[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
BurmaNet News: August 23, 2001 (r)
- Subject: BurmaNet News: August 23, 2001 (r)
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 20:44:00
______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
An on-line newspaper covering Burma
August 23, 2001 Issue # 1871
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________
INSIDE BURMA _______
*DVB : Burma's military intelligence closely monitors political activity
*DVB : Authorities dismiss official for contact with opposition
*Kyodo: Lao premier ends 4-day visit to Myanmar
MONEY _______
*The Norway Post: Kvaerner pulls out of Burma contract
*DVB: Burma sets onerous fishing policy for Thai companies
*Xinhua: Indian Company to Build Dyeing Factory for Myanmar
GUNS______
*Bangkok Post: Armed men take hostage into Burma
REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL _______
*The Irrawaddy: Bad News for Asylum Seekers
*The Irrawaddy: No Clues in Exiles Disappearance
EDITORIALS/OPINION/PROPAGANDA________
*Saarbruecker Zeitung (Germany): [Summary translation--group donates
computers to Burma govt schools]
OTHER______
*Burma Office Sydney: Position vacant
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________
DVB : Burma's military intelligence closely monitors political activity
http://www.dvb.no/scoop/
Text of report by DVB on 22 August
DVB has learned that local Military Intelligence [MI] personnel have
been closely watching every move made by National League for Democracy
[NLD] members nationwide and they have to report daily to the
Directorate of Defence Services Intelligence [DDSI]. They have to report
in detail the date, time, place, topic of discussion, and attendance of
any NLD meeting including names.
Reliable sources say when any NLD member travels the local MI has to
report to the DDSI office about the mode of transport, time of
departure, the destination, and even lunch stops.
The same sources say the MI have to supply detailed report such as
Mandalay Division NLD Member Daw Win Thein, Chanmyathazi Township NLD
Organizing Committee Member U Lin Myint, and two NLD youth members took
the No 16-Down Mandalay-Rangoon train at 1730 [all times local] on 16
August to go to Rangoon NLD headquarters and participate at the NLD
sponsored debate on the topic life begins at 40.
Furthermore, the list of elected representatives and NLD members from
the townships and wards has to be reported on a regular basis. At the
same time, the reports include what the NLD members have been doing,
their livelihood, and whether they are active in party activities.
DVB has also discovered that in the Shan State, the activities of the
Shan Nationalities League for Democracy party members are reported in
addition to that of the NLD.
Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 22 Aug 01
___________________________________________________
DVB : Authorities dismiss official for contact with opposition
Text of report by DVB on 20 August
DVB has learned that the SPDC authorities have been closely monitoring
Kyant Phut [derogatory term for Union Solidarity and Development
Association, USDA] members about their involvement in politics. Any USDA
member doubted to be involved in politics is dismissed from the
association and action taken later.
On 17 August, ward authorities issued an order instructing Ko Maung
Maung Htay, a USDA member and a people's volunteer who resides at Block
No 705, Mawraziwar Ward, Chanmyathazi Township in Mandalay, to come to
the Ward Peace and Development Council Office every Friday and sign a
pledge of not involving in party politics.
Ko Maung Maung Htay, alleged to have contacts with National League for
Democracy [NLD] members, is a frequent visitor to NLD township offices.
The ward authorities monitored his movements and then informed the
regional Military Intelligence unit which ordered them to make him sign
a weekly pledge. According to DVB, Ko Maung Maung Htay happens to be a
nephew of U Thet Oo, NLD Chanmyathazi Township Organizing Committee
member.
At present investigations are under way on whether the activities of Ko
Maung Maung Htay, dismissed from the Kyant Phut and peoples' volunteers,
were controlled by the NLD.
According to latest reports received by DVB, the SPDC authorities also
monitor the movements of Fire Services Department, Red Cross Brigade,
and women's association members on contacts with NLD and involvement in
party politics.
Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 20 Aug 01
___________________________________________________
Kyodo: Lao premier ends 4-day visit to Myanmar
YANGON, Aug. 22, Kyodo - Lao Prime Minister Bounnhang Vorachit left
Yangon on Wednesday, ending a four-day goodwill visit to Myanmar.
Accompanied by his wife and a 19-member entourage, the Lao leader
arrived Sunday and immediately held talks with Myanmar leaders led by
Prime Minister Sr. Gen. Than Shwe the same day.
The Lao forestry, industry and deputy transport ministers also held
talks with their Myanmar counterparts Sunday.
While the official Lao delegation visited industrial sites and a special
agricultural zone near Yangon on Monday, Vorachit's wife visited the
Women's Development Center and the gemology museum before the group left
for sightseeing in Mandalay.
They returned to the capital Wednesday and then left for Vientiane.
______________________MONEY________________________
The Norway Post: Kvaerner pulls out of Burma contract
22 August 2001
The Norwegian company Kvaerner has pulled out of a contract with Premier
Petroleum Myanmar Ltd of Burma.
The political situation in the country is given as reason for the
Kvaerner pull-out.
Kvaerner's Singapore office first announced the signing of a contract
with Premier Petroleum Myanmar for the upgrading of an oil platform.
However, as soon as the European leadership were informed of the
contract, they ordered the Singapore office to pull out of the deal, NRK
reports.
The contract for upgrading of the Yetagun platform was worth US$ 30
million, around NOK 267 million.
Kvaerner had completed the preliminary work for the project in April
this year, according to a press release from the company.
There is no legal Norwegian boycott of Burma, but the Norwegian
authorities have urged Norwegian firms to refrain from investing in the
country.
___________________________________________________
DVB: Burma sets onerous fishing policy for Thai companies
Text of report by DVB on 22 August
The Ministry of Livestock Breeding and Fisheries has adopted a new
fishing policy for Thai fishing boats and has informed the
representatives of the Thai companies in Rangoon and the Thai Fisheries
Department on 17 August.
DVB has learned that the new policy has nine points and the chance of
Thai fishing boats obtaining a fishing licence is rather slim. DVB
correspondent Myint Maung Maung filed this report.
[Myint Maung Maung] The new fishing policy has nine points and they are:
1. Thai fishing boats will be permitted to fish in Burmese territorial
waters. 2. The catch transferred to other boats is allowed to cross the
Burma-Thai border but not the Thai fishing vessels with the catch. 3.
Action will be taken against the ship and crew if the regulations are
not adhered to. 4. Thai entrepreneurs from the fishing industry must
sign a written pledge that they will not engage in anti-SPDC activities
and action will be taken against the ship and crew if the regulations
are not followed. 5. Each Thai company must deposit a security bond of
US dollars 100,000. Previously the security bond was only US dollars
50,000. 6. The fishing licence is US dollars15,000 per boat regardless
of size but a five-month advanced deposit is warranted. 7. As security
for the fishing boats will be provided by the Ministry of Livestock
Breeding and Fisheries, charges for security will be collected in US
dollars at certain times. 8. Development funds solicited for the state
will be collected in US dollars. 9. An undertaking must also be signed
to adhere to the SPDC laws and the laws, rules, and regulations of the
Ministry of Livestock Breeding and Fisheries.
Thai fishing entrepreneurs seem to be disappointed with the new
regulations and remarked that no Thai fishing entrepreneur will be able
to work under these regulations. Furthermore, Thai private fisheries
association will urge the Burmese government to review its new fishing
regulations through the Thai Fisheries Department when SPDC Secretary-1
Lt Gen Khin Nyunt visit Thailand in September.
Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 22 Aug 01
___________________________________________________
Xinhua: Indian Company to Build Dyeing Factory for Myanmar
YANGON, August 23 (Xinhuanet) -- An Indian company has reached a
contract here with Myanmar to build a dyeing and printing factory in
the country's northern Mandalay division.
The contract between the PEC Ltd of India and the Myanma Textile
Industries of the Ministry of Industry No.1 was signed on Wednesday,
official newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday.
The Yamethin dyeing and printing factory construction project will be
implemented on a plot of 6.68 hectares, 8 kilometers north of Yamethin
in the division, within 11 months after the signing of the contract, it
said.
According to an earlier official report, India's Angelique
International Ltd signed a number of contracts in June respectively
with organizations under Myanmar's Ministry of Industry No.2 for
purchasing machinery totally worth 4.8 million U. S. dollars to be used
at production factories of the ministry.
India began investing in Myanmar only in February 1999 with 4.5 million
dollars as a new foreign investor out of those from 25 countries and
regions investing in Myanmar.
_______________________GUNS________________________
Bangkok Post: Armed men take hostage into Burma
August 23, 2001
A villager was abducted by four armed men near the Thai-Burmese border
in Bang Saphan district on Tuesday and taken into Burma.
Police said Chaisak sae Fong, from village No 9, tambon Ronthong, was
taking his cattle to graze when he was stopped by the men armed with
machine-guns, pistols and hand grenades who forced him to take the
cattle into Burma.
A few hours later, they returned to ransack his house. They made off
with 1,000 baht in cash and some rice.
Before leaving they told Mr Chaisak's wife, Wassana, to pay a ransom of
400,000 baht for his release.
She informed police of the abduction. Police and military authorities
yesterday set up a co-ordinating centre and contacted a Burmese military
unit to find out which minority group operating in the area was
responsible for the abduction.
There are two minority groups in the area - the Mon and the Karen.
Local and border patrol police were sent to all passes along the
Thai-Burmese border in Bang Saphan to block the abductors' escape.
___________________ REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL___________________
The Irrawaddy: Bad News for Asylum Seekers
August 21, 2001
By Maung Maung Oo
The hopes of roughly 5,000 refugee claimants from Burma appear to have
been crushed by a recent statement from the Secretary General of the
National Security Council (NSC), Thailand's most influential
foreign-policy body The NSC says the group, which is currently staying
at the Mae La refugee camp, located 500 km northwest of Bangkok on the
Thai-Burma border, are illegal migrants seeking better lives, not
refugees.
Khajadpai Buruspatana, Secretary General of the NSC, has accused the
United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) of delaying the
deportation of the group, which consists mainly of ethnic-Karen,
according to an article in the Bangkok-based Nation newspaper.
"Despite the fact that the war (in Burma) is over, they (UNHCR) want to
make them stay here on grounds that these people may be affected by the
ramifications of the war," the Secretary General was quoted as saying.
"Our policy is to close refugee camps and send them back home. They will
be asked where they want to be sent back to. If they cant say where, we
will send them back where we deem safe," he added.
The Thai government suspended plans to deport the group last Sunday
after the UNHCR urged the government to rethink the move. The UNHCR and
Burma watchers based in Thailand say the current political situation in
Burma remains highly volatile, and insist that it is still too dangerous
to begin repatriating refugees.
Fighting between Rangoon's military government and the Karen National
Union (KNU) continues just over the border in eastern Burmas Karen
State.
The Burmese Army, along with the pro-Rangoon Democratic Karen Buddhist
Army (DKBA), has been burning down Karen villages and forcibly
relocating the villagers, according to sources along the border.
Meanwhile, the NSC is looking to relocate refugees from the overcrowded
Tham Hin camp, which sits 20 km from the Thai-Burma border. There are
currently over 8,000 people living in the camp despite insufficient
housing and inadequate access to water and food.
"The health condition of people in the camp is getting worse," said one
camp resident. "Every day I miss our homeland where we used to live
freely."
There are an estimated 136,000 refugees currently sheltering in camps
along the Thai-Burma border.
Rangoon says that most of the refugees living on Thai soil are relatives
of KNU soldiers, and claims that the camps serve as bases for insurgent
activities.
The Irrawaddy: No Clues in Exiles Disappearance
August 21, 2001
By Ko Thet
A group of eight Burmese dissidents living in exile on the Thai-Burma
border disappeared in mid-July, according to reliable sources in the
border town of Mae Sot. The missing individuals, including a central
committee member from the National League for Democracy-Liberated Area
(NLD-LA) and a recognized political refugee, were all members of
different Burmese pro-democracy groups based in Mae Sot.
Nobody has seen any of the individuals since the middle of last month,
according to a statement issued by the Burmese Students Political
Refugee Committee (BSPRC) on August 2, 2001. The statement identified
Aung Myat Tun, a political refugee recognized by the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and Sunny, a member of the NLD-LAs
central committee, as two of the missing persons.
A spokesman for the NLD-LA said that the group is currently
investigating the situation and cannot comment on the matter, but added
that they intend to release a statement soon.
A number of exiled Burmese opposition groups have been based in Mae Sot
since a crackdown on Burmas pro-democracy uprising in 1988 sent many
dissidents fleeing to the Thai-Burma border. The Burmese juntas Military
Intelligence Service (MIS) is also known to maintain a strong presence
there.
Over the years, the MIS has attempted to infiltrate opposition groups
based on the border, in hopes of repeating its successful operations
against the Karen National Union (KNU). The Burmese Army overtook the
KNUs stronghold, Manerplaw, in 1995 after heavy penetration by MIS
agents exposed internal rifts. It is also widely believed that many MIS
agents participate in the smuggling of drugs into Thailand from Burma.
In July last year, twelve members of the Peoples Liberation Front (PLF),
another Burmese dissident group, mysteriously disappeared from the Mae
Sot area and never resurfaced. Some individuals from the PLF were
thought to be involved with MIS agents, according to a source in Mae
Sot.
Saarbruecker Zeitung (Germany): [Summary translation--group donates
computers to Burma govt schools]
[Summary translation and editorial comments by Burma Group Karlsruhe]
08.08.2001
[Summary] According to the Saarbruecker Zeitung (Germany), the German
organisation "Foerderverein Myanmar" (Support Group Myanmar) wants to
donate over 100 computers inclusive all peripherals to government
schools in Mingun and Rangoon, as well as to a monastery school in
Mandalay. The transport as well as the group itself gets financed by the
German government and is obviously very sympathetic to the regime.
Insiders in Germany say, the group pretends to be somehow critical, but
not to much is known about the group, apart, that the German government
and the groups's members seem to support it very much. Also this group
is engaged to promote tourism in Burma.
The group - which has over 50 members (more than any Burma democratic
opposition group in Germany) - can get contacted under following
address:
Christian Runge
Heinrich-Böcking-Straße 1a
66121 Saarbrücken.
Tel. ++49 (0)681 66790.
[Full text in German: http://www.sz-newsline.de/saar/G4A1NT21_1.php3]
______________________OTHER______________________
Burma Office Sydney: Position vacant
The Burma Office Sydney is the office for National Coalition Government
of Union of Burma (NCGUB), Federation of Trade Unions-Burma (FTUB) and
Australia Burma Council (ABC). The Office was established in 1996 to
promote human rights and democracy in Burma.
The management committee is urgently seeking applications from suitable
persons to manage the day to day activities of the office on a permanant
part time basis. The initial contract will be for twelve months-
renewable subject to availability of funding.
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply if they meet the following
requirements.
Must have sound knowledge of the Burma Democracy Movement and strong
commitment to the cause. 
Must be proficient in both spoken and written English. 
Must be able to collate Burma related news and reproduce them in a
monthly publication of the Burma News Update Newsletter. 
Must recognize the role of NCGUB, FTUB and ABC.
Must be able to work independently.
Must be able to liaise and lobby Unions, Parliamentary Friends of Burma
and NGOs. 
Must be able to address and attend meetings on behalf of Burma Office.

Must be able to prepare and submit activity reports every three months.
Successful applicant will report directly to the management committee
of the Burma Office.
Salary & Hours of work
Due to financial constraints of the Burma Office the salary will be paid
on honararium basis.
Hours of work will be from 10 a.m to 3 p.m Monday to Wednesday.
Applications should address to
Terrell Oung, Coordinator,
Burma Office Sydney,
Suite 6, L8, NSW Labor Council Bldg.
377-383, Sussex Street, Sydney 2000
or you can send it to the above email address by no later than Friday 31
August 2001.
________________
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@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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 fax:
(US) +1(413)604-9008
________________
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.burmaproject.org/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 -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================