|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
BURMA RELATED NEWS - October
02, 2001.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEADLINES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- UN - 'Positive signals' from Myanmar Government
show progress in human rights, UN reports
Bkk Post - Thailand to
play central role in Mekong network
Mizzima - Forced
labor, forced porter still rife in Naga Hill
Xinhuanet - Myanmar Has 45 Homes for Aged People
Xinhuanet - 20 Members of three Armed
Groups Surrender to Myanmar Govt
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- United Nations Tue Oct 2
09:35:47 UTC+0900 2001
'Positive signals' from Myanmar Government show progress in human rights, UN reports 1 October – A new United Nations report says there have been some "positive
signals" in Myanmar indicating the Government's efforts to make progress in its
human rights record.
According to a report by Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, his first as Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar, those efforts include the dissemination of human rights standards for
public officials, progress by the governmental Committee on Human Rights and
releases of political detainees.
Other government moves welcomed in the report include reopening branches of
the National League for Democracy (NLD) - the main opposition party - the
continued international monitoring of prison conditions, and cooperation with
the Geneva-based UN Commission on Human Rights.
The Special Rapporteur says significant improvement is still needed most
for vulnerable groups, including children, women and ethnic minorities and, in
particular, those among them who have become internally displaced in zones of
military operations. "Overall, there exists a complex humanitarian situation in
Myanmar, which may decline unless it is properly addressed by all concerned," he
writes.
In his report, which covers events from the beginning of the year through
mid-August, the Special Rapporteur says he is "convinced" that the present
moment in Myanmar seems to favour a consistent strategy that may allow different
actors in and outside the country to work towards the same goals. He adds that
it would be "most beneficial" if the international community could temporarily
renounce any aggravation of economic sanctions and, instead, try to evaluate the
effect of sanctions on the most vulnerable groups of the Myanmar
population.
With a sizeable number of political prisoners still in detention, many
serving long terms, the Special Rapporteur stresses again that only the full
release of such individuals will pave the way to national reconciliation and the
establishment of the rule of law leading towards the democratization process.
"No transitional process can be effective without the release of all political
prisoners," he says.
The Special Rapporteur also urges the Government to ratify or adhere to
core human rights treaties - including the Optional Protocol to the Convention
on the Rights of the Child which concerns the involvement of children in armed
conflict and the recruitment of child soldiers - as well as to continue its
cooperation on the issue of forced labour.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - October 02,
2001.
Thailand to play central role in Mekong
network
Thailand will play a central role in creating a transport network with
other countries in the Mekong sub-region to galvanise trade and tourism to
offset the sluggish world economy, Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said
yesterday.
The country was ready to mobilise support from other Asean members and its
three East Asian partners _ China, Japan and South Korea _ in building transport
links with Burma, Cambodia and Laos, the minister said.
That would benefit Thai exports, tourism and create jobs, Mr Surakiart said
after chairing a subcommittee with Transport and Communications Minister Wan
Muhamad Nor Matha.
Thailand will build another border bridge connecting Mae Sai town with
Burma's Thachilek.
It also plans to improve roads linking with Burma, Cambodia and Laos.
Mr Surakiart expected these schemes to start within the next two
years.
The government could offer loans to neighbouring countries for renovation
projects on condition that they employ Thai construction firms and materials, Mr
Surakiart said.
Japan expressed interest in offering loans to those countries through
Thailand, the minister added.
Development plans for the Mekong subregion will be discussed in talks next
Monday in Chiang Rai between Asean ministers and China.
Key issues tabled will be a railway project from Singapore to southern
China, and trade growth on the Mekong river after a recent launch of commercial
navigation along the river. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mizzima News
Forced labor, forced porter still rife
in Naga Hill
Imphal, Oct. 2: The three-week long visit of International Labor
Organization (ILO)'s team investigating the Burmese government's efforts to
eradicate forced labor in the country is coming to its end this week. In this
context, it needs mentioning that there are reports of the continued use of
forced labor coming out of the country, particularly from the remote areas and
border areas inhabited by ethnic nationalities. The Naga Hills, situated in the
Sagaing Division of Burma (which borders on India), is one of the areas here the
use of forced labor in road constructions and forced porter by the Burmese army
units are rife.
According to the local people of Layshi township in the Naga Hills, the
Burmese authorities continue to use forced labor for the construction and
maintenance of the sixty mile-long Htamanthi-Layshi motor road. In the last week
of August, the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) instructed the
village authorities to complete the task of road repair and construction by the
end of November this year.
Naga villagers told Mizzima News that road works are currently under way
between Yan Nwe Village and Kyoe Tadar (the Suspension Bridge) near Layshi town
involving villagers being forced to "voluntarily" contribute their labor.
The villagers said that the Burmese authorities do not provide any
assistance to the forced laborers and that the villagers themselves have to
bring their own equipments, food and medicines.
Moreover, the villagers are made to work at farms of army units in upper
Sagaing Division and pay regular tax for army rations. The villagers are also
being used as porters by army units moving from one base to another and in
patrolling. Army units recruit up to 50 villagers to carry their loads during
patrolling or transfer. Seven Burmese army battalions are stationed in the Naga
Hills with each battalion being stationed in an area for the duration of two to
four months.
During the ILO's first time visit to the military-run Burma, the
four-member high–level ILO team, led by former Australian governor general Sir
Ninian Stephen, having arrived in Burma in the third week of September, met with
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and government ministers. The ILO team has
reportedly been given access to every minister concerned and visited some of the
states predominantly inhabited by ethnic nationalities, including Arakan State
and Taninthayi Division, in order to make an assessment of the local situation
at grassroots level. The delegation also met with international and national
non-government organizations and UN agencies' representatives in Burma.
The Geneva-based International Labor Organization last year took
unprecedented action against the Burmese junta and threatened to impose more
sanctions if the junta failed to end forced labor in the country. In November,
the Burmese military government - in a bid to prevent further adverse
international reactions - officially declared forced labor illegal. Despite this
declaration, the continued use of forced labor is reported in various parts of
the country, particularly in remote areas. The army continues to depend heavily
on the unpaid and forced employment of local villagers for its mobility. Some
observers say that the Burmese authorities are, however, now eager to convince
the ILO that they are sincere in their efforts to wipe out the practice.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Myanmar Has 45 Homes for Aged
People
Xinhuanet 2001.10.02 12:11:02 YANGON, October 2 (Xinhuanet)
-- There are 45 homes for aged people in Myanmar, established by social
organizations and religious associations, accommodating 1,947 older
people, according to sources at the country's Ministry of Social
Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Tuesday.
The government provides rice, funds and clothes and the salary of the
administrators of the homes for the aged, it said, disclosing that the
government spent 10.7 million Kyats (about 30, 571 U.S. dollars) in caring for
these people in the 2000-01 fiscal year which ended in March.
In addition to the governmental and social organizations taking care of the
aged people, successful private entrepreneurs and well- wishers are also making
donations to such homes for the aged people, it said.
Myanmar has an estimated population of 52 million now, of whom 3.978
million or 7.65 percent are in the age-group of 60 years and above.
Myanmar observes the International Day of Older People (IDOP) every
year and the country pledges to continue to make all-out efforts for the
realization of objectives of the IDOP.
Myanmar is still running short of capital used in welfare of the aged
people.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 Members of three Armed Groups
Surrender to Myanmar Govt
Xinhuanet 2001.10.02 12:56:11 YANGON, October 2 (Xinhuanet)
-- Twenty members from three anti- government armed groups in Myanmar
respectively laid down their arms to the government forces in four
military command areas in August this year, according to sources at the
Myanmar Ministry of Defense Tuesday.
These members, who "exchanged arms for peace" with the government in
the month, include those from the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), All Burma
Students' League (ABSL) and the Mong Tai Army (MTA).
They brought along with them a total of 60 rounds of ammunition among
others, the sources said.
The ALP is an Arakan ethnic armed group, while the ABSL is a
students' armed organization, a splinter from the All Burma Students'
Democratic Front (ABSDF), and is operating on the Myanmar-India border.
The MTA is a drug trafficking group, the main force of which led by Khun
Sa had surrendered to the government in early January 1996.
Government statistics show that up to now, 17 anti-government armed
groups have reached cease-fire agreements with the government since
1989.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- |