The New Light of Myanmar (Friday, 19 April, 2002)

[Ok Kar <okkar66126@xxxxxxxxx>]

The New Light of Myanmar (Friday, 19 April, 2002)
--------------------------------------
1. Senior General Than Shwe pays homage to
   Maha Muni Buddha Image in Mandalay
2. - Shwehtidaw hoisted atop Hsandawshin
     Shwedagonlay Pagoda at Kyaikpadaing village,
     Bago Township,    Bago Division
   - Secretary-1 attends merit-sharing ceremony for
     Tazaungdawgyi of Seinthalyaung Buddha Image
     in Bago
3. - State systematically forms special regions, makes

     arrangements to lay good economic, education
     and health foundations for brethren of border
     areas
   - Bago BEHS No 4 gets multimedia teaching centre
4. Regular press conference held in connection with
   bomb explosion near Friendship Bridge in Myawady
   on Thingyan Akyat Day (15 April) caused by
   KNU sending commandos from Maesot
5. Maj-Gen Ye Myint attends opening of footwear
   factory in Kyaukse
6. - Commerce Minister receives Ambassador
   - CPT Minister receives Korean guests
   -Yangon Mayor receives guests
7. Malaysian industrial delegation arrives
8. - Hockey players undergoing training
   - National races cultural group visits pagodas
     in Thanlyin
9. Programmers for entrance examinations
   of the MMU, MAEU announced

---------

( 1 ) Senior General Than Shwe pays homage to Maha
Muni Buddha Image in Mandalay

Yangon, 18 April -Chairman of the State Peace and
Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defense
Services Senior General Than Shwe, paid homage and
offered shwethingan to Maha Muni Buddha Image in
Mandalay yesterday evening.

Next, Senior General Than Shwe signed in the
distinguished visitors, book and donated cash for the
Maha Muni Image. Then, Head of State Senior General
Than Shwe and party inspected the gold htidaw (sacred
umbrella) to be hoisted atop the main pyatthat
building of Maha Muni Image. They also viewed
documentary photos of the Image.

___________________________

( 2 ) Shwehtidaw hoisted atop Hsandawshin Shwedagonlay
Pagoda at Kyaikpadaing village, Bago Township, Bago
Division

Yangon, 18 April - A ceremony to enshrine sacred
objects in the upper reliquary of the historic
Hsandawshin Shwedagonlay Pagoda at Kyaikpadaing
village, Bago Township, Bago Division, was held in
conjunction with a Shwehtidaw-hoisting ceremony this
morning.

Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt attended the ceremony.

Sayadaw Bhaddanta Vimala administered the Five
Precepts.

Lay persons offered paritta flowers, water, thread and
sand to Sayadaws.

Sayadaws then recited Parittas.

The Secretary-1 presented the sacred objects, the
Seinphudaw and offertories to Sayadaw Bhaddanta
Vimala. The commander and the ministers also presented
offertories to the Sayadaws.

Member of the State Central Working Committee of the
Sangha Sayadaw Maha Saddhammajotika-dhaja Bhaddanta
Kumara delivered a sermon. The congregation shared the
merits gained.

Flanked by deva and regal processions, the Secretary-1
and party and well-wishers conveyed the sacred
objects, the Seinphudaw, the Hnget-myatnadaw and the
different tires of the Shwehtidaw.

The Secretary-1 and party conveyed the sacred objects
to the upper reliquary.

Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt enshrined the sacred
objects in the reliquary.

The Seinphudaw, the Hngetmyatnadaw and the tires of
the Shwehtidaw were conveyed atop the pagoda by the
decorated carriage.

The Secretary-1 and party fixed the Seinphudaw, the
Hngetmyatnadaw and tires of the Shwehtidaw atop the
pagoda and sprinkled scented water on them.

Lay persons, on behalf of the well-wishers , hoisted
Htidaws atop the encircling stapes.

The Sayadaws consecrated the pagoda.

U Kyaw Khin and Daw Than Htay presented K 10 million
to the pagoda fund; Thirithudhamma Manijotadhara Dr
Tha Yin Myat and Daw Nwe Nwe Aye and daughter Chaw Su
Myat, K 6.8 million; U Teza and Daw Thida Zaw (Htoo
Trading Company), K 5.5 million; Thirithudhamma
Manijotadhara U Sein Hla Win and Daw Phyu Phyu Khin, K
2 million; U Soe Myint and Daw Aye Aye Po, K 1.27
million, a ruby ring and 50 pieces of topaz; U Aye
Myint and Daw Hla Aye and family, K 1.2 million; and
the Ministry of Mines, K 700,000.

The Secretary-1 accepted the donations.

Secretary-1 attends merit-sharing ceremony for
Tazaungdawgyi of Seinthalyaung Buddha Image in Bago

Yangon, 18 April - The merit-sharing ceremony for
Tazaungdawgyi of Seinthalyaung Buddha Image in Bago,
Bago Division, was held at Mingalar pandal within the
precinct of the Image at 2.30 pm today.

Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt attended the ceremony and presented
offertories to the Sayadaws.

The ceremony was graced by the presence of Thudhamma
Nikaya Maha Nayaka Bago Dhamma Lankara Kyaungtaik
Sayadaw Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhammajotika Bhaddanta
Visuddha and Sayadaws.

The Secretary-1 and party paid reverence to the Image.

Commander Brig-Gen Aung Min and Minister for Religious
Affairs U Aung Khin formally opened the Tazaungdawgyi.

Then, the Secretary-1 formally unveiled the stone
inscription of the Tazaung-dawgyi and sprinkled
scented water on it. Afterwards, the merit-sharing
ceremony followed at the pandal. Sayadaw Bhaddanta
Visuddha invested the congregation with the Five
Precepts.

Then, the Sayadaws recited parittas.

The Secretary-1 and party presented offertories to the
Sayadaws.

Member of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Bago
Panhlaing Sarthintaik Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita
Bhaddanta Sasana delivered a sermon, followed by
sharing of merits gained.

After the ceremony, the Secretary-1 performed rituals
of golden and silver showers to mark the success of
the ceremony.

Later, led by Sayadaw Bhaddanta Visuddha, the
Secretary-1 and party inspected preparations for
casting of Tampa Lawha Maha Muni Bronze Buddha Image
in front of Bago Degree College near Yangon-Mandalay
Highway.

Sayadaw Bhaddanta Visuddha explained matters related
to casting the image to the Secretary-1.

On completion, the image will be 31 feet high and will
weigh 30 tons.

Those wishing to donate bronze and cash for casting
the image may contact Bago Dhamma Lankara Kyaungtaik
or Bago Degree College.

Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and party arrived back
here in the evening.

___________________________

( 3 ) State systematically forms special regions,
makes arrangements to lay good
economic, education and health foundations for
brethren of border areas
 Plans under way to totally wipe out poppy cultivation
and narcotic drugs
production in border areas with participation of
national race leaders
 Secretary-1 hosts dinner in honour of national races
cultural group

Yangon, 18 April - Chairman of Border Areas and
National Races Development Work Committee  Secretary-1
of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin
Nyunt hosted a dinner in honor of visiting members of
national race cultural group from Panwa region and
Lweje region (Kachin State Special Region-2) in Kachin
State, Bawlake region in Kayah State, Whaetshan and
Myainggyingu regions in Kayin State, Paletwa and
Kyikha regions in Chin State, Leshi and Lahe regions
in Sagaing Division, Mongton, Kutkai, Panghsan and
Mongmao regions in Shan State (North), Mongpauk,
Tachilek and Monghsat regions in Shan State (East) and
Bokpyin region in Taninthayi Division at the Mya Yeik
Nyo Royal Hotel this evening.

The Secretary-1 arrived at the hotel and cordially
greeted the group members.

At the dinner, the Secretary-1 delivered a speech.

He expressed pleasure to see the national brethren
from the respective border areas joyfully taking part
in the Maha Thingyan Festival of Yangon in unity and
amity. The present gathering of the national races
living in the various parts of the Union was frilly
auspicious. Their participation in the Thin-gyan
Festival in unity clearly reflects the spirit of unity
of the national races although they are living in
different regions.

As the various national races are living in every
region of the Union, all the regions themselves are
also forming as the mini-Unions. In reality all the
national races have been close relatives born and
brought up in the Union since the time of the
forefathers.

The State regards them as the sons and daughters of
the Union, and without making any discrimination, it
is also striving to fulfill their education and health
needs on equal terms and to enable them to enjoy a
high standard of living.

Like the parents who love the children, who are in a
weaker position, more, the State has been given
priority to the progress of the border regions which
lagged behind development.

The State while continuously striving to strengthen
the love and unity of the national people is also
making efforts in all sectors for peace, stability and
prosperity of the border regions.

In doing so, it is paying special attention to the
development of the transport sector which is the basic
requirement for regional progress.

At the same time, it has formed the special regions
and made systematic arrangements to lay good economic,
education and health foundations for the brethren of
the border areas.

As the State has given priority to implementing the
border area development programmers, the transport
sector of the border areas is developing and their
education and health standards are improving. Modern
urban areas are emerging in the areas. Thus, the
border areas are developing in the same pace with
other regions of the nation.

Systematic programmers have been laid down and
implemented with the participation of the national
race leaders to totally wipe out the poppy cultivation
and narcotic drugs production from the border areas.
At present, success has been achieved in rooting the
drug problem which is harming the entire people of the
nation including the local people of the poppy
cultivation and drug producing regions. As the
opium-substitute farming and economic enterprises are
flourishing, prospects are bright to totally eliminate
poppy cultivation and opium production in the targeted
period.

Due to the progress in the road transport sector,
there is a proportionate development between the
border areas and other regions and increase in
extending relations among the national people. It is
encouraging to see that the spirit of unity and Union
spirit are further flourishing.

It can be said that the making of arrangements to
enable national brethren to meet with one another and
exchange their cultures means the further
strengthening of the family spirit called Union
Spirit.

The Government is giving encouragement to preservation
of traditional cultures of each national race. As a
result, national race cultural troupes were able to
study cultural traits and traditional arts. They also
know that their traditional cultures share fundamental
elements. These facts make the family spirit further
flourish.

Arrangements were made to enable national brethren
from border areas to gather at Myanma Traditional Maha
Thingyan, to further cement the ties of friendship
among them, to exchange their cultures and traditions
and to further strengthen Union Spirit and national
unity.

These arrangements have been going on for ten years.

As they, enjoying Maha Thingyan, were able to study
the progress of the State and visited famous pagodas,
they have witnessed the harmonious development of the
entire Union including their regions.

They need to earnestly participate in the regional
development tasks.

Sharing their knowledge of the development of the
State and traditional cultures of various national
races, they need to continuously work hard for the
further flourishing of national unity and Union
Spirit.

Responding to the goodwill of the Government and in
accordance with its goal, they need to work hard for
the harmonious development of all the parts of the
Union from whatever role they are assigned.

While participating in opium substitute cultivation
tasks, livestock breeding tasks and economic
development tasks, they need to give education
concerning drugs to local people so that they come to
realize the danger and bad consequences of narcotic
drugs.

They also need to take part in drug elimination
programmers being implemented by the leaders of
national races under the arrangement of the
Government.

In conclusion, the Secretary-1 urged all the members
of the traditional cultural troupes to strive for the
further strengthening of national solidarity and for
the further flourishing of Union Spirit as cultural
delegates of the State, to entertain Union Spirit and
to work together for the perpetual existence of the
Union. Then, the Secretary-1 presented gifts to the
group members.

On behalf of the group members, Ma Nan Yuzana Nwe of
Thingan Nyinaung Whaetshan Region in Kayin State spoke
words of thanks. Afterwards, those present were
entertained with Myanmar traditional cultural dances.

Later, the Secretary-1 served the dinner to the guests
and the group members.

Bago BEHS No 4 gets multimedia teaching centre

Yangon, 18 April -A ceremony to open a multimedia
teaching centre of Basic Education High School No 4 in
Bago, Bago Division, was held at the school this
afternoon, attended by Chairman of Myanmar Education
Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and
Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.

First, a ceremony to unveil the stone inscription of
Myanma education goal was held at the school.

The Secretary-1 and party and those present saluted
the State Flag. The students sang the national anthem
to the accompaniment of a band troupe.

The outstanding students formally unveiled the stone
inscription. Next, the students sang the song "Myanma
school" to commemorate the unveiling of the stone
inscription.

Afterwards, the ceremony to open the multimedia
teaching centre was held.

Headmaster U Kyaw Myint and Chairman of the School
Board of Trustees U Htay Win formally opened the
multimedia teaching centre.

Then, the Secretary-1 formally unveiled the signboard
of the multimedia teaching centre. The Secretary-1 and
party inspected the painting room, the domestic
science and handicraft room, the printed media
(reading corner) room, the electronic media (video
system) room, the electronic media (language lab)
room, the computer-aided instruction room, and the
computer application and e-mail room.

The Secretary-1 and party also watched the music and
artistic skill demonstration of the students.

Next, a ceremony to mark the opening of the multimedia
teaching centre was held in the hall of the school.

Headmaster U Kyaw Myint reported on the purpose of
opening the multimedia teaching centre and
installation of modern teaching aids; Chairman of the
School Board of Trustees U Htay Win on efforts to open
the multimedia teaching centre.

The Secretary-1 presented video tapes to be used as
teaching aids for BEHS No 4 to the headmaster.

The Secretary-1 accepted a television set and a video
cassette recorder worth K 500,000 donated by the
Ministry of Rail Transportation.

In his speech, the Secretary-1 expressed his pleasure
for the concerted efforts of students, teachers,
parents, well-wishers and local authorities to open
the multimedia teaching centre.

Under the leadership of the Government, the education
promotion programmed designed to train students to be
outstanding in all fields, to upgrade education up to
the international level and to bridge the gap of
education between rural and urban areas, is being
implemented in conjunction with the special four-year
national education promotion plan to link the basic
education sector and the higher education sector.

In building a modern nation, uplifting the education
of human resources is of vital importance. Only when
information technology can be widely used, can the
highly-qualified human resources be nurtured.

The Government is employing various ways and means to
develop human resources. Students need to work hard so
that they will become highly dynamic and qualified.

Teachers also need to make systematic use of modern
teaching aids and train students to become technicians
and academicians. Well-wishers, on their part, need to
continue to provide assistance.

Then, the Secretary-1 and party, together with the
members of the School Board of Trustees, the
headmaster, the teachers and the students, posed for
documentary photos.

__________________________

( 4 ) Regular press conference held in connection with
bomb explosion near Friendship Bridge in Myawady on
Thingyan Akyat Day (15 April) caused by KNU sending
commandos from Maesot

Yangon, 18 April-A regular press conference was held
at Tatmadaw Guest House on Inya Road at 1 pm today. It
was attended by Deputy Minister for Information
Brig-Gen Aung Thein, Brig-Gen Khin Aung Myint of the
Ministry of Defense, senior military officers,
departmental heads, officials of the Ministry of
Information, U Sein Win of Kyodo News Agency,
President U Sao Kai Hpa and member correspondent of
Myanmar Foreign Correspondents Club and guests.

Lt-Col San Pwint of the Office of the Chief of
Military Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense said
an explosion broke out on a trishaw in front of Thein
Gaba Tea Shop and Swe Zone Restaurant on Bogyoke Road,
north of the Friendship Bridge, No 1 Ward, Myawady, at
4.15 pm on 15 April, Akyat Day of Thingyan. As a
result, a total of five people Trishawman Tin Win of
Ward 4 in Myawady, passenger Aesop (a) Soe Aung, 33,
Pa Shi, 14, an unidentified man and passer-by Ma Win,
a cheroot maker, 27, were killed on the spot, and
their bodies were torn into pieces.

Altogether 31 civilians who were merrily taking part
in Thingyan Festival near the site were severely
wounded. Fifteen of the victims were being given
treatment as inpatients and sixteen as outpatients at
the hospital in Myawady. Among the inpatients, the two
are in critical condition. When officials inspected
the site, a piece of yellow cloth and fragments of a
tin container were found, which indicated that it was
a time-bomb.

According to the investigation, the ABMU insurgent
group and the DAB destructionist group led by the KNU
insurgent group met with three Indian men and two
Indian women who are merchants, at Mei Daw village in
Thailand on 13 April. Their meeting focused on the
fact that merchants who employ unscrupulous means
suffer losses as the border area inspection and
control unit in Myawady inspects goods strictly and
systematically and seize smuggled goods. They
discussed exploding bombs in Mya-wady to panic the
public there.

Accordingly, the KNU group hatched up a plan to
perpetrate destructive acts and explode bombs. To
strike the public in Myawady more panicky, they
planned to detonate bombs on Thingyan Akyat Day (15
April) when the streets would be busy. The destructive
elements were sent from Maesot of Thailand to explode
bombs, it is learnt. Though KNU denied in Thai
newspapers that it committed the bomb explosion, it
was actually a terrorist act masterminded by KNU
(Central).

The terrorist acts committed recently in Myawady
region by the KNU terrorist insurgent group were as
follows;

-A passenger Hilux which left Myawady for Kawkareik on
26-2-2002 was attacked by a mine and as a result, 2
passengers were dead and three wounded.

- A time bomb exploded near the garment factory in
Myawady on 2-3-2002.

- About 40 members of KNU No 7 brigade attacked Kokko
village of our side near Myawady with heavy weapons
from the side of Thailand on 14-3-2002. As a result, 4
innocent villagers were wounded severely and 53 houses
were destroyed by fire.

- Similarly, a time bomb planted near Mogok gate in
Myawady was exposed and defused in time on 30-3-2002.

Those were only current incidents and there had been
many terrorist acts by the KNU in other border areas.

Hence, this bomb explosion was surely caused by the
KNU. It is, in fact, an unforgivable terrorist act as
it was aimed to harm innocent people joyfully
celebrating the traditional Thingyan Festival.

Next, queries raised by the journalists were replied
and the regular press conference ended. Afterwards,
the journalists viewed documentary photos of the
incident of bomb explosion on 15-4-2002 caused by the
KNU group.

__________________________

( 5 ) Maj-Gen Ye Myint attends opening of footwear
factory in Kyaukse

Yangon, 18 April - The opening ceremony of a footwear
factory of the Ministry of Indusrtry-1 in Kyaukse
Industrial Zone, Kyaukse, Mandalay Division, was held
at the factory on 11 April morning.

It was attended by the State Peace and Development
Council member Maj-Gen Ye Myint of the Ministry of
Defense, Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung,
Minister for Construction Maj-Gen Saw Tun, Minister
for Science & Technology U Thaung, Deputy Minister for
Industry-1 Brig-Gen Kyaw Win, Deputy Minister for
Construction Brig-Gen Myint Thein, Mandalay City Mayor
Brig-Gen Yan Thein, No 99 LID Commander Col Aung Khin
Soe, Officiating Tactical Operations Commander of
Central Command Lt-Col Kyin Soe, departmental heads
and responsible personnel, USDA members, those of
social organizations, local people and dance and
pompom troupes.

Managing Director of Myanma General and Maintenance
Industries of the Ministry of Industry-1 U Thaik Tun
formally unveiled the signboard of the factory. Next,
Maj-Gen Ye Myint, ministers, deputy ministers and
party inspected the production process of the factory.
Then, Minister U Aung Thaung explained matters on
various kinds of shoes and footwear's produced by the
factory to Maj-Gen Ye Myint and party. The footwear
factory (Kyaukse) was built with the aims of producing
various kinds of footwear's for the public by the
state-owned sector; substituting imports; creating job
opportunities; and earning more foreign exchange.

___________________________

( 6 ) Commerce Minister receives Ambassador

Yangon, 18 April - Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi
Sone received Ambassador of Malaysia to Myanmar Mr
Dato Cheah Sam Kip at his office at 2 pm today.

Also present at the call were Deputy Minister Brig-Gen
Kyaw Hsan, Acting Director-General of the Directorate
of Trade U Kyi Maung, Director-General of the Border
Trade Department U Nay Win and officials of the Myanma
Agricultural Produce Trading.

---------

CPT Minister receives Korean guests

Yangon, 18 April - Minister for Communications, Posts
and Telegraphs Brig-Gen Thein Zaw received
Vice-Chairman of LG Electronic Inc Mr Charles Kang at
1 pm and Myanmar Honorary Counsellor to Pusan of the
Republic of Korea Mr Won-Bae Dahn at 1.30 pm at his
office today. Also present at the calls were officials
of Myanma Posts and Telecommunications.

---------

Yangon Mayor receives guests

Yangon, 18 April - The urban development planning
group led by Adviser to the Malaysian Prime Minister
on Science Tan Sri Datuk Mr Ahmad Zaharuggin Idrus
called on Chairman of Yangon City Development
Committee Mayor U Ko Lay at City Farm and Resort
Centre and visited the agriculture and livestock
breeding farm in Uto-Kya-in Region, Taikkyi Township
this morning. The guests also viewed protected birds
in Insu Lake by boat and left the farm in the
afternoon.

___________________________

( 7 ) Malaysian industrial delegation arrives

Yangon, 18 April - An 11-member Malaysian delegation
led by Vice-Chairman of the Advisory Committee on
Science and Technology of Malaysia Might Tan Sri Datuk
Mr Ahmad Zaharuggin Idrus arrived here by air
yesterday evening to draw Strategic Development Plan
for Yangon City. They were welcomed at the airport by
YCDC Vice-Chairman Vice-Mayor Col Maung Pa, Chairman
of Committee for Drawing Strategic Development Plan
for Yangon City YCDC Joint-Secretary U Kyi Win and
members and officials of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.

___________________________

( 8 ) Hockey players undergoing training

Yangon, 18 April -Myanmar hockey players who will take
part in the International Invitational Hockey
Tournament of Myanmar Olympic Committee Chairman to be
held in Yangon from 29 April to 5 May 2002 are
undergoing training.

The players are being trained by coaches U Kyaw Naing,
Mr Khouaja Mohamed Awais of Pakistan, team manager U
Kyaw Htay Thein (Kyaw Construction), executives U
Maung Maung, U Tin Myint Ni (Nilar biryani), U Ba Tun
and others.

---------

National races cultural group visits pagodas in
Thanlyin

Yangon, 18 April - At the invitation of Chairman of
Border Areas and National Races Development Work
Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and
Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, the visiting
197-member border areas national races cultural group
from Panwa and Lweje regions in Kachin State, Bawlake
region in Kayah State, Myainggyingu and Whaetshan
regions in Kayin State, Kyikha and Paletwa regions in
Chin State, Leshi and Lahe regions in Sagaing
Division, Mongton, Kutkai, Panghsan and Mongmao
regions in Northern Shan State, Mongpauk, Adee and
Monghsat regions in Eastern Shan State and Bokpyin
region in Taninthayi Division, led by Deputy Director
of the Progress of Border Areas and National Races
Department Maj Nyan Lin Myint, visitedv the famous
pagodas in Thanlyin this morning.

First, they paid reverence to Thanlyin Kyaikkhauk
Pagoda and Kyeikhmawwun Yele Pagoda and made cash
donations. Then, the Thanlyin Development Affairs
Department hosted lunch and presented souvenirs to
them. Later, they visited the Shukhintha Resort.

___________________________

( 9 ) Programmers for entrance examinations of the
MMU, MAEU announced

Yangon, 18 April - Applications have been invited from
those who will attend Myanmar Maritime University
under the Ministry of Transport and the Myanmar
Aerospace Engineering University under the Ministry of
Science and Technology to be opened in August, 2002
from dailies.

The lists of candidates will be issued at University
Entrance Scrutiny Board, Higher Education Department
(Lower Myanmar), Thaton Road on 15 May 2002
(Wednesday). The candidates are to report in person at
the department from 20 to 24 May, 2002 together with
three passport size photos, National Registration Card
(original and copy), the original copy of testimony of
Ward Peace and Development Council concerned, the
original and duplicated copies of mark list in
matriculation exam and the original copy of health
certificate from township health officer.

The entrance exams will be held on 27 May 2002. The
schedules for the exams will be issued on 15 May 2002
at the department together with the list of examinees.

--------------------------------

http://www.myanmar.com/nlm/



__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
http://taxes.yahoo.com/