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The BurmaNet News: December 5, 1998



------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------
 "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: December 5, 1998
Issue #1152

HEADLINES:
==========
DVB: CURFEW IMPOSED IN MYINGYAN 
REUTERS: MYANMAR DENIES GOVERNMENT IGNORING HIV/AIDS 
THE HINDU (MADRAS): TOP PRIORITY TO BUILD KEY ROAD 
BC BURMA NEWS: BC LAWMAKERS TO SUPPORT CRPP 
ANNOUNCEMENT: WEAVE PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION MATERIALS 
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DEMOCRATIC VOICE OF BURMA: CURFEW IMPOSED IN MYINGYAN TO PREVENT RELIGIOUS
CONFLICT
24 November, 1998 by Kaung Myat

According to sources from Mandalay, a dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed
at Myingyan in Mandalay Division since 21 November. At about 1500 on 18
November, two villagers--Ko Aung Moe and Ko Aung Win--from (Bo?) Village in
Myingyan Township went to Thamardi hardware store on Meiktila-Myingyan Road
to buy some hardware and had a quarrel with proprietor U Kyaw Aye.
Proprietor U Kyaw Aye, store workers Zarni Oo and Aung Kyaw Thu, all from
the Islamic faith, allegedly beat up the two villagers.  The beaten
villagers suffering severe injuries had to be admitted to the local hospital.

It has been learned that some monks who were near the scene of the incident
were dissatisfied with the store owner and the two workers. Although the
incident was settled due to the intervention of the local people, at about
2000, some monks returned and destroyed the Thamardi store.

Authorities in Mandalay, fearing political problems stemming from this
incident, imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Myingyan on 21 November.  This
report has been presented by Democratic Voice of Burma correspondent Kaung
Myat. 

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REUTERS: MYANMAR DENIES GOVERNMENT IGNORING HIV/AIDS
2 December, 1998 by Chris Johnson 

BANGKOK, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government denied on
Wednesday that it was ignoring the problem of HIV and AIDS, saying it had
organised a range of measures to prevent and control the spread of the
disease.

Responding to recent criticism by United Nations agencies that it had no
``serious'' programmes to combat the human immunodeficiency virus or help
people with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, the government said it had
observed World AIDS Day on December 1.

It said the country had a series of educational programmes to raise
awareness of HIV and AIDS and had organised speeches and a workshop on the
problem.

``It is surprising to note that some of the Western media have wrongly
reported that the government commitment to fight the narcotic and HIV/AIDS
problem in the country is not enough,'' the government said in a statement.

``In Myanmar, AIDS prevention and control activities have been conducted
with efforts of the various government departments and the NGOs
(non-governmental organisation).''

The statement gave no details of the numbers of people affected by HIV or
AIDS in Myanmar. Nor did it give concrete examples of how it was preventing
the disease.

The United Nations Children's Organisation (UNICEF) has said Myanmar and
its eastern neighbour Cambodia could face AIDS epidemics of ``Africa-like''
proportions unless they implement quickly effective preventive programmes.

The two countries, along with Thailand, have the highest rates of AIDS and
HIV infection in the region, UNICEF data show.

But unlike Thailand, which has highly publicised and well-funded campaigns
to promote the use of condoms, Myanmar and Cambodia ``have serious problems
but do not yet have serious programmes,'' according to Kul Gautam, UNICEF's
director for East Asia and the Pacific.

By last year, according to UNICEF, some 15,000 children in Myanmar
population 47 million -- had been orphaned  by AIDS and the country had a
``very high'' rate of HIV infection, affecting between one and 2.4 percent
of the adult population.

Other NGO officials have said Myanmar is in a state of ``denial'' over HIV
and AIDS and has taken few of the steps needed to stop the disease from
spreading, such as distributing condoms or screening blood.

Widespread intravenous drug abuse means the virus could soon reach epidemic
proportions, they say.

But the Myanmar government said on Wednesday it had taken many positive
steps to combat the problem, including providing counselling services.

``Efforts are well under way to ensure universal blood safety,'' it said.

``Considering the fact that people with STD (sexually transmitted disease)
infection are more prone to get HIV infection, STD teams have been
strengthened throughout the country.''

The government statement said Myanmar Health Minister Saw Tun gave a speech
to Yangon's International Business Centre on Tuesday to mark World AIDS
Day, explaining the efforts the country had made to fight the problem. 

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THE HINDU (MADRAS): TOP PRIORITY TO BUILD KEY ROAD TO MYANMAR
2 December, 1998 

NEW DELHI, Dec. 2.

India is according high priority to building a key road in Myanmar to push
trade, promote people-to-people contacts and counter North-East insurgents.

In its reply to queries by members of the Standing Committee of Parliament
on the proposed Tamu-Kalemyo road, the Government has said that this road
had ``a strategic importance from India's security and commercial point of
view. It was in the national interest (that) the project should be
implemented with a high priority.''

The Tamu-Kalemyo road which is close to the Indo-Myanmar border has the
potential of linking India to the interior areas of Myanmar including its
capital Yangon. This access, once available could also establish a link
between India and Myanmar's northern neighbours in the Association of South
east Asian Nations (ASEAN)

According to the standing committee report on external affairs released
today, this road can connect National Highway 39 which ends at More in
Manipur to Tamu in Myanmar.

Kalemyo where the proposed corridor would end is a key junction in Myanmar.
It is situated on the main road network within Myanmar. It also has an
airport which is included in Myanmar's civil Aviation network.

Access to Kalemyo acquires additional importance on account of Myanmar's
future transport plans. The Government in Yangon envisages linking Kalemyo
to the country's rail network which passes through Mandalay and Yangon.

The construction of this highway has acquired additional urgency because
the contract may go to China if India does not move fast enough. China is
ahead of India in Myanmar's road construction business as it has already
built roads in the country's eastern parts. ``Road projects in the eastern
borders of Myanmar have already been launched with assistance from China.
In the areas close to India's border, it would be in our interest to ensure
the development of roads and communications in cooperation with India
rather than any other country,'' the Government has said.

The road, it is felt, would help India exercise greater control over
insurgency and illegal trade in the area. The report points out that the
road would enhance Myanmar's capacity to check the activities of Indian
insurgent groups who have been able to establish sanctuaries and transit
routes across the border.

Greater cooperation between India and Myanmar to counter cross- border
insurgents can begin early as the political bottlenecks which may otherwise
come in the way have already been cleared. India and Myanmar, the report
says have since 1993 institutionalised their dialogue for improved border
management, security and control of narcotics traffic.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has undertaken a preliminary survey and
prepared a technical report on this passage. 

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BC BURMA NEWS: BRITISH COLUMBIA LAWMAKERS TO SUPPORT CRPP
2 December, 1998 from Eric Snider <celsus@xxxxxxxxxxx> 

Warm welcome for exiled prime minister in BC legislature

VICTORIA  -- Members of British Columbia's Legislative Assembly have
responded warmly and positively to the call to support the Committee in
Representation of the People's Parliament (CRPP).

The appeal issued by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday was delivered to them
in person the next day by Prime Minister-in-exile Sein Win of the National
Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) when he visited BC's
legislature.

Dr Sein Win told a luncheon of MLAs from the three leading political
parties of the arrest of scores of MPs elect and hundreds of political
party members in Burma.  He said the arrests had come in response to a move
by the National League for Democracy (NLD) to convene Burma's parliament,
"the most legal body in the country".  He asked the MLAs to take a stand on
behalf of  their fellow parliamentarians under illegal detention and to
show their support for the committee set up to represent Burma's
legislature in the present emergency.

Later, Dr Sein Win and U Bo Hla Tint, Minister for North and South American
Affairs of the NCGUB, were formally presented at a sitting of the BC
legislature.

They also met with BC Premier, Glen Clark in company with a group of
delegates from the Burma community in Vancouver.   The premier, who spent
over 45 minutes with the delegation, told the group that Burma's MPs
deserved the admiration, respect and support of parliamentarians
everywhere.  He also pledged to press Canada's federal government to
stiffen sanctions against Burma's military regime.

Deputy speaker of BC the legislature, William Hartley, whose interest in
Burma led to the invitation to visit the provincial lawmakers, indicated
that drafting of a resolution could be expected to follow.  He was
confident that it would have bi-partisan support from all parties in the
House.

For his part, Dr. Sein Win pledged that when democracy was restored to
Burma, immediate and concerted efforts would be made to halt the export of
heroin from his country.

During their four-day visit to BC, the two ministers were taken on a tour
of skidrow in the port city of Vancouver and observed at first hand the
street sale of the illegal drug and its pathetic victims crowded into cheap
rooming houses and rundown hotels.  About 200 people a year die from
overdosing heroin in Vancouver alone.  The city serves as a key
distribution point for the drug to all parts of North America.

Speaking to reporters after walking the streets, Dr Sein Win said the trade
in drugs from Burma's Golden Triangle poppy fields had been allowed to run
out of control by the military regime.

"The root of the problem are the political problems.  Without changing the
regime in Burma we cannot hope to solve the [heroin] supply side," he said.
"Not only does it cost money for the Canadian government and taxpayers, the
human tragedy is there to see, also."

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ANNOUNCEMENT: WEAVE PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION MATERIALS
3 December, 1998 from <weave@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 

Dear friend-

WEAVE has some Burmese and Karen language public health education materials
(poster and booklets) that we can give you free. They are 

1. Diarrhea cycle poster
2. ORS poster (How to make oral rehydration solution)
3. AIDS booklet A4 size (Karen)
4. AIDS booklet 1/2 of A4 size (written by Mae Tao clinic)
5. Illustrated guide for TBAs
6. Guide for TBA trainer.
7. Mother and child the first 5 years .

If you need them to use in your activity or for your friends please write
to me. Give me the name of the materials, quantity and your postal address.

Your friend,
Gordon Sharmars (Ko Shwe Mahn)
WEAVE
PO Box. 58
Chiang Mai
50202
Tel,Fax; 810-500

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