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BurmaNet News: September 2, 2001



______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
        An on-line newspaper covering Burma 
           September 2, 2001   Issue # 1875
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________



INSIDE BURMA _______
*Reuters: All sides in Myanmar want reconciliation -UN envoy
AFP: UN envoy meets with Suu Kyi, diplomats, ethnic leaders in Myanmar 
AP: NLD credits U.N. envoy with ``working hard'' for success of talks 
Times of India: Myanmar Oppn hopes for prisoner releases after envoy's 
visit 

MONEY _______
*Xinhua: Myanmar's Rice Export Up Sharply in First Four Months
*Xinhua: Myanmar to Hold Mid-Year Gems Emporium
AFP: Myanmar to buy bridge infrastructure from China 

GUNS______
*AFP: Rebels surrender in Myanmar 

DRUGS______
AP: Local Myanmar firm to build new Yangon wharf 
AP: Police: Myanmar drug money laundered on Thai stock market 
AFP: Myanmar forces make major drug bust in Golden Triangle region 

REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL _______
*AFP: Activist groups to protest visit by Myanmar's number-three 
AP: Myanmar general Khin Nyunt declines to fly on Thai helicopter 
North East Sun Magazine (India): Chin's Uncertain Tomorrow
AFP: France hails easing of restrictions on Myanmar opposition 

EDITORIALS/OPINION/PROPAGANDA________
*The Irrawaddy: Training: For Whose Sake?
*Letter: Ten Reasons [Derik Tonkin replies to Asiaweek?s Roger Mitton]

OTHER______
*Internews: Journalism training position


					
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________




Reuters: All sides in Myanmar want reconciliation -UN envoy

By Aung Hla Tun 

 YANGON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - U.N. envoy Razali Ismail ended a four day 
visit to Myanmar this week hopeful of progress in landmark talks between 
the military government and opposition, the United Nations said in a 
statement. 

 Razali left Myanmar on Thursday after a series of meetings with 
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the ruling generals refusing 
to comment on progress in the confidential talks, which have now been 
continuing in secret for 10 months. 

 ``I can only say that I'm satisfied. I should not say anything more as 
negotiations are still under way,'' Razali told Malaysia's Bernama news 
agency. 
 The United Nations said in a statement Razali believed both sides 
involved in the talks wanted reconciliation. 

 ``A United Nations envoy today confirmed that all parties to the 
conflict in Myanmar remained committed to the process of national 
reconciliation and expressed hope about the possibility of further 
progress in the ongoing talks between the government and the National 
League for Democracy (NLD),'' the statement said. 

 Suu Kui's NLD won Maynmar's last elections in 1990 by a landslide but 
has never been allowed to govern. 
 Instead, its members have been detained and harassed. 
 Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, has been under de facto 
house arrest for almost a year. 
 Diplomats in Yangon who were briefed by Razali have said the political 
dialogue in Myanmar has reached a sensitive stage. 

 POLITICAL PRISONERS 

 Tensions between the two sides have eased in recent months and the 
military has released more than 150 political prisoners including two 
top NLD leaders. 

 NLD Chairman Aung Shwe and Vice Chairman Tin Oo were both released from 
de facto house arrest on the eve of Razali's arrival in Yangon in a move 
widely seen as a goodwill gesture by the military. 

 But there has been persistent speculation that the talks have hit an 
impasse. 

 Suu Kyi's refusal to attend an important official ceremony last month 
was interpreted by some diplomats as a signal that the talks had run 
into problems. 
 Despite the releases of NLD members, Amnesty International estimates 
there are still 1,500 political prisoners in Myanmar. 

 The government insists it is committed to moving towards democracy, but 
that too fast a transition would risk anarchy and national 
disintegration. 
 Razali held talks with leaders of Myanmar's ethnic minorities, whose 
support for any transition in Myanmar would be vital. 

 Khun Tun Oo, leader of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy 
(SNLD), said Razali had appeared positive over the talks between Suu Kyi 
and the military. 

 ``Mr Razali is becoming more optimistic about the ongoing talks,'' he 
told Reuters after meeting the U.N. envoy. 

 The SNLD came in second in the 1990 elections. 
 The U.N. statement said Razali would report the results of his mission 
to Myanmar to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan when he visits New York 
in September. 








___________________________________________________




AFP: UN envoy meets with Suu Kyi, diplomats, ethnic leaders in Myanmar 

YANGON, Aug 29 (AFP) - UN envoy Razali Ismail met with democracy leader 
Aung San Suu Kyi and top members of her party Wednesday, and scheduled 
talks with diplomats and ethnic leaders as he worked to speed democratic 
reform in Myanmar. 
 The Malaysian diplomat, whose fifth trip to the military-run country 
ends Thursday, consulted widely among the groups whose support will be 
crucial in any transition to civil government. 

 He made a return visit to Aung San Suu Kyi's lakeside residence where 
he spent almost two hours the previous day discussing her landmark 
dialogue with the junta which began 10 months ago. 

 On the eve of Razali's arrival Monday the regime released two top 
members of the opposition National League Democracy (NLD), but the 
party's figurehead remains under loose house arrest restrictions imposed 
last September. 

 Razali visited the NLD's downtown headquarters earlier Wednesday for 
meetings with its decision-making body, the Central Executive Committee, 
as he tried to accelerate the pace of the political thaw. 

 He was characteristically tight-lipped after the talks, saying he had 
"no statement to make", but a senior party spokesman confirmed that a 
mood of cautious optimism continued to prevail. 

 "We did have many problems to talk about and we are satisfied he 
understood them. His main function here is to mediate and facilitate and 
he said he would do everything in his power to achieve success," said 
party spokesman U Lwin. 

 The NLD secretary sidestepped suggestions that Aung San Suu Kyi had 
become frustrated over the slow pace of prisoner releases which form a 
vital part of the confidence-building process set in motion by Razali. 

 "We have already called for the release of all political prisoners and 
we will continue to do so," he said. 

 "We have our speed and they have their speed," he said when asked 
whether the release of almost 200 of Myanmar's estimated 1,800 political 
prisoners over recent months had been enough to satisfy the party. 

 With the release of top NLD members Tin Oo and Aung Shwe over the 
weekend, rumours are beginning to swirl that another development may be 
in the offing, such as a statement on the content and progress of the 
secret dialogue. 

 But U Lwin said it was impossible to say what the next move would be in 
the reconciliation process which has moved painfully slowly since 
starting late last year. 

 "I'm not a fortune teller and I can't foresee the future," he said. 

 As well as seeing Aung San Suu Kyi Wednesday Razali is due to hold a 
session with diplomats from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 
(ASEAN). 

 His packed schedule includes talks with non-governmental organisations 
as well as the ethnic political parties who have expressed frustration 
over their exclusion from the dialogue between the democratic opposition 
and the military government. 
 In the evening he will hold a dinner meeting with diplomats from the 
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations. 






___________________________________________________




AP: NLD credits U.N. envoy with ``working hard'' for success of talks 

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) _ U.N. special envoy Razali Ismail met with senior 
members of the opposition National League for Democracy Wednesday, who 
credited him with ``working hard'' for the success of reconciliation 
talks with the ruling military. 

 Eight members of the NLD's central executive committee sat with Razali 
for an hour at the party's humble headquarters in Yangon _ among them 
chairman Aung Shwe and vice chairman Tin Oo, both released from a year 
of house arrest on the eve of Razali's visit. 

 Detained party leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who met with the envoy the 
previous day, was not present. 

 The U.N. envoy is on his fifth visit to Myanmar to help broker a 
resolution to the military state's political deadlock. He is credited 
with bringing Suu Kyi and the regime together for their most significant 
talks in a decade. 

 U Lwin, the NLD secretary, expressed satisfaction with Wednesday's 
meeting. 
 Asked when the junta-Suu Kyi talks are likely to achieve success, U 
Lwin said: ``I'm not a fortune teller and I cannot predict. But Mr. 
Razali is working very hard to achieve success (with the talks).'' 

 He added that Razali would meet Suu Kyi for a second time before 
leaving Myanmar Thursday, and would visit the country again in two 
months time. 

 On Tuesday, Razali met with Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, the No. 3 in the junta 
command, and then with Suu Kyi, who has been kept under de facto house 
arrest since Sept. 22 after she defied restrictions by trying to travel 
outside Yangon. 

 Later Wednesday, Razali, a Malaysian, was due to meet separately with 
Southeast Asian ambassadors and leaders of political parties 
representing ethnic groups in Myanmar such as the Shan, Karen, Mon and 
Arakan. 

 Since his four-day visit began Monday, the U.N. envoy has declined 
comment to reporters. His mission has gone unreported in the 
state-dominated media and Myanmar officials have revealed nothing. 

 A diplomat who met Razali reported him as saying that ``things are 
moving but we need to give them some time.'' The U.N. envoy further 
cautioned against expecting immediate results from the talks. 

 ``Mr. Razali wouldn't go into specifics. He's careful and playing it 
properly,'' the diplomat said on condition of anonymity. 

 Suu Kyi, who won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her peaceful democracy 
struggle, has been holding confidential talks with the junta in her home 
since October. Scant details have emerged. 

 But as a result, since January the government has freed nearly 160 
political prisoners from jails and 32 NLD elected representatives from 
state 'guest houses.' 

 In her first reported comments in a year, Suu Kyi expressed in a 
statement issued by the NLD on Monday ``extreme satisfaction'' with the 
release Sunday of Aung Shwe and Tin Oo, her two top associates. 

 Suu Kyi also pledged to strive for democracy in the country and urged 
NLD members to work with senior leaders ``in the interest of the people 
of Myanmar.'' Myanmar is also known as Burma. 

 The current group of generals came to power in 1988 after a bloody 
crackdown against a democracy uprising. They called general elections in 
1990 but ignored the results, which had given a resounding victory to 
the NLD. 

 The subsequent suppression of the NLD and its political activities have 
attracted widespread Western criticism of the military junta, which is 
also widely condemned for its human rights record. 


2001-08-29  



___________________________________________________



Times of India: Myanmar Oppn hopes for prisoner releases after envoy's 
visit 

 
 
 
YANGON: Myanmar's democratic Opposition said on Friday it was hopeful 
that more political prisoners would be released soon to mark a 
successful mission by UN envoy Razali Ismail to the military-run nation.

During the four-day trip which ended on Thursday, Razali pushed the 
junta to release 29 elected MPs from the opposition National League for 
Democracywho remain in jail.

The release of the 29 and other leading NLD figures, particularly those 
who are elderly or infirm, is believed to be a top priority of democracy 
leader Aung San Suu Kyi who began talks with the ruling junta in 
October.

An NLD source said the party was hopeful the military government, which 
has freed nearly 200 dissidents since the talks began, will release 
another three MPs who have been hospitalised.

"We are quite worried about U Win Tin, who is a trusted lieutenant of 
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi serving an extended jail term at Insein jail, and 
also U Win Myint and Thu Way, who we understand are presently being 
treated at the Guard Ward of the Yangon General Hospital," the source 
said.

"Quite a number of the other MPs have also passed 60 ... some are 
suffering from heart ailments and other conditions such as arthritis and 
lumbago ... we're hoping that they will be the first ones to be 
released."

All the NLD MPs -- elected in 1990 elections which the junta refused to 
recognise -- who were being held at government "guest houses" have been 
released during the political thaw of this year.

Some of the prominent figures now expected to be freed include Aye Tha 
Aung, a representative of ethnic parties and Than Nyein, brother of 
Myanmar's powerful chief of military intelligence Lieutenant-General 
Khin Nyunt.

The NLD source said there are also some 20 student activists including 
the well-known Min Ko Naing, whose terms have expired but who are being 
kept in jail under a law which protects the state against "destructive 
elements."

Razali said little about the progress of his mission while in Yangon, 
but after he departed UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said his efforts 
to promote national reconciliation and democratic reform remained on 
track.

"Razali was pleased to confirm that all parties remain committed to the 
process of national reconciliation," Annan said in a statement.

"He hopes that further progress in the ongoing talks between the 
government and the NLD will be possible."

Razali's fifth visit was surrounded by a buzz of expectations, 
especially when the junta released two top NLD members from house arrest 
on the eve of his arrival in a significant goodwill gesture.

A UN source said the mood of the visit was "much more relaxed" than 
before, but observers said it was hard to know when the talks, which 
have been held under tight secrecy, will make a public step forward.

There are hopes, particularly among groups excluded from the dialogue 
such as ethnic minorities, that Aung San Suu Kyi will make a statement 
on the progress and content of the talks -- perhaps when the 29 NLD MPs 
and a handful of other top opposition figures are freed.

"I think a statement would be useful but I don't think any of us should 
say it is essential," said one diplomat.

"Anything could happen and something could happen quite quickly, one 
never knows."
( AFP ) 






______________________MONEY________________________



Xinhua: Myanmar's Rice Export Up Sharply in First Four Months

YANGON, September 2 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar exported 155,600 tons of rice in 
the first four months of this year, earning 18.27 million U.S. dollars, 
the country's Central Statistical Organization said in its latest data. 
The export volume and foreign exchange earning during the four- month 
period were respectively up 496 percent and 321.93 percent compared with 
the same period of 2000. Although Myanmar's rice export had dropped from 
111,700 tons in 1998 to 63,700 tons in 1999, it picked up to 141,600 
tons in 2000. To meet its food demand and to export, Myanmar has since 
November 1998 leased out 467,370 hectares of vacant, virgin, fallow and 
wetlands for cultivation by private entrepreneurs. At the same time, it 
has also exempted the import customs duties levied on agricultural 
implements including pesticide, fertilizer, improved variety and 
machinery. Myanmar's cultivable land stretches 18.225 million hectares, 
of which 10.125 million have been put under crops, while 8.1 million 
remain to be utilized. The country's agriculture accounts for 37 percent 
of the gross domestic product and 25 percent of the export value.

 2001-09-02




___________________________________________________





Xinhua: Myanmar to Hold Mid-Year Gems Emporium

YANGON, August 30 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar will hold a mid-year gems emporium 
here on October 7 to 14 in addition to annual one, putting on sale 
locally-produced quality gems, pearl and jewelry through competitive 
biddings, according to sources at the country' s Ministry of Mines 
Thursday. Arrangements have also being made to enable national gem 
merchants to sold their gems at the 10th mid-year gems emporium, it 
said. 

At the last annual Myanmar gems emporium, which was the 38th held in 
March this year, a total of 10.12 million U.S. dollars were earned. The 
March gems emporium attracted a total of 674 merchants from 15 countries 
and regions, mostly from China's Hong Kong, Thailand and China's 
mainland. Myanmar, a well-known producer of jade, ruby and sapphire in 
the world, has been holding gems emporiums annually since 1964 with 
additional mid-year ones being introduced in 1992. The country has 
fetched over 330 million dollars from its 38 annual and nine mid-year 
gems emporiums, according to official statistics.

2001-08-30



___________________________________________________






AFP: Myanmar to buy bridge infrastructure from China 


BANGKOK, Aug 31 (AFP) - Myanmar military authorities Friday signed an 
agreement with a leading Chinese industrial firm in Yangon to buy iron 
frames to build a major brigde, state-run television reported. 
 The contract to supply steel trusses for the Thanlwin bridge over the 
Salween river in southern Myanmar was signed with China National Heavy 
Machinery Cooperation, the report said in a dispatch monitored here. 

 The signing ceremony was presided over by Myanmar ministers and 
Yangon-based Chinese diplomats, it said. 
 The report did not mention figures for the value of the contract. 

 China is one of the largest foreign investors in Myanmar and a main 
arms supplier for the junta. 



 
_______________________GUNS________________________






AFP: Rebels surrender in Myanmar 

BANGKOK, Aug 28 (AFP) - Nineteen anti-government guerrillas have 
surrendered to the military junta in Myanmar, the defence ministry said 
Tuesday. 
 The rebels surrendered separately over the past month to regional army 
commanders and gave up their weapons, according to the ministry's 
monthly report carried by state-run TV Myanmar monitored here. 

 The guerrillas included members of the ethnic Karen, Chin, Shan and 
Arakan minority groups as well as the militant All Burma Students' 
Democratic Front (ABSDF), the report said. 

 They surrendered after "realising the true situation in the country and 
understanding the junta's activities for them", it said. 

 The ABSDF was set up in the jungles along the Thai-Myanmar border by 
pro-democracy students who fled Yangon and other major cities after the 
current regime took power in a bloody coup in 1988. 





________________________DRUGS______________________





AP: Local Myanmar firm to build new Yangon wharf 


YANGON, Myanmar (AP) _ Asia World Port Management Co. is to build a new 
wharf to handle general cargo and containers at Yangon's port, the 
biggest such project taken on by a local company, the official press 
reported Sunday. 

 The deal with the state Myanma Port Authority Saturday was signed in 
the presence of Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, No.3 in the Myanmar military 
regime, the New Light of Myanmar daily reported. 

 Asia World will build and operate No. 3 Ahlone Wharf on a 0.8 hectare 
(2 acre) plot in the west of the Myanmar capital. The wharf will be 
equipped with modern cranes and machinery. The report did not mention 
the amount of investment. 
 Asia World is already handling cargo at two nearby wharfs. With 
completion of the third, it will have capacity for four big ships or 
five medium-sized ships, the report said. 

 Transport Minister Maj. Gen. Hla Myint Swe said the ministry has drawn 
up a 30-year plan to extend and modernize its ports amid an expansion in 
cargo handled. 
 Asia World, which has worked on several infrastructure projects in 
Myanmar, is run by the family of Lo Hsing Han, who has been accused by 
international narcotics officials of previously being the leading heroin 
trafficker in the Golden Triangle. His son Tun Myint Naing, also known 
as Steven Lao, is the company's managing director. 
 Lo Hsing Han, was jailed in Myanmar between 1973 and 1980 for rebellion 
but was released on amnesty. He is now a mainstream businessman in the 
struggling economy of Myanmar, also known as Burma. 


2001-09-02





AP: Police: Myanmar drug money laundered on Thai stock market 


BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ Police have cracked a drug ring that laundered 
at least 70 million baht (dlrs 1.5 million) on the Stock Exchange of 
Thailand, officials said Wednesday. 

 Five Thai suspects were arrested and more than one million 
methamphetamine pills seized in sting operations in the cities of 
Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Bangkok on Monday and Tuesday. 

 Police Col. Vichai Saengprapai, chief investigator for the case, told 
The Associated Press that one of the suspects, Chadaporn Euachua, had 
laundered at least 70 million baht (dlrs 1.5 million) of money through 
Adkinson Securities Co. on the Thai stock market. 

 Police believed the cash was linked to the United Wa State Army, an 
ethnic army in neighboring Myanmar thought by narcotics experts to be 
the main producer of illegal drugs in Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle. 
Huge quantities of heroin and methamphetamines are smuggled from 
Myanmar, also known as Burma, to Thailand. 
 Thai narcotic suppression police and the Anti-Money Laundering 
Commission say they have launched a nationwide crackdown against drug 
money as part of a concerted attempt by Thailand to control the drugs 
menace. 

 ``This is the first case that we discovered drugs money laundered 
through a securities company,'' Vichai said. 

 The five suspects were detained on charges of conspiring to traffic 
drugs and violating the money laundering act, he said. 

 A spokeswoman for Adkinson Securities Co said that the company was 
shocked by the allegation of money laundering and was investigating. It 
would issue a statement later, she said, on customary condition of 
anonymity. 

 Police said the 70 million baht (dlrs 1.5 million) were transferred 
from two Thai companies, Siam Power 1999 Co. and Chanayon Import-Export 
Co. for investment in stocks through Adkinson Securities
 . 
 A spokeswoman for the Stock Exchange of Thailand, or SET, said it was 
not the duty of the SET to investigate the case, but the anti-money 
laundering commission. She spoke on customary condition of anonymity. 

 2001-08-29



__________________________________________________




AFP: Myanmar forces make major drug bust in Golden Triangle region 


YANGON, Sept 1 (AFP) - Myanmar security forces arrested 26 people and 
seized enough chemicals to make 800,000 amphetamine pills in a raid on a 
drug factory in the heart of the Golden Triangle region, officials said 
Saturday. 

 The raid, by a combined anti-narcotics force of army, police and 
military intelligence officers, was carried out on August 24 in the 
township of Tachilek near the Thai and Laotian borders. 

 A military spokesman said it was the first time that Myanmar security 
forces had captured a factory that was not only well hidden but also 
surrounded by a security cordon. 

 He said however that there was no exchange of fire between the 
government troops and the drug producers although a number of arms and 
assorted ammunition were seized. 

 Along with the weapons the raid yielded two pill-making machines, a 
mixer, 83 kilos (182 pounds) of ready-mixed amphetamine powder, four 
kilos of ephedrine, 35 kilos of caffeine powder and six kilos of 
coloring powder. 

 "It was enough to make 800,000 stimulant pills," the spokesman told a 
press conference. 

 Deputy chief of military intelligence, Major General Kyaw Win, told 
reporters that none of those arrested were from the Wa ethnic group. 

 The United Wa State Army militia are accused by the international 
community of controlling much of Myanmar's drug trade, but are defended 
by Myanmar's junta, which has signed a ceasefire agreement with the 
group. 

 "The Wa have been widely publicized as being amphetamine producers in 
this region and that they were totally responsible for all the stimulant 
tablets finding their way into Thailand," said Kyaw Win. 
 "This raid has proven that the Wa do not deserve the reputation they 
have." 

 Both Thai and Myanmar security forces have made major drug seizures in 
the tri-border region. Fighting between the Wa and a rival ethnic 
militia in March sparked a half-day clash between the two national 
armies. 




___________________ REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL___________________
				



AFP: Activist groups to protest visit by Myanmar's number-three 

BANGKOK, Sept 2 (AFP) - An alliance of Thai and Myanmar activist groups 
Sunday said an official three-day visit this week by Myanmar's 
intelligence chief was "against the will of Thai people." 

 The Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma and nearly a dozen 
democracy, labour and student organisations said they would protest 
Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt's visit Monday, calling on Thailand to 
"reconsider its relationship with the regime." 

 "Khin Nyunt's arrival should not be welcomed in a democratic country 
like Thailand, which has passed through a long fight against 
dictatorship," the groups said in a joint statement. 

 "It not only goes against the will of the Thai people, who 
democratically elected this government, but also wrongfully approves the 
existence of oppressive tyranny." 

 Khin Nyunt is scheduled to meet with Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra 
during his September 3-5 visit, which is to improve relations after a 
bitter six-month-long row between the two neighbours. 
 The historically tense relationship with Myanmar erupted into open 
hostility in February when the two national armies staged a half-day 
clash sparked by skirmishes between rival ethnic militias on the border. 


 In a list of demands released Sunday, the protest groups demanded that 
the Thai government halt all business deals with the junta until the 
military-run nation restores "democracy and a legitimate government." 

 The activists urged Thailand to focus talks on the problem of illegal 
migrant workers fleeing Myanmar, encouraging talks between the junta and 
the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) and the freeing of 
political prisoners. 

 The groups said they would convene at Bangkok's Government House at 
mid-day 

2001-09-02









___________________________________________________



AP: Myanmar general Khin Nyunt declines to fly on Thai helicopter 


BANGKOK, Thailand, (AP) _ Myanmar junta's No.3 leader, Lt. Gen. Khin 
Nyunt, does not want to fly in a Thai helicopter when he makes a rare 
visit to neighboring Thailand next month amid tight security, Thai 
security sources said Friday. 

 Myanmar officials have requested that Thailand keep the program of the 
Monday-to-Wednesday visit a secret until the last minute, including the 
time and place of arrival, the sources said. 

 Khin Nyunt, Myanmar's military intelligence chief and Secretary One of 
the ruling military council, will lead a 30-strong delegation. It will 
be a rare trip by a top Myanmar general to Thailand and is seen as a 
step forward for often shaky bilateral relations. 
 A senior military official told The Associated Press that Myanmar has 
informed Thailand that Khin Nyunt does not want to fly in a helicopter 
during his travels within Thailand. 

 Khin Nyunt is due to travel Tuesday to the beach town of Hua Hin, 200 
kilometers (125 miles) south of Bangkok, for an audience with King 
Bhumibol Adulyadej at his seaside palace. Most visiting dignitaries make 
that trip by helicopter. 

 The source said the military had arranged a bulletproof motorcade for 
him instead. The source said it was not clear whether Khin Nyunt was 
concerned about security on the helicopter. 

 Khin Nyunt will also hold talks with Thai generals and a working lunch 
with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Bangkok. The issues to be 
discussed include drug suppression and the endorsement of an agreement 
to post a narcotic official in each other's country, Foreign Minister 
Surakiart Sathirathai told reporters. 

 Controlling an influx of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand and 
resumption of fishing concessions in Myanmar waters will also be 
discussed, he said. 
 Developments in Myanmar after the recent visit of a U.N. special envoy 
trying to mediate between detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi 
and the regime would be touched upon, Thai officials said. 

 The talks are the most significant move in a decade in breaking the 
country's political deadlock. 
 A Thai Special Branch police officer said agents are monitoring the 
movement of Myanmar dissidents and opposition groups living in Thailand, 
but was confident there would be no anti-Myanmar protest during Khin 
Nyunt's visit. 

 Sonny Mahinder of the Thai-based All Burma Students' Democratic Front, 
the main group for exiled student dissidents, said it will not cause any 
trouble in respect of Thai laws. Myanmar is also known as Burma. 
 The group also does not want to harm reconciliation talks in Myanmar, 
he said. 

 Myanmar's prime minister and military chief Gen. Than Shwe visited 
northern Thailand in 1999 and met with then Thai premier Chuan Leekpai, 
but did not visit Bangkok.
 



___________________________________________________




North East Sun Magazine (India): Chin's Uncertain Tomorrow


Nearly 50,000 Chin nationals from Myanmar, taking refuge at various 
places in Mizoram are an exploited lot. They are at the mercy of the 
hosts and have no political future. 

Shantanu Nandan Sharma


Around 50,000 Chins of Myanmar, taking refuge at various places in 
Mizoram for years now are in utter uncertainty and without any 
direction. A year has passed by of what they call the Mizoram 
Government's highhandedness in arresting one thousand of them and even 
deporting 181 beyond the Tio river border. A few came back, but the 
remaining 23 fell into the hands of the authoritarian military 
government of Myanmar. 
The Chins, residing in Mizoram and living on the professions like 
woodcutting, road construction, handloom weaving, domestic help, 
roadside vendors, brew making etc., have often complained that they are 
underpaid, harassed and being exploited by the locals. More than that, 
they do not know their political future, even as some of them have 
allegedly enrolled themselves in the voter's list of Mizoram. 

In fact, the nationals of Myanmar, trying to get political rights in 
that North-Eastern state has been considered as one of the main reasons, 
why the Mizos have started suspecting them and putting pressure on the 
administration to take harsher steps against them. Another accusation 
against the Chins is their involvement in preparing Zu, the country 
liquor that extremely popular in Mizoram. Interestingly, Mizoram happens 
to be a dry state like Nagaland, and that explains why the country 
liquor, prepared by the Chins in particular has become an instant hit. 

But the more serious allegation against this foreign lot is their 
so-called involvement in drugs trafficking, which their leaders refuge 
blatantly. So far as the brew making is concerned, they agree doing 
that, but the argue that the locals are invariably the owners of the 
factories and they are the consumers as well. The issue came up once 
again, when five persons died after taking country liquor, prepared at 
Sairang village, 20 km from Aizawl in March 2001. 

Though the refugees from Myanmar, the Chins in particular, are 
complaining of the excess of the Mizoram Government machinery and have 
at times lodged complaints even to the National Human Rights Commission 
and the United Nations human rights bodies, they know the life across 
the border. After all, the repressive regime in Myanmar is deadlier than 
that of the Mizoram administration. But what the Chins wish to get from 
the Mizos is a friendly attitude because of their clan kinship. 

The Mizos and the Chins are originated from the same stock and the 
contemporary history has shown how cross border movement of the Mizos 
and Chins has been taking place for decades now. Both the Chins of 
Myanmar and Mizos and Kukis from India celebrate the same harvest 
festival Kut. Also, the similarity of the Mizo and the Chin language is 
of 80 percent or even more. 

When Burma was separated from the Indian administration under the 
British regime in 1935, the Chin territory became two parts. One within 
India, which came to be known as Lushai Hills, was put under the 
administration of Assam and the other in the Burma side was named as the 
Chin Hills. During the post-Independence time, the migration was 
eastward as thousands of people of Lushai Hills migrated to the land of 
their brothers in Chin tract. The economic prosperity of Burma in the 
early fifties led many a Mizo crossing over to Burma and started life 
there. 

Moreover, when the Lushai Hills or the present day Mizoram faced the 
biggest ever famines, called Mautam in 1957-58, it was almost an exodus 
for the people there to migrate to Burma. However, the military 
dictatorship led by General Ne Win from 1962, led to the reversal of the 
influx and the people from Burma started entering the Lushai Hills in 
search for peace and settlement. 

Many a time, the migration was driven purely by the economic reasons and 
political overtones were absent altogether. For example, Mizoram 
witnessed a shortage of science graduate to teach in schools and it was 
precisely the reason why quite a lot of Chins from Myanmar got the 
opportunity to serve in the Mizoram schools. But gradually, things have 
changed and the Mizos started considering the Chins as the unwelcome 
guests. 

After last year's massive arrest drive by the Mizoram authority, which 
almost bred a xenophobic atmosphere there, a joint action committee, 
comprising two Chin leaders, Salai Za Bik and Dr. Ro Ding prepared a 
report, narrating minute details of the Mizo-Chin equation. 

The report said, "The local people refer Chin refugees as 'Burma Mi' and 
regard them of low standard, starved, and of bad character. The 
exploitation by employers, rape by male employers and extortion by the 
police are daily experience of the Chin refugee... The state authorities 
occasionally launch arrests and deportation of Chin/Burman refugees. In 
1994 and 1995, the state authorities did massive arrests of the 
Chin/Burman refugees and some were sentenced short jail terms and fines. 
Some were deported to border. The police harassment and arrest for cash 
are happening very now and then and everywhere in the state." 

Narrating the incident of 23 Chin people being taken away by the Burmese 
authority on August last year, the committee report says that Burmese 
authority detained 23 of them, 19 men and 4 women. It says, "All men 
were put in a lock-up and women were detained at the immigration office 
as lock-up for women was not available. The local people were made to 
feed them during their detention. They were then taken with their hands 
tied to Falam by jeeps after three days of lock-up." 

The report has shown another interesting aspect. According to it, Chief 
Minister Zoramthanga expressed his personal concerns and sympathy to the 
Burmese people and even added that the two of his uncles were in Burma 
and he maintained regular contact with them. But according to the 
report, "His government had to take this action because his government 
was not in a position to ignore the pressure of the people and the Young 
Mizo Association." 

But how long will the Chin people staying in Mizoram continue their 
uncertain life? No one doubts India's persistent support to the 
pro-democracy movement in Myanmar. But its recent shift in the Myanmar 
policy in terms of extending hands of friendship to the military junta 
there, has been a major cause of concern for the pro-democracy Burmese 
leaders, taking refuge in India. A Dr. Ro Ding told this magazine, "We 
understand the domestic compulsions of the NDA government, which force 
it to come close to the military junta of Burma. But, we want India to 
support us wholeheartedly in establishing democracy in our country." 



___________________________________________________




AFP: France hails easing of restrictions on Myanmar opposition 

PARIS, Sept 1 (AFP) - The French foreign ministry on Saturday hailed 
Myanmar's decision to ease restrictions on two senior opposition 
figures. 

 The lifting of restrictions on the president and vice president of the 
opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), Aung Shwe and Tin Oo, 
was "an encouraging gesture", ministry spokesman Francois Rivasseau 
said. 

 Like NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the two men had been kept under house 
arrest since September. 

 "This gesture, following on the heels of the release of a certain 
number of political prisoners and the reopening of NLD offices in the 
Myanmar capital, could encourage the dialogue begun last year between 
Aung San Suu Kyi ... and the authorities," Rivasseau said. 

 "France hopes that the process of dialogue will continue and will yield 
real progress toward national reconciliation," he added. 

 The NLD won general elections in 1990 but was not allowed to take 
office and its leaders were jailed or placed under house arrest by the 
ruling military junta. 




___________EDITORIALS/OPINION/PROPAGANDA__________




The Irrawaddy: Training: For Whose Sake?

September 2001

Over the past thirteen years, many Burmese exiles based in Thailand, 
India and other neighboring countries have received training in various 
fields. In most cases, trainers from Western countries have come to 
border areas to teach Burmese about political defiance, human rights, 
diplomacy, international law, health, women?s issues, environmental 
issues, and so on. Sometimes, exiles are sent abroad to receive 
training. 
Training is indeed helpful for Burmese who plan to one day return to 
their homeland and contribute their expertise to the development of a 
free and democratic Burma. It is a reasonable idea to encourage exiles, 
who are usually forced to remain within small, marginalized communities, 
to attend training programs where they can learn new ideas and share 
their views with others. 

As with all forms of assistance, however, it is worthwhile to 
occasionally examine the effectiveness of such programs, and to consider 
whether there have been any problems that need to be addressed. 

Concerning the effectiveness of most training programs, a few 
observations can be made. First of all, it must be recognized that, due 
to their status in their host countries, most Burmese exiles face 
serious constraints on their ability to participate fully in the 
programs made available to them. This is especially true in the case of 
large-scale workshops and seminars with international guests, which tend 
to attract the attention of local authorities. In some instances, 
Burmese participants have even been arrested while taking part in these 
events. While it is often impossible to avoid such problems, it is clear 
that organizers need to be more sensitive to the actual conditions under 
which exiles live. Any project or program that does not acknowledge the 
realities of life in exile (and there have been a few) stands little 
chance of serving the interests of the communities they seek to assist.  


Another factor hampering the effectiveness of training programs is the 
attitude of some participants. For a privileged few, access to 
opportunities for further education is simply taken for granted. 
Generally, the worst offenders are those with the best connections: Too 
often, participants are chosen solely on the basis of their political 
affiliations, rather than their competence or even genuine interest in 
the subjects they study.  

Recently, members of opposition groups based in Burma?s neighboring 
countries took part in a month-long management course in a Western 
country. According to some trainees, a number of instructors expressed 
disappointment at the lack of commitment demonstrated by a few 
unqualified participants who seemed to treat the whole thing as a paid 
excursion. This is not the first time that problems of this nature have 
arisen, and it will not be the last, unless clear criteria are 
established to judge who ought to be given the chance to study abroad. 
This is a decision that should be based on qualifications, competence 
and commitment?not petty nepotism. 

At a more fundamental level, we may even ask whether some training 
programs exist purely for political reasons?that is, as a channel for 
funding to supporters of particular leaders, rather than as a response 
to the genuine needs of people at the grassroots level. If this is the 
case, then there is a very real risk that worthier projects will suffer 
in the long run, as funding groups become wary of supporting new 
proposals. 

Then there is the question of the agendas of the supporting groups 
themselves. Over the years, there has been concern among exiles about 
the tendency of some foreign organizations to emphasize divisive issues. 
There have even been complaints of discrimination against ethnic 
Burmans, who are presumed to enjoy greater opportunities than members of 
ethnic minorities. While this may be true inside Burma, it certainly 
does not reflect the situation outside of the country, where ethnicity 
is less a determinant of social status.  

The real concern here is not merely the loss of opportunities for 
training; it is the danger that the mistrust that already exists among 
various ethnic groups?and between Burmese and foreigners?could actually 
deepen, rather than heal, as a result of apparently discriminatory 
policies. While it is perfectly appropriate to target particular groups 
for certain types of training, every effort must be made to avoid 
creating misunderstandings that could complicate the task of national 
reconciliation in the years ahead.  

A more immediate concern facing many who have taken part in training 
programs is the lack of opportunity to actually apply what they have 
learned. This has led many to ask if "empowerment"?a term frequently 
used in training sessions?simply means employment by an NGO (often the 
one that provided the training in the first place). Many former trainees 
especially resent the fact that they tend to be given only the most 
menial tasks, such as making coffee for guests. Denied any real 
responsibilities, these people often end up feeling that they were 
trained merely to assist in the more "important" work of foreigners. 

These are just some of the problems. If there are others, we invite our 
readers to share them with us. As always, we believe that it is our 
responsibility to air issues that might otherwise be allowed to fester 
because people fear that, under the present political circumstances, we 
cannot afford to be more open about our problems.  

Finally, lest we appear to err on the side of taking too critical a view 
of training efforts to date, we would like to add that many programs 
have been highly successful, and many trainees have done the democracy 
movement proud, both through their work in their own communities and 
their efforts to inform the rest of the world of conditions inside 
Burma. There is no doubt that they will continue to make an invaluable 
contribution to our country?s development. 





___________________________________________________





Letter: Ten Reasons [Derik Tonkin replies to Asiaweek?s Roger Mitton]


For BurmaNet News

I see that Roger Mitton is miffed (BurmaNet News 28 August 2001), 
possibly because I took him to task about his opposition to the visit to 
Rangoon by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra ten weeks ago. BurmaNet 
News readers might be interested in my letter at the time to Asiaweek, 
which was not published. I wonder why. I attach a copy. 

Personally, I am delighted that the British Foreign Office have at last 
recognised the importance of direct dialogue. I would equally be 
delighted if Daw Suu Kyi, whom I met in Rangoon 18 months ago, can reach 
an accommodation with the Generals. But I remain very cautious about the 
prospects for anything like a definitive settlement this year. Not 
cynicism, Roger, just realism. I hope I am wrong. 

Derek Tonkin



The Editor 
Asiaweek

Sir, 

Roger Mitton gave ten good reasons (Asiaweek 31 May) why the Thai Prime 
Minister should not visit Myanmar at the present time. 

In fact, each reason Roger Mitton gave was a very good reason why Khun 
Thaksin should visit Myanmar as soon as possible. 

1. Anyone who knows anything about Thailand knows that the Thais are 
very proud of both names Thailand and Siam. Siam is still the only word 
used in Royal Titles in Thailand. There is absolutely no political 
controversy nowadays over Thailand vs. Siam as there is over Myanmar vs. 
Burma. 

2. There is every need for a summit meeting when relations are fraught 
and mutual animosities high. It will take generations for Thai attitudes 
towards the Burmese and Burmese attitudes towards the Thai to change. 

3. Khun Chuan may have been right for domestic political reasons to stay 
away, but Khun Thaksin is more courageous in wishing to visit. That is 
why Khun Thalsin won the elections and Khun Chuan lost. 

4. The very serious problem over drugs in Thailand can only be resolved 
at source, which is Myanmar. That must be the major target, despite the 
need to clean up at home. 

5. The "buffer zone" policy was phased out some time ago and is no 
longer an impediment to a visit by Khun Thaksin. 

6. The "rot" in the 3rd Army is more myth than reality. In fact, the 3rd 
Army is one of the best in Thailand. 

7. Leaders in Rangoon and Bangkok know that their respective presses 
write a lot of rubbish about each others' countries, which can be turned 
on and off like a tap. To wait for a political settlement which might 
resolve these problems could mean waiting for eternity. 

8. It makes every sense for Khun Thaksin to try to break the impasse in 
Thai-Burmese relations, and the sooner the better. 

9. Heaven preserve us if Thailand is to retain the mindset of 1765 in 
its relations with Myanmar! (In fact, Ayudhya was finally sacked on 7 
April 1767.) 

10. There is nothing wrong with both critical engagement (ASEAN) and 
sanctions (US and Europe) as policies towards Myanmar. Either or both 
may help. Khun Thaksin would be well advised to go to Rangoon before it 
is too late. 

Finally, Roger Mitton argues that it is at present hot and steamy in 
Rangoon and better to wait until the end of the year "when a settlement 
will have been reached between the government and Aung San Suu Kyi". Oh 
yeah? 

In any case, the more serious problem in Myanmar at the present time is 
narcotics and the ethnic cauldron rather than the struggle for democracy 
among the Burmans themselves, which will take years to resolve.  


QED. A visit by Khun Thaksin to Rangoon ASAP is clearly a must.  


Derek Tonkin
British Ambassador to Thailand 1986-89
Chairman Beta Mekong Fund 1994-2000

Heathfields
Berry Lane
Worplesdon
Guildford
Surrey GU3 3PU
UK



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