News and Views from Myanmar Vol .1

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

Subject: News and Views from Myanmar Vol .1  No.30

News and Views from Myanmar

Vol .1                                                                        
           No.30
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INTERNAL  DEVELOPMENTS
1   Secretary - 1 urges athletes to compete fairly and represent Myanmar
2   MPF: a reserve force for national defence
3   Fire Brigade as reserve force for National Peace and Stability

FOREIGN  RELATIONS
1   Minister U Win Aung arrives back from Singapore after attending 32nd 
ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM)
2   Thai Deputy Premier arrives on goodwill visit

ECONOMIC NEWS
1   Irrigation and Agricultural Projects
2   Oil and gas

GENERAL  NEWS
1   Multi - Media CD-ROM on life of Buddha successfully launched
2   Entrepreneurs invited for 2nd Myanmar Tourism Fair

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INTERNAL  DEVELOPMENTS

Secretary - 1 urges athletes to compete fairly and represent Myanmar

    Chairman of Myanmar National Olympic Council Secretary-1 of the State 
Peace and Development Council Lt. Gen Khin Nyunt met with athletes who will 
participate in the 20th SEA Games and handed over the flag representing the 
Union of Myanmar to the leader of the team.

    In his address, the Secretary-1 said that significant and profound 
national objectives related to sports calls for "Myanmar sports- the world to 
conquer", and the entire national people are making efforts to improve the 
standard of Myanmar sports. The improvement of sports standard reflects the 
honour and dignity of the state and the people, cultural standard and 
development of the nation;  the athletes must  bear in mind that success in 
sports events is tantamount to bringing honour to the nation- the entire 
national people are expecting the victories of Myanmar sports contigents at 
international meets.

    It is heartening to note that the entire national people are giving 
encourgement for the improvement of sports standards with a national outlook. 
Every nation has come to accept the fact that the achievement of victories in 
international sports events enhances its own image, and is therefore making 
all-out efforts to achieve success in sports.

    Secretary-1 called on Myanmar athletes to respect the traditions,  to 
obey the rules and regulations of the host nation and to live up to Myanmar 
traditions and culture.

    The Myanmar sports team comprising athletes, managers and coaches 
totalling 245 will be taking part in track and field events, billiards, 
snooker, bowling, boxing, soccer, golf, karatedo, rowing, sepak takraw, 
swimming, taekwondo and martial arts.

MPF: a reserve force for national defence

    The Committee for Reforming Management System of MPF: Myanmar Police 
Force held the ninth coordination meeting on 1 August attended by its 
chairman Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt. Gen Khin 
Nyunt.

    At the first quarterly meeting of MPF in 1999, Head of State Senior 
General Than Shwe said that the first duty of MPF is to strive to ensure 
community peace and tranquility and rule of law so that the people can make a 
living peacefully under the protection of law; the second is to discharge 
national defence and security duty in time of urgency. Another duty the 
Senior General mentioned on 8 June at the Ministry of Home Affairs is to 
carry out public welfare work.

    With regard to these duties, efforts are made to enable MPF members to be 
endowed with the five qualities such as morale, discipline, loyalty, unity 
and capability. Authorities concerned discussed ways and means to provide 
them training designed to enhance efficiency.

    The Secretary-1 praised the MPF's efforts in successfully hosting the 
Fouth International Heroin Conference in cooperation with Interpol and the 
Ministry of Home Affairs' supervision, and the Second Ministrial Meeting on 
Transnational Crime with success.

     In conclusion, he urged all to build an able  MPF which is to be on a 
par with international police forces, to be endowed with four qualities, to 
win the love of the people, to be reliable and to endeavour for the interest 
of the State and the people as a reserve force for peace and tranquility of 
the State. He also stressed the need to mature MPF- to become a national 
defence reserve force on stand-by; to carry out public weflare work and 
expose destructive elements who, relying on external elements, are attempting 
to disrupt the peace and stability of the State and to panic  the people.

Fire Brigade as reserve force for National Peace and Stability

    Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council met with officials 
of the Fire Services Department and gave guidance on 29 July. At a time of 
making efforts for the progress of the nation, the outbreak of fires will 
destroy everything in a very short time. Therefore, the government is 
rendering assistance to Fire Services Department to become a qualified and 
firm national force to take fire preventive measures as a national task.

    Nowadays, the scope of duties of Fire Services Department personnel is 
becoming broader and more extensive as they now engage not only in fighting 
fires and giving assistance to fire-victims but also take part in 
safeguarding the people from the danger of destructive elements in 
maintaining national peace and stability. Thus the fire brigade law  was 
enacted in accord with the developing and changing national  situation  and  
the  Central  Fire  Services  Training  School  was  opened  in Pyin-Oo-Lwin.

    The Fire Services Department  now has a strength of 3,403 Fire Brigade 
members and 131,765 Auxiliary Fire Brigade members. There are now 217 Fire 
stations and 328 auxiliary fire stations in the entire nation. But Myanmar 
still needs to enhance the number of auxiliary fire brigade members and 
stations. Myanmar people has a tradition of donating fire engines and fire 
fighting equipment to Fire Services Department.

    The government has expressed its reliance on Fire Services Department by 
making arrangements to enable Fire Services Dipartment to participate in 
Armed Forces Day Parades together with other reserve forces of the nation 
such as Myanmar Police Force and Myanmar Red Cross Society.




FOREIGN  RELATIONS

Minister U Win Aung arrives back from Singapore after attending 32nd ASEAN 
Ministerial Meeting (AMM)

    Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung arrived back from Singapore after 
attending the 32nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), the ASEAN Regional Forum 
(ARF) and the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) which were held from 23 
to 28 July in Singapore.

    At the opening ceremony of the 32nd AMM on 23 July, U Win Aung delivered 
an address and participated as a lead discussant at the PMC deliberating on 
drug trafficking. In his speech at the ASEAN - Japan Dialogue Meeting on 27 
July, U Win Aung assured that Myanmar would try her utmost to promote ASEAN - 
Japan Cooperation when she takes over the country coordinatorship from 
Vietnam starting from July, 2000.

    While in Singapore, U Win Aung, together with other ASEAN foreign 
Ministers, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong of the 
Republic of Singapore. He also held bilateral meetings with his ASEAN 
counterparts and foreign ministers from ASEAN Dialogue Partners - New 
Zealand, Australia, India and the Russian Federation. H.E. U Win Aung also  
met with the leader of the EU delegation to the PMC, and also with the 
Foreign Minister of Finland, which holds the present EU presidency.

    The significance of the AMM meeting this year was marked by the first AMM 
where ASEAN foreign ministers discussed frankly, cordially and candidly on 
the future of ASEAN, ARF and PMC. Two important initiatives were made at this 
year's AMM - they were the ASEAN Road Show Project proposed by Singapore to 
jointly promote foreign investments in ASEAN countries and the establishment 
of the ASEAN Human Resources Development Fund and intensification of 
cooperation in Human Resources Departments among ASEAN member countries 
proposed by Thailand.

Thai Deputy Premier arrives on goodwill visit

    At the invitation of Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development 
Council Lt. Gen Khin Nyunt, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand 
Mr. Bhichai Rattakul arrived Yangon on a goodwill visit on 29 July.

    While in Myanmar, the Thai Deputy Prime Minister called on the Chairman 
of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in- Chief of the Defence 
Services Senior General Than Shwe and Secretary-1 of  the State Peace and 
Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt on 30 July. Thai Deputy Premier also 
met with Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin.

    In Yangon, the Thai Deputy Prme Minister Mr. Bhichai Rattakul visited the 
Shwedagon Pagoda, the National Museum and tha Myanmar Gems Museum. Mr. 
Bhichai Rattakul and party also toured Mandalay and Bagan-Nyaung Oo. The Thai 
Deputy Premier and delegation concluded their goodwill visit on 1 August and 
left by air.

ECONOMIC NEWS

Irrigation and Agricultural Projects

    The State Peace and Development Council is building new dams and 
reservoirs throughout the country for keeping the regions green and lush and 
promoting the socio-economic  life of the farmers and developing agriculture 
which is the base of the national economy.

    Magway Division is an arid zone where water is scarce due to very few 
rainfall. The majority of farmers had to rely on natural rain for obtaining 
water, for household needs and cultivation. In years with good rainfall, they 
could earn considerably. However, in years with very little rain, their crops 
met failure and they suffered severely.

    Hence, there was a slogan that they need no gold but water. Nowadays, the 
combined force of the State, the people and the Tatmadaw is building dams and 
reservoirs for sufficient supply of water.

    In Magway Division, numerous dams and reservoirs have been built. They 
are Natmauk Dam, Kinmun Dam, Bangon Dam, Hsaddan Dam, Yanpe Dam, Bwetgyi Dam, 
Pede Dam, Soon Creek Dam, Palin Dam, Daungthay diversion weirs, Pinn Creek 
Reservoir and diversion dams, Mann Creek Reservoir, Mone Creek Multi-purpose 
Reservoir, Salin Reservoir, South Yamar Reservoir and Yaw Creek diversion 
dams, etc.

    Recently on 18-7-99, the Ngamin Reservoir which can irrigate over 4,000 
acres was opened with ceremony in Taungdwingyi Township.

    The dams and reservoirs including the Ngamin Reservoir in Magway Division 
contribute not only to the agriculture sector but also to keeping the region 
green and lush. In addition to the dams and reservoirs built by the State, 
there are also self-reliance ones on small scales, numbering over 800. 

    Today in Magway Division, nine private enterprises are reclaiming about 
230,000 acres of virgin and fallow land and striving to cultivate appropriate 
crops on a commercial scale with no loss effect to the local farmers. In 
fact, local farmers will have job opportunities at the reclaimed lands. 
Conventional method is substituted with modern scientific method in 
cultivation. Pedigree seeds and modern farm machinery and implements are also 
used.

    Since the time of the ancient Myanmar kings till 1962, there were 69 dams 
and reservoirs in the country. Within 26 years from 1962 to 1988, 69 more 
dams and reservoirs were built. In more than 10 years from 1988 to 1999, 
altogether 99 dams and reservoirs including the Ngamin Reservoir have been 
built. Measures are being taken to build more dams and reservoirs.

    The Ngamin Reservoir built on Ngamin Creek is an earthen one. It is 126 
feet high and 1180 feet long. Its water storage capacity is 7750 acre-ft. It 
was built at a cost of over 420 million kyats to irrigate over 4,000 acres.

    Mone Creek Reservoir Project in Sedoktara Township, Magway Division, is 
being implemented to irrigate the area. It is 6490 feet long and 200 feet 
high. It can generate 330 kilowatt hours annually and irrigate 108,000 acres.

Oil and gas

    It is reported that Kyaukhwet-Letpando oil field in Pauk Township, Magway 
Division, was sighted gushing oil out of the well. This is an old oil well 
which in 1974 produced 845 barrels of crude oil and 1,158 million cubic feet 
of natural gas per day. Production continued until 1976 and due to less 
profit, the well was closed.

    On 21 July 1999, after more than twenty years, oil and gas was gushing 
out of the same dormant well up to 100 feet high. Now, it is estimated that 
oil between 200 and 300 barrels and natural gas 2-3 million cubic feet per 
day may be obtained.

GENERAL  NEWS

Multi - Media CD-ROM on life of Buddha successfully launched

    The Life of the Buddha Multi-media CD-ROM produced by Myanmar Inforithm 
Ltd. with the supervision of the Ministry of Religious Affairs was officially 
launched.

    Since March 1998, Tri Pitaka (Myanmar translation) was put in CD-ROM and 
computer soft-ware technicians from Myanmar Inforithm since then had tried to 
put an illustrated Buddhology book published by YMBA into CD-ROM. The book 
was written by Amarapura Maha Gandhayon Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Ashin 
Janakabhivamsa with illustrated pictures by famous artist U Ba Kyi. The 
CD-ROM includes the life of Buddha with 36 chapters contributing to better 
assessment and understanding of Buddhism. The Buddhology Multi-media CD-ROM 
is arranged in Myanmar - English - Japanese - and Chinese for easy learning. 

Entrepreneurs invited for 2nd Myanmar Tourism Fair

    Under the supervision of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, the 2nd 
Myanmar Tourism Fair will be held in the last week of September in Bangkok, 
Thailand. Entreperneurs wishing to participate may register at the Tourism 
Promotion Division of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism, by 6 August 
latest.


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