From editor@burmanet.org Tue Jan 7 19:57:23 2003 From: editor@burmanet.org (editor@burmanet.org) Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 14:57:23 -0500 (EST) Subject: BurmaNet News: January 7 2003 Message-ID: <14526.207.10.94.131.1041969443.squirrel@webmail.pair.com> January 7 2003 Issue #2151 INSIDE BURMA The Hindu: Suu Kyi not allowed to phone in message DRUGS Xinhua: Germany, Italy fund Myanmar’s drug control project AFP: China seizes eight tones of drugs in Golden Triangle in 2002 ON THE BORDER Irrawaddy: Dissidents face crackdown; Burmese hiding along border REGIONAL Narinjara: Bangladesh, Myanmar feeder shipping service in the offing SCMP: 30 years after fleeing India, tribal separatists’ leaders return for talks DPA: China, Myanmar leaders pledge closer economic ties Xinhua: Chinese president holds talks with Myanmar head of state INTERNATIONAL Myanmar Times: In the Capitol a talkfest on Myanmar INSIDE BURMA The Hindu January 6 2003 Suu Kyi not allowed to phone in message By W. Chandrakanth Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace laureate, fighting for restoration of democratic rights of the Myanmarese was allegedly not allowed by the military regime on January 2 to deliver a message over telephone to the first Asian Social Forum summit being held here. The telephone lines were reportedly cut as the regime feared she would speak against it in the phone-in programme. As a result, her recorded message would be delivered here on the concluding day on Tuesday. A human rights delegation from Myanmar attending the summit reiterated its call to the international community to cut aid to the military Government ``in every form'' till it complies with ``civilised norms'' and halts crime against women. Talking to The Hindu, Thin Than Aung, joint general secretary of the Women's League of Burma and Nang Hseng Moon of the Shan Women's Action Network said the `military regime's atrocities against women continue'. It had only released Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest but human rights continue to be ``under arrest'' and there is no sight of their being ``released.'' ``The Burmese military has been systematically using rape as a weapon of war against women and girls belonging to the ethnic minorities. Our carefully documented work covering 173 cases proves that 83 per cent of rapes had been committed by the military officers and in most cases, in front of their troops. These rapes often involve extreme brutality and torture. At least 25 per cent of such rapes have resulted in the death of victims'', they say. The military regime uses foreign funding to train officials in human rights but has it any positive effect ? ``No, not at all. Any support to the regime only means a continued license to rape and kill. We have appealed to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women to send a fact finding mission to the Thai-Burma border to investigate sexual violence committed by the military. We had submitted a report to the officials, Radhika Comaraswamy, in Colombo. We are yet to see a positive response from the international community''. ``A tripartite dialogue is needed with representatives of non-Burmese ethnic nationalities and the democratic opposition on the country's political future. The civil war in Burma should be viewed in the context of systematic sexual violence and not just from other angles. As long as others continue to support the regime for one reason or the other, the nightmare of sexual violence continues indefinitely'', they plead. DRUGS Xinhua News Agency January 7 2003 Germany, Italy fund Myanmar's drug control project Germany and Italy have provided a total of 1.1 million US dollars as an extra fund for a four-year drug control project in Wa region, Myanmar's Shan state, to prolong it for another two years, according to a United Nations agency here. The Wa Alternative Development Project was launched in 1999 and with the support of the extra fund from the two countries, it will continue up to 2005, said Jean-Luc Lemahieu, an official of the UN Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) here. The amount contributed by Germany and Italy last year for the project were respectively 1 million euros (1 million dollars) and 100,000 dollars. The UN agency had first sought nearly 16 million dollars for the project but until last year it had received about 8 million, most of which was extended by Japan and the United States. Last year, the two countries contributed 1.6 million dollars and 700, 000 dollars, respectively, he said. Meanwhile, according to the official, France has agreed to extend 200,000 dollars to enhance the operational capacity of the UNODC residential office. The Wa project includes the development of a 500-hectare rice cultivating area in the Mong Kar region near the Myanmar-China border. __________ Agence France-Presse January 7 2003 China seizes eight tonnes of drugs in Golden Triangle in 2002 China seized more than eight tonnes of drugs along its southwestern border with the Golden Triangle poppy-growing region last year, state media said Tuesday. Without specifying what the drugs were, the Xinhua news agency, quoting statistics from the Yunnan provincial government, said they accounted for 70 percent of all drugs captured in China. The figures showed 15,601 drug cases were investigated and 5,292 people "punished" in Yunnan province alone. However, the haul is only a small fraction of the 1,800 tonnes of heroin that Chinese police estimate is produced in the Golden Triangle, mainly by Myanmar and Laos, which share porous borders with China. Of around 92,400 hectares (230,000 acres) of poppy fields in the Golden Triangle, 87,000 hectares are in Myanmar. According to Chinese police maps seen last year, a wide belt of poppy plantations sits just inside the Myanmar side of the country's 1,400 kilometer (840 mile) border with China. It is not clear how much is shipped into China, police say, but since the 1980s, drug traffickers have increasingly routed heroin to the United States and Europe via China and through either Hong Kong or Taiwan. Xinhua said that in a bid to crack down on the flourishing trade, seven cross-border campaigns were launched in collaboration with Myanmar and Laos police. They led to the destruction of 10 drug laboratories, 33 arrests and the seizure of 280 kilograms (616 pounds) of heroin and 120 kilograms of metamphetamines. Police refuse to estimate how many Chinese have tried heroin or use it recreationally, but they readily admit that heroin and other drugs like ecstasy and methamphetamines are easily available in bars and night clubs around the country. ON THE BORDER Irrawaddy January 7 2003 Dissidents Face Crackdown; Burmese Hiding along Border By Naw Seng Both Burmese and Thai human rights advocates have expressed grave concerns regarding the future security and safety of Burmese democracy activists working from Thai soil, as top ranking Thai officials prepare for an upcoming visit to Burma. The response comes in regards to a stepped up crackdown on Burmese dissidents in the Thai border towns of Sangklaburi and Mae Hong Son. Dissidents fear more pressure is looming as Thai Deputy Prime Minster Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and top army leaders are planning to visit Burma this month. Rights advocates and dissidents have long equated the crackdowns with an attempt by Thailand to appease Rangoon. "I think it is the policy of the [Thai] government to restrict Burmese activists as well as refugees and migrants in order to have better relations and to please the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] in Rangoon," says Somchai Homlar, Sec-Gen of Forum-Asia, a Bangkok-based regional human rights watchdog. "This policy will bring a very bad impact on human rights and development in Burma," the human rights lawyer added. Burmese dissidents in Thailand have already begun to feel the reverberations of this alleged policy shift being enacted by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s administration. In late December, Burmese dissidents living in Sangklaburi, across from Burma’s Mon State, were given two days to evacuate from their homes by Thai authorities. One dissident, requesting anonymity, said from a border hideout that some Burmese women and children had been in hiding since December and do not know where to go. "We are taking risks and we don't know what will happen to us," he said. Dissidents in Sangklaburi said they want to open up a communication line with Thai officials, but have been unsuccessful. "We want to know what they want us to do," the dissident continued. "But they just told us to leave." Col Somkhuan Saenpattaranate, a Thai Army spokesman, said: "The government and the army will not allow any foreign groups or nationals to use our territory to launch military raids or conduct unfriendly activities against Thailand's neighboring countries. Their misadventure could seriously affect our national security and relations with our neighbors." The activists say they want to continue working for Burma’s democracy movement, and if Thailand does not want them here, they should have an option to go somewhere else. But that a return to Burma is out of the question, as the situation there remains far too dangerous for a safe return. It is still unclear why the democracy activists were told to leave their homes. Dissidents there, however, acknowledged that the situation has deteriorated since Burma's Culture and Economic Committee office was opened last November in Sangklaburi and that pressure has been mounting on them to curtail their activities since then. The office operates under the auspices of the Thai-Burma Culture and Economic Association, which was established in 2001. Despite Bangkok-based diplomats and international human rights organizations following the event, Burmese activists say that this time they are not convinced pressure and diplomacy will prevent Thailand from enacting a tougher line against them. This is not the first time Burmese dissidents in Sangklaburi have faced pressure from the Thai government. Last August members from several organizations were arrested and deported to the Burmese border, but were then able to slip back into Thailand safely. But things are different this time, say Burmese dissidents. They say Thai officials are more interested in establishing business and trade connections inside Burma via Three Pagoda Pass, which lies just outside out of Sangklaburi. Other observes also say Thailand and Burma are looking to develop tourism in the area. "I think the case in Sangklaburi is more to do with business than a national security concern for Thailand," said one Burmese dissident in Sangklaburi. He added that dissidents living in Thailand have been collaborating with local Thai authorities in order to prevent crimes and infiltration by Burmese spies. "We always collaborated with Thai authorities for the security and stability of Thailand," said the Burmese dissident. Karen villagers living in the Sangklaburi area have also been pressured recently by Thailand. In December, Surasi Task Force, which oversees security along the Thai-Burma border in Kanchanaburi Province, rounded up 65 Karen from Wia Ka Di Village. The Karen were instructed to leave their homes within three days. Forum Asia, however, issued a statement in late December describing the 65 Karen as "unarmed civilians". Also in early January, according to Somchai Homlor, Thai soldiers and officials in Kanchanaburi forcibly repatriated 11 villagers. "I think it is a very inhumane tactic and also against the principal of the rule of law," says Somchai. The Thai Human Rights Commission is looking into the alleged repatriation of the 11 villagers. REGIONAL Narinjara News January 7 2003 Bangladesh, Myanmar feeder shipping service in the offing A feeder shipping service between Bangladesh and neighbouring Burma is in the offing to boost bilateral trade, official sources said Monday, according to today's the independent quoted AFP, Chittagong. The sources in Chittagong Port and Mercantile Marine Department said the government had already asked a private shipping company to start operating its feeder container vessels on the Chittagong-Rangoon route as soon as possible to increase bilateral trade. "A high-level meeting to this effect was held recently on this issue and if the service starts on this route, the trade gap between the two countries will come down to a great extent," one port official said. Imports from Burma include timber, maize, rice and fish, while exports include fertiliser, cement and medicines, but there are no official estimates bilateral trade, which is said to be very small. Smuggling also takes place across the border. The official said the step was a follow up to the landmark visit by Burma Senior General Than Shwe in December when the countries pledged to boost bilateral ties to overcome economic challenges facing them both. "The Burma government has also agreed to place a container vessel on the route," he said. Shipping sources said due to a lack of vessels, the state-owned Bangladesh Shipping Corporation was unable to provide the service immediately, so the government opted for the private HRC Shipping Lines, which is already operating feeder vessels between Chittagong and Sri Lanka as well as Malaysia. Than Shwe was the first leader of Burma's junta to visit Bangladesh. The last leader to come was the then Burmese President U San Yu in 1986. Burma was among the first countries to recognise Bangladesh after it won independence from Pakistan in 1971. But relations were strained in the early 1990s when around 250,000 Rohingya Muslims flooded into Bangladesh from Burma, claiming atrocities by the junta. Ties have improved since then, with the repatriation of most of the refugees under a United Nations agreement, but more than 20,000 still live in camps in Bangladesh. ___________ South China Morning Post January 7 2003 30 years after fleeing India, tribal separatists' leaders return for talks By S.N.M. Abdi in Calcutta The Nagas, who seek independence in the east, will meet the prime minister Separatist Naga rebels - who have not set foot in India for more than 30 years - will arrive in New Delhi today for talks. The rebels are fighting on behalf of more than 3.5 million Naga tribespeople for an independent homeland in northeastern India. The homeland would be made up of Nagaland, parts of adjoining Manipur and Assam states and Naga-majority areas of western Myanmar. National Socialist Council of Nagaland's Issac Chisi Swu and Thuingalent Muivah, who live in exile in Norway and Japan respectively, accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to come to India for talks with him and Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani. The invitation followed negotiations with Indian government representatives abroad. But the agenda for the long-awaited talks has not been revealed. Indian officials refused to comment on the prickly issue of independence. The Naga council too is holding its cards close to its chest. The government has withdrawn all criminal charges against, and rewards for the arrest of, Swu and Muivah to pave the way for their return. Arrangements for their stay have been made by the government but a Naga spokesman said yesterday the rebel chiefs will be guarded by Naga council military squads - in addition to the security provided by the government - during their week-long stay in New Delhi. Analysts say that a major breakthrough will be achieved if the Naga council gives up its secessionist demand and agrees to contest the provincial elections in Nagaland next month. "As things stand today, the NSCN has really no other option but to negotiate within the framework of the Indian constitution," said a senior government official engaged in the peace initiative. K. Padmanabiah, the government's chief negotiator, said that "expectations are soaring in Nagaland after five years of peace". "Ordinary Nagas now have a stake in peace and the NSCN is under as much pressure as we are to carry the negotiations forward," said Mr Padmanabiah. The Naga armed rebellion against Indian rule, often described as the world's longest-running insurgency, started in 1947 and claimed an estimated 25,000 lives before a 1997 ceasefire agreement with New Delhi. Predominantly Christian, Nagaland was once described as India's Vietnam by socialist leader Jayaprakash Narain. But since the 1997 accord, several rounds of peace talks have been held in Europe and Thailand. The Nagas first raised the standard of revolt a few hours before India's independence on August 15, 1947. The Nagas, formerly headhunters who embraced Christianity in the 19th century, argued that they were never ruled by outsiders until the British came. After the British left, they did not expect another government to step in. But New Delhi sent in the army and helicopter gunships to break the Naga resistance, triggering a civil war. Swu and Muivah fled Nagaland in 1972 to set up a provisional government-in -exile in Geneva. ___________ Deutsche Presse-Agentur January 7 2003 China, Myanmar leaders pledge closer economic ties Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Myanmar (Burmese) Prime Minister Than Shwe on Tuesday agreed to expand economic cooperation and signed three bilateral agreements. The two leaders signed three documents mainly covering economic and technical cooperation, state television said. Than Shwe and his delegation held extensive talks with their Chinese counterparts, vowing to strengthen cooperation in all fields, the report said. China agreed to grant Myanmar preferential loans worth 200 million dollars, it said without giving details. Than Shwe's five-day visit is aimed at firming the already close ties between his country's ruling junta and one of its closest allies and principal weapons suppliers. He is accompanied by General Khin Nyunt, first secretary of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and head of the junta's secret police, along with a 40-strong delegation of senior military and economic leaders. On Wednesday, Than Shwe is scheduled to meet Chinese Communist Party Secretary General Hu Jintao and other senior leaders before flying to the southwestern city of Chengdu, China's foreign ministry said. China is Myanmar's largest importer and its third largest export market. According to Myanmar government statistics, trade volume between the two countries for the year ending March 31, 2002 amounted to more than 530 million dollars. Chinese military aid to Myanmar has included fighter jets, tanks and other weapons systems estimated to be worth some 2 billion dollars. ______________ Xinhua News Agency January 7 2003 Chinese President holds talks with Myanmar head of state China is to offer 200 million US dollars in preferential loans to Myanmar to aid its economic development, Chinese President Jiang Zemin said here Tuesday. During his talks with visiting Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of Myanmar Than Shwe in the Great Hall of the People this afternoon, Jiang said the two countries should further strengthen economic cooperation, adding that China would support Chinese enterprises conducting cooperative ventures in Myanmar. He expressed the wish that Myanmar keep improving its investment environment so as to facilitate Chinese investment and cooperation. He said the two countries should expand cooperation in such fields as science, technology, culture, education, sports, public health and tourism. He said the two sides should continue to coordinate and cooperate on regional and international issues and within the framework of multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Than Shwe said Myanmar is satisfied with the progress in Myanmar-China cooperation in agriculture, exploration of human and natural resources, and construction of infrastructural facilities. He said Myanmar, a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), was ready to help China strengthen its relations with ASEAN. After the talks, Jiang and Than Shwe attended the signing ceremony for three agreements on economic and technological cooperation, cooperation in public health, and sport cooperation. INTERNATIONAL Myanmar Times December 23-29 2002 In the capitol a talkfest on Myanmar Editor-in-Chief Ross Dunkley recently attended a conference in Washington DC where the issue of Myanmar was comprehensively discussed by a high level group of academics, politicians, diplomats, and representatives of the NGO and business communities. In this round up he looks at some viewpoints expressed in the Capitol. WHILE the hard rhetoric of the United States government may have been the most noticeable news event to come out of a high-level conference on Myanmar held in Washington in late November, a much more subtle approach to Myanmar issues is pervading international discussion. Where to go? What to do? How to help Myanmar at this time? These were the main questions examined during the three-day event at the prestigious School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University just a short taxi ride from America’s seat of power. More than 200 people attended the event, titled Myanmar: Reconciliation and the crises of change. Academics said it was the largest event focusing on Myanmar to be held in the US. The Myanmar Government was represented by two of its most senior diplomats. They were its ambassador in London, Dr Kyaw Win, and its ambassador to the US, U Linn Myaing. Many of the participants represented various elements of the alphabet soup of exiled anti-SPDC groups supported by American funding. Despite being largely antagonistic to the views of a number of speakers, the level of exchange was generally civil and even at times, cordial. After a dinner to welcome delegates at which US Assistant Secretary of State Jim Kelly reiterated Washing-ton’s stance on Myanmar, the formal conference began the next morning with a panel reviewing progress on the reconciliation process. The most dramatic presence was Dr Kyaw Win, who spoke on how the easing of pressure on the regime from abroad during the past two or three years had allowed for gradual progress inside Myanmar. This had been marked by the release of hundreds of detainees and the decision to lift travel restrictions on the leader of the National League for Democracy, Daw Aung San Su Kyi, and the members of other political parties. The ambassador cited the cessation of armed opposition and the signing of peace deals with ethnic armies as the signal for the SPDC under Senior General Than Shwe to begin work on re-building Myanmar, most notably infrastructure work with 145 major new bridges and 136 new dams. He said that with "peace restored in most areas, one perhaps should not underestimate the political influence that these former insurgencies wielded and the magnitude of the political reconciliation that has also taken place simultaneously." Dr Kyaw Win argued that cries and demands to immediately liberalise party politics, so loudly audible in the past decade, seem to people living with the realities inside the country, tantamount to demanding that "the cart be put before the horse". He said that those who argue in favour of a slow and steady transition would say the chaotic consequences that might follow premature political liberalisation will have to be borne by the people who live in Myanmar – and perhaps to a degree by her immediate neighbours – but certainly not by those political pundits from afar in the safe havens of stable, developed countries. The ambassador then posed the following questions to the audience so the participants could make some specific assessment of the current situation: 1. What was the relationship between the NLD and the Government three years ago and what is it today? Consider the number of meetings that have been held?; 2. What are the political parties and their leaders able to do now compared to a few years ago?; 3. How much cooperation has the UN been extended in the past two years, especially with the Human Rights Commission, the ILO and with the Secretary-General?; 4. How has the ICRC been establishing itself throughout the country and carrying out its mandate? Finally, the ambassador reminded the audience of the "progress to date" which has been stressed time and again as evolutionary in nature from the start, not a revolution or an overnight transformation. He then predicted that the speed of change would continue to depend on how much goodwill and cooperation Myanmar received from the international community. Of course other panelists did not share all of the ambassador’s view, but one of the striking aspects of the conference was the ability for all sides of the political spectrum to sit in the one room at the same time without vindictiveness. In the evening a dinner was hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for more than 200 people with two high level speakers – Singapore’s ambassador in Washington, Ms Chan Hang-chee, and the former deputy foreign minister of Thailand, Sukhumb-hand Paribatra, a member of the opposition Democrat Party in the Thai parlia-ment. Ms Chan gave a solid insight into Myanmar’s relationship within Asean and its rationale of constructive engagement with its neighbours, while Mr Sukhumbhand debunked many myths about the historic relationship between Thais and Myanmars. One high level representative at the conference said he was surprised at the comments from Mr Sukhumbhand, given his government’s position on Myanmar, and even more so that little debate was generated by these two individuals, who normally would have been emphasising the different nuances of constructive engagement. The second day’s sessions began with panel discussions on national minorities and then an exploration of strategic issues and Myanmar’s place in the region. Participants first had to pass through a low key anti-Myanmar demonstration by exiled dissidents, but as one participant noted, the paranoia and infighting amongst these groups was more than obvious as they proceeded to accuse the conference organisers of doing the SPDC’s work. What was clear from the discussions on national minorities was that the government is allowing ethnic communities to come together in an endeavour to try to patch up the many rifts which divide them. This was seen as essential if they were to be in a position to advance their own interests and play an important role in the reconciliation process and in the changes that are (and be) will taking place in Myan-mar. The final panel was distinguished for the range of views expressed. The first speaker pursued the argument that engagement as the best way forward. Acknowledging the government’s small steps toward change, he insisted, was the only way to move forward. A US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State reiterated the speech of Mr Jim Kelly of Thursday evening and his views were partially contradicted by a Democratic staffer from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who took a more real politik approach. The final speaker was Myanmar’s ambassador in Washington, U Linn Myaing, who reiterated a number of the points his London-based colleague had made at the start of the conference. Following these presentations, the audience was not asked by the chairman to question the panelists, as was the case on previous occasions, but rather to state what they would like to happen. Releasing prisoners and moving forward on constitutional dialogue were at the top of the list. Strongly Bama, anti-minority views, were also expressed. Further sanctions and the like were not asked for. At the end, the ambassador promised to relay these views back to Yangon. While this summary does not exactly ring out as a manifesto for the way forward, the less strident and more sober reflection on Myanmar issues that occurred suggests that more serious thinking is taking place than previously. The presence of two representatives of the government also forced a degree of civility and lowered the stridency of accusations. The conference demonstrated that dialogue, or at least listening, is possible outside the country and one of the interesting points made from the floor was that perhaps it was the right time to hold similar conferences in Yangon.KEY SPEAKERS AT THE WASHINGTON EVENTBradley Babson – is a consultant in Asian affairs and an adviser to the UN country team on Myanmar. He worked for the World Bank for 28 years before retiring in 2000.Priscilla Clapp – retired mid-year as the US’s Charge d’Affairs and Chief of Mission in Yangon.Matthew Daley – Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific. Daley is closely involved with the issues concerning Myanmar today.Kyaw Yin Hlaing – is currently assistant professor of political science at the National University of Singapore. He is currently conducting research on "State-Sangha relations in SPDC’s Myanmar," and "Civil society and social capital in post-colonial Myanmar."Mike Jendrzejczyk – the Washington director for the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, he testifies frequently before the US Congress.Stuart Larkin – has lived in Myanmar for the past seven years and written major studies on currency reform and for the last year has been working as a consultant to the UNDP.Zaw Oo – is a director of policy and research programs at the Burma Fund.HE Sukumbhand Paribatra – is an MP in Thailand with the Democrat Party where he served as Deputy Foreign Minister in the Chuan Lekpai Administration.Morten Pedersen - has been a policy analyst for the Brussels based International Crisis Group and consultant to the World Bank.Josef Silverstein – is a visiting professor at Princeton University who has published and edited seven books on Myanmar or SE Asian politics.David Steinberg – Distinguished Professor at Georgetown university and is the author of 45 articles and four books on Myanmar. In his early days Dr Steinbeg served as a representative of the Asia Foundation in Rangoon (1958-62). He co-organised the Washington conference.Debbie Aung Din Taylor - is a consultant and native of Myanmar who recently co-authored a report for the UN country team on food security in Myanmar.Robert Taylor – is a London-based consultant on Myanmar affairs following an academic career including stints as Professor of Politics at London University. Dr Taylor is a pre-eminent authority on Myanmar.Frances Zwenig – is the senior country director for Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar at the US_ASEAN Business Council since 1988. In 1993-94 she was the Chief of Staff to Madeleine Albright.Frank Jannuzi – works as a member to the US Foreign Relations Committee From editor@burmanet.org Tue Jan 7 19:57:23 2003 From: editor@burmanet.org (editor@burmanet.org) Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 14:57:23 -0500 (EST) Subject: BurmaNet News: January 7 2003 Message-ID: <14526.207.10.94.131.1041969443.squirrel@webmail.pair.com> January 7 2003 Issue #2151 INSIDE BURMA The Hindu: Suu Kyi not allowed to phone in message DRUGS Xinhua: Germany, Italy fund Myanmar’s drug control project AFP: China seizes eight tones of drugs in Golden Triangle in 2002 ON THE BORDER Irrawaddy: Dissidents face crackdown; Burmese hiding along border REGIONAL Narinjara: Bangladesh, Myanmar feeder shipping service in the offing SCMP: 30 years after fleeing India, tribal separatists’ leaders return for talks DPA: China, Myanmar leaders pledge closer economic ties Xinhua: Chinese president holds talks with Myanmar head of state INTERNATIONAL Myanmar Times: In the Capitol a talkfest on Myanmar INSIDE BURMA The Hindu January 6 2003 Suu Kyi not allowed to phone in message By W. Chandrakanth Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace laureate, fighting for restoration of democratic rights of the Myanmarese was allegedly not allowed by the military regime on January 2 to deliver a message over telephone to the first Asian Social Forum summit being held here. The telephone lines were reportedly cut as the regime feared she would speak against it in the phone-in programme. As a result, her recorded message would be delivered here on the concluding day on Tuesday. A human rights delegation from Myanmar attending the summit reiterated its call to the international community to cut aid to the military Government ``in every form'' till it complies with ``civilised norms'' and halts crime against women. Talking to The Hindu, Thin Than Aung, joint general secretary of the Women's League of Burma and Nang Hseng Moon of the Shan Women's Action Network said the `military regime's atrocities against women continue'. It had only released Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest but human rights continue to be ``under arrest'' and there is no sight of their being ``released.'' ``The Burmese military has been systematically using rape as a weapon of war against women and girls belonging to the ethnic minorities. Our carefully documented work covering 173 cases proves that 83 per cent of rapes had been committed by the military officers and in most cases, in front of their troops. These rapes often involve extreme brutality and torture. At least 25 per cent of such rapes have resulted in the death of victims'', they say. The military regime uses foreign funding to train officials in human rights but has it any positive effect ? ``No, not at all. Any support to the regime only means a continued license to rape and kill. We have appealed to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women to send a fact finding mission to the Thai-Burma border to investigate sexual violence committed by the military. We had submitted a report to the officials, Radhika Comaraswamy, in Colombo. We are yet to see a positive response from the international community''. ``A tripartite dialogue is needed with representatives of non-Burmese ethnic nationalities and the democratic opposition on the country's political future. The civil war in Burma should be viewed in the context of systematic sexual violence and not just from other angles. As long as others continue to support the regime for one reason or the other, the nightmare of sexual violence continues indefinitely'', they plead. DRUGS Xinhua News Agency January 7 2003 Germany, Italy fund Myanmar's drug control project Germany and Italy have provided a total of 1.1 million US dollars as an extra fund for a four-year drug control project in Wa region, Myanmar's Shan state, to prolong it for another two years, according to a United Nations agency here. The Wa Alternative Development Project was launched in 1999 and with the support of the extra fund from the two countries, it will continue up to 2005, said Jean-Luc Lemahieu, an official of the UN Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) here. The amount contributed by Germany and Italy last year for the project were respectively 1 million euros (1 million dollars) and 100,000 dollars. The UN agency had first sought nearly 16 million dollars for the project but until last year it had received about 8 million, most of which was extended by Japan and the United States. Last year, the two countries contributed 1.6 million dollars and 700, 000 dollars, respectively, he said. Meanwhile, according to the official, France has agreed to extend 200,000 dollars to enhance the operational capacity of the UNODC residential office. The Wa project includes the development of a 500-hectare rice cultivating area in the Mong Kar region near the Myanmar-China border. __________ Agence France-Presse January 7 2003 China seizes eight tonnes of drugs in Golden Triangle in 2002 China seized more than eight tonnes of drugs along its southwestern border with the Golden Triangle poppy-growing region last year, state media said Tuesday. Without specifying what the drugs were, the Xinhua news agency, quoting statistics from the Yunnan provincial government, said they accounted for 70 percent of all drugs captured in China. The figures showed 15,601 drug cases were investigated and 5,292 people "punished" in Yunnan province alone. However, the haul is only a small fraction of the 1,800 tonnes of heroin that Chinese police estimate is produced in the Golden Triangle, mainly by Myanmar and Laos, which share porous borders with China. Of around 92,400 hectares (230,000 acres) of poppy fields in the Golden Triangle, 87,000 hectares are in Myanmar. According to Chinese police maps seen last year, a wide belt of poppy plantations sits just inside the Myanmar side of the country's 1,400 kilometer (840 mile) border with China. It is not clear how much is shipped into China, police say, but since the 1980s, drug traffickers have increasingly routed heroin to the United States and Europe via China and through either Hong Kong or Taiwan. Xinhua said that in a bid to crack down on the flourishing trade, seven cross-border campaigns were launched in collaboration with Myanmar and Laos police. They led to the destruction of 10 drug laboratories, 33 arrests and the seizure of 280 kilograms (616 pounds) of heroin and 120 kilograms of metamphetamines. Police refuse to estimate how many Chinese have tried heroin or use it recreationally, but they readily admit that heroin and other drugs like ecstasy and methamphetamines are easily available in bars and night clubs around the country. ON THE BORDER Irrawaddy January 7 2003 Dissidents Face Crackdown; Burmese Hiding along Border By Naw Seng Both Burmese and Thai human rights advocates have expressed grave concerns regarding the future security and safety of Burmese democracy activists working from Thai soil, as top ranking Thai officials prepare for an upcoming visit to Burma. The response comes in regards to a stepped up crackdown on Burmese dissidents in the Thai border towns of Sangklaburi and Mae Hong Son. Dissidents fear more pressure is looming as Thai Deputy Prime Minster Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and top army leaders are planning to visit Burma this month. Rights advocates and dissidents have long equated the crackdowns with an attempt by Thailand to appease Rangoon. "I think it is the policy of the [Thai] government to restrict Burmese activists as well as refugees and migrants in order to have better relations and to please the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] in Rangoon," says Somchai Homlar, Sec-Gen of Forum-Asia, a Bangkok-based regional human rights watchdog. "This policy will bring a very bad impact on human rights and development in Burma," the human rights lawyer added. Burmese dissidents in Thailand have already begun to feel the reverberations of this alleged policy shift being enacted by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s administration. In late December, Burmese dissidents living in Sangklaburi, across from Burma’s Mon State, were given two days to evacuate from their homes by Thai authorities. One dissident, requesting anonymity, said from a border hideout that some Burmese women and children had been in hiding since December and do not know where to go. "We are taking risks and we don't know what will happen to us," he said. Dissidents in Sangklaburi said they want to open up a communication line with Thai officials, but have been unsuccessful. "We want to know what they want us to do," the dissident continued. "But they just told us to leave." Col Somkhuan Saenpattaranate, a Thai Army spokesman, said: "The government and the army will not allow any foreign groups or nationals to use our territory to launch military raids or conduct unfriendly activities against Thailand's neighboring countries. Their misadventure could seriously affect our national security and relations with our neighbors." The activists say they want to continue working for Burma’s democracy movement, and if Thailand does not want them here, they should have an option to go somewhere else. But that a return to Burma is out of the question, as the situation there remains far too dangerous for a safe return. It is still unclear why the democracy activists were told to leave their homes. Dissidents there, however, acknowledged that the situation has deteriorated since Burma's Culture and Economic Committee office was opened last November in Sangklaburi and that pressure has been mounting on them to curtail their activities since then. The office operates under the auspices of the Thai-Burma Culture and Economic Association, which was established in 2001. Despite Bangkok-based diplomats and international human rights organizations following the event, Burmese activists say that this time they are not convinced pressure and diplomacy will prevent Thailand from enacting a tougher line against them. This is not the first time Burmese dissidents in Sangklaburi have faced pressure from the Thai government. Last August members from several organizations were arrested and deported to the Burmese border, but were then able to slip back into Thailand safely. But things are different this time, say Burmese dissidents. They say Thai officials are more interested in establishing business and trade connections inside Burma via Three Pagoda Pass, which lies just outside out of Sangklaburi. Other observes also say Thailand and Burma are looking to develop tourism in the area. "I think the case in Sangklaburi is more to do with business than a national security concern for Thailand," said one Burmese dissident in Sangklaburi. He added that dissidents living in Thailand have been collaborating with local Thai authorities in order to prevent crimes and infiltration by Burmese spies. "We always collaborated with Thai authorities for the security and stability of Thailand," said the Burmese dissident. Karen villagers living in the Sangklaburi area have also been pressured recently by Thailand. In December, Surasi Task Force, which oversees security along the Thai-Burma border in Kanchanaburi Province, rounded up 65 Karen from Wia Ka Di Village. The Karen were instructed to leave their homes within three days. Forum Asia, however, issued a statement in late December describing the 65 Karen as "unarmed civilians". Also in early January, according to Somchai Homlor, Thai soldiers and officials in Kanchanaburi forcibly repatriated 11 villagers. "I think it is a very inhumane tactic and also against the principal of the rule of law," says Somchai. The Thai Human Rights Commission is looking into the alleged repatriation of the 11 villagers. REGIONAL Narinjara News January 7 2003 Bangladesh, Myanmar feeder shipping service in the offing A feeder shipping service between Bangladesh and neighbouring Burma is in the offing to boost bilateral trade, official sources said Monday, according to today's the independent quoted AFP, Chittagong. The sources in Chittagong Port and Mercantile Marine Department said the government had already asked a private shipping company to start operating its feeder container vessels on the Chittagong-Rangoon route as soon as possible to increase bilateral trade. "A high-level meeting to this effect was held recently on this issue and if the service starts on this route, the trade gap between the two countries will come down to a great extent," one port official said. Imports from Burma include timber, maize, rice and fish, while exports include fertiliser, cement and medicines, but there are no official estimates bilateral trade, which is said to be very small. Smuggling also takes place across the border. The official said the step was a follow up to the landmark visit by Burma Senior General Than Shwe in December when the countries pledged to boost bilateral ties to overcome economic challenges facing them both. "The Burma government has also agreed to place a container vessel on the route," he said. Shipping sources said due to a lack of vessels, the state-owned Bangladesh Shipping Corporation was unable to provide the service immediately, so the government opted for the private HRC Shipping Lines, which is already operating feeder vessels between Chittagong and Sri Lanka as well as Malaysia. Than Shwe was the first leader of Burma's junta to visit Bangladesh. The last leader to come was the then Burmese President U San Yu in 1986. Burma was among the first countries to recognise Bangladesh after it won independence from Pakistan in 1971. But relations were strained in the early 1990s when around 250,000 Rohingya Muslims flooded into Bangladesh from Burma, claiming atrocities by the junta. Ties have improved since then, with the repatriation of most of the refugees under a United Nations agreement, but more than 20,000 still live in camps in Bangladesh. ___________ South China Morning Post January 7 2003 30 years after fleeing India, tribal separatists' leaders return for talks By S.N.M. Abdi in Calcutta The Nagas, who seek independence in the east, will meet the prime minister Separatist Naga rebels - who have not set foot in India for more than 30 years - will arrive in New Delhi today for talks. The rebels are fighting on behalf of more than 3.5 million Naga tribespeople for an independent homeland in northeastern India. The homeland would be made up of Nagaland, parts of adjoining Manipur and Assam states and Naga-majority areas of western Myanmar. National Socialist Council of Nagaland's Issac Chisi Swu and Thuingalent Muivah, who live in exile in Norway and Japan respectively, accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to come to India for talks with him and Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani. The invitation followed negotiations with Indian government representatives abroad. But the agenda for the long-awaited talks has not been revealed. Indian officials refused to comment on the prickly issue of independence. The Naga council too is holding its cards close to its chest. The government has withdrawn all criminal charges against, and rewards for the arrest of, Swu and Muivah to pave the way for their return. Arrangements for their stay have been made by the government but a Naga spokesman said yesterday the rebel chiefs will be guarded by Naga council military squads - in addition to the security provided by the government - during their week-long stay in New Delhi. Analysts say that a major breakthrough will be achieved if the Naga council gives up its secessionist demand and agrees to contest the provincial elections in Nagaland next month. "As things stand today, the NSCN has really no other option but to negotiate within the framework of the Indian constitution," said a senior government official engaged in the peace initiative. K. Padmanabiah, the government's chief negotiator, said that "expectations are soaring in Nagaland after five years of peace". "Ordinary Nagas now have a stake in peace and the NSCN is under as much pressure as we are to carry the negotiations forward," said Mr Padmanabiah. The Naga armed rebellion against Indian rule, often described as the world's longest-running insurgency, started in 1947 and claimed an estimated 25,000 lives before a 1997 ceasefire agreement with New Delhi. Predominantly Christian, Nagaland was once described as India's Vietnam by socialist leader Jayaprakash Narain. But since the 1997 accord, several rounds of peace talks have been held in Europe and Thailand. The Nagas first raised the standard of revolt a few hours before India's independence on August 15, 1947. The Nagas, formerly headhunters who embraced Christianity in the 19th century, argued that they were never ruled by outsiders until the British came. After the British left, they did not expect another government to step in. But New Delhi sent in the army and helicopter gunships to break the Naga resistance, triggering a civil war. Swu and Muivah fled Nagaland in 1972 to set up a provisional government-in -exile in Geneva. ___________ Deutsche Presse-Agentur January 7 2003 China, Myanmar leaders pledge closer economic ties Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Myanmar (Burmese) Prime Minister Than Shwe on Tuesday agreed to expand economic cooperation and signed three bilateral agreements. The two leaders signed three documents mainly covering economic and technical cooperation, state television said. Than Shwe and his delegation held extensive talks with their Chinese counterparts, vowing to strengthen cooperation in all fields, the report said. China agreed to grant Myanmar preferential loans worth 200 million dollars, it said without giving details. Than Shwe's five-day visit is aimed at firming the already close ties between his country's ruling junta and one of its closest allies and principal weapons suppliers. He is accompanied by General Khin Nyunt, first secretary of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and head of the junta's secret police, along with a 40-strong delegation of senior military and economic leaders. On Wednesday, Than Shwe is scheduled to meet Chinese Communist Party Secretary General Hu Jintao and other senior leaders before flying to the southwestern city of Chengdu, China's foreign ministry said. China is Myanmar's largest importer and its third largest export market. According to Myanmar government statistics, trade volume between the two countries for the year ending March 31, 2002 amounted to more than 530 million dollars. Chinese military aid to Myanmar has included fighter jets, tanks and other weapons systems estimated to be worth some 2 billion dollars. ______________ Xinhua News Agency January 7 2003 Chinese President holds talks with Myanmar head of state China is to offer 200 million US dollars in preferential loans to Myanmar to aid its economic development, Chinese President Jiang Zemin said here Tuesday. During his talks with visiting Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of Myanmar Than Shwe in the Great Hall of the People this afternoon, Jiang said the two countries should further strengthen economic cooperation, adding that China would support Chinese enterprises conducting cooperative ventures in Myanmar. He expressed the wish that Myanmar keep improving its investment environment so as to facilitate Chinese investment and cooperation. He said the two countries should expand cooperation in such fields as science, technology, culture, education, sports, public health and tourism. He said the two sides should continue to coordinate and cooperate on regional and international issues and within the framework of multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Than Shwe said Myanmar is satisfied with the progress in Myanmar-China cooperation in agriculture, exploration of human and natural resources, and construction of infrastructural facilities. He said Myanmar, a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), was ready to help China strengthen its relations with ASEAN. After the talks, Jiang and Than Shwe attended the signing ceremony for three agreements on economic and technological cooperation, cooperation in public health, and sport cooperation. INTERNATIONAL Myanmar Times December 23-29 2002 In the capitol a talkfest on Myanmar Editor-in-Chief Ross Dunkley recently attended a conference in Washington DC where the issue of Myanmar was comprehensively discussed by a high level group of academics, politicians, diplomats, and representatives of the NGO and business communities. In this round up he looks at some viewpoints expressed in the Capitol. WHILE the hard rhetoric of the United States government may have been the most noticeable news event to come out of a high-level conference on Myanmar held in Washington in late November, a much more subtle approach to Myanmar issues is pervading international discussion. Where to go? What to do? How to help Myanmar at this time? These were the main questions examined during the three-day event at the prestigious School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University just a short taxi ride from America’s seat of power. More than 200 people attended the event, titled Myanmar: Reconciliation and the crises of change. Academics said it was the largest event focusing on Myanmar to be held in the US. The Myanmar Government was represented by two of its most senior diplomats. They were its ambassador in London, Dr Kyaw Win, and its ambassador to the US, U Linn Myaing. Many of the participants represented various elements of the alphabet soup of exiled anti-SPDC groups supported by American funding. Despite being largely antagonistic to the views of a number of speakers, the level of exchange was generally civil and even at times, cordial. After a dinner to welcome delegates at which US Assistant Secretary of State Jim Kelly reiterated Washing-ton’s stance on Myanmar, the formal conference began the next morning with a panel reviewing progress on the reconciliation process. The most dramatic presence was Dr Kyaw Win, who spoke on how the easing of pressure on the regime from abroad during the past two or three years had allowed for gradual progress inside Myanmar. This had been marked by the release of hundreds of detainees and the decision to lift travel restrictions on the leader of the National League for Democracy, Daw Aung San Su Kyi, and the members of other political parties. The ambassador cited the cessation of armed opposition and the signing of peace deals with ethnic armies as the signal for the SPDC under Senior General Than Shwe to begin work on re-building Myanmar, most notably infrastructure work with 145 major new bridges and 136 new dams. He said that with "peace restored in most areas, one perhaps should not underestimate the political influence that these former insurgencies wielded and the magnitude of the political reconciliation that has also taken place simultaneously." Dr Kyaw Win argued that cries and demands to immediately liberalise party politics, so loudly audible in the past decade, seem to people living with the realities inside the country, tantamount to demanding that "the cart be put before the horse". He said that those who argue in favour of a slow and steady transition would say the chaotic consequences that might follow premature political liberalisation will have to be borne by the people who live in Myanmar – and perhaps to a degree by her immediate neighbours – but certainly not by those political pundits from afar in the safe havens of stable, developed countries. The ambassador then posed the following questions to the audience so the participants could make some specific assessment of the current situation: 1. What was the relationship between the NLD and the Government three years ago and what is it today? Consider the number of meetings that have been held?; 2. What are the political parties and their leaders able to do now compared to a few years ago?; 3. How much cooperation has the UN been extended in the past two years, especially with the Human Rights Commission, the ILO and with the Secretary-General?; 4. How has the ICRC been establishing itself throughout the country and carrying out its mandate? Finally, the ambassador reminded the audience of the "progress to date" which has been stressed time and again as evolutionary in nature from the start, not a revolution or an overnight transformation. He then predicted that the speed of change would continue to depend on how much goodwill and cooperation Myanmar received from the international community. Of course other panelists did not share all of the ambassador’s view, but one of the striking aspects of the conference was the ability for all sides of the political spectrum to sit in the one room at the same time without vindictiveness. In the evening a dinner was hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for more than 200 people with two high level speakers – Singapore’s ambassador in Washington, Ms Chan Hang-chee, and the former deputy foreign minister of Thailand, Sukhumb-hand Paribatra, a member of the opposition Democrat Party in the Thai parlia-ment. Ms Chan gave a solid insight into Myanmar’s relationship within Asean and its rationale of constructive engagement with its neighbours, while Mr Sukhumbhand debunked many myths about the historic relationship between Thais and Myanmars. One high level representative at the conference said he was surprised at the comments from Mr Sukhumbhand, given his government’s position on Myanmar, and even more so that little debate was generated by these two individuals, who normally would have been emphasising the different nuances of constructive engagement. The second day’s sessions began with panel discussions on national minorities and then an exploration of strategic issues and Myanmar’s place in the region. Participants first had to pass through a low key anti-Myanmar demonstration by exiled dissidents, but as one participant noted, the paranoia and infighting amongst these groups was more than obvious as they proceeded to accuse the conference organisers of doing the SPDC’s work. What was clear from the discussions on national minorities was that the government is allowing ethnic communities to come together in an endeavour to try to patch up the many rifts which divide them. This was seen as essential if they were to be in a position to advance their own interests and play an important role in the reconciliation process and in the changes that are (and be) will taking place in Myan-mar. The final panel was distinguished for the range of views expressed. The first speaker pursued the argument that engagement as the best way forward. Acknowledging the government’s small steps toward change, he insisted, was the only way to move forward. A US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State reiterated the speech of Mr Jim Kelly of Thursday evening and his views were partially contradicted by a Democratic staffer from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who took a more real politik approach. The final speaker was Myanmar’s ambassador in Washington, U Linn Myaing, who reiterated a number of the points his London-based colleague had made at the start of the conference. Following these presentations, the audience was not asked by the chairman to question the panelists, as was the case on previous occasions, but rather to state what they would like to happen. Releasing prisoners and moving forward on constitutional dialogue were at the top of the list. Strongly Bama, anti-minority views, were also expressed. Further sanctions and the like were not asked for. At the end, the ambassador promised to relay these views back to Yangon. While this summary does not exactly ring out as a manifesto for the way forward, the less strident and more sober reflection on Myanmar issues that occurred suggests that more serious thinking is taking place than previously. The presence of two representatives of the government also forced a degree of civility and lowered the stridency of accusations. The conference demonstrated that dialogue, or at least listening, is possible outside the country and one of the interesting points made from the floor was that perhaps it was the right time to hold similar conferences in Yangon.KEY SPEAKERS AT THE WASHINGTON EVENTBradley Babson – is a consultant in Asian affairs and an adviser to the UN country team on Myanmar. He worked for the World Bank for 28 years before retiring in 2000.Priscilla Clapp – retired mid-year as the US’s Charge d’Affairs and Chief of Mission in Yangon.Matthew Daley – Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific. Daley is closely involved with the issues concerning Myanmar today.Kyaw Yin Hlaing – is currently assistant professor of political science at the National University of Singapore. He is currently conducting research on "State-Sangha relations in SPDC’s Myanmar," and "Civil society and social capital in post-colonial Myanmar."Mike Jendrzejczyk – the Washington director for the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, he testifies frequently before the US Congress.Stuart Larkin – has lived in Myanmar for the past seven years and written major studies on currency reform and for the last year has been working as a consultant to the UNDP.Zaw Oo – is a director of policy and research programs at the Burma Fund.HE Sukumbhand Paribatra – is an MP in Thailand with the Democrat Party where he served as Deputy Foreign Minister in the Chuan Lekpai Administration.Morten Pedersen - has been a policy analyst for the Brussels based International Crisis Group and consultant to the World Bank.Josef Silverstein – is a visiting professor at Princeton University who has published and edited seven books on Myanmar or SE Asian politics.David Steinberg – Distinguished Professor at Georgetown university and is the author of 45 articles and four books on Myanmar. In his early days Dr Steinbeg served as a representative of the Asia Foundation in Rangoon (1958-62). He co-organised the Washington conference.Debbie Aung Din Taylor - is a consultant and native of Myanmar who recently co-authored a report for the UN country team on food security in Myanmar.Robert Taylor – is a London-based consultant on Myanmar affairs following an academic career including stints as Professor of Politics at London University. Dr Taylor is a pre-eminent authority on Myanmar.Frances Zwenig – is the senior country director for Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar at the US_ASEAN Business Council since 1988. In 1993-94 she was the Chief of Staff to Madeleine Albright.Frank Jannuzi – works as a member to the US Foreign Relations Committee