[burmanet2-l] Burma Related News - Jan 09, 2003.

["TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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BURMA RELATED NEWS - January  09, 2003.
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HEADLINES
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AP- Drug smuggler given death sentence
PD - Myanmar a Good Friend, Partner: China's Vice-president
Asian Tribune - NPC Chairman Meets Myanmar Head of State
Asian Tribune - Aung San Suu Kyi- a political assessment on the situation
prevailing in Burma
FEER - Burmese Battleground
Bkk Post - Bordering on good times
The Nation - Chiang Mai hub 'needs work'
Asahi - EDITORIAL: Why only 11 refugees?

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Drug smuggler given death sentence
Thu Jan 9, 4:45 AM ET

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A drug smuggler linked to a multimillion-dollar
shipment of heroin and methamphetamines seized two years ago has been
sentenced to death, a state-run newspaper reported Thursday.

Yaopha Li, also known as Lauk San, was given the sentence by a district
court in Myanmar's capital in late November, said the report in the Kyemon
newspaper.

The delay in publicizing the verdict was not explained but was not unusual
in the country formerly known as Burma, whose military government does not
allow a free press. The newspaper did not say when the death sentence would
be carried out.

Yaopha Li was arrested in October and charged with smuggling 116 kilograms
(255 pounds) of heroin and 6.5 million methamphetamine tablets. Loaded on
trawlers, the drugs were seized in the Andaman Sea by the Thai navy, which
estimated the value of the haul at US$23.25 million.

Myanmar is one of the world's biggest opium producers, according to the
United Nations.
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People's Daily Online
Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 09, 2003
Myanmar a Good Friend, Partner: China's Vice-president


China will work with Myanmar to boost cooperation in various fields for
their mutual benefit and to improve future bilateral ties, says Chinese
Vice-President Hu Jintao.

Hu made the remarks Wednesday at a meeting in Beijing with Than Shwe,
Chairman of Myanmar's State Peace and Development Council, who arrived in
Beijing Monday for a six-day state visit to China at the invitation of
Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Hu said China's new leadership would continue to follow guidelines for
good-neighborly friendship and cooperation, and would always consider
Myanmar a good neighbor, friend and partner.

Hu said in the more than 50 years of diplomatic ties, China-Myanmar
relations, based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, had
withstood the test of international and domestic changes, and made steady
and vigorous progress.

Bilateral cooperation in various fields had continued to grow and had reaped
positive results, Hu said.

He voiced China's appreciation for the Myanmar government's one-China policy
and support for China's reunification.

He stressed that to further strengthen good-neighborly friendship and
cooperation was in the fundamental interests of the two peoples and their
common wish, and conducive to regional peace, stability and development.

Than Shwe said Myanmar valued its fraternal friendship with China, regarded
it as the most reliable of friends and would educate younger generations to
pass the torch of bilateral friendship from generation to generation.

The Myanmar government and people were concentrating on national
reconciliation and building the economy, and Myanmar's efforts had proved
positive in a variety of ways with people's lives and conditions improved,
he said.

He thanked China for helping in Myanmar's development, saying it had played
an important role in the country's economic growth.

Myanmar would continue to abide by the one-China policy, support China's
reunification and further boost its overall cooperation with China, he said.
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Asian Tribune
Date : 2003-01-09
NPC Chairman Meets Myanmar Head of State

The visit to China of Myanmar's head of state, Than Shwe, will strengthen
the friendship between the two countries, says Li Peng, chairman of the
Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC).

The visit to China of Myanmar's head of state, Than Shwe, will strengthen
the friendship between the two countries, says Li Peng, chairman of the
Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC).

Li said during his meeting in Beijing on Wednesday with the chairman of
Myanmar's State Peace and Development Council, that Myanmar was one of the
first countries to forge diplomatic ties with China. Their bilateral ties
had grown steadily in the past 50years and their fraternal friendship had
taken root in the hearts of the two peoples.

Cooperation in politics, trade and economics, culture and the military had
borne fruit in recent years and both countries worked together well in
international affairs, Li said.

Li said the traditional friendship was established by former leaders of the
two countries and late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai had visited Myanmar nine
times.

The 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC)had just
concluded and China's leadership transition had been smooth, Li said.

China would continue to follow guidelines for good-neighborly friendship and
cooperation, and would always highly value China-Myanmar ties, he said.

Li stressed that China had always held that all countries, big or small,
strong or weak, were equal members of the international community and had
the right to choose their own path.

China played an active part in multi-polarization and economic
globalization, maintaining global peace and advocating a new international
order.

Than Shwe happily recalled Li's visit to Myanmar in 1994. He said Myanmar
had made great progress in economic and social development in recent years
and cooperation with China had also reaped fruitful results and maintained a
good momentum.

He said he believed their fraternal friendship would be strengthened. He
also thanked China for its economic assistance and political support.

Than Shwe congratulated the CPC on the success of the 16th National
Congress, saying he believed the new leadership would make an even greater
contribution to the friendship with Myanmar in the new century.
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Asian Tribune
Date : 2003-01-09
Aung San Suu Kyi- a political assessment on the situation prevailing in
Burma

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese leader of the Opposition, at the year-end
press conference, held in Rangoon, chided the Burmese authorities, as they
are not ready to talk with her. By asking this question it appears that the
authorities did intend to have talks at the beginning. She told that they
have clearly stated that there have been no talks up to date, "but it is not
because we are not ready. It is the authorities that are not ready." Full
text of the year-end Press Conference is given below:

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: Uncle Lwin has told me that there have been many
requests for interviews. I think it is better to make this the end of year
press conference for all the media. After this you may ask questions about
the year s achievements and non-achievements and other issues.

There has been some progress but for us it does not seem enough for the
country. The changes have not been fast enough as requested by us. For
example we have asked for the release of all political prisoners. All have
not been released. Some have been released. We have firmly stood for the
unconditional release of all political prisoners. Regarding the reopening of
NLD offices, the pace is slow. Not because we are not ready, it is because
the authorities are not ready.

On the whole I must say that my travel in the country has been satisfactory
to a major extent. The authorities cooperated in most of the places. You are
already aware of the problems faced in Rakhine State. Just ask the
reporters. Apart from the roads, which were very rough, travel was smooth.
In some matters the cooperation of the authorities was considerable but in
some matters it was not as much as was anticipated.

In Mon State, Shan and Rakhine States we were well received by the
residents. It was especially encouraging. There was ample evidence of the
national spirit. There is no division at the grass roots between the ethnic
groups. All of our nationals want change and they want it soon. They are
ready to join hands to work towards that change. To know this is very
heartening.

I can definitely say that the people, i.e. the vast majority want to see
change come about immediately. They are looking for the group that can
guarantee their freedom and security. They suffer much anxiety for their
health, wealth, and education. This is the real situation. Farmers have a
big burden on their heads the burden brought about by fixed prices for their
products. Problems are identical in Magwe Division, Shan State, Mon State
and Rakhine State. Another big problem is the awful condition of the roads,
which impedes transportation for ordinary people.

I am especially worried for my countrymen. Compared to 1988-89 the number of
youth has increased. These young people (ages 10 to 20+) have visibly
demonstrated so much support for us wherever we went. They may not know how
to solve problems but they are aware that something must be done.

They long for a better education. This is indeed stimulating and comforting.
They want to be achievers in this world. This is truly inspirational. Their
spirit is praiseworthy. Their sights are clear. There is no camouflage, no
bias. They have open minds. Their longing is for a group that is honest,
guileless, frank and sincere and above board. They want this spirit to grow
and everyone be imbued with it. This is good. A special feature I witnessed
is that throughout the country, be it Yakhine, Shan State or Rangoon
Division, this spirit of the youth prevails. As the year 2002 comes too an
end I am encouraged because of this strong spirit of the people. But their
lot saddens me. Our people deserve a better destiny. They deserve a better
standard of living. They deserve a better form of government. I hope that in
the next year the people get what they deserve.

I pray that the New Year will be happy for all in this wide world and that
their heart s desire be fulfilled. I know that most desire security and
freedom. Genuine democracy will enable this. May we be able to proceed
towards that goal in the year 2003 and we wish the same for all the people
of the world.

Question by reporter: U Lwin told us about the demarcations made in Myauk U
about the crowd of about 30000 and the fire engine that was about to hose
them down and how you mounted the fire engine and chided the authorities for
their bullying tactics. On the other hand the government announcement
accused you of resorting to confrontation. Don t you think these opposing
representations will lessen the chance of dialogue, which you are wanting?

Answer by Daw Su: In a way this seems to make the picture clearer. As to
confrontation, people can judge for themselves who is responsible. Our
Rakhine tour was in no way different from the previous tours.

Mandaly is a bigger city and the crowd was much bigger there. Even before
our arrival at Myauk U a different agenda was set in Myauk U by the township
PDC, the Red Cross, the Fire Brigade Auxiliary, and the USDO. It was they
who originated the confrontation tactics and they need to be called upon to
explain their conduct.

Regarding your question about the diminishing chances of dialogue, I think
it is best not to speculate but to look at the hard facts. How sincere are
the authorities in this matter? Judge from events that have happened.

Though Uncle Lwin said that what happened was not because of instructions
from higher up and blames the local authorities, I find it difficult to
accept that. Our strategy in Rakhine was not different from that used in
other states. We used the same strategy even in the small towns in the
Irrawaddy Division, which was our last stop.

Even before I had arrived news had reached me that a certain minister had
been calling upon the people not to support us because we were
obstructionists. He had said that the people should dissociate themselves
from us and to associate with the Tatmadaw. Now you can judge for yourselves
who is confrontational.

Q: Did you object in writing to the authorities for this behavior?

A: Uncle Lwin was in touch with the authorities when we were in Rakhine.

Q: Was any complaint in writing lodged officially?

A No. But they have been made aware of the situation.

Question by Daw Su: - I have a question for you. Have the authorities made
an official statement that I adopted a confrontational stance?

Answer by reporter: A fax was sent to me.

Question by Daw Su: - By whom?

A : The Ministry of Defense.

Question by Daw Su: How did the Defense Ministry get involved in this?

A: This is not our business.

Question by Daw Su: Is the Fire Brigade under the Defense Ministry?

A: I don' t know. I got a phone call from the military authorities informing
that a 3-page fax message would be sent. Later I received the 3-page fax
message.

Question by Daw Su: Was it from the Defense Ministry:

A: Yes.

Question by Daw Su: This is very interesting. If what happened in Myauk U
was a local affair, why did the Defense Ministry respond in this way.

A: The phone call was from the Defense Ministry. I think it is not just the
Defense Ministry that is concerned. I took it to be from the government.

Question by Daw Su: In whose name was the fax sent?

A: It was written in Burmese.

Question by Daw Su: Written in Burmese but who took responsibility for it?

A: The Defense Ministry.

Question by Daw Su: So it was sent by the Defense Ministry?

A: Yes. But there is no signature. They phoned first.

Question by Daw Su: So this is a fax without any name disclosed?

A: It is not anonymous.

Question by Daw Su: If there is no signature it must be anonymous. Though
there was a phone call there was no signature to the fax. Is that correct?

A: Yes.

(Note - the reporter who received the fax is U Hla Htwe. It has not been
shown or distributed to anyone)

Question by reporter: How do you see the Rakhine State?

A - by Daw Su : Very good. There was great warmth in the reception we were
given. I had not anticipated such support. They are very courageous. They
were not afraid of the threats and restrictions. People remained standing at
the barricades and behind. They refused to disperse. They kept standing
right behind the police, the Fire Brigade, the Red Cross and authorities.
When I went up to greet them thy came rushing down. The Rakhines are most
courageous. I salute them and take this opportunity to thank them.

Q: This disgraceful event happened in Rakhine. Even before your arrival
there, if a minister had instructed people not to receive you does not this
indicate a change of heart on the part of the authorities?

A; This depends on whether the minister was acting on his own initiative.
You reporters should investigate and pursue the point and keep us informed.
In response to what the minister said about associating with the Tatmadaw I
say that it is no big deal for us to associate with the Tatmadawor for that
matter any one else if the motivation and outcome will be for the good of
the country. We are also doing our best to get along with the SPDC and the
Tatmadaw.

Those who are trying to cause rifts are the truly destructive forces. They
do not want reconciliation. They only want to see ruination of the country.

Q: Do you believe that this countrywide tour will help to bring dialogue
closer?

A: My travel has nothing to do with the dialogue process. My intention was
to meet the people, to be in touch with the people, to learn about their
circumstances, their hopes and fears. This party was formed for the
restoration of democracy to Burma and for this purpose we need to be in
touch with the people.

Q: What are your hopes for 2003

A: - Hopes is not our aim. It is work that we must do. And that work is to
bring about dialogue that will be for the good of the country. I have said
this again and again. Dialogue that will be beneficial to the country is
what we are working towards. It is not dialogue to benefit the NLD or the
SPDC.

Q: What is your New Year Resolution?

A: No resolutions have been made. Haven' t even thought about it.

Q: Since your release this year (about 7 months now) this is your second
press conference. Are you still cautiously optimistic or has that changed.

A: No change. There have been plusses and minuses. My strength has increased
because of the national spirit and unity of the people. Support for change
is even greater than what I had anticipated. This makes the plusses greater
than the minuses. The rate of political prisoners release is a minus. There
are some in authority who do not want reconciliation, which is why we haven
t, arrived at the dialogue stage. The USDA is also messing things up because
instead of being a social welfare organization it is functioning as a
political organization.

Q: The USDA which was organized by the government is distributing pamphlets
in the Rakhine State alleging that you are not one who loves the country
because you married a foreigner. Is this an indication of a change of heart
on their part?

A : By asking this question it appears that the authorities did intend to
have talks at the beginning. We have clearly stated that there have been no
talks up to date but it is not because we are not ready. It is the
authorities that are not ready.
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Far Eastern Economic Review
INREVIEW: BOOKS
Burmese Battleground
By Bertil Lintner
Issue cover-dated January 16, 2003

The War in Burma 1942-45: A Vital Contribution to Victory in the Far East,
by Julian Thompson. Sidgwick & Jackson in association with the Imperial War
Museum. £30 ($48)

It is hard to imagine that there could be more to say about the war in Burma
between the Allied forces and Japan. Dozens of books have been written about
the British retreat in 1942 and the establishment of a Japanese-supported
puppet administration in Burma, how the Allies began to regain ground
through local tribal guerrilla forces--and how the Japanese, in the end,
suffered a humiliating defeat. But Julian Thompson, a retired Royal Marine
major-general and now a visiting professor of war studies at King's College,
London, proves that the whole story never has been told.

Using mainly unpublished material from Britain's Imperial War Museum,
including some unique black-and-white photographs from the campaign, he
presents the most detailed account of the war so far.

The War in Burma is not dry facts. Thompson's description of the major
battles is extremely detailed. The setting itself, one of the most
multi-ethnic parts of the world, and the make-up of the forces that fought
the battles, make for a book that's an exciting and colourful read.

"The Burma Campaign," as it became known, was not only the biggest ground
war between the Allies and the Japanese, but also the biggest multiracial
undertaking in the history of warfare.

Witness the construction of the 1,000-kilometre road from India through
northern Burma to support the forces fighting the Japanese in China.
According to Lt.-Col. Frank Owen, a British war veteran, "Chinese, Chins,
Kachins, Indians, Nepalese, Nagas, Garos slashed, hauled and piled. Negroes
drove machines. Black, brown, yellow and white men toiled shoulder-deep in
the streams, belt-deep in red mud."

In the frontier areas, local hill peoples--mostly Kachin and Karen--staged
hit-and-run attacks on Japanese positions.

Thompson points out that 340,000 Indian troops under British command,
100,000 British soldiers, 90,000 African and 65,000 Chinese troops as well
as 10,000 Americans took part in the campaign.

It was an extremely bloody war, especially for the Japanese, who lost
190,000 soldiers in Burma, three-fifths of the men who were sent there, or
13 times the number of Allied dead.

By comparison, almost the same number of Japanese died when the two atom
bombs fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

The War in Burma is a fascinating and highly readable account of one of the
most bitter wars that has ever been fought in this part of the world.

Bertil Lintner is a senior writer for the REVIEW
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Bangkok Post - Thursday 09 January 2003
Bordering on good times

Observers are expecting a quiet time of it along the border with Burma this
year after the troops and those Shans across the frontier were told to keep
a lid on any violence. - These are also expected to be quiet times within
the military ranks as the defence minister wants talks before things turn
unruly. - Love and marriage, go together like horse and carriage _ and
casinos and political influence.

The mood along the border with Burma is expected to be much more relaxed
this year after Army Commander Gen Somdhat Attanand issued firm guidelines
to troops not to do anything that might upset the generals in Rangoon and
others living a wee bit closer to the frontier.

Gen Somdhat last week told the monthly meeting of combat commanders,
including the commanders of the 3rd Army's task forces handling security
along the border, not to provide Burmese ethnic rebels with any military
support or allow them to use Thai soil as a jumping off point for attacks on
Burmese government forces.

"This was aimed purely at avoiding any unnecessary border tension with
Burma," said one officer.

Gen Somdhat, who will troop off to Burma for two days of talks on Jan 21,
believes any tension along the border could be avoided if his guidelines are
followed by the Pha Muang and Naresuan task forces, which are in charge of
security along the border running alongside Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong
Son and Tak provinces.

Tensions with Rangoon were ratcheted up several gears last May when the Thai
army held military exercises near the border area. Rangoon accused the army
of using the exercise to lend support to the Shan State Army, the armed wing
of an ethnic people, which caused heavy casualties among Rangoon forces in a
surprise attack which coincided with the military exercise. Rangoon closed
all checkpoints along its border with Thailand on May 22.

Military officers said the Shan were now under pressure from the Thai
military to be far more careful in future assaults on government forces near
the border.

Yawd Serk, the SSA commander, has adopted a much lower profile of late
following statements by the leaders of the new Thai military regime and the
government of Thaksin Shinawatra about the need to foster much closer
relations with the Rangoon generals.

The SSA issued a statement on Jan 1 following its annual conference at its
headquarters at Doi Tai Laeng, opposite Mae Hong Son, claiming that "there
will be no battle in the border area" unless Burmese forces launch an attack
first against SSA bases.

The statement said the SSA would try its best to resolve its conflict with
the Rangoon military junta by peaceful political means.

A staff member at the Defence Ministry however said Rangoon had demanded
that the SSA lay down all its arms before it would agree to any peace talks.
This was certain, he said, to represent an obstacle to any progress towards
a lasting truce.
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The Nation
Chiang Mai hub 'needs work'
Don Pathan
Published on Jan 9, 2003

Chiang Mai has the potential to become an aviation hub, but more work must
be done to refine the concept, Singaporean Ambassador to Thailand Chan Heng
Win said yesterday.

"We think Chiang Mai has potential, but many areas need development," Chan
said.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra proposed the idea of turning Chiang Mai
into a regional aviation hub to Singapore last February.

Based on preliminary studies from the Singapore government, as well as input
from the Singapore Tourism Board, which visited the city in September last
year, the island state has suggested a budget airline be created to
accommodate travellers from the upper Southeast Asian region, including
southern China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Burma.

Thaksin is due to meet Goh this weekend at a retreat in Phuket, where they
will discuss their plans for Chiang Mai, Chan said.

Goh will be accompanied by his Foreign Minister S Jayakumar, Trade Minister
George Yeo and Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong.

In addition to the aviation hub plan, the two sides are expected to discuss
the future of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and what Thailand
and Singapore can do jointly to support certain economic sectors, hopefully
laying the groundwork for future, region-wide cooperation.

"We can tango together. We can take the floor first and others can join in
later," Chan said.

The ambassador said it was essential that Asean show the international
community and foreign investors that it can get projects off the ground.

"Asean faces a lot of competition," said Chan, citing China and India.

The two governments are also expected to discuss terrorism.

Singapore has taken an active role in combating terrorism, issuing white
papers on the activities of terrorist groups and urging neighbouring
countries not to be complacent in handling the issue.
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The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 8(IHT/Asahi: January 9,2003)
EDITORIAL: Why only 11 refugees?
Japan should accept more refugees.

As a person or as a nation, we have a moral imperative to extend a helping
hand to people in severe distress.

Japan, however, has never been eager to help the international society's
most vulnerable given the fact that it has so far taken in only 300
refugees, although it signed the Convention Relating the Status of Refugees
more than 20 years ago. Japan admitted only 11 refugees last year, according
to a group of lawyers providing support to asylum seekers.

On the other hand, Japan has been quite welcoming foreign dancers and
singers, issuing business visas for nearly 100,000 entertainers from abroad
every year.
``Under Japan's immigration control, does entertainment take far higher
priority over consideration for refugees?'' asked Sadako Ogata, a former
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, criticizing the Japanese government's
stance toward the issue in her message sent to a symposium on the refugee
problem organized last year by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

Major Western countries accept several thousands to dozens of thousands
refugees annually. Even New Zealand, a small island nation, takes in some
400 a year. Japan cannot expect its hugely conspicuous reluctance to admit
refugees to be tolerated by the international community for long.

Amid strong criticism about Japan's asylum policy, growing both at home and
abroad, a personal advisory panel for the justice minister on immigration
control issues has drawn up a report on the nation's system to grant asylum.

The interim report recommends that the term for asylum applications should
be extended to six months or a year from the current 60 days from entry into
Japan. Japan has also been accused of often detaining and deporting refugees
who are in the process of applying for asylum. The advisory panel has urged
the government to stop this practice and allow asylum applicants to stay in
the country while their applications are properly screened.

The Justice Ministry plans to draft and present a bill to the Diet for some
amendments to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law based on
the panel's recommendations. This move represents a step in the right
direction, but is clearly insufficient for improving the situation in any
significant way.

We have been calling on the government to assign the job of screening asylum
applications, which is now performed by the immigration authorities, to a
new independent screening agency to be helped by experts in refugee problems
who belong to credited international or civil organizations. That's because
we believe accepting refugees and supporting their lives in Japan is a
mission different in nature from the tasks of the immigration authorities.

The purpose of immigration control, as clearly defined in the law, is to
``prevent criminals and other foreigners who might harm Japan's interests
from entering the country.'' So the mission of immigration officers is to
discover foreigners who should not be allowed to enter Japan. They are
simply not the right kind of officials for the job of granting asylum to
qualified applicants.

People are fleeing countries or regions under widely differing situations,
such as the Kurdish areas in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Myanmar and many
African countries. Cooperation from experts well versed in the local
situations is essential if screenings of asylum seekers are to be conducted
effectively and appropriately.
One unsuccessful asylum applicant from Myanmar who has brought his case into
court appeals to the Japanese government to ``stop treating me like a
criminal.'' A Kurd in the same situation says Japan keeps its door almost
completely closed to refugees.

The government should listen to the voices of such asylum seekers and take
steps to improve its asylum system to accept more refugees, taking account
of the unstable situations in east Asia.
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