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Burma Related News - February 19,
2002.
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Headlines
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Reuters - Myanmar says sanctions slowing
democratisation
Dow Jones - PetroChina Hopes To Buy 3-4
Overseas Oil Assets - Source
AFP - Malaysia refuses to change labour policy
despite plea by Indonesia
AP - Myanmar leader says foreign interference
hindering democracy
VOA News - UN Envoy Completes Visit to
Burma
Bkk Post - China ready
to pay for river clearing, B200m to enable cargo
shipping
The Nation - Hail the drug baron
NSTP - Salcon eyeing water treatment projects in
China
Mizzima - 13 Sri Lanka
MPs signed for democracy in Burma
Narinjara News - Rice price shot up
as junta closes down private rice mills
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday February 19, 7:22 PM
Myanmar says sanctions slowing democratisation By Aung Hla Tun YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government, desperate for more aid, trade and investment, said on Tuesday sanctions by several Western countries were hampering progress towards democracy. The comments came as a top United Nations human rights envoy wrapped up a
10-day trip to the impoverished country to complete a report which, if positive,
could soften Western attitudes towards the ruling generals.
The United States and the European Union maintain aid and trade sanctions
on Myanmar, but have said they could change their policies if there is progress
towards in talks with the opposition led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu
Kyi and an improvement in the country's human rights record.
"We have a lot of trouble, difficulties and internal disturbances and
external interference," Myanmar's military leader Senior General Than Shwe told
a meeting of a government-run youth organisation.
"If we did not have this interference and difficulties, the country would
develop more quickly and the democratisation process in the country would be
faster," he said.
Mention of "internal disturbances" are usually interpreted as a reference
to Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, which swept elections organised by
the military in 1990 by a landslide, but was never allowed to rule.
"SUCCESSFUL AND POSITIVE"
Since beginning U.N. brokered reconciliation talks with the NLD in late
2000, the ruling generals have toned down their rhetoric, released around 200
political prisoners and allowed most NLD offices in Yangon to reopen.
The NLD and junta have also stopped publicly attacking each other, but in
recent months some members of the opposition have expressed frustration at the
slow pace of the talks.
They demand a large-scale release of political prisoners, release from
house arrest of their leader Suu Kyi, and progress towards political change.
U.N. human rights envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro on Tuesday wound up his third
trip to Myanmar to assess the human rights situation and persuade the ruling
generals to release more prisoners.
Pinheiro said he was satisfied with the cooperation he received from the
government, which released 11 political prisoners during his stay.
"It's been very successful and positive and I'm really satisfied with the
government's co-operation," Pinheiro, who leaves Yangon late on Tuesday for
Bangkok, told Reuters.
As well as meeting top military brass, Pinheiro travelled to Kachin State,
entered Yangon's notorious Insein Prison to meet jailed NLD members and met Suu
Kyi in the residence where she has been confined for much of the last decade.
"The meeting (with Suu Kyi) lasted for about three hours and I explained
the report I'll present to the 58th session of the U.N. Human Rights Commission
meeting in April," Pinheiro said.
Even after recent releases, about 1,500 political prisoners languish in
Myanmar's jails, according to Amnesty International.
One man, released last week, was arrested in 1990 for writing a poem
criticising the army before seeing his sentence doubled for writing a letter to
the U.N. about maltreatment and harsh prison conditions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday February 19, 3:57 PM
PetroChina Hopes To Buy 3-4 Overseas Oil Assets - Source SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--China's
largest oil and gas producer, PetroChina Co. (PTR), hopes to buy three or four
overseas petroleum assets this year, in line with a government strategy to
increase China's crude oil reserves, a China-based industry official told Dow
Jones Newswires Tuesday.
In its first attempt to venture outside China, PetroChina is considering
the purchase of the crude oil assets of Canada's Husky Energy Inc. (T.HSE), he
said.
"We are considering at least three oil fields overseas," he said, adding
that the acquisition of Husky's assets alone is worth "millions of dollars."
In an effort to move its operations beyond China, PetroChina set up a unit,
PetroChina International Co., late last year.
The Chinese government has, over the past two years, urged leading domestic
oil companies including PetroChina, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (SNP)
and CNOOC Ltd. (CEO) to increase their oil and gas reserves by acquiring foreign
assets.
Last month, CNOOC Ltd. concluded a US$585-million deal to buy the
Indonesian assets of Spain's Repsol-YPF S.A. (REP).
PetroChina is a unit of China National Petroleum Corp. or CNPC. CNPC has
about five overseas upstream operations in countries such as Sudan, Peru,
Venezuela, Thailand.
PetroChina's overseas acquisitions can be a sensitive issue partly because
of its interest in assets in countries that are under U.S. sanctions such as
Sudan and Myanmar.
PetroChina's shares are traded in Hong Kong and on the New York Stock
Exchange.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday February 19, 7:22 PM
Malaysia refuses to change labour policy despite plea by Indonesia KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 (AFP) -
Malaysia Tuesday rejected a plea by Jakarta that it reconsider a decision to cut
down the number of Indonesian workers in the country because of recent
riots.
Malaysia would stick to its new policy of employing Indonesians only as
maids and plantation workers, said Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid
Albar.
He was speaking to reporters after a meeting here of the Malaysia-Indonesia
Joint Commission, which he headed along with his Indonesian counterpart Hassan
Wirayuda.
"We take note of their request (to reconsider)" Syed Hamid said. "But we
will continue to employ Indonesians on the basis of need for the plantation and
domestic maid services (only). Our policy remains."
Syed Hamid said that Indonesia asked Malaysia to reconsider its decision
because it would have a severe economic impact on its fragile economy.
Labour officials say some three billion ringgit (789 million dollars) is
remitted out of Malaysia by foreign workers yearly. Indonesians make up 566,983
out of a total of 769,566 legal foreign workers in the country.
Malaysia announced the clampdown on the recruitment of Indonesians after
two riots by textile and construction workers last month, saying it would now
look to Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines and India to
supply the labour market.
In his opening remarks at Tuesday's meeting, Hassan expressed Indonesia's
regret over the riots.
He said his country was in the midst of shaping a new system of recruitment
that would involve the government and urged Malaysia to support the plan.
"We hope we can unite and find solutions to our common problems. We must
overcome differences that exist," he said.
The joint-commission meeting, the first between the neighbours since 1997,
is due to end Wednesday.
Syed Hamid described the talks as cordial and fruitful, saying both
countries agreed to cooperate closely to fight terrorism, militancy and
extremism.
He said earlier in his opening remarks the scope of the meeting was wide
and included foreign workers, human smuggling, terrorism, investment and trade,
illegal immigrants and fishing problems in the Malacca Straits.
He described ties between Malaysia and Indonesia as close and said he hoped
the meeting would provide a forum to resolve existing problems.
"These problems must be carefully overcome through the joint commission and
not be exploited by any parties, including the media, which will have a negative
impact on our close ties," he said.
Syed Hamid said both countries must preserve their solidarity amid economic
difficulties, adding "we are faced with new threats from extremists and militant
groups who can rock the region's stability".
"To succeed in overcoming the challenges, we need to cooperate," he
said.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Myanmar leader says foreign
interference hindering democracy
Tue Feb 19, 6:05 AM ET YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -
Myanmar's military leader Tuesday complained that foreign interference and
Western sanctions were hindering democratic development.
Gen. Than Shwe, chief of the ruling junta, made the comments in a speech as
two visiting U.N. teams assessed human rights issues in the Southeast Asian
country.
"Without such interference, development of the nation would be faster and
the establishment of a democratic country will be quicker," Than Shwe
said.
"The more interference and sanctions there are, the slower the
developments," he said at a meeting of the Union Solidarity Development
Association, a state organization of about 17 million members.
The meeting was held at Hmawbi, 48 kilometers (30 miles) north of Yangon.
Copies of his speech were distributed to journalists in the capital.
His comments came as Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, a U.N. human rights
investigator, completed a 10-day visit, and a four-member delegation from the
U.N.'s International Labor Organization arrived.
In an unprecedented move in November 2000, the ILO urged its 175 member
governments to impose sanctions against Myanmar over its use of forced labor for
public works and by the army in its fight against insurgents.
Myanmar, one of Asia's poorest countries, receives little foreign aid and
is starved of investment.
In his speech, Than Shwe did not mention his regime's closed-door talks
with main opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi that began in Oct. 2000 to resolve
the country's political deadlock. The talks have shown no sign of a
breakthrough.
Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, leads the National League for Democracy
Party that swept the 1990 general elections, but was barred by the military from
taking power. She has been under house arrest since September 2000.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Asia Pacific UN Envoy Completes
Visit to Burma
VOA News 19 Feb 2002 13:07 UTC A United Nations human rights envoy has completed a 10 day visit to Burma, saying he is satisfied with the cooperation demonstrated by the country's military government. Paulo Sergio Pinherio told Reuters news agency his visit was "very
successful" and "very positive." He did not elaborate, but said he will report
his findings to the U.N. Commission for Human Rights on April fourth.
During his visit,Mr. Pinheiro met with top government officials as well as
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and jailed members of her National League for
Democracy. The military government released several political prisoners during
Mr. Pinheiro's stay.
Meanwhile, a team from the International Labor Organization arrived in
Burma Tuesday to assess the military government's efforts to end forced labor.
Last November, an ILO report said forced labor continued in Burma, despite
the government's assertion that new laws have banned the practice.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - Tuesday 19 February
2002
China ready to pay for river
clearing, B200m to enable cargo shipping
Thirawat Khamthitav
China is prepared to spend 200 million baht to clear rapids and widen a
shipping lane in the Mekong river, to promote trade and tourism.
The Chinese government has approved US$5 million to demolish 12 rapids on
the river to enable cargo boats with capacities of 300-500 tonnes to pass
through from China to Burma, Laos and Thailand during the dry season, said
Suvarn Valaisathien, deputy commerce minister.
At present only cargo boats of 100-200 tonnes can navigate the Mekong in
dry season.
In his opening speech at a seminar ``Opening the Gate of Trade to Yunnan'',
Mr Suvarn said a team of Chinese engineers would conduct a survey of the river
in March.
A ministerial meeting last month of the four countries had agreed on the
need to clear the 12 rapids, including two in Thai waters, Mr Suvarn said.
One of the rapids is Kaeng Kai, a scenic area between Chiang Saen and
Chiang Khong districts.
Pornchai Rujiprapa, deputy secretary-general of the Office of National
Economic and Social Development Board, proposed an environmental impact study be
done before blasting is carried out.
Among the four countries, China is the most enthusiastic in pressing for
economic and tourism development of the Mekong, followed by Thailand.
Thailand is interested in the prospect of exporting various products
including Hom Mali rice, dried longan and fresh fruit to Yunnan, a southern
Chinese province 350km from the Thai border.
Thailand has a trade deficit with China of about 500 million baht a
year.
Meanwhile, a local businessman said it was likely rail services would reach
Chiang Rai in a few years, enabling transport of agricultural products from the
province to Laem Chabang deep sea port on the eastern seaboard.
Soemchai Kittirattanapaibul, president of Chiang Rai chamber of commerce,
said the government has issued a decree to expropriate land along the planned
route from Denchai district in Phrae to Chiang Rai via Phayao. He expected the
expropriation to be completed in four years.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation
Hail the drug baron Published on Feb 20, 2002 A local Chinese-language daily irked a number of counter-narcotics agencies
yesterday when it published a full-page advertisement lauding one of the world's
best known drug lords, Lo Hsing-han.
The advertisement in Shijie Ribao (Universal Daily News) heaped praise on
Lo and his wife on their 50th wedding anniversary. The ad also included the
names of 93 well-wishers from Rangoon and Lashio, a major city in Burma's Shan
State which served as a base for the former drug lord's operations. According to
a Thai narcotics officer, the incident raised the eyebrows of Thai, Chinese and
American drug officers.
Sixty-seven-year-old Lo controls Burma's largest business conglomerate,
Asia World Company, and maintains close relations with the military government
in Rangoon.
Lo, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1973 but released as part of
an amnesty in 1980, insists that he is no longer involved in the drug trade,
although the international community is not convinced. His son, Steven Law, was
refused a visa to the United States in 1996 on suspicion of drug
trafficking.
Born in Kokang district in Shan State, Lo started his career as an
opium-trafficking insurgent in the 1950s. During his career Lo repeatedly
switched allegiance between the government and rebel sides.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- The New Straits Times Press
Tuesday, 19 February 2002
Salcon eyeing water treatment projects
in China
By Dalila Abu Bakar WED: SALCON Engineering Bhd, a 51 per cent-owned subsidiary of Kumpulan
Emas Bhd, is eyeing lucrative potable water treatment and sewerage water
treatment projects worth billions of ringgit in China.
President Patrick Teoh said Salcon is confident of securing at least one
construction project this year.
"We'll land at least one project this year. The construction work is worth
about RM50 million," Teoh said in a recent interview.
Salcon is also in the final stage of evaluating three construction projects
worth RM200 million in China.
According to Teoh, Salcon prefers to be involved in the construction work
which require completion within two to three years and offers higher
returns.
"There are two possibilities in doing projects in China ? joint-ventures or
privatisation and sometimes just the construction. At this stage, we prefer just
construction, because joint-venture requires higher risk and for privatisation,
the risk is even higher," he said.
Teoh said the Chinese Government has allocated billions of ringgit for
waste-water treatment and Salcon is looking seriously at this opportunity.
"If you got one per cent, it's already a lot of money. Our emphasis is on
the coastal areas ? like Shanghai, Fu Chen, Guang Jai, Sichuan, Herbei, Shandong
and Jiangsu. Jiang Su is the richest State in China which contribute the most
income tax to the Chinese Government," he said.
In line with its long-term business plans, the company has set up an office
in Shanghai which handles businesses involving Salcon and also its wholly-owned
Systematic Education Group Bhd (SEGB).
SEGB which currently has between 500 and 600 students from China, is in the
midst of increasing the figure. SEGB has 14 education centres in the country
with a total of 13,800 students.
"The number of students from China is not even 10 per cent yet. We plan to
go in a big way," he said.
Besides China, Teoh said Salcon is also looking for opportunities for water
treatment projects in Asean countries including Thailand, Indochina and
Myamnar.
Salcon has recently secured a water treatment contract worth RM40 million
in Bangkok and has just started work on the project.
Teoh said the company plans to establish itself in Bangkok before looking
at Phuket and moving into Indochina and Myanmar.
He also said that the listing of Salcon, which had been delayed, is
expected to take place this year.
"We hope to do it when the market improves. We delayed the listing because
of the Asian financial crisis. Salcon has qualified for a main board listing,"
he said.
On KEB's financial performance for the current year, Teoh said he expects
the group to maintain the trend.
For the financial year ended July 31 2001, KEB posted a pre-tax profit of
RM35 million.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Sri Lanka MPs signed for democracy in
Burma
Mizzima News
February 19: Thirteen Members of Parliament from Sri Lanka have signed a
?MP Declaration on Burma? in support of Burma?s Members of Parliament who
were elected in the 1990 elections but never allowed to convene the parliament
by the ruling military generals. According to a release of India-based All
Burma Students League (ABSL) yesterday, the Sri Lanka Members of Parliament
belonging to People?s Liberation Front (JVP) have expressed their solidarity
with the Burmese democratic leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who remains under house
arrest in Rangoon. Her party National League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide
victory securing more than 82 percent of the parliamentary seats in the election
held twelve years ago.
?We are grateful that we have found active support from the MPs of Sri
Lanka which has close historical links with Burma. And we hope the support will
grow?, said Ko Moe, Central Committee member of the ABSL.
The ?MP Declaration on Burma? which has attracted signatures from over
3.200 parliamentarians in 95 countries calls for the release of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi and her fellow activists, the recognition of representatives elected
democratically in 1990 to form a parliament and for effective dialogue between
the regime and the National League for Democracy and ethnic nationalities?
representatives towards a peaceful transition to democracy in Burma.
In India, total hundred and sixteen Members of Parliament from various
political parties had signed the declaration.
?We are with the democratic movement in Burma and we will do our best for
the freedom for Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma?, said Mr. Nandana
Gunathilaka, Member of Parliament from Sri Lanka, in his separate letter to
ABSL.
19 Members of Parliament remain in prison in Burma and 25 MPs are in
exile.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Narinjara news
Rice price shot up as junta closes down private rice mills Sittwe, 19th February 02 : The price of rice, the staple
food of the people of Myanmar, recently shot up sharply in the south-western
state of Myanmar due to forced shut-down of all privately owned rice mills, our
correspondent writes.
In a bid to realize the target of rice purchase in the 2001 2002 rice
season, the State Peace and Development Council junta of Myanmar took some
drastic measures against the interest of the rice growers, one of which is
complete shut-down of small private rice mills. As a result the price of
one kg of rice has gone up from kyat 40 to kyat 120 within one month in the
interior areas, and in the border areas of Maungdaw and Buthidaung a kilo of
rice is now selling at kyat 250.
According to a rice merchant from Mrauk U, because of the
junta-adopted measures there is an artificial shortage in supply of rice in the
open market already. The rice growers also could not maintain their
usual annual rice stock as the junta resorted to collecting rice from the
growers by applying the force of its troops. With the passing of
days the situation is aggravating since there is no government supply of
rice in co-operative shops or through rationing in the towns for the
consumption of the general public as before.
Meanwhile the private rice mill owners are milling rice by bribing the
local Military Intelligence agents in the interior hard to reach areas of
Rakhine State. Quoting a rice mill owner our correspondent added that, the
previous price for milling ten kg of rice was kyat 20 while at present it is
kyat 50, because each of the mill owners has to bribe an amount of kyat 50,000
to kyat 100,000 for 'clandestine' milling of rice to the junta intelligence
agents during the harvest season.
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