|
----------------------------------------------------------------
BURMA RELATED NEWS - July 10,
2001.
----------------------------------------------------------------
HEADLINES
---------------------------------------------------------------- Asia Pulse - Indonesia's Pertamina Plans US$10
MLN Foreign Expansion
Bkk Post - Editorial -
Tension eases but problems continue
Xinhuanet - Myanmar Builds 1,715 Km New
Railroads in 13 Years
NSTP - Rice, cannabis and stimulants seized in
ops
BMA - Canadian Burma
Activist Passed Away
---------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday July 10, 1:47 PM
Indonesia's Pertamina Plans US$10 MLN
Foreign Expansion
JAKARTA, July 29 Asia Pulse -
The state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina said it has set aside US$10
million to start expansion of operations to other countries in Asia and
Africa.
Pertamina President Baihaki Hakim said Monday Pertamina will take part in
oil and gas explorations in Vietnam, Myanmar, Iraq and Libya.
Hakim said Pertamina will start with a relatively small investment in
feasibility studies and explorations.
He said in Iraq, Pertamina will invest US$2 million for oil and gas
explorations.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - July 10,
2001.
Editorial - Tension eases but problems
continue
Diplomacy may move slowly but police work cannot afford such luxury. Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra went to Burma last month with one major reason in
mind. The Burmese have been pouring huge amounts of drugs into, and through,
Thailand. The premier, elected in part for his straight talk of launching an
effective war on drugs, talked equally straight to the Burmese.
Rangoon has the means to help a major, meaningful effort to eradicate drug
trafficking in the region. So far, and specifically in the short time since the
premier's visit, Burma has been part of the problem without contributing
anything to the solution. We can expect better from Rangoon. Thailand's backing
was the major reason Burma was admitted to Asean. It should not be necessary to
remind the Burmese that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is dedicated
to regional co-operation on issues of common concern.
Burma has not only let down Thailand with its refusal to help fight drug
manufacturing and trafficking. Drugs from the Burmese Wa-controlled
cartel-especially heroin-are responsible for an estimated 50% or more of the HIV
and Aids infections in southern China, eastern India and Burma itself. Experts
say that in a web of deception, Burma has been forced to fabricate reports of a
low rate of Aids in order to support its claim that drug trafficking is not as
serious as its neighbours claim. The tragedy of untreated, rapidly spreading
Aids is clear.
Thailand is ravaged by an inflow of drugs, the likes of which had never
before been imagined. Opium, heroin and methamphetamines are on their way to
addicting an estimated four million Thais this year. Health workers in Bangkok
say they are fighting a losing battle until Burma can be persuaded to turn off
the tap. Nearly 100% of the drugs abused by Thais come from our western
neighbour.
The broken promises and false denials are especially troubling. Years
before Mr Thaksin travelled to Rangoon in an attempt at personal diplomacy,
Burma was regularly dissembling. Rangoon claimed to have wiped out 8,400
hectares of poppy last year. Yet figures from the UN, United States and other
sources show that the overall acreage last year increased by 9,400
hectares.
Col Kyaw Thein is the official spokesman for the Burmese Office of
Strategic Studies intelligence agency. Last April, he assured Thai officers
Burma would help to wipe out drug factories along the border. Apart from
official Burma-Thai agreements, the Burmese junta approved new liaison offices
along the frontier to monitor drug trafficking, inform on smugglers and
generally increase the effectiveness of its drug eradication programme.
No one believes the Rangoon claims that it cannot control its northern
areas. That was a credible if over-used excuse in the days of Lo Hsing-han, Khun
Sa and the Shan trafficking gangs. But drugs are clearly in the hands of a major
ally of the Burmese dictatorship, the United Wa State Army. Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, a
junta leader, is close to the Wa leadership, and has openly visited and
supported the Wa "drug city" of Mong Yawn. If the Burmese police do not enter
Mong Yawn, it is only because the junta wishes them to stay out.
Mr Thaksin's trip to Burma, and the return visit of Foreign Minister Win
Aung, had one success. It cooled the building border tension so life and
commerce could return to normal. Unfortunately, "normal" is the state where
Burma feels confident to continue its open support for drug traffickers. The
major threat to Thai security from Burmese drugs has not improved since Mr
Thaksin's visit. Burma must take positive steps to co-operate in the fight
against drug trafficking. If the root cause of the problem is not tackled,
further trouble is likely.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Myanmar Builds 1,715 Km New
Railroads in 13 Years
2001.07.10 11:14:11 YANGON, July 10 (Xinhuanet) --
Myanmar has built 1,715 km of new railroads in the country since 1988 when
the present government took office, extending the total length of
railroads to 6,210 km, according to the Myanmar Ministry of Rail
Transportation Tuesday.
The number of new railroad bridges built since 1988 came to 9, 009, up from
5,650 then, the sources said, adding that of the new railroad bridges,
seven are river-crossing ones while there were only two such bridges in
the past.
In addition, 250 new railway stations have been built since 1988,
bringing the total number of such stations to 739.
In the fiscal year 2000-01 which ended in March, the ministry has
transported a total of 3.55 million tons of freight, breaking the record
in over five decades since the country regained independence in
1948.
At a time when many nations in the world are using sky and bullet
trains in the rail transportation, Myanmar is seeking opportunity to
introduce railway network systems and other communications systems from
abroad.
---------------------------------------------------------------- The New Straits Times Press - July 10,
2001.
KOTA BARU
Rice, cannabis and stimulants seized in ops By Rahman Daud The General Operations Force seized about RM92,000 worth of contraband,
including rice, cannabis and stimulant pills in an 11-day operation at various
locations in the State which started on June 28.
Eight vehicles, including three cars, two vans and a lorry were also seized
during the operation which was carried out in Rantau Panjang, Jeram Perdah,
Kuala Jambu, Pengkalan Kubor and Machang.
GOF Eighth Battalion commanding officer Superintendent Wenceslaus S. Dana
said five men were detained during the operation when they were caught in
possession of the cannabis and 1,670 stimulant pills.
Also detained were nine illegal immigrants who included eight Myanmar
nationals.
Wenceslaus said the rice seizure, weighing about 43,275kg and worth about
RM64,000, was believed to have been brought into the State from Thailand.
He added the operation was carried out to curb smuggling activities
especially rice and other essential items along the border areas.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Canadian Burma Activist Passed
Away
By Tin Maung Htoo (Canada)
Burma Media Association July 9, 2001 A final farewell, but what a friend says is "too young to go,"
grieved all Vancouver-based Burma activists, as well as closed friends and
love once attending the past weekend memorial service for Mrs. Louise
Lamontagne, who had passed away last week at the age of 53.
Mr. Alan Clements, a well known author of "Voice of Burma", a Buddhist
devotee and a friend of Mrs. Louise for more than twenty years, was quoted as
saying in the event that she found great inspiration in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's
words about courage -- "courage to see the truth, courage to feel the
truth, courage to act the truth."
Led by Mr. Alan Clements, the memorial service was taken place on Saturday
in a Vancouver's Unitarian Church filled with over 300 of friends, colleagues
and love once.
Mr. Eric Snider, who closely worked with her for a free Burma campaign in
Canada, recalled his memory, "she bought up a few shares in Ivanhoe and went to
several company meetings with me. The last time was in the middle of June, when
she had already wasted away too much."
Mr. Snider referred to the event while the Ivanhoe shareholders meeting was
taking place last month in Vancouver at the time she was already ill. But
he said, "it was great for her to be able to sit outside for a few moments,
after the (shareholders) meeting, with some of the 40-50 demonstrators who
showed up and to realize that the small beginnings we made in 1998 were
beginning to have an impact."
For the Free Burma Movement, this is the second to lose the most two
devoted activists and veterans within a month. An American activist Don
Erickson, who is a teacher and a leading campaigner for free Burma, also passed
away on June 3 at the age of 75 in his native city Chicago. Friends and
colleagues also observed a memorial service for him in honor of his devotion and
endeavor for free Burma.
---------------------------------------------------------------- |