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Dear Readers
Please sign petition for the country's most prominent political prisoner,
professor Dr. Salai Tun Than
http://www.petitiononline.com/Burma362/petition.html --------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------- HEADLINES -------------------------------------------------------------- AP - Myanmar releases three prominent political prisoners Reuters - Australia Warns North Korea Over Drug Smuggling The Courier Mail - Heroin, opium raids in Burma Silicon India - India scouts for exploration projects in Myanmar Bkk Post - COMMENTARY - Past errors make no impression on Egat Bkk Post - EDITORIAL - Taking the bang out of land mines The Nation - Dead 'water elephant' turns up in Mae Sot The Star(Penang) - Myanmar rice seller jailed Asian Tribune - Japan ex-PM holds talks with Myanmar leader DVB News - CRPP held meeting DVB News - Interview with Dr Zaw Minn --------------------------------------------------------------
Myanmar
releases three prominent political prisoners
Fri May 2, 4:42 AM ET BANGKOK, Thailand, May
2 (AP) - Myanmar's military
government said Friday it has released three prominent political prisoners who
spent 14 years in jail. --------------------------------------------------------------
Australia Warns North Korea Over Drug
Smuggling --------------------------------------------------------------
The Courier Mail --------------------------------------------------------------
Silicon India --------------------------------------------------------------
Bangkok Post - Friday 02 May 2003
COMMENTARY - Past errors make no impression on Egat Wasant Techawongtham Mawee, a Karen woman in her 50s, was squatting with a group of neighbours
outside an open-aired hall that was hosting a group of visitors from Bangkok.
The visitors were led by Kraisak Choonhavan, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign affairs. They would like to know what Mawee and her neighbours had to say about a plan to build two dams on Salween river. One of them would be quite close to Ban Ta Fang, a riverside village where 78 Karen families have their homes. But Mawee and her group of friends knew too little to give an opinion. It was only through word of mouth that they had heard that a dam would be built. A team of surveyors had been seen working near her village. But she had no idea how it would affect her. When told that her farmland and home could be flooded and she might have to move elsewhere, she looked apprehensive yet a smile never left her face. Then she asked: ``But where could we go? What could we do for a living?'' Mawee was not the only one to have professed ignorance of the plan. Local authorities including park officials and the Mae Sariang district chief said they knew little more than that surveyors from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand had been working in the area. Most residents of Mae Sariang, the district in Mae Hong Son situated between the two potential dam sites, also have been told little. But that did not prevent some local entrepreneurs organising a rally at the hotel where the Bangkok visitors were staying to demand that the dams be built. They said they wanted the more stable supply of electricity and jobs and income that the construction was expected to create. Some conceded, though, that they knew too little to form an opinion on whether they wanted the dams. It is a matter of speculation whether Egat has given out selective information to selected groups of people in the area and if its employees were involved in the organisation of the rally. What is clear is that Egat has yet to indicate how it would go about ensuring that local people and the general public are fully informed of its plan and involved in its implementation. If problems similar to those that have dogged the Pak Moon dam for more than a decade are to be avoided, senator Kraisak warned, Egat must take to heart the need to inform the public fully and involve them in every step of the plan. Egat governor Sitthiporn Rattanophat has expressed fears that a controversy could arise. Yet the organisation he supervises appears to be stuck in a time warp in the way it initiates such mega-projects. It started out this particular undertaking by proposing a ready-made project to cabinet for endorsement, then proceeded to carry out an initial survey with no prior public consultation. Egat will probably launch a public information campaign after it finishes its survey. But its objective would probably be to fulfil a requirement for a public hearing rather than to satisfy the spirit of the constitution that wants people to be involved in making a decision on any initiative that would affect their lives. Its inability to learn from past mistakes such as the Pak Moon dam has already created a conflict situation in Mae Sariang even at this early stage. The Karen community will be the hardest hit and called on to sacrifice their homes and their livelihoods for the greater majority, most of whom live in urban centres. The urban folk in Mae Sariang who demand the dams will find out that power from the dams does not flow directly to their homes. Whatever they experience now in terms of brownouts or outages will not disappear simply because the dams are built. But they have not been told that. Egat would be well advised to rethink its strategy, not just for its own good but for the greater public peace. - Wasant Techawongtham is Deputy News Editor for Environment and Urban Affairs, Bangkok Post. --------------------------------------------------------------
Bangkok Post - Friday 02 May 2003
EDITORIAL - Taking the bang out of land mines The explosion which shattered the Lop Buri calm on Thursday of last week signified that Thailand had met its most important obligation under the Ottawa Mine Ban Convention and destroyed its remaining stockpile of anti-personnel land mines before the May Day final deadline. This paves the way for Bangkok to host a meeting of representatives of the 146 other signatories in September. Also attending will be observer states, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines, representatives of the non-governmental sector and civilian survivors of these dreadful weapons, all of whom have heartrending tales to tell. One organisation which can take particular pride in heightening public awareness of this issue is the Thai Campaign to Ban Landmines, which helped organise a bicycle rally to Lop Buri to observe and publicly praise the destruction of the lethal stockpile. Thirty-five survivors of mines, representing the areas in eastern Thailand worst-affected, took part in the rally and were joined by military veterans. Yet much remains to be done before we can declare our part of the world to be mine-free. Mines are estimated to claim at least one victim in the Asean region every two hours and victims often die before reaching hospital. If they survive, the high medical costs involved in rehabilitation can bankrupt the family. There can be no justification in this supposedly civilised day and age for such terrible weapons of war which claim so many innocent civilian lives in peace-time. Over the past 60 years, anti-personnel mines have caused more deaths and injuries than nuclear, biological and chemical weapons combined. The International Committee of the Red Cross estimates that at least 800 people are killed by mines every month worldwide and another 1,200 are maimed _ a total of 2,000 victims a month and close to 25,000 a year. A frightening number of these are children. Land mines can be cleared, but only laboriously and at enormous expense. Getting rid of those plaguing us is the unenviable task of the Thailand Mine Action Centre, which is dedicated but so under-funded that it is heavily dependent on aid from Norway and the United States. Most land mines found in the Asean region were manufactured in the United States, China and the former Soviet Union. Of the three, only the US has donated significantly to land mine eradication in the region. Funds also have to be made available for mine clearance assistance for Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Burma receives nothing because it continues to use mines and, according to NGOs, even produces some, cloaking its shame in the guise of national security. Each mine costs only a few dollars to produce, but may cost more than $1,000 to clear, and Southeast Asia is littered with anti-personnel mines and other unexploded ordnance, particularly in the form of ``bomblets''. The armed conflicts that have taken place over the years have infested the region with these barbaric weapons. Some areas have been particularly plagued. These include Thailand's borders with Cambodia, Burma, Malaysia and Laos, the border region dividing Vietnam and China, and in parts of the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Indonesia and Vietnam. Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Iraq are also problem areas. One Iraqi woman, asked by a BBC reporter recently about how it felt to be liberated, pointed to a cluster of unexploded bomblets hanging from a fruit tree in her garden _ the legacy of an air raid. ``Where can my children play?'' she asked plaintively. This menace has yet to be eradicated but the destruction of our stockpile demonstrated that we are on the right track. --------------------------------------------------------------
The Nation
Dead 'water elephant' turns up in Mae Sot Published on May 2, 2003 The carcass of a rare small animal similar in appearance to an elephant has been discovered in the possession of a resident of Mae Sot district, Tak province. The owner, Direk Siangthaen, 28, a restaurant operator in Mae Sot district, said he got the carcass of the miniature animal, known to locals as a "water elephant", from Burma. The carcass, which is about 7.5cm tall and 12.5 cm wide, weighs about 300 grams. Locals in Tak believe the water elephant is a rare creature bestowed with supernatural powers. Sala Chuainoo, a 50-year-old elephant keeper, said when he was very young his parents told him that an elephant running amok would never hurt a person carrying the tusk of a water elephant, and those carrying such a tusk would be able to quickly calm it. He was told that water elephants could be found in muddy water on high mountains. Mae Jan Village in Tak's Umphang district used to be a water elephant habitat, he said. Direk said he got the water elephant from a Burmese villager living opposite Mae Sot. The man told him he had caught the miniature elephant in a pond high in the mountains. The elephant only lived seven days after being caught. "I believe it really is a water elephant, because every part of the animal is similar to a normal elephant. And I was also told that when it was alive its bellows were similar to those of an elephant," he said. Direk took the carcass to Pha Woh Hospital in Mae Sot district and had the carcass x-rayed. About a hundred people thronged around him when they saw what he was carrying. The x-rays showed that the water elephant to have a bone structure similar to that of a full-sized elephant, he said. But he is worried somebody might try to steal the carcass from him, and so has decided not to keep the carcass at home. --------------------------------------------------------------
The Star(Penang)
Friday, May 02, 2003 Myanmar rice seller jailed A Myanmar nasi kandar seller was jailed six months by a Sessions Court on Wednesday for dishonestly obtaining RM88,859.64 worth of telecommunication services. Mohammad Ahdam @ Nyi Nyi, 32, pleaded guilty to breaching the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 by obtaining the services provided by Chembell Technology Sdn Bhd without making any payment. He admitted committing the offence in a shop lot at Jalan Relau, Penang, between July 20 and Aug 5, last year. In mitigation, Mohammad Ahdam's counsel S.Siva Subramaniam said his client was a first offender and had two children to support. He said the offence did not have any element of force and the facts of the case showed that the pin number could only be obtained from the company. ?Therefore, it is clear that only an insider could be involved in providing the number to my client,'' he added. Counsel also urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence as Mohammad Ahdam had saved the court's time by pleading guilty to the offence. DPPAzhar Mokhtar said the defence mitigation on the pin number being provided by one of the company's employees to the accused was irrelevant. He urged the court to pass a deterrent sentence. Sessions judge M.Gunalan ordered the accused to serve his jail term from the date of his arrest on Jan 16. --------------------------------------------------------------
Asian Tribune
Date : 2003-05-02
Japan ex-PM holds talks with Myanmar leader Yangon, May 02: Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori concluded a
three-day visit to Myanmar Thursday during which he held a rare lengthy meeting
with military ruler Senior General Than Shwe, officials and diplomatic sources
said.
Japan is the biggest aid donor to Myanmar and Mori, who resigned as premier in 2001 but remains an MP, led an 11-member team to the Southeast Asian state to discuss economic ties and other bilateral issues. ?This is just a further indication of the ongoing Myanmar-Japan cooperation process,? a Japanese embassy source told AFP. He also confirmed Mori?s one-hour meeting Wednesday night with Than Shwe, the length of which strongly suggests the discussions went far beyond the typical visit paid to the general. ?It was not just a mere courtesy call,? the embassy source added. Mori also held talks with General Khin Nyunt, the number three in the ruling State Peace and Development Council and chief of military intelligence, as well as Foreign Minister Win Aung, government sources said. On Wednesday Mori took in a tour of Yangon, stopping at schools as well as Yangon?s anti-drugs museum, while Thursday saw him visit a war cemetery outside the capital as well as a nurses training college built with Japanese aid. Japan suspended all but a small amount of humanitarian aid in the aftermath of a 1988 military coup in Myanmar and crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators, but the flow of funds resumed in 1994. In February Japan?s overseas aid agency JICA said it planned to spend about 20 million dollars in Myanmar in the fiscal year beginning last month despite a reduction in its overall budget. Despite no longer being Japan?s leader, Mori was accorded all the courtesy due a visiting head of state, reflecting the importance Myanmar attaches to relations with its largest benefactor. Yangon-based diplomats said there was speculation that Mori had come to Myanmar in an effort to urge Than Shwe to make changes to the impoverished country?s policies. Myanmar government sources said they did not expect any dramatic policy change or deepening of Japanese assistance to Yangon as a result of the visit. In what was seen as a crucial meeting last August between Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Japan Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, Suu Kyi told the minister she would no longer oppose foreign aid provided it fell within strict guidelines. Myanmar leader warns of manipulation by ?neo-colonialists?: Myanmar?s military ruler Senior General Than Shwe warned Thursday of manipulative ?neo-colonialists? bent on slandering the country and breaking up national unity. In a May Day message, Than Shwe said the oppressive and divisive policies of the country?s foreign overlords of years past had brought ruin to the once-wealthy Southeast Asian nation, and hinted at the continuing ambitions of outside forces on Myanmar. ?At present, the neo-colonialists are manipulating the international organizations and hurling various slanders and accusations at Myanmar, while pretending to act as the protectors of human rights and workers rights, to break up unity among the national people,? he said in a message carried by the official mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar. ?We must beware of all such perpetrations.? Myanmar remains one of Asia?s poorest and most isolated countries, enduring crippling economic sanctions led by Washington and the European Union, and intense international criticism over its human rights record. - Daily Times: AFP - --------------------------------------------------------------
DVB News - May 01, 2003.
CRPP held meeting
The Committee for Representing People Parliament (CRPP) yesterday held a regular meeting in Rangoon, it was reported. At the meeting, the original subcommittees were expanded with new members. The CRPP is expected to issue an official statement tomorrow concerning the expansion of subcommittees, said CRPP's General Secretary, U Aye Tha Aung. Moreover, the CRPP's members will be discussing, deciding and acting on its main aim, the emergence of a people parliament at the regular meetings. U Aye Tha Aung told the DVB about yesterday's meeting as follows: U Aye Tha Aung : It was a regular meeting. At the meeting, we expanded, strengthened and formed the CRPP's original subcommittees with new members. DVB : How did you expand the CRPP? U Aye Tha Aung : Now, we have eight new members. We put them in the original subcommittees and expanded them. The new members are U Khun Tun Oo, Naing Tun Thein, U Cin Shin Htan, Htaung Ko Htan, retired Colonel Hla Maung, U Soe Win, U Kyaw Minn and U Sein Pe. Originally, we have ten subcommittees in the CRPP and we expanded them. For example, in the Ethnic National Subcommittee, originally, I was the chairman and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was secretary; there were only two of us. In other subcommittees, there was only one member in each. Now, U Khun Tun Oo, Naing Tun Thein, U Cin Shin Htan and Htaung Ko Htan are included in the Ethic National Subcommittees. These people also take part in other subcommittees according to their suitability. We expanded each subcommittee from 4 to 5 members. DVB : Are you expecting to issue a statement on the expansion of subcommittees? U Aye Tha Aung : Yes, we are going to do it tomorrow. DVB : Has the CRPP got more applications for memberships? U Aye Tha Aung : At the moment, there is one application but because it is not in accordance with the rules and regulations, we are postponing its membership. DVB : Are you able to say which organisation it is from? U Aye Tha Aung : We will tell you about it later. We are not saying anything because of the postponement. DVB : How much did the CRPP achieve its aims in the last term? U Aye Tha Aung : As our main aim is the emergence of the people parliament and as long as there is no emergence of a parliament, we will have to say that we haven't achieved our aims. DVB : As you are contriving for the emergence of a parliament, to what extent have you planned to achieve your aim? U Aye Tha Aung : The CRPP will be mainly working towards the emergence of dialogue so that the national reconciliation could be achieved. When the dialogue happens, we will be discussing the methods of substantiating the result of the 1990 election. After the discussion, we will be trying for the emergence of a people parliament. --------------------------------------------------------------
DVB News - May 01,
2003.
Interview with Dr Zaw Minn The following is an interview with one of the three political prisoners, Dr Zaw Minn, who was recently released from prison. Dr Zaw Minn was released with U Htay Thein, a Burmese literature lecturer from Rangoon University on the 28th of April and U Tin Myint was released on the 26th April. Among the people who were arrested with them, U Tin Aye Kyu and U Khin Maung Yi and some others are still being detained. Dr Zaw Minn was one of the prominent players of the 8888 uprising and he was arrested by the military intelligence (MI) in 1989. All the three were detained beyond their release dates with the so-called Act 10a. Dr Zaw Minn : My health condition is good. There are some glitches. They are nothing new. Things are always like this. I always have cold and coughs. Normally, my health is good. DVB : What we have heard is you are past your release date. Dr Zaw Minn : Yes. It is true. After serving ten years in prison, they detained us for three and an half years in prison from 1999. DVB : After you were arrested you were not allowed to hire lawyer to defend yourself? Dr Zaw Minn : No. It was at the military court and during the rule of martial law. According to the military law, we were not allowed to hire the lawyers. DVB : How was the medical treatment in prison? It is better than before? Dr Zaw Minn : There are some improvements. The conditions at the time of our arrests and our releases are very different. There are many improvements. DVB : Were you allowed to see the ICRC and the like in person? Dr Zaw Minn : Yes, we were. They came to see us often and help us. They were allowed to see us freely. You could see them one to one. We were not prosecuted for meeting them. DVB : Could you give us examples of how things improved in prison? Dr Zaw Minn : For example, food, living conditions, health care, administration and the like have improved vastly. DVB : Is it true that prisoners are now allowed to read newspapers and watch TV? Dr Zaw Minn : I don't know about the situation in Insein Prison. There is no TV in Mandalay Prison. We never had a chance to read newspapers. DVB : People who were released before said that the conditions in prisons were very bad. What is the worst thing for you being in prison? Dr Zaw Minn : (Phone crackles) It depends on your mind. When you are in there for a long time, you are used to the living condition. As you are used to it, it becomes nothing new. Another thing is - I meditated. I said my Buddhist rosaries. You need to live righteously. If you live righteously, you will reap good things, and you will reap bad things if you do bad things accordingly as a Buddhist. You will reap accordingly from what you do. DVB : When you were released did you have to sign, what we have often heard, Act 401? Dr Zaw Minn : No. I didn't. At least, we didn't have to sign it. I can't speak for other people. Some people might have signed. I didn't have to. But I have to sign for the plea. It might be similar to 401. DVB : What do you plan to do in the future now that you are free? Could you tell us much as you could say? Dr Zaw Minn : As for me, to improve my health and I have to work in my father's company and I need to learn. I am going to work. At the moment, these are what I have been thinking. DVB : Some of your fellow comrades/colleagues in 1988 are now abroad, some are in prisons and some are on the borders. What do you have to say to them? Dr Zaw Minn : I have nothing new to say to them. It depends on your own choice. I hope that things will be fine for everyone. That's all I see. --------------------------------------------------------------
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