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BURMA RELATED NEWS - October
22, 2001.
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HEADLINES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reuters - ASEAN said to meet on terrorism and
U.S. strikes
Reuters - Brother
could get Suu Kyi's home - Myanmar court
BBC - Suu Kyi could lose family
home
Independent Bangladesh - Myanmar envoy called to Foreign
Ministry
Dawn - Myanmar orders curfews after religious
clashes
The Star - PFS led the way even before World War
II
Bkk Post - Ministers
keen on terror summit
Bkk Post - Refugees in
limbo
Bkk Post - Army to
focus on border villages
Reuters - ASEAN gas grid takes small steps
towards reality
Mizzima - ULFA consolidates base in Burma:
Surrendered militants
Mizzima - PERSPECTIVE: Don't let our
extraordinary cause become ordinary
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday October 22, 3:48 PM
ASEAN said to meet on terrorism and U.S. strikes By Nopporn Wong-Anan BANGKOK (Reuters) - Under
mounting pressure from their Muslim citizens, foreign ministers from Southeast
Asia will meet soon to discuss terrorism and the U.S.-led air-strikes against
Afghanistan, Thai officials said on Monday.
Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said all 10 foreign ministers
from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) had agreed at last
week's Asia-Pacific summit in Shanghai to hold an informal meeting on the
subject.
Instead of air-strikes and military intervention in Afghanistan, Surakiart
said ASEAN wanted to find "alternative ways" to fight terrorism.
Asked for details of the ASEAN meeting, Thai officials did not say exactly
when the meeting would be held but said it would be "soon" and hinted it could
be in November.
"ASEAN is in a position to provide an alternative to the world since we
consist of Muslim, Christian and Buddhist countries," Surakiart told reporters
before attending a weekly cabinet meeting.
"We should be discussing how we would bring terrorists in different
countries to be tried... They should be on trial at an impartial court which
provides a free and fair trial," he said.
Surakiart, who proposed the meeting, has said that although ASEAN supports
the fight against terrorism, that stance was taken before the U.S. and British
air strikes on Afghanistan on October 7.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Leaders of ASEAN countries, three of whom are Muslim, have been facing
growing internal pressure over their support for a United Nations resolution on
fighting terrorism.
Violent protests against the United States and Britain have erupted in some
Asian cities, most notably in Indonesia, since the U.S.-led attacks on
Afghanistan's ruling Taliban began two weeks ago for harbouring bin Laden.
NATIONWIDE PRAY
In Buddhist Thailand, some 30,000 Muslims held a mass prayer meeting and
protest on Sunday calling for global peace and a boycott of goods and services
from the United States and other countries supporting the attacks on
Afghanistan.
The Council of Muslim Organisations of Thailand, which organised the
boycott, wants the United Nations to take action to resolve the situation
peacefully.
Thailand's southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla and
Satun are home to most of Thailand's roughly six million Muslims.
Predominantly Muslim Indonesia and Malaysia warned the United States on
Sunday of explosive consequences in the Islamic world if U.S.-led military
strikes in Afghanistan stretched into the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Wirajuda told a news conference at the
sidelines of APEC meeting on Sunday: "Emotionally it would be, I think,
explosive if military actions are still being done in Afghanistan" during
Ramadan.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad also said in Shanghai opposition
could grow in his country as Ramadan approached. But he also said Washington's
use of special forces in the campaign was an "improvement" over air strikes.
Both countries expressed concern about civilian casualties, and Mahathir
said opposition to the strikes by Muslims would grow stronger during the Muslim
fasting month beginning in the middle of November.
Surakiart said on Monday the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting would help
seek other measures, not just using military force, to fight terrorism.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brother could get Suu Kyi's home - Myanmar
court
YANGON, Reuters, Oct. 22 - A
Myanmar court ruled on Monday that the brother of opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi had the theoretical right to inherit a house the Nobel Peace laureate has
lived in for more than a decade. Judge U So Thein threw out an application by
Suu Kyi to dismiss a claim by her brother for a share of the property, which is
worth between $1 million and $2 million according to estate agents. The judge
adjourned the hearing until November 2.
Aung San Oo, an estranged elder brother living in the United States and
holding a U.S. passport, has fought a protracted legal battle for the house, in
which Suu Kyi has been held under de facto house arrest for the last year.
Suu Kyi has directed her struggle for democracy from the property since she
returned to Myanmar in the late 1980s.
The residence and compound were left by Daw Khin Kyi, widow of Myanmar
independence hero General Aung San and mother of Aung San Oo and Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won Myanmar's last democratic
elections in 1990 by a landslide but has never been allowed to govern.
Instead the military, which has run Myanmar for most of the last 40 years,
has locked up and harassed the NLD's leaders and closed many of its
offices.
Suu Kyi has spent several lengthy periods under house arrest at the Yangon
property, which occupies a large plot at the side of Inya Lake at the heart of
the Myanmar capital's elite residential area.
Suu Kyi's father, Aung San, was assassinated in 1947 when the country was
on the threshold of independence from Britain.
Some diplomats have said the timing of the court case has been convenient
for the military government.
The case has put extra pressure on Suu Kyi at a time when she is taking
part in secretive talks with the ruling generals over the future shape of the
country.
But the government insists the issue is purely family affair and says it
will not intervene.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC - Monday, 22 October, 2001, 14:44
GMT 15:44 UK
Suu Kyi could lose family home A court in Burma has ruled that the estranged brother of the opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi has the theoretical right to inherit the family home in
Rangoon.
The court threw out an application by the opposition leader to dismiss a
claim for a share of the property by her brother, Aung San Oo.
He lives in the United States and had a previous petition to secure a half
share in the family property dismissed by a Burmese court in January.
The lakeside property is said to be worth $2m.
Aung San Suu Kyi has lived there since she returned to Burma 13 years ago.
Much of the time she's been under house arrest.
Correspondents say the case - which has been adjourned until 2 November -
has put extra pressure on Ms Suu Kyi at a time when she is taking part in secret
talks with the ruling military government
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Independent Bangladesh
October 22, 2001
Myanmar envoy called to Foreign
Ministry
Myanmar Ambassador U Ohn Thwin was called to the Foreign Ministry yesterday
to clarify a rejoinder made by his country implicating Bangladesh while
rejecting a claim of Osama Bin Laden about operation of Jihad forces in Burma
(Myanmar), reports UNB.
Bin Laden was quoted to have said in a press interview that strong Jihad
forces were present in all parts of the world from Indonesia to Algeria, from
Kabul to Chechnya, from Bosnia to Sudan and from Burma (Mynmar) to
Kashmir."
The comments were reportedly made in an exclusive interview by Bin Laden to
Pakistani newspaper Ummat and reproduced by the BBC monitoring service on
September 29.
Myanmar reportedly expressed surprise that it was even mentioned as one of
the countries where "Islamic fundamentalists" exist in operation.
Analysts and diplomats in Myanmar reportedly came to the conclusion that
Bin Laden was referring to a band of armed terrorists known as the Arakan
Rohingya Islamic Front (ARIF) which had been allegedly operating out of the
eastern border territory of erstwhile East Pakistan that is now Bangladesh since
1948.
The objective of this organisation is to carve out an independent Rohingya
State on the western borders of Myanmar adjacent to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs made it categorically clear that
"the government of Bangladesh has rejected outright terrorism of any kind or
manifestation."
"It does not support or harbour anyway whatsoever any form of terrorism and
indeed is committed to rooting out terrorism of any kind.''
This position has been repeatedly made clear to Bangladesh's both
neighbours -- India and Myanmar.
Foreign Minister Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury reiterated it to a group of EU
Ambassadors that had called on him on October 18.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dawn
Myanmar orders curfews after religious clashes YANGON, Oct 21: Myanmar's military government has imposed curfews in
several northern towns following clashes between Muslims, Buddhists and state
riot police in recent weeks, a government official said on Sunday.
Long-standing tension between some members of the Muslim and Buddhist
communities intensified on October 8 after a local religious dispute in
Myanmar's Bago district touched off conflicts in neighbouring towns.
Officials say a clash ensued between Muslims and Buddhist monks in Prome,
also known as Pyay, over a rumour that a Buddhist woman who eloped with a Muslim
man had been forced to convert to Islam.
Myanmar riot police intervened as Buddhist monks reportedly tried to
ransack a Muslim-owned pharmacy, the spokesman said, adding that no one was hurt
in the melee.
"In Pyay on October 8 and 9 there was a quarrel between religions due to
some rumours fabricated by unsavoury elements to deliberately create
misunderstanding between religions," the spokesman said in a statement.
"The local authorities together with leaders of both religions in Bago
swiftly worked together to bring the situation back to normal and a
precautionary curfew has been imposed."
The historically volatile towns are home to devout Buddhists and Muslims
alike.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Star
Monday, October 22, 2001
PFS led the way even before World War II The state carved a name for itself as a centre of educational excellence
even before the Second World War, said Yang Di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman
Abbas yesterday.
He said this fame had attracted students comprising both children and
adults from as far as Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia to pursue their studies in
Penang.
“The state then boasted several notable institutions such as the Penang
Free School (PFS), Chung Ling High School and BM (Bukit Mertajam) High School,’’
he said at PFS’s speech day.
He said apart from producing famous political figures, Penang Free School
had also nurtured successful sportsmen as well.
Abdul Rahman also urged the school to continue to generate students who
were able to understand and live in a multi-cultural society.
Present were his consort, Toh Puan Majimor Shariff, state Education
Committee chairman Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon who was representing Chief Minister Tan
Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, school board of directors chairman Datuk Syed Mohd Aidid
Syed Murtaza and principal Arabi Sulaiman.
Dr Toh, an ex-student of PFS, said: “This school has all the right
ingredients of a great school. For example, it has great teachers, fine
facilities and good students.”
He said the school had not only produced a former Prime Minister, several
ministers and deputy ministers, but had also laid the foundation for an
education system which allowed its students to challenge and debate issues.
Arabi said: “For this year, the school aims to achieve a record of 100%
passes in all three major public examinations.”
He also said with a selection of 50 clubs, societies, and uniformed bodies
in the PFS, students had the chance to develop their talents, leadership
abilities and other personal developments to their fullest potential.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - October 22,
2001.
Ministers keen on terror summit
KL, Jakarta warm to Surakiart proposal
Anuraj Manibhandu
Malaysia and Indonesia have supported Thailand's proposal for Asean foreign
ministers to hold an informal meeting on international terrorism, Foreign
Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said yesterday.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar wondered why Mr Surakiart had
not already organised it and his Indonesian counterpart, Hassan Wirayuti, also
supported the idea.
Mr Surakiart said such a meeting could take place either in late October or
after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan ends.
Most other Association of Southeast Asian Nation countries also backed the
plan, the minister said, after he personally lobbied foreign ministers on the
sidelines of Apec meetings.
Brunei, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam are other Apec members. He
said Burma, which is not a member of Apec, was among the earliest respondents.
Cambodia and Laos are also not Apec members.
Singapore remains the sole Asean partner still wavering on the issue,
probably because of the island state's upcoming parliamentary elections. Asean
was the only regional group not to have convened on the issue, he said.
The Organisation of Islamic Conference, the Gulf states, the North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation, and the Organisation of American States had.
Asean should meet on the issue to show its ``relevance'' and diversity _
Thailand was a leading Buddhist country, Indonesia was the world's biggest
Muslim country and the Philippines was predominantly a Catholic country.
Asean should work on the definition of terrorism and propose options for
taking legal action against perpetrators. An impartial tribunal for dealing with
terrorism would put the world at ease, he said.
Mr Surakiart discussed the terrorism issue during a bilateral meeting with
the Malaysian foreign minister, who was anxious to clear up what he called
``misunderstandings'' over Kuala Lumpur's position.
Malaysia regards terrorism as an ``attack on all of us'', he quoted Mr Syed
Hamid as saying. But Malaysia wants a long-term solution that is not limited to
the use of force, he said. Malaysia stressed the need to define terrorism and
distinguish it from fighting for freedom.
Mr Surakiart also raised the question of Malaysia compensating Thailand for
delaying liberalisation of the auto industry under Asean Free Trade Area.
He asked Malaysia to submit a compensatory adjustment list and details of
its extension plan.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - October 22,
2001.
Refugees in limbo
Subin Khuenkaew
About 300,000 Shan who claimed to have been evicted from Burma and fled to
Thailand between 1996-1998 will not be given refugee status.
National Security Council chief Kachadpai Buruspat said the call for
refugee status and for Thailand to set up a refugee camp for them was
``unacceptable''.
The authorities investigated their plight and found the majority had fled
for economic reasons, he said.
``All agencies concerned provided similar information that they came to
Thailand to look for jobs and to avoid hardships at home,'' he said.
Shan leaders called on the government to give them refugee status and to
build a refugee holding centre for them.
Mr Kachadpai said it was impossible for the government to build a refugee
shelter because Thailand was not ready to be responsible for these people.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - October 22,
2001.
Army to focus on border villages
Troops to improve the livelihood of community residents
Subin Khuenkaew
The Third Army is poised to begin deploying troops to 150 villages along
the border with Burma, in a stepped-up campaign against cross-border drug
trafficking.
Lt-Gen Udomchai Angkasingha, the Third Army chief, said the military had
been successful in using the same tactic in the past to counter communist
infiltration, and was confident the same thing could be done to stamp out drug
traffickers.
Each of the affected villages is located about 50km from the border.
Lt-Gen Udomchai said soldiers would help villagers develop their
communities in the areas of transportation, education and health.
The operation is expected to help improve the livelihood of the villagers
and turn them to the government's side.
Lt-Gen Udomchai said the presence of the soldiers would be limited to 150
villages and in nearby towns or urban communities.
Combat units would continue patrolling the border to prevent smugglers from
crossing into Thailand with drugs.
Lt-Gen Udomchai said drug trafficking along the border was likely to
continue despite intelligence reports that some drug factories had been
relocated elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is considering proposing
extra combat pay for military personnel assigned to conduct drug suppression
operations along the border.
The proposal would soon be forwarded to the cabinet for approval on the
grounds that a large number of soldiers were killed or wounded in drug
suppression operations.
Soldiers operating along the border also have to face dangers from
money-laundering operators and border intrusions.
Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has also ordered army chief Gen Surayud Chulanont
to prepare battalions with combat readiness for emergency operations.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASEAN gas grid takes small steps
towards reality
Monday October 22, 4:19 AM EDT By Cameron Dueck SINGAPORE, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian states are slowly putting
together the pieces of a $6 billion gas pipeline network that will harness the
region's rich reserves and alleviate dependence on imported oil.
The Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline plan, linking supply to demand centres in
Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand,
was first proposed in 1996 with a $15 billion price tag.
Five years on, the plan has been downsized and proposed investment slashed
by more than half. ASEAN states are due to sign a memorandum of understanding
for the proposal in July 2002.
Analysts and industry officials say regional demand, driven by gas-fired
power generation, should be strong enough to create many of the smaller spurs
and links by 2007. But political and economic issues could delay completion for
decades.
"The main idea for the grid is to supply gas to power plants within the
region," said Guillermo Balce, executive director of the ASEAN Centre for Energy
(ACE) in Jakarta.
"The bigger links will take some time to develop, towards 2010 or even
later. Especially because the key to the major links is East Natuna," Balce told
Reuters.
The Asia-Pacific region contains 10.33 trillion cubic metres of proven gas
reserves, or just under seven percent of the world total, according to the 2001
issue of the BP Statistical Review.
Malaysia and Indonesia hold the largest single reserves at 2.31 and 2.05
tcm respectively, making up about 42 percent of the regional total.
"Southeast Asia is a self-contained market for supplies and consumption of
gas. It is a region where there is not one major gas supply field. Each market
has its adjacent supply," said Gavin Thompson, Asia Pacific energy consultant
with Wood Mackenzie in Edinburgh.
POTENTIAL LINKS
Initial Trans-ASEAN pipeline plans five years ago were greeted with
scepticism as more of a politically-led drive rather than a sound economic and
commercial plan.
But single pipelines have sprouted up as gas markets have developed, laying
the framework for a region-wide gas grid to grow organically.
"It's a bottom up, commercially driven de facto gas grid, not a top-down
built up gas grid," said Wood Mackenzie's Thompson.
Under the new plan, seven pipeline projects are slated for commissioning
between 2002 and 2016 with Indonesia's Natuna gas fields in the South China Sea
playing a central role.
Major links would include a line from East Natuna to Erawan, Thailand via
the Joint Development Area (JDA) in the Gulf of Thailand and a pipeline from
East Natuna to Kerteh, Malaysia via the West Natuna field.
West Natuna also will be connected to Malaysia via a pipeline to the
offshore Duyong gas facility. The JDA is slated to link to Vietnam's Block B gas
field in the Gulf of Thailand.
The longest development would be a 1,540-kilometre pipeline from East
Natuna to the main island in the Philippines, Luzon, via Sabah in East Malaysia
and the Malampaya field off the Philippine island of Palawan.
Malaysia and Indonesia would also be linked by a short line from Duri,
South Sumatra to the Malaysian town Melacca, and also by one from Pauh, Malaysia
to Arun, Indonesia.
The Trans-ASEAN plan will ensure uniform pipeline standards to make
linkages easier. Although independent projects, lines planned from South Sumatra
to Singapore and to Malaysia will both play into the general grid concept.
EAST NATUNA A HIGH COST KEY
East Natuna, the largest gas field in Southeast Asia with estimated gas
reserves of 46 trillion cubic feet (1), is key to the future of the Trans-ASEAN
grid.
Industry sources said, however, it could be another decade at least before
the field is developed and goes into production.
East Natuna reserves include a high content of carbon dioxide, which has to
be pumped back into the ground after separation, making gas recovery
expensive.
"There is a lot of methane (gas), but in order to bring it up you have to
bring up even more carbon dioxide,," Balce said.
He said regional state energy companies, such as Malaysia's Petronas
[PETR.UL] and Indonesia's Pertamina, also will play a major role in turning the
Trans-ASEAN plan into a reality.
"Some private firms own gas reserves and production operations but national
oil companies own most of the pipelines," Balce said.
"The biggest stakeholder is Petronas. Practically all the spur lines and
major lines either run through Malaysia or very close by."
He added that Malaysia's central geographic position in the grid would make
it the most likely location for a trading hub if a regional spot market
developed in the long term.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ULFA consolidates base in Burma:
Surrendered militants
By Our Correspondent Mizzima News Guwahati, Oct. 22: Thirteen militants belonging to the United Liberation
Front of Assom (ULFA) led by self-styled Captain Sahadev Rabha alias Laldenga
surrendered at an Army Base Camp near the Indo-Bhutan Border today. They
deposited a huge caché of arms and ammunition, brought from their hideouts.
Talking to Mizzima correspondent immediately after their surrender, the
militants alleged that they had returned to the political mainstream, expressing
disappointment with a leadership that is alienated from the common people. ”ULFA
has started loosing its base due to wrong policies of the leardership; moreover
it is being directed by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan”, the
surrendered militants smugly stated.
Sahadev who masterminded several bomb blasts and extortion cases vowed to
start a normal life. He further said that ULFA is now gradually consolidating
its base in Burma (Myanmar) in association with the National Socialist Council
of Nagaland-Khaplan (NSCN-K) faction and the Kachin Independent Army (KIA). ”We
had close links with the militant groups of Bangladesh who often provide arms
and ammunition”, he added. Sahadev having been trained in Burma, he was
providing services to the ULFA for a period of 10 years in different capacities.
The ULFA was constituted in 1979 in Sibasagar, Assam State, towards the aim
of a sovereign country attained by armed revolution. Since then it has been
operating from different hideouts, causing major trouble to security forces
engaged in combating terrorism. In view of the spurt in activities of the
militant group, the Government of India engaged in army operations to contain
the militants, as a result of which about 1,000 members have surrendered so far.
In order to scale down the activities of the ULFA, the Indian government has
already initiated talks with the Royal Government of Bhutan in bid to a peaceful
solution a the perennial problem.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mizzima
PERSPECTIVE: Don't let our extraordinary
cause become ordinary
By Minn Gyee October 22, 2001 At present, as you are all aware, the hottest news for all of us is the
“Fight Against Terrorism”. After the September 11th terrorist attacks in
the US, nobody can avoid thinking about international terrorism. But the
war against terrorism is going to be a long one. Nobody can deny
this. At this point in time, every nation and every country is involved in
it. Of course, Burma’s military regime is involved, too.
Every country, every ruler, every dictator, and every leader is trying to
be on the winning side. How about our Burmese Democracy Movement? We need
to take advantage of this situation. But how?
We need to take account of the real situation of our enemy's position (the
military junta’s) and of ours, the Burmese Democracy Movement’s. But I
worry a bit that we have already lost focus on our cause (to some extent!).
Our older generation has faced enormous hardships and difficulties before
they won freedom or independence for our country. During the Second World
War, our independence movement led by our beloved national hero, General Aung
San, father of our leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, encountered a difficulty similar
to the one we face today. The well-known slogan at that time was: “the
difficulty for the English Government is the best chance for the Burmese
Independence Movement”. Our grandfathers, fathers, grandmothers and
mothers transformed the bad situation into a win-win situation skillfully.
For this reason we won independence from Britain in 1948.
Now we are fighting for the second Independence of our unfortunate Burmese
and Non-Burmese people. This time we are facing a new enemy, a corrupted,
cunning and well organized military gang. This gang has been committing all
kinds of atrocities and crimes since 1962. It has proved much harder to topple
this illegitimate government, the military junta, in comparison with a foreign
government, the British government. The present military junta has been telling
lies incessantly since 1962 and has pretended to stand for true
nationalism. The military junta monopolizes the news and media in order to
cover up their lies. Our beloved and innocent soldiers and ordinary people are
brain-washed and misguided by the military's false information and by SPDC
propaganda.
Now the SPDC is opening the second battle front. This time the military
junta is trying very hard to use the same propaganda as that used inside Burma.
It has been using paid lobbyists. It can afford to hire foreigners as well as
corrupted Burmese nationals to distribute SPDC propaganda and lies. The military
regime has been trying to convince international organizations like the ILO, the
European Community, the United Nations and the international community by using
its lobbyists.
What do we know about the National Reconciliation Talks in Rangoon?
Just look at the results: 174 (out of an estimated 2000) political
prisoners have been released. This is only a small proportion of the
estimated 2000 prisoners inside Burma's ill-famed prisons. The numbers
released were relatively insignificant. On top of that, 140 out of these
174 are NLD supporters rounded up during Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's attempted trip
to Mandalay last year. Most of them had not even been officially charged
with any crime. So their unconditional release is rather
meaningless. It is true that the regime has also allowed some offices of
the NLD re-open (only in Rangoon, though). These offices remain under
close surveillance by agents of the dreaded Military Intelligence Service
(MIS). With respect to prisoners, the regime may use its favourite method
of “release and rearrest”. Just imagine how long will it take to get the
permission from the Burmese Military Junta to open all NLD offices. How
long will it take to get the freedom for all political prisoners?
The military regime in Rangoon has been practicing cunning tricks to gain
maximum political advantage by choosing the timing of releasing a limited number
of political prisoners to coincide with those dates when it knows the world will
be watching. The military junta released U Tin Oo and U Aung Shwe just in
time for the fifth visit to Rangoon by United Nations special envoy to Burma,
H.E. Mr.Razali Ismail. In other words, these processes seem far more
significant to foreigners than they do to ordinary Burmese. To make the
ongoing “Reconciliation Talks” realistic and meaningful, stronger pressure
from the international community is needed. The military junta will never
ever hand over political power to a democratically elected government
represented by NLD voluntarily.
We must convince the international community to put stronger pressure on
the military junta in order to comply with the wishes of 50 millions Burmese
people.
It is naive to expect that we can get a democratic government through
“Reconciliation Talks” in Rangoon at no price. Don't wait for the outcome
of "Reconciliation Talks” in Rangoon - the waiting time will last forever.
The SPDC is getting most benefit out of the situation. The military junta
is building its own power base while “Reconciliation Talks” are dragging
on. It is buying time. The longer the duration of the talks, the
stronger will be the grip on power of the military junta. Please read the
following carefully:
The world is full of willing people. Some willing to work and the rest
willing to let them.
We need participation from all of you including all patriotic Burmese
activists and all Burmese and Non-Burmese people, professionals, politicians,
retirees, ordinary workers and refugees (NO ONE EXCEPTED please!!!). We
can shape the world we long for only by our own action. Nothing can be
done without the people’s participation. We have no other way of achieving our
goal. This is the pay-back time for all of us. Our extraordinary cause is
“to win a second independence from a corrupted, cunning, merciless, and well
organized military gang”. Don't let our extraordinary cause become ordinary.
With this, I would like to say:
Long live our fearless, and beloved student leader MIN KO NAING (who turned
thirty-nine on 18th October) who has been in prison since 23 March 1989.
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