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BurmaNet News: September 19, 2001 (r)
- Subject: BurmaNet News: September 19, 2001 (r)
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 08:58:00
This is a reposting. Some subscribers received a truncated version.
______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
An on-line newspaper covering Burma
September 19, 2001 Issue # 1886
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________
NOTED IN PASSING:
# of countries other than Afghanistan where bin Ladin?s terrorist
organization has an operational presence that have condemned the
terrorist attack on the US--33.
# of countries where bin Ladin has a presence that have refused to
condemn the attack--1. Burma.
See *BurmaNet: Regime?s Internet Spokesman Circulates Articles Critical
of US Terrorism Response
INSIDE BURMA _______
*AFP: ILO team to meet Myanmar generals before heading to Shan, Karen
states
*The Nation: Forced labour 'unlikely to end'
*DVB: Government team investigates departmental news leak in Kawthaung
*Shan Herald Agency for News: One more Shan party official forced to
resign
*NCGUB News: The Talks
MONEY _______
*NCGUB News: Military Confiscates Farms, Makes Farmers Volunteer for
Farm Work
GUNS______
*NCGUB News: Office of Strategic Studies downsized?
DRUGS______
*Bangkok Post: Huge caffeine stash found
*Xinhua: Two Myanmar Men Sentenced to Death for Exporting Drugs
REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL _______
*BurmaNet: Regime?s Internet Spokesman Circulates Articles Critical of
US Terrorism Response
EDITORIALS/OPINION/PROPAGANDA________
*The Nation: Political prisoners abound in Burma
*Radio Myanmar: [Burma's Khin Nyunt on "false accusations" against
country's AIDS campaigns]
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________
AFP: ILO team to meet Myanmar generals before heading to Shan, Karen
states
Tuesday September 18, 6:36 PM
YANGON, Sept 17 (AFP) - International Labour Organisation (ILO) experts
investigating forced labor in Myanmar are expected to meet with top
junta officials over the next three days before setting off to the
border regions, sources said Tuesday.
The ILO, which has insisted its four-member team of eminent jurists be
given total freedom in the military-run country, is keeping the schedule
secret.
But government sources said the mission, led by former Australian
governor general Sir Ninian Stephen, met with Foreign Minister Win Aung
and top military intelligence officials after arriving in Yangon Monday.
And over the next few days they were expected to see various government
ministers including from the foreign, home and social welfare
ministries.
They are also scheduled to meet with the chief justice and
attorney-general before visiting industrial zones and social welfare
establishments around Yangon.
"Though we are not privy to their exact plans... we think they will then
target the Karen and Shan states, where most of the complaints on forced
labor appear to have come from," a labor department official said.
Emphasizing their independence from the military regime, the team
declined to accept accommodation arrangements made for them at the
five-star Traders hotel in Yangon and instead chose the equally upmarket
Pan Sea.
The junta is by all accounts taking the visit extremely seriously, stung
by an unprecedented censure at the ILO last year over its failure to
crack down on forced labor, and under threat of more sanctions if the
practice continued.
"This is the first time that the ILO has had an opportunity to travel
around the country to make its own direct assessment of the forced labor
situation," the organization said in a statement from Bangkok.
In a bid to fend off the ILO censure, the junta in November made forced
labor illegal for the first time and said its directive had been
"circulated right down to the village level and posted in every police
station."
But it remains unclear how the ban is being enforced, and how effective
it has been against military personnel fighting border insurgencies, who
for decades have enlisted villagers to work as porters and guides.
Rights groups say nearly a million Myanmar people have been forced into
building roads, ports and tourist resorts as well as assisting in
military maneuvres on the unstable borders.
___________________________________________________
The Nation: Forced labour 'unlikely to end'
Sep 19, 2001
It was unlikely the Burmese government could ever stop its use of forced
labour if the regime's "bankrupt situation" was taken into
consideration, a leading human rights organisation said yesterday.
In a statement released yesterday, the Network for Democracy and
Development (NDD) said the Burmese regime had been preparing for a visit
by a team from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which will
hold meetings with opposition officials and foreign diplomats in Rangoon
today.
The ILO team is visiting the country to verify if the Burmese junta has
ended their practice of forced labour - an allegation Rangoon has
consistently denied.
The NDD said the Burmese government had taken several measures,
including sending out instructions to their military commanders
throughout the country to stop all forced labour.
The network, which claimed to have first-hand accounts of the much
condemned practice, said Burmese convicts were still forced to do work.
"From 6am to 6pm they are made to work without a break. Clearing jungle,
removing tree stumps, digging ditches and dams and weirs, ploughing
fields, planting and harvesting are some of the work," an NDD statement
said.
The four ILO team members met with Burma's opposition members yesterday,
and is expected to meet with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi later
on
their visit.
___________________________________________________
DVB: Government team investigates departmental news leak in Kawthaung
Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB)
17 September
DVB has learned that a special investigation team from Rangoon has
arrived in Kawthaung to investigate the leaking of departmental news of
Kawthaung Township, Tenasserim Division, to foreign broadcasting
stations.
The team comprises eight staff officers with the rank of colonel and it
has been learned that they are questioning all departmental staff
members in Kawthaung. DVB correspondent Myint Maung Maung filed this
report:
[Myint Maung Maung] A special investigation team comprising eight staff
officers with the rank of colonel arrived in Kawthaung on 10 September.
The team is questioning each and every departmental staff member
regarding the leaking of departmental news of Kawthaung Township,
Tenasserim Division, to foreign broadcasting stations. They are
collecting information about their personal history, relationship with
the NLD, and participation in the 8 August 1988 nationwide mass
demonstrations.
The team told those responsible to keep records of the goings and
comings of departmental staff members and reminded them of the existence
of national traitors. The team questioned Maj Aung Myint, secretary of
Kawthaung District Peace and Development Council [PDC], and Capt Kyaw
Win, chairman of Kawthaung Township PDC, on 13 September and reprimanded
them, saying the news leakage was due to their lack of responsibility.
This is the team's first visit to Kawthaung and it is believed that they
will be coming again soon.
Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 17 Sep 01
___________________________________________________
Shan Herald Agency for News: One more Shan party official forced to
resign
Sept. 18, 2001
Military authorities had forced yet another Shan political party
functionary to resign, a source from Taunggyi reported this morning.
Sai Panlu, 40, from Banyen, Hsiseng Township, 30 miles south of
Taunggyi, had submitted the letter of resignation to the Hsiseng
Electoral Commission on 3 September, citing health and livelihood
problems. Until then, he had been serving as the secretary of the
township party branch of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy,
the largest winning party in Shan State and the second largest winning
party in the whole of Burma.
"I'm not surprised," the source commented. "Prominent party members
always run into junta-made difficulties when trying to make a living."
He was credited as being an active Shan literacy campaign, known
popularly as Five Horses Campaign, until the SNLD was formed in 1988,
according to Sai Aung Mart, former Joint Secretary of the party.
Two party branches so far have been ordered by the authorities to
dissolve: one from Langkher, 114 miles southeast of Taunggyi, on 21
January and the other from Mongkerng, 108 miles northeast of Taunggyi,
on 28 May.
__________________________________________________
NCGUB News: The Talks
September 18, 2001
There was some positive outcome from the recent visit to Rangoon by UN
Special Envoy Razali Ishmael: the release of NLD officials. But it did
not seem to make much of headway in advancing the talks between Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi and the generals in the State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC). News agencies had quoted the special envoy as saying that he
was "quietly optimistic" about the talks but from all appearances the
process does not seem to have moved beyond the "confidence building and
talks about talks" stage.
According to news agency reports, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's "priority list"
of some 200 political prisoners submitted to the SPDC for release to
create an atmosphere of trust has yet to be realized. Not taking into
account the 100 NLD youths and other members released between January
and May after they were detained for seeing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi off at
the Rangoon Railways Station, only 65 elected NLD representatives and
officials have been released since June; the time the list was submitted
to the SPDC through the UN special envoy.
Nevertheless, NLD leaders have taken steps to indicate that they are
prepared to proceed with the talks. The NLD Central Executive Committee
has named Chairman U Aung Shwe and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as the key
persons for the talks. In an announcement on 26 August, the committee
said, "In accordance with the mandate given by state and divisional and
township executive committees Chairman U Aung Shwe and General Secretary
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will work very closely and in unity to strive for
the development of democracy."
Chairman U Aung Shwe, 83, and Vice Chairman U Tin Oo, 75, were released
on 26 August just in time for the visit of the Special UN Envoy. The
two leaders were taken to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's residence immediately
after the restrictions were lifted. U Tin Oo told Reuters, "I am more
optimistic about the talks. I feel we are gaining more understanding."
The Junta's Approach
According to Thai press, Lt Gen Khin Nyunt had told Thai leaders during
his Thai visit earlier this month that he expected "good news" to emerge
soon from talks with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The reports said Defense
Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh was assured by Khin Nyunt that the junta
was working for "... a political system that works for the people and
the country with a peaceful reconciliation approach." Chavalit told The
Bangkok Post, "We expect to see every party in Burma join together to
set up a government to work for the people and the country" and that
"Khin Nyunt had been meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi every two weeks
and they understood each other well."
But NLD spokesman U Lwin told the BBC "That's not the case...He (Khin
Nyunt) hasn't seen her for several months." U Lwin added that he knew
nothing about the power sharing arrangement and that "there was in fact
no dialogue process going on at present." He added: "We are waiting for
the military to make an offer." U Lwin said the party was waiting for
more releases of political prisoners and were very hopeful that this
might happen in the near future. U Lwin however confirmed that a
military intelligence liaison officer was calling on Aung San Suu Kyi
"at least once a week."
The discrepancy in Khin Nyunt's statement abroad about the so-called
progress of the talks and the real situation in the country reflect the
tactical approach the junta has adopted. The junta has been exploiting
the ongoing talks to promote its image and gain acceptance the world
over while dragging out the actual talk process as much as possible.
The tactic seems to be working in some quarters. To cite a few
examples, Japan is showing eagerness to reward the generals and even
Thailand, which a few months back was fighting intruding Burmese troops
at the border, promising substantial aid packages for crop substitution
programs and major economic cooperation.
The Facts
Back home, there is little to indicate the junta's assurances abroad are
having an impact on what some senior junta officials in Burma are doing.
At the first quarter coordination meeting of the General Administration
Department in July, Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing was warning
his people not to give in to the NLD's requests to reopen offices
because the process was being allowed "in a phase by phase approach" and
that "only certain townships" were being given permission to reopen
offices. Tin Hlaing said, "...Just because permission had been granted
in Rangoon, care should be taken not to presume that the same rule holds
true for the whole country." The minister accused the NLD of "taking
advantage" and "acting beyond the permission given." "They are filling
up their vacant township executive committee member posts and have been
sending us letters that their headquarters has acknowledged and approved
the appointments."
"Our government knows about it, and since we want to resolve a political
problem through a gentle and tactical political approach, we are
allowing them to do so. It is vital that state and divisional
administrators astutely understand the situation," the minister told the
nation's regional authorities.
The Talks & Non-Burman Ethnic Nationalities
The United Nations has mandated the UN Special Envoy to resolve Burma's
problem by facilitating talks between the NLD and the SPDC. One of the
UN resolutions also requires that the dialogue is "tripartite"--to
include non-Burman ethnic nationalities in the talk process so that the
political problem in Burma is resolved with the active participation of
non-Burman ethnic nationalities. But, at this stage, the junta is
reluctant to let ethnic representatives join in the national
reconciliation process.
Home Affairs Minister Col Tin Hlaing said, "...opposition groups
overseas and (Burmese service) radio stations have been raising the
issue of (non-Burman) ethnic participation in the talk process. In our
meeting with the UN representative, we have said that the peace
agreement that the State has concluded with (non-Burman) nationalities
isn't that long yet, that regional development tasks being undertaken by
the government with them are still underway, that it was essential to
consolidate the regional development efforts, and that they are still
bearing arms. Therefore, they are not yet in a position to join the
political stage. The UN representative accepted the explanation."
Explaining that there are still groups inside the country and insurgents
abroad who are trying to create instability in the country, he added
that "State and divisional administrative authorities are to understand
that we are completely against tripartite."
Views of Ethnic Non-Burman Leaders
BBC recently conducted an interview with top non-Burman ethnic leaders.
U Khun Tun Oo, leader of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy
that won 23 seats--the second largest number of seats after the NLD, and
Dr. Saw Mra Aung who is the chairperson of the Committee Representing
People's Parliament (a legitimate body mandated by elected
representatives to act on their behalf before the Parliament can be
convened) and also the chairperson of the Arakan League for Democracy
(11 seats).
In the interview, Khun Tun Oo said, "To speak frankly, two-way talk is
good before there is tripartite talk because of the current situation.
In our country, the crisis is in economics, social issues, education,
health care and every issue. We ethnic people can emphasize only our
own issues." However, in another part of the interview he said, "It's
good if Daw Suu talks about the ethnic issue. I do hope she will talk.
However, as I said before, only ethnic people know about the problems
they have been suffering for years. Daw Suu alone or SPDC alone cannot
solve the problem... Therefore two-way talk is important before the
tripartite dialogue. When there are reconciliation conditions, we want
talks to be tripartite. I hope it will happen."
Dr Saw Mra Aung told BBC, "We assume that she (Daw Suu) will discuss
general issues including the ethnic people. This is because we have
talked about the federation of eight states many times before. Now, she
is the one and only person who has contacts with SPDC to talk. She
understands everything. Let her do her job. We believe that she will
not do anything wrong."
Meanwhile, leaders from major non-Burman ethnic nationality
organizations met at Law Khii Lah camp in Kawthoolei at the end of
August. They have declared that the Ethnic Nationalities forces would
"undertake pro-active and constructive actions to bring about a peaceful
resolution of the political conflict in Burma through a dialogue process
involving the SPDC, the NLD led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the Ethnic
Nationalities as dialogue partners." They declared that they would
"strive to facilitate an orderly and peaceful democratic transition in
Burma and to rebuild the country in accordance with the spirit of
Panglong (the first national conference in 1947 that resulted in the
Panglong Agreement of many ethnic nationalities, including Burmans), the
principle of Equality, Self-determination, Democracy, and Justice."
______________________MONEY________________________
NCGUB News: Military Confiscates Farms, Makes Farmers Volunteer for Farm
Work
A few years back, the top brass ordered that all military units must
strive to become self-sufficient in food. Complying with the orders
regional military commanders confiscated farms belonging to the local
people and made former farm owners volunteer for work on the
agricultural and livestock breeding farms now taken over by the
military. Many farmers have suffered from the military takeover, and
information reaching the NewsDesk only confirms the extent of the
problem.
A report from Ye Township in Mon State says 28 farmers lost 305.88 acres
to the 586th Regiment in Tu Myaung area, 28 more lost 347.50 acres to
587th Regiment in Ayu Kundu region, 21 peasants lost 329 acres to 588th
Regiment in Mauk Kanin, and eight farmers lost 31 acres to the Tactical
Operations Unit 19 in Annawar region.
The farmlands taken over were rubber, betel nut, and lemon plantations
and rice farms.
___________________________________________________
_______________________GUNS________________________
NCGUB News: Office of Strategic Studies downsized?
17 September 2001
[The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma is a government
in exile constituted by members of parliament elected in 1990.]
News coming in from Burma says there has been a significant reshuffling
in the Defense Services, particularly within the intelligence agencies.
With the intelligence wing led by Lt Gen Khin Nyunt known to be in
serious contention with the combat wing headed by Gen Maung Aye, changes
particularly in the smaller intelligence wing may lead to a shift of
power within the military hierarchy. A report from Rangoon has gone as
far as to suggest that the Office of Strategic Studies (OSS) has been
downsized and that the officers in the OSS reassigned to other posts.
The OSS under the Directorate of Defense Services Intelligence has been
responsible for framing many of the ruling junta's policies and
strategies, particularly in international relations and in establishing
cease-fire agreements with non-Burman ethnic resistance organizations.
It is the brainchild of the Director of Intelligence Lt Gen Khin Nyunt,
and its demise, if proved true, would indicate the waning of power for
the powerful intelligence chief who is the third senior ranking general
in the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
To confirm the story, NewsDesk checked out reports on the OSS in the
Burmese media sources. A reference to the intelligence body last
appeared in the New Light of Myanmar 27 August issue when Minister Col
Tin Hlaing departed for a ministerial meeting on drug control in China
together with OSS Head of Department Col Kyaw Thein.
The Source behind the 'Rumor'
The report concerning the OSS may also have been sparked by a recent
reshuffle within the Air Force whose officers also hold high ranks in
the OSS. The reshuffle is believed to be result of the dismissal of
former Air Force Commander in Chief Lt Gen Kyaw Than following the
helicopter crash that killed Army Lt Gen Tin Oo, the number two man in
the SPDC.
In the reshuffle, a "Head of Department" in the OSS (Air Force) Col
Thein Swe was named as the chief of Air Force external intelligence
unit. Another officer, known to be the "favorite" of Lt Gen Khin Nyunt,
Lt Col Sithu, was appointed as the deputy chief of Border Security under
the Air Force's Intelligence Unit. Both the new positions are considered
as promotions for the two officers but their future roles in the OSS are
yet unknown. Col Thein Swe, the former military attaché to Thailand,
according to diplomats, "speaks flawless English" and was said to be
instrumental in the establishment of the first "independent"
English-language newspaper "Myanmar Times" (also publishes in Burmese
now).
The other transfers in the Air Force last month were:
Lt Col Ko Ko Maung, General Staff Officer of the Air Force
Intelligence, appointed as military attaché to Thailand
Col Myat Hein, commander of Meiktila Airbase, transferred to
the Air Force Commander in Chief's Office (AFCICO).
Col Khin Maung Tin from the AFCICO was appointed as commander
of Meiktila Airbase.
________________________DRUGS______________________
Bangkok Post: Huge caffeine stash found
Sep 18, 2001.
Chiang Rai _ Authorities seized nearly three tonnes of caffeine from a
10-wheel truck in Muang district yesterday.
The truck was found abandoned on Chiang Rai-Thoeng road at Ban Hua Doi,
Muang district.
A search of the vehicle found 156 sacks of caffeine weighing 2,964
kilogrammes, which could be used to produce up to 60 million speed
pills. The cargo was believed to be destined for Burma. Caffeine is
priced at 1,500 baht a kilogramme in Bangkok and could fetch twice as
much on the black market, officials said. The driver fled. Authorities
had received reports about an attempt to smuggle caffeine from Bangkok
to the border in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district via Phayao province.
__________________________________________________
Xinhua: Two Myanmar Men Sentenced to Death for Exporting Drugs
Xinhuanet 2001.09.18 15:37:40
YANGON, September 18 (Xinhuanet) -- A Yangon court has sentenced to
death two men convicted of exporting 357 kilograms (785 pounds) of
heroin to Fiji last year, news reports and officials said Tuesday.
The heroin was seized at a Fiji port, hidden inside boxes containing
shorts with ``Made in Myanmar'' labels.
Working in cooperation with the Australian police, Myanmar police
arrested Twan Sin Htan alias Maung Win, 30, and Aik Tun alias Aung
Kyaw,24, in Yangon on April 1, according to an official from the
narcotic department contacted by phone.
The state-owned Kyemon newspaper said the Yangon western district court
found the two men guilty and gave them death sentences on Aug. 29. There
was no explanation why the verdict was reported after more than two
weeks.
___________________ REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL___________________
BurmaNet: Regime?s Internet Spokesman Circulates Articles Critical of US
Terrorism Response
September 19, 2001
The regime?s main distributor of news and propaganda on the Internet who
posts under the pseudonym Okkar has begun circulating articles critical
of the United States response to the terrorists attacks on the World
Trade Center. Okkar has, since 1994, been the regime?s distributor for
publications such as The New Light of Myanmar, statements by the
Information Ministry and more recently The Myanmar Times.
One of the two articles, which were posted in the soc.culture.burma
newsgroup and regime run Myanmar-list, calls into question the
identification by US authorities of at least one of the hijackers. The
second entitled, ?Why the Bush Administration Wants War? is a leaflet
originally distributed by The World Socialist Web Site, a publication of
the Trotskyite International Committee of the Fourth International
(ICFI). The leaflet accuses the United States of using the crisis to
carry out ?long-cherished designs of American imperialism to dominate
new parts of the world and establish global hegemony.?
In linked statements, the World Socialist Web Site accuses the United
States of having brought the attack on itself through a Middle Eastern
policy that is ?a mixture of cynicism, brutality and irresponsibility?
and that ?Given this bloody record, why should anyone be surprised that
those who have been targeted by the United States have sought to strike
back??
Okkar, whose pseudonym is derived from the Pali word for meteor, is
currently posting from okkar66126@xxxxxxx and has been variously
identified as either Lt. Col. Hla Min of the Office of Strategic Studies
or Kyaw Min, an editor of The New Light of Myanmar. Of the more than
2400 messages posted to Burma related newsgroup from that address since
1997, the majority are issues of official publications such as The New
Light of Myanmar. The balance consist of rebuttals to or criticism of
postings by Burma activists as well as news and opinion articles which
the regime?s spokesman appears to endorse. The tenor of these articles
is invariably critical of the West and of the United States in
particular.
There is scant reason to believe the regime harbors affection for the
Taliban or for Osama bin Ladin. Okkar?s postings are more Anti-American
than pro-terrorist and echo earlier rhetorical support given by the
regime to both Saddam Hussein in the months before and during the Gulf
War and Slobodan Milosevic during the Nato bombing campaign. However,
the regime?s response to the attack is striking and could increase its
international isolation.
According to the July 26 issue of Jane?s Intelligence Review, Burma is
one of 34 countries in addition to Afghanistan where Al-Quida has an
operational presence. Al-Qaida (The Base) is bin Ladin?s terrorist
organization.
BurmaNet has been able to identify public condemnations of the terrorist
attacks from 33 of the 34 countries on the Jane?s list. Until today,
only Iraq and Burma had refused to publicly condemn the attacks but
Iraq?s official news agency has now changed its tone from exultation to
expressions of sympathy to the United States and at least a limited
condemnation of the terrorists--leaving Burma as the sole hold-out.
These public condemnations are in part a response to US pressure. On
September 14, the US State Department directed its bureaus to summon
foreign ambassadors in Washington and present them with a four-point
message about terrorism. The four points were a demand that the
countries arrest terrorists on their soil, prevent them from moving
across their borders, speak out forcefully against the kind of violence
launched on September 11 and join international efforts to combat
terrorism.
Even before the postings by Okkar, the regime in Burma has snubbed the
United States on at least one of these four points--speaking out
forcefully against terrorism. If Okkar?s attitudes are indicative of
the regime?s views, the U.S. can expect little help on the remaining
three demands.
Refusing to cooperate on suppressing terrorism has the potential to
drive the regime?s already abysmal relationship with the United States
to new lows. In discussing the four-point message the U.S. presented to
ambassadors on September 14, Secretary of State Colin Powell told CNN
"we are just going to remind [the countries] of their responsibilities
and let them know it will be a means by which we measure our
relationship with them in the future...We are going after them
[terrorists], and you can either help us go after them, and if you
choose not to help us go after them, this will have an effect on the
relationship that we have with you."
***
Countries where Al-Qaida has an operational presence that have condemned
the September 11 attacks:
Algeria, Egypt, Turkey, China, Pakistan, The Philippines, Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, Bahrain, Russia, Palestine, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Uzbekistan,
Morocco, Lebanon, Tunisia, Jordan, Bosnia, Kenya, Sudan, Malaysia,
Tanzania, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, Azerbaijan,
Tajikistan, Somalia, Iraq.
Countries where Al-Qaida has an operational presence that have not
condemned the September 11 attacks:
Burma
******
Related links:
Jane?s: www.janes.com
JIR: Blowback
www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jir/jir010726_1_n.shtml
World Socialist Web Site: www.wsws.org
WSWS, Why the Bush Administration Wants War:
www.wsws.org/articles/2001/sep2001/war-s14.shtml
___________EDITORIALS/OPINION/PROPAGANDA__________
The Nation: Political prisoners abound in Burma
Sep 19, 2001
By Ko Zarny (MAE SOT)
Regarding the news article "Restrained NLD Anniversary" in your
September 17
issue, the reader will think that the Burmese junta is not too bad on
the
opposition after reading the current Burma related news.
Most are saying that the junta has released over 100 political prisoners
after they started talks with Aung San Suu Kyi. Actually, most were
released
from military camps, so called government "guest houses". (They were
arrested with Aung San Suu Kyi in the railway station in September of
last
year and detained for months.) Some were released from prison as their
prison periods were completed. Very few were released before their
prison
periods were completed.
The junta seems to be very soft on the opposition as ILO and UN special
representatives have been visiting Burma lately. However, only a small
number of political prisoners have been released. There are some 1,800
activists in Burmese prisons according to Amnesty International.
You also mentioned that, "the only senior NLD member now in detention is
Suu
Kyi". That's totally wrong. How about Win Tin, secretary of the NLD and
a
prominent journalist? He was sentenced to three years imprisonment in
1989.
He was given another 11 years when he was about to be released. In 1996,
he
was given another seven years for reporting to the UN. Moreover, there
are
many prominent activists in prison now. About four dozen activists are
still
detained although they have completed their prison periods.
Please, keep your eye on the whole area and don't dance according to the
song of the junta.
___________________________________________________
Radio Myanmar: [Burma's Khin Nyunt on "false accusations" against
country's AIDS campaigns]
Translated from Burmese by BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep
17, 2001
The 33rd meeting of the National Health Committee [NHC] was held at the
meeting
hall of the Health Ministry on Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road in Dagon
Township, Yangon [Rangoon] at 1400 [all times local] today. Lt-Gen Khin
Nyunt, SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] secretary-1 and NHC
chairman, attended the meeting and delivered an address.
The secretary-1 said: the NHC is implementing the tasks systematically
in accord with the guidance of SPDC Chairman Than Shwe and the
resolutions of the
NHC meetings. SPDC chairman has laid down the five tasks for rural
development. The two tasks supply of clean drinking water and providing
effective health
care services to the people in the rural areas directly and are directly
concerned with the Ministry of Health. Therefore, these tasks are to be
implemented with the cooperation of related ministries. Sr Gen Than Shwe
gave guidance on efforts for production of potent medicines and
providing effective diagnosis and treatment regarding common diseases in
Myanmar [Burma].
Efforts are being made for production of potent medicines in the country
for treatment of malaria, diabetes, hypertension, and dysentery.
Moreover, research is being conducted for production of traditional
medicines that can cure those diseases, with modern methods. Production
of anti-malaria drugs from Cinchona tree and Artemesia tree is now ready
to begin. There are potent traditional medicines to cure hypertension
and diabetes and research work is successful. The people have accepted
those potent traditional medicines and there are a lot of high quality
medicines. Much progress has been made in the traditional medicine
sector due to the government's encouragement and united cooperation of
traditional medicine practitioners...
Although Myanmar is systematically carrying out anti-HIV and AIDS works,
it is not widely publicized in the international circle. There were
false accusations about the campaigns by unscrupulous people. It is
clearly known HIV and anti-AIDS tasks are being undertaken with
increased momentum. Efforts are to be made for publicity in
international circles and social associations including women
organizations and government departments are widely participating in the
tasks. Ways and means are to be sought for international cooperation and
arrangements are to be made for implementation of bilateral cooperation
in the health sector between Myanmar-Thailand and combating diseases in
the border areas in accord with the bilateral agreement.
He called for continued efforts for construction of a new modern
psychiatric hospital and construction of health research centre in
central Myanmar and implementing regular tasks under the National Health
Plans...
Source: Radio Myanmar, Rangoon, in Burmese 1330 gmt 15 Sep 01
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