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______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
        An on-line newspaper covering Burma 
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________

July 7, 2000

Issue # 1572


The BurmaNet News is viewable online at:
http://theburmanetnews.editthispage.com

*Inside Burma

AP: MYANMAR OPPOSITION SUES MILITARY CHIEF 

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: GENERAL MAUNG AYE PLAYS FRIENDLY GOLF WITH 
GENERAL VP MALIK

SHAN STATE ARMY NEWS: BATTLE NEWS

*Regional

THE HINDU NEWSPAPER (INDIA): BIMSTEC GROUP SEEKS NEW TRANSPORT LINKS

*International

AFP: NORTH KOREA WANTS TO NORMALISE MYANMAR TIES: REPORT 

BORBA INTERNET NEWS (FORMER YUGOSLAVIA/SERBIA): PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC 
RECEIVES MYANMAR FOREIGN MINISTER 

BORBA INTERNET NEWS (FORMER YUGOSLAVIA/SERBIA):   FOREIGN MINISTER 
ZIVADIN JOVANOVIC MEETS HIS MYANMAR COUNTERPART U WIN AUNG

BORBA ENGLISH DAILY (FORMER YUGOSLAVIA/SERBIA): U WIN AUNG TOURS 
BOMBED BUILDINGS, "ETERNAL FLAME" MONUMENT 


*Economy/Business

MYANMAR TIMES: MOU SIGNALS JV FOR GIANT JAPANESE INSURER
			
*Opinion/Editorials

BANGKOK POST: LETTER--WHAT WE REALLY DO AT UNHCR IS

*Other

SOUTHEAST ASIA RIVERS NETWORK: EAST AND SE ASIA ACTIVISTS UNITE TO 
PROTECT RIVERS, FIGHT DAMS









__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________
	

AP: MYANMAR OPPOSITION SUES MILITARY CHIEF 


July 7, 2000

YANGON, Myanmar (AP)  The opposition National League for Democracy is 
suing Myanmar's military leader for harassment of party members and 
failing to honor its election victory, the NLD said Friday.
 
 The suit filed on Tuesday targets the chairman of Myanmar's Election 
Commission, Ba Htay, and the chief of the ruling military council, 
Senior Gen. Than Shwe, accusing them of failing to keep ``election 
promises'' and violating electoral law. 

 The NLD, led by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, swept general 
elections in 1990, but the military which has ruled since 1962 
refused to convene Parliament. Hundreds of NLD members have been 
arrested and many languish in prison after summary sentencing. 
Myanmar is also known as Burma. 

 The NLD filed a complaint last year against top government 
officials, including the regime's third-ranking general and 
intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, for ``illegal detention of 
NLD members and for allowing anti-NLD rallies.'' 

 The Supreme Court rejected the case in October for lack of evidence. 
The NLD appealed to the Supreme Court in February but the appeal was 
rejected on May 4 on the same grounds. 





Thai and Myanmar open historic meeting to fight disease 

BANGKOK, July 7 (AFP) - Senior Thai and Myanmar health officials 
Friday opened a historic first meeting to map out measures to 
eradicate diseases along their common border, public health officials 
said. 

 The three-day meeting in the northern province of Chiang Mai opened 
Friday with a Thai proposal to establish four joint Thai-Myanmar 
health centres along the border, home to the world's strongest 
strains of malaria, Thailand's public health ministry said in a 
statement. 

 The World Helath Organisation (WHO) will contribute to these centres 
and will work to boost the quality of Myanmar's hospitals, it said. 

 Residents of villages along the mountainous, jungle-filled two-
thousand kilometre (1,200 mile) long Thai-Myanmar border have high 
rates of malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. 

 The malaria problem along the border has been exacerbated by the 
constant migration of illegal Myanmar workers, spreading strains of 
the disease, and by a lack of cooperation between Thailand and 
Myanmar. 

 In 1999, 63 percent of reported malaria cases in Thailand came from 
the 10 provinces along the Myanmar-Thailand border. 

 Standards of health care along the largely inaccesible border are 
low, and residents of border villages usually are far from any high-
quality trauma centres. 
 Representatives from the WHO, Japanese Ineternational Cooperation 
Agency, the United Nations' AIDS program, and UNICEF are also 
attending the Chiang Mai meeting. 



____________________________________________________


		
THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: GENERAL MAUNG AYE PLAYS FRIENDLY GOLF WITH 
GENERAL VP MALIK

Friday,  7 July, 2000

 


YANGON, 6 July-Vice-Chairman Of the State Peace and Development 
Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of  Defence services Commander-in-
Chief (Army) General Maung Aye played friendly golf with Chief of 
Indian Army Staff and Chairman of Chief of Staff Committee General VP 
Malik at Thiriyadana Golf Club at Konmyintlha this morning. 

Members of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-chief 
(Navy) Vice-Admiral Nyunt Thein Commander-in-Chief (Air) Lt-Gen Kyaw 
Than and Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council 
Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, Ambassador of 
India Mr Shyam Saran, members of the Indian goodwill delegation and 
senior military officers of the Ministry of Defence also took part in 
the friendly golf. 

Before the friendly game, General Maung Aye and General VP Malik and 
officials had documentary photos taken together. After the game, 
General Maung Aye presented gifts to General VP Malik and party . 

____________________________________________________


SHAN STATE ARMY NEWS: BATTLE NEWS

July 7, 2000



On 28 June 2000, from 08:00 to 10:00 hrs., SSA's 164th and 169th 
Battalion of Sur Kharn Fah Column led by Major Sai Ta engaged in a 
firefight with more than a hundred troops of SPDC's 99th Infantry 
Battalion, at a place north of Loi Wieng, Wan Nong tract, Hsipaw 
township, northern Shan State. 11 SPDC soldiers were killed and many 
more were wounded. 3 of SSA men had sacrificed their lives in this 
encounter and one more was wounded. SSA also lost 3 small arms. 

The same day in the evening, from 17:00 to 18:00 hrs., a battle was 
fought again between the SSA's 164th and 169th Battalion with 70-men-
strong SPDC troops for the second time at Loi Lom - Wan Sim, Wan Nong 
tract, Hsipaw township. The enemy casualities were 6 deads and many 
more wounded. SSA intact.  






___________________________ REGIONAL ___________________________
					


THE HINDU NEWSPAPER (INDIA): BIMSTEC GROUP SEEKS NEW TRANSPORT LINKS

 7 July, 2000

New Delhi, July 6, 2000: In a bid to develop key sectors of their 
economy, the group of five countries straddling the Bay of Bengal- 
BIMSTEC- have decided to develop new transport links, expand energy 
cooperation and enhance trade.

The ministers of state of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and 
Thailand who concluded their meeting today have decided to prioritize 
the development of intra-regional roads and railways.

These discussions took place in the backdrop of the assertion by the 
External Affairs Minister Mr. Jaswant Singh, this morning that the 
BIMSTEC must deliver the concerted economic benefits to the people of 
member countries.

According to the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Ajit 
Panja, BIMSTEC representatives have decided to speed up construction 
of a trans-Asian highway.

That essentially means extending an existing road of around 1,500 km 
from Vietnam to Thailand towards Myanmar and Bangladesh. The corridor 
is expected to terminate at Calcutta.

The details of the alignment of the road corridor have already been 
worked out and work on the project is expected to commence soon. 
Studies about the rail passage are still being conducted, the 
secretary (ER) in the Foreign Office, Mr. S.T. Devare, said.

The five countries have also decided to push cooperation in the field 
of energy.

Myanmar is the hub of energy supplies in this zone and is already 
exporting its Andaman Sea gas to Thailand. Details of the westward 
extension of this route are still to be worked out.

According to analysts, Myanmar and Bangladesh can establish a 
pipeline, which will take gas and oil to the energy-hungry market of 
India.  Bangladesh, which is likely to have large reserves of natural 
gas, however, is yet to show enthusiasm of exporting energy to India 
because of internal political compulsions.

According to Mr. U Tin Latt, Ambassador of Myanmar to India, Thailand 
has been assigned the responsibility to implement an action plan on 
crating the regional infrastructure for the development of natural 
gas in the Bay of Bengal area. India, on its part will be chief 
coordinator for developing renewable energy resources in this zone.


__________________ INTERNATIONAL __________________
		


AFP: NORTH KOREA WANTS TO NORMALISE MYANMAR TIES: REPORT 

BANGKOK, July 6 (AFP) - North Korea wants to normalise ties with 
Myanmar by next year, ending a 17-year dipomatic freeze caused by a 
dramatic assassination attempt in Yangon, a report said Friday. 

 North Korea's foreign ministry conveyed its desire to normalise 
relations between the two international pariah states to Thailand's 
foreign ministry early this week, the Nation newspaper reported, 
citing diplomatic sources. 

 Myanmar severed ties with North Korea in November 1983 after North 
Korean agents launched a dramatic, though unsucessful, attempt to 
assassinate South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan in Yangon. 

 North Korean agents planted a bomb in a Yangon mausoleum that 
President Chun was visiting. The explosion killed 21 people, 
including four South Korean cabinet members -- but not the president. 

 Since 1997, North Korea had launched a series of diplomatic 
offensives designed to promote reconciliation between it and Myanmar. 

 Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung recently stated that Yangon 
supports North Korea joining the Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations (Asean) Regional Forum, an organization that groups twenty-
two Southeast and Northeast Asian states. 

 Myanmar's military regime, accused of a host of human rights abuses, 
has been isolated economically and politically by many Western and 
Asian states, who have slapped sanctions on the Yangon junta. 

 Hard-line socialist state North Korea has historically ranked 
alongside Myanmar as one of the world's international pariah nations, 
though the recent Seoul-Pyongyang summit has improved North Korea's 
image. 





____________________________________________________



BORBA INTERNET NEWS (FORMER YUGOSLAVIA/SERBIA): PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC 
RECEIVES MYANMAR FOREIGN MINISTER 


7 July, 2000

[FBIS Transcribed Text] 


Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic on Thursday received Myanmar 
Foreign Minister U Win Aung, who is on an official visit to 
Yugoslavia. In cordial and friendly talks, the sides expressed 
satisfaction at the successful development of cooperation between the 
two countries. Yugoslavia and Myanmar have common interests in 
economy and other areas of bilateral ties, as well as in 
international affairs. Milosevic said he was confident Yugoslavia and 
Myanmar would continue to strengthen their friendship and cooperate 
successfully, primarily toward the intensive development of the two 
countries, but also toward closer links between all peoples and 
states which offer resistance to world domination, in particular to 
separatism and terrorism as a means for destabilizing countries which 
practice a policy of independence. Yugoslav Foregn Minister Zivadin 
Jovanovic and Myanmar Ambassador to Yugoslavia U Kyar Nyo Chit Pe 
took part in the talks. President Milosevic Receives Leaders of Bor 
District Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic on Thursday received 
the leaders of the eastern Serbian district of Bor, including 
representatives of the Mining-Smelting Complex Bor, the Djerdap hydro-
electric power system, the Prahovo chemical works, from Majdanpek, 
Negotin, and other leading companies from this area. 

The visitors informed Milosevic about development projects and 
activities in the areas of industry, power, agriculture, tourism, and 
others. The successful realization of development projects in this 
region is of great importance not only for the development of this 
part of Serbia, but for the republic's entire growth, and the 
economic potentials in this area provide great possibilities for 
speedy economic progress, it was concluded during the talks. The 
president's special adviser Zoran Lilic also took part in the talks. 
Chamber of Citizens Adopts Proposal to Amend Constitution The Chamber 
of Citizens of the Yugoslav parliament adopted a proposal to amend 
the Yugoslav Constitution at an emergency session on Thursday. The 
proposal was approved by more than two-thirds of MPs in the Lower 
House of Yugoslav parliament after an extensive debate. This 
initiative was launched by MPs of the Socialist Party of Serbia, the 
Socialist People's Party of Montenegro, the Serbian Radical Party, 
the Yugoslav Left, and the Serbian People's Party in both parliament 
chambers. Chamber of Republics Adopts Proposal to Amend Constitution 
The Chamber of Republics of the Yugoslav parliament unanimously 
adopted a proposal to amend the Yugoslav Constitution at an emergency 
session on Thursday. 

The draft was submitted by MPs of the Socialist Party of Serbia, the 
Socialist People's Party of Montenegro, the Serbian Radical Party, 
the Yugoslav Left, and the Serbian People's Party. The draft 
envisages direct elections for the Chamber of Republics, direct 
elections for republican president, and changes in the election of 
federal MPs and expiry of their mandates. At the end of the session, 
Chamber President Srdja Bozovic said the MPs who had submitted the 
request for Constitution changes have meanwhile presented a new 
request for an emergency session at which the draft constitutional 
amendments would be considered. Yugoslav Prime Minister Receives U 
Win Aung Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic received on Thursday 
a delegation from Myanmar, led by Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Win 
Aung, said a government statement. In their discussions, the high 
officials paid special attention to further development regarding 
bilateral relations and, notably, economic cooperation. The two 
countries agreed to make additional efforts in order to contribute to 
consistent practice in international relations, and insisted on due 
adherence to the principles of the UN Charter and international law. 
Accordingly, Yugoslavia should be given stronger international 
support in the attempts to reinforce its global position and, 
especially, to reactivate its role in the Non-aligned Movement. 


____________________________________________________


BORBA INTERNET NEWS (FORMER YUGOSLAVIA/SERBIA):  FRY FOREIGN MINISTER 
ZIVADIN JOVANOVIC MEETS HIS MIANMAR COUNTERPART U WIN AUNG

7 July, 2000

 Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic conferred on Wednesday 
with Mianmar Foreign Minister U Win Aung, who began an official visit 
to Yugoslavia, said a statement by the federal Foreign Ministry. In 
an extremely friendly atmosphere, the diplomats considered the 
results of the present development of relations and prospects for 
promoting future bilateral cooperation. During the talks, both sides 
expressed satisfaction with the development of bilateral relations so 
far and expressed interest in and readiness for their further 
expansion and deepening in future. Jovanovic underscored Yugoslavia's 
resolve to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, in 
keeping with the U.N. Charter and the guarantees of the Security 
Council inherent in Resolution 1244. The Mianmar foreign minister 
stressed that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija was exclusively an 
internal affair of Serbia and Yugoslavia. 

Myanmar Foreign Minister Visits Serbian Vojvodina Province Vojvodina 
Parliament Speaker Zivorad Smiljanic and Executive Council President 
Damnjan Radenkovic received on Wednesday a Myanmar delegation, headed 
by Foreign Minister U Win Aung. U Win Aung arrived earlier on 
Wednesday on an official return visit to Yugoslavia, at the 
invitation of Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic. During Wednesday's 
talks, the two sides discussed the cooperation potential of the 
northern Serbian (Yugoslav) Vojvodina province and regions in Myanmar 
as part of agreed cooperation between Yugoslavia and Myanmar, a 
Vojvodina government statement said. U Win Aung showed understanding 
and support for and solidarity with Yugoslavia in its brave 
resistance to big power hegemony and interference in the internal 
affairs of sovereign states which destabilise regions and states.
 . 

____________________________________________________



BORBA ENGLISH DAILY (FORMER YUGOSLAVIA/SERBIA): U WIN AUNG TOURS 
BOMBED BUILDINGS, "ETERNAL FLAME" MONUMENT 

July 7, 2000

Myanmar Foreign Minister U Win Aung, who began a four-day official 
visit to Yugoslavia on Wednesday, on Friday toured the buildings of 
the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade and Serbian Radio Television RTS, 
which were bombarded in last year's NATO aggression on Yugoslavia, 
and the "Eternal Flame" monument in Belgrade's municipality of Novi 
Beograd. 

The foreign minister, who was accompanied by Myanmar Ambassador to 
Yugoslavia U Kyar Nyo Chit Pe and members of the state-economic 
delegation of this country, first visited the Chinese Embassy 
building which was attacked on May 7, 1999. 

Chinese national news agency Xinhua correspondent Shao Yunhuan, 
Guangmin Ribao correspondent Su Sinhua and his wife, and reporter ZHu 
Ying were killed in the bombing. 

Over 20 embassy employees were wounded in this attack by the NATO air 
force. 

 





_______________ ECONOMY AND BUSINESS _______________
 

MYANMAR TIMES: MOU SIGNALS JV FOR GIANT JAPANESE INSURER

July 2000
 

JAPAN'S giant Yasuda Fire & Marine Insurance company has taken prime 
positioning in the nation's insurance industry with a Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) to form a joint venture with the State-owned 
Myanma Insurance.

With the signing of an MOU to start a JV we have determined to 
channel our experience, expertise and financial resources into 
Myanmar,' said a company statement.

"We'll be working to expand the insurance business,' said Mr Masashi 
Sawada, Yangon Representative of the company, " and we hope the 
business will flourish as the market expands.'

Yasuda, as one of Japan¨¹fs oldest insurance companies, has more than 
a century of experience. According to the annual report of the 
company it has assets of US$35 billion and last year had net premium 
written of more than US$8 billion.

It has more than 500 domestic and 38 overseas branches, and is rated 
AA+ by Standard and Poors Rating, which according to Mr Sawada is top 
ranking in the global finance sector.

The Myanmar market is not new for the company. It operated in Yangon 
during the period 1958-64 and re-opened a representative office in 
1995 participating as a reinsurer.

Currently, it is involved in reinsurance activity with MI. "Our main 
operation in Myanmar currently is to introduce overseas firms 
operating in-country to the MI for underwriting their insurance,' Mr 
Sawada said. 

The company is liaising with Myanma Insurance for all major types of 
insurance except for marine hull, aviation and life.

The company has signed a "Facultative Obligatory Reinsurance Treaty 
with MI for motor vehicle insurance business written by MI in foreign 
currency.

Mr Sawada gave an example of MI's pricing structure under its treaty 
with Yasuda. "If a car is insured for US$30,000 the owner has to pay 
a US$1200 premium annually.

"Motor comprehensive insurance and fire insurance are very popular 
among overseas real estate developers and manufacturers operating in 
Myanmar,' he said.

The entry of Yasuda, via the MOU in 1997 to form a joint venture with 
Myanma Insurance is likely to positively change the face of the 
industry and help develop the sector.

"We are looking forward to working hand-in-hand with Myanma Insurance 
via a joint venture,¨¹h said Mr Sawada. 

As one of the world¨¹fs largest insurance players the joint venture 
will be the first of its kind in Myanmar. 

The result for customers will be international quality service and in 
the longer run competitive insurance prices.

¨¹gOnce the joint venture deal has been struck we can put in our own 
expertise and pricing structure,' said Mr Sawada. 

"Our company has a financially strong reinsurance system. We can use 
that capacity for our mutual benefit in the JV,' he added. 
In preparatory gestures before entering into the JV Yasuda has been 
arranging a series of seminars in Myanmar and personnel training for 
MI staff at its Tokyo headquarters.

According to an official report of Myanma Insurance, the organisation 
has increased its income from K1.5b in 1997-98 to K 1.7b in 1998-99.  
Fire insurance represents the largest portion with the almost 60 per 
cent of its total income, followed by motor insurance representing 
21pc.

According to Yasuda there are a total of four overseas insurance 
firms in Myanmar.

"Myanmar Foreign Investment Law emphasises that foreign firms buy 
insurance policies compulsorily from Myanma Insurance.'

_________________OPINION/EDITORIALS________________


BANGKOK POST: LETTER--WHAT WE REALLY DO AT UNHCR IS

July 7, 2000

By Rob Burrows, UNHCR

Your editorial of July 4 headlined "Time for Burma to talk refugees" 
contains several erroneous assertions concerning the UNHCR which must 
be addressed. 

The editorial claims the UNHCR has "barely met its basic duties" and 
goes on to cite such duties as providing "minimal shelter, food and 
water". Surely you ought to be aware that since the early 1980s the 
Thai government has granted permission to a consortium of NGOs to 
provide such assistance to these camps. It was not until mid-1998 
that the government invited the UNHCR to assume a role at the border 
and even then the basic arrangements for shelter, food, water, etc, 
did not change. 

Next, you charge that "UNHCR has provided no help or guidance for 
individual refugees". On the contrary, UNHCR staff, together with the 
government, have registered nearly all the 100,000 refugees in the 
border camps. Moreover, thousands of new arrivals have been 
interviewed by the UNHCR on a group or family basisand received 
relevant  counseling. We are seeking to enhance our counselling in 
the camps through a more regular presence, a presence that only 
started in early 1999. Away from the border, in the Maneeloy Centre 
and Bangkok, the UNHCR provides  ongoing and varied counselling to 
large numbers of individuals.  This counselling includes their 
protection needs and prospects for the future. 


your next' incorrect assertion states that the UNHCR "has 
inexplicably, and stubbornly, failed in its responsibility to discuss 
repatriation with Burma". You will notice from your own records, 
including your July 2, 2000 issue,  that the UNHCR has for some time 
discussed this matter with the authorities in Rangoon, most notably 
in March 2000 when the assistant high commissioner for refugees 
visited Burma. 

Finally, your readers should be aware that the UNHCR has worked in 
Thailand for 25 years and has helped find solutions for over one 
million refugees previously in this country. Our commitment to help 
with the remaining 100,000 is well understood by the government and 
the international community. 




_____________________ OTHER  ______________________


SOUTHEAST ASIA RIVERS NETWORK: EAST AND SE ASIA ACTIVISTS UNITE TO 
PROTECT RIVERS, FIGHT DAMS

Email: searin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

July 4, 2000

[BurmaNet adds--Although not mentioned by name, Burma¡¯s inclusion in 
the Pak Mun declaration is because of the prospective construction of 
Japanese funded dams on the Salween River]
 
 Anti-dam and river protection organizations in East and SE Asia have 
united
 to form a regional network to fight dams and protect rivers in East 
and SE  Asia. At the First East and SE Asia Regional Meeting on Dams, 
Rivers and  People, held in Kong Jiam, Ubon Ratchathani Province from 
June 28-July 2,  more than 60 participants from fourteen countries 
announced their intention to "unite our struggle at the local, 
national and international level so as
 to stop the funding of dam projects in East and SE Asia and to 
restore  rivers to the communities who depend on them."

 Mr. Chainarong Srettachau, Director of Thai NGO Southeast Asia 
Rivers  Network, the local organizer for the meeting, said, "the 
joining together  of groups from all over East and SE Asia will 
provide a powerful force to  protect the rights of communities who 
depend on rivers for their survival.  We have recognized that we 
share common problems caused by dams  the  appropriation of local 
communities' rights to their rivers and water  resources by 
governments and private developers. By joining forces we will  drive 
a stake through the heart of the dam-building industry in this 
region."

 Participants at the meeting, which included dam-affected people 
from  Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan and 
Cambodia, together  with allies from across the region, produced the 
Pak Mun Declaration, which calls for:

  a moratorium on large dam construction until the problems created 
by  existing dams have been rectified and reparations made to 
affected  communities.
 
 the decommissioning of dams which have created irreversible social,  
environmental and cultural destruction, and
 
 an immediate stop to the financing of dam projects by bilateral and  
multilateral organizations, particularly the World Bank, Asian 
Development  Bank and Japan Bank for International Cooperation.



 Pak Mun Declaration

 Approved at the First East and SE Asia Meeting on Dams, Rivers and 
People 
 Demanding a moratorium on dam construction, decommissioning of 
existing  dams, reparations for dam-affected people

 Mae Mun and Mekong Rivers,
 Kong Jiam, Thailand
 July 1, 2000

 We, the people from 12 countries of East and Southeast Asia namely 
Korea,  China, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Burma, 
Taiwan, Vietnam,  Cambodia, Malaysia and Hong Kong, representing 
organizations of  dam-affected people and their allies, have gathered 
here at the mouth of  the Mun River (Pak Mun) in order to express our 
unity in strengthening the  people's power and supporting our 
struggle against the injustices that we  are now encountering.

 We have exchanged our experiences both at the local and regional 
level and  recognize that all of us are facing similar kinds of 
problems caused by  dams. Dams have brought about the destruction of 
rivers and the lives and  livelihoods of villagers.  Dams undermine 
the rights of people, their  community and culture as well as 
destroying the environment, all of which  are basic needs for their 
survival.

 In order to protect the rights and livelihood of people and rivers, 
our  demands are as follows;

 1. A moratorium on large dam construction in East and SE Asia until 
the  problems created by existing dams have been rectified and 
reparation made  to affected communities. Further, dams which have 
created irreversible  social, environmental, and cultural destruction 
must be decommissioned and  the rivers restored.

 2. The bilateral and multilateral organizations must stop financing 
dam  projects. Development assistance should not be spent on 
destroying the  lives of the people. The transnational corporations, 
private companies and  private banks must also abolish their 
investment in dam-building projects  that do not do justice to people.

 3. Governments, dam-building companies, dam industry consultants, 
the World
 Bank, private  banks and the Asian Development Bank, who are all  
responsible for the havoc wreaked upon our communities by large dams, 
must  pay proper reparations to all dam-affected communities. 

 4. Critical and independent inquiries on the rationale and 
justification of
 proposed dam projects should be carried out. Integrated Resource 
Planning,  demand side management and conservation of natural 
resources should be  prioritized. Cheaper, cleaner and better 
alternatives to dams should be  undertaken to meet actual needs of 
people for energy and water. 

 5. No development projects should be built without the voluntary, 
prior and
 informed consent of all affected people. Information regarding 
proposed  projects must be disclosed, in a timely and transparent 
manner, to the  general public and, especially, to people directly 
impacted from such  projects. Further, we demand democratic reforms 
throughout the region to  increase freedom of speech, press and 
assembly so that people can  participate without fear in the decision-
making process regarding the use  and management of their resources.

 6. The oppression of indigenous peoples by dams and other projects 
should  be stopped. We demand that the cultural, social, economic and 
land rights  of indigenous peoples be fully recognized and respected. 

 7. We oppose the privatization of rivers and water resources. We 
also  oppose the control of rivers and water resources by 
illegitimate and  repressive governments, as in Burma. Access to 
water is a basic human  right. Rivers must be in the hands of the 
people, not the private sector or
 military regimes.

 In order for our demands to be implemented, we declare that we will 
unite  our struggle at the local, national and international level so 
as to stop  the funding of dam projects in East and SE Asia and to 
restore rivers to  the communities who depend on them.

 Water for Life, not for Death!

 Ao Khuan kuen bpai, ao Dhammachat kuen ma!  Take your dams back, 
give us  nature!

 Endorsed by

 ¨Z Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives, Hong Kong  ¨Z 
Assembly of the Poor, Thailand
 ¨Z Cambodia Environmental Preservation Association, Cambodia  ¨Z 
Church World Services, Cambodia
 ¨Z Coalition of Concerned NGOs Against Bakun Dam, Malaysia  ¨Z 
Committee Against the Yongwong Dam Project, Tong River, Korea  ¨Z 
Cordillera Peoples' Alliance, Philippines
 ¨Z Earth Rights International, Thailand
 ¨Z Friends of the Earth, Japan
 ¨Z Friends of the People, Thailand
 ¨Z Group of Villagers Affected by Hua Na Dam, Thailand
 ¨Z Group of Villagers to Protect the Yom River (Kaeng Sua Ten), 
Thailand  ¨Z Indigenous Peoples Development Centre, Malaysia
 ¨Z Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, Korea
 ¨Z Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC-KSK/Friends of 
the  Earth-Phils), Philippines
 ¨Z LRA, Indonesia
 ¨Z Meinung People's Association, Taiwan
 ¨Z Mekong Watch, Japan
 ¨Z National Dam Opposition Network, Japan
 ¨Z Sagami River Campaign-Symposium, Japan
 ¨Z Sahabat Alam Malaysia
 ¨Z SOS Selangor, Malaysia
 ¨Z South-East Asia Rivers Network, Thailand
 ¨Z Taiwan Environmental Action Network, Taiwan
 ¨Z TUNOD KSM  Alliance of Indigenous Organizations in Sierra Madre 
Mountain,
 Philippines
 ¨Z Villager Committee to Restore the Mun River, Thailand  ¨Z Villager 
Committee to Protect the Lam Dom Yai River, Thailand  ¨Z Villager 
Committee to Protect the Rub Ror River Basin, Thailand  ¨Z WALHI, 
Indonesia
 ¨Z WALHI Papua, Indonesia
 ¨Z Wildlife Fund Thailand
 ¨Z Yayasan Tanah Merdeka, Indonesia











____________________________________________________

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inclusion in BurmaNet is the editor¡¯s judgement that an item is 
significant¨Cnot necessarily that it is true.  BurmaNet¡¯s goal is to 
bring a broad range of coverage to subscribers so that you can make 
such judgements for yourselves.


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