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BURMA RELATED NEWS - May 06,
2001.
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HEADLINES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFP - Myanmar talks in trouble as splits emerge
within the junta
AFP - Finance ministers from East Asian nations
set for Hawaii talks
Bernama - Myanmar
Remains Attractive And Busy As Ever
ABC - Burma talks reportedly in
jeopardy
The Nation - Fighting
flares on Burmese border
Bkk Post - Bomb injures four fleeing
skirmish
Bkk Post - KNU troops hit outpost
NSTP - Man parades wife around
town...naked!
Bkk Post - Postbag - Burma should be run by taxi
drivers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday May 6, 9:24 AMMyanmar talks in trouble as splits
emerge within the junta
YANGON, May 6 (AFP) - Secret
talks between democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the Myanmar junta are in
jeopardy as dissenting factions within the military regime baulk at the prospect
of far-reaching reforms, sources said.
Diplomats and political observers in Yangon have grown concerned in recent
weeks as signs emerged that the dialogue which began last October is failing to
make headway.
In the clearest indication that all is not well, the United Nations envoy
who acted as a catalyst for the historic contacts, Malaysian diplomat Razali
Ismail, has been denied permission to visit since January.
A much-anticipated mass release of political prisoners has failed to
materialise, as has a promise that the opposition National League for Democracy
(NLD) would be given permission to relaunch political activity.
Sources familiar with the talks say they ground to a halt after entering a
crucial decision-making stage which prompted elements within the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) to begin wrangling over their next move.
"There is obviously a big difference within the SPDC over this whole
process and where it is leading. People in favour of bigger reforms are not
getting their way," said one diplomat.
"The junta agreed to a dialogue but now it has got into nitty gritty issues
some of them are having second thoughts."
Issues at stake include the future role of the army and its powerful
business empire, as well as the mechanism for a transition to civilian
government after 40 years of military rule.
Mindful of the fate of fallen dictators in Asia and elsewhere around the
world, Yangon's generals are fearful that by wading deeper into the national
reconciliation process they will unleash forces they cannot control.
"They are asking themselves: 'Once we open the door, how do we know it will
be a tightly controlled process'," the diplomat said.
For now, Aung San Suu Kyi remains in isolation at her lakeside home, out of
contact with even her own party lieutenants in line with an agreement to hold
the talks under conditions of strict secrecy.
But impatience is growing among the international community, exiled
activists and the nation's ethnic minorities for some concrete results to
emerge.
Myanmar's Foreign Minister Wing Aung defended the talks last week, telling
reporters who flew in for an Association of Southeast Asian Nationsmeeting that
they were still on track.
"We are not playing games for the sake of the media ... this is not a
public relations stunt," he said.
"But we hope that this process, which is very complex and delicate, should
be left at a distance right now because the freedom of the country depends on
this."
Observers in Yangon say that if the national reconciliation process fails
to regain its momentum, there will be huge implications for both sides on
Myanmar's political divide.
Foreign governments could force even harsher sanctions against the regime,
which entered the talks partly out of concern about the effect its pariah status
has wreaked on the paralysed economy.
More punishment could prove to be the death knell for Myanmar's finances,
now reputedly to be stumbling along only thanks to the thriving blackmarket and
profits from the drug trade.
For her part, Aung San Suu Kyi could find it difficult to switch back to an
openly confrontational stance towards the regime after agreeing to meet in
secret with its leaders for so many months.
Observers in Yangon say that while they have not completely given the
process up for dead, the next few weeks will be critical.
If the junta fails to agree on a package of concessions, Aung San Suu Kyi
may have to seriously consider breaking the talks.
But after 10 weary years of political stalemate since the opposition was
prevented from taking power after a landslide election win, the junta still does
not appear to be in any hurry.
"There is no set time for the dialogue or peace process in Northern
Ireland, or in Sri Lanka or the Middle East," Win Aung said.
"This is also not a process where you can start a countdown. This is
timeless."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday May 6, 9:38 AM
Finance ministers from East Asian
nations set for Hawaii talks
MANILA, May 6 (AFP) - Finance ministers of China, Japan and South Korea are to meet their Southeast Asian counterparts in Hawaii Tuesday to help accelerate reforms and beef up the region's defenses against financial turmoil. Meeting ahead of the annual forum of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), they
would also grapple with short-term capital movements, a key factor that led to
the Asian financial crisis in mid-1997, and consider a regional currency swap
initiative, officials said.
The two-day talks would provide an opportunity for the ministers from the
10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their three
northern neighbors to review the effects of the economic slowdown in the United
States and Japan which is already taking a toll on the region.
The ADB has predicted that Asian economic growth would slip to about five
percent this year from more than seven percent last year, but its president
Tadao Chino said a second crisis was unlikely if structural reforms were
pursued.
"In general, the ASEAN plus three is pursuing three tracks," M.C. Abad, a
spokesman for the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat, said of the Honolulu
meeting.
The ministers would "exchange views on the international financial
architecture reforms, exchange information on short-term capital movements in
East Asia and review the implementation of the Chiang Mai Initiative," Abad told
AFP.
The initiative, first proposed by the ministers at a meeting in the
eponymous northern Thai resort last year, seeks to link ASEAN's international
reserves with the three other countries through a matrix of bilateral currency
swap agreements.
The Chiang Mai approach has obtained firm endorsement from Japan and South
Korea, but so far is lacking in detail.
Finance ministers from the 13 countries met in Kuala Lumpur last month, but
elected to proceed with caution over the initiative.
A Japanese finance ministry official told AFP that Tokyo hoped to use the
Honolulu forum to report on the progress of negotiations with several ASEAN
countries to build such swap accords.
"We are close to reaching swap agreements with several ASEAN nations," said
the official, who declined to be named or to list the countries with which Tokyo
is holding talks.
"The progress of the negotiations and terms for the swap agreements might
be reported at the Honolulu meeting," the official added.
"We are hoping that the systems to be built under the Chiang Mai initiative
would provide a safety net to prevent another economic crisis in Asia."
This is the first time Japan's new finance minister Masajuro Shirokawa will
meet his counterparts from Beijing and Seoul as well as ASEAN members Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam.
A Singapore finance ministry official said that the city state "does not
see the need to have a bilateral swap agreement under the Chiang Mai Initiative
with any country at this time."
Singapore already has bilateral swap and repurchase agreements with several
countries in the region, the official added.
The initiative originally proposed that a borrower nation could draw 10
percent of an agreed credit line, but with future disbursement tied to
International Monetary Fund (IMF) supervision.
Malaysia, which unlike Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand refused the
IMF's help during the 1997 crisis, has led objections to the role of the
IMF.
The Singapore finance ministry official said that there has been a
recognition "that the IMF already has in place a functioning and fairly
effective surveillance mechanism and can play a useful and constructive role
under certain circumstances.
"Hence to be useful, the exact terms and modalities of each bilateral swap
agreement should be negotiated between both parties of the agreement taking into
account their specific circumstances and financing needs."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Malaysian National News Agency
Myanmar Remains Attractive And Busy As
Ever
By Roslan Ariffin
YANGON, May 6 (Bernama) --
Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, known as the "The Garden City of the East"
remains lively as ever and a hive of activity even when the clock on the wall
shows it is already 9pm.
A restaurateur and his workers are busy taking down orders and serving
their customers while others stand on the roadside and beckon passers-by to stop
over for a meal.
"Please come on in. Eat, we have nasi bryani (ghee rice). Halal," a
restaurant owner called out in Malay to a group of Malaysian journalists who
stood dumbfounded in front of the shop on hearing Malay words spoken in a
foreign land.
"From Malaysia?" he guessed correctly, probably after hearing our argument
over which restaurant was selling halal food.
The 15-member Malaysian media team comprising journalists, press
photographers and TV crew was in Myanmar for eight days having been officially
invited by the government to get the latest information and a clear picture of
the actual developments in this Asean country.
Myanmar has been getting a bad press ever since the military assumed power
in 1988.
Seeing the man, one will be reminded of the "Mamak" or Indian Muslim
selling "nasi kandar" in Kuala Lumpur's Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman -- a
startlingly accurate reproduction of the way they attend to customers out there
with the orders from the patrons being echoed out loudly to the kitchen helpers.
"I was doing business in Brunei for five years. Can speak a little Malay,"
said the restaurateur Mohamed Hassan, in his 40s, responding to our curiosity as
to how he was able to speak Malay.
Mohamed Hassan is among thousands of Muslim traders from India, Pakistan
and Bangladesh who "control" the business in an area known as "Little India".
Malaysians were no foreigners to them as they had been doing business also in
Malaysia for several years.
Little India, located in the middle of Yangon, also has several mosques,
like Kuala Lumpur's Masjid India area.
The Muslim traders have penetrated the food business, textile and jewellery
trade.
Muslims form about 10 per cent of Myanmar's 50 million population who are
mostly Buddhists.
To the Malaysian visitor, particularly Muslims, food is not a problem in
Yangon, as dishes such as nasi bryani are not only easily available but also
cheaper.
In Yangon's Little India, nasi bryani with chicken and mutton curry and a
bottle of mineral water cost only RM2 compared to the RM60 for lunch per person
paid at a hotel here.
While looking around the area, we often ran into groups of Malaysians who
were shopping for kain pelikat (striped cloth) or "lonji" worn by Myanmar when
they go to office or town.
In the area also there is a place called the "Bogyoke Market", similar in a
way to Kuala Lumpur's Central Market.This market is popular with the local
people and tourists and sells among others, souvenirs, precious stones and
jewels such as ruby and the blue sapphire.
The carefree walking and chatting with the traders including those sitting
on the five-footways erased all earlier doubts and misgivings about this country
being not a safe place for visitors.
Foreigners can walk about freely without worrying about any untoward
incident and there are almost no reports of theft or bag snatching like in major
cities in other countries.
However the local people appear to be isolated from the outside world with
scant information about happenings elsewhere except for the occasional western
movie.
Local newspapers carry news only about their own country and about the
visits and programmes of their leaders.
Installing a telephone in the house is costly for the ordinary folks whose
yearly income amounts to only US$125 a month, not to mention computers while
only the well-to-do like business people can afford satellite TV.
The picture of Yangon being backward is far from the truth.
The city has fine roads including dual carriageways and three-lane freeways
and most of the mettaled roads have been around for the last 30 years.
The streets are lined with modern trading houses, office blocks, shops and
entertainment outlets such as karaoke lounges and VCD centres.
One of the cinema halls in Yangon was showing the latest box office movies
from Hong Kong and Hindi films.
As the Malaysian journalists were going through Yangon in a bus, always
with two police outriders, several pedestrians were seen being frisked by
police.
Traffic rules in Myanmar are very strict, according to an official at the
Malaysian Embassy.
Beating the lights can land one in jail for several months and the errant
motorist can also be slapped with a big fine. In light of this, accidents are
rare. Perhaps Malaysia can take a leaf out of their book.
In the course of the eight days, the Malaysian media group was taken to
every nook and corner of Myanmar, right up to the border with China.
The Russian-made MI-17 helicopter and the 40-seater Cessna remained the
loyal means of transport for the Malaysian media group apart from the bus.
It was clear from the tour, that a large number of tourist destinations can
be developed in Myanmar including the breathtaking tourist spot of Bagan which
has archaeological riches and 2,000 pagodas and temples built between the 11th
and 12th centuries.
In Mandalay, the former capital of Myanmar, about an hour's flight north
from Yangon, visitors can see the "Mandalay Royal Palace" (the last Capital of
the Myanmar Kingdom) rebuilt after a fire during the Second World War 1939-1945.
First built between 1852 and 1878, the palace is surrounded by a
two-kilometre-long fence and displays Myanmar Civilisation at its height. It is
said that within the walls of this great palace dwelt the 50wives of the
Sovereign of the Kingdom of Myanmar.
Myanmar's monarchy came to an end with King Thebaw who had no male heir. He
was later captured by the English and deported to India.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australian Broadcasting Corporation
May 05, 2001.
Burma talks reportedly in
jeopardy
Secret talks between Burma's democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the
Burmese junta are reportedly in jeopardy as dissenting factions within the
military regime baulk at the prospect of far-reaching reforms.
The AFP newsagency says diplomats and political observers in Rangoon have
grown concerned in recent weeks as signs emerged that the dialogue which began
last October is failing to make headway.
It says in the clearest indication that all is not well, the United Nations
envoy who acted as a catalyst for the historic contacts, Malaysian diplomat
Razali Ismail, has been denied entry since January.
A much-anticipated mass release of political prisoners has failed to
materialise, as has a promise that the opposition National League for Democracy
would be given permission to relaunch political activity.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation - May 06,
2001.
Fighting flares on Burmese
border
VILLAGERS in the border district of Tha Song Yang fled their homes
yesterday in reaction to heavy fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops
three kilometres across the Burmese border, officials said yesterday.
About 150 soldiers from the Karen National Union (KNU) launched
simultaneous all-out offensives against two Burmese military positions in a
failed bid to regain the strategic locations.
The fighting lasted for about three hours. The sound of gunfire and mortar
shelling could be heard in Tha Song Yang. Scores of villagers abandoned their
homes. Thai border police and soldiers were dispatched to the scene to prevent
the fighting from spilling over into Thailand.
Sources with the border police said Burmese government troops had for the
past few weeks been increasing their presence along their side of the Moei
River, which serves as the border.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - May 06,
2001.
Bomb injures four fleeing
skirmish
Explosion aboard vehicle kills driver Abooby-trap bomb exploded and wounded four Karen villagers, including a
five-year-old child, as they were fleeing from fighting in Burma.
Kyaw Hein, 45, Daw Naing, 44, Ma Thein Swe, 47, and Mala Gyi, 5, crossed
the border on Friday to seek treatment at a hospital in Mae Ramat district of
Tak province.
One of them stepped on the booby trap causing it to explode in the Burmese
border area of Maw Pa Zu, opposite the Thai village of Huay Pla Klong.
They were fleeing from fighting between Burmese government troops and Karen
National Union rebels.
A border source said Burmese troops and pro-Rangoon Democratic Karen
Buddhist Army guerrillas attacked the KNU's 7th division on Thursday.
A bomb also exploded in a passenger vehicle in tambon Mae Chan on Thursday,
killing the driver and injuring a passenger, police said.
Somchai Songno, 44, was killed instantly while Kowit (surname unknown) was
seriously injured when the bomb went off under the vehicle with nine people in
it.
Police said the bomb was planted close to the driver's seat.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - May 06,
2001.
KNU troops hit
outpost
Supamart Kasem Two Burmese soldiers were killed yesterday and one wounded in an attack on
their outpost opposite Tha Song Yang district by Karen National Union
soldiers.
Four KNU soldiers were also wounded.
A source in the Border Patrol Police said about 150 KNU soldiers led by Col
Kyaw Nee attacked the Burmese government outpost at Hill 459, about 3km from the
Thai border opposite this northern province.
A heavy exchange of fire followed for three hours, the BPP source
said.
It was not known if soldiers of the Karen National Union were successful in
their attempt to capture the Burmese outpost.
The fighting caused about 100 Burmese to flee across the border to Tha Song
Yang district, the BPP source added.
Meanwhile, Burmese people who travelled from Kawkareik, about 40km west of
Myawaddy opposite Mae Sot, said Burmese soldiers were forcing villagers
travelling on the Myawaddy-Kawkareik road to act as porters delivering food and
ammunition.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The New Straits Times
Press
May 05, 2001.
Man parades wife around
town...naked!
Enraged husband suspected wife of having affair with Indon man by Nik Imran Abdullah and Alias Mohamed A 33-year old Myanmar woman lodged a police report claiming that she was paraded in the nude by her enraged husband on a motorcycle around Sri Bandi town and surrounding areas yesterday. State police public relations officer Assistant Superintendent Md Nor Ali
said the husband was outraged when he suspected that his wife had an affair with
an Indonesian man.
He said the man had earlier took her wife to an oil palm estate to beat her
before tying her hands and undressing the woman.
"The man was alleged to have paraded his naked wife," he said, "on the
motorcycle through the town area for about two kilometres."
Md Nor said the woman was later released from the ordeal and villagers who
witnessed the incident gave "sarong" to her to cover her body.
The woman odged a report at Sri Bandi police station.
Police investigation was underway but no arrest has been made yet.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - May 06,
2001.
Postbag - Burma should be run by taxi
drivers
Mike Psciuk Almost two months ago, I reluctantly made a trip to the Shan State in Burma
to visit a sick relative of my wife.
I wondered as the plane made its descent into Mandalay's super new airport,
how long it would be before I saw what a mess the country was in.
It didn't take long.
On the taxi ride into the city I lost any illusions I had about 'The Road
To Mandalay'. Why anybody should have to pay at the numerous toll booths for
that roller coaster ride over the roughest roads I have been on since a trip to
India, beats me. The comparison with poorer parts of India followed me through
my whole trip.
I was surprised to find out from my taxi driver that this brand spanking
new airport attends one international flight per week. There is an airport much
nearer to town that would have sufficed until the country got its act together.
It seemed to me like buying a video recorder when you don't have a
television.
In the Shan State, coming up to Taunggyi, the soldiers were everywhere, and
their camps managed to take up all the prime locations. Thanks to a couple of
brave taxi drivers and a tour guide in Yangon, I managed to find out just how
scared the people are of this terrible government, and how much they wait
patiently for 'The Lady', Aung San Suu Kyi, to take her rightful place in
power.
Both the taxi drivers I spoke to were very articulate university graduates,
and they left me with the conclusion that: The taxi drivers should be running
the country, and the people running the country should be driving taxis.
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