[burmanet2-l] Burma Related News - Jan 12, 2003.

["TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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BURMA RELATED NEWS - January  12, 2003.
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HEADLINES
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Reuters - Chinese Bus Plunges Into River, 17 Reported Dead
BKk Post - Army commander ready for long-anticipated Burma trip
The Nation - SUNDAY BRUNCH: A case of true compassion
Asian Tribune - There's a Burmese army camp on Thai soil
Asian Tribune - Burmese Opposition welcome Third Party Mediation.
DVB - Burma: Rangoon announces increase in petrol ration, price said to
quadruple
DVB - Chinese-made military equipment said heading towards Meiktila Air Base
Mizzima - Indian- Burmese people friendship through marketing
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Chinese Bus Plunges Into River, 17 Reported Dead
Sat Jan 11,11:17 PM ET

BEIJING (Reuters) - A bus packed with school children plunged off a mountain
road in southwest China into a river, police said on Sunday, and Chinese
media reported at least 17 people were killed.

The Beijing Youth Daily reported 17 people were killed when the privately
operated minibus careened more than 230 feet down a ravine and into a river
a week ago in Yunnan Province, which borders Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.

The paper said nine were missing and one person was found seriously injured.

A police official from Weixi County told Reuters the bus, filled with
elementary and middle school students, was traveling just a short distance
when it went off the road killing "more than 10 people" and nine were
missing.

China has an alarming road safety record. More than 106,000 people were
killed in traffic accidents in 2001, an average of 290 per day, state media
have said.
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Bangkok Post - Sunday 12 January 2003
Army commander ready for long-anticipated Burma trip
Wassana Nanuam

Army chief Gen Somdhat Attanand will visit Rangoon from Jan 21-22 for talks
with Burmese military leaders.

Army chief-of-staff Veerachai Iamsa-ad, who will accompany Gen Somdhat, said
the army commander had long anticipated the opportunity to hold friendly
discussions with the junta.

``We go with love and sincerity for the Burmese military leaders,'' he said.

Gen Somdhat would meet State Peace and Development Council first secretary
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and army chief Gen Maung Aye.

He would propose joint border patrols _ an idea Burma has already rejected _
and hotlines for military leaders.

On Jan 27, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh will visit Burma
for talks with Burmese Prime Minister Gen Than Shwe, Gen Maung Aye and
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
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The Nation
SUNDAY BRUNCH: A case of true compassion
Ken Ywin
Published on Jan 12, 2003

Winning the Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership has not in any way
altered Dr Cynthia Maung's daily routine. She still goes about treating the
flood of destitute refugees huddled on the bare concrete floor of her Mae
Tao Clinic. Humility, charisma and a steely determination are this
humanitarian doctor's key assets in assisting the tide of human suffering
that rolls across the Thai-Burmese border.

"I didn't even know what [the] Magsaysay [Award] meant before I received
this award," said the demure doctor with a shy smile. The award from the
Philippines fetched her US$50,000 (Bt2.15 million) - much-needed funds to
operate the clinic where she treats more than 80,000 refugees every year.

Close to Mae Sot Airport and less than 10 kilometres from the border, the
Mae Tao Clinic is a beacon to the thousands of sick Karen, Mon and Shan
refugees seeking cheap medical treatment - a rarity in the poverty-stricken
provinces along the border on the Burmese side.

Dr Cynthia is in a pensive mood as she glances at the throngs of patients,
mostly women, waiting for her. An orderly approaches and, with respect in
his hushed voice, bows and gingerly hands her some documents to sign. "There
are so many of them, and they keep increasing every year," she lamented.

A graduate from the University of Rangoon's Institute of Medicine, Dr
Cynthia, 44, has suffered the trauma of displacement as well.

"I was born in Moulmein, a coastal city in the Karen State, to a Karen
family who came from the Irrawaddy Delta.

"I fled the Burmese military suppression in 1988 when the [Burmese]
authorities were hunting and arresting students and those actively caught up
in the uprising."

Recalling her flight, she said: "I trekked for seven days through
malaria-infested jungles with 12 others, [altogether] four women and nine
men. We lived on handouts from friendly villagers, bought food with the
little money we had on us and the soldiers from the Karen National Union
[KNU] shared the rations they carried in their backpacks with us and
protected us.

"Life was harsh when I worked at a private clinic in Pa-an, the capital of
the Karen State, for a year in 1987. The township had one hospital with 16
beds, one nurse, a laboratory technician and a sanitationist for a
population of 20,000. There was urgent need for medicines, which were
scarce, and the private pharmacies in town were the only places where the
sick could purchase their medicine. In case of emergencies, the hospital
nurse came to call me to assist. External help in those days came only from
some religious groups. But not on a regular basis."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she recalled the time she first set foot on
Thai soil: "We all had high hopes of going back in a week or two to a
country where we expected democracy to begin blooming again. Days turned
into weeks; weeks changed into months; months became years. We stayed,
talked, ate, slept and lived together. We longed to go back. Even today,
after 14 years, I still want so much to go back to the land of my late
parents and my ancestors."

She wiped away her tears with a tissue as I awkwardly turned away and looked
out of the window at the mass of suffering humanity waiting for her to treat
them.
Although the doctor prefers a low profile because she is a refugee, Dr
Cynthia is well known among the world community.

Prior to winning the Magsaysay Award, she had already received five other
international humanitarian awards, all for her dedicated work with refugees
from Burma. In 1999, the same year she was awarded the John Humphrey Freedom
Award by the Canadian International Human Rights Group, she also received
the Jonathan Mann award for Global Health and Human Rights from the Global
Health Council.

In 2000, she was honoured by receiving the President's Recognition Award
from the American Medical Women's Association.

Doctors are said to be hardened by constant exposure to the suffering of the
diseased and the dying, but not Dr Cynthia.

"Along the way to the Thai-Burmese border, there were no clinics, no
healthcare. The very sick were brought to Mae-La hospital in Tak province.
Knowing I was a doctor, they asked me to help. I worked there for two weeks.
The group that came out with me went back to their villages after a month;
they were all homesick.

"After that, I went to Wang-Ka refugee camp where I met a Karen lady who
took me to Huay-Kalok refugee camp, where I stayed for another two weeks.

"A lady Karen officer who liased with the Karen camps helped me with
contacts with NGOs and religious groups to set up a clinic. Most of the
students who fled Burma had malaria and the serious cases were referred to
Mae Sot hospital, which had only 150 beds then. It has 300 beds now."

>From a makeshift wooden shack 14 years ago, Dr Cynthia's Mae Tao Clinic has
now grown to several buildings with 100 beds for in-patients and treating
about 200 outpatients each day. "They mostly suffer from malaria, diarrhoea,
pneumonia, skin and urinary tract infections. Now, HIV and Aids, teenage
pregnancies and unsafe abortions are on the rise. There are five or six new
HIV-positive cases every month.

"But the saddest cases are the young teenage girls who are dropped off at
our clinic by taxi drivers. They have been physically abused. They are
totally traumatised, refusing to talk to anyone about their experiences.
They wake up at night, screaming and crying out from their nightmares. Also,
the orphans whose parents have succumbed to Aids. There are so many of
them."

Dr Cynthia calls her staff and their families of 250 people whom she helps
feed and look after, "My 'clinic family'."

She takes care of them and, in return, they gave her their undying support
and love.
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Asian Tribune
Date : 2003-01-12
There's a Burmese army camp on Thai soil


I read often in the Thai media about the government's firm stance on
protecting territorial sovereignty. So can anyone tell me why there is a
Burmese military base operating inside Thailand at Mei Pee Ya, near Baw
Klung Hot Springs, Suan Phung, in Ratchaburi province?

The Thai 9th Infantry Division wastes no time in forcing unarmed Karen and
Mon civilian asylum-seekers back into war-torn Burma: why don't they chase
out the 50 armed Burmese soldiers at Mei Pee Ya?

Confused,
Alabama.
The Nation
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Asian Tribune
Date : 2003-01-12
Burmese Opposition welcome Third Party Mediation.
By K.T.Rajasingham

Burmese democratic group has indicated its willingness to have a
facilitator, or in other word, a country as a third party mediator, to bring
about sustained peace and reconciliation in the country, which is under the
Military rule since 1962.

In a written interview with this writer they have agreed with the suggestion
to have any one of these countries, namely India, Thailand or Norway as
their mediator for talks with the Army Generals, in their long drawn out
search for peace, to propel the country into a democratic form of
Government.

National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma's East Office has said
in it response to a question, "We would like to welcome your suggestion that
there should be a committee appointed on both sides for talks and the talks
have to facilitated by a third party. We are interested in your suggestion
that we should try to have India or Thailand or Norway as our facilitator."

Burma is a country with a total population of 42,238,224 people out of which
Burman constitute 68%, while Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%,
Indian 2%, Mon 2%, and others 5%. The country is today is shattered and
broken up into pieces according to the ethnic formation and ruled by a
Junta, while ethnic groups also control some parts of the country. Democracy
is dead in Burma since from 1962.

Elections for the unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw for a total
of 485 seats, for a four-year term, were last held on 27 May 1990, but
unfortunately the Assembly up to date is not convened.

The oppositions hailed that the election was held free and fair the results
showed National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung Shwe, Chairman, Aung
San Suu Kyi General secretary, won 392 seats. Shan Nationalities League for
Democracy (SNLD) led by U Khun Tun Oo bagged 23 seats while; National Unity
Party (NUP) a pro-military regime party headed by Tha Kyaw (NUP) won 10
seats, and others 60 seats.

Excerpts of the written questions and answers are given below:

Question: - I wish to know some developments about the on-going peace talks
between the NLD and the Burmese junta. Have you all entered into any
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NLD and the junta?

Answer: According to your first question, the on-going peace talks between
the NLD and the Burmese junta never entered into any Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU).

Question: How and where these so called talks are going on?

Answer: The answer for your second question - how and where those so called
talks are going on - may be depend upon attitude of the junta. It is Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi who has been calling for meaningful political dialogue to
the junta, since early 1989. But, who will represent the opposition's side
in the dialogue may be another question to be negotiated.

In 1989 July, the then Senior Gen.Saw Maung complained in his televised
speech that there were over hundred political parties but the army was an
only institution and it's difficult for him to whom he had to accept as the
representatives of the hundred parties. After that speech, there was a
conference of 104 political parties at NLD Head Quarters.

The conference unanimously agreed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as the only
representative of 104 parties. Then the military intelligence service
detained the executive members of the political parties and forced to
withdraw their mandates to the Lady.

Eventually, the junta kept the Lady under housed-arrest on 19 July 1989.

Question: Is there a committee or a delegation set up by the NLD to talk
with the Junta? In the Burmese junta side who is involved in the talks?

Answer: The latest progress of the talk with the junta may be merely a
name-sake talk or a farce one. The junta is playing the game with an
intention of reducing international pressures and hoping to get a legal
status in the international community.

According to the current news and information, the Lady told clearly that
there has been no political talk between the NLD and the SPDC. She also
exposed her attitude on dialogue. The Lady says she is willing to compromise
with the country's military rulers in discussions to achieve national
reconciliation, an Israeli newspaper reported in last August.

''Dialogue always entails compromise,'' Suu Kyi was quoted as saying in an
interview published on August 16, 2002, by Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

''I don't think you can go into dialogue saying, I can't compromise,'' Suu
Kyi said. ''You had better not start that way, because the dialogue won't
get anywhere.''

Suu Kyi and the junta began confidential talks in October 2000 - a
development which diplomats say Razali played a key role in brokering - but
until now they have never moved beyond "confidence-building" to address
substantive issues.

After strong international pressure, Suu Kyi was released from 19 months of
house arrest in May 2002, but since then she has had no meetings with senior
members of the junta. She has repeatedly called for meaningful talks to
begin as soon as possible.

Question: What is the latest progress in the talks with the junta?

Answer: However, no timetable has been set by the junta to further the talks
after the Lady's release despite repeated calls by the NLD to start a
substantive dialogue on the future of the country. Speaking on the 14th
anniversary of the founding of her National League for Democracy (NLD)
party, Aung San Suu Kyi said she would not hesitate to cooperate with the
junta's generals.

"We will never hesitate to cooperate with the armed forces, based on sincere
goodwill," the Nobel Peace laureate told 400 party members and diplomats
gathered at her headquarters. "It is high time we all worked for the country
holding hands together."

Apart from releasing Suu Kyi from 19 months of house arrest and freeing some
political dissidents, the junta has made no other concessions. It has given
no indication that it wants to hold a dialogue with Suu Kyi. Meanwhile, the
international community including the UN has also been calling for such a
dialogue between the government and the opposition to bring about national
reconciliation in the country as early as possible.

Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi urged the international
community to help the country's efforts toward democracy at the opening
ceremony of the second Ministerial Conference of the Community of
Democracies (CD) held at the COEX Center in southern Seoul on 11 November
2002.

Suu Kyi addressed in a videotape "I would like to call upon all our friends
to help us speed up the process of democratic change. Our people have waited
long... there is no more time left for us to wait. Some of us will never see
democracy although they have worked long and hard for it."

Question: Why you all have not thought of having a facilitator? What about
having: (1) India (2) Thailand or (3) Norway as the facilitator for the
talks. I think the talks have to be done properly. There should be a
committee appointed on both sides for talks and the talks have to be
facilitated by a third party. It is nearly 13 years now since you had the
parliamentary general elections and it is dragging on for such a long time.
I do not think that there is any urgency for the junta leave their authority
and power to the democratic forces.

Answer: We would like to welcome your suggestion that there should be a
committee appointed on both sides for talks and the talks have to
facilitated by a third party. We are interested in your suggestion that we
should try to have India or Thailand or Norway as our facilitator.

Question: As far as my observation, I find that the democratic forces have
failed to give that amount of pressure to the junta. You must negotiate with
the ethnic groups also and try to win a unanimous support from them and they
must come forward to say that they wanted NLD to be their sole
representatives in the negotiation.

Answer: We agree with your last opinion that NLD must try to win a unanimous
support from the ethnic groups and they must come forward to say that they
wanted NLD to be their sole representatives in the negotiation. We are
working so hard to fulfill that goal.

Thank you very much for your enthusiasm in Burma Issue. We welcome your
assistance and opinions in raising the meaningful political dialogue between
the SPDC and the NLD.
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Burma: Rangoon announces increase in petrol ration, price said to quadruple
Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 10 January

It has been learned that the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council]
announced today that the fuel ration for private cars and taxis in Rangoon
will be increased. Previously, private cars and taxis were rationed two
gallons of petrol a day, equivalent to 60 gallons per month, with the price
of petrol at 180 kyat a gallon.

The increment will mean that taxis will receive 60 gallons more than their
monthly quota while all private cars will receive 10 gallons extra. A taxi
driver told DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] that the price of petrol will be
raised to 700 kyat from 180 kyat and that the increase has been posted at
all the government petrol stations in Rangoon.

Although the fuel ration for taxis and private vehicles will be increased,
the government petrol stations failed to announce any increment for commuter
buses which are used by the majority of the public. The price of one gallon
of petrol is over 1,000 kyat in the black market in Rangoon while it costs
well above 1,500 kyat in the districts.

The same taxi driver said because the authorities have imposed restrictions
on the sale of petrol, queuing for petrol to sell in the black market has
slowly become a visible regular trade.

A Rangoon commuter told DVB that the bus fare, currently stable at 20 kyat a
trip, is likely to be raised to 50 kyat in the following days.

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 10 Jan 03
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Chinese-made military equipment said heading towards Meiktila Air Base
Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 10 January

At a time when the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] chairman, Sr
Gen Than Shwe, and party have been visiting China, it has been learned that
Chinese made military equipment for the air force has begun arriving in
Burma through the Burma-China border.

Border observers told DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] that three fully
covered military trucks, thought to be carrying military equipment for the
air force, passed the Burma-China border from (?Kye Gong) to Mu-se yesterday
morning and were seen heading towards Meiktila Air Base.

The military equipments, which consist mainly of fighter jet spare parts,
will be received directly by the Meiktila Aircraft Maintenance Base, it is
learnt.

Similarly, military equipments were purchased from China in September and
November 2002 and included over 200 Chinese made Dongfeng six-wheel military
trucks capable of towing 20 ton artillery pieces.

During 2001, over 40 such military trucks and more than 300 Chinese made FAW
brand military personnel carriers were delivered through the border. It is
not clear whether these military equipments were purchased during SPDC
Chairman Sr Gen Than Shwe's current trip or whether they were part of the
billion dollar arms deal with China.

According to latest reports received by DVB, many Chinese military engineers
have arrived at Burmese military installations along with the Chinese
military equipment and have been conducting training course on new
communications and radar systems.

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 10 Jan 03
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Indian- Burmese people friendship through marketing
12 January, 2003 (Mizzima News)

( Guwahati ) :  It is a market which symbolises the unity and itegrity among
the people  of India and Burma .The PangshauPass market , located  at the
"Zero Point " along the Indo-Burma border ,has been helping the people of
Burma and India  to live together keeping aside their hatred .

The market was set up  by the Indian authorities at the "zero point " along
the international border  10 years back following request of the  Burmese
Junta  to exchange  their goods  through barter system . Since then  the
market  has been running without  any hinderence  . Though the market area
is located at difficult terrain  ( near Kachin )  ,dominated  by the
underground organisations  yet it has been going smoothly ,probably due to
poor economic condition of the people.

" We  exchange our village produced and rice to the Indian people  inreturn
we take salt and kerosene from them" ,a Burmese girl said .The girl who
comes to the market regularly  to sell rice and other products covering a
stretch of  15 KM  from  her village  to take salt and  kerosene  which are
very scarce  in Burma . Despite the problem ,the Burmese Junta seems
indifferent  about the plight of the people ." We come to the market by
organising a group  comprising  10 to 15  girls  because the area  is very
dangerous any thing can happen during our market journey ",the girl  said .

The PangsahuPass market, situated on the border of Naga hills in Burma and
Arunachal Pradesh State in India,  is famous for dry fish and chicken  which
are generally exchanged  through barter system. What is more interesting is
that  the Burmese soldiers  come to the market  to buy their essential
commodities from the market  escorted by the Indian security forces  to
avoid  any clash with the militant groups. The market is held twice in a
month  as per demand of the people .During rainy season  ,people have to
face severe problem in view of prevailing ,but that does not  affect the
spirit of the people ." We go to the market with 15 to 20 kg of rice on our
back  defying  all-odds as there is no other market facility in our soil
.Moreover ,We have to buy  our essential commodities  so we do not care any
adverse  situation " a group of Burmese women said.

The Indian people also enjoy  the marketing  in the PangshauPass market  . "
We ahve been exchanging our products  with Burmese people  for the last
couple of years which has developed  a new  relation among us .Even Burmese
people  invite us  when  any festival is organised in their territory", said
Nahar Bora an Indian villager .He further siad that  The Burmese people have
to face a lot of difficulties  in thier respective villages  as there  is no
proper facility ." It is quite impossible  how they are  living  in a
difficult condition  there is no doctor .  They come to our area to take
treatment  from our doctors  and we help them " the Indian villager said .
Supporting the view ,Manohar,Rubul and  Jibon advocated that the Burmese
government  should take an urgent step  to help the villagers living  the
area . The Burmese are suppressed and opressed  and considering the gravity
of the situation the Junta  should come forward to rescue them .

Despite Inummerable problem ,the Burmese people  living in the area are
still optimistic that  the good days would prevail soon .
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