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BURMA RELATED NEWS - NOV - 16, 2000. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HEADLINE
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Reuters - Jewels Net $4.5 Million for
Muslims
Reuters - Slow start seen for ethical investing
in Asia
Reuters - EU, U.S. urge new sanctions against
Myanmar
AFP - Thailand vetos ASEAN support for Myanmar
over ILO sanctions
AFP - Myanmar facing AIDS catastrophe unless
junta's attitude changes: experts
Asia Pulse - Malaysia in Joint Exercise Drill to
Combat Piracy in Asian Waters
Asia Pulse - Vital for Asean Meeting to Send
Positive Signals:Singapore FM
Dow Jones - Thailand Jan-Sep Oil, Gas
Consumption Rises 1.2%
The Times of India - Brother sues Suu Kyi for half of house
The Times of India - Myanmar deploys troops along Bangladesh border
SCMP - India's First Lady snubs general's
visit
The Times - Burma and
the Karens
The Nation - Anger at
bid to delay Asean-EU meet
The Nation - Ending Burmese civil war is top
priority
Kyodo News - Majority
supports Myanmar sanctions at ILO meeting.
Wednesday November 15 9:14 PM ET
Jewels Net $4.5 Million for Muslims By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Jewels
belonging to the late Begum Agan Khan sold for $4.56 million Wednesday, with
proceeds going to combat poverty and illiteracy among Muslims in Asia and
Africa, Sotheby's said.
All 19 lots from the collection of Yvette Blanche Labrousse, a glamorous
former Miss France who became the fourth and last wife of the late Aga Khan III,
spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, found new owners at the sale in
Geneva.
Total revenues from Sotheby's three jewelry sales on Wednesday were $23.3
million.
The evening's top lot came earlier in Sotheby's separate Magnificent Jewels
auction. A 32.67 carat ruby from Myanmar, of the rich red color known as
``pigeon's blood,'' set in a ring with two large diamonds, went for $3.3 million
to an anonymous private buyer.
When the Begum died in July at 94, she left her estate, including most of
her jewels, to be sold for the benefit of the Aga Khan Foundation, which backs
health and education projects in countries including Tajikistan, India, Pakistan
and Kenya.
``Every single lot in the late Begum's collection sold, it went as well as
it could possibly go,'' David Bennett, Sotheby's co-chairman of international
jewelry, who conducted the auction, told Reuters.
Her most valuable bauble put on the block, a huge flawless white diamond
ring by American jeweler Harry Winston weighing 51.85 carats, was sold to a
buyer in the room for $2.7 million, well shy of its pre-sale estimate.
But most other lots soared above the auction house's expectations,
including her French diamond necklace from the 1960s, set with 150 marquise and
pear-shaped diamonds, which brought $496,660.
Alain Mouawad, of the Geneva-based family jewelers who sat in the third
row, purchased the diamond necklace, jumping into the hectic bidding at the last
minute.
The Begum's stunning diamond, opal and enamel dragonfly brooch, made by
French jeweler Lalique in 1900, doubled its estimate, netting $46,260 from a
telephone bidder.
Her gold compact -- set with tiny gems depicting a view from the Place de
la Concorde in Paris toward the Champs Elysees avenue -- fetched $30,000, about
four times the estimate.
In 1944, the Begum, who had been born to a poor family near Marseilles,
married one of the world's richest men, grandfather of the present Aga Khan,
head of the Ismaili community of about 15 million followers.
Guests at the couple's villa near Cannes in southern France included the
Duke of Edinburgh, Somerset Maugham and Rita Hayworth, who was briefly married
to the Aga Khan's son from an earlier marriage, Aly Khan.
The Begum, who took great interest in issues affecting women's welfare, is
buried with her late husband, who died in 1957, on the banks of the Nile in
Egypt.
Prince Amyn Aga Khan, brother of the current Aga Khan, as well as Sadruddin
Aga Khan, son of the late Aga Khan III and a former head of the U.N. refugee
agency UNHCR, attended the sale.
``In the name of my brother, Aga Khan, who created the Foundation, I
express our gratitude to the Begum whose loyalty toward the family has allowed
us to retain family heirlooms or pieces of historical value while at the same
time allowing part of her collection to be sold for the benefit of the
Foundation whose activities she supported,'' Prince Amyn Aga Khan said.
``The funds will go to enlarge the endowment of the Foundation and help
increase the scope and depth of its activities,'' he added.
The Aga Khan Foundation, a private development agency established in 1967
in Geneva, made grants of nearly $90 million last year in support of 120
projects, officials said.
WIRE:11/15/2000 21:15:00 ET
Slow start seen for ethical investing in Asia SINGAPORE, Nov 16 (Reuters) -
Socially responsible stock investing hasn"t taken firm hold in Asia, where
investors are wary of being screened out of potentially lucrative opportunities,
fund managers say. The concept of using ethical guidelines to pick stocks has
taken on prominence with the decision this week by CalPERS, the largest U.S.
pension fund, to actively manage its investments in developing countries. The
board of the California Public Employees" Retirement System late on Monday
approved a plan to follow tough human rights, labor and environmental standards
when investing overseas, a move which could bar the $170 billion fund from
investing in some emerging markets. The decision, which will apply to CalPERS"
existing and new investments in emerging markets, affects about two percent of
its pension system. Its board will meet in December to hash out a way to
implement the plan. The move by the fund, known for taking an activist
shareholder view on management performance, is significant because it has a high
profile and big coffers.
CALPERS MOVE WELCOMED BY FUNDS
The move is good news even for fund companies that already use such
investment themes, says one group. "It"s an area of risk that"s not being
managed," said Kirsteen Morrison, director of investment at Henderson Investors
in Singapore, who manages the $60 million two-year-old NPI Global Care Asia
Fund. "We are currently the only investment house we believe that offers a
socially responsible investment product in the Asian region including Australia
and Japan," the fund manager said. Morrison said NPI Global Care Asia"s key
holdings are around 40 percent in Japan, 20 percent in Australia and 12 percent
in Hong Kong in sectors such as renewable energy, healthcare, technology
including the Internet and mobile phones. Fund holdings include China"s biggest
PC maker Legend Holdings Ltd and Thailand largest cellular phone operator
Advanced Info Service Plc The fund evaluates a company"s impact on the
environment, workplace and community and its buyers are mainly European pension
funds. A company"s activities do not have to be positive for the environment, as
long as they do not harm it. Not many Asian investors are asking for
ethically-based investment products, outside of Islamic funds that cater to
Muslims seeking to adhere to the Sharia prohibitions on gambling, alcohol and
the charging of interest, fund managers said. Australia also has
environmentally-conscious funds.
ETHICAL INVESTING NOT BIG IN ASIA YET
Geoffrey Wong, head of UBS Asset Management"s non-Japan Asia equities
operation, said such standards were not in the mainstream in Asia. "We"ve not
had many clients give us specific restrictions. It would limit the investment
universe," he said. But the CalPERS announcement could be significant, said the
Singapore-based fund manager, whose group manages about $2.5 billion. "If you
make the assumption this practice becomes more widespread, it could impact some
of the smaller markets (in Asia), particularly those with economic problems such
as Indonesia," he said. Despite having the earmarks of do-gooder,
self-sacrificing attributes, ethical funds are still serious business. Wong said
that historically "sin-free" funds have performed "more or less in line" with
regular funds. Morrison said far from being "touch-feely irrelevance," companies
that treat their employees, environments and communities well are also generally
well-managed, law-abiding firms that deserve higher stock premiums.
INDONESIA MAY BE AMONG THOSE HIT
In Asia, the CalPERS-type standards on human rights, environmental and
labour conditions could screen out developing countries like Indonesia, Myanmar
and Vietnam, fund managers said. Myanmar has no stock market and Vietnam just
four stock listings in its fledgling bourse. Indonesia, the world"s fourth most
populous country, has been in political and economic turmoil and has already
seen foreign investment dry up. CalPERS has not had much success in any case in
its Indonesian holdings, with annualised three-year returns ending December 31
down 28.7 percent. Indonesia"s benchmark stock index is near the bottom of the
Asian market league table this year, down 37 percent. Bob Broadfoot, managing
director at independent think-tank Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, said
the quality of transparency in a society relates to corporate governance. "A lot
of times you see where societies don"t have a great record of human rights, they
don"t have great record of transparency."
HARD TO DEFINE HUMAN RIGHTS
But he added it might be difficult to determine what standards of human
rights would be applied to investments. "The only way to quantify human rights
is whether it"s something stipulated by the U.S. or the U.N...whether it"s the
case of China investing in Sudan or trading with Cuba or government-sponsored
sanctions against Iraq where it"s legally required by the government." It
becomes harder to define when cities such as San Francisco, or labour groups
attempt to discourage investments in certain countries due to human rights abuse
concerns, he said. Several Asia-based fund managers said such standards should
be applied on a bottoms-up approach, looking at individual companies and not
screening out whole markets. "The industry is moving from the origins of a
negative screening approach toward dialogue and positive screening. In-house
capability gives you the opportunity to add value," Morrison said.
WIRE:11/16/2000 08:50:00 ET
EU, U.S. urge new sanctions against Myanmar GENEVA (Reuters) - The European
Union and United States called Thursday for new sanctions against Myanmar
because its use of forced labor. But Russia, China and India spoke against
sanctions in a debate at the International Labor Organization (ILO), and
diplomats thought a compromise to head off a sanctions call by the 174-nation
body might still be possible.
The southeast Asian state is already a virtual pariah for crushing a 1988
uprising, refusing to recognize the victory of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu
Kyi in a 1990 election and flooding neighboring states with illegal drugs.
France -- speaking on behalf of the 15-member EU as well as other western
countries including Norway, the United States and Switzerland -- said Yangon"s
military junta had not brought its legislation and practices into line with
recommendations made by the ILO last June. The deadline for complying is Nov.
30.
The EU acknowledged "progress in the direction of implementing some of the
recommendations," but said that this was not enough to prevent punitive
measures, including an ILO call on member governments, the International
Monetary Fund and the World Bank to isolate Myanmar.
Myanmar"s U.N. ambassador Mya Thang said his country was cooperating and
that a decision by the ILO to seek sanctions would be "tragic and deplorable,"
tantamount to the U.N. labor agency"s assuming the powers of the U.N. Security
Council. He urged the ILO governing body "to choose the path of cooperation
rather than the path of confrontation and coercion."
Japan"s envoy Koichi Haraguchi called for the body to wait six months
before reviewing Myanmar"s progress. "Let us try to cure the patient," he said.
Malaysia -- speaking on behalf of Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and
Vietnam -- said their regional ally Myanmar was showing political will at the
highest level to reach a solution. It urged the ILO to keep pursuing dialogue.
SLAVE-LIKE CONDITIONS
The debate centers on a report compiled by five ILO experts after meetings
last month with Yangon"s military rulers, including Lieutenant-General Khin
Nyunt, the powerful Secretary One of the State Peace and Development Council and
intelligence chief.
The report, which includes letters from the ministers of labor, home
affairs and foreign affairs, says Myanmar has not directly met demands to pass
legislation banning forced labor, which a 1998 ILO inquiry ruled was "widespread
and systematic." But a letter from Myanmar"s Department of Labor, dated Oct. 31
-- five days after the fact-finders left -- gave details of steps toward a
forced labor ban, which a diplomatic source has said could avert the full weight
of ILO sanctions.
Trade unions have estimated that more than 800,000 people in Myanmar are
conscripted with little or no pay as army porters or in construction and
agriculture in slave-like conditions.
Yangon has long withstood Western pressure to transform its dictatorial
regime into a more open and tolerant one despite sanctions imposed by many of
the world"s large economies. These curbs have had little effect on the
impoverished country because its economy had long been shut off from the world
already.
Thursday, November 16 4:23 PM SGT
Thailand vetos ASEAN support for Myanmar over ILO sanctions BANGKOK, Nov 16 (AFP) -
Thailand has vetoed a push by Malaysia and Singapore to muster ASEAN support for
Myanmar as it faces punitive action from the International Labour Organisation,
reports and officials said Thursday.
The ILO's governing body was to discuss Thursday whether to recommend
member states review their relations with Myanmar over the use of forced labour
-- a move that could do serious damage to Yangon's already ailing economy.
A Malaysian foreign ministry official confirmed Thailand had rejected a
proposal to swing the support of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) behind Myanmar.
"Thailand has said it doesn't want to be on board with ASEAN on a common
support for Myanmar," he told AFP in Kuala Lumpur.
However, he said the ASEAN envoys currently in Geneva, where the ILO has
its headquarters, would press on with plans to issue a statement supporting
Myanmar later Thursday.
The Nation daily in Bangkok quoted a Thai government official as saying
Thailand has instructed its ambassador in Geneva not to support the ASEAN
statement unless several amendments are made.
They specified that Myanmar must allow a permanent ILO presence in the
country, that a mechanism to monitor forced labour be introduced, and that
sanctions should not be lifted until real results had been achieved.
It said the ASEAN envoys met with ILO secretary general Juan Somavia this
week in an unsuccessful attempt to ask him to go easy on Yangon, and to extend
the organisation's end-November deadline on a decision over sanctions.
The Thai government official reportedly said Thailand could not support
Myanmar due to the one million illegal workers who have fled over the border
because they "cannot tolerate the slave labour in Burma."
"We have no objection to other ASEAN members showing sympathy. But they
should know that they don't face the same kind of problems that we face," the
official said.
ASEAN's policy of consensus and non-intervention has largely shielded
Myanmar -- which joined up in 1997 -- and other authoritarian member states from
open criticism.
Thailand, one of the more progressive ASEAN members, has previously
campaigned to ditch the "hands-off" policy.
Thursday, November 16 12:36 PM SGT
Myanmar facing AIDS catastrophe unless junta's attitude changes: experts YANGON, Nov 16 (AFP) -
Myanmar's AIDS crisis, fanned by cheap heroin and a booming sex trade, will spin
out of control unless the military regime swallows its pride and admits it has a
problem, health experts say.
The junta, still furious over a World Health Organisation report that
ranked its health services second last in a league of 192 nations, insists
infections are a fraction of those estimated by international agencies.
Myanmar's generals believe AIDS is being used as a tool to criticise the
regime, and regularly lament the fact that wide-ranging sanctions mean they
receive little help to fight the disease.
"There's a political background to discussion on AIDS," Deputy Health
Minister Mya Oo told AFP. "The data is spread by the reactionary elements ... it
is insulting."
The United Nations Programme on HIV-AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates 530,000 of
Myanmar's 48 million people are HIV positive.
But Mya Oo insisted the organisation's methodology was faulty and put the
number at 40,000, while still claiming "we want to face reality about the
figures."
Frank Smithuis of Medecins Sans Frontieres, who has spent six years working
on HIV-AIDS prevention in Myanmar, said he believes the real number of sufferers
could be anywhere between 200,000 and 1,000,000.
"It's hard to give good estimates but it is probably higher than has been
thought," he said. The number who have already died is even harder to
calculate.
"It's high and it's rising and nobody's doing anything about it ... I think
it's the worst AIDS situation in Asia because nothing is being done," he
said.
For now, the disease is largely confined to IV drug users, sex workers and
those living in the border towns and the two main cities of Yangon and
Mandalay.
But soon the wives and girlfriends of the soldiers, miners, truck drivers
and itinerant workers who have been exposed to the disease will also become
infected.
Tuberculosis, the number-two killer in Myanmar after malaria, is expected
to explode as full-blown AIDS sufferers full prey to opportunistic infections,
and overwhelm the rudimentary health care system.
And while neighbouring Cambodia and Thailand have received millions to help
fight the disease, few donors are willing to extend a hand to a regime which is
widely accused of gross human rights violations.
Meanwhile, the military government considers its main weapon in limiting
the spread of AIDS is the country's conservative social mores.
"Extramarital sex is rare here and for women our cultural value is
virginity," said Mya Oo. "There is no real sex industry but there is no doubt
there is some casual prostitution going on."
But in a country which ranks with Afghanistan as the world's top heroin
producer, and which borders five nations which all have major AIDS problems,
much more will have to be done.
"Burma has a very high rate of infection, especially in sex workers," said
Chris Beyrer, director of the US-based Johns Hopkins AIDS Training
Program.
"Myanmar has one of the two worst HIV epidemics in Southeast Asia, along
with Cambodia, but at least Cambodia has been improving its response to HIV," he
said at a health conference in Bangkok this month.
"Of the countries in Southeast Asia, Burma is doing the least to address
HIV," he said, using the country's former name.
Opposition leader Aung San Kyi has appealed for greater openness in
discussing AIDS, saying the taboo on discussing topics related to sex should be
overcome.
"We cannot avoid discussions if we are to help those who are already
suffering from HIV, and to prevent the further spread of the disease," the Nobel
peace laureate said in a statement earlier this year.
Medical experts say that while the government's preoccupation with denying
the extent of the problem has hampered efforts to fight the disease, there has
been an encouraging shift in attitude.
"I think there are positive signs. They are not comfortable about talking
about it publicly but I think they are doing what they can," a UNAIDS official
said.
Smithuis said he had seen a "big change" in the junta's willingness to
accept the situation over recent years.
"There is a trend, but it must go much much faster," he said. "They know
there is a problem but they don't want the rest of the world to know about
it."
"Everyone uses the AIDS problem as an insult, so the government becomes
even more sensitive."
Mya Oo said Myanmar had been "unfairly treated" in the debate over
AIDS.
"We don't want accusations, we don't want finger pointing, but we will do
our best to fight the disease," he said.
"Positive, constructive criticism is welcome but negative comments made for
political reasons we don't accept."
Thursday, November 16 12:17 PM SGT
Malaysia in Joint Exercise Drill to Combat Piracy in Asian Waters PORT KLANG, Nov 16 Asia Pulse -
A regional meeting on combating piracy in the sea ended here Wednesday with a
joint demonstration by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and the Royal Malaysia Marine
Police on board a vessel.
Abdul Rahim Hussin, director of Maritime Security Policy in the National
Security Division of the Prime Minister's Department, said the demonstration in
the Straits of Melaka stressed the urgency of a quick initial response against
pirate attacks in boarding ships using helicopters and speed boats.
He said the exercise was also to establish a communication network within
the marine police involving the Police Air Unit, Special Task Force commandos
and the JCG.
The demonstration aboard the Japanese vessel "Shikishima" helped to promote
cooperation between the marine police and JCG to enhance the capability to
combat piracy in the Straits of Melaka and the South China Sea, added Abdul
Rahim.
The event was also observed by representatives from Cambodia, China, Hong
Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam.
The Regional Experts Meeting on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against
Ships was launched by Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung Tuesday.
The conference, organised by the Malaysian National Security Division in
collaboration with Nippon Foundation of Japan, was attended by heads and acting
heads of authorities responsible for enforcement against piracies from 13
countries.
Thursday, November 16 2:17 PM SGT
Vital for Asean Meeting to Send Positive Signals:Singapore FM SINGAPORE, Nov 16 Asia Pulse -
Next week's informal summit of Asean leaders here is important to send signals
that the Southeast Asian grouping can get its act together after having lost
some lustre due to the Asian economic crisis and political changes in some
member countries, said Singapore Foreign Minister S.Jayakumar.
"It will be an important meeting. It's important because Asean is going
through a rather critical period of its history. It's important that Asean
demonstrates to the outside world that as an organisation, we can get our act
together," he said in a interview with a group of visiting Malaysian journalists
recently.
The 33-year-old grouping must demonstrate that it was resolved to bring
about a cohesive Asean through integration and to prevent a two-tier Asean
between its older members and newer entrants -- Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and
Myanmar, said Jayakumar.
And the other was that Asean would stay on course as a regional grouping
for economic cooperation and remain on track of its Asean Free Trade Area
(AFTA), he said.
Asean was also facing the challenge of investors finding North Asia more
attractive, he said.
Thus, he said, it was vital that Asean come up with new ideas and projects
to indicate that member countries were working together.
Jayakumar said that one such achievement was the framework agreement for
electronic commerce to be endorsed by the Asean leaders here.
He said older members like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand have to work
closely to integrate and to offer training or other support to Vietnam,
Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
He said for instance Malaysia and Singapore, which have a head start in
information technology, could provide help in this area.
"The key is that it will not be in Asean interests if it is seen as Vietnam
Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar in one category and we, the other," he said.
The other members in the 10-nation grouping are Brunei, Indonesia and the
Philippines.
Thursday, November 16 4:30 PM SGT
Thailand Jan-Sep Oil, Gas Consumption Rises 1.2% SINGAPORE (Dow
Jones)--Thailand's oil and natural gas consumption averaged
904,200 barrels of oil equivalent a day in the period from January to September,
an increase of 1.2% over the same period last year, state-owned Petroleum
Authority of Thailand, or PTT, said Thursday.
Although consumption of refined oil products fell marginally by 3.6% to
613,400 b/d, the country's demand for natural gas grew 13.3% to 290,700 b/d oil
equivalent, PTT said.
PTT attributed the increased demand for natural gas to higher consumption
by small and independent power producers and private industry.
Gas demand from IPPs and small power producers increased 38% on year to
61,800 b/d oil equivalent. Industrial users accounted for 26,000 b/d oil
equivalent of gas, a 22.2% increase over the same period last year.
Natural gas consumption by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
for power generation was up 6.4% to 202,900 b/d oil equivalent.
Total refined products consumption declined compared with a year ago. Fuel
oil consumption was down 16.8% on year at 117,300 b/d, gasoline fell 3.3% to
117,500 b/d, and kerosene decreased 8.9% to 800 b/d. Gas oil or diesel
consumption fell 3.3%, to 261,600 b/d, PTT said.
However, consumption of liquified petroleum gas rose 11.9% to 56,800 b/d,
while aviation fuel consumption rose 5.4%, to 59,500 b/d, PTT said.
Imported oil and gas totals fell 6.7% on year to 696,300 b/d oil
equivalent, PTT said. Crude imports were down 8.8% on year to 648,200 b/d, while
imports of refined products fell 16.2% during the period, to 29,500 b/d.
Thailand's refined products import costs soared to 9.019 billion baht
(US$1=THB43.860), more than triple last year's bill of THB2.785 billion.
Thailand also imported 18,600 b/d of natural gas from Myanmar in the
January-September period at a cost of THB4.005 billion, PTT said. PTT wasn't
importing natural gas from Myanmar during the same period in 1999.
Imported crude from the Middle East was down 19% at 469,900 b/d, while
imports from Asia were up 27% at 128,200 b/d. The cost of crude imports rose to
THB191.007 billion, up 63.1% compared with January through September of 1999,
PTT said.
Domestic crude production increased 81.8% to 55,700 b/d during the first
nine months of 2000. Domestic natural gas production was up 7% at 325,800 b/d
oil equivalent, and condensate production rose 10.6% to 52,700 b/d.
The Times of India - Nov 16,
2000.
Brother sues Suu Kyi for half of house MYANMAR: Aung San Suu Kyi has been sued by her brother for half-ownership
of her home in a new crisis for the pro-democracy leader who for years has faced
political harassment by the military government, sources said on
Wednesday.
Suu Kyi was subpoenaed to appear next Tuesday before the Yangon District
Court to answer the suit filed by her U.S.-based elder brother, Aung San Oo, for
partition of the property, said the sources, speaking on condition of
anonymity.
Aung San Oo, a U.S. citizen in his late 50s, is known to disagree with his
sister's strong political views, and the two are believed not to be on speaking
terms.
Suu Kyi's two-story lakefront villa at No. 54 University Avenue in Yangon
was her prison from 1989 to 1995, when she was held under house arrest without
trial on national security charges. During that time she won the 1990 Nobel
Peace prize for her nonviolent efforts to promote democracy.
The government continues to restrict visitors to the house, and greatly
limits her freedom of movement. Her National League for Democracy party won a
1990 general election but was never allowed to take power, and its members face
harassment and jail.
The one-acre (a half hectare) property with the British style house was
given to Suu Kyi's mother, Khin Kyi, by the then-civilian government after Gen.
Aung San was assassinated in July 1947.(AP)
The Times of India - Nov 16,
2000.
Myanmar deploys troops along Bangladesh border CHITTAGONG: Myanmar's military junta was deploying troops along some parts
of its border with Bangladesh, possibly to curb insurgent activities, security
sources here said Wednesday.
"Myanmar deployed large number of its regular soldiers on the border on the
pretext of checking the activities of insurgents and is planting landmines," a
Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) border force source told AFP.
He said "such a deployment is a violation of border rules as they were
being deployed within five miles from the zero line of the border."
BDR and other security sources said the step had prompted Bangladesh to put
its troops on alert along the sensitive border.
On Tuesday, BDR sent its second protest note to Nasaka border guards in
four days, protesting the deployment and planting of mines, which have killed
four in Bangladesh over the past week.
Sources said some insurgent groups from Myanmar's Arakan state were
reportedly on the run after the Nasaka guards moved in.
On Monday, separatist Rohingya Muslim rebels claimed to have killed 11
government troops last week in Arakan province, bordering Bangladesh, according
to a statement from the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO).
Militants from Myanmar's poverty-stricken Muslim Rohingya community have
been fighting a long war for Arakan's independence.
Nearly 250,000 Rohingyas fled into Bangladesh in 1991, alleging persecution
by Myanmar troops. Most of them were later repatriated.
Some 20,000 Rohingya refugees were left in two refugee camps in Cox's Bazar
and are still awaiting clearance from Myanmar authorities for repatriation.
(AFP)
South China Morning Post
Thursday, November 16, 2000 BURMA - India's First Lady snubs general's visit S. N. M. ABDI in New Delhi The state visit to India by General Maung Aye, the second most powerful man
in Burma's ruling junta, who arrived in New Delhi yesterday, has divided the
Indian establishment.
Leading the protests in New Delhi against the visit is the First Lady, Usha Narayanan, the wife of President Kocheril Raman Narayanan. She has refused to receive General Maung Aye and his delegation when they call on her husband at the Presidential Palace on Monday, the Indian Express newspaper reported. Mrs Narayanan, who is of Burmese origin, had also refused to meet the
General's wife, Mya Mya San, and their daughter, Nander Aye, according to the
report.
The five-day visit by General Maung Aye is the first by a Burmese official
to India since the military seized power in 1987. New Delhi claims the dynamic
shift in its policy towards its controversial neighbour has been dictated by its
strategic interest in clamping down on rebels in its northeastern region
bordering Burma, and to counter Beijing's influence in Rangoon.
New Delhi has rolled out the red carpet for the visiting general and is
sparing no effort to make his trip a success.
The Telegraph newspaper reported that to prevent any embarrassment, Naing
Aung, a Burmese pro-democracy leader who arrived at New Delhi's international
airport on November 12, was detained at the airport, denied permission to
contact anyone and sent back to Bangkok.
The Times
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 16 2000 Burma and the Karens FROM MR J. B. SHRIVE Sir, With the release by the Burmese Government from imprisonment of brave young Mr James Mawdsley (report, October 21) who demonstrated against the absence of democracy and the continuing persecution of the Karen people, it is timely for us to remind ourselves of the Karens. They were our magnificent allies in fighting the Japanese and are now praying for our help, it seems, in vain. In his book Return via Rangoon the late Philip Stibbe, who was a Chindit officer imprisoned by the Japanese, wrote: The Burma Rifles attached to our column were all Karens and mostly
Christians. The American Baptist Mission has done fine work in Burma; the
Karens’ sincerity and spontaneous goodness and happiness are unique in my
experience and make them a wonderful advertisement for their religion. To see
the gaiety and serenity of their lives is an inspiration not easily forgotten .
. . They were a cheerful crowd; in fact they seemed to like us as much as we
liked them. We little realised, then, how much we were all to owe to them later.
What has so damaged the British character in the past six decades that the
only truly prominent protest against the intended racial extinction of these
fine people, who were our wartime comrades, is not by our Government but by a
sole 27-year-old? Yours faithfully,
J. B. SHRIVE, Bodham House, Nr Holt, Norfolk NR25 6PR. November 14. The Nation - Nov 16,
2000.
Anger at bid to delay Asean-EU meet BY SA-NGUAN KHUMRUNGROJ and DON PATHAN THAILAND and several Asean countries are at loggerheads over scheduling of
the long-awaited Asean-European Union ministerial meeting, a senior Thai
official said yesterday.
Thailand is upset over an attempt by the hosts Laos, plus Malaysia, and
this year's Asean Standing Committee chair, Vietnam, to postpone the upcoming
meeting in Vientiane, because many EU foreign ministers look unlikely to come.
Bangkok said it had worked for three years to set up the conference up. "We
have worked really hard to have this bloc-to-bloc meeting," the official said.
"This is very insulting."
Thailand, during its term as chair of the Asean Standing Committee last
year and coordinator for Asean-EU the year before, was given the task of helping
the two regional groups reconciliate.
Overall cooperation between Asean and EU has been shelved for three years
over the latter's objection to Burma's participation in Asean-EU functions.
The EU accuses Rangoon's military regime of gross violations of human and
labour rights.
According to Thai officials, over half the EU states have complained of
time constraints and said they would only send deputy ministerial or
ambassadorial-level representatives to Vientiane.
Fearing the absence of EU ministers would dilute the image of the meeting,
Lao and Vietnamese envoys met their European counterparts in Brussels to try to
convince them to send their ministers. If this was not possible, they suggested
both sides consider delaying the meeting, said the Thai official, who spoke on
condition of anonymity.
The two countries were also planning to push for an Asean statement to
support this position. But the source said Thailand was preparing to object to
such a proposition.
He said Thailand was perplexed at Malaysia's "unabashed position", saying
Kuala Lumpur's push over the years for nothing less than a bloc-to-bloc meeting
was uncompromising.
"And now they are saying we should delay the meeting because of the absence
of some ministerial-level people," he said. "Regardless of the level of
participation, Thailand believes that the meeting is just too important to pass
up," the source said.
He pointed to the Asean-EU Joint Declaration, a major document outlining
future cooperation, due to be signed at the meeting.
The Asean-EU meeting, scheduled for December 11-12, would be held right
after the Intergovernmental Conference, which all 15 European foreign ministers
are attending.
Most EU countries have officially said they would not be able to send a
minister to Vientiane, and it is understood the Europeans want to "go soft" on
the meeting because of Burma's participation, the source said.
According to the source, Britain's Foreign Secretary Robin Cook and French
External Affairs Minister Hubert Vedrine had confirmed they would not go to
Vientiane.
The Nation - Nov 17,
2000.
Letters - Ending Burmese civil war is top priority James Lum Dau - BANGKOK. It is an encouragement for me to frequently read in your newspapers that
people from neighbouring democracies and from faraway countries continue in good
faith to seek various avenues to restore peace and democracy in Burma.
Universally, it can be observed that in any country where there is an
ongoing civil war, there is no justice, human rights or democracy, and it is
natural that a similar situation also prevails in Burma.
Based on an understanding of the above factors, and without placing blame
on one or the other party, one should only look for a way to end the civil war
in Burma. I believe that this can only be achieved through mutual forgiveness
between individuals as many countries in the West were finally able to do to
restore democracy.
Similarly, if you scrutinise and analyse Burma's affairs, you will be aware
that success in the important matter - the practical and basic one of ending the
civil war - must be the first priority in any plan. Only after achieving a
nation-wide cease-fire and peace in the country, can one proceed to establish
food subsistence, reconciliation and harmony and then move on to establish
democracy, drug eradication measures and other matters.
As a matter of fact, I wish to see the restoration of democracy in Burma
succeed within a short period as in some other countries However, in Burma's
case, without building a strong foundation as mentioned above, it may difficult
to prevail in building democracy.
GENEVA, Nov. 16 Kyodo News
Majority supports Myanmar sanctions at ILO meeting. The International Labor Organization (ILO) Governing Body began formal
discussions Thursday on whether to impose sanctions against Myanmar for not
complying with a 1998 ILO recommendation to stop all forms of forced
labor.
During the morning session, the majority of the 56-member body voiced
support for implementing sanction measures, with a few Asian countries including
Japan and Malaysia asking for a moratorium on sanctions.
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