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BurmaNet News: October 22, 2001



______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
        An on-line newspaper covering Burma 
          October 22, 2001   Issue # 1903
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________


NOTED IN PASSING:  "...in all parts of the world from Indonesia to 
Algeria, from Kabul to Chechnya, from Bosnia to Sudan and from Burma to 
Kashmir." 

	Osama bin Ladin on where his supporters operate.  See The Independent 
Bangladesh: Myanmar envoy called to Foreign Ministry


INSIDE BURMA _______
*Reuters: Brother could get Suu Kyi's home - Myanmar court
*Arakan News Agency  News Release: Military junta forcing Muslims to 
flee
*Burma Media Association: "Moustache Brothers" restricted for 
performance

GUNS______
*Xinhua: Thai Troops to deployed in 150 Villages Along Thai-Myanmar 
Border
*Mizzima: ULFA consolidates base in Burma: Surrendered militants
*DVB: Burmese navy seizes two boats, arrests 30 Indians "poaching" on 14 
October 
*DVB: Rift between intelligence, military over arrest of Thai expert 
reported Rift between intelligence, military over arrest of Thai expert 
reported 

REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL _______
*The Independent Bangladesh: Myanmar envoy called to Foreign Ministry
*Bangkok Post: Refugees in limbo 
*Far Eastern Economic Review: Burma Refugees Swell Thai Camps


					
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________



Reuters: Brother could get Suu Kyi's home - Myanmar court


YANGON, Reuters, Oct. 22 - A Myanmar court ruled on Monday that the 
brother of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi had the theoretical right 
to inherit a house the Nobel Peace laureate has lived in for more than a 
decade. Judge U So Thein threw out an application by Suu Kyi to dismiss 
a claim by her brother for a share of the property, which is worth 
between $1 million and $2 million according to estate agents. The judge 
adjourned the hearing until November 2. 


Aung San Oo, an estranged elder brother living in the United States and 
holding a U.S. passport, has fought a protracted legal battle for the 
house, in which Suu Kyi has been held under de facto house arrest for 
the last year. 

Suu Kyi has directed her struggle for democracy from the property since 
she returned to Myanmar in the late 1980s. 

The residence and compound were left by Daw Khin Kyi, widow of Myanmar 
independence hero General Aung San and mother of Aung San Oo and Suu 
Kyi. 

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won Myanmar's last 
democratic elections in 1990 by a landslide but has never been allowed 
to govern. 

Instead the military, which has run Myanmar for most of the last 40 
years, has locked up and harassed the NLD's leaders and closed many of 
its offices. 

Suu Kyi has spent several lengthy periods under house arrest at the 
Yangon property, which occupies a large plot at the side of Inya Lake at 
the heart of the Myanmar capital's elite residential area. 

Suu Kyi's father, Aung San, was assassinated in 1947 when the country 
was on the threshold of independence from Britain. 

Some diplomats have said the timing of the court case has been 
convenient for the military government. 

The case has put extra pressure on Suu Kyi at a time when she is taking 
part in secretive talks with the ruling generals over the future shape 
of the country. 

But the government insists the issue is purely family affair and says it 
will not intervene. 




___________________________________________________




Arakan News Agency  News Release: Military junta forcing Muslims to flee


20. 10. 2001

 

By Our Special Correspondent 

Gundhum (Burma-Bangladesh border), Oct. 20: New stringent measures 
against Muslim inhabitants in Burmese occupied Arakan State compelled 
many of them to flee across the border into Bangladesh recently. 

One Abdul Hakim 42, son of Roshan Ali from Fakira Bazar, about 45 miles 
north of Maungdaw township in Arakan State, told this correspondent that 
his family of 6 members along with other two families fled their homes 
across the border on October 15 and are, at present, residing with their 
relatives in the village of Gundhum just on the Bangladesh side of the 
common border. Abdul Hakim claimed that many other Muslim families also 
fled recently from different villages in northern part of Maungdaw as a 
result of various stringent measures, lack of security and economic 
hardship. 

Abdul Hakim narrated that Na Sa Ka (border security force) have imposed 
new toll charges hitherto unknown upon the Muslims living in Na Sa Ka 
area 1 to 6. An amount of Kyat 3000 for a person who dies, Kyat 2500 for 
a newborn baby, Kyat 5000 for a buffalo which dies, Kyat 3000 for a 
newborn buffalo, Kyat 2000 for a cow which dies, Kyat 1500 for a newborn 
calf, Kyat 500 for a goat which dies, Kyat 1000 for a newborn goat and 
Kyat 100 for a newborn chick has to be paid respectively as toll charges 
to the Na Sa Ka. Serious restrictions have also been imposed on movement 
and on going to river for fishing and forest for cutting firewood or 
bamboo. If, by chance, a person is found in another man?s house at night 
without prior reporting he is liable to six months imprisonment and a 
fine of Kyat 10,000. Na Sa Ka forces often enter into houses late at 
night violating women or stealing valuables. 
Abdul Hakim expressed that Na Sa Ka would not disturb those who leave 
Arakan for good across the border. 
 

Abdur Rashid
Chief Reporter
Arakan News Agency
 


___________________________________________________

Burma Media Association: "Moustache Brothers" restricted for performance


The Moustache Brothers need international support for their fight  
against this repression by the SPDC, said Dr. Nancy

By Tin Maung Htoo 


Oct 20 -- Toronto. The famous comedians, better known as "The Mustache  
Brothers" in Burma and some parts of the world, were totally banned from 
 practicing their performance with the ultimatum of the "entire family  
arrest", an Australian academic who recently visited their residence in  
Mandalay said. 

Dr. Nancy Hudson-Rodd from School of International, Cultural and  
Community Studies at Edith Cowan University in Australia learned the  
case while she was in Burma and prompted her to inform about the new  
restriction as soon as she left from Burma. "I am not sure if you know  
that the Moustache Brothers' troupe is not now permitted to perform,"  
the letter sent to some Burmese journalists in exile jolted, adding,   
"they are not even allowed to put on make-up or costumes."  

Since early 1996 the group performance was squashed into a home-based  
troupe after performing on January 4 at the 48th anniversary of Burma's  
Independence Day ceremony held by National League for Democracy (NLD).  
During a 2-hour performance, it is reported that Par Par Lay made a  
political satire about growing corruption of government workers, "In the 
 past, thieves were called thieves. Now they are known as co-operative  
workers."  

The two Mustache Brothers Par Par Lay now in 54 and Lu Zaw in 50 was  
arrested on January 7, 1996 and sentenced 7 years imprisonment in March  
under the Section 5(e) of the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act with  
spreading "false news, knowing beforehand that it is untrue."  
During their trial, the opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi tried to  
reach to Mandalay in order to show support for two brothers but  
deliberately blocked by the authority at Rangoon Railway Station. Zarni  
from Bangkok-based Assistance Committee for Political Prisoners in Burma 
 (AAPP) said that they were tortured in prisons and forced to work in  
labor camps. 

One advantage for them is to leave behind a younger brother, Lu Maw, to  
keep the 30 yearlong performance alive in the second capital city of  
Burma. The two brothers were released from prison in July 13, 2001.  
However, Zarni of AAPP said they have served more than they should have  
served as all convicted prisoners in Burma, regardless of political or  
criminal one, are only supposed to serve two-third of their actual  
sentences in term of parole and other given forgiveness. 

According to Dr. Nancy, they did not perform yet when local authorities  
laid down a new restriction upon their performance, a harder one with  
devastating effect for deprivation of the whole family lives.  
The police told U Par Par Lay of the performance ban on July 26 and  
warned of the consequence. "If a performance was held, all members of  
the family would be arrested," she writes in the letter adding, "Colonel 
 Tin Tun sent out a mandate to all SPDC offices in every township that 
it  was illegal to hire the Moustache Brothers troupe." 
 
She points that many journalists wrote of the release from prison of the 
 two men, but noting there has been no word on the extra severe  
restrictions since July. "After 20 years of performing, these people  
have lost their rights to work, to speak, and to perform. They have been 
 denied a livelihood, a voice, a theatrical space," she laments in the  
letter and urgently calls on international support for their cause.  







_______________________GUNS________________________



Xinhua: Thai Troops to deployed in 150 Villages Along Thai-Myanmar 
Border

BANGKOK, October 22, (Xinhua) -- Thai Army is poised to begin deploying 
troops to 150 villages along the border with Myanmar in a stepped-up 
campaign against cross-border drug traffic, the Bangkok Post reported 
Monday. Lt.Gen Udomchai Angkasingha, the Third Army chief, was quoted as 
saying that the operation is expected to help improve the livelihood of 
the villagers and turn them to the government's side. He explained that 
soldiers quartering in the villages would help local residents to 
develop their communities in the areas of transportation, education and 
health, while combat units would continue patrolling the border to 
prevent smugglers from crossing into Thailand with drugs. Drug traffic 
along the border was likely to continue despite intelligence reported 
that some drug factories had been relocated elsewhere, he added. 



___________________________________________________



Mizzima: ULFA consolidates base in Burma: Surrendered militants


By Our Correspondent 

Mizzima News 

Guwahati, Oct. 22: Thirteen militants belonging to the United Liberation 
Front of Assom (ULFA) led by self-styled Captain Sahadev Rabha alias 
Laldenga surrendered at an Army Base Camp near the Indo-Bhutan Border 
today. They deposited a huge caché of arms and ammunition, brought from 
their hideouts.  

Talking to Mizzima correspondent immediately after their surrender, the 
militants alleged that they had returned to the political mainstream, 
expressing disappointment with a leadership that is alienated from the 
common people. ?ULFA has started loosing its base due to wrong policies 
of the leardership; moreover it is being directed by the Inter Services 
Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan?, the surrendered militants smugly 
stated.  

Sahadev who masterminded several bomb blasts and extortion cases vowed 
to start a normal life. He further said that ULFA is now gradually 
consolidating its base in Burma (Myanmar) in association with the 
National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplan (NSCN-K) faction and the 
Kachin Independent Army (KIA). ?We had close links with the militant 
groups of Bangladesh who often provide arms and ammunition?, he added.  
Sahadev having been trained in Burma, he was providing services to the 
ULFA for a period of 10 years in different capacities.  

The ULFA was constituted in 1979 in Sibasagar, Assam State, towards the 
aim of a sovereign country attained by armed revolution. Since then it 
has been operating from different hideouts, causing major trouble to 
security forces engaged in combating terrorism. In view of the spurt in 
activities of the militant group, the Government of India engaged in 
army operations to contain the militants, as a result of which about 
1,000 members have surrendered so far. In order to scale down the 
activities of the ULFA, the Indian government has already initiated 
talks with the Royal Government of Bhutan in bid to a peaceful solution 
a the perennial problem. 




__________________________________________________



DVB: Burmese navy seizes two boats, arrests 30 Indians "poaching" on 14 
October 


Text of report by Democratic Voice of Burma on 20 October

The Burmese navy has seized two boats and arrested 30 Indian nationals 
caught poaching in western Burmese territorial waters on 14 October. One 
of those arrested was beaten by Burmese navy personnel and he had to be 
admitted at Ponnagyun Township hospital in Arakan State. Legal action 
was taken against the remaining persons and they were all sentenced to 
one month jail under the Immigration Law. The two boats are currently in 
the custody of the navy.  

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 20 Oct 01 




__________________________________________________




DVB: Rift between intelligence, military over arrest of Thai expert 
reported Rift between intelligence, military over arrest of Thai expert 
reported 


Text of report by Democratic Voice of Burma on 19 October

DVB  has learned that the SPDC Military Intelligence is planning to take 
action  against local military officials that arrested workers working 
at a mine in  Tenasserim Division with approval from Brig-Gen Kyaw 
Thein, the deputy  director of Directorate of Defence Services 
Intelligence [DDSI].  

The Thailand-based Heinda Pacific Mining Company has been engaging in 
lead  mining activities in Tavoy District since October with approval 
from DDSI  Deputy Director Brig-Gen Kyaw Thein. On 16 October, a Thai 
mining expert  and five Karen workers were arrested by personnel of LIB 
[Light Infantry  Battalion] No 379 under No 9 Military Operations 
Management Command [MOMC]  for allegedly having contacts with the Karen 
rebels. The DDSI in Rangoon  immediately contacted the Coastal Region 
Military Command and ordered the  release of those arrested. 
Furthermore, the coastal command was also  ordered to take immediate 
action against the officers from MOMC-9 who  ordered the arrest without 
approval from higher authorities and the  officers from LIB-379 who 
carried out the arrests. 

DVB heard from very reliable sources that the officers were warned not 
to  bother the businessmen who are engaging in business activities with  
approval from the top generals in future. 

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 19 Oct 01 







				
___________________ REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL___________________
				


The Independent Bangladesh: Myanmar envoy called to Foreign Ministry

October 22, 2001


Myanmar Ambassador U Ohn Thwin was called to the Foreign Ministry 
yesterday to clarify a rejoinder made by his country implicating 
Bangladesh while rejecting a claim of Osama Bin Laden about operation of 
Jihad forces in Burma (Myanmar), reports UNB. 

Bin Laden was quoted to have said in a press interview that strong Jihad 
forces were present "in all parts of the world from Indonesia to 
Algeria, from Kabul to Chechnya, from Bosnia to Sudan and from Burma 
(Myanmar) to Kashmir." 

The comments were reportedly made in an exclusive interview by Bin Laden 
to Pakistani newspaper Ummat and reproduced by the BBC monitoring 
service on September 29. 

Myanmar reportedly expressed surprise that it was even mentioned as one 
of the countries where "Islamic fundamentalists" exist in operation. 

Analysts and diplomats in Myanmar reportedly came to the conclusion that 
Bin Laden was referring to a band of armed terrorists known as the 
Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front (ARIF) which had been allegedly operating 
out of the eastern border territory of erstwhile East Pakistan that is 
now Bangladesh since 1948. 

The objective of this organisation is to carve out an independent 
Rohingya State on the western borders of Myanmar adjacent to Bangladesh. 


Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs made it categorically clear that 
"the government of Bangladesh has rejected outright terrorism of any 
kind or manifestation." 

"It does not support or harbour anyway whatsoever any form of terrorism 
and indeed is committed to rooting out terrorism of any kind.'' 

This position has been repeatedly made clear to Bangladesh's both 
neighbours -- India and Myanmar. 

Foreign Minister Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury reiterated it to a group of 
EU Ambassadors that had called on him on October 18.





___________________________________________________



Bangkok Post: Refugees in limbo 


October 22, 2001.

Subin Khuenkaew 

About 300,000 Shan who claimed to have been evicted from Burma and fled 
to Thailand between 1996-1998 will not be given refugee status. 

National Security Council chief Kachadpai Buruspat said the call for 
refugee status and for Thailand to set up a refugee camp for them was 
``unacceptable''. 

The authorities investigated their plight and found the majority had 
fled for economic reasons, he said. 
``All agencies concerned provided similar information that they came to 
Thailand to look for jobs and to avoid hardships at home,'' he said. 

Shan leaders called on the government to give them refugee status and to 
build a refugee holding centre for them. 

Mr Kachadpai said it was impossible for the government to build a 
refugee shelter because Thailand was not ready to be responsible for 
these people. 



___________________________________________________



Far Eastern Economic Review: Burma Refugees Swell Thai Camps

FEER, Issue cover-dated October 25, 2001

    Camps just inside Thailand are now holding more than 137,500 
ethnic-minority refugees from Burma. Numbers are swelling by about 1,200 
a month as refugees flee stepped-up Burmese army operations in their 
areas, say aid workers. This compares to about 500 per month two years 
ago.     According to the aid workers, Burmese troops are burning 
villages, forcing people to become porters, and carrying out some 
executions. The army is trying to take total control of the border areas 
and stamp out ethnic-minority rebels.

    Most of the armed opposition is by the Shan State Army and Karen 
National Union. More than 100,000 of the refugees are Karen, with fewer 
ethnic Karenni and Mon. One of the reasons the camps hold so few Shan 
refugees is because those that do cross the border are more easily 
absorbed into Thai society.






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