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BURMA RELATED NEWS
- December 25, 2002.
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HEADLINES
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AP - Suu Kyi makes 'most successful'
trip despite harassment by authorities
AP - Thai police seize 1.2
million speed pills, arrest two suspects
Oneworld Online - Burmese and ethnic
minority pro-democracy activists under threat of arrest
Bkk Post - Burma sets
`unrealistic' target on cut
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suu Kyi makes 'most
successful' trip despite harassment by authorities Wed Dec 25, 2:57 AM ET YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Despite harassment by local authorities, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi made her "most successful" political tour in the countryside since her release from house arrest seven months ago, her party spokesman said Wednesday. Suu Kyi, who is battling for democracy in the military-ruled nation, returned to the capital Yangon Tuesday night from Rakhine State in northwestern Myanmar, spokesman Lwin said in a telephone interview. "This is the most difficult trip she has ever made. But people still came out to greet her despite threats by authorities. This is the most successful organizational trip by (Suu Kyi)," he said. Lwin said authorities in some areas placed trucks, boulders and barbed wire across streets to stop her vehicle, while at others they warned people not to attend her rallies. In Rakhine State, Lwin said, the Nobel Peace Prize winner opened four offices of her National League for Democracy, which is allowed to operate by the junta, although its members have in the past been subjected to arrest and intimidation. Suu Kyi's trip, which began Dec. 16, was the fifth out-of-town organizational tour since her release from 19 months of house arrest in May. She earlier traveled to Myanmar's second largest city of Mandalay, the third largest city of Moulmein, central Myanmar and Shan State. On her return trip, a large pit in the road hindered the passage of her three-car convoy at Danubyu, 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Yangon. "When she addressed the crowd that had gathered to meet her, local authorities played songs and sermons from a tape using a powerful public address system, preventing the crowd from hearing her speak," Lwin said. Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962 and recent reconciliation talks between the junta and Suu Kyi appear to be stalemated. But the regime has freed a number of political prisoners in recent months and says Suu Kyi is free to pursue her political activities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thai police seize 1.2 million
speed pills, arrest two suspects
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ Police in northeastern Thailand on Wednesday arrested two suspects and seized 1.2 million methamphetamine pills believed smuggled from neighboring Myanmar. Police found the cache in eight wooden crates being ferried on a 10-wheel truck in Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 210 kilometers (130 miles) northeast of Bangkok. ``Earlier we planned to make the arrest when they handed over the drugs to major agents but there was some technical problem so we only got the small fish,'' Police Gen. Amnuay Petsiri told a press conference. Arrested were Nukool Trongjam, 40, and Udon Phuangjampa, 39. The general said the methamphetamines originated in Myanmar, also known as Burma, and were to be distributed in northeastern and eastern Thailand. Thailand has declared a war on drugs, especially the deluge of speed pills that have been flowing out of Myanmar in recent years. Thai narcotics agents estimate up to one billion pills will be smuggled into Thailand in the coming year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Oneworld
Online
Wed Dec 25 06:20:00 Burmese and ethnic minority pro-democracy activists under threat of arrest Burmese and ethnic minority pro-democracy activists taking refuge in Thailand are being threatened with arrest and deportation to military-ruled Burma. The Thai Army's Ninth Division has ordered all pro-democracy activists in Sangkhla Buri to leave Thailand immediately despite evidence that the activists are likely to face persecution if forced back into Burma. Six members of an ethnic minority student group were arrested and sent across the Thai-Burmese on Friday. The members of the Mon Youth Progressive Organization (MYPO) were reportedly told that "the border would from now on closed permanently for all anti-SPDC groups". The Commander of the Ninth Division led a group of soldiers who delivered the orders to offices of Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS), All Burma Student's Democratic Front (ABSDF), Mon Youth Progressive Organization (MYPO) and People's Democratic Front (PDF) in Sangkhala Buri, a remote district in Kanchana Buri province on the Thai-Burmese border, on Friday. The orders are for members of these organizations and their families to move out of Thailand within two days or be arrested and deported. Pro-democracy activists were asked whether they preferred "to go a Burmese prison or a Thai prison". Leaders of DPNS and PDF were not successful in trying to appeal that they would face prosecution by SPDC if the Thai Army forced them back into Burma. After the incident in Sangkhla Buri, FORUM-ASIA fears further crackdowns on pro-democracy activists and ethnic minority groups in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Tak. Background Information Law enforcement and security authorities have been specifically instructed by the National Security Council (NSC) to use immigration laws as a principal measure to control and stop activities of Burmese dissidents and ethnic minority groups as well as pro-democracy and human rights groups working on Burma issues. In Sangkhla Buri and other border provinces, soldiers have also been instructed to enforce the ban using martial law, which was still in force in border areas. FORUM-ASIA belives that the incident in Sankhla Buri is part of systematic efforts on behalf of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's administration to impose restrictions on activities of pro-democracy and human rights groups working on Burma issues. The Thai government adopted a security directive on 4 July 2002, which has officially imposed a ban on pro-democracy and human rights groups with the objective to mend relations with SPDC. To secure economic interests in Burma, the Thai government has resolved to prove in a concrete way that it has no intention at all to support anti-SPDC groups. This policy means that Thailand will be placing economic interests before human lives and eroding its international reputation as a country dedicated to democratization. [Ends] For Further information or comments contact: Sunai Phasuk, FORUM-ASIA Spokesperson on +66-1-632 3052 Posted on Monday, December 23 @ 02:20:47 EST by forumasia ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bangkok Post -
Wednesday 25 December 2002
Burma sets `unrealistic' target on cut UN agency says it can't be achieved Achara Ashayagachat Burma's target to reduce opium cultivation by 80% may be unrealistic and cause repercussions as alternative occupations and crops are not fully in place, according to the United Nations Drug Control Programme. Jean-Luc Lemahieu, UNDCP representative, said in a telephone interview from Rangoon that the Burmese government has stated it would eliminiate half the opium production by the yearend. Even this might not be achieved. Mr Lemahieu was responding to Foreign Minister Win Aung, who told the Bangkok Post in a recent interview in Sri Lanka that Rangoon was trying hard to curb opium production by 80% by the next crop in early 2003. Mr Win Aung also believed that the ethnic Wa minority, which has autonomy in the northeastern part of the country, would be able to get rid of all drugs by 2005 as pledged. He stopped short of commenting on the Thai proposal that a joint patrol to intercept methamphetamines be conducted along the border. The Regional Border Committee would discuss this, as well as other cross-border issues such as illegal workers, Mr Win Aung said. The Burmese foreign minister emphasised drug suppression was being given high priority by the Burmese government and Rangoon would cooperate with its neighbours in fighting against drugs. The UNDCP representative noted that narcotics output was being gradually reduced in Burma, with total production down from 1,097 metric tonnes last year to 826 metric tonnes this year. Rangoon has also targeted to cut production by half to 413 metric tonnes next year, Mr Lemahieu said. But the aim was too ambitious, given the situation of the opium farmers who were the poorest of the poor, he said. ``The government can say that in some townships the [drug production] reduction was 80% to 100% and we are happy with that. However, this remains a cause for worry,'' said Mr Lemahieu, who has been in Burma for more than two years. Opium farmers were a large majority in Burma and they needed alternative crops or occupations otherwise they would return to opium farming again or migrate to neighbouring countries like Thailand to seek better lives, he said. ``To consolidate drug suppression activities, we need more funding,'' he said. Although the international community, particularly European Union members like Italy and France, and the European Commission, have recently started providing humanitarian assistance in such areas as anti-HIV schemes, it was still insufficent,'' Mr Lemahieu said. ``The Wa's target for 2005 is rather positive,'' he said, noting however, that the goal could only be achieved through a nationwide introduction of crop substitution. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |