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-------------------------------------------------------------- HEADLINES -------------------------------------------------------------- AP - A Yr After Suu Kyi's Release, Myanmar Remains Deadlocked AP - SilkAir cuts some Myanmar flights due to SARS AP - Myanmar Shan rebels deny shooting farmers AP - Myanmar child soldiers face uncertain future after forced to fight AFP - Myanmar leader arrives in Laos The Nation - Water elephant 'has no place in traditional culture' BBC News - Burma marks year of little change Asian Tribune - Noose around Shan bases, as Burmese troops prepares for a blitzkrieg AAPP - Democracy cannot built by denying the truth -------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, May 05, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------- Monday May 5, 4:11 PM -------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday May 4, 8:36 PM -------------------------------------------------------------- Myanmar leader arrives in Laos -------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation
Water elephant 'has no place in traditional
culture'
Published on May 5, 2003 An academic yesterday cast doubts on reports that a mythic "water elephant" has been found and rejected the idea that the animals form part of Thai traditional beliefs. Dr Wittaya Damrongkiattisak said that the belief in the miniature creatures, which are supposed to have supernatural powers, was a relatively new one that had only recently been imported from Burma. "I don't think the water elephant story is true," said Wittaya, who has taught at Maejo University and is an expert in religions and superstition. The water elephant, supposedly a tiny animal with bone structure similar to that of full-sized elephants, was big news last week when a Tak resident showed a purported carcass of one to the public and had it x-rayed. The carcass is about 7.5 cm tall and 12.5 cm wide, and weighs about 300 grams. Direk Chiangthaen, the owner of the carcass, said he got the animal's body from a Burmese villager who said he caught the animal alive in a pond high in the mountains. The Burmese villager also claimed to have more of the beasts, he said. Yesterday, Direk's elder brother Chanin said that a Bangkok merchant had offered to buy one of the water elephants for Bt500,000 but the Burmese man had yet to take up the offer. "He wants more," Chanin said. According to Chanin, many people have been clamouring to get a hold of the rare animal. He added that the Burmese man had moved his water elephants to Thai territory after Burmese military officers started looking for the miniature animal following the reports in Thai newspapers. Chanin said that he and Direk believed that the Burmese villager's water elephants were genuine - not something modified to look like a small elephant. "We are ready to let the relevant agencies verify the carcass we own as long as we are well informed of the procedures and no legal action is taken against us," he said. Colonel Songkran Sangkorn, the superintendent at Mae Sot Police Station, said Direk was unlikely to face any legal action. --------------------------------------------------------------
BBC News
Monday, 5 May, 2003, 13:54 GMT 14:54 UK Burma marks year of little change One year after the release from house arrest of Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, there is widespread concern about the slow pace of change inside the country. Aung San Suu Kyi was released on 6 May 2002, a move which was warmly welcomed by the international community as a sign that Burma's military rulers were ready for political reform. But western governments and Aung San Suu Kyi herself are now critical of the junta's refusal to engage in dialogue since her release. And despite the freeing of 21 political prisoners last week, more than 1,000 are estimated to remain behind bars. Since she was freed, Aung San Suu Kyi has been allowed to travel around the country, meeting supporters and well-wishers. But she claims the government has hampered her efforts to revive her party, the National League for Democracy. The NLD won national elections in 1990 but was prevented from taking power by the military junta. "When I was released, it was agreed between the authorities and ourselves that ... we should go on to a more advanced stage of our relationship," Aung San Suu Kyi said recently. "But I do not think there has been any progress. In fact, I think there has been some kind of regression," she added. The military regime denies any deliberate effort to interfere with her activities. The authorities said the recent release of political prisoners showed that they were making efforts to reform. "The releases are the latest in a series of efforts by the government to move Myanmar (Burma) closer to multiparty democracy and national reconciliation," the government said in a recent statement. A BBC correspondent says that progress has been so slow because Burma's military rulers are divided over the prospect of change. The overall leader, Senior General Than Shwe, is believed to be opposed to letting direct talks with Aung San Suu Kyi begin. But other government officials now realise that the only way to guarantee a central role for the army in a future Burma is to consent to reform, our correspondent says. Diplomats believe that these officials are in favour of talking to Aung San Suu Kyi. --------------------------------------------------------------
Asian Tribune
Date : 2003-05-05 Noose around Shan bases, as Burmese troops prepares for a blitzkrieg Flurry of military activities by the Burma Army along the Shan-Thai border is witnessed, since the beginning of the month has been keeping Thai security officials on edge, according to military sources. "Reports of Burmese troops patrolling near the border are not new," acknowledged one officer. "But this time the patrols are more frequent and reinforced by up to nearly a hundred men." Villagers also spoke of running into Burmese columns while they went into the hills and forests. "Some have been shot at and luckier ones were warned off," said a native of Nakawngmu, a village in Mongton Township, across Chiangmai's Chiangdao District on 25 April. "Three of our villagers went to collect fire wood and only two got back. Zai Saw is still missing and feared lost." He added that friendly Wa officers had already been advising people not to stray outside village limits for the time being. Wei Hsuehying, acting commander of the 171st "Military Region", with headquarters in Hwe Aw, 6 miles south of Nakawngmu, had received a "gift of arms" - 300 AK-47s with curved magazines - from the Burmese military on 17 April. "They have also been authorized to conscript Shans into the UWSA (United Wa State Army)," said a resident of Hwe Aw. "Some Shan youths coming from west of the Salween had already been forced to enlist in the Wa Army." The UWSA had joined Burmese operations against the Shan State Army "South" of Col. Yawdserk, last year. It had again received an "invitation" to join a forthcoming offensive on 27 March, during the Armed Forces Day celebrations, said a source. "It may also be a reward for the seizure of a rival group's refinery on 30 March," commented a Thai source. Most recently, 2 border outposts, abandoned since 2001 -- BP2 and Loi Man Htawng, both opposite Chiangmai's Fang District -- were being restored by elements from Light Infantry Battalion 360 and Infantry Battalion 43 in an attempt to block movements by the Shan rebels stationed at the nearby Hpabawng Base under the command of Lt-Col Awng Kham. Shan commander Khurh-Ngern, Col. Yawdserk's deputy, however, expressed doubts about pending offensive against its bases. "We are still looking for concrete signs," he said. "So far the reports are about arrivals of anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons that rather indicate that if there be any offensive it may be against foreign troops." Last year's Shan-Junta fight along the border coincided with Thailand's Surasi war game, prompting Rangoon to accuse Bangkok of being in league with the Shan rebels. The Burmese are also preparing another war game of their own, he mentioned. "More than a thousand troops will be involved in the maneuvers to be held in May at Kengtawng (Mongnai Township, 100 miles southeast of Taunggyi)," he claimed. Nakhaozao, a 100-acre former rice field (east of the Teng and west of Pasa, a village southeast of Tonhoong) had already been used for the maneuvers staged last year following the Pang Maisoong Battle between Burma's Mongton Township and Thailand's Chiangmai. Military actions so far have been sporadic. On 21 April, the SSA reported an ambush by Brigade 759 between Mongnai and Langkhurh that destroyed 1 BE military truck, killing 6 and wounding several. Sources in Mongton also reported a raid by the SSA's 727th Brigade on Pongpakhem, 10 miles from the border in Mongton Township, on 28 April, between 0100-0300, that left 1 Burmese soldier killed and 2 wounded. - Shan Herald Agency for News - Assistance Association for political
prisoners May 05, 2003. Democracy cannot built by denying the truth We, the Assistance Association for political prisoners, denounce the current ruling junta in Burma for its denying the truth and canning way the release of political prisoners. Denying the Truth The State Peace and Development Council always denies there are no political prisoners in Burma. This is a contradiction with the reality. Actually, at least 1390 political prisoners still remain in Burmese prisons within AAPP reach. Moreover according to Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Special Reporter on the situation of human rights in Burma estimated the number of political prisoners to be between 1200-1300 in his recent report in the 59th session of the Commission on Human Rights. According to the AAPP's definition of political prisoners, political prisoner means person who is arrested because of his or her active involvement in political movements with peaceful or resistance means. With the law means: The people who are detained and who commit the following offenses are recognized as political prisoners: (a) The Offenses under Unlawful Association Acts 17/1,17/2 (b) Offenses against the State under Section 121 to 130(b) of Penal Code (c) Offenses against the Public Tranquility under Section 143, 144, 145, 147, 148, 151, 152, 153, and 153(a) of Penal Code (d) Section 5(j) of 1950 Emergency Provision Act (e) Offenses under Section 10(a) and (b) of the 1975 Law Against the Dangers of Those Who Obstruct the State ( 1975 State Protection Act) There may be some special cases. Sometimes SPDC uses common criminal acts to activists in order to humiliate their dignity and not to make them unable to participate in the long run politic. Those are regarded as political prisoners. For example, U Shwe Maung, and Ma Win Win Maw,members of National Leagues for Democracy were charged under the common criminal acts. Canning way the release of political prisoners Any transition needs the release of all political prisoners unconditionally and immediately. AAPP don't see that release of political prisoners will cause either harm or threaten the existing peace, stability and the unity of the nation. SPDC uses the release of political prisoners as a bargaining tool for easing the international pressure and delaying national reconciliation process. On May 4, 2003, SPDC announced that they commuted sentence and released prisoners. Almost all of them had to sign under section 401 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code providing for the suspension of their sentence to the extant that they agree not to engage in political activities. This is contrary to human rights standards and to SPDC's statement "Turning on A New page" dated on 6 May, 2002, while they released Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, it stated "we shall recommit ourselves to allowing all of our citizens to participate freely in the life of our political process, while giving priority to national unity, peace and stability of the country as well as the region". , Among the currently released prisoners were Thet Tun and Zaya leaders of Democratic Party for a New Society, and Soe Moe Hlaing from former All Burma Democratic Front. They had in fact already completed their imprisonment since over two years ago. However, they didn't receive the unconditional release and neither did Dr. Zaw Min, Htay Thein and U Tin Myint. This was the same as in the previous cases. Dr.Salai Tun Than was released because of his hunger strike which was constantly denied by SPDC. The reasons for his hunger strike were poor prison condition, lacking of freedom of religion and political prisoners' right. Meanwhile, there were some arrests in Burma because of their peaceful demonstration and asking for the release of all political prisoners and a genuine dialog between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and SPDC. One of them is still in the British embassy compound and others, about 20, are currently under the investigation since February 2003. In fact, above mentions are not the right series of efforts by the SPDC as of their 4th May statement to move Burma closer to multiparty democracy and national reconciliation. Therefore, AAPP calls for the release of all political prisoners being held unjustly by the SPDC, believing that the release of political prisoners is a key component by which the seriousness of the process of political transition and national reconciliation in Burma will be measured. AAPP May 5, 2003 For more information: 66-1-3248935 or 66-2878751 Please visit: www.aappb.org Email: aappb@xxxxxxxxxx |