200 laborers daily, from these two village tracts for the army camp for the purpose of cultivation, he further said. At present, there are a total of 1,490 houses in these village tracts. The two Chairmen of the village tracts had collected an amount of Kyats 3, 87,000/- from 1,290 households at the rate of Kyats 300/-each per house. The rest of the 200 houses had to supply forced labor---one person per house--- continuing for 15 days for which they were paid Kyats 200/- each from the money collected from the villagers. Normally the daily wage of an ordinary labor is Kyats 800 to 1,000 in the area, a clerk from VPDC office told our source. _______ British Broadcasting Corporation December 31 2002 Burma's democracy leader optimistic The Burmese pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, says she remains cautiously optimistic that political change will come to Burma in the next year. Speaking at a news conference in Rangoon, Aung San Suu Kyi said she was particularly encouraged by her reception during recent visits around the country, and by what she called the tremendous sense of national solidarity. She said Burma's various ethnic groups were all aware of the need for change and most were prepared to co-operate to achieve it. Ethnic minority groups have so far been excluded from the national reconciliation dialogue between the military government and the opposition, brokered by the United Nations. Meanwhile, the Chinese news agency, Xinhua, says the leader of the Burmese military government ,Than Shwe, will begin a state visit to China next week. ____________ Democratic Voice of Burma December 31 2002 Rangoon said collecting information on state employees linked to NLD DVB has learned that the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) has directed regional military intelligence personnel to compile the details of relatives, who are government employees, of active NLD (National League for Democracy) members. The directive emerged at a time when the NLD headquarters is planning to accept new members. According to news report received by DVB, local authorities have systematically compiled the details and personal history of U Win Maung, who is the brother of U Saw Ngwe Saw, the NLD joint secretary of Kya-in Seikkyi Township in Karen State. U Win Maung is currently an assistant director of Rangoon Electricity Distribution Department. Similarly, it has been learned that responsible local authorities have been compiling the names and personal histories of relatives, who are government employees, of members of various NLD Organizing Committees, NLD Humanitarian Assistance Committee, NLD Youth Wing, and NLD Women's group. In some townships, houses of NLD members were searched at odd hours of the night for unregistered guests. In certain wards, only the houses of some NLD members were handpicked and searched. DVB has learned that in allowing the reopening of NLD township branch offices in the states and divisions, very active NLD township offices were still not permitted to reopen. __________ Democratic Voice of Burma December 29 2002 More Political Prisoners are to be released? It is reported that some famous political prisoners in Myitkyina Prisoners are being summoned to sign a contract of promises. The practice is also known as Act 401 which allows the prisoners to be released early by wiping out the remaining sentences but their sentences will be doubled in the future if they took part in political activities again. Among people who were summoned were the NLD’s MP Dr Zaw Myint Maung of Amarapura, Mandalay Division and U Sein Hla Oo. Dr. Daw Yu Yu May who went to see her husband Dr Zaw Myint Maung recently at the prison told the DVB that the action seems to point to his imminent release. ____________ New York Times January 1 2003 World Briefing Asia: Myanmar: Dissident's Strong Critique By Seth Mydans The opposition leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, criticized the government in the strongest terms she has used since her release in May from 19 months of house arrest. At a news conference, she said government officials "who are trying to stop us from achieving reconciliation" had organized a pattern of disruptions and harassment during her just-completed tour of Rakhine State, the fifth trip she has made to meet supporters since her release. She also criticized the government for failing to join her in promised talks. "I suppose they are reluctant to do something because they do not think it will work in their favor," she said. __________ Myanmar Information Committee December 24 2002 Entrepreneurs, companies reclaim 1.2m acres of agricultural land For the success of planned cultivation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation has drawn up special projects and has carried out extended land reclamation work to achieve extensive cultivation acreage. In the agriculture sector, modern methods and techniques with high quality seeds are used with the aid of machines to achieve target. Total cultivable acres in Myanmar Burma is 45m acres, the total cultivated area is 26m acres. Since there are still 16.5m acres of vacant and virgin soil available, intensive efforts are being made for extended cultivation acreage. Altogether 98 private entrepreneurs and national companies were given farming permits and about 1.2m acres are being given to them and work for the development of agriculture activities are being carried out. National private companies of Kachin State, Kayin Karen State, Sagaing, Tanintharyi Tenasserim , Bago Pegu , Magway Magwe , Mandalay and Yangon Divisions, Shan States (South) and Ayeyarwady Irrawaddy Division, were given altogether 1,179,840 acres of land permits cultivation. At present already 314,297 acres have been established and cultivation work had started on 76,843 acres. To avoid natural disasters, extreme weather conditions and prevent migration of nomadic people, hill side cultivation had been established and success had been achieved. Beginning 2002-2003 a five-year plan for 135,000 acres hill side cultivation is being implemented. For highland cultivation, supervisory committees for State and Divisions have already been formed and efforts are being made to implement the tasks in the open season with added momentum. MONEY South China Morning Post December 31 2002 VAN DER HORST RETURNS TO OPERATIONS Singapore: Van der Horst has announced a reverse takeover that will inject a Myanmar oil business into the company, which sold all its operating assets in 2001 and ended a three-year share suspension. The construction firm will pay S $ 30 million (about HK$ 134.75 million) through the issue of new shares to buy Goldwater, a British Virgin Islands firm which mainly explores for and produces petroleum in Myanmar. The deal will give Goldwater a 68 per cent stake in former construction business Van der Horst. Reuters REGULATOR TO VOTE GUNS Kyodo News December 27 2002 Karen fighters seize Myanmar camp, at least 15 killed Karen National Union (KNU) fighters seized a Myanmar military stronghold after launching a massive attack on Friday morning that killed at least 15 Myanmar soldiers, Thai military officials said Friday. The clash occurred around 3 a.m. when some 150 Karen soldiers attacked the Myanmar military's Burengnong Camp opposite the Phop Phra district of Thailand's Tak Province, about 500 kilometers northwest of Bangkok. The KNU seized the camp after both sides exchanged heavy weapons and mortar fire for about three hours. There has been no estimate of casualties on the KNU side, the Thai military said. The KNU has been fighting for Karen autonomy from the central government in Myanmar since 1949. The Friday attack is believed the largest this year, the Thai officials added. DRUGS Agence France-Presse December 31 2002 Vietnam's drug seizures up 10 percent Drug seizures by Vietnamese police rose 10 percent in the year to November, official media reported late on Monday. Police recovered 55 kilograms of heroin and 550 kilograms of opium in 14,000 operations across the country in the 12 months from November 2001, according to the Vietnam News Agency. "Large numbers of civil servants and drug users were found to be involved in distributing drugs," the agency said in a statement. "However, drug trafficking remains like an iceberg with the larger part being covered, according to the Drug Control Board. Monitored drug users have amounted to 130,000 with some 75 percent being unemployed." Vietnam's porous borders make the country a haven for traffickers. Drugs from China and the Golden Triangle -- which links Laos, Thailand and Myanmar -- often transit the country before leaving for the West. Fifty-five people were sentenced to death for drug-trafficking in Vietnam last year. REGIONAL Network Media Group December 24 2002 Burmese activists in Thailand at risk of arrest and deportation Thailand based Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) released an urgent alert yesterday that Burmese students as well as pro-democracy and human rights activists are facing the threat of arrest and deportation in Thailand. "National Security Council people, last month, confirmed to me that, at the end of the day, everyone that belongs anti-SPDC must be moved out of Thailand. They don't care where these groups will go, back to Burma or third country. But, the policy is they must be moved out of Thailand," said Sunai Phasuk, spokesperson of Forum Asia. On December 20, soldiers from Thai ninth army raided an office of Mon youth at Sangkhla Buri, a border town in southern Thailand, and deported 6 Mon youths across the border. The soldiers also ordered the members of nine dissident groups based in Sangkhla Buri to move out of Thailand within two days, reported by news agencies. "After the incident in Sangkhla Buri, FORUM-ASIA fears further crackdowns on pro-democracy activists and ethnic minority groups in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Tak," mentioned in the urgent alert. The Thai government adopted a security directive on July 4, 2002, which has officially imposed a ban on pro-democracy and human rights groups with the objective to mend relations with SPDC. And, Law enforcement and security authorities have been specifically instructed by the National Security Council (NSC) to use immigration laws as a principle measure to control and stop activities of Burmese dissidents and ethnic minority groups, according to FORUM-ASIA. Recently in early December, Thai authorities arrested more than 20 Burmese students who were commemorating the International Human Rights Day in Mae Hong Son and 13 of them, who had no legal documents, were sent back to Burma border. ______ Xinhua News Agency December 31 2002 Myanmar's head of state to visit China Than Shwe, chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, will pay a state visit to China from Jan. 6 to 11, 2003, at the invitation of Chinese President Jiang Zemin, according to diplomatic sources here Tuesday. ________ Xinhua News Agency December 30 2002 High-level Thai delegation to visit Myanmar in January A high-level delegation of the Thai government led by two deputy premiers will visit Myanmar next month, focusing on drug suppression, migrant labor and development projects in border areas. The state-owned radio here reported Monday that Deputy Prime Ministers Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Korn Dabbaransi will be in Myanmar for talks on Jan. 27. Chavalit, who supervises the country's security affairs, said the two countries have set an agenda to drastically curb the cross- border drug trade in the next two years. "There are good signs that the two countries will achieve this aim. Our officials are working very hard to suppress drugs and the war against illicit drugs will be waged around the clock from now on," he said. Migrant labor will also be a major discussion topic in the one- day visit. Thailand has an estimated one million illegal alien workers and most of them are Myanmar nationals. The country's previous attempt to control influx of illegal migrant workers has failed due to a lack of cooperation with neighboring countries. Thailand is planning to negotiate a migrant-labor agreement with Myanmar after it signed a pact with Laos in October this year. _______ Myanmar Times December 23-29 2002 Landmark agreement reached on direct road link Bangladesh visit begins ‘new era’ By Thet Khaing VISIT to Dhaka last week by the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, Senior General Than Shwe, was hailed as marking the start of a "new era" in bilateral relations by the Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia. The two-day visit, which began on December 17, produced an agreement to establish a direct road link to help boost bilateral trade. It will involve building a road between Maungdaw in Rakhine State and the south-eastern Bangladeshi port city of Chittagong. The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding on holding annual consultations at foreign minister level as well as an agreement on cultural cooperation which will pave the way for exchange visits by actors, artists and writers. Senior General Than Shwe, who is the first Myanmar head of state to visit Bangladesh in more than 16 years, held talks with Begum Zia on the proposed road link and on efforts to expand bilateral trade, said a Bangladeshi diplomat in Yangon. The two leaders also discussed the Dhaka government’s interest in forging closer ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the diplomat said. During the visit, Senior General Than Shwe stressed Myanmar’s desire for closer relations with Bangladesh. "I am fully confident that cooperation between the two countries will intensify in the coming years to the benefit of both our peoples," he said at a dinner hosted by Begum Zia on the first day of the visit. "Both countries face challenges and are relying on their own resources and adopting policies and measures best suited to their own conditions," he said. He also stressed the importance of a robust regional approach towards economic development. In her address at the dinner, Begum Zia expressed confidence the visit would take bilateral relations and cooperation to a new level. "We support steps to encourage greater people-to-people contact between our businessmen, leaders, academics, civil and military officials," Begum Zia said. She said there was an immediate need to boost economic ties through direct road and sea links. A meeting between Senior General Than Shwe and Bangladesh’s President Iajuddin Ahmed was the first at head-of-state level between the two sides in more than 14 years. Senior General Than Shwe headed a 52-member delegation which included the SPDC’s Secretary 1, General Khin Nyunt, and four cabinet ministers, including the Foreign Minister, U Win Aung. The Myanma Airways International plane which carried the Myanmar delegation was escorted by four Bangladeshi air force jets on its arrival and departure from Dhaka’s Zia International Airport. The business community in Yangon has responded to the visit by welcoming prospects for increased trade with Bangladesh. The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries said an increase in the trade relationship would result in more exports to Bangladesh. The trading relationship is valued at about US$50 million a year, largely in Myanmar’s favour. Most of the trade is conducted by ferry across the Naaf River, which forms part of border with Bangladesh. The proposed direct road link had the potential to increase bilateral trade 10-fold, the first secretary at the Bangladeshi embassy, Mr Mahfuzur Rahman, told Myanmar Times. Surveying work for the road was due to begin in the next three months, Mr Rahman said. He said it would be cheaper and more convenient for Dhaka to import rice, beans and pulses and maize by road from Myanmar. Mr Rehman said Bangladesh wanted to export fertilisers, cement and pharmaceuticals to Myan-mar. _________ Myanmar Times December 23-29 2002 Mega dam project for Shan State By Win Kyaw Oo THAI company has reached agreement with the government to build a massive hydro-electric dam on the Than Lwin River in southern Shan State. The dam, expected to cost up to US$4 billion, will be the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia, said Mr Swarng Champa, managing director of the Bangkok-based MDX Group, after the agreement was signed with the Department of Hydro-electric Power in Yangon on December 20. The MDX Group will finance the 4600 megawatt project through its own resources and loans raised in Thailand, Mr Swarng told Myanmar Times in a telephone interview. Most of the electricity generated by the dam will be sold to Thailand. The company will build the dam across the Than Lwin River near Tasam township, about 300 miles northeast of Yangon. It will be a build, operate and transfer project, providing for the dam to be eventually returned to the government, though these details and those surrounding the sale of electricity to Thailand are yet to be finalised. Mr Swarng said a preliminary study carried out seven years ago had resulted in plans for a dam 800 metres long and about 220 metres high. He said the first phase of the project, due to be completed in 2007, involved the installation of 200 megawatt turbine to provide power for construction purposes and to supply nearby communities. The second phase of the project involves the installation of another three turbines capable of Measures taken by the committee to improve road safety have included educational campaigns and heavy fines for those caught violating traffic regulations. The committee has also installed road signs urging safer driving and has broadcast traffic safety measures on television. The Yangon City Development Committee is also working to reduce the accident rate. U Aung Zin, the deputy head of the YCDC’s engineering department (roads and bridges) said road safety projects included the installation of yellow flashing lights at some pedestrian crossings and ‘cat eye’ reflectors in some areas to make centre lines more visible at night. INTERNATIONAL Agence France-Presse January 1 2003 Britain voices concern over Suu Kyi harassment Britain voiced deep concern Wednesday over reports that Myanmar's ruling junta is harassing supporters of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Foreign Office minister Mike O'Brien called on the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), which holds power in Yangon, to enter into talks with the Nobel Prize winner's National League for Democracy (NLD). "I am deeply concerned at reports of harassment and intimidation of ordinary people before and during Aung San Suu Kyi's recent trips within Burma (Myanmar), and at reports of restrictions imposed on Aung San Suu Kyi as she travels," O'Brien said. "I am also appalled by reports that a minister in the ruling SPDC dissuaded people from meeting Aung San Suu Kyi, and that the government-sponsored Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) distributed leaflets making personal attacks on Aung San Suu Kyi and her family," he said. The most serious incident occurred during Suu Kyi's trip to the town of Myauk-Oo in the western state of Rakhine, where the leader clamoured atop a fire engine to prevent it from dispersing a crowd of 20,000 people with high-pressure hoses. "I have spoken to Aung San Suu Kyi on a number of occasions in the last few weeks and we agreed that Burma cannot make progress until we see a real will for political reform from the SPDC," O'Brien said. "I call on Senior General Than Shwe to enter into a serious dialogue with the NLD and other opposition parties in Burma. "Part of that process of development must be to allow opposition groups and the people of Burma the right to express their political views freely and to make substantial steps towards restoring democracy." The military has ruled Myanmar for the past four decades, and refused to recognise a landslide election victory claimed by the NLD in 1990. _________ Myanmar Times December 23-29 2002 Myanmar, US at odds on drugs decision By Thet Khaing MYANMAR and the United States have made different assessments about a decision due by President George Bush on cooperation with Washington in drug control. A statement issued by the Myanmar government last Tuesday said Mr Bush had declined to certify Myanmar as a country cooperating with the US in its campaign against narcotics. The US State Department spokesperson, Mr Richard Boucher, responded to the statement by saying the government’s assessment was premature because a decision was yet to be made. The statement quoted a government spokesperson, Colonel Hla Min, as saying Myanmar had fallen victim to Washington’s policy of linking political issues with narcotics law enforcement. The decision would delay the eradication of narcotics in Myanmar, it said, in a reference to the aid provided by the US to countries deemed to be cooperating in the campaign against the drug trade. "Our struggle to become a drug free society will continue on track, with or without American recognition for our efforts," Col Hla Min said. "Drug traffickers and their associates will be pleased with the US Government’s decision to remain on the sidelines in one of the world’s largest narcotics control challenges," the statement said. It said the government would continue to work with national groups to reduce the opium harvest next year to 400 tonnes, half the amount produced in 2002. "We are encouraged that a huge reduction in opium production has been made, even though the certification process fell victim to US politics – an overwhelming landslide of media and political pressure to deny our progress by connecting politics to narcotics law enforcement," Col Hla Min said in the statement. Mr Boucher, who suggested that the govern-ment’s announcement was based on an impression gained in talks with US officials, said Washington would make its decision known in the coming months. An announcement is expected in February. Mr Boucher said the issue that had to be decided was whether Myanmar had succeeded or failed to make substantial efforts to adhere to international counter narcotics agreements as well as counter narcotics measures specified in US law. Mr Bush last year listed Myanmar, Afghanistan and Haiti as having failed to make substantial efforts against the narcotics trade. However, he decided to resume US aid for drug control work in Afghanistan and Haiti, but not to Myanmar. STATEMENTS Foreign and Commonwealth Office January 1 2003 MIKE O'BRIEN CALLS ON BURMESE REGIME TO END HARASSMENT OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND THE DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION - Following reports of the harassment of opposition groups in Burma, Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brien said: "I am deeply concerned at reports of harassment and intimidation of ordinary people before and during Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's recent trips within Burma, and at reports of restrictions imposed on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as she travels. I am also appalled by reports that a Minister in the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) dissuaded people from meeting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and that the government sponsored Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) distributed leaflets making personal attacks on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her family. "I have spoken to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on a number of occasions in the last few weeks and we agreed that Burma cannot make progress until we see a real will for political reform from the SPDC. I call on Senior General Than Shwe to enter into a serious dialogue with the NLD and other opposition parties in Burma. Part of that process of development must be to allow opposition groups and the people of Burma the right to express their political views freely and to make substantial steps towards restoring democracy." News Department, Downing Street (West), London SW1A 2AH ___________ Daily Excelsior December 30 2002 Former Indian officer on threat of China's influence in Burma The continuing and growing influence of China on the military regime in Burma and what impact that has for India has been the subject of an article in an independent Kashmiri daily. It noted that the US sees India as critical in its South Asia policy of limiting Chinese influence in Pakistan and Burma. The article criticized what it perceived as inadequate diplomatic initiatives from Delhi towards Burma and lack of official visits. The author called for a parliamentary debate on the issue. The following is the text of the article by Maj-Gen V.K. Madhok (Retd) entitled: "Future Chinese threats from Myanmar" by privately owned Jammu based newspaper Daily Excelsior web site on 30 December The greatest challenge which India faces in the near future is a scenario, when two military dictatorships on India's (Pakistan) and Eastern (Myanmar Burma ) flanks can be brought with tacit support from China, under one umbrella (ISI). In a worst case situation, it could mean a coordinated second proxy way by the separatist movements in the North-East, against the Indian union with bases and arms freely available in Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal. India's political leadership will therefore do well to do some homework to obviate the development of such a possibility. Yet it seems strange that no important Indian political leader has visited Myanmar in the last 14 years. During this period of New Delhi's isolation, the Chinese have expanded their influence. It is rightly said, that Myanmar's foreign policy is being drafted in Beijing. And with the change in China's political leadership, the scenario painted above might turn out real unless India does something about it. The significance of this country which is really India's strategic eastern flank and shares a 1,600 km (approximately) long border with the sensitive States of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram (also Bangladesh) has been lost over the years. Yet it was in Myanmar (erstwhile Burma) that Indian troops fought many a battle under Indian and British leadership against the Japanese in the Second World War. Names like Wingate's Raiders, Slim, Irrawady and Chindwin bring back many memories of Indian soldiers' deeds. Burma campaign was prescribed as a study for entrance examination to India's Staff College. Yet India has kept itself away from its neighbour for reasons difficult to explain. Although a small beginning was made with ex-Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh's visit to Myanmar on 12 February, 2001 for opening Rd Tamu-Kalewa. But that is where the interaction ended. The political mileage gained from this event was not progressed. There is a perception doing the rounds that in the long run, Myanmar-a-military dictatorship, which is more or less reduced to a Chinese satellite, with Americans enforcing sanctions and taking other initiatives to restore democracy in Myanmar, is becoming a battle ground (initially with diplomatic and economic initiatives) between the US and China. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to assess as to: What is the situation within Myanmar? What initiatives the US is likely to take? And how can a Sino-Myanmar nexus (like the Sino-Pak nexus) impact on India" seven Northeastern States-Connected only with a narrow 30 km long corridor with the rest of the country? Myanmar faces several crucial issues in the immediate and distant future. The roots of which lie in its military's ambitions to retain supremacy. On top of the list is Madam Suu Kyi, leader of the Nation League of Democracy and Military Junta's bete-noir. She wants the military to quit. Therefore she continues to remain the chief obstacle to SLORC's (State Law and Order Restoration Council) now renamed as SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) future ambitions. >From amongst the remaining issues one could choose: The continuing insurgency and pro-democracy movements inside Myanmar. The threat of an election under international or UN supervision, redrafting of the constitution to enable the military to retain a tight grip on the country, foreign pressures and stern criticism of human rights violations. Therefore, while the military is caught see-sawing in the process of crucial decisions which it must take to meet future challenges, Suu Kyi is kept now in and out of house arrest and prevented from conducting any party work. Madame Suu Kyi has now been set free for the last six months. She has been given an option to leave Myanmar for good. But she would rather stay on and be considered a patriot than disappearing in exile. The sympathy of the outside world clearly lies with her - the winner of 1991 Nobel Prize for peace. The SPDC's worry is: if they let her stay on in the country, she will again become the focus of a pro-democracy movement, which the military will find difficult to contain. And therefore this remains a genuine worry for the SPDC. On the other hand, the military has been becoming stronger. With a state controlled media and stringent laws, it has better control over the country. Foreign aid has been coming in. Thai, Japanese and European businessmen have invested a lot of money to establish hotels and other joint ventures in areas adjacent to the golden Triangle. Myanmar's armed forces too have been expending with Chinese help. And massive arms supplies have been pouring in from Beijing in accordance with a Sino-Myanmar arms agreement signed in 1989. The army has already touched half a million mark. Besides, it will become as much dependent on Chinese defence hardware in the future as Pakistan is today. Concurrently, Madame Suu Kyi cannot be held without international and superpower support. Therefore towards this end a personal letter from ex-Present Bill Clinton to Suu Kyi which was delivered to her by the then American ambassador and which promised full support to her is significant. Besides, an Amnesty International report released sometime ago stated that life in Myanmar was characterized by fear, intimidation and widespread human rights violations. So far as drugs and narcotics and concerned, Myanmar continues to remain the largest producer of opium in the world. Which along with other narcotics is being smuggled all over Asia, Europe and the US. The Americans are in the process of finalizing their policies in South Asia which will take concrete shape in the coming months and as soon as they have settled scores with Iraq. The situation in Myanmar therefore indicates the types of issues the US will be confronted with and for which its foreign policy is likely to be tasked. That is, to support the democratic movement more vigorously, condemn human rights violations, combat drug and narcotic traffic, overall encouragement and to help establish a regime which is sympathetic towards its foreign policy goals. Finally, to neutralize Chinese influence. India should therefore be prepared to see fresh initiative by the US, specially to tackle those issues, which concern the restoration of democracy. One of these is the visible friendly relations-US is trying to establish with Myanmar's neighbour Bangladesh. Further, US sees a role for India in its foreign policy and considers India as the centre of gravity in South Asia. At an appropriate time, along with support from various Nobel Prize winners and their countries, there is likely to be pressure on SPDC to give full freedom of Suu Kyi, let her stay in the country and permit her to campaign for elections. And when that is done, to canvass for elections under UN supervision. Thereby exerting sufficient pressure on the military to abide by people's verdict. This appears to be a tricky situation for the SPDC but that appears to be its fate. However, the military have embarked on a plan to pre-empt all this by redrafting the constitution for which the first convention was called in January 1994 and for which subsequent meetings have been held. Therefore, with this tool, the elections can be delayed on one pretext or the other. Conversely, should an elected government come into power with a popular leader like Suu Kyi, it may scrap the constitution drafted by the military regime. So far as insurgency is concerned, though under control it has not been totally eliminated. The Karens tribe and Kachins tribe continue to agitate for independent states. Although some efforts have been made by China and Thailand to persuade the dissident leaders to negotiate for a settlement but not concrete results have been achieved so far. Nor does there seem to be a final and visible resolution of the problem in the near future. As regards India, after Rajiv Gandhi's visit to Yangon in 1987, the only high dignitary who visited Myanmar was India's foreign secretary and that too only for two days towards the end of March 1993. This visit was followed by Indian Army and Naval Chief's in 1994 and January 2001 respectively. Therefore one wonders as to what were the reasons that no Indian president or prime minister visited Myanmar for more than a decade. A country with which India has really no dispute worth the name. During Rajiv Gandhi's visit a proposal was mooted to have more cooperation between Indo-Myanmar armed forces particularly to resolve border incidents. This made sense. In any case, this was a good starting point. But this was not followed up. Accordingly, majority of the current problems like the drug trade, which has had disastrous effects on the Manipur youth, the current activities of NSCN (K) National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Khaplang - the Burmese Nagas, could have been eliminated. In addition, the provision of training bases and other support to ULFA United Liberation Front of Assam across the border inside Myanmar, smuggling of arms inside Mizoram and a host of other connected activities could have been nipped in the bud had the agreed cooperation taken place. India's policy makers need to understand that the main issue in Myanmar is the increasing Chinese influence. And how it can be used to support the separatist movements in India's NE Northeast together with support from Bangladesh and Nepal. That by keeping away from Myanmar would only aggravate future threats now seen at the horizon and therefore, the issues need to be debated in the Parliament. __________ Irrawaddy December 27 2002 Bells are Ringing By Aung Din Christmas Bells are ringing. The New Year is a few days away. Houses are decorated with Christmas trees, lights and flowers. City sidewalks, buildings, shopping malls and parks are festively decorated. Parents are impatiently awaiting the return of their sons and daughters who are away at work or school. Their family reunions are definitely coming. This is the time for gathering of the relatives and friends and meeting loved ones. In Burma, which has been under military rule for over four decades, the phrase "family reunion" is meaningless for many families-especially for those of the more than 1,300 political prisoners. They have been waiting every Christmas, every New Year and every day with little hope since 1988. Even though they suffer the hardships and countless struggles of the economic crisis in Burma, they still long to have their family members back. They would cherish any precious little time they could spend with their loved ones. They would even pay any ransom to the jailer-Burma's military regime, which killed thousands of peaceful demonstrators in 1988-to bring them back home. Some political prisoners will never return. They have died in prisons. Torture, harassment, depression and lack of health care made them say good-bye forever to their loved ones. So far this year, 82 prisoners have died in detention and in interrogation centers. U Aung May Thu, chairman of the Min Hla Township Organizing Committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD) died in Tharawaddy prison on Sept 17 as number 80. U Sai Phat, Central Committee Member of the NLD died in a detention center on Oct 9 as number 81. U Maung Ko became number 82 when he died in the Tharawaddy prison on Nov 15.The numbers keep growing as their prison terms become longer. The prisoners' hope for freedom is lessened, and their health deteriorates day by day. Senior leaders of the NLD, U Win Tin, Dr Than Nyein, U Khin Maung Swe, U Sein Hla Oo, U Ohn Kyaing and Myint Soe are suffering from serious health problems in the prisons. Other activists, U Thu Way and U Htwe Myint of the Democracy Party, Dr Min Soe Linn of the Mon National Democratic Front, Dagon University student Phone Thet Pyine, and many others are also in bad shape. What did they do to be in the prisons? Are they terrorists? Are they criminals? Are they murderers? No, their only crime was expressing their desire for democracy and human rights, as many people around the world enjoy. They took to the streets and expressed their desires peacefully, unarmed. Their actions were completely non-violent, but the response of the military regime was entirely violent. Thousands of peaceful demonstrators were gunned down in the streets. Thousands more were forced to flee from the country and thousands of others were imprisoned and continue to suffer. According to the International Committee for the Red Cross and Paulo Sergio Pinherio, Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights, there are still more than 1,300 political prisoners in Burma including 18 elected Members of Parliament. Look at Dr Salai Tun Than. He was 72 years old in 2001 when he made a solo protest in front of the Rangoon City Hall. He was a former rector of the Agricultural University in Burma. He graduated from the University of Georgia and University of Wisconsin in the 1950s. He has had a beautiful and successful life-but he couldn't stay away from the suffering of the people. He decided to do something about it. He dressed up in a professor's gown. He wrote his sincere demands on paper, which were to release all political prisoners and to start the political dialogue between the generals and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the democracy movement. He stood in front of City Hall and distributed pamphlets with these demands to passersby. He spoke to the audience that formed around him of his demand for less than 15 minutes before he was brought forcibly into the City Hall compound by the security. Now he sits in the notorious Insein prison serving a seven year jail term. As a Christian, he will miss celebrating this Christmas with his family and for many more years. In August of this year, Rangoon University Law students Thet Naung Soe, 20, and Khin Maung Win, 18, followed Dr Salai Tun Than's lead. They made their peaceful protest at the same place he did. They also were arrested within 15 minutes. Now they are in prison with 14-year and seven-year terms respectively. They all will miss this Christmas, this New Year and many more, unless the military regime releases these political prisoners as encouraged by Paulo Sergio Pinheiro and Razali Ismail, the UN Special Envoy to Burma. Since taking over the duties of the special envoy, Razali always brought the news of the possible release of the political prisoners after his periodic trips to Burma. Our expectations were high whenever he returned from Burma, but each time the regime had only released a few. Razali could claim that he has helped secure the release of more than 450 political prisoners in two years. But 300 of them were already due for release soon anyway having nearly completed their prison sentences. Only about 150 were granted early release. After his ninth visit to Burma in Nov 2002, Razali said that he strongly urged the regime to free more than 200 political prisoners by the end of this year. During his third visit to Burma in October, Pinherio urged the regime to release all political prisoners by the end of the year. According to Pinherio's report to the UN General Assembly in November, the military regime told Pinherio that it was not possible to release all but the releases will continue. A few weeks ago, the military regime made a surprise announcement through their Washington, DC-based lobby firm DCI Associates, that they would release 115 "security detainees"-their euphemism for political prisoners-in one day, on Nov 22, 2002. As a Burmese who has witnessed and experienced the ways the regime cheats and lies all too often, we greeted this news with skepticism. Our suspicions were confirmed again when they only released 60 political prisoners in five days, not 115 in single day as they had promised. We have no doubt that the release of political prisoners has been at the top of the agenda whenever Razali and Pinherio have met with the generals. We believe that both Razali and Pinherio will try their best to persuade the regime to release all political prisoners, at least as a special gesture to encourage more official visits. But it seems that by releasing a small number of political prisoners-always right before or after the official visits, the regime is convincing them to believe that Burma is moving in the right political direction. This deception is necessary for the regime to prolong their rule for at least another decade. The regime is using the political prisoners as hostages to demand ransom from the international community, and they are using Razali and Pinherio as their messengers, hoping to convince the world that they only release political prisoners like Suu Kyi because of engagement and cooperation, not because of pressure. It is easy to see the discrepancies between what the regime says and what they really do, and it is imperative to apply strong and consistent pressure so that the regime will not continue to cheat the world again and again. International pressure-economic and political-is required now more than ever. We can't let the regime continue their slow and insincere homegrown process as they declared. We must make political progress a reality. We must make the reunion of these unfortunate people and their loved ones happen as quickly as possible by throwing every kind of pressure we have at the regime. As Razali and Pinherio are still playing important role in the conflict of Burma, they have to ensure that they are not being used by the regime. While they may relay the messages of the regime to the world, while they make people expectant by sharing their optimism, they have a duty to hold the regime accountable when it fails to keep its promises. The end of the year is almost here. We hope both Razali and Pinherio will try their best to secure the release of 200 political prisoners in the next few days to justify their previous optimism. The families of Burma's political prisoners will keep a candle lit everyday and night because their expectation for their heroes' return will never fade away. Reunions between these democracy supporters and their loved ones will not seem too late, because this is the life that we have grown accustomed to under the military regime over four decades. Aung Din is a former political prisoner in Burma. He was in prison between 1989 and 1993. He is currently working at the Washington, DC-based Free Burma Coalition as a Director of Policy and Strategy. ________ Irrawaddy December 26 2002 Economic and Social Chaos of the State By Danu Maung The Burmese military regime has been in power for the past 14 years. If we add the Socialist dictatorial regime of Gen Ne Win, the total number of years under authoritarian rule is nearly half-a-century. People of Burma have grown under it, lived by it and are dying under it. If we look back and assess the end result, nothing comes out of it and the future of any government, whether it be democratic or authoritarian, is quite gloomy. This is similar to the waning days of the Soviet Union. The Soviet regime, which lasted roughly 70 years, had spent a substantial amount of its resources and wealth on military build up and on wasteful projects such as the space program after World War Two. It had also built up infrastructure. It was a closed society: trade with the international community hardly existed and wars were waged in numerous republics within the system. The government had subsidized energy, transportation, housing etc., and financing was done by printing more money to sustain the economy. There are other innumerable instances of mismanagement of the Soviet economy that led to the downfall of the regime in 1991. Burma has come to resemble the former Soviet regime, and we are presently witnessing the same economic and social chaos. The Burmese junta continues to build up its military, despite agreeing to peace with 17 ethnic armed groups. Needless infrastructure projects have been launched one after another, while people in the streets are saying: "Who needs these roads and dams? You can’t eat them or buy food for us." One businessman said: "In fact, in other countries, infrastructure and construction projects come only after the economy is booming. If these are built first, before the market economy is growing, you get the "hollowed out" status, or a Thingyan shell syndrome (A powerful sound or action not backed by substance)." Indeed, millions of dollars were spent on such projects. But is it solely for the benefit of the people, as the regime has stated in its propaganda articles? No, it is for the Agriculture Minister and people in his department who gain billions of kyat in kickbacks from such schemes. Millions of dollars in commission were paid to high officials by Caterpillar, Komatsu and other heavy equipment suppliers before sales contracts were signed. Hundreds of thousands of barrels of diesel fuel, imported with hard-earned dollars from abroad, are pilfered by Energy Ministry officials, engineers and bulldozer drivers all the way down to earth diggers. But in inaccessible regions such as border areas, it is well know that army commanders exploit villagers by forcing them to build infrastructure projects. The same is true in the construction of bridges and roads by the Construction Ministry. This writer has personally witnessed an engineer’s wife trying to buy prime real estate in Rangoon’s top notch suburb of Golden Valley, in cash. The government has created such unnecessary projects simply to line their pockets. Burma receives one of the highest annual rainfalls in the world. And the countryside could witness a deluge of floods, if and when Mother Nature strikes. A military regime, to an extent, can rule the population with an iron fist but they cannot control the weather. If rainfall exceeds the norm in the monsoon season, these dams will become death traps. In August 2002 a large numbers of residents were killed and their possessions lost after such dams burst during heavy rains. While the entire nation is in the dark when it comes to electricity, the government, meanwhile, is colluding with multinational companies in selling natural gas to Thailand, putting over US $700 million in its coffers. At the same time, the populace is suffering from the highest inflation rate in Asia. Food prices are up over an estimated 30 percent a year, but figures are useless when a poor family from Hlaingtharyar, a Rangoon suburb, is struggling to make ends meet. It is estimated that a family needs a minimum of 50,000 kyat (US $50) a month to sustain their health and well being. It is perplexing to think how a government worker with a salary of 2,000 kyat per month can cope with hyperinflation. Social disorder has also descended on Burma. Many young beautiful college girls are entering prostitution by working in restaurants and karoake bars. A large number of these establishments have sprung up in Rangoon, Mandalay, Taunggyi and other cities to let rich desperate people exploit poor desperate people. Girls can be arranged for the night at less than 10,000 kyat (US $10). No wonder that the international community is concerned with the AIDS epidemic in Burma. Doctors in the largest hospital in Rangoon, the Yangon General Hospital, have said that hundreds of cases are being diagnosed each month. The cases, however, are officially reported as tuberculosis, endocrine disease, malaria and other types of illness. Crime has recently risen in Rangoon and Mandalay. Criminal activity is indicative of lawlessness and disorder in an otherwise pious Buddhist society. Due to the hyper-inflation and small pool of available work in the labor market, people have also resorted to the illegal two-figure and three-figure lotteries known as "Chai". Large dividends are gained by the bookies from small inputs of money. Roadside vendors, teachers, students, housewives, farmers, businessmen and high army officials—including former SPDC member Win Myint—are involved in this form of gambling from a few hundred kyat on into the millions. Meanwhile, legitimate business interests are being hobbled by bribery, corruption and bureaucratic red tape. The Trade Ministry and the Trade Policy Council have tried their best to implement schemes that would milk businessmen involved in import-export businesses. Trading agencies, industrialists and merchants have had their hands tied by such unreasonable rules and regulations drawn up under Trade Minister Lt-Gen Pyae Sone and Gen Maung Aye. With the pushing of such agendas, it is no wonder that the country is now faced with a severe currency crisis due to lack of exports. But as far the regime’s cronies are concerned, no problems exist so long as they continue to be awarded projects—whether they be private agriculture undertakings, resorts or road works in Rangoon, Mandalay, or anywhere else. It seems from the regime’s perspective that the nation’s economic and social problems can be solved by pampering white elephants in their elaborately decorated stables at Min Dharma Hill, a sacred place in Rangoon. This practice of owning white elephants for the prosperity of an empire is not new. Indian maharajas, Thai monarchs, Cambodian princes and Burmese kings did it centuries ago. But this is the 21st century, and everyone knows that a country’s economic problems cannot be solved by rearing white elephants. Gen Khin Nyunt, who is an expert in presiding over ceremonies of no substance, has assigned himself zookeeper in order to further pamper the already overfed white elephants. The ruling generals’ excesses cannot be resolved overnight, if and when democracy returns to Burma. Problems that were kept under a lid may arise as people demand that their voices are heard. Therefore, we are faced with a vulnerable democracy for some time to come. It will be necessary for all parties concerned to call for restraint and understanding to resolve a myriad of crises that will come one after another. The recent death of Gen Ne Win means that power struggles within the ruling elite may come to the surface, and hopefully this will equate to regime change in Burma. From editor@burmanet.org Thu Jan 2 20:04:05 2003 From: editor@burmanet.org (editor@burmanet.org) Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 15:04:05 -0500 (EST) Subject: BurmaNet News: January 2 2003 Message-ID: <31611.207.10.94.131.1041537845.squirrel@webmail.pair.com> January 2 2003 Issue #2148 INSIDE BURMA AFP: Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi cautiously optimistic on change Xinhua: Myanmar political party stresses importance of state constitution Myanmar Information Committee: Secretary-1 receives UN AIDS executive director MONEY Business Times Singapore: Van der Horst plans Sesdaq move after reverse takeover Myanmar Information Committee: Thai carrier launches service to Mandalay REGIONAL Bangkok Post: Thammarak calls for patience with Burma AFP: Southeastern ties not a shift in Bangladesh foreign policy INISDE BURMA Agence France-Presse January 2 2003 Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi cautiously optimistic on change Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi said Tuesday she remained cautiously optimistic that political change would come to Myanmar, following the massive support shown to her by people across the country this year. "There has never been any reason for me to change my cautious optimism (on political change)," she told reporters in the capital, at only the second press conference she has given since being released from 19 months of house arrest in May. The Nobel peace laureate attributed her optimism to the thousands of people who flocked to see her during the several political trips she has made since then, aimed at resuscitating her National League for Democracy (NLD) party. "We have been particularly encouraged by the reception we received in Shan, Mon and Arakan states, by the people of the region," she said. "It is most encouraging that there is a tremendous sense of national solidarity, that there is no distinction being made at the ground level between the Burmese and the other ethnic nationalities," she added, using the country's former name Burma. "Our various ethnic nationalities are all aware of the need for change in this country and the majority of them are prepared to join hands together to achieve this change." On her visits, Aung San Suu Kyi has also striven to engage with ethnic minority groups who have been excluded from national reconciliation talks between the ruling junta and the democratic opposition, which were brokered by the United Nations two years ago. She said her trips had gone well, although local authorities were occasionally obstructive in spite of the junta's May promise to allow her complete freedom of movement. "On the whole my travels throughout the country have been fairly smooth .... The authorities, in some cases, have been very, very cooperative and in other cases perhaps not as cooperative as we might have desired," she said. The most serious incident occurred during her trip to western Rakhine state at the town of Myauk-Oo, where the leader clamoured atop a fire engine to prevent it from dispersing a crowd of 20,000 people with high-pressure hoses. Aung San Suu Kyi described the ongoing reconciliation talks, which have focused on confidence building and shown few tangible results other than her release, as being "in limbo". "There has never been a dialogue, as such," she said, referring to the political stage of the dialogue still to be commenced by the two sides. Nevertheless, Suu Kyi said she was hoping for change within "the next year". "At the end of this year, 2002, I could say that I have been very heartened by the spirit of our people but I have been saddened by the situation of this country because our people deserve more than this," she said. "They deserve a better standard of living, they deserve a better system of government ... and I hope that the next year will be able to give them what they deserve." In an interview earlier this month she said she was hopeful of progress by this time next year and that it was not impossible that change could take place "within months". The military has ruled Myanmar for the past four decades, and refused to recognise a landslide election victory claimed by the NLD in 1990. ________ Xinhua News Agency January 2 2003 Myanmar political party stresses importance of state constitution The National Unity Party (NUP), one of the 10 existing and legal political parties in Myanmar, stressed on Thursday the importance of drawing up of a state constitution for the country. In a message to his party members on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of Myanmar's Independence Day, which is falling on Saturday, NUP Chairman U Tha Kyaw complained that as the National Convention has been adjourned since 1996 after it began in 1993, the task of drawing up of the country's new state constitution has become dim, resulting in that the task has not yet been realized up to now. With the absence of a new state constitution, he pointed out, the realization of peace, stability, national unity and development for the building of a true democratic state is meeting such obstacles as foreign intervention and pressure exertion. Taking note of these key requirements under the present situation, he expressed the belief that if all national forces unanimously accept this point, it can be realized as a national task through coordination of their attitudes of the internal forces. He maintained that only after the state constitution functions well can the disturbances, hindrances and foreign interference happening today be overcome and the country's independence and sovereignty be safeguarded. Myanmar regained independence from Britain on Jan. 4, 1948. _______ Myanmar Information Committee December 31 2002 Secretary-1 Receives UN AIDS Executive Director Chairman of National Health Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council General Khin Nyunt received UN AIDS Executive Director Dr. Peter Piot at the Ministry of Defence in Yangon on 30 December. MONEY Business Times Singapore January 2 2003 Van der Horst plans Sesdaq move after reverse takeover By David Boey LOSS-MAKING construction firm Van der Horst (VDH) intends to transfer its shares to Sesdaq if the proposed reverse takeover by petroleum explorer Goldwater Company goes through. Scant details are available on VDH's 'white knight', but a statement from the group late on New Year's Eve describes Goldwater as a firm whose principal business 'is the exploration for and the production of petroleum in Myanmar'. Goldwater, which is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, has issued and paid-up capital of US$200,000 comprising 200,000 ordinary shares of US$1. Under a proposed reverse takeover announced on Tuesday, VDH will pay $30 million via the issue of 600 million new shares in VDH to acquire the entire issued and paid-up share capital of Goldwater. The deal would give Goldwater 68 per cent of the enlarged issued and paid-up share capital of VDH. This would turn VDH into a firm that owns the rights to operate two of the largest oilfields in Myanmar and help lift the suspension of VDH shares. VDH had a capital deficiency of $106.2 million and a net tangible loss per share of $15.70. In a separate announcement, VDH said it narrowed its loss for the year ended September 2002 to $2.2 million, from $37.3 million in FY2001. But turnover dived 97 per cent to $523,000, from $16 million a year earlier. VDH's results were boosted by an extraordinary gain following the voluntary liquidation of two of its units - Van der Horst Hong Kong and VDH Finance (One). 'There were loans of $107.1 million owing to these subsidiaries resulting in the write-back of these loans on the liquidations,' VDH said. VDH's loss per share was pared to 31.9 cents in FY2002 - an improvement from a loss per share of $5.52 previously. Net tangible assets per share stayed deep in negative territory. VDH had a negative NTA of $16.74 as at September 2002, compared with a negative position of $16.04 a year earlier. _______ Myanmar Information Committee December 31 2002 Thai Carrier Launches Service to Mandalay A ceremony at Mandalay International Airport on December 16 welcomed the inaugural flight from Bangkok of Thailand’s Phuket Airlines, the fifth carrier to launch a service to Myanmar in 2002. The 45 passengers aboard the Phuket Airlines flight included the carrier’s chairman, Mr. Vikrom Aisiri, who told the ceremony that the service would further strengthen the friendship between the peoples of both countries. An airline official said the service would also contribute to the development of tourism in Myanmar. Phuket Airlines’ Myanmar branch manager added that the direct flights from Bangkok to Mandalay would be convenient for foreign travelers who wanted to visit such destinations as Bagan, Inle Lake and Taunggyi. vPhuket Airlines will operate the flights between Bangkok and Mandalay on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, using a Boeing 737-200 which can carry up to 118 passengers. The flights are the second international service to be operated by the airline, which began flying between Bangkok and Chittagong in Bangladesh earlier this year. The airline also operates flights from Bangkok to Phuket Krabi and Ranong in southern Thailand. Phuket Airlines becomes the second foreign carrier after Chinese airline Yunnan Air to launch flights to Mandalay in 2002. Yunnan Air operates flights to the city from Kunming. Another three airlines began flights to Yangon in 2002. They are Lauda Air (Italy), which operates a Milan-Yangon-Phuket service, Lauda Air (Austria) which has flights linking Vienna, Yangon and Phuket and the Bhutanese carrier, Druk Air, which flies a Paro-Dhaka-Yangon-Bangkok route. REGIONAL Bangkok Post January 2 2003 THAMMARAK CALLS FOR PATIENCE WITH BURMA By Wassana Nanuam Defence Minister Gen Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya has called for patience with Burma amid its attempts to stamp out drug production along the common border, saying it may take a couple of years for Rangoon to fulfill its promises. Gen Thammarak said the threat posed by drug traffickers who smuggle their illicit wares across the border should significantly decrease in 2005, after the completion of negotiations between the Burmese junta and the country's ethnic groups, including the Wa. Rangoon was sincere in its efforts to suppress the production of drugs, but was currently unable to realise this goal, as it had yet to wrest complete control of border areas, he said. It is not easy to wipe out drugs,'' he said. We cannot cast a spell to make it disappear, but we can reduce the number of shipments that make it across the border.'' Gen Thammarak said government and military commitment toward drug suppression would ensure an improvement in the situation, adding closer co-operation would also be sought with Laos and China. _________ Agence France-Presse January 2 2003 South Eastern ties not a shift in Bangladesh foreign policy: FM By Nadeem Qadir Bangladesh's recent foreign policy initiatives with southeast Asian countries, dubbed "Looking East," is not a shift in policy but an expansion of its diplomatic horizons, the foreign minister said Thursday. Bangladesh in recent weeks has been pursuing ties with Southeast Asian nations mainly to boost its export markets. "No, it is not a policy shift, but rather having a policy in that sphere," Foreign Minister Morshed Khan told reporters. "There is no shift in our focus in the already existing areas, but now we are encompassing larger areas as well as further expanding diplomatic horizons for the benefit of the people. Khan reiterated that Bangladesh was well located to be a bridge between the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), of which it is a member, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). "We are now following an aggressive foreign policy and want to put our best both in SAARC and the ASEAN region," Khan said. "We must take advantage of this" geopolitical location, the minister said. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, while SAARC combines of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. In the past few weeks Myanmar junta leader Senior General Than Shwe and Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra have visited Dhaka, while Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has been to Bangkok and China. Khan said the "Looking East" policy would not be at the cost of existing ties with neighbours or other countries. "We fully realise the potential of our friendly ties with the United States and other western countries... relations with the United States remain a major focus," he said. "Bangladesh is keen to develop relations with India in the New Year on the basis of mutual trust, due recognition of the legitimate concerns of Bangladesh and common challenges that the two countries must face together, especially for poverty eradication and promoting the prospect for regional stability," Khan said. Ties with New Delhi were strained at the end of 2002 over number of issues, mainly when Indian leaders accused Dhaka of harbouring Islamic extremists. Dhaka has consistently denied the charges as "baseless and motivated."