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BurmaNet News: September 27, 2001
- Subject: BurmaNet News: September 27, 2001
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 02:58:00
______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
An on-line newspaper covering Burma
September 27, 2001 Issue # 1889
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________
INSIDE BURMA _______
*BBC: Burma faces Aids explosion
*Xinhua: Myanmar Hosts Regional Meeting on AIDS
*Burma Courier: Rangoon Regime Denies Connection to Osama Bin-laden
*Irrawaddy online: Press Leaks Point to Junta
*Irrawaddy online: Australia Quick to Award Junta
MONEY _______
*Burma Courier: Economic Impact of Terrorist Strike Still Uncertain
*The Star (Malaysia): M?sia and Myanmar agree to new trade arrangement
GUNS______
*Irrawaddy online: MIS to Receive a Facelift
*Narinjara News: Transfer of Rakhine State Capital to Ann
*AFP: Campaign against terrorism will use anti-drug war strategies:
experts
DRUGS______
*Reuters: Southeast Asia drug flow up as Afghan border closed
REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL _______
*Bernama: Syed Razak Hosts Dinner For Myanmar Leader Than Shwe
*AFP: Malaysia hails Myanmar's move to push ahead with democracy
*Reuters: Myanmar leader highlights growth, avoids politics
*Xinhua: Myanmar to Enhance ICT Cooperation With Malaysia
*The Nation: AD unrepentant over lyrics
EDITORIALS/OPINION/PROPAGANDA________
*Bangkok Post: Foreign workers can toil legitimately
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________
BBC: Burma faces Aids explosion
September 25, 2001
By BBC South East Asia regional analyst Larry Jagan
Burma is facing an Aids epidemic that will soon eclipse the worst
situation in Africa, according to medical experts in Thailand.
It's the worst ever incidence of the disease in the region
Aids specialist Dr Chris Beyrer
United Nations statistics are at least two years out of date and could
be understating true infection rates by at least half.
Aids specialist Dr Chris Beyrer, a US researcher at the John Hopkins
University, says UN figures suggest 2% of adults in Burma have HIV, the
virus that can lead to Aids. Dr Beyrer says the figure is nearer 4%.
His research, using government's figures for pregnant women and young
men about to enter the army, found there were 3.5% with HIV.
Infections are at their highest in border areas
Adding vulnerable groups, such as drug users and itinerant workers, and
the figure more than doubles - potentially more than 7% of the
population is infected with HIV.
The explosion of the disease in Shan state is even more frightening. Dr
Beyrer estimates that more than 10% of the adult male population there
is now suffering from HIV.
"That's the worst ever incidence of the disease in the region," he says.
"It's on the level of that which hit northern Thailand a decade ago. The
difference then was the Thai Government recognised it and did something
about it, whereas the military junta are allowing this one to rage out
of control."
Defensive
But in recent weeks, both Burma's military intelligence chief, Lt
General Khin Nyunt, and the head of state, General Than Shwe, have
defended the military government's record on Aids.
More people needed to understand the warning clearly, so I insisted that
they put this on all posters: Aids kills, no cure, no hope."
Lt General Khin Nyunt
And Burma's health minister, Major General Ket Sein, told a Word Health
Organisation (WHO) meeting earlier this month: "Contrary to the gloomy
picture presented in some reports in the western media, HIV/Aids is not
rampant in Myanmar (Burma)."
Diplomats and UN officials in Rangoon believe that, behind this rigorous
denial, the Burmese generals have for more than a year begun to
recognise that the country is facing a major Aids problem.
At the beginning of this year Lt General Khin Nyunt told the Myanmar
Times that HIV/Aids "is a national cause. If we ignore it, it will
destroy entire races."
He said culturally it was difficult for the government to adopt the WHO
policy of encouraging the use of condoms, but instead had introduced a
mass prevention campaign.
There are signs that the campaign is working in some parts of the
country, where people now recognise the terms HIV and Aids. But UN
officials and Aids experts fear that, in general, knowledge of the
disease and its prevention remain "abysmally low".
Border epidemic
They have major concerns about Burma's border areas where drug use and
the movement of labour is high. Along the eastern border with Thailand
and the northern border with China the incidence of HIV has already
reached epidemic proportions.
In some parts of Kachin state, particularly where the men have been
working in gem mines, there has been a massive death toll. According to
local Aids workers there are some villages where every family has lost
someone to the disease.
"It is not like other infectious diseases," said one official.
"Once HIV gets out of control in the population and spreads, it cannot
be cured and the genie can't be put back into the bottle."
Acting on HIV is also not so much a matter of money as changing
attitudes and taboos. Burma's generals maybe beginning to grapple with
this - but if they don't make a more concerted effort it will be too
late
___________________________________________________
Xinhua: Myanmar Hosts Regional Meeting on AIDS
YANGON, September 27 (Xinhua) -- The Ninth Meeting of Task Force of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on AIDS is being held
here to enhance combat activities against the disease in the region. The
three-day meeting of the task force on AIDS, which began on Wednesday
and is hosted by Myanmar for the first time, is attended by the Chairman
of the ASEAN Task Force, officials of the ASEAN Secretariat and
delegates of the ten ASEAN countries as well as representatives of U.N.
agencies. The meeting will discuss information exchange on AIDS among
the member states and cooperation in the sector and will work out a
second plan on HIV/AIDS to be adopted in the future as a follow up of
the First ASEAN Regional Program on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control
(1995-2000). At the national level, Myanmar has instituted proactive
measures against HIV/AIDS since a decade ago, forming a multi- sectoral
National AIDS Committee in 1989. A master strategic plan for the
upgraded and expanded response to HIV/AIDS infection was then also
developed with the objectives of expanding the existing programs
activities reaching all areas and population groups of the country.
Myanmar has called on the ASEAN member states to strengthen ASEAN spirit
and to work unitedly in fight against HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS, a national
concern in Myanmar, is recognized by the Myanmar Ministry of Health as
one of the three priority communicable diseases -- malaria, HIV/AIDS and
tuberculosis (TB).
Meanwhile, The UNAIDS has identified Myanmar along with Thailand and
Cambodia as the priority country in Southeast Asia region where urgent
action is called for to prevent the spread of the epidemic. According to
the latest report of the World Health Organization, 3,817 AIDS cases
were reported and 510,000 HIV infections estimated in Myanmar as of
December 2000 with 760 cases per 100, 000 population. The combined
budget of the Myanmar government, the U.N. system, local and
international non-governmental organizations was also estimated to
amount to about 3 million U.S. dollars annually.
___________________________________________________
Burma Courier: Rangoon Regime Denies Connection to Osama Bin-laden
Courier News Service: Updated to Sept 20, 2001
RANGOON - Burma's military junta has denied any connection between its
troops and the forces of the Osama bin-Laden, widely believed to be the
instigator of the recent terrorist attacks in the United States.
On Thursday, a bulletin issued by the regime's "Information Committee"
said that it was false that Burma army troops would join with the forces
of Osama bin-Ladin to oppose any U.S.-led retaliation. The bulletin
blamed the spread of the rumour on "dissident" groups in Europe seeking
to discredit the military government and to prevent tourists from
visiting Burma. But Burmese democracy groups contacted by DVB radio
said the only information they had about the rumour had come through the
statement issued by the Information Committee.
In another bizarre twist, a junta embassy spokesperson in Washington
fired off a letter to the New York Times, claiming to be "flabbergasted"
by a map published in the Times indicating that Al-Qaeda, the terrorist
organization of Osama bin Laden, was represented by cells in Myanmar.
"I would like to point out that Myanmar is totally against terrorism in
any form and would never allow terrorists to exist on its soil. There is
no way that Qaeda cells could operate from within the country."
The list of 34 countries where Al-Qaeda cells are said to be operative
was originally published in an issue of Jane's Intelligence Review in
July. Nearly all of the countries listed have a Muslim majority
population or a large minority bloc of Muslim believers. Subject to
constant harassment and frequently to open persecution, there can be
little doubt that Myanmar's substantial Muslim community could be deemed
a fertile breeding ground for Al-Qaeda's zealous operatives. They
would hardly be likely to reveal this to the embassy in Washington or to
any of the pervasive network of military intelligence informers
throughout the country.
The immediate and most visible sign of reaction in Rangoon to the deadly
terrorist attacks in the United States last week was the tightening of
security at the American embassy on Merchant Road in the heart of the
city. Barricades on the footpath outside the embassy building were moved
onto the road and at least two police vans were deployed at the site
around the clock almost immediately after the news of the attack was
made public. Apart from essential personnel, all local staff were sent
home until further notice. Security was also tightened at Washington
Park, the official residence for American diplomats on Pyay Road.
Belatedly, the military regime made public a message of sympathy sent by
General Than Shwe to U.S. President George Bush on the day following the
attack: "I was deeply shocked by the news of the dreadful violence
perpetrated in the cities of Washington D.C, New York and Pittsburgh on
11 September 2001. At this tragic hour, the people and Government of
the Union of Myanmar join me in offering our heartfelt condolences to
the Government and people of the United States of America."
The official sympathy did not last long. This week the regime's
webmaster posted a commentary to emaill subscribers accusing the Bush
administration of "war mongering" in its response to the attack. And
the Myanmar Times, worried that "Americans . already inclined to view
the world as hostile and unpredictable . may lurch towards a siege
mentality".
On Friday, the junta's vice-chaiman, Gen Maung Aye, met with the
military attache of the Pakistani embassy in Rangoon. Pakistan is
expected to have a key role in facilitating any military strikes against
Osama bin-Laden.
___________________________________________________
Irrawaddy online: Press Leaks Point to Junta
By Zarny Win
September 26, 2001--A confidential report that was supposedly sent to
Than Shwe, Burma?s top general, by other high-ranking generals was
leaked to the public recently. The uncharacteristic leak has many
wondering if this is just another PR move by the ruling military regime.
Burmese observers have been questioning the authenticity of the report,
with some even wondering if the opposition created it. However, some
exiled Burmese politicians feel the alleged report was concocted by the
Military Intelligence Service (MIS) to sound out the opposition?s
thinking on the talks.
Aung Naing Oo, a Burmese political analyst in exile, said that some of
the report?s details regarding the secret talks between the opposition
and the junta clearly indicate that the report is the work of the
Burmese government. "But some of the information has clearly been
created and is just not reliable," he adds.
The report mentions different details regarding the ongoing secret talks
between opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the junta. The report
states that Suu Kyi agrees with both Sec-1 Lt Gen Khin Nyunt and Maj Gen
Kyaw Win on many of the topics being discussed during the talks.
"The junta is implementing a well-planned psychological warfare campaign
against the opposition and the media," said a student activist in
Rangoon. "They want to hold power for as long as they can and by
tricking people into believing the opposite they will be able to prolong
their grip on power," he added.
The report quotes one prominent Burmese politician, Bo Hmu Aung, as
saying that Suu Kyi and the junta have agreed to give military
representatives one-quarter of all seats in any future parliament. Suu
Kyi also said that Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are concerned about
the future progress of Burma and any political changes that might be
taking place, according to the report.
Two months ago, a private speech given by Home Affairs Minister Col Tin
Hlaing was also leaked out. Genuine news leaks are extremely rare in
Burma, where the military government maintains almost total control over
the flow of information.
The opposition National League for Democracy has said that the talks
have not reached a dialogue yet, but that the two parties are still
going through confidence-building measures.
Secret talks have been under way between the ruling junta and opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi since October of last year. However, the details
of those talks have not been released.
___________________________________________________
Irrawaddy online: Australia Quick to Award Junta
By Kyaw Zwa Moe
September 25, 2001--Despite the International Labor Organization?s (ILO)
ongoing investigation of the alleged continued use of forced labor in
Burma, the Australian government has sent a team of aid workers to Burma
in recognition of recent efforts by the junta to improve its political
landscape.
The aim of the team is to eradicate mal-nutrition among children in the
country, said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. The team
will spend three weeks training workers at Burma?s Department of Health.
Mr Downer said he was encouraged by the release last month from house
arrest of National League for Democracy (NLD) Chairman Aung Shwe and
Vice-Chairman Tin Oo.
"However, we remain deeply concerned that many Burmese citizens remain
imprisoned for their political beliefs and we will continue to impress
the importance of further prisoner releases," he said in a statement.
While some Burmese residents welcome the humanitarian aid put forth by
the Australia government others feel it is a bit too early to
congratulate the junta.
"Any aid to Burma now is premature," a university student in Rangoon
says. "We have yet to see if the ongoing talks between the NLD and the
SPDC will bear any positive results," he adds.
In 1999 Burmese opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi asked the
Australian Government to halt its engagement policy with the junta. In a
video smuggled out of Burma in 1999, she said, "Sometimes we are a
little concerned that the policies of the Australian Government may not
be such that would hasten the process of democratization in Burma."
Last year, despite Suu Kyi?s request and international criticism of
Australia?s soft approach to Burma?s ruling military regime, the
Australian government began dispatching a human rights training team to
educate civil servants, including both police and prison officials,
about human rights.
Secret talks have been underway in Burma since October of last year
between Burma?s military government and opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi. Details of the talks have not been disclosed.
______________________MONEY________________________
Burma Courier: Economic Impact of Terrorist Strike Still Uncertain
Based on news from the Myanmar Times and other soures: Updated to Sept
20, 2001
RANGOON -- The impact of the global economic downturn, heightened by the
terrorist attacks in the U.S. and probable retaliatory measures against
Afghanistan, has been downplayed by a key player in the business scene
in Rangoon.
U Zaw Min Win, secretary-general of the Federation of Chambers of
Commerce and Industry, told the Myanmar Times that the impact on the
business community would be minimal because of the small amount of trade
with the US. Apparently, he had forgotten for the moment, the US$ 400
million garment trade and the loud squawks of protest raised by garment
factory owners last July at the possibility of a U.S. trade ban
.
The attacks have been followed by a sharp increase in the worldwide
price of gold. Prices of the precious metal jumped 3,000 kyat to 97,000
kyat a tical (0.5 oz) in the Rangoon market in the days following the
attacks. The increase was a direct effect of the strikes in the US,
according to a spokesperson at the Shwe-bon-tha jewellery shop.
In line with most other southeast Asian currencies, the kyat recovered
somewhat this week in relation to the U.S. dollar, climbing back up to
the 650 level from lows of 680 where it had been mired for several
months. FECs continued to exchange on the street for about 640 kyat.
A gauge of the uncertainties caused by the attack could be the
attendance level at the upcoming gems emporium in Rangoon scheduled for
mid-October. The semi-annual event normally attracts hundreds of gem
merchants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and other foreign countries.
One of the unanticipated effects of any prolonged U.S. led attack on
Afghanistan, headquarters of bin Laden's terrorist organization, could
well be a sharp swing either way in the price of Burmese no. 1 grade
heroin. Last year, Afghanistan, for several years the world's top
producer of opium and heroin cuts its production of opium by 90%
sparking a dramatic increase in international prices.
Afghanistan's decline left Myanmar as the world's largest producer. The
UNDCP estimates that last year Myanmar made 1,087 tons of illicit opium,
roughly a third of Afghanistan's production, but valued at prices of $US
232 a kilogram against only $US 28 a kilogram for Afghan opium.
With a war on its hands, the Taliban could be forced to again permit
poppy cultivation in order to finance its military operations, as it did
in its successful campaign against Russian occupation of Afghanistan.
With a quarter of a billion dollars at stake, the impact on the Myanmar
economy may be more than Zaw Min Win has factored into his thinking.
___________________________________________________
The Star (Malaysia): M?sia and Myanmar agree to new trade arrangement
Sep 26, 2001.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Myanmar have agreed to minimise the use of
foreign exchange in trade between the two countries.
The decision was reached in discussions between Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his counterpart from Myanmar Senior General
Than Shwe here yesterday.
Briefing newsmen about the meeting later, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri
Syed Hamid Albar said under the new arrangement, trade between the two
countries would be ?set off? against each other, leaving only the
balance to be paid in foreign exchange.
The arrangement is expected to result in increased trade between the two
Asean countries, he said.
?It will also lessen the burden of either country which does not have
sufficient foreign exchange,?? he added.
Syed Hamid said the two leaders also witnessed the signing of two
memorandums of understanding on tourism co-operation and exchange of
information.
He said Dr Mahathir and Gen Than Shwe discussed investment in areas like
oil and gas, joint-venture in timber industry, paper and pulp, and
fishing.
The Myanmar Prime Minister wanted more Malaysians to invest in his
country, besides wanting more trade.
?The emphasis is on Asean countries to look at its market while
exploring other markets.
?(They are) not to be dependent on one market as most Asean countries
will be affected by the tragedy in the US,? he said.
Asked if Dr Mahathir and Gen Than Shwe talked about democracy in
Myanmar, Syed Hamid said the Prime Minister congratulated his
counterpart on various steps taken to move the country ?back into the
mainstream.?
?But at the same time, it is important that they do it at their own
pace. We as a member of Asean would like Myanmar moving to the
mainstream, and not subjected to problems regarding the political
scenario in the country,?? he added.
Gen Than Shwe is scheduled to visit the Multimedia Development
Corporation at Cyberjaya and the Petronas Twin Towers, before attending
a lunch hosted by the National Chambers of Commerce and Industry of
Malaysia today.
He will then depart for Langkawi to attend a dinner hosted by the Kedah
Government.
_______________________GUNS________________________
Irrawaddy online: MIS to Receive a Facelift
By Maung Maung Oo
September 26, 2001?Burma?s military government is set to initiate a
large-scale reform of its notorious Military Intelligence Service (MIS)
in October of this year, according to a source close to the army. The
source said the government is involved in a plan to increase security
throughout the country.
MIS will soon be composed of twelve battalions as part of a larger
Military Intelligence Force. Each battalion will have four companies
with each company having three platoons. The units are to be divided
into a front line and a support line. Each battalion will serve as an
intelligence net for its companies and platoons. The companies will be
responsible for district-level intelligence and the platoons will be in
charge of intelligence on the township level.
Under the new reform, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt will become Commander-in-Chief
(CIC) of Military Intelligence. Burma now only has CICs for its army,
navy and air force. Currently, Khin Nyunt is serving as the Director of
Defense Services Intelligence (DDSI). He will be in command of twelve
military intelligence commanders and twelve lieutenant commanders. It is
unclear what is going to happen to the DDSI.
MIS officers are viewed by Burmese citizens as the most powerful and
dangerous body in the entire military. Since the military coup of 1988,
MIS officers have penetrated almost every corner of Burma in an attempt
to stamp out any cells of subversion, including pro-democracy groups.
___________________________________________________
Narinjara News: Transfer of Rakhine State Capital to Ann
26/9/2001
Cox's Bazaar, 26Sep.01: Since the transfer of the Western Command of the
Burmese Tatmadaw (Army) from Sittwe to Ann in April this year, there
have been construction of new buildings in Ann town under Kyaukpyu
district of Rakhine State, the western state of Myanmar. Aung Htay, the
Commander of the Western Command has started to sit in his new office at
Ann since then.
In a like manner, the shift of the Naval Base built by the Chinese
experts to Kyaukpyu has also recently started. Our correspondent from
inside Rakhine State adds that, in a like manner only the Air Force Base
will be left to operate from Sittwe in addition to an air base newly
built by the Burmese junta at Ann.
All the State Headquarters of Government Institutions will also be moved
to Ann from Sittwe in phases beginning this year as the new government
office buildings are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.
The Rakhine people are deeply worried about the shift of the state
administration to a remote place like Ann, which has been done without
any consensus of the people of Rakhine State. Besides, the junta have
brought about six hundred Burmese families and resettled them at Ann in
expectation of the shift of the State Capital of Rakhine.
___________________________________________________
AFP: Campaign against terrorism will use anti-drug war strategies:
experts
Wednesday September 26, 5:45 AM
WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (AFP) - The US-led war on terrorism will look a lot
like the battle against drugs, with experts predicting a protracted
campaign that strikes at criminal networks at home and abroad, targets
money laundering, and relies heavily on intelligence-gathering.
The battle will be fought simultaneously on various fronts, and military
action could be overshadowed by financial, diplomatic and intelligence
missions, according to several analysts.
President George W. Bush himself has said Americans should brace for a
lengthy, unprecedented campaign against the perpetrators of the
September 11 airborne suicide assaults on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon, which left almost 7,000 people feared dead.
On Tuesday, he said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) should be
authorized to tap suspected terrorists' phones.
"Now, this is what we do for drug dealers and members of organized
crime, and it seems ... that now that we're at war, we ought to give the
FBI the tools necessary to track down terrorists," Bush said.
Just like it does in its war on drugs, the US administration will use
"intelligence, surveillance, interception, foiling the delivery or the
attack, interception of phone calls, e-mail messages, surveillance of
airports," said Emilio Viano, a strategic studies expert at Washington's
American University.
Drug and terrorist organizations share the "same same element of
secrecy, of avoiding authority, of forming cells, of establishing
networks at all levels," said Viano.
The cell structure poses a major difficulty in tracking down those in
charge of operations, says Vince Cannistraro, a former head of the
Central Intelligence Agency's counter-terrorism unit.
Smashing a few cells may amount to only limited success, he said. "The
commands in control remain intact despite the fact the tentacles get
dried out," he said.
"You can't get instant victories," he said.
The US administration, which already has an anti-drug czar last week
created a similar position to coordinate efforts to root out terrorism,
and gave the job to former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge.
While there are similarities in the way they operate, there are also
some significant differences in what motivates terrorists and drug
traffickers, said Anthony Cordesman of the Center Strategic
International Studies.
The narcotics trade is motivated by gain, and sometimes includes
political components, while "international terrorism, the one we are
most concerned with is religion-oriented terrorism, said Cordesman.
"They basically attempt to hide under the cover of being freedom
fighters or religious organizations, their ties to states are very
different from narcotics dealers, and obviously their goals and their
willingness to use force are different," he said.
But the need for funding often links extremist organizations to the
illegal drug trade, as is the case in Colombia where leftist insurgents
and rightist paramilitary forces depend on cocaine for much of their
revenues.
The International Drug Control Organisation says Afghanistan and Myanmar
are the world's leading producers of heroin, used by a number of
extremist organizations to finance weapons purchases.
While Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia last year officially
suspended cultivation of poppy -- used to make opium and heroin -- a UN
report indicated significant quantities of drugs were being stashed away
in a bid to boost prices.
Bush accused the Taliban of sheltering Osama bin Laden, a Saudi-born
multimillionaire named as the chief suspect in the terrorist onslaught
on US cities.
___________________________________________________
________________________DRUGS______________________
Reuters: Southeast Asia drug flow up as Afghan border closed
Wednesday September 26, 6:55 PM
PHNOM PENH, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Southeast Asia must brace for a boom in
drug trafficking, as the closure of Afghanistan's borders will spur
demand for drugs, United Nations officials said on Wednesday.
The notorious "Golden Triangle", where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand
and Laos converge, now monopolises the Asian drugs trade as supply from
Afghanistan -- the world's leading supplier of opium -- has effectively
stopped.
"The borders are completely closed in Afghanistan so you can't do any
business, legal or illegal," Sandro Calvani, regional representative for
the U.N. Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNDCP) office, said in Phnom
Penh on Wednesday.
"The Golden Triangle...is now moving all the drugs of Asia because
Afghanistan is out of business for illcit drugs. (They) now have a
monoply because they no longer have to compete with the 'Golden
Crescent'."
Calvani said that Afghanistan had accounted for around 85 percent of the
world's opium supply.
The Taliban government banned the cultivation of the poppy plant last
year, but opium stocks inside Afghanistan have only now been stemmed by
the recent closure of borders, he said.
Calvani, who was in Cambodia to meet Prime Minister Hun Sen and other
top government officials, warned also that drug traffickers have been
"market testing" new smuggling routes through Cambodia.
Until last year Cambodia was estimated by the U.N. to be one of the
largest producers of marijuana for the world market, a business thought
to be worth almost $1 billion annually.
Cambodia's northern border with Laos is seeing increased inflows of
drugs and the Mekong River is becoming the main artery of distribution
in the country and the transit route to third countries, he said.
"It is really a threat to the security of the country," Calvani said.
Cambodia's porous borders and struggling law enforcement institutions
have earned it the title of the "weak link" in regional efforts to fight
drug trafficking.
___________________ REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL___________________
Bernama: Syed Razak Hosts Dinner For Myanmar Leader Than Shwe
LANGKAWI, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Syed
Razak Syed Zain hosted dinner for Myanmar leader Senior Gen Than Shwe at
the Andaman Hotel in Teluk Datai here Wednesday night.
The dinner was held in conjunction with the two-day visit by Than Shwe,
Myanmar's State Peace and Development Council Chairman, to the legendary
island.
He was accompanied by his wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and other members of
his delegation from Yangon.
Also present was Deputy Transport Minister Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib, who
is the minister-in-attendance.
Tomorrow, Than Shwe will be briefed on Langkawi's development at the
Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) complex in Kuah.
He is scheduled to visit Galeria Perdana, a complex where souvenirs
received by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his
overseas trips are displayed.
___________________________________________________
AFP: Malaysia hails Myanmar's move to push ahead with democracy
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (AFP) - The head of Myanmar's junta, Senior
General Than Shwe, has promised to push ahead with democratic reforms
which Malaysia said will enable isolated Yangon to move into mainstream
politics.
"The Myanmar leader stressed the fact that they would like to go
forward with the democratic process and they are discussing with
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi," Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed
Hamid Albar told a press conference.
Earlier, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Than Shwe met heldan
hour-long meeting.
Syed Hamid said Malaysia, which is considered Myanmar's closes ally in
the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), would like
to stress that there should not be any pressure on Yangon to speed up
the talks.
"It is important that they will do it at their own pace," he said.
Syed Hamid said Mahathir congratulated Than Shwe for the recent
domestic political developments -- referring to the various initiatives
between Myanmar's junta and Aung San Suu Kyi.
"I think every ASEAN member would like to see Myanmar move to
mainstream and not subjected to problems related to the political
scenario in the country," he said.
Syed Hamid said Malaysia was watching Myanmar closely and was
encouraged by the steps taken to free opposition figures and to hold a
dialogue with them.
Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for a
year, but has embarked on landmark talks with the military.
The political atmosphere in Yangon has thawed since the talks began,
leading to the release of nearly 200 opposition figures including senior
members of her National League for Democracy (NLD).
The Malaysian official said UN envoy Razali Ismail was expected to make
more frequent visits to Myanmar to "build up the momentum" to pave the
way for democratic reforms.
During a four-day visit to Yangon in August, the envoy met twice with
Aung San Suu Kyi to discuss the progress of the talks.
Syed Hamid also said the two leaders touched on the terrorist attacks
on the United States.
"Everybody appreciates terrorism is a problem. Both leaders see a need
to ensure peace and stability," he said.
In the economic field, Syed Hamid said Myanmar has opened its doors to
Malaysian investors in the oil and gas, timber, paper and pulp and
fishing industry.
The two leaders agreed that ASEAN members would have to boost
intra-regional trade to counter the negative impact of the US economy
amid the September 11 tragedy.
After the bilateral talks, Malaysia and Myanmar signed memorandums of
understanding on tourism and information exchange.
The first day of Than Shwe's visit will conclude with a dinner hosted
by Mahathir. On Wednesday, he is due to tour the Multimedia Development
Corporation and the world's tallest buildings -- the Petronas Twin
Towers.
On Thursday the general is scheduled to visit the island resort of
Langkawi before leaving for home later in the day.
Malaysia is ranked fourth among foreign investors in Myanmar with
investment totalling 587 million dollars, mostly in timber, hotel
construction, tourism and trading.
This is Than Shwe's third visit to Malaysia and comes after an
invitation from Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad who visited Yangon in
January. Shwe is being accompanied by six senior ministers and the chief
of military intelligence, Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt.
___________________________________________________
Reuters: Myanmar leader highlights growth, avoids politics
By Barani Krishnan
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military junta invited
Malaysian investors on Wednesday to help jump start its economy but
brushed aside questions on political reform and when his country might
embrace democracy.
``Myanmar today is politically peaceful and stable, economically
vibrant and dynamic. It is on the threshold of rapid economic growth,''
Senior-General Than Shwe told a lunch hosted by Kuala Lumpur's business
community.
Tan Shwe, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday for a three-day visit
to the country, said Malaysians were already the third largest investors
in Myanmar, committing some $600 million in manufacturing, oil and gas,
hotels, tourism and real estate.
Bilateral trade was worth $200 million with a surplus in Malaysia's
favour, he said.
Tan Shwe invited local entrepreneurs to come more often to Yangon, and
highlighted potential in pulp and iron industries he said offered huge
and largely untapped resources.
``With the participation and assistance from our friends like Malaysia,
we will surely be able to accomplish more in a shorter period of time,''
he said.
But the military leader declined to take questions from the audience,
leaving the task to Brigadier-General David Abel, a minister in his
office.
Abel refused to discuss domestic politics, particularly questions on
how Tan Shwe's State Peace and Development Council was faring in talks
with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, seen by many Western nations as
Myanmar's rightful leader.
He also declined to say if Nobel laureate Suu Kyi would soon be freed
from the house arrest imposed by Tan Shwe's government.
``I think we are gathered here to answer economic issues,'' he said to
a question on whether there was any chance of an immiment agreement
between Suu Kyi and his government.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won Myanmar's 1990
elections by a landslide but has never been allowed to govern. Instead,
her supporters have been detained and harassed.
The 56-year-old Nobel laureate herself has spent the last year locked
inside her Yangon house, cut off from contact with the outside world
except for a handful of foreign diplomats the government has allowed her
to see.
The military, which has led Myanmar since 1962 and crushed all attempts
to promote democracy, began reconciliation talks with the NLD last year.
Veteran Malaysian diplomat Razali Ismail is acting as a special U.N.
envoy and mediator to the talks.
Two weeks ago, the junta released six NLD members in a gesture of
goodwill.
Malaysia, which regards Myanmar as an important regional ally, said on
Tuesday Tan Shwe's administration had made ``very positive'' progress in
its talks with the opposition. But it said Yangon should be left to
negotiate at its own pace.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said earlier this year that
future elections in Myanmar should not ``undermine authority'' and
suggested Yangon adopt Southeast Asian political models rather than
Western-style democracies.
Tan Shwe, who held talks with Mahathir and visited landmarks in the
capital, left on Wednesday for a tour of the northern Langkawi island
before a scheduled departure on Thursday.
___________________________________________________
Xinhua: Myanmar to Enhance ICT Cooperation With Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, September 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Myanmar leader said
Wednesday his country was keen to further enhance cooperation with
Malaysia in developing information and communications technology (ICT)
projects. Myanmar' State Peace and Development Council Chairman Than
Shwe made the remarks while visiting the Multimedia Super Corridor in
Cyber Jaya, south of the capital. The Corridor, covering an area of 750
square km stretching from the Kuala Lumpur City Center to the KL
International Airport in Sepang, has been designated as a hub for the
development of multimedia products and services. Than Swe said he was
impressed with the Corridor and hoped that a similar model could be
developed in Myanmar. Under the existing cooperation between the two
countries, representatives of the Multimedia Development Corporation,
which runs the Corridor, have been sent to Myanmar to explore
opportunities for cooperation in ICT development. Than arrived here
Tuesday for a three-day visit, the second trip to Malaysia since 1996.
___________________________________________________
The Nation: AD unrepentant over lyrics
Sep 25, 2001
Singer and composer Yuenyong Ophakul again denied yesterday his new
album would harm the relationship between Thailand and Burma.
Yuenyong, popularly known as AD, claimed some people in government were
unhappy with his lyrics, which, they say, are obviously anti-Burmese.
But the singer said 10 of his songs about the Shan people, or Tai Yai
(elder Thai), reflect his personal views and have nothing to do with the
Thai government.
"I feel slighted. I'm just an ordinary songwriter and I don't think my
songs will have any negative impact or cause any problems," he said,
adding that he had no intention of rewriting the lyrics just to please
someone.
Yuenyong said he was not surprised that people with opposing views would
have different opinions about his songs. While the Shan people would
love his songs, which support their cause, it was no surprise that the
Burmese junta would dislike them.
The singer-songwriter also dismissed as groundless a suggestion that his
comments about any possible ban were part of a wider publicity stunt to
promote his album, tentatively titled "May Tong Rong Hai" (Don't Cry).
___________EDITORIALS/OPINION/PROPAGANDA__________
Bangkok Post: Foreign workers can toil legitimately
- Sep 26, 2001.
EDITORIAL -
The registration of illegal migrant workers from Burma, Laos and
Cambodia got off to a shaky start on Monday. Malfunctioning computers
and digital cameras and a shortage of staff, among other things, caused
unnecessary delays in the issuance of identity cards at registration
centres right across the country. Several employers who accompanied
their staff to the centres became agitated at the delays.
Although the problems were largely minor, those responsible at the
Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare must see to them quickly otherwise
they might need to go to the cabinet for an extension of the
registration period beyond the Oct 13 deadline. As many as 700,000
illegal workers need to be registered before the period elapses.
The regulation of the illegal Burmese, Lao and Cambodian workers is a
realistic approach to the presence here of more than a million illegal
immigrants from a good many countries. The move will help the
authorities ascertain just how many foreign workers there is in the
country. This provides a range of benefits. Communicable diseases such
as elephantiasis had been eradicated from Thailand several decades ago,
but recently there has been a resurgence, possibly carried by illegal
immigrants. Such diseases can be better monitored now the workers will
have access to medical care.
Those who fail to register with the state will be treated as illegals
and dealt with strictly by the law. But those who do register will
receive a number of benefits. For a start, they no longer will be forced
to play hide and seek with the authorities. They will be able to work
openly and walk the streets without fear of arrest or harassment. They
will be able to take advantage of medical services at state hospitals-a
basic necessity which they were denied while working illegally. The
healthcare is made possible by a 1,200 baht fee paid by each worker or
his/her employer at the time of registration.
More importantly, registration automatically places foreign workers
under the protection of Thai labour law. This means they will be
entitled to at least the minimum wage and the same fringe benefits,
holidays and working conditions as Thai nationals.
On paper, the future looks much brighter for foreign workers. But the
reality may be something different.
Many of the employers who now pay their illegal staff below the
mandatory minimum wage in order to maintain a competitive edge are
unlikely to change their ways. They believe they have the upper hand in
any negotiations with the workers. How empowered will the employees feel
themselves to be even if they are fully aware of their rights? Most will
probably just continue to accept whatever the bosses are willing to
offer. The alternative, if it can be called that, is to return home to a
bleak future of probable unemployment, no medical care and possible
starvation.
The registration process in a way represents a first, big step on the
road to resolving the illegal immigration problem which has been with us
for so many years. It's a first step that should have been taken some
time back. Now the authorities must make sure the business
establishments which hire workers from these three countries meet all
the requirements of the labour laws. Exploitation of those desperately
in need, whether they be our own nationals or foreigners, is as
deplorable to a civilised society as the use of child labour.
Making sure the laws apply is the next step, but then there is still
that very disturbing question of what we do with these hundreds of
thousands of "guest" workers once we decide we have no further use for
their labour. But that surely will be put off as a bridge to be crossed
when we come to it.
________________
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