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BURMA RELATED NEWS - October
19, 2001.
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HEADLINES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reuters - Korea Daewoo to sell rights to hunt
gas in Myanmar
Reuters - Ivanhoe eyes S. Korea
gold
AFP - Singapore firm to build 700 million-dollar
power plant in Nepal
Kyodo News - 8 Myanmar
soldiers killed by rebel-laid land mines
JT - First meeting of
Asian city leaders outlines 15 projects to boost region
UN - UN human rights expert meets with
government, opposition officials in Myanmar
Mizzima - Community organizers from SE Asia
gather at Bali Island
Mizzima - Burma rebels call for tripartite
dialogue
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday October 19, 3:12 PM
Korea Daewoo to sell rights to hunt gas in Myanmar SEOUL, Oct 19 (Reuters) - South
Korea's Daewoo International Corp. <47050.KS>, former trading arm of the
now-defunct Daewoo Group, said on Friday it planned to sell some of its natural
gas exploration rights in Myanmar.
Daewoo International is in talks with India's ONGC Videsh Ltd, a subsidiary
of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation , Gas Authority of India Ltd. and Korea Gas
Corp. (KOGAS)
<36460.KS> for the sale of rights in an offshore gas block in western
Myanmar, Daewoo spokesman Kim Bum-seok told Reuters.
"Daewoo International is planning to sell about 30 percent of its stake in
the block with 20 percent of it going to ONGC and the remaining 10 percent
expected to go to either to GAIL or to KOGAS," Kim said.
Daewoo International was granted development rights in the block in the
Bengal basin from the Myanmar government in August last year, Kim said.
The company, in the second phase of its feasibility study, has so far
estimated natural gas reserves of a minimum of three trillion cubic feet worth
$100 million, he said.
More detailed study may reveal more gas reserves, he said.
Exploratory drilling will be decided in 2003 and commercial production will
begin in 2008, the spokesman said.
ONGC Videsh said on October 1 it was in talks with Daewoo International for
the gas exploration block as the domestic output of state-run ONGC, India's
largest oil exploration firm, has been falling because its main oil fields are
declining.
Daewoo International was spun off from Daewoo Corp last December. Shares of
Daewoo International ended up 40 won at 1,650 on Friday, while the benchmark
index <.KS11> rose 0.73 percent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday October 19, 10:19 AM
Ivanhoe eyes S. Korea gold SYDNEY, Oct 19 (Reuters) -
Ivanhoe Mines Ltd said on Friday it will start producing gold and silver from a
new mine in South Korea early next near.
Ivanhoe, listed on the Toronto and Australian bourses, has received a
permit to mine the Seongsan lode in Chollanam-Do province, in southwestern
Korea, company president Daniel Kunz said in a statement.
Initial mining will be limited to pilot work to determine the richness of
the ore, Kunz said.
Ivanhoe already mines for gold in Kazakhstan and copper in Myanmar and
Mongolia.
Its chairman, Robert Friedland, is best known for discovering one of the
world's largest nickel deposits, in Voisey Bay, Canada. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday October 19, 2:01 PM
Singapore firm to build 700 million-dollar power plant in Nepal SINGAPORE, Oct 19 (AFP) - A
Singapore-based firm has pledged to spend 700 million dollars to construct a
300-megawatt hydroelectric project in western Nepal.
Elysee Frontiere Limited (EFL) president Sylvain Leveque late Wednesday
signed an agreement for the construction of the Upper Karnali project, 575
kilometres (359 miles) west of Kathmandu, which will be completed in July
2008.
"The Elysee Frontiere Limited is a joint company of France, Canada,
Singapore, Switzerland and the US and is making a sizable capital investment in
Nepal to help its economy in the western parts, generate employment and
strengthen democracy and human rights," Leveque said.
Under the agreement, EFL will give 30 percent of the power production free
of charge to the Nepal Electricity Board, to which the plant will be turned over
after 30 years.
Profits from the sale of power will be used for local projects, including
soil conservation, schools and health services, Leveque said.
He said the completion of the power plant would also allow the planned
construction of cement and chemical fertilizer factories that would employ
35,000 people.
The EFL will begin the investment next July. Power generated at the plant
will be sold at 2.9 rupees (three cents) a unit during the winter 1.4 rupees
(two cents) during the high-demand monsoon season, Leveque said.
Leveque said the EFL had already spent three million dollars for a
feasibility study and other expenses related to the project.
The EFL has launched humanitarian projects in Cambodia, India, Indonesia
Iraq, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 Myanmar soldiers killed by rebel-laid
land mines
MAE SOT, Oct. 19, Kyodo - Eight
Myanmar soldiers were killed and 15 others injured late Wednesday from land
mines laid by ethnic Karen rebels of the Karen National Union (KNU) near
Myanmar's border with Thailand, a Thai military source said Friday.
The incident took place in an area of Myanmar opposite the Phop Phra
district of Thailand's Tak Province, some 500 kilometers northwest of Bangkok.
The rebels have recently stepped up their offensive against Myanmar
soldiers.
Earlier this week, three Myanmar soldiers were shot to death in a border
area of Kayin State opposite Thailand's Mae Sot Province.
The KNU is the largest armed group of Karens. It took up arms against the
central government in Yangon in 1949 to fight for establishment of a federal
union in which all the states would have equal rights and the right to
self-determination.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Japan Times: Oct. 19,
2001
First meeting of Asian city leaders
outlines 15 projects to boost region
Leaders of major Asian cities issued a declaration Thursday, outlining 15
joint projects that include the development of the region's air industry, online
education and environmentally friendly vehicles.
The Tokyo Declaration came at the conclusion of the two-day inaugural meeting of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21, which brought together mayors and senior officials from 11 regional capitals in Tokyo. The declaration -- signed by representatives from Beijing, Delhi, Hanoi,
Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Yangon --
affirms the importance of the Asian region within the global community and the
need for a mechanism for cooperation among the cities.
The governor of Bangkok was scheduled to attend but canceled at the last
minute due to natural disaster emergencies at home.
"I think East Asia is the region which has the highest potential in the
world," said Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, who hosted the meeting. "It is very
significant and effective to share knowhow and consult each other regarding the
problems each city has."
Among the 15 projects adopted under the declaration is the promotion of the
development of small to midsize jet passenger planes, an idea proposed by
Tokyo.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials said nurturing a strong Asian
aerospace industry should benefit the region as demand for air travel is
expected to grow, and some countries in the region have the knowhow to develop
aircraft.
The forum also proposed the development of the Asian Distance Learning
Project, which will provide online education in engineering, social sciences,
fashion, languages and other areas.
At Tokyo's request, the declaration also touches on terrorism in the wake
of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
"We strongly condemn organized crime and terrorism for their devastating
effects on urban functions," the declaration says, pledging that the
participating cities will share information on crisis management.
During a news conference, Ishihara and other participants emphasized the
practical nature of the meeting, as opposed to conventional international
meetings, which are often merely "ceremonial."
Most of the joint projects, however, lack substance. The aerospace
initiative, for example, merely calls for further talks and appeals to national
governments.
"We just agreed to take concrete steps from now on," Ishihara said when
asked about the meeting's concrete achievements. "We have established a
foundation and what kind of structure we build upon it will be the next
step."
The ANMC 21 was proposed by Ishihara to tackle common issues such as the
environment and urban planning.
Representatives from Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Delhi met in the
Malaysian capital in August 2000 and agreed to hold the first meeting in Tokyo.
The next plenary meeting is scheduled for Delhi in November 2002.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- United Nations
UN human rights expert meets with
government, opposition officials in Myanmar
18 October – A United Nations human rights expert monitoring the situation
in Myanmar has just concluded a visit to the country, where he met with
opposition and government officials.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights
on the situation in Myanmar, had to cut short his visit, conducted at Yangon's
invitation, due to illness, but not before holding meetings in several parts of
the country.
Arriving in Yangon on 9 October, Mr. Pinheiro spent four days meeting with
government officials and ethnic minority leaders. During that time, he also
visited educational, religious, academic and other institutions. In addition, he
met with the UN country team, members of the diplomatic community, and
international civil society organizations.
On 13 October, the Special Rapporteur went with his team to Lashio in Shan
State, where he was received by local authorities. The mission visited a Wa
ceasefire area, the new border town of Muse, and the Lashio prison.
The following day, Mr. Pinheiro travelled to Mandalay, holding meetings
with local authorities. While there, he also visited the office of the
opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) as well as the Mandalay central
prison, the Hton-Bo labour camp, and a university in Sagaing Division.
Having to cut his mission short for health reasons, Mr. Pinheiro cancelled
scheduled visits to Kachin State, Insein prison and a labour camp near Yangon.
Over the course of his visit, however, the Special Rapporteur was able to meet
the Foreign Minister and Deputy Foreign Minister of Myanmar, as well as the
leadership of the NLD, including its Secretary General.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Community organizers from SE Asia
gather at Bali Island
Mizzima News Bali (Indonesia), Oct. 19: Community organizers from South East Asian
region are gathering at Bali Island in Indonesia to share experiences and
develop new community organizing methods. Total 23 community organizers working
on women, youth, HIV/AIDS, farmers, fish workers and rural poor community from
eight South East Asian countries including Burma are participating at the
gathering. The other countries are Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, East
Timor, Philippines and Indonesia.
Malaysia-based South East Asia Coalition for Popular Communication Program
(CPCP) and Indonesia’s environmental organization WIFNU jointly organize the
gathering which is being held from 14 to 21 October.
“This is a gathering of community organizers who have at least six year
experiences in their respective field. We share the experiences each other and
learn the new community development methods. We can use many of these
experiences and methods in our human rights education work in Burma”, said Aung
Myo Min who is representing the Human Rights Education Institute of Burma
(HREIB) at the gathering. The Thailand-based HREIB has been administering and
facilitating a number of human rights education trainings for the Burma
pro-democracy activists in exile.
“There is a strong connection between human rights organizations in the
region and Burma’s human rights education work. We arrange Internship Exchange
Programs in the region and develop new programs using popular education in
community organizing”, he added. The participants visited an eco-tourist site in
the Island yesterday and practiced the community-organizing skills.
This is the second time that community organizers from the region are
meeting to share experiences and develop the facilitating methods relevant to
their works. The first meeting was held in Malaysia last year.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Burma rebels call for tripartite
dialogue
Mizzima News Mae Sot (Thailand), Oct. 19: A Burma rebel group has urged the ruling
Burmese military regime, namely State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to
enter into a “tripartite dialogue” to solve the country’s longstanding problems.
In a statement issued on 17 October, the Karenni National Progressive Party
(KNPP) urged the SPDC to accept and implement a tripartite dialogue, as proposed
by the United Nations, in order for Burma’s current political situation to be
solved by political means.
The statement issued by the central committee of the organization is based
on discussions on 16 October between Thai Defense Minister General Chavalit
Youngchaiyudh and British Ambassador to Bangkok Lloyd Smith on a national
reconciliation programme for Burma.
KNPP warmly welcomed the discussions held in Bangkok but stated that final
agreement on national reconciliation could not be reached on the basis of
discussions solely between the SPDC and three ethnic nationalities armed
opposition groups, the KNPP, the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Shan State
Army (SSA), arguing that the reconciliation process must include talks between
all the ethnic nationalities and democratic forces once cease-fire agreements
have been reached between the SPDC and the armed ethnic groups.
A cease-fire agreement between the KNPP and the Burmese regime reached on
21 March 21 1995 in Loikaw town in Kayah State only lasted for nearly 3 months,
and fighting recommenced on 30 June 1995. Fighting between KNPP and SPDC
troops is especially intense in Kayah State. However, the Burmese junta used to
talk that the KNPP is one of the 17 cease-fire groups with them.
KNPP, KNU (Karen National Union), SSA (Shan State Army), ALP (Arakan
Liberation Party) and CNF (Chin National Front) operate jointly on the military
level since 31 July 2000 in their fight against the Burmese troops. The military
regime many times sent a so-called “messenger for peace” to Mae Hongson, close
to KNPP’s central camp in northern Thailand despite KNPP’s refusal to surrender
to the SPDC.
Mizzima has learnt that in 1996, over 20,000 villagers were forcibly
displaced by SPDC authorities from Loikaw, Demawso, Shadaw and Phuso Township in
Kayah State. Facing trouble at relocation sites, the displaced Karenni
villagers fled to border refugee camps in Thailand
The Karenni National Progressive Party has remained unwilling to join the
Federal Union of Future Burma, its final goal being the establishment of a free
Karenni Nation.
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