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BURMA RELATED NEWS
- November 06, 2002.
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HEADLINES
------------------------------------------------------------------------ AFP - Philippines to host
international conference on terror, tourism
AFP - Asia told to develop culture of
preparedness against disasters
Bkk Post - Has Asean lost its way?
Bkk Post - Junta requests border
meeting in Moulmein be postponed
The Nation - Postmarked Thailand
Xinhuanet - China exchanges notes
with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar on preferential treatment
Asia Times - Taiwan to start trade
talks with ASEAN
Asian Tribune - Japanese Prime
Minister insists Than Shwe to Further the efforts on
Democratization.
Irrawaddy - Student Sentenced for
Protest
DVB: Interview with Mr Paulo Sergio
Pinheiro
Mizzima - Alternative voices at
ASEAN Summit in Cambodia
Mizzima - Burma?s State
Constitutions Seminar in New Delhi
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Philippines to host
international conference on terror, tourism MANILA, Nov 6 (AFP) - Senior officials from the United States and 16 other countries are to meet in the Philippines Friday to discuss the fight against international terrorism and salvaging Asia's battered tourist industry, an official said. The two-day meeting would seek to "identify 'doable' projects" and discuss the experience of participating countries in fighting terrorism, President Gloria Arroyo's National Security Adviser Roilo Golez told a news conference Wednesday. Frank Taylor, head of the US State Department counter-terrorism center, is among the delegates, as well as senior officials from the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia, Britain, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Interpol. Golez said Arroyo first proposed the meeting during this week's ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The meeting followed the car bomb attack that killed nearly 200 people on the Indonesian resort of Bali last month. The first day of the "International Conference on International Terrorism and Tourism Recovery" would discuss the fallout of the bombings in Indonesia and the Philippines on the region's tourism industry, Golez said. The terrorism problem would take center stage on the final day Saturday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Asia told to develop culture of preparedness against
disasters SINGAPORE, Nov 6 (AFP) - Asia is the most disaster prone region in the world and governments must develop a culture of preparedness for calamities, experts at a conference here said Wednesday. Rapid urbanisation has increased the vulnerability of Asian cities to disasters, experts from the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) said in a paper presented at a conference here on making Asian cities safer. "In Asia, we are faced with the challenge of dealing with an urbanising population in a most disaster prone region. Disasters causing huge loss of life and property in the region result in severe setbacks to the development process," said Aloysius Rego and Christine Apikul in their paper. "Asia is the most disaster prone region in the world," they said, citing data showing that the region accounts for 42.6 percent of the total number of disasters worldwide. Between 1992 and 2001, an average of 46,000 people were killed and 180 million people affected by disasters annually in Asia, they said. "This represents nearly 75 percent of fatalities and 90 percent of the world's affected population every year," they added. Over the past three months alone, there was an earthquake in Indonesia, flashfloods and landslides in Thailand, as well as severe flooding in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. A powerful typhoon hammered South Korea and drought has hit many parts of India. Complicating the natural calamities is the rapid growth of the population of Asian cities. By 2030, more than 50 percent of Asia's population is projected to live in cities, up from 37 percent currently, they said. "As cities grow, economies grow, more houses are built, more infrastructure are constructed, and often times marginalised populations are pushed to more vulnerable areas, the disaster risks increase," they said. However, while cities are increasingly vulnerable to disasters they are vital economic engines and the proceeds from the wealth they create could be used to lessen the impact of these calamities. The paper proposed that Asian city authorities adopt a comprehensive policy approach in dealing with disasters to "mitigate" their impact. Such a policy should be put in place before a disaster strikes, when it has already struck and during the recovery and reconstruction phase. In the past, Asian governments responded only to emergencies as they occurred, "with hastily arranged ad hoc relief operations" by bringing biscuits and blankets to the stricken populace, the authors said. Training and public awareness should also be promoted on the community, provincial and national levels, they said. However, many national disaster management offices in Asia "remain relatively weak, under-funded and under-staffed both in numbers and qualifications," they said. "They are often still narrowly focused on the relief and response operations instead of long-term mitigation activities that require the cooperation and coordination of other government departments," they added. The authors suggested the development of a "culture of disaster mitigation" across social sectors and levels by promoting general awareness. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bangkok Post -
Wednesday 06 November 2002
Has Asean lost its way? Kanjana Spindler Phnom Penh was where the action was this week as the leaders of the 10 Asean member states, representing over 500 million people, gathered for their annual summit. China, Japan and South Korea were waiting in the wings while newcomer India also lined up to court Southeast Asia's leaders. What a strange grouping they make. There's the fabulous wealth of little Brunei and the go-go technocrats of Singapore standing shoulder to shoulder with poverty-stricken Cambodia and Laos, while Burma stands proud, so happy to be in such democratic and largely respectable company. The extremes are bizarre to say the least. Six of the 10 Asean states have per capita incomes of less than $1,000 per year; two have incomes of over $25,000 per year. One country has a population of a few hundred thousand; Indonesia has more than 200 million. Two of the Asean states operate one-party communist systems, one is an absolute monarchy, one an absolute technocracy, and one is a repressive military dictatorship, while the rest are meandering towards a semblance of democracy. Once upon a time, long, long, long ago, the five original Asean members were persuaded to join together to fight against the dark threat of communism, to avoid becoming the next dominoes. Today, their former enemies are now their brothers and sisters, all equally engaged in the struggle to survive economically. So where is the common bond today? Indeed was there ever a common bond beyond self-interested survival? How about the fight against terrorism? That's a difficult one given the fact that some of the member states have their own home-grown terrorists and one recently experienced the horror of terrorism first-hand. That hasn't stopped our dear leaders from expressing their outrage at the spate of travel warnings issued by Western countries cautioning holiday-makers about the possibility of terrorist attacks in the region. Such warnings, they said, are undermining our economic recovery. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, according to news reports, went so far as to describe the warnings by Western countries as a fad. Surely, he must have been misreported. Certainly, he is aware that the Western countries have little choice but to issue such travel warnings, lest they stand accused of failing to warn their citizens of possible threats to their lives. Certainly, he is aware that terrorism can strike anywhere, including here. No, I'm sure he was misreported. What he probably said was that while recognising Western countries' obligations to warn their citizens, he urged the holiday travelers of the world not to bow down before the terrorist threats, not to allow the terrorists to win, and to express their solidarity with the people of Bali by returning there in even greater numbers. I'm sure that was it. Of course, he might not have said that because, like everybody else, he is hoping that Bali's tragedy will be our good fortune and all the tourists who were going there will now come here. And that's the problem Asean faces today. It's a disparate grouping, mired in individual self-interest. Each Asean member is looking for a win-win-win outcome for itself alone. But what about the Asean Free Trade Area? Surely that's a firm indication of united resolve. Well, not exactly. In fact Afta is being sidelined by the rush of more developed Asean members to sign bilateral trade liberalisation deals with the rich and famous, and by the lure of such diversions as the Asean-China free trade deal which promises untold riches _ in a decade's time. In fact the Asean states are running scared. They know China spells doom and gloom for most of their economies, so the strategy seems to be if you cannot beat them, join them. I think it's time for the region's leaders to redefine their vision for Asean. Over to you, visionary leaders. - Kanjana Spindler is Assistant Editor, Editorial Pages, Bangkok Post ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bangkok Post -
Wednesday 06 November 2002
Junta requests border meeting in Moulmein be postponed Wassana Nanuam Rangoon wants the Thai-Burmese Regional Border Committee meeting scheduled for this month delayed until next month or early January. An army source said the Burmese government had asked for the meeting in Moulmein to be rescheduled because it was not fully prepared. Burma's recently appointed South East Area commander, Maj-Gen Thura Myint Aung, and Thailand's Third Army commander, Lt-Gen Udomchai Ongkhasing, will attend the meeting. The source also said Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra wanted the army to do its best to nurture Thai-Burmese ties. Burma had shown its sincerity in cooperating on drug suppression by destroying a large amount of drugs in La Shio, Shan state, on Oct 25. Thirty-four buckets of opium poppies, 45 buckets of opium seed, 42.87kg heroin, 3kg raw opium, 23.6kg opium, 10.7kg of speed pills, 125kg of methamphetamine ingredients and 3,530 litres of chemicals were destroyed. Commenting on reports that ``letter bombs'' had been sent from within Thailand to the Burmese embassies in Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, the source said the letters had been threatening, but had not contained gun powder. Also, according to Thai security agencies, the letters were sent by Burmese students in Thailand. The Third Army also confirmed that two Burmese men shot dead by Thai border patrol police in Chiang Rai last week were drug traffickers trying to smuggle 10,000 speed pills into Thailand. A source said Thai security agencies regarded Burma's hoarding of three million litres of petrol and a lot of goods as pointing to a major crackdown by Rangoon on Burmese minority groups. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Nation
Postmarked Thailand Published on Nov 6, 2002 Police confirmed yesterday that one of the letter bombs received by Burmese embassies abroad had originated from Thailand. Special Branch commander Lt-General Treechote Ronritwichai said that a letter bomb sent to the Burmese Embassy in Tokyo had originated from the Central Post Office in Bangkok's Bangrak district. Burmese embassies in Singapore and Malaysia also received similar letter bombs. The incident drew diplomatic protest from the Burmese military government. They summoned Thai Ambassador to Rangoon Oum Moulanond to file an official complaint. Treechote said the investigation was continuing and no conclusions had yet been reached. Rangoon has accused Thailand of being a hotbed for anti-Burmese dissidents. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ China exchanges notes with
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar on preferential treatment
Xinhuanet 2002-11-03 21:29:05 PHNOM PENH, Nov. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Minister of Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng Sunday exchanged notes with ministers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar on China's provision of preferential treatment to the three Southeast Asian countries. The exchange of notes, which took place during Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji's current official visit to Cambodia, was signed by ShiGuangsheng, Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh, Laotian Vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Somsavat Lengsavad and Myanmar Minister of the State Peace and Development Chairman's Office David Abel. Under the document, China will levy zero tariffs on some products exported to China by the three countries starting on Jan.1, 2004. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Asia Times - Nov 7,
2002
Taiwan to start trade talks with ASEAN TAIPEI - Taiwan is preparing to start consultations with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the signing of a free-trade agreement (FTA), Economic Affairs Minister Lin Yi-fu said. Lin made the remarks while responding to questions by legislator Pong Chien-kuo of the opposition People First Party in the legislature after reports said that mainland China has signed an agreement with the 10 ASEAN nations to pursue a free-trade pact, triggering deep fear that Taiwan might be marginalized from the main economic mainstream. Lin said Taiwan's goal will be to start consultation with several key members of ASEAN, gradually forming an economic bloc in the region. He noted that Beijing does not want Taipei to join regional organizations and has used all means to oppose and hinder Taiwan from signing free-trade agreements. But he said Taiwan has made efforts in this regard and made substantial progress with quite a few countries. But the ministry could not reveal the names because of tacit understanding with them. (Asia Pulse/CNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Asian Tribune
Date : 2002-11-06 Japanese Prime Minister insists Than Shwe to Further the efforts on Democratization. The Government of Myanmar and Aung San Suu Kyi already have had 107 meetings. Aung San Suu Kyi is free to engage in political activity in any part of the country and she is free to travel to any part of the country, and she has been traveling to various parts of the country for political activities. The Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi disclosed this at a Press Conference held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, during the Summit meeting of the ASEAN+3 (Japan-People's Republic of China-Republic of Korea. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan was asked, in your discussions with the Burmese, or Myanmar, leader, on the issue of democratization did you request or mention further participation in the government by Aung San Suu Kyi, or a reversion to the election results where her party won most of the votes? What was the response from the Government of Burma? Prime Minister Koizumi in his reply said, ?I had a meeting with Chairman Than Shwe of Myanmar and I also discussed political prisoners, as well as Aung San Suu Kyi. Regarding nation building in Myanmar, I said that if it is to be successful, further efforts at democratization are required. In response, Chairman Than Shwe said that he wanted to explain the current situation.? Japanese Prime Minister when continuing with his reply said, ?He explained to me the various efforts the country has made toward democratization. The Government of Myanmar and Aung San Suu Kyi already have had 107 meetings. This is what Chairman Than Shwe said. He said that Aung San Suu Kyi is free to engage in political activity in any part of the country and she is free to travel to any part of the country, and she has been traveling to various parts of the country for political activities. While concluding his reply regarding the bilateral discussion he had with Than Shwe, the Japanese Prime Minister said, ?Chairman Than Shwe said that Myanmar is still continuing with its democratization efforts. In response, I said that I hope the democratization efforts in Myanmar will contribute to nation building and peace-building, because that is what the international community is looking for and we count on further efforts.? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Student Sentenced for
Protest
The Irrawaddy November 06, 2002?A Rangoon law student was sentenced to 14 years in prison yesterday after publicly protesting against the country?s military government in August, according to reliable sources. Thet Naung Soe, who was in his final-year of law school at Rangoon University, was charged under both sections 5/d and 5/j of the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act, a harsh statute usually reserved for democracy supporters. The sentencing occurred at Insein Prison?s special court in Rangoon, where he is being held. The sentencing was confirmed last night by both the Washington DC-based Radio Free Asia (Burmese Service) and National League for Democracy spokesperson U Lwin. Thet Naung Soe, along with fellow law student Khin Maung Win, staged the protest in front of Rangoon?s City Hall on August 18. During the protest, they called on the military regime to release all political prisoners, while initiating a genuine political dialogue with the opposition in order to address the country's problems. Khin Maung Win, who is also being detained at Insein Prison, faces similar charges. Sources said he would also be sentenced soon. Approximately 15 other students were arrested after the August protest, however, they were released after being interrogated by military intelligence officers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DVB: Interview with Mr Paulo
Sergio Pinheiro
Nov 5, 2002 Q: The Financial Time newspaper on 31st Oct reported that you had asked international community to increase humanitarian assistance. Can you comment on that? Mr. Pinheiro: I have read many stories during my stay in Burma that I had appeal for an increase of humanitarian aid to the country. It is not what I said. What I said is that I think that it is very important to consider the possibility of engaging with the society in the country. But I didn't ask for anything about the change of humanitarian aid to the country. Q: When should international community increase aid to Burma, then? Mr. Pinheiro: Mr Razali (UN Special envoy to Burma) and I propose several scenarios when this question can be organized. But for me, this is conditionality, I don't think the international aid and international investment to the country has to be changed before the condition of political participation of other forces in this endeavor. Q: "Myanmar Time" - published in Rangoon on 28th October also reported that you had asked for increased cooperation with the military regime in Burma. How did this misunderstanding arise? Mr. Pinheiro: I think that there is a perhaps the selection of something that I have written or people have not read everything that I said. And as things are moving very slow, some people think that I am happy this situation. Not at all! I will not continue with my mandate if things are not improved in the near future. I will not prepare to stay years and years with this pace. I will be two-years with my mandate and I don't want to continue with just waiting things to happen. I will say this tomorrow during my speech at UN General Assembly in New York. Q: What are the main points in your speech tomorrow? Mr. Pinheiro: In my view, there can be no credible democratic transition without five fundamental conditions. These are inclusion of all component of society in the political dialogue, immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, the lifting the restrictions which continue to hamper the ability of political parties, individual and groups, explicit discussion of political democratization that cannot take place without free election and accountability through judicial mechanism of abuse committed by state agents. Q: After returning from Burma, did you get any impression of when the dialogue could start? Mr Pinheiro: Let me put it this way. After the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, I was suspecting that the move forward will be not so slow but in fact it is very slow. At that time, I was suspecting something different. Q: Is the dialogue stop? Mr Pinheiro:What I can say is that dialogue is not stop. It is not correct to say that there is a still mate. The contact continues and both side - the SPDC and the NLD confirmed me that the contacts have happened. Many many contacts had happened in the past and continue to happen. But political negotiation has not started. That is what ambassador Razali and I would think that that is essential. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alternative voices at ASEAN
Summit in Cambodia
Sein Win - Mizzima News 3 November 2002 According to a 3 November press release by the Asia Forum, regional activists critized political leaders at the ASEAN summit for refusing to meet with civil society organisations. The ASEAN Forum, a parallel meeting to the ASEAN Summit convened by civil society groups from 1 November, brings together ninety delegates from human rights and other NGOs. Sunchai Humloa, Secretary-General of Forum Asia, commented: ?ASEAN delegations? attempts to isolate themselves from civil society is unjustified and unreasonable as well as a departure from previous practice.? According to observers, terrorism and measures against it are set to dominate the summit?s agenda after the bomb blast in Bali, Indonesia. Ms Irene Xavier from the Asia women committee critised ASEAN regarding its continued exclusion of the issues of violence against women, unemployment, discrimination and the effects growing employment in the informal sector from the agenda. ?In the context of the war against terrorism, women?s options are decreasing. They are being oppressed by repressive government measures and religious conservativism.? The summit between 3 and 5 November will allows leaders of the ten ASEAN countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Phillipines, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia - to meet with delegates from China, Japan and South Korea. East Timor has observer status at the meeting. Sam Rainsy, Cambodian opposition leader, strongly critized the Hun Sen government for expending millions of dollars on hosting the summit meeting in impoverished Cambodia. He said he will initiate a hunger strike in demonstration during the meeting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Burma?s State Constitutions
Seminar in New Delhi
By Zaceulian New Delhi, November 6, 2002: Mizzima News The State Constitutions seminar under the title of "the Role of State Constitutions in the Protection of Nationality and Minority Rights under Federalism? was held from November 1 to 5 in New Delhi. The seminar, which aims to help provide wide-ranging views on Arakanese and Chin nationals in drafting their respective Constitutions for the future federal Union of Burma, was organized by the Supporting Committee for State Constitutions Seminar (SCSC) of the UNLD-NDF. More than one hundred participants including 9th Chin Constitution Drafting Committee members (CCDC) from different countries, Arakan Constitution Drafting Committee members (ACDC), two representatives each from India and Bangladesh-based Burma democracy organizations and interested individuals participated in the seminar. While the first two days of the Seminar are mainly for all nationalities of Burma, the remaining three days were for the Chin participants. At the end of the five day, a third initial draft of Chin Constitution for future Chin land under Federalism with the leadership of Pu Lian Uk and Salai Ngun Cung Lian in particular and its committee members was written by the Chin Forum. The invited speakers on Federalism for the first two days of seminar includes Mr. Yogendra Yadev (Center for Studies on Developing Societies) from India, Prof. Cheryl Saunders (University of Melbourne) from Australia and Shan scholar Dr. Choa Tzang Yawngwhe. The resource person from India spoke on India?s experience in managing challenges of ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity ?A review of Constitutional language policies and protections for minorities and marginalized groups while Australian speaker shares on Australia?s Federal experience & Review of some aspects of Federal-States relation in protecting minority rights in Australia. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |