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Monday, June 5 7:00 PM SGT
Japan triggers fury over list of mourners to leader's funeralTOKYO, June 5 (AFP) -Japan triggered fury Monday by allowing a top Myanmar general to attend this week's memorial service for former prime minister Keizo Obuchi while banning a top Taiwan representative. Japan granted a visa to Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, powerful chief of Myanmar's military intelligence, to join the mourners, said a foreign ministry official. The decision provoked an angry reaction from campaigners fighting for democratic forces to replace the Myanmar military junta, of which the general is first secretary. Taiwan meanwhile complained Tokyo had refused a visa to President Chen Shui-bian's personal representative, secretary general Chang Chun-hsiung, out of consideration to China. Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Yutaka Kawashima said it had not been decided who would be accepted from Taiwan and therefore a decision on visas would be premature. But Taiwan's Foreign Minister Tien Hung-mao said Taipei deeply regretted Tokyo's decision to refuse entry to Chang. Foreign leaders including US President Bill Clinton are to attend Thursday's service for Obuchi, who died May 14 at the age of 62 after six weeks in a stroke-induced coma. Myanmar has been a pariah to most Western nations, including the United States and European Union, since its regime bloodily suppressed pro-democracy protests in 1988. "Unlike the EU and America, we have no reason to refuse a visa for him because the government has no restrictions on granting visas to senior Myanmar government officials," a foreign ministry official told AFP. Pro-democracy activists disagreed. The Myanmar general "is a military intelligence chief and he is already notorious for barbarity, he is responsible for cracking down on democracy," said pro-democracy campaigner Ronny Nyein. The decision to allow him to attend "means Japan recognises the illegitimate government," said Nyein, member of a joint action committee for Myanmar democracy groups in Japan. "That is why we want to object," he said. His joint committee groups the local branch of the National League for Democracy, the Burma Youth Volunteer Association, the Burmese Association in Japan, the Burmese Women's Union and the Students' Organisation for Liberation of Burma. Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won a sweeping election victory in 1990 but the military, surprised at the scale of the party's support, has refused to hand over power. Japan suspended all but a small amount of humanitarian aid to Myanmar in the late 1980s but agreed in February last year to help finance reconstruction of Yangon airport. The government had been expected to use Obuchi's funeral for sympathy votes ahead of elections on June 25, but analysts have mostly discounted it as a factor following a series of verbal gaffes by Mori. At least 80 countries plan to send representatives to the funeral, the foreign ministry said, and police were stepping up security before their arrival. Takeshi Noda, Superintendent-General of the Metropolitan Police, "ordered all possible measures be taken because VIPs such as President Clinton are to attend," said a police spokesman. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was among the latest to confirm their attendance, said a foreign ministry official. Others already expected included Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, Philippine President Joseph Estrada, South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung and Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai. ABC online-June 5, 2000.
Burma vows to cooperate with ILO Burma's military regime says it's willing to cooperate with the
International Labor Organisation to stamp out the use of forced labour in the
country.
The statement came after the release of a major ILO report highly critical
of labour conditions in Burma.
The report called on Rangoon to ensure state authorities, especially the
military, did not use forced labour.
In response, a Burmese government spokesman said the authorities were
committed to cooperating with the ILO to improve national labour
standards.
BBC-Monday, 5 June, 2000, 08:06 GMT
09:06 UK
Burma sends big delegation to China A high-level delegation from the Burmese military government is beginning a
week-long visit to China.
It includes no fewer than nine ministers, responsible for everything from
foreign and military affairs to agriculture and telecommunications.
One of the aims will be to strengthen military links between Burma and
China, which is the military government's main supplier of arms. The visit will
also celebrate fifty years of diplomatic relations between the two states.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
Monday, June 5 2:08 PM SGT
Myanmar Deputy Military Chief Visits ChinaYANGON, Myanmar (AP)--Myanmar's deputy military chief departed Monday on a week-long visit to China to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, officials said.General Maung Aye, deputy chairman of the ruling State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC, is visiting as the guest of Hu Jintao, China's vice president. China is the closest international ally of Myanmar, also known as Burma, which is regarded as a pariah nation in the West for rejecting the electoral victory of pro-democrat leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 1990. Maung Aye, regarded as a hard-liner in the Myanmar regime, is accompanied on the trip by SPDC third secretary Lt. Gen. Win Myint, Minister for Military Affairs Lt. Gen. Tin Hla, Foreign Minister Win Aung and Information Minister Maj. Gen. Kyi Aung. Myanmar and China established diplomatic relations on June 8, 1950. The anniversary is being marked in Yangon with a photo exhibition at City Hall depicting highlights of the 50 years of ties, and by performances by a visiting Chinese acrobatic troupe. -0- 05/06/00 06-08G Bangkok Post - June 5,
2000. Bangkok Post - June 5, 2000.
GAS PIPELINE Energy chiefs accused of
complicity
PTT, Egat denied the people participation Ploenpote Atthakor
Kanchanaburi Environmentalists yesterday urged the government to set up a committee to
investigate alleged complicity between the governors of the Petroleum Authority
of Thailand (PTT) and Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) in
connection with economic and environmental damage caused by the Yadana gas
pipeline.
The environmentalists accused the management of the two state agencies of
denying the people participation in the project.
"This has led to enormous damage and legal action against the PTT and Egat
should serve as an example to other state agencies," said Pibhop Dhongchai,
chairman of the Campaign for Popular Democracy.
He was speaking at a seminar, "Thai-Burmese Gas Two Years After: The
Lessons That Are Never Learnt", held yesterday to commemorate World Environment
Day today.
Mr Pibhop said legal action should be taken against not only the current
Egat and PTT governors, but also against those who were in charge before
them.
Joining Mr Pibhop's call were local and Bangkok-based environment advocacy
groups, including the Environment Conservation Group in Kanchanaburi, Seub
Nakhasathien Foundation, Environmental Protection Group of the Rajabhat
Institute in Kanchanaburi, Kanchanaburi Women's Group and the Wildlife Fund
Thailand.
Egat has suggested that an electricity surcharge be added to electricity
bills to cover the investment in bringing Yadana gas from Burma, which is
purchased under a take-or-pay contract.
Thailand is forced to pay $330 million for the gas, even though delivery
has not started due to delays in the construction of the power plant in
Ratchaburi province.
Concern has been raised over interest incurred from the gas payments and
the high construction cost, when the country does not need additional power
supplies because of the high "reserve margin" or excess supply of some 5,000
megawatts.
Mr Pibhop said the government had failed to declare forest areas which were
affected by the gas pipeline as a national park, as requested by
environmentalists to guard against encroachment. Nor had the government paid
fair compensation to villagers affected by the construction.
Mr Pibhop said the government and state agencies had distorted information
in dealing with such cases as Pak Moon and Rasi Salai dams, the planned
coal-fired power plant in Prachuap Khiri Khan, and the Thai-Malaysian gas
project. This meant no lessons had been learned from the Yadana project.
The environmentalists also urged Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai to show
"moral responsibility" in telling the truth about the country's energy
situation.
Exploitation of natural resources was being undertaken for the sake of
industrial development while the government failed to pay attention to the
adverse impact this was having on the people's way of life and culture, as well
as the eco-system, he said.
Bangkok Post - June 5, 2000.
Party claims policy welcomed abroad Nattaya Chetchotiros Thai Rak Thai claims its foreign affairs, drug suppression and economic
development platforms have been well received by Burma, Laos and
Singapore.
Surakiat Sathirathai, deputy party leader, said a party team had presented
the policies to leaders of the three neighbouring countries during visits from
May 10-30.
Rangoon was particularly responsive, Mr Surakiat said.
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, head of the ruling junta in Burma, had promised full
co-operation in drug suppression.
In Laos they spoke with Prime Minister Sisavath Keobounphanh, and in
Singapore with Trade and Industry Minister George Yeo. FONDATION APPEAL OF THE NOBEL PEACE LAUREATES FOR THE
CHILDRENAthens, 1 June 2000 EXTREMELY URGENT PRESS RELEASE Object: Serious fear for Mrs. AUNG SAN SUU KYI (Nobel Peace Laureates from BURMA) According to the newspaper "COURRIER INTERNATIONAL" (nbre.500 of 31/5/2000, page 54), Mrs. AUNG SAN SUU KYI send an appeal saying that she fear to be sentence to life imprisonment or to death sentence. Being a personal friend of Mrs. AUNG SAN SUU KYI, I strongly invite you to contact immediately the nearest Burmese Embassy to express your personal sympathy and care for the respect of the human rights of Mrs. AUNG SAN SUU KYI, and request precise news. THIS MAY SAVE HER LIFE: PLEASE DO ACT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND CONTRIBUTE TO MAKE THIS NEWS KNOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. With my deepest gratitude, MARCHAND PIERRE (Chairperson of the Foundation) C/o PLAZA HOTEL ATHENS ROOM 310 (until June 5th) (Phone: +30-1 - 335 24 00 / Fax +30 1 - 323,58,56) Head Office (France): Fax : +33 3 44 86 39 07, mailto:info@xxxxxxxxxxxx Web : <http://www.nobelweb.org/>http://www.nobelweb.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Gouri Sadhwani Director The Hague Appeal for Peace 777 UN Plaza New York, NY 10017 USA Phone: + 1 212.687.2623 Fax: +1 212.661.2704 Email: gourihap99@xxxxxxx Website: http://www.haguepeace.org |