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BURMA RELATED NEWS - October
26, 2001.
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HEADLINES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFP - Security dominates ASEAN transport
talks
Asia Pulse - China, Thailand to Build Commercial
Centers
Reuters - Myanmar frees eight more political
prisoners
ABC online - Curfew
imposed in northwestern Burma
The Indianapolis Star - Translation
aid OKd for ill Burmese man
Bkk Post - Registration makes 1.7 billion
baht for government coffers
Bkk post - Anthrax fears lead to cattle
import ban
The Nation - Govt issues warning to
illegals
NSTP - Five foreigners ordered to enter defence in abduction,
robbery charges -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday October 26, 3:50 PM
Security dominates ASEAN transport talks KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (AFP) -
Security issues dominated a meeting of Southeast Asian transport ministers in
the wake of the terror attacks on the United States, an official said
Friday.
"They discussed a lot of issues, the main one being of increasing
security," a spokesman for Malaysia's transport ministry told AFP.
The meeting ended with the "unanimous" agreement of all delegates to boost
transportation security measures in the region, Malaysian Transport Minister
Ling Liong Sik said.
Earlier, in his opening speech, Ling said at no time in history had modern
transportation had been inflicted with "such a severe setback and blow as that
of the September 11 events.
"But I believe that out of the crisis, we would emerge stronger."
Ling said there was a need to step up security procedures to restore
confidence in flying among passengers, and also a need to rationalise airline
routes to cut costs.
The meeting, however, did not end with the expected signing of a memorandum
of understanding to liberalise air freight services in ASEAN as the ministers
were awaiting final approval from their respective governments, he said.
The ministers were scheduled to return home Friday after a round of
golf.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday October 26, 12:11 PM
China, Thailand to Build Commercial Centers KUNMING, Oct 26 Asia Pulse -
The Chamber of Commerce of Xishuangbanna, a well-known tourist resort in
southwest China's Yunnan Province, and the Chamber of Commerce of Chiang Mai of
Thailand each will build a commercial center to sell each other's native
products.
According to the agreement signed at the ongoing 4th Xishuangbanna
Border-Trade Fair, Xishuangbanna plans to construct a Southeast Asian
Merchandise City to exhibit special products from Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and
other nations in the area.
A Chinese Merchandise City, featuring goods made in China as well as some
southeast Asian nations, is scheduled to be established in Chiang Mai.
The ten-day trade fair, which closes October 28, is a key achievement
resulting from the Lancang-Mekong River sub-regional economic cooperation
campaign, aiming to push forward comprehensive cooperation among nations in the
region in communications, energy, telecommunications, environment, tourism,
human resources, trade development and investment sectors.
The 4,661-km Lancang-Mekong River, dubbed the "Danube of the East", runs
through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The 2,160-km
section in China is known as the Lancang River, which traverses southwest
China's Yunnan Province for more than 1,000 km.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday October 26, 10:15 PM
Myanmar frees eight more political prisoners YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's
military government freed eight more political prisoners on Friday, but the
country's pro-democracy opposition said the pace of releases was too slow.
Friday's move brings to 182 the number of prisoners released since the
government began landmark peace talks with the National League for Democracy
(NLD) last year.
"This afternoon eight NLD members were released from various correctional
facilities to build confidence (in talks with the NLD)," a government statement
said. "They are all in good health and are back with their respective families."
The NLD won Myanmar's last election in 1990 by a landslide but was never
allowed to govern. Its leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, has
been held in de facto house arrest for more than a year.
The military opened confidential talks with Suu Kyi last year, and has been
steadily releasing prisoners. The talks have not yet produced any agreement,
with diplomats saying they are still at the confidence-building stage.
NLD Secretary U Lwin said the government was not releasing enough
prisoners.
"At first, they released people once a week, then once a fortnight and now
once a month only," he told reporters.
He said many NLD members were still being detained, including Suu Kyi.
Amnesty International says there are more than 1,500 political prisoners in
Myanmar's jails. But the government disputes this, saying most of the prisoners
cited are in jail for criminal offences rather than political acts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australian Broadcasting Corporation
October 26, 2001.
Curfew imposed in northwestern Burma
A curfew has been imposed in a town in northwestern Burma after clashes
erupted between some Buddhist and Muslim residents last Sunday.
A local official says the curfew was established in Hinthada as a
precautionary measure to prevent further outbreaks of violence.
Hinthada is in the Irrawaddy River delta, 128 kilometres northwest of the
capital, Rangoon.
Travellers coming from the area say local police are on the alert but also
say the general situation is peaceful.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Indianapolis Star
Wednesday October 24 07:03 AM EDT
Translation aid OKd for ill Burmese man By Bruce C. Smith, Indianapolis Star Danville -- Hendricks County Commissioners have reversed their position and
agreed to pay for English translation services for a Burmese immigrant in
medical isolation in the county.
The change came after the commissioners said they had been misinformed
about the sick man's English-speaking skills.
Earlier this month, when the commissioners denied payment for
$4.50-a-minute translation charges, the news triggered a nationwide reaction and
offers of help from Burmese-speaking health nurses in California.
County officials said they also received calls from an attorney with the
Chicago office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (news - web
sites) threatening a loss of federal funds over a possible civil rights
violation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - October 26,
2001.
Registration makes 1.7 billion
baht for government coffers
Supamart Kasem and Penchan Charoensuthipan
The state earned more than 1.7 billion baht from the registration of
540,000 alien workers, which began last month and ended yesterday.
Permanent secretary for labour Irawat Chanprasert said the total was well
below the 700,000 registrations expected earlier.
Premsak Piayura, the House labour committee chairman, demanded the
government use the money transparently and for the benefit of local communities
which hired the immigrants. The government allows employers in 10 types of
industry to recruit alien workers, most of them Burmese, but they must register
them.
The fees are 3,250 baht for a six-month stay and 4,450 baht for one-year's
employment.
On Monday police begin searching factories and arresting unregistered
foreign workers, who will be deported.
Dr Premsak, who observed the registration in Tak with 15 committee members,
told local authorities he would ask the government to organise a workshop on the
problem of illegal alien labourers, who could pose threats to national security.
Local groups and employers should be given a say.
Deputy Labour Minister Ladawan Wongsriwong said the department was
considering heavier penalties for employers and foreign migrant workers who
break alien employment law.
Employers are liable to a maximum three-year jail term and/or a 60,000-baht
fine. Illegal workers face three months in jail and a 5,000-baht fine. Employers
sheltering illegal immigrants are liable to 10 years in jail and a 100,000-baht
fine.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - October 26,
2001.
Anthrax fears lead to cattle import ban
Cheewin Sattha
Cattle imports from Burma have been banned to prevent a possible outbreak
of anthrax, border sources said yesterday.
A one-month ban had been imposed amid fears that the cattle, mostly from
India, Pakistan and Nepal, might be infected during transit.
No official reports of anthrax infection had come to light.
Hundreds of cattle are imported from Burma via Ban Sao Hin in Mae Sariang,
Huay Ton Num in Khun Yuam and Huay Phueng in Muang district each day.
The cattle would be trucked to other northern provinces including Chiang
Mai and Lamphun.
Authorities in Lamphun, meanwhile, yesterday reported an outbreak of foot
and mouth disease in three tambons.
Some 1,300 cattle in tambon Si Bua Ban in Muang district were infected with
the disease which spread into tambon Pasak and tambon Makhuajae.
Measures were being stepped up to contain the disease, said Piyarat
Khongdaeng, acting livestock chief, with 17 cattle put in quarantine and 700
others vaccinated.
Farmers said the cattle could have contracted the disease from water
sources which were close to old dump sites.
Health officials yesterday dismissed reports of foot-and-mouth disease
infections spreading to people, saying four patients admitted to hospital were
being treated for non-life threatening skin diseases.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation
Govt issues warning to illegals
Narissa Sooksanan
Published on Oct 26, 2001
Migrant workers and employers were warned they face harsh punishment for
violating laws governing the use of foreign labour after the extended deadline
for the registration of alien workers passed yesterday.
Some 240,000 migrants were estimated to have failed to register during the
monthlong grace period, said permanent secretary for labour Irawat
Janprasert.
The Labour and Social Welfare Ministry had expected a total of 780,000
foreign workers to register but as of yesterday, only 540,000 had completed the
process.
Such workers typically take seasonal jobs such as farm hands on sugar cane
plantations. Those who fail to secure permission by registering with the
authorities are liable for a 10year jail sentence and a fine of up to Bt100,000,
officials said.
Employers who violate the law could face a three year jail sentence and a
Bt60,000 fine.
Deputy Labour Welfare and Protection director general Pornchai Yooprayong
said registered migrant workers would enjoy the same protection as Thai
workers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The New Straits Times Press - October
26, 2001.
Five foreigners ordered to enter
defence in abduction, robbery charges
3 Pakistani, 1 Myanmar, 1 Indian pleaded innocent to charges by Satwant Singh The Sessions Court today ordered five foreign nationals to enter their defence on charges of abducting a credit analyst and gang robbery. They are three Pakistanis - Sikandar Ali, 28, Muhammad Asghar, 26, Raja
Muhamad Ishhaq, 28 - Myanmar national Muhmad Amir, 25, and Jagjeet Singh, 24, an
Indian national.
"I am satisfied that the prosecution has proved a prima facie case on both
the charges," said Sessions judge Akhtar Tahir. "I order all the five to enter
their defence on both charges."
All five pleaded not guilty to abducting Chow Thim Kwong, 52, with intent
to secretly and wrongfully confine him at No 61-3-2, Jalan Selinsing, Taman Kok
Lian, between Jan 29 and Feb 4 last year.
They also claimed trial to a second charge of robbing Chow of his wallet
containing cash and several cards at the same place about 1am on Jan 30 last
year.
Akhtar fixed Dec 10, 11, and 12 for them to enter their defence. They told
the court that they would be giving sworn testimony.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Faizah Mohd Salleh prosecuted while lawyers S.S.
Dev and Anna Alagendra appeared for all the five accused.
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