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BURMA RELATED NEWS - March 24,
2002.
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HEADLINES
----------------------------------------------------------------- Reuters - Two top Myanmar leaders in rare show
of unity
AFP - Thirteen killed in Thai-Myanmar border
drugs clash
Reuters - Thirty killed in rebel raid on Myanmar
army camp
BBC - Karen militia attack Burmese army
camp
UPI - Group pressures Myanmar on forced labor
UPI - MYANMAR: Leadership To Allow ILO To
Monitor Forced Labor
Bkk Post - Thirteen slain in caravan ambush
Bkk Post - Rangoon may seek payment to supply
dam
Bkk Post - Eight Karen killed during border
clash
The Nation - EDITORIALS: Burma opens its doors
to the ILO
----------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday March 24, 4:14 PM
Two top Myanmar leaders in rare show of unity By Aung Hla Tun YANGON, March 24 (Reuters) -
Two leaders of military ruled Myanmar, rumoured to be locked in a long-running
power struggle, have appeared together for the first time in months in a show of
unity after an alleged coup plot.
Photographs of Army Chief Maung Aye and Military Intelligence Chief Khin
Nyunt, officially number two and three in the military government, inspecting
troops together were prominent on the front pages of all state-run newspapers on
Saturday.
The two men, rarely seen together without the leader of the military
government Than Shwe, were shown on state television on Friday at the same
military parade.
The high-profile media coverage appears to be an attempt to play down
speculation of serious rivalry between the two men, which diplomats and analysts
say could have been the reason behind an alleged coup plot unearthed and foiled
by authorities this month.
Three weeks ago, military intelligence arrested a son-in-law and three
grandsons of former dictator Ne Win along with three high ranking military
officers, accusing them of plotting to overthrow top government leaders.
Ne Win, 92, and his daughter Sandar Win have both been confined to their
house, and the military say they have interrogated 100 suspects in the alleged
coup plot.
Some diplomats and exiled Myanmar analysts have suggested the crackdown was
a sign that Maung Aye was getting the upper hand in a power struggle with Khin
Nyunt, seen as Ne Win's hand-picked choice to lead the country.
Others say the military wants to sideline Ne Win and his clan so that it
can come to some kind of political settlement with Nobel laureate Aung San Suu
Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD).
The NLD won the country's last general elections in 1990 by a landslide,
but was never allowed to rule. Su Kyi has been under house arrest for the last
18 months.
Talks between the military and the NLD, brokered by United Nations envoy
Razali Ismail in late 2000, have raised the prospect of some kind of power
sharing.
Although 200 political prisoners have been released since the talks began,
many in the NLD say negotiations are progressing too slowly. Little headway has
been made on the country's political future and about 1,500 political prisoners
remained in Myanmar's jails, they say.
Razali, under international pressure to show the talks are progressing, had
to postpone a visit to Myanmar last week after the government said at the last
moment it was too busy dealing with the alleged coup plot to meet him.
Myanmar says Razali can visit the country in early April.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday March 24, 1:22 PM
Thirteen killed in Thai-Myanmar border drugs clash BANGKOK, March 24 (AFP) -
Twelve alleged drug traffickers and one Thai soldier were killed in a clash that
netted 1.6 million amphetamine tablets in northern Thailand Friday night,
reports and officials said Sunday.
The fighting broke out when a 25-strong Thai border patrol came across a
group of some 40 drug traffickers travelling in a convoy of vehicles, police
from Wiang Haeng district in Chiang Mai province said on Sunday.
"Both sides exchanged fire before one soldier was shot dead and another
twelve drug traffickers were killed," a police spokesman said, adding that the
clash took place about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Myanmar border.
Police seized the haul of amphetamine tablets contained in sixteen
backpacks, as well as an AK-47 rifle with 35 rounds, one grenade, a mobile phone
and three motorcycles.
Lieutenant-General Udomchai Ongkhasingh, commander of the Third Army which
patrols the region, reportedly said the traffickers were with the United Wa
State Army (UWSA), which has signed a ceasefire agreement with the Myanmar
junta.
A military unit has been deployed to verify intelligence reports that the
drug caravan was making its way across the border from Myanmar, he told the
Bangkok Post.
Amid reports that two of the dead wore uniforms of the rival Shan State
Army (SSA), its commander Colonel Yawd Serk denied his forces were engaged in
the narcotics industry, the report said.
The Post said some of the fighters accompanying the drugs caravan were
believed to be SSA renegades.
The SSA and the Myanmar-allied UWSA, which is accused by western
governments of dominating Myanmar's drugs trade, regularly clash along the
border.
A serious dispute flared up in February 2001 when fighting between the SSA
and the UWSA sparked a clash between the Thai and Myanmar national armies.
Thai officials have estimated that some 800 million amphetamine tablets,
known here as "ya baa" or crazy medicine, will be trafficked across the border
from Myanmar this year.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday March 24, 2:18 AM
Thirty killed in rebel raid on Myanmar army camp By Somchit Rungchamrasmi Tak, Thailand (Reuters) -
Separatist ethnic Karen fighters launched one of their biggest attacks on the
Myanmar army since the mid-1990s on Saturday, leaving about 30 dead, the Thai
army said.
A Thai military source told Reuters about 100 fighters from the Karen
National Union (KNU) raided the large military camp, opposite Thailand's Phop
Phra district of Tak province, 420 km (260 miles) northwest of Bangkok.
A Karen villager who fled over the border to Thailand told Reuters that
four civilians living in the camp were killed and several wounded.
The KNU is one of several ethnic armies fighting for independence from the
Yangon military government.
The Thai army source said around 30 people were killed in the attack, but
did not say how many were Myanmar troops or soldiers of the Democratic Karen
Buddhist Army (DKBA), which split from the KNU in the mid-1990s to become allies
of the Myanmar army.
The fighting, which began shortly before dawn and lasted over three hours,
spilled into Thai territory when mortar shells fired at fleeing KNU soldiers
landed over the border, damaging several houses and wounding a Thai man.
The Thai army said it had detained more than 30 KNU soldiers who had
crossed into Thailand after the raid and would disarm them before sending them
back into Myanmar.
Thai soldiers were also preparing to move about 1,000 villagers on the
Thai-Myanmar border in Tak province further into Thailand.
The KNU, accused by Yangon of being heavily involved in the production of
opium and metamphetamines, has carried out sporadic hit-and-run raids on Myanmar
army units since its main mountain-top base was overrun by troops in late 1994.
Over a week ago, the KNU attacked a Myanmar army outpost near the Thai
border, killing six soldiers. Thai army sources said some 80 KNU fighters
launched the night attack on Myanmar troops near the border town of
Myawaddy.
----------------------------------------------------------------- BBC - Saturday, 23 March, 2002, 17:09
GMT
Karen militia attack Burmese army camp At least 20 people were killed when ethnic Karen fighters attacked a
Burmese army camp close to the border with Thailand.
Among those who died in the assault were villagers living nearby.
Thai military officials say about a-hundred members of the Karen National
Union took part in the attack.
Earlier this month, Karen National Union fighters killed several Burmese
troops in another attack on a border military base.
The Karen National Union is fighting for independence from Burma's military
authorities.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
----------------------------------------------------------------- United Press
International
Group pressures Myanmar on forced
labor
Published 3/22/2002 0:01 AM GENEVA, Switzerland, March 22 (UPI) -- Myanmar's military regime agreed Thursday
to allow a global labor watchdog group to monitor the country's efforts to
eliminate forced labor.
The International Labor Organization, a 175-member country watchdog group,
is to open a monitoring office in Rangoon by June. Thursday's agreement follows
mounting international pressure against the country formerly known as Burma for
its forced labor practices.
"Forced labor, including forced child labor, remains a serious problem,
despite recent government ordinances outlawing the practice," says a U.S. State
Department report on Myanmar's human rights practices published this month. The
Myanmar government, "continued to use forced labor for public works and for the
support of military garrisons," the report said.
In June 2000, the labor watchdog group called on member states to impose
economic sanctions against Myanmar. The United States and the 15-member European
Union had already restricted ties with the Asian country.
Thursday's agreement to allow a monitoring office, after more than four
months of stalling, was cautiously received by many watchdog group members,
including the United States. It was greeted warmly by Asian countries.
But the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions said, "the
brutality continues virtually unabated," in a statement Thursday on the new
agreement. The international trade group has spearheaded the campaign to abolish
forced labor in Myanmar.
It will be the first time the labor watchdog group has an office in a
member state to monitor enforcement of its convention on forced labor. Myanmar
initially did not want such an office, said Francis Maupain, the group's special
adviser, at a press conference.
The new office is "only a first step," U.S. representatives said. While
some progress has been made on the forced labor issue, it's not nearly enough,
officials familiar with the meeting said.
Malaysia, speaking on behalf of the 10-member Association of South East
Asian Nations, (ASEAN), which includes Myanmar, welcomed the bilateral
agreement. Officials proposed the situation be reviewed again soon with a view
toward removing any sanctions against Myanmar.
Not enough members of the watchdog group supported Malaysia's proposal,
however.
----------------------------------------------------------------- MYANMAR: Leadership To Allow ILO
To Monitor Forced Labor
(UPI, March 22) Myanmar
yesterday agreed to allow the International Labor Organization to monitor the
government's efforts to eliminate forced labor, United Press International
reports.
The ILO will open a monitoring office in Yangon by June.
The office is "only a first step," according to U.S. representatives.
The agreement was received cautiously by many ILO members, and the International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions said "the brutality continues virtually
unabated."
Malaysia, however, speaking for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
which includes Myanmar, welcomed the agreement.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - Sunday 24 March 2002
Thirteen slain in caravan
ambush
Task force raid yields 1.6m pills
Sermsuk Kasitipradit
Thirteen suspected drug traffickers, including two wearing uniforms of the
Shan State Army (SSA), were killed yesterday during a brief raid on a caravan by
the Pha Muang Task Force in which 1.6 million methamphetamine tablets were
seized.
Pvt Panya Sriputh of the task force was also killed during the exchange of
fire, which took place in Wiang Haeng district of Chiang Mai, about 30km from
the Burmese border.
The drug caravan was accompanied by about 50 armed men, some believed to be
SSA renegades.
According to Lt-Gen Udomchai Ongkhasingh, Third Army commander, a unit of
the Pha Muang Task Force led by Maj Vichakul Kongpoolsilp Noonpakdi was deployed
to verify intelligence reports confirming the caravan was making its way across
the border.
He said the drugs belonged to the United Wa State Army, and were en route
to Wiang Haeng district for further distribution.
Aside from the 13 suspected drug traffickers who died, Lt-Gen Udomchai said
many had also been seriously wounded in the clash, which continued for about 30
minutes.
Two bodies found at the scene were clad in SSA military uniforms, he
said.
Also recovered were sixteen back-packs, each containing 100,000 speed
pills, as well as two AK-47 rifles and a satellite mobile phone.
Lt-Gen Udomchai said the operation was conducted under new military strategies in which small units of elite forces were deployed for night patrols along suspected drug routes within a 50km radius of the border area. ``We have made our missions more effective by using small units backed up
with good intelligence,'' said the army commander.
Despite the discovery of SSA uniforms at the scene, SSA commander Col Yawd
Serk denied his forces were directly involved in the drugs trade _ a charge
repeatedly made by Burma's ruling State Peace and Development Council.
``They cannot be our soldiers. Our forces are not involved in the drugs
trade,'' he said.
However, a source confirmed the area where the drugs were stored before the
attempt to smuggle them across the border was under SSA control.
Col Somsak Nilbanjerdkul, Pha Muang Task Force chief-of-staff, deployed
more troops to the site on suspicion armed survivors from the drugs caravan may
be hiding out in the area.
According to another intelligence report, an attempt to smuggle a
consignment of about 20 million speed pills across the border via the Mae Taeng
district of Chiang Mai was expected in the near future, said a source at Pha
Muang Task Force.
Soldiers from the 127th Cavalry Battalion had been deployed to the
area.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - Sunday 24 March 2002
Rangoon may seek payment to supply
dam
Feasibility of project in doubt, says source
Ranjana Wangvipula and Porpot Changyawa
Thailand will probably have to pay Burma if it wants to divert water from
the Salween river on the northern border to feed Bhumibol dam, a Foreign Affairs
official said.
Thailand feels it owns part of the Salween river because it is an
international waterway, but Burma claims full control of the river because only
58km runs on the border while a much longer stretch covers Burmese territory,
said the official, who asked to remain anonymous.
``If Thailand wants to use the water, it might have to pay for it,'' he
said.
He was also concerned about the high cost of piping water from the Salween
river through a mountain range and wondered if the project was feasible.
A Burmese embassy official said the two governments had not recently held
formal talks on the use of water from the Salween.
``I only learned about the progress of this matter through the Thai
media,'' he said.
The Department of Energy Development and Promotion conducted a study on the
diversion of water from border rivers, including the Salween, to solve water
shortages at Bhumibol dam.
The Salween was the best option because of its large volume of water during
the rainy season. The other rivers were Moei, Pai, Huay Mae Lamao and
Ngao.
The plan calls for diverted water to be stored at a reservoir before being
sent through an underground pipe to Bhumibol dam in Tak province.
Water diversion would take place in rainy season and only about 3,700
million cubic metres of excess water would be taken, said Panich Pongpirodom,
deputy director-general of the department.
He said the amount of water to be diverted would be enough to satisfy
increased demand in 20 years of people living along the Ping and Nan rivers in
the North and Chao Phraya and Tha Chin rivers in the Central Plains.
These areas suffered water shortages of around 1,700 million cubic metres
last year and the drought is expected to get worse every year.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - Sunday 24 March 2002
Eight Karen killed during border
clash
Villagers flee as shells land on Thai soil
Supamart Kasem
At least eight Karen villagers were killed and three wounded during a
fierce battle between Karen National Union rebels and pro-Rangoon Democratic
Karen Buddhist Army soldiers opposite Phop Phra district early yesterday.
Stray shells which landed on Thai soil seriously wounded a Thai villager. About 500 Thai villagers had to flee for safety. At about 5am, 100 KNU soldiers from the 201st Special Force Battalion, led
by Maj Nada, launched an attack on the position of DKBA's 907th Battalion of the
99th Division, opposite Ban Valey.
The two sides exchanged mortar and rifle fire for nearly three hours.
During the exchange, 13 rounds of mortar, RPG and M79 rounds landed at Ban
Valey.
Kam Tana, 37, a villager, was seriously wounded. He was admitted to Mae Sot
hospital, where both his legs were amputated.
About 500 Thai villagers, most of them women, elderly people and children,
were evacuated to Phop Phra district town, 10km from the border.
Eight houses and a school building had their roofs damaged. The fighting
ended at about 8am.
A 45-year-old Karen man, who was seriously wounded in the cross-fire, and
his two wounded sons, 1 and 4, were sent across the border for treatment.
The Karen man said he, his wife, and four children were in a shelter inside
a furniture factory when a mortar shell crashed through the roof. His wife and
two of their children were killed instantly. He said at least eight Karen
villagers were killed.
Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Battalion of 13th Infantry Regiment at Ban
Valey fired ten mortar rounds as a warning to the two sides.
About 30 KNU soldiers, repulsed by DKBA troops, fled across the border to
Ban Valey on the Thai side, but they immediately withdrew on seeing the Thai
soldiers.
They left behind an RPG launcher and two rounds of rockets, three M79
grenade launchers, 12 M16 rifles, 10 AK47 rifles and two carbines.
Maj-Gen Tomorn Kittisophon, commander of the Naresuan Force, ordered
reinforcements to the area to prevent fighting from spilling over to the Thai
side.
He said the situation was under control and insisted foreign forces, be
they KNU or DKBA, would not be allowed to use Thai soil to attack one
another.
----------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation
EDITORIALS: Burma opens its doors to the ILO Published on Mar 24, 2002 The International Labour Organisation (ILO} will have its first presence in
Burma in June after Mya Than, Burma's representative to the ILO, signed an
historic agreement with ILO Executive Director Kari Tapiola last week.
Representation of the ILO in Burma, which has been widely criticised for forced
and unpaid labour, will represent the presence of the first official
international organisation since the Red Cross withdrew its mission some years
back.
The ILO representation will for now be at the liaison-officer level, whose
mandate and modalities will be discussed later. The ILO expects Burma will
permit the full representation of the organisation in the near future, a wish
clearly stated in the agreement that the officer will act as an official
representative pending the establishment of a permanent office.
The agreement is seen as an important step for both Burma and the UN body
because it opens room for discussion between dialogue partners which have
usually been at odds with each other on labour issues.
To many, the agreement is the first positive sign of progress on the labour
issue that Burma has displayed to the ILO and, of course, to the international
community. Western countries and organisations have criticised Burma's military
junta for deploying forced labourers as porters for military campaigns without
any payment.
In 2000 the ILO encouraged its 175 member countries to impose sanctions on
Burma, a move it regarded as an effective way to pressure Burma to cease the use
of forced labour for military purposes.
However, the move was blocked by some Asean countries, including Thailand,
in the belief that sanctions have no effect on the problem and only do further
harm to the Burmese people.
After two years, Burma surprised the international community by deciding to
ink an agreement with the ILO. Burma agreed to sign the agreement with an
acknowledgement that the conditions of the domestic labour would now be
monitored by the ILO.
The move clearly showed that Burma wanted those who criticised its
administration to witness what was really happening in the country, though some
may harbour suspicions that Rangoon will organise a cover-up to boost the image
of the country in the eyes of foreign countries.
However, there is a saying: "You can fool all of the people some of the
time, and you can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool
all of the people all of the time."
Rangoon's decision on the forced-labour issue demonstrates that it is well
aware of the criticism by Western countries on labour and other matters. It is
opening its country for foreign observation and criticism.
The decision followed some positive developments which won a welcome from
other countries, including the report that the military junta was holding a
series of secret talks with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to end the
long-running political dilemma.
Rangoon has released political prisoners and pregnant inmates from time to
time, which has been welcomed as a positive development, given Burma's abysmal
record on human-rights protection.
Some observers saw the move as the result of a series of dialogues between
Burma and other countries, particularly in the Asean grouping.
Asean member states have repeatedly rejected the Western style of
confrontation which sees sanctions as the only way to bring Burma out of its
political dilemma.
Asean does not believe that. In the grouping's view, Burma will agree to
listen to foreign criticism only if it is conveyed through dialogue and
consultation, not by sanctions.
Meanwhile the ILO should be praised for its hard and continuous efforts to
convince Burma to allow it to have a presence in its territory.
By many who would have thought a foreign organisation on labour issues
would be the last to be allowed to work in Burma, the ILO-Burma accord is seen
as a most surprising one.
It is not only Burma that will have to prove itself once an ILO liaison
officer is appointed but also the ILO.
This UN organisation will have to show Burma and other countries that its
presence in the country effectively protects the rights of labourers.
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