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BURMA RELATED NEWS - January
19, 2002.
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HEADLINES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC - Burma 'joins' fight against
drugs
Bkk Post - Junta official sees bright future
Bkk Post - Mekong
study gets backing
Bkk Post - Asean
should prod free-trade laggards under pact, says PM
The Nation - All smiles at flash point
Xinhuanet - Myanmar Lacquerware Festival Opens
in Ancient City
Xinhuanet - Thai, Myanmar Trade Fair Opens
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC - Friday, 18 January, 2002, 18:01
GMT
Burma 'joins' fight against drugs By the BBC's Burma analyst Larry Jagan Burma is now one of the most committed states in the fight against drugs,
according to the head of the United Nations Drugs Control Programme (UNDCP) in
Bangkok.
It even contributes financially, says Dr Sandro Calvani.
For years the international community blamed the Burmese military regime
for the spiralling traffic of illicit drugs out of the Golden Triangle - the
border area of Thailand, Burma and Laos.
Burma now says it is cracking down.
"On drugs we have nothing to hide," says an internal government document.
The number of seizures of illicit drugs more than doubled in 2001. There
has also been an increase in arrests of traffickers - in China, Thailand and
Burma.
"Co-operation between Burma, China, Laos and Thailand has been very
effective," the Thai Foreign Minister Surakiat Sathirathai tells the BBC.
"The exchange of information and intelligence between the four countries
has led to the seizure of millions of metamphetamines in Burma, China, Laos and
Thailand."
Drugs production
While now all the countries of the region may be committed to the
eradication of the drugs trade, it is not before time.
It also comes as there are increasing fears that the production of illicit
drugs from the Golden Triangle is set to increase. With the opium production
virtually at an end in Afghanistan, there are fears that production in Burma may
increase to replace that supplied by Afghanistan.
In the past few years, Burma's opium production has fallen. But in the
meantime the manufacture of synthetic drugs like methamphetamines has risen
dramatically. From 100 million tablets two years ago to 800 million now - the
equivalent of 12 tablets for every man, woman and child in Thailand.
Most narcotics experts blame the Wa and Kokang - two ethnic groups with
large armed forces which have signed ceasefire agreements with the Burmese
military regime - for much of the mass production of amphetamines.
As a result of joint Thai and Burmese pressure, the Wa leaders have
promised to make their region drug-free by 2005.
The Thai and Burmese governments are convinced that the Wa are sincere, and
so is the UN.
"The Wa have honoured every agreement they have ever made," says Dr
Calvoni.
Village plan
So confident is everyone, that the Thais have offered the Burmese and Wa
$2m to help fund a crop-substitution programme there.
The initial part of this project will involve establish a pilot scheme
along the lines of the Thai model of "Drug-Free Villages", which proved very
successful in northern Thailand.
A senior Thai military commander in the region, says it took 30 years to
work there, but is optimistic about the Burma programme.
"I think it will be even faster in Burma, and could take only 10 years
before all the farmers are won over," he says.
The Thais will also provide non-monetary support, like training, computers
for data collection, technical support and marketing advice for the sale of
substitute products.
Burmese drug officials concede the real problem is now in the Kokang areas.
"The Kokang are already producing more amphetamines than the Wa," says a
senior Burmese anti-drug police commander.
UN officials also say that the Kokang are totally out of control.
Chinese help
But senior Burmese anti-narcotics agents are confident they can bring the
Kokang under control.
"We are going to do that with the help of our Chinese counterparts," says
Major General Soe Win, the Director General of the Burmese Police Force. "We
have stepped up our operations against them, and with close co-operation with
the Chinese authorities we have begun to have an impact."
Over the past year or so Burmese and Chinese officials have stepped up the
exchange of intelligence on locating the routes and identifying the drug barons.
As a result there has been an increase in seizures and arrests.
The Chinese are also helping train Burma's anti-narcotics agents. Twelve
officers are off to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province in two month's time
for a six-week intensive course.
The Chinese have also agreed in principle to help fund crop-substitution
programmes in Kokang areas, along the lines of the Thai projects in the Wa
region.
"So far its only promises," says Major General Soe Win.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post Jan 19,
2002.
Junta official sees bright future Wants peace and harmony on border Wassana Nanuam and Cheewin Sattha A top Rangoon leader expressed hope Burma and Thailand could turn their
common border into a frontier of friendship, harmony and prosperity.
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, the first secretary of Burma's State Peace and
Development Council, said he hoped the neighbours could maintain their good
relationship and bring about peace along their shared 2,000-km border.
The Burmese leader was speaking at the opening of a Thai-Burmese trade fair
in Tachilek town, opposite Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district.
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh yesterday
co-chaired the ceremony, which attracted about 5,000 people from both countries.
The event will continue until Jan 27.
Gen Sanan Khachornklam, secretary to the defence minister, said Lt-Gen Khin
Nyunt also called on Gen Chavalit to help push for the construction of a second
bridge between Mae Sai and Tachilek, which Thailand would finance.
He felt the Thai-Burmese Cultural and Economic Association would be a good
channel for the two countries to boost investment and bilateral relations.
During the ceremony, Gen Chavalit presented the Burmese association with
620,000 baht donated by Thai businessmen.
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt gave 37 million kyats (2.4 million baht) to the Thai
association.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - January 19,
2002.
Mekong study gets backing
Waterway becomes key trafficking route
Anucha Charoenpo
Burma and Laos are optimistic about plans by Thailand and China to study
the geography of the Mekong river since the waterway has become a popular drug
trafficking route.
Anti-drugs chiefs in both countries said drug trafficking along the Mekong
is ``a new emerging trend in this region''.
Pol Col Hkam Aung, of the Burmese Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control,
said he was aware of the trend and would come up with an action plan and an
appropriate approach to deal with the problem.
Linthong Phetsavan, from the Lao National Commission for Drug Control and
Supervision, said the Mekong could become an even more popular trafficking route
among traffickers.
Pol Col Hkam Aung said 60% of drug traffickers were using the route from
Burma via Yunnan province through Guangxi and Guangzhou in China to the world
market. He said the rest were using the route from Burma through the northern
Thailand.
Burma was also facing the problem of precursor smuggling from neighbouring
countries. Drug traffickers were using the Mekong to smuggle many kinds of
drug-making chemicals.
``The precursor smuggling is a big problem for Burma despite the fact that
the country has never produced them,'' he said.
Pol Col Kham Aung said he was satisfied with the Thai-Chinese initiative
and hoped it would combat all drug problems in the region.
Mr Linthong said he believed the Thai-Chinese study would benefit attempts
to combat drug trafficking along the river.
The study was principally agreed at the first Thai-Chinese meeting on drugs
co-operation, which closed on Wednesday in Chiang Mai.
Information would be sought on unregistered piers and areas along the river
in both countries used by drug traffickers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - January 19,
2002.
Asean should prod free-trade laggards
under pact, says PM
Tariff-cutters should be freed to move on
Bhanravee Tansubhapol
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday called on the Asean
secretary-general to help revive the concept of regional resilience and speed up
free trade plans.
Speaking to Rodolfo Severino while visiting the Asean secretariat, Mr
Thaksin said the Asean Free Trade Area (Afta) was a model for free trade areas
being discussed around the world.
Because the world was alert to the idea of free trade areas, Asean must
stay its course and make Afta work.
Afta should not be slowed down by the lack of readiness of some member
states, he said, urging Mr Severino to prod member states into taking Afta
forward.
Afta went into effect on Jan 1 for six of the 10 Asean member states.
Malaysia has put a hold on its automobile sector joining the scheme. Thailand is
hardest hit by this move. Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore are
the other four Asean states that have started putting Afta into effect. Burma,
Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have three more years.
Mr Thaksin told Mr Severino that he thought Asean and China could launch
their free trade area in less than 10 years.
On his return to Bangkok, Mr Thaksin said several Asean states remained
sluggish.
To enable free trade to really take off, Asean should let those that were
ready go ahead with tariff removals, he said.
Government spokesman Yongyuth Tiyapairat quoted Mr Severino as commending
Thailand for pursuing Asean projects, including those for co-operation against
drugs, and for adhering to Afta plans.
He quoted Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai as asking Mr Severino to
set up informal meetings of Asean foreign ministers. Thailand could host the
first such gathering.
Mr Surakiart also urged progress on plans to reduce the development gap
between Asean's original members and newcomers under the so-called Asean
Integration Initiative.
Mr Yongyuth quoted Mr Severino as saying Thailand could play a central role
in pushing Asean projects.
The spokesman quoted Mr Thaksin as calling on Asean states to intensify
exchanges of information and experience so they could learn from each other's
assets and liabilities.
Mr Thaksin also urged Asean to become truly e-Asean. Asean must adjust to
world trends. It would lose out if it moved too slowly, he said.
On his government's proposal for an Asian co-operation dialogue, he quoted
Indonesia as being prepared to join the core group, along with India and
Thailand.
After a response from one of the three Northeast Asian powers _ Japan,
China or South Korea _ Thailand would host a ministerial meeting of the group,
he said.
Mr Thaksin said Indonesia and Thailand agreed to set up a joint committee
on security affairs to speed exchange of information.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation
All smiles at flash
point
Published on Jan 19, 2002
It was a marriage made in heaven. Angels were flying and harps were
playing.
At least that was the atmosphere Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
tried to put across when he and Burma's security chief Lt-General Khin Nyunt
greeted each other at yesterday's trade fair at the border town of
Tachileik.
The scene was a far cry from what went on here earlier last year, when
armed clashes and cross-border shelling between the two armed forces brought the
Thai-Burmese bilateral ties to their knees.
The opening ceremony of yesterday's event was broadcast live on Burma
national television.
Khin Nyunt said in an address that the trade fair was the result of
friendly relations between the two governments and would boost bilateral trade
and enhance mutual friendship.
Chavalit told reporters that any problem between the two countries can be
solved peacefully, based on friendship and understanding.Tachileik, adjacent to
Chiang Rai's Mae Sai town, is one of the three main checkpoints along the 2,000
kilometre land border between Thailand and Burma.
In February last year, the two border towns came to a complete standstill
as Thai and Burmese troops engaged in day-long clashes that resulted in the
death of scores of people on both sides of the border.
The incident started when a battalion of Burmese troops overran an
undemarcated hill that was then being occupied by a Thai platoon.
The Burmese were reportedly trying to reposition themselves for an attack
against the Shan State Army, a rebel outfit that Rangoon said were drug dealers
and being supported by the Thai Army.
A war of words erupted between the military leaders of the two sides as
diplomatic relations went into a tailspin.But ties have warmed considerably
since June, when Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra made a fence-mending visit to
Rangoon.
Chavalit often boasts about his close personal ties with Burma ruling
generals.and how his relations could help solve pending bilateral problems,
which has been characterised by border clashes, refugees, drugs and
insurgencies.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Myanmar Lacquerware Festival Opens
in Ancient City
Xinhuanet 2002-01-19 13:50:00 YANGON, January 19 (Xinhuanet)
-- A Myanmar Lacquerware Festival was inaugurated Saturday in Bagan, the
country's ancient city in northern Mandalay division.
The five-day lacquerware festival, sponsored by the Cottage Industries
Department of the Myanmar Ministry of Cooperatives, is aimed at publicizing the
country's traditional lacquerware at home and abroad and promoting the standard
of Myanmar lacquerware.
At the festival, where a wide range of lacquerware, Myanmar artistic
handicrafts and personal goods will be put on sale, will also be attached with
activities covering talks on lacquerware, related paper reading sessions and
lacquerware contests.
Myanmar's lacquerware enjoy a relatively high degree of popularity
domestically and internationally. There are many categories of Myanmar
lacquerware which include daily household necessities and handicrafts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thai, Myanmar Trade Fair Opens
Xinhuanet 2002-01-19 13:00:17 BANGKOK, January 19 (Xinhuanet)
-- Speaking at the opening ceremony of a Thai-Burmese trade fair, a top Myanmar
leader expressed hope his country and Thailand could turn their common border
into a frontier of friendship, harmony and prosperity, the Bangkok Post reported
Saturday.
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, first secretary of Myanmar's State Peace and Development
Council, was quoted as saying that he hoped the two neighbors could maintain
their good relationship and bring about peace along their shared border of
2,000-kilometers.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh also
attended the fair and co-chaired the ceremony, which attracted about 5,000
people from both countries.
During the ceremony which was held on Friday, Gen Chavalit presented the
Myanmar association with 620,000 baht (14,090 U.S. dollars) donated by Thai
businessmen, while Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt gave 37 million kyats (54,545 dollars) to
the Thai association.
Gen Sanan Khachornklam, secretary to the defense minister, said Lt-Gen Khin
Nyunt also called on Gen Chavalit to help push for the construction of a second
bridge between Mae Sai, 900 kilometers north from Bangkok, and Tachilek, which
Thailand would finance.
He felt the Thai-Myanmar Cultural and Economic Association would be a good
channel for the two countries to boost investment and bilateral relations.
The trade fair, held in Tachilek, Myanmar, opposite Chiang Rai's Mae Sai
district, would continue until Jan 27, the report said.
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