[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
BurmaNet News: April 11, 2001
- Subject: BurmaNet News: April 11, 2001
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2001 04:21:00
______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
An on-line newspaper covering Burma
April 11, 2001 Issue # 1776
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________
NOTED IN PASSING: ¡°The spy and intelligence agencies of the west are
buying the touts under the name of journalists.¡±
The New Light of Myanmar describing The Bangkok Post, The Nation,
Asiaweek, The Far Eastern Economic Review and other periodicals. See
The New Light of Myanmar (SPDC): Some Thai dailies that are always
biased
INSIDE BURMA _______
*Bangkok Post: Burmese poised for attack on Karenni
*Bangkok Post : Burmese Border: Junta to Give Reporters Tour
*Mizzima: Junta maintains no human rights violation in Burma
*Kyodo: 'Strongman of Burma' makes 1st public appearance in 13 years
*Irrawaddy: Who Will Fill Tin Oo¡¯s Shoes?
*Kyodo: Dance show by Japanese, Myanmar artists staged in Yangon
REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL _______
*Irrawaddy: Burmese Apply Trade Pressure on Talks
ECONOMY/BUSINESS _______
*Myanmar Times: The IT revolution: wait now, pay later
OPINION/EDITORIALS_______
*Bangkok Post: Time to Go after Drug Precursors
*Financial Times (London): Letter--Back ILO over forced labour in Burma
*The New Light of Myanmar (SPDC): Some Thai dailies that are always
biased
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________
Bangkok Post: Burmese poised for attack on Karenni
April 11, 2001
Mae Hong Son-Thousands of Burmese troops have been deployed near the
border to mount an offensive against the last stronghold of ethnic
Karenni rebels.
A border source said more than 1,000 guerrillas of the Karenni National
Progressive Party were preparing to defend their stronghold in Burma's
Kayah state, opposite Mae Hong Son.
Four Burmese battalions have been deployed in the Khun Huay Dua area,
opposite Muang district.
The Karen National Union and the Shan State Army are also prepared to
help their Karenni allies in the fighting, which is expected to force
more than 1,000 refugees into Thailand next week.
Thai soldiers of the 7th Infantry Regiment have been placed on alert.
___________________________________________________
Bangkok Post : Burmese Border: Junta to Give Reporters Tour
April 10, 2001
Rangoon will invite impartial reporters to inspect the Wa border
township of Mong Yawn, to prove its construction and development was not
funded by drug money.
Lt-Gen Wattanachai Chaimuenwong, the Third Army commander, quoted
Burma's Triangle Region commander Maj-Gen Thein Sein as saying
"non-biased foreign reporters" would be invited to visit Mong Yawn.
Burmese authorities maintain that revenues from mine concessions and
government budget financed the town's construction.
The invitation was raised at a recent regional border committee meeting
which took place in Kengtung, Burma. Lt-Gen Wattanachai represented
Thailand to discuss border problems and restore ties with Burmese
leaders.
He said the closure of Tachilek border checkpoint was also discussed,
and believed the border would be reopened soon as the township was
falling short of necessary commodities.
uSix Hmong tribesmen were sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday for
possessing 100,000 speed pills with intent to sell.
The six were initially sentenced to death by the Southern Bangkok
Criminal Court. However, the terms were commuted to life in jail because
they had confessed during police interrogation.
They were arrested while delivering methamphetamine tablets to
undercover police posing as buyers in Hot district of Chiang Mai on Jan
19, 1998.
Wassana Nanuam
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Mizzima: Junta maintains no human rights violation in Burma
Geneva, April 9, 2001
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)
Despite internationally well-documented on human rights abuses in
Burma, Burmese government continues to maintain that there is no human
rights violation in the country but expresses its willingness to
cooperate with the United Nations agencies.
Speaking at the on-going United Nations Human Rights Commission meeting
in Geneva, the head of the Burmese juntas delegation U Mya Than today
reiterates his governments position that there is no human rights
violation in the country.
for the first time in six years, the government of Myanmar has accepted
the visit of the newly appointed special rapporteur Prof. Pinheiro, said
U Mya Than who is the head of the Burmese Mission at UN. Quoting a major
part of Mr. Pinheiro¡¯s intervention report of last Friday, U Mya Than
praised Mr. Pinheiro¡¯s report as balanced.
his presentation is fairly balanced and reflects the positive
developments taking place in Myanmar, he said in his 15-minute
intervention. He also said that his government had no other choice but
to categorically reject the visit of former special rapporteur Mr.
Lallah as his reports were very much biased.
there are also other activities going on in Myanmar by way of promoting
human rights in raising awareness of human rights. He however maintained
that there is no human rights violation in Burma and whatever has been
said about the violations of human rights in Burma is portrayed by the
anti-Burmese government elements in Western Media.
Debby Stothard from Bangkok-based Altsean-Burma (Alternative Asean
network on Burma), however, dismissed U Mya Than¡¯s report as usual lie.
what Ambassador Mya Than said is very predictable. It is the same old
song every year except that the SPDC now feel more confident that Prof.
Pinheiro is their good friend because he did not refer on any human
rights violations in Burma. But this is because his visit was an
exploratory one in term of building up good will. It was not an
investigatory one. So, we will really see what will happen in July in
the next trip he goes there, said Debby Stothard.
___________________________________________________
Kyodo: 'Strongman of Burma' makes 1st public appearance in 13 years
April 10
Yangon
Gen. Ne Win, the longest ruling leader of Myanmar once known as the
'Strongman of Burma,' made his first major public appearance in 13 years
on March 21, sources close to the gathering confirmed Tuesday.
The reclusive general offered lunch to 99 Buddhist monks and nearly 500
lay guests, many of them his former cronies, at a local hotel.
After ruling Myanmar for 26 years from March 1962, first as president
and later as chairman of the Socialist Party, Ne Win retired from
politics in July 1988.
Since then, he has been seen in public only rarely, the exceptions being
attendance at a handful of private social or religious functions of his
close relatives.
According to a former minister and a military commander in Ne Win's
government who were close to him and present at the lunch, the
91-year-old general is in perfect health.
'He walked into the hall without help, greeting old friends loudly.
Though slow in movement, U Ne Win has a good memory, even recalling
incidents from the past to former subordinates who retained little or no
memory of the same,' they said.
The March 21 gathering was arranged by Ne Win's daughter Sandar Win. But
many lay guests, mostly former colleagues and disciples who are now 80
years old or more, appeared to be there at his invitation. The younger
guests were Sandar Win's friends.
Of the four survivors of the 'Thirty Comrades,' 30 youths that included
Aung San and Ne Win who secretly went to Japan in 1940 for military
training to fight the British, he invited none.
Ne Win himself, Bo Hmu Aung, Bo Ye Htut and Bo Kyaw Zaw are the only
ones of the 30 still alive.
Bo Kyaw Zaw lives in China; Bo Hmu Aung and Bo Ye Htut in Yangon.
But all the surviving members of his Socialist Party government were at
the lunch, prominent among them Brig. Gen. Sein Lwin, the second last
president, Gen. Aye Ko, a former vice president, and Col. Tun Tin, last
prime minister.
Conspicuously absent were members of the current ruling junta.
Since Ne Win's appearance at such a big gathering speculation about the
motive behind the ceremony is rife in Yangon.
Some believe it was an astrological move to lengthen his life to 99
years. Others believe it was to show he has no link with the present
junta, while yet others speculate it was part of a strategy by Sandar
Win in grooming her three sons for politics.
Few in Myanmar believe it was simply a religious gathering.
___________________________________________________
Irrawaddy: Who Will Fill Tin Oo¡¯s Shoes?
Feb 2001 Issue
The death of State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Secretary 2
Lt-Gen Tin Oo and other senior generals in a helicopter crash in
February has created a vacuum in the ruling regime¡ªand an opportunity
for observers to assess how well the junta¡¯s delicate balance of power
is holding up to a host of pressures.
Unlike in the past, Tin Oo¡¯s successor will likely be selected by
consensus, rather than handpicked by the most powerful general, since
there is no obvious person to claim that title. "The military will hold
a high-level meeting including all regional commanders to decide who
will be the next-in-lines," said a source in Rangoon
One likely candidate, SPDC Secretary 3 Lt-Gen Win Myint, who is now
temporarily serving in Tin Oo¡¯s place as army chief of staff, visited
the site of a recent border clash with Thailand on Feb 23, where he made
it clear that the War Office in Rangoon is still in charge. "Win Myint
shows his assertiveness by sidelining regional commanders such as
Maj-Gen Thein Sein of the Triangle Region Military Command," commented
one exiled Shan analyst. According to some sources, Win Myint is an ally
of SPDC Secretary 1 and intelligence chief Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, who is
seen as head of a "moderate" faction within the regime and the leading
figure behind a recent series of talks with the democratic opposition.
There has also been speculation about who will replace Win Myint if he
takes over Tin Oo¡¯s post. According to some ceasefire ethnic groups and
exiled analysts, Northeast Military Commander Brig-Gen Tin Aung Myint Oo
has the best chance, while inside sources believe that Southwest
Military Commander Brig-Gen Shwe Mann, based in Irrawaddy Division, is
most favored for the post. "He frequently appears in the newspapers
these days," noted one veteran journalist in Rangoon. "Also, don¡¯t
underestimate the seniority of Rangoon Military Commander Khin Maung
Than. He holds the rank of major general."
Meanwhile, there has been some news coming out about dissatisfaction
among groups loyal to Tin Oo¡ªa hardliner notorious for his verbal
attacks on the opposition¡ªover the junta¡¯s low-key handling of his
death and funeral
___________________________________________________
Kyodo: Dance show by Japanese, Myanmar artists staged in Yangon
YANGON April 10 Kyodo - The first cultural exchange dance show ever
performed by both Japanese and Myanmar artists was staged Monday night
at the National Theater in Yangon.
The four-hour show was sponsored by the Myanmar-Japan Friendship
Association of Myanmar, in cooperation with the Japan-Myanmar Friendship
Association of Japan.
A 54-member Japanese cultural delegation including 26 artists arrived
April 3 in Yangon to participate in three days of joint performances.
Japanese artists performed songs and dances accompanied by the drum,
samisen and flute. Aikido and karate demonstrations drew long applause,
and Myanmar artists performed native cultural dances and songs.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Myanmar-Japan Friendship Association
Chairman and Home Minister Col. Tin Hlaing said, ''The Cultural Exchange
Variety Dance Show is the result of interrelations and cooperation
between Japan and Myanmar, respecting and understanding each other's
culture.''
Japanese Ambassador Shigeru Tsumori said, ''This cultural exchange dance
show will certainly deepen the already firm social, economic and
cultural ties that exist between the two nations.''
___________________ REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL___________________
Irrawaddy: Burmese Apply Trade Pressure on Talks
By Maung Maung Oo
April 03, 2001-- In a move seen as an attempt to apply pressure on Thai
negotiators meeting with their Burmese counterparts in the northern town
of Kengtung, authorities in the southern port city of Kawthaung,
opposite Ranong, Thailand, have ordered a ban on all cross-border trade.
According to local sources, the order warns that any transaction with
Thailand will be treated as a violation of border trade rules.
"It seems to be not only retaliation against the Thai Third Army¡¯s ban
on trade with Burma in February, but also an attempt to put pressure on
the meeting of the Regional Border Committee (RBC)," said a trader in
Kawthaung.
The RBC has just completed its second day of talks in the Shan State
town of Kengtung, about 60 km from the site of a border conflict that
broke out in February. The talks are scheduled to end tomorrow.
So far, according to a Burmese military intelligence source in Kengtung,
no effective compromise has emerged from the talks. This top-level
meeting between Thai and Burmese authorities is the first of its kind in
two years. It follows a series of township-level meetings in February
that failed to defuse mounting border tensions in the area around
Tachilek and Mae Sai, on the Burmese and Thai sides of the border,
respectively.
A Burmese delegation led by Maj-Gen Thein Sein, Commander of the
Triangle Region Command (eastern Shan State), and a Thai delegation led
by Lt-Gen Wattanachai Chaimuenwong, Commander of the Third Regional Army
(northern Thailand), are participating in the three-day talks. From
Kengtung, the Thai delegation will leave for Rangoon to meet with
General Maung Aye, number two in the ruling State Peace and Development
Council.
"Myanmar has agreed to the regional border meeting, which is a good sign
because we can clear up all the misunderstanding and thus our relations
will be cordial," said Thai Defense Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. But
Burmese authorities did not seem to expect much progress to result from
this meeting, according to a report from the Shan Herald Agency for
News, citing a Burmese military intelligence source.
People in Tachilek, meanwhile, are anxious to see some signs of a thaw
in relations with their neighbors. "People are really upset about this
border closure," said a businessman in Tachilek. "We business people are
expecting results from this border meeting because our business depends
on the Thai side," he added.
Thailand last month unilaterally reopened its border at Mae
Sai-Tachilek, but authorities on the Burmese side refused to respond in
kind. The border crossing has been closed since a skirmish between the
Thai and Burmese armies claimed lives on both sides in early February.
Both sides have also traded tit-for-tat accusations about their alleged
involvement in the local drug trade. However, analysts have noted that
Thailand has toned down its accusations that the Burmese regime is
playing host to the region¡¯s biggest drug producers, apparently in a
bid to ease the way for the current talks.
_______________ ECONOMY AND BUSINESS _______________
Myanmar Times: The IT revolution: wait now, pay later
April 8, 2001
¡°Is it smart to talk about an Internet based economy at a conference
here in Yangon? Some people believe that Myanmar may have her head out
in the 21st century, but her body is still in the last century. And for
this reason she is not ready.¡± In a session marked by strong words and
powerful sentiment, those opening remarks by speaker Mr. Murugaiah
Rjaretnam, Director of information and Resource Centre from Singapore at
the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Conference held in
Yangon last month carved straight to the heart of a very hot topic ¨C is
this the right time for Myanmar to be developing an ICT industry?
Technology, especially information technology, is not a magic wand that
will bring immediate development to the third world,¡± said Mr.
Rjaretnam.The chairman of the country¡¯s e-National Taskforce, U Hlaing
Win, said, ¡°a handful of developing countries may avail themselves of
the opportunities of existing information and communication technology
to become developed countries themselves but we need to make resolute
efforts to prevent a massive widening of the knowledge gap between the
rich and the poor in the years ahead. The poorest societies on earth are
even more starved of knowledge than they are of food.¡± Another speaker
at the conference Mr. Rafael Lopa quoted Mark Malloch Brown,
administrator of the United Nations Development Program:¡°The
¡®Information Revolution¡¯ has become so ubiquitous a phrase we risk
losing sight of what it really means. Too many people argue that in a
world where half the population has yet to use a telephone and there are
billions of illiterate adults, using IT for development is inappropriate
and ineffective.
¡°But the point about revolutions is they are revolutions: they
transform all the processes they touch from financial transactions to
educational provision. Already for much of the world the Internet has
changed the way people live, work, and do business forever.¡°Our
challenge is to find ways to unlock that transformative power to ensure
the poor are among its beneficiaries and not its casualties.¡±In his own
words the speaker, Mr. Lopa, concluded that ¡°it (IT development) may or
may not be applicable to the societal vision of other countries and
other people.¡°One reality is universal; the poor cannot wait. As such,
for those of us who are in positions to find ways and means to find the
utility of ICT in the lives of the poor, we must not wait.¡±So, who is
in a position to find the ways and means?
Pioneer
U Chit Tun Pe is the CEO of Inforithm, a local IT development company
which set up in 1997, when access even to computers in Myanmar was
minimal.U Chit Tun Pe¡¯s detractors predicted such a risky business move
would amount to nothing. But U Chit Tun Pe is an innovator.His company
subscribes to the goals and philosophies expounded by the e-National
Task Force and the United Nations Development Program, pushing for
greater investment in Myanmar¡¯s IT industry, now.The company has also
pushed the envelope on multimedia communication tools. Inforithm¡¯s
function primarily is the development of software technology, including
educational and commercial multimedia CD-ROM. Finding employees with the
ability to pursue these aims was easy, as Inforithm¡¯s highly-skilled
team of graphic designers and programmers attests.
The Myanmar market is dramatically different to those overseas because
of the relatively low spending ability of Myanmar people. A CD that
would cost US$80 overseas needs to be priced about US$7 to capture the
market here. And even at that price, buyers complain. But although the
¡°benefits are intangible¡± at this stage, U Chit Tun Pe is confident
for the future and confident that buyers are satisfied with his
products, despite what must be a frustrating underestimation of
value.¡°The recognition I have gained, the leading role I play, the
products I¡¯ve created and data I¡¯ve collected cannot be traded for
anything,¡± he told Myanmar Times.Inforithm has produced interactive
educational software, encyclopaedias, reference software, business
directories, and is now extending into web development. The company also
plays a consultative role organising multimedia tools and systems for
marketing, communication and training needs. Inforithm has also helped
the Ministry of Forestry develop a web-site, which focuses on
conservation issues.
The next step is customised software, and web-site design. Though not
available inside the country, the importance of the internet to market a
product is, globally, taken for granted. And potential clients can reach
companies through e-mail addresses on their websites, even if the
advertising company does not have net access.One of U Chit Tun Pe¡¯s
great loves is creating products with religious and cultural content.
The CD The Life of The Buddha, translated into English, Chinese,
Japanese and Myanmar, is one example.A challenge to produce CD-ROMs
because of their animated content, U Chit Tun Pe hopes the CD will
capture the younger generation¡¯s interest, perhaps even overcoming the
difficulties parents face trying to force their children to read books.
He is now working on non-profit projects, such as t-bis.net ¨C a
Theravada Buddhism information system, and yazawin.com, aimed at
providing information on Myanmar history.
Potential
The enormous potential for the Internet to globalise cultural
understanding and encourage Myanmar people to conserve and value their
culture underscores U Chit Tun Pe¡¯s futuristic gaze.He also
participates in a SIG (Special Interest Group) seminar which is held at
the ICT Centre, Dagon Plaza, every Saturday from 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm, at
which the members discuss the role of multimedia. ¡°IT development is a
must. And to form a strong infrastructure is a basic key,¡± U Chit Tune
Pe said.
He knows that forming infrastructure is costly, but added, ¡°the initial
investment may seem vast but what people may not have realised is the
power of its cost effectiveness in the medium-term¡±. He cited the
example of a project in Malaysia via which student textbooks were now
being made available on the net. What seemed a huge undertaking
initially actually reduced costs, as the need for raw materials,
printing, storage and distribution were no longer necessary.Detractors
of the hoped-for IT revolution in Myanmar demand that investors should
focus on health and environmental issues, instead of IT infrastructure.
But U Chit Tun Pe begs to differ.¡°The Internet allows you to reach a
much wider audience, and also close certain barriers. Businesses gain a
lot of advantages through the IT movement, and so can health and
environmental organisations. Up-to-date changes and results of new
experiments, for example. Even interactive relationships with people in
the same field.
¡°We cannot wait to see whether students of this generation are capable
or not in another ten years or so. We have to educate them now to be
able to catch up with the rest of the world.¡±In the information age,
when keeping pace with global developments and events can mean the
difference between prosperity or failure for a nation, ¡°IT is about
accessing information, receiving evidence-based information, and storing
this information. It¡¯s information as bread and butter¡±.U Chit Tun Pe
dominates Myanmar¡¯s IT industry because he did not wait, in much the
same way that Silicon Valley, and then India, did not wait. IT might not
be a magic wand, but voices such as that of U Chit Tun Pe give integrity
to the belief that its absence might prove a curse.
_______________OPINION/EDITORIALS_________________
Bangkok Post: Time to Go after Drug Precursors
April 10, 2001
>From Thailand and all around, the message has been gloomy for several
years. Increasing numbers of citizens, especially children, are hooked
on drugs. Traffickers are flourishing, and have increasing influence on
the economy and politics. Authorities have responded too slowly. Only
recently have there been signs that high-ranking officials finally
realise the enormous problems they face. Much remains to be done.
Last year's decision to set up a special office to monitor and attack
money laundering was a major break in the drug battle. People make,
smuggle and sell illicit drugs for just one reason: the enormous profit.
Attacking drug trafficking through the wallets, bank accounts and luxury
assets of the trafficker is an effective way to fight the problem. The
Thai money laundering commission was slow in setting up, but has had
several quick successes.
Another, different, attack needs to be mounted on the making and
smuggling ofdrug precursors. These are the materials used to make the
popular, illicit drugs. A blockade on drug precursors is not simple. As
with money laundering, authorities must plan carefully, and strike
effectively.
Many of the precursors are dual-use chemicals, used for both legal and
illegal purposes. This is a difficult problem, but not insurmountable.
Thailand has effectively wiped out criminal use of these dual-use
precursors. More bothersome is that most drug precursors are made in
badly supervised China and India, and smuggled for use into greedy,
drug-producing areas of Burma.
Rangoon's official view is that if any precursor is smuggled through
Thailand into Burma, then the drugs and trafficking which follow are
Thailand's fault. This is tortuous logic. Clearly, Thai border controls
must be better. Our frontier is unacceptably porous, and regularly
penetrated by the Burmese-supported drug traffickers.
Burma's convenient rhetoric attempts to cover up the fact that
precursors are also smuggled into Burma. Even if this smuggling
determined the responsibility for drug trafficking - which it does not -
Burma's shoddy border guards are equally to blame.
The Burmese attitude is important. The problem of drug precursors cannot
be handled by any one country, or even by Burma and Thailand together.
The main chemicals needed for heroin and methamphetamines are acetic
anhydride, potassium permanganate and ephedrine. These are made in
far-off areas of China. Xu Jinying of the Shanghai city Municipal
Anti-drug Commission admitted recently that cash-strapped state
enterprises make these chemicals, often illicitly.
To stop this precursor traffic requires a strong effort by three
countries. China needs to monitor and prevent illicit production of this
material. Thailand and Burma must step up their attempts to block the
smuggling. In Burma's case, such a campaign could also stop the traffic
in precursors from India - which, in turn, needs to crack down on the
rampant, illegal production of drug precursors.
In all these countries, this effort will be neither simple nor quick. It
will require the will and ability to work together. There are many who
say China, Burma and Thailand cannot work together against major drug
dealers. Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai has started the
machinery for such an alliance. It must be more than just another of the
endless committees, or part of the international bureaucracy.
Burma, by any measure, has obstructed almost all helpful steps to
attack, cut down and finally end the drug trafficking in that country.
China has been incredibly slow to realise the dangers of both drug abuse
and drug trafficking, and has paid a heavy price. The three countries
have a common aim to cut the trade in illegal chemicals used to make
drugs. Even better, the results of a three-way campaign against
precursors can be easily measured to see who is co-operating.
___________________________________________________
Financial Times (London): Letter--Back ILO over forced labour in Burma
April 11, 2001
>From Mr Bill Jordan.
Sir, The article on the role of the International Labour Organisation
(ILO) in pressing Burma's authorities to eliminate forced labour
("Forced labour in Burma tests ILO's will to uphold global standards",
March 27) points out that the issue constitutes a major test of the
organisation's credibility. The International Confederation of Free
Trade Unions has fully backed the ILO director-general's consistent
efforts to engage in a fruitful dialogue with the regime in order to
obtain a real change on the ground.
Our present call for trade sanctions stems from the generals' stubborn
refusal, first, even to acknowledge they had a problem and, second, to
co-operate in earnest with the international community to solve it. The
onus now falls on governments and companies to provide the ILO
director-general with the sort of backing he needs: forceful and
unambiguous pressure on the regime, including a credible commitment to
resort to trade and investment bans if the forced labour scandal
persists. Regrettably, it has even worsened, as a stream of reliable
evidence gathered by our sources in Burma confirms on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, in order to deflect international pressure, the regime has
put in place a propaganda plan, which the ICFTU has recently exposed.
Next June, the ILO annual conference will hold a special sitting on this
case. It will be up to governments and companies to prove that they take
their role in the ILO, and the ILO itself, seriously. Failing that, they
should not be surprised if they find themselves confronted with the same
questions in other forums, including the World Trade Organisation.
Bill Jordan, General Secretary, ICFTU, Boulevard du Roi Albert II 5,
B-1210 Brussels, Belgium
___________________________________________________
The New Light of Myanmar (SPDC): Some Thai dailies that are always
biased
Saturday, 7 April, 2001
Every independent and sovereign nation has the three organs of the State
power for national development, peace and stability. The three powers of
the State are (1) the Legislative Power, (2) the Executive Power and (3)
the Judicial Power. There are law-making bodies for the legislative
task. They are called the legislative estate. The executive estate is
the government. The judicial estate is the courts at different levels.
In addition to the three estates, the public relations media which is
called the periodicals, are existing as the fourth estate. Journalists
must observe the journalism codes of conduct, which state that the
periodicals must not be partial and must present news reports correctly
and fairly and in time.
The journalists of the west caught in the net of politicians and
businessmen began to go against the duties of the fourth estate and the
journalism codes of conduct. Instead of writing authentic news they are
writing gossips, throwing the journalism ethics into the dustbin. Thus,
majority of the periodicals and media have become the fifth columnists
of the old and neo-colonialists. They are violating and abusing the
journalism codes of conduct by imposing news blackouts and giving
priority to reporting slanderous news and rumours. In western countries,
the big businessmen themselves have set up periodicals and TV and radio
stations for the success of their business. Similarly, some capitalists
are manipulating the periodicals, TV and radio business and using them
as lucrative enterprises and investment areas.
The spy and intelligence agencies of the west are buying the touts under
the name of journalists. Thus, it is hard to believe the news reports of
the so-called journalists. The western periodicals and radio and TV
stations, failing to observe the journalism codes of conduct and dignity
of the worthy citizens, are attacking the nations with media weapon. The
western group has already taken foothold in the area of Asian
periodicals, radio and TV. It has been stated for many times that the
Asia week magazine of Hong Kong, Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER)
magazine, The Bangkok Post daily and The Nation daily are owned by the
west. I have read in the books that the runaways and their associates
worked as editors in The Bangkok Post daily during the time when U Nu
and U Law Yon were expatriates.
The periodicals that are making instigations in collusion with the
western media to destroy the peace and stability in the whole Southeast
Asian region and to worsen the tense border situation between Thailand
and Myanmar are The Bangkok Post and The Nation dailies. Many of the
columnists have already presented the mischievous acts of The Bangkok
Post and The Nation dailies. The dailies never stand for the interests
of Thailand and its people. By applying instigative writings, they gave
unfair support to insurgents and expatriates, who are taking refuge in
Thailand, and the west block. When drug insurgents under the charge of
Ywet Sit and the Thai side attacked Tachilek region in February 2001,
The Bangkok Post and The Nation dailies wrote the news report about the
incident from opposite point of view. While ignoring the three persons
who died from rocket shells in Tachilek, they were repeatedly reporting
about a person who died in Maesai. Now Myanmar people have already known
what kind of dailies The Bangkok Post and The Nation are. Behind the
current tense situation between Thailand and Myanmar are some Thai
nationals who, always in cahoots with insurgents, runaways and drug
traffickers, are encroaching upon Myanmar. And it is the Bangkok Post
and the Nation (including the Western media) that are continuously
"stroking a fire" in the current standoff. If we study the made-up news
items in the Bangkok Post and the Nation published on 4-4-2001, we can
easily see who are responsible.
The 4-4-2001 issue of the Bangkok Post flattered Lt-Gen Wattanachai
Chaimuenwong, Commander of the Third Army Region as a tough-talking and
fiercely patriotic commander, his job was one of the toughest in the
Royal Thai Army, covering as it does the highly sensitive border regions
with Myanmar whereas the paper described new Defence Minister Chavalit
Yonchaiyudh as a person inclined to maintain cordial relations with
Myanmar. In the editorial of the Bangkok Post titled "Low expectation
for border talks" it was reported as follows: "He's (Lt-Gen Wattanachai
Chaimuen-wong is) currently leading the Thai delegation to the first
Regional Border Committee meeting, in Kengtung, for nearly three years.
His expectations are low because, with good reason, he doesn't believe
the Burmese side is sincere.
According to sources close to Wattanachai, the Burmese are likely to do
everything possible to put Lt-Gen Wattanachai in a bad light.¨] This is
an attempt to drive a wedge. In the same Bangkok editorial, it said one
item up for discussion in Kengtung would be the issue of joint border
patrols which would allow Thai troops accompanied by Myanmar troops to
patrol areas inside Myanmar territory so that both forces could help
each other in jointly destroying the Wa's drug production bases. It
added that the likelihood of the Myanmar accepting the idea was, of
course, fairly remote for obvious reasons, but the request in itself was
a useful test of their sincerity.
This way it interfered even in the affairs of the Border Committee
meeting. There is no such Wa's drug production bases in the Wa peace
region. In fact, the Wa insurgent group led by Maha Hsan that has
crossed the border into Thailand is engaged in the drug trafficking. If
the Thai Army is desirous of conducting joint border patrols inside
Myanmar territory, I have something to say. What will be the reply of
the Bangkok Post editor if Myanmar, too, wish to conduct joint patrols
of the activities of the runaways, insurgents and opium robbers inside
the Thai territory (many areas including Bangkok, Chiangmai and Maesai)?
The concluding sentence of the Bangkok editorial reflected its
destructive nature as follows: "We cannot and should not take a
conciliatory approach towards Burma as long as it keeps feeding off "the
tears of the Thai people"." A news item titled "Rangoon agrees to closer
cooperation" in the 4-4-2001 issue of the Bangkok Post reported on the
meeting of the Comma! nder of the Triangle Region Command Maj-Gen Thein
Sein of Myanmar and the Third Army Commander of Thailand Lt-Gen
Wattanachai Chaimuenwong that Thailand and Myanmar agreed the previous
day to strengthen border cooperation, including joint efforts to fight
drugs.
The report added that both sides would step up border cooperation,
especially on intelligence exchanges, that the Thai side was surprised
by the Myanmar team's positive responses to a number of issues raised by
the Thai Third Army Chief, that both sides agreed to withdraw their
forces deployed at Loilan area since 1997. On the issue of Myanmar
refugees housed in Thai border camps, the report quoted Maj-Gen Thein
Sein as saying that there should be no problem in taking back those
refugees. It said the Kengtung meeting was scheduled to end on 4-4-2001
morning with the signing of an MoU by Lt-Gen Wattanachai Chaimuenwong
and Maj-Gen Thein Sein. True colours of Thai newspapers can easily be
seen.
Certainly, they have no good intention because they are always inventing
false stories, instead of writing genuine reports. They should not do
so. The news reports I have just cited are all false. A study of the
news report and the editorial carried in the 4-4-2001 issue of the
Bangkok Post will highlight the true nature of the editors of the
Bangkok Post. The Bangkok Post dated 4-4-2001 carried a news report with
the headline "Uranium smuggling foiled". The report said that the
seizure of 1.25 gram of uranium in Manipur to the north-east of India
showed that there was a link with a Japanese in smuggling uranium out of
India through Myanmar. Thus, it made preposterous accusations.
According to that news report, as the narcotic drug control committee of
western Inphal in India thought that packet to be a packet of heroin,
they seized and opened it. Only then, did it turn out to be a packet of
uranium; the sample of the seized metal was sent to the department of
chemistry of the university of Manipur (India); and Seekai Chongloi, who
was arrested, exposed the implication of a retired soldier of Manipur
rifle unit stationed near Shilaung (India) and a lecturer from the
university of Manipur in the smuggling of uranium.
An Indian police officer said to Calcutta Statesman Daily that the
Ministry of Atomic Energy of the government of India had lost three
kilos of uranium in the eastern region (Shilaung). Indian people who
smuggled uranium of India right inside India were arrested. It had
nothing to do with Myanmar. The Nation made accusations against Myanmar
without rhyme or reason. It has been many times that they wrote
incorrect news reports which said that narcotic drugs were smuggled from
Myanmar to India. It has also been for a long time that the Western
media and the media in Bangkok under the sway of the West have been
writing accusing news reports. Now they came to write about "the
smuggling of uranium of India through Myanmar.¨] The news report did not
expose the nationality of Seekai Chongloi, who was arrested for this
case. As far as I know, this name is not like the name of Indian people.
Actually, the spelling and pronunciation of that name sound Thai. The
ins and outs of the Bangkok Post and the Nation can now be known. With
regard to the case of the hitherto existence of insurgents, runaways,
absconders, opium traffickers and the Kuomintang who fled from Myanmar
for various reasons and the case of "pouring petrol onto the fire" to
create problems between Thailand and Myanmar, the Bangkok Post and the
Nation are very good at reporting news. It can be said that they managed
to perform to the liking of the West bloc. The media which is attempting
to interfere in the internal affairs of another nation with foul means
after breaching the media code of conduct and without having a go at
standing with dignity as the Fourth Estate, will be just the fifth
columnist of a big bloc.
A pair of scales should give a right measurement. In measuring things,
the tongue of the scales should be in the right vertical position. If
goods equal to the standard weight are put onto a scale pan and the
standard weight onto another, the tongue of the scales will be in the
right vertical position, which shows that a one-viss weight block and
the goods are equal in weight. A newspaper should strike a balance in
stating an authentic news report. It is like a pair of scales.
Newsprint, photos, the printing machine and good impression serve as a
good pair of scales to determine whether the newspaper is good or not.
If journalists who observe media code of conduct and have dignity are
put onto a scale pan and the correct and timely news reports which serve
the interests of the audience, the country and national causes onto
another, the tongue of the scale of pairs called "The newspaper' will be
in the right vertical position. However, the newspaper audience of the
world and that of Myanmar can obviously see that every day the majority
of the Western media and the Bangkok Post and the Nation in Thailand are
having the tongues of their scales tilted. A newspaper should be right.
Otherwise, its tongue will tilt.
Author : Maung Hmat Kyauk
________________
The BurmaNet News is an Internet newspaper providing comprehensive
coverage of news and opinion on Burma (Myanmar) from around the world.
If you see something on Burma, you can bring it to our attention by
emailing it to strider@xxxxxxx
To automatically subscribe to Burma's only free daily newspaper in
English, send an email to:
burmanet-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe to The BurmaNet News in Burmese, send an email to:
burmanetburmese-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
You can also contact BurmaNet by phone or fax:
Voice mail or fax (US) +1(202) 318-1261
You will be prompted to press 1 for a voice message or 2 to send a fax.
If you do neither, a fax tone will begin automatically.
Fax (Japan) +81 (3) 4512-8143
________________
Burma News Summaries available by email or the web
There are three Burma news digest services available via either email or
the web.
Burma News Update
Frequency: Biweekly
Availability: By fax or the web.
Viewable online at http://www.soros.org/burma/burmanewsupdate/index.html
Cost: Free
Published by: Open Society Institute, Burma Project
The Burma Courier
Frequency: Weekly
Availability: E-mail, fax or post. To subscribe or unsubscribe by email
celsus@xxxxxxxxxxx
Viewable on line at: http://www.egroups.com/group/BurmaCourier
Cost: Free
Note: News sources are cited at the beginning of an article.
Interpretive comments and background
details are often added.
Burma Today
Frequency: Weekly
Availability: E-mail
Viewable online at http://www.worldviewrights.org/pdburma/today.html
To subscribe, write to pdburma@xxxxxxxxx
Cost: Free
Published by: PD Burma (The International Network of Political Leaders
Promoting Democracy in Burma)
________________
==^================================================================
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://igc.topica.com/u/?b1dbSX.b1CGhI
Or send an email To: burmanet-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This email was sent to: reg.burma@xxxxxxxxxx
T O P I C A -- Learn More. Surf Less.
Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose.
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01
==^================================================================