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Thursday, June 22 6:18 PM SGT
Thailand, Myanmar to display anti-drugs fervour during US visitBANGKOK, June 22 (AFP) -Thailand and Myanmar are both planning displays of anti-drugs fervour on Friday, coinciding with the visit to Bangkok of the high-profile chief of the US drugs control office, Barry McCaffrey. McCaffrey, a former Gulf War general who was appointed by the US Senate to head the drug control bureau four years ago, is to spend two days in Thailand as part of an historic Asian tour. The US "drug czar" earlier this week visited China, where he signed a landmark anti-drugs pact. In Hong Kong on Wednesday he recommended the territory be taken off a list of major drug transit regions. On Thursday, McCaffrey visited Vietnam in his first return to the country since he served two tours of duty there as a soldier in 1971. Missing from his tour itinerary is Myanmar, the former Burma, which the US has nominated as one of the world's top opium producers. Keen to highlight their anti-drugs efforts, the ruling generals in Myanmar have scheduled a drug destruction ceremony for Friday. Diplomats, foreign residents, government officials and the media have been invited to attend the ceremony, the 14th such one to be staged by the military junta. Myanmar also invited journalists from outside the country to witness the torching of thousands of tonnes of opium, heroin, marijuana, and the chemicals used to manufacture heroin and amphetamines. In the last drugs bonfire held in February, the authorities destroyed 4,023 kilos of opium, 431 kilos of heroin, 163 kilos of marijuana and more than 15 million amphetamine tablets. The government, which says it is determined to shed its pariah status as a narcotics producer, has introduced a drug eradication program which it says will wipe out domestic production within 15 years. But it estimates the program will cost about 5.6 billion US dollars, and has appealed for money to fund it, saying the international community must help Myanmar combat the trade, and not just offer criticism. The United States was among the countries that last year boycotted an Interpol drug conference in Yangon at which senior government officials called for cooperation and foreign funding for anti-narcotics efforts. The US said that in the 1998-99 season, 1,750 metric tonnes of opium was produced in Myanmar. The ruling junta puts the figure at 680 metric tonnes. Meanwhile, neighbouring Thailand has basked in praise for its anti-drugs drive, which McCaffrey earlier this month described as a "remarkable" effort which had virtually stamped out heroin production in just two decades. "The Thais have made tremendous accomplishments. They're worth studying," he said. "The eradication program in Thailand has essentially taken opium production in that country and just about eliminated it in 20 years," he said before embarking on the Asia tour. McCaffrey said Thai forces had intercepted huge amounts of heroin flowing out of military-ruled Myanmar. "The Thais have done really a first-rate piece of work with both their border police and the armed forces." He warned however that Thailand was facing a "dynamic" new threat from amphetamines, which are increasingly being produced along the Myanmar border, often by syndicates which have given up farming opium. During McCaffrey's visit to Thailand, the military is taking a press contingent up to the army bases along the border to brief them on the status of their efforts to stamp out the drugs trade. In previous years, they have also been flown by helicopter over drug-growing areas to witness the torching of opium poppy fields. "Drugs control and security along the border is a major priority for the army," said army spokesman Colonel Somkhun Saengpatranet. Thursday, June 22 3:41 PM SGT ASEAN must dump non-intervention policy and work out its problems: ThailandBANGKOK, June 22 (APF) - ASEAN members must dump their cherished tradition of non-interference in each other's affairs or risk never resolving the differences that could drive them apart, Thailand's deputy foreign minister said. "They won't be able to hold on to the notion that a non-interference policy will always be sacred," Sukhumbhand Paribatra told a seminar on the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) here Wednesday. "It is essential that members do their utmost to make themselves acceptable in the eyes of the international community," he said in comments reported by local papers Wednesday and confirmed by his office. "No one can live in isolation. Otherwise, regional integration will not be able to move forward." The change would allow the grouping to strengthen internally and cope with future challenges and outside interference, he said. Thailand is pushing at the seminar on "ASEAN in the New Millennium", held ahead of a meeting of the group's foreign ministers here next month, for an ASEAN troika to mediate in conflicts between member states. Sukhumbhand said ASEAN members must understand that problems affecting regional countries can no longer be confined within their borders. "Problems in one country can affect another, be it economic, environmental, transnational crime, drug trafficking and public health," he said. ASEAN faces a major image problem thanks to a series of stumbles and omissions that critics cite as evidence that it has become increasingly irrelevant. It was slammed for failing to predict the 1997 financial crisis that enveloped the region, and for doing little to fend off the contagion when it came, or to assist in recovery. And it was accused of thrusting Australia into the role of the region's chief peacekeeper by failing to form a joint position on the carnage in East Timor last year. Another problem came with the admission of Myanmar in 1997 despite bitter objections by Western nations who accuse the ruling military of widespread human rights abuses. The inclusion effectively blocked inter-regional ministerial talks between ASEAN and the the European Union, which refuses to grant visas to Yangon generals. But Sukhumbhand defended the role of the grouping, which now embraces Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. He said it played an important role in uniting a region that had once been described as the "Oriental Balkans." The director of the Thai foreign ministry's East Asia department, Surapong Jayanama said ASEAN members had agreed during the Cold War era to shelve their differences for the sale of regional unity and security. Now, however, those differences were become more visible and potentially more troublesome. Overcoming them was a major obstacle to regional integration, he told the conference. Former Philippines president Fidel Ramos has also voiced support for abandoning the non-intervention policy, saying it was a relic of the early years of the grouping when the priority was to build mutual confidence. But now, Ramos said, this "seems to have hobbled the association, preventing it from taking purposeful action." Thailand and the Philippines have taken on a more prominent role within ASEAN since Indonesia, once the "big brother" of the association, became mired in turmoil following the departure of president Suharto. Thursday, June 22 5:03 PM SGT
China Claims Success Against Software
Piracy, Pornography
BEIJING (AP)--Despite the
widespread availability of pirated movies, music and computer software, China
claimed "marvelous" progress Thursday in its years-long fight against rampant
copyright piracy and illegal and pornographic publications.
In publicizing a new three-month anti-piracy campaign, officials said 90 illegal production lines capable of producing 630 million audio, video and computer compact discs a year have been shut down since September 1996, forcing production abroad. "The progress is marvelous," said Gui Xiaofeng, a director of a national
task force fighting pornography, and pirated and illegal publications.
"China is no longer the source of pirated laser discs." Gui said at a news
conference.
Only a "very small" number of underground production lines remain in China
and 70% of pirated compact discs are smuggled in, "so China is one of the
biggest victims of laser disc piracy," he added.
The claims of success came as U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
held talks Thursday in Beijing with Chinese leaders. Washington has led
criticism of the rampant piracy of copyrights and trademarks in China, twice
going to the brink of a trade war with Beijing over the issue in the 1990s.
Despite raids, pirated music, computer software, and movies, including
just-released Hollywood productions, are openly sold by street peddlers and
shops in Beijing and other cities.
Government limits on legitimate imports of foreign movies have helped
foster the market for pirated products.
While claiming success, Gui acknowledged that because of the
"extraordinary" profits to be made, "the production and distribution of
pornographic and pirated products will be in existence for a long time and will
be very hard to remove."
Many compact disc production lines are located in Hong Kong, said Yu
Youxian, who heads China's National Copyright Administration. A former British
colony, Hong Kong has been granted wide-ranging autonomy since it reverted to
Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
Because of Chinese crackdowns, some pirates have also shifted underground
production lines to neighboring Myanmar and hope to smuggle in the discs along
routes used for trafficking drugs from the region, he said.
The Times of India
June 22, 2000.
Suu Kyi tapes speech for democracy meet
WASHINGTON: A videotaped speech by the leader of the pro-democracy movement
in Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, will be the highlight of an upcoming conference on
democracy in Warsaw to be attended by leaders from around the world, including
External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh.
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will introduce the tape of the
speech at the `community of democracies' ministerial-level conference to be held
at the Polish capital from June 25 to 27, US assistant secretary of state for
democracy, human rights and labour Harold H Koh told reporters here Monday.
Singh, representing the largest democracy in the world, is expected to play
a major role at the conference to be co-sponsored by India, US, Chile, the Czech
Republic, Mali and South Korea. Koh said the conference, to be attended by 102
countries, would focus on issues like how democracies can cooperate more
effectively in international and regional organisations.
They will also discuss ways to respond to threats to democracy, he said,
adding the conference would be followed up to achieve its goals. A parallel
non-governmental conference, to be called world forum of democracy, would be
organised by the New York-based Freedom House and by the Stefan Batory
Foundation of Poland.
Prominent Chinese dissidents who want to see the installation of a
democratic government will form part of the non-governmental panels. While
Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka would be participating in the meet, China and
Pakistan, which does not have democratically elected governments, have not been
invited to the conference. Taiwan is not included as, though it is a democracy,
it is not a member of the United Nations and is not recognised as a state by
most governments. (PTI)
Kyodo News
OSAKA, June 22
2 sailors caught using Myanmar coins in
vending machine
Two Myanmar sailors were caught last month using Myanmar
coins to buy cigarettes and collect change from a vending machine in Osaka,
police said Thursday. The suspects, aged 30 and 32, were reportedly using 1 kyat
coins, which are similar in size and weight to 500 yen coins. The Myanmar coin,
however, has a value of about 1 yen.
Bangkok Post - June 22,
2000.
FOREST POACHING Illegal wood seized in Tak sawmill raid Tak-Two Thais and 12 Burmese were charged with forest encroachment and illegal wood processing in a police raid on a sawmill in Tha Song Yang district yesterday. More than 10,000 pieces of processed teak, furniture, door and window
frames were seized from the sawmill of Thong Thara Co.
A forestry official said the sawmill belongs to Promsan Piewnual, son of
Lt-Gen Prom Piewnual, a former Third Army chief. Its operating licence expired
on May 21 but the mill has continued to supply clients.
Pol Lt-Gen Kovit Wattana, an assistant national police chief, said the
sawmill had hired Burmese workers to fell trees in Tha Song Yang national forest
reserve.
Bangkok Post
- June 22, 2000.
ASEAN Changes needed, seminar toldNon-intervention is no
longer relevant
Bhanravee Tansubhapol Asean's policy of non-interference in the affairs
of member states is no longer relevant, Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand
Paribatra said yesterday. Asean must become more responsible for its own affairs, he told a seminar on
the future of the regional bloc. Adjustment was necessary to strengthen the grouping internally to cope with
future challenges and prevent outside interference. Global and regional integration were two challenges for Asean. It needed to
be alert and well prepared for economic, political, environmental, health and
human rights issues, M.R. Sukhumbhand said. Member states must improve the quality of their political, economic and
social institutions, to allow the people more political participation, and to
have transparent rules and accountable governments. He praised Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, all new members, for their
co-operation with other members. Surapong Jayanama, director-general of the East Asian Affairs Department,
said a collective approach to problems was needed, including reconsideration of
the policy of constructive engagement with Burma. Asean should modify its non-intervention policy so it could tackle problems
which had a political and security impact on the region, he said. Failure to do so could provide a loophole for interference by countries
outside the region. Vittaya Sucharithanarugse, former director of the Asia Studies Institute,
said the Burmese government was the only country in Asean exporting problems to
other members. The Rangoon junta was building up its internal security, but that
was affecting the security of Burma's neighbours, he said. The Nation - June 22, 2000.
Asean urged to become more open to change
ASEAN members will eventually have to let go of their "sacred" tradition of
non-interference in each other's affairs, otherwise regional integration will be
stalled Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra said yesterday.
"They [Asean members] won't be able to hold on to the notion that a
non-interference policy will always be sacred," Sukhumbhand told a seminar
organised by Chulalongkorn University's Institute of Strategic and International
Studies and the Foreign Ministry.
He said Asean must go beyond integrating existing agreements and change its
stance on how members should work together.
The two-day academic seminar on "Asean in the New Millennium" comes shortly
before the Asean Foreign Ministers' annual conference in Bangkok next month.
As the host, Thailand is prepared to push for the setting up of an ad hoc
mission comprising three Asean ministers to mediate in conflicts between or
problems in member states. Any mandate beyond an ad hoc mission had earlier been
shot down by member states, especially those that did not want outside
intervention in their domestic affairs.
Thailand's earlier attempt to push for a policy of flexible engagement was
also deflected by other member states. The policy, designed to cope with the
failure of Asean's policy of constructive engagement with Burma, would permit
Asean countries to openly discuss the domestic issues of member countries if
such issues are deemed to have regional ramifications.
"All [Asean] members must understand that the world has changed dramatically
and that problems are no longer confined to specific borders. Problems in one
country can affect another, be it economic, environment, transnational crime,
drug trafficking and public health," Sukhumbhand said.
Being a member of Asean was not a matter of privilege or a right but carried
certain responsibilities, he added.
"It is essential that members do their utmost to make themselves acceptable
in the eyes of the international community. No one can live in isolation.
Otherwise, regional integration will not be able to move forward," he said.
From the beginning, said Sukhumbhand, Southeast Asia had been described as an
"Oriental Balkan", where countries were split along political and security
lines. Today, Asean had gone on to become an important regional grouping and one
of the leading international forums addressing security issues.
Surapong Jayanama, director general of the Foreign Ministry's East Asia
department, said that for three decades during the Cold War era Asean members
had tactically agreed to shelve their differences for the sake of regional
politics and security. But today, in the post-Cold War era, these differences
were becoming more and more visible. He pointed to the diversity of political
culture and values in each of the Asean countries.
These differences, said Surapong, would continue to be a major challenge for
Asean to overcome so that the region could further integrate.
Moreover, the concept of security and threat was previously seen as only
involving the military, but this had changed with the spread of the narcotics
trade and transnational crime.
Surapong said the concept of "flexible engagement" would have to be modified
to take account of these changes.
In the past decades, said Professor Withaya Sucharithanarak, former dean at
Chulalongkorn University's Asia Studies Institute, Asean leadership had been
largely shaped by Indonesia under President Suharto's rule. The country,
however, had been rocked by political crisis, as well as ethnic violence, which
he said was largely brought about by the failed policy of transmigration.
Under the transmigration programme, people were transported to various
locations in a bid to decongest densely populated areas.
Outspoken Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was also due to leave
politics in the coming years and this would herald a new chapter in Asean
history, said Withaya, adding that this would give Thailand and the Philippines
the chance to assume a more prominent role within the grouping.
The Nation-June 22, 2000. Agreement struck for Bt1 bn Thai-Burmese
highway
THAILAND and Burma have agreed to construct a 130-kilometre highway that will
link Kanchanaburi province with the western Burmese coastal town of Tavoy, the
chairman of the province's chapter of the Federation of Thai Industries said
yesterday.
Construction would begin as soon as the Thai government approved the opening
of the border checkpoint at Bongti Pass, Singh Tangcharoenchaichana said.
Kanchanaburi governor Jadet Insawang has already approved a request for the
pass to be opened and has forwarded the matter to senior authorities in Bangkok,
he said.
The Bt1.12-billion cost of the highway, which will take three years to
complete, will be shared. Burma will pay 30 per cent and Kanchanaburi's private
sector will pay the rest, Singh said.
The agreement was reached during a visit to Burma by a delegation of the
federation's Kanchanaburi chapter, led by former Thai Army chief Gen Chettha
Thanajaro, on June 14 and 15.
Chettha said the success of the Burma trip was the result of his personal
connections with top Burmese leaders. Although he held no official position, the
Burmese leaders still treated him with respect, he said.
To ensure mutual benefits, Thailand should strengthen relations with Burma,
which is blessed with abundant natural resources, he said.
The Thai delegates held talks with a top Burmese junta leader Lt Gen Khin
Nyunt and relevant cabinet members from 17 ministries, Singh said. The Burmese
leaders backed the highway project during the meeting and both sides signed the
minutes after the talks were completed.
The Burmese Construction Ministry will forward the joint project to the
Burmese investment board for final approval. Singh said he expects Rangoon to
approve the project within a month.
"This project will greatly benefit both countries. For Burma, it [the area
the road will pass through] is a new frontier rich in natural resources,
minerals, fish and fishery products, and agricultural produce," Singh said.
"For Thailand, this is a good route for barter commodities, as well as
opening up several sectors, especially for the agricultural, industrial and
tourism industries," he said.
The planned deep-sea port project at Tavoy would serve as an import-export
base for both Thailand and Burma, as well as being a gateway for Southeast Asia
to the Middle East and Europe, Singh said.
The federation's Kanchanaburi chapter has studied and been pushing for the
highway project for the past six years. It has also studied turning a 2,000-rai
estate into a western-style industrial zone. About 40 per cent of the land has
been bought by several major industrial companies, Singh said.
BY WATCHARAPONG THONGRUNG
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