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BURMA RELATED NEWS - January
24, 2002.
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HEADLINES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFP - UNDCP and eight Myanmar groups form
grassroots anti-drugs initiative
Asia Pulse - Un Environment Programme
Strengthens Ties With Asean
Reuters - SE Asia tourism ministers meet,
spotlight on image
Reuters - Security blanket over Delhi for India
national day
BBC - Concerns over Burma's nuclear
plans
Independent - Bangladesh - Call to introduce
direct air link with Myanmar
Xinhuanet - Myanmar Endeavors for IT
Development
SHAN - Druglord meets spy chief
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday January 24, 2:52 PM
UNDCP and eight Myanmar groups form grassroots anti-drugs initiative (AFP) - The United Nations Drug
Control Programme (UNDCP) and eight Myanmar non-government organisations have
agreed to form a consortium to fight drug abuse.
A memorandum of understanding on the "Civil Society Initiative" was signed
Wednesday at a ceremony witnessed by members of the eight groups, government
representatives and local financial institutions, officials said.
The eight NGOs include religious organizations who pledged to establish a
drug-free society in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar.
"Myanmar's civil society further reiterates its firm determination to
realizing the common goal of a drug-free society," they said in a
statement.
The consortium includes the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia, the
Border Areas Development Association, Myanmar Anti-Narcotic Association, the
Myanmar Council of Churches and the Young Men's Buddhist Association.
In a keynote address, UNDCP resident representative Jean-Luc Lemahieu said
the agency would act as the group's secretariat but it would have its own
decision-making executive board.
"UNDCP will (also) assist approaching potential donars such as the private
sector to engage actively in the civil society initiative," he said.
Lamahieu said Myanmar, which is considered to be the world's leading
producer of illicit drugs after Afghanistan lost the top spot, has been affected
by "serious and complex drug problems," he said.
"After five years in the second spot, the country has regained its title as
the largest producer of opiates in the world, representing almost 70 percent of
the world's production in 2001," he said.
Drug abuse is rampant in Myanmar and the spread of the HIV-AIDS epidemic
was closely linked to increase of injecting drug users, he added.
"Against this challenge stands the political and social complexity of this
country and the lack of human and financial resources which hinder the impact of
the drug control efforts undertaken by the government and cooperating agencies
such as UNDCP," he said.
Myanmar has said it aims to eliminate drugs within 15 years "with or
without the international community's assistance," but that assistance from
"friendly countries" and the United Nations would speed the process.
A 2001 report from the International Narcotics Control Board showed opium
production in Myanmar had fallen some 40 percent in the past decade.
But the 2000 ban on opium production in Afghanistan, laid down by the
now-defeated Taliban regime, made Myanmar the world's top drug producer last
year by default.
Lamahieu said that to fight drug abuse in Myanmar, it was vital to
"convince and engage" grassroots groups, parents, and children of the dangers of
narcotics.
The UNDCP last year launched the "Stars Against Drugs" initiative in
Myanmar, mobilizing the nation's singers, actors and sporting heroes to get
involved in the ongoing fight against illicit drugs.
A member of the NGO panel at the ceremony said that while the consortium
was a new concept with no previous models to follow, it could be very
effective.
"We are entering a new area with little experience and no role model to
follow but in principle it could be a very effective effort," he said.
"After all the role of the civil society which is too often neglected can
make a tremendous impact in addressing the drug issue."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday January 24, 1:07 PM
Un Environment Programme Strengthens Ties With Asean MANILA, Jan 24 Asia Pulse - The
United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP] has strengthened its commitment to
the South East Asia region with the signing Tuesday of a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
[ASEAN].
UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer said the social, economic and
political diversity and dynamism of South East Asia, and its abundance of
natural resources, created huge challenges and potential for environmental
management.
He congratulated ASEAN on the platform it had built for enhanced
environmental management in the region, through its ASEAN Vision 2020, the Hanoi
Plan of Action and the ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action on the Environment,
1999-2004.
Toepfer said UNEP was committed to working with the ASEAN and its 10 member
countries -- Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- to further strengthen and
implement these initiatives.
The MOU builds on the collaboration between the two organisations in the
areas of transboundary haze, environmental education, state of environment
assessment and reporting, and the development of environmental
legislation.
Toepfer said UNEP chose to focus its efforts at the sub-regional level
because of the shared cultural contexts, environmental concerns and
inter-governmental arrangements such as ASEAN.
ASEAN member countries are close to signing an Agreement on Transboundary
Haze Pollution -designed to prevent a repeat of the forest fires which plagued
the region in 1997-1998 -- following a series of negotiations facilitated by
UNEP last year.
The UN agency also supported the development of the ASEAN Environmental
Education Action Plan 2000-2005, and will implement an initial capacity building
project for community-based educators in Bangkok in May using the Chao Phraya
Magic Eyes Barge Programme.
Particular attention is also being given to the implementation of the
international conventions on hazardous chemicals and toxic waste management in
the region. An ASEAN-UNEP workshop in Kuala Lumpur on the new Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs) convention and others last September highlighted the need for
further targeted capacity building initiatives.
Toepfer said that an estimated 80,000 new chemical products had come onto
the market over the last half century with a trend towards shifting their
manufacture from industrialised to developing countries.
"There is concern that many of these chemicals have not been tested for
their full range of health and environmental effects, including their potential
to disrupt the hormonal systems of animals and human beings, particularly
vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant or breast feeding mothers," he
said.
"Experts have told us they are concerned that many poorer nations may not
have adequate safeguards or emergency response systems in place to deal with
chemical spills or accidents of the kind that occurred in Bopal, India, 15 years
ago," Toepfer added.
When environment ministers from around the world meet next month at UNEP's
Governing Council meeting in Cartegna, Colombia, he said he will recommend a
new, strategic, approach to the management of chemicals that mobilizes the
skills and financial resources of scientists, industry and governments.
The strategy aims to build bridges between the various chemicals agreements
and conventions to make the world's response to how chemicals are used more
effective and safety-conscious.
The MOU notes that ASEAN should establish a committee of Senior Officials
on the Environment with Working Groups on nature conservation and biodiversity,
coastal and marine environment and multilateral environmental agreements, and a
haze technical task force.
Under each working group the memorandum signals areas for enhanced
collaboration, addressing issues such as risk assessment and management of
genetically modified organisms (GMOs), illegal logging, eco-tourism, public
participation, river water quality, assessment of environmentally sound
technologies, and cleaner production for small and medium size
enterprises.
Earlier, Toepfer said the work of ASEAN was an example of the progress made
in tackling environmental issues since the Rio Earth Summit 10 years ago.
"But new and even more complex issues have emerged since Rio, particularly
the environmental impacts of international trade and the globilization of
markets, the hugely disparate consumption patterns of the rich and the poor,
massive industrialization and urbanization, particularly in this region, and
persistent and unacceptable levels of poverty - which has a critical
relationship with the environment," he said.
"We urgently need to overhaul the environmental machinery, make better and
more targeted use of our resources both human and financial and modernize the
way we all work to achieve a better, cleaner and healthier world, " Toepfer
added.
These issues will be top of the agenda when the world's environment
ministers meet at the seventh special session of the Governing Council of the
UNEP and third Global Ministerial Environment to be held on February 13-15 in
Cartagena, Colombia.
Toepfer said the importance of this meeting in Cartagena cannot be under
estimated as it comes at a critical time in the run up to the UN World Summit on
Sustainable Development (WSSD), which will be held on August in Johannesburg,
South Africa.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday January 24, 7:44 PM
INTERVIEW-SE Asia tourism ministers meet, spotlight on image By Dean Yates YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian tourism ministers met
in Indonesia on Thursday as the region's image as a travel destination comes
under scrutiny following the discovery of alleged Islamic terrorist networks.
Rodolfo Severino, secretary general of the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN), said the region was partly at the mercy of media coverage in
its efforts to attract tourists with little knowledge of the countries that make
up the grouping.
Following the recent arrests of Muslim militants in Malaysia, Singapore and
the Philippines along with fears about radicals in Indonesia, ministers at the
two-day meeting in the ancient royal capital of Yogyakarta in central Java are
likely to discuss the image question.
"It depends on how the media portrays it," Severino told Reuters when asked
before the meeting got underway on Thursday afternoon if recent events could
tarnish Southeast Asia's tourism image in places like the United States and
Europe.
"That's very critical because information like this for most people is
available only in the media and probably from travel agencies and airlines and
so on. So we're really almost at the mercy of these channels of communication,"
Severino said.
TOURISM VITAL
Tourism is vital for Southeast Asia, employing millions of people and
providing precious foreign exchange. Officials have stressed their view that the
region is safe for travel.
But foreign media coverage of possible Southeast Asian links to the al
Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden has gone into overdrive in the past few weeks,
guaranteeing a constant supply of headlines that might make some tourists go
elsewhere.
Severino said ministers would discuss progress on a current ASEAN tourism
promotional campaign. Figures on arrivals to the region were not immediately
available.
"I suppose they will address (the image issue) because there has been an
impact particularly as a result of September 11, and with people's reluctance to
fly and so on. But I think that this is a temporary phenomenon," he said,
referring to the attacks last year on the United States that killed some 3,000
people.
Washington has blamed bin Laden for those strikes and launched a war
against his network in response.
Singapore, long known as one of the world's safest tourist destinations,
recently arrested Muslim radicals suspected of plotting attacks on U.S.
interests in the island state.
Indonesia has not arrested any militants but its image took a hit following
protests and threats by radical Islamic groups that coincided with the early
U.S. bombing of Afghanistan last year.
There have been no confirmed attacks by militants on tourists in the
world's most populous Muslim country, but travel agents in Yogyakarta complain
the threats drove many away.
Yogyakarta is among Indonesia's top draws for foreign tourists after the
resort island of Bali, boasting sites such as the nearby Borobudur, the world's
largest Buddhist monument.
President Megawati Sukarnoputri will join the ministers on Friday to open a
travel trade fare that has brought together tourism outlets from across the
region along with buyers of tour packages from some 40 countries.
The 10-member ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday January 24, 7:11 PM
Security blanket over Delhi for India
national day
By Sanjeev Miglani NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Thousands
of police and paramilitary forces backed by anti-aircraft guns are taking up
positions across the Indian capital ahead of Saturday's Republic Day Parade that
officials fear could be targeted by militants.
Security officials said on Thursday New Delhi was on full alert after an
attack on the U.S. cultural centre in the eastern city of Calcutta on Tuesday in
which four people died.
"Quite simply, the threat is unprecedented and real," a top defence
ministry official involved in the arrangements said.
President K. R. Narayanan and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his
cabinet colleagues will watch the parade, held each January 26 to showcase the
country's military might, technological prowess and cultural diversity.
The anniversary of India's founding as a republic soon after independence
from Britain in 1947 has previously been marred by trouble in Himalayan Kashmir
and the remote northeast.
And after last month's attack on the heavily-guarded parliament building
overlooking the stately boulevard where the parade will be held, security forces
fear another attack on the capital of the world's second-most populous nation.
"Maximum force is being deployed in view of the threat perception after the
terrorist attack on parliament, and now in Calcutta," Mukesh Kumar Meena, police
deputy commissioner for the area where the parade will be held.
The airforce will watch the skies over New Delhi with radars and unmanned
surveillance planes during the 90-minute parade.
"We don't talk about it, but there will some element of aerial protection,
we have been doing that for some years now," an airforce officer told Reuters.
INDO-PAKISTAN TENSIONS
The parade, which ends at the Red Fort in Delhi's old quarter, has been
scaled back this year because most of the military has been deployed along the
border with Pakistan in a crisis sparked by the attack on parliament.
New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based guerrillas for that attack and is demanding
Islamabad end support for rebels fighting Indian rule in the disputed region of
Kashmir.
For the first time, there will be no marching army contingents and a solo
fighter plane will round off the ceremony instead of a full fly-past.
Sharpshooters from the elite National Security Guards will be posted on all
key government installations in the city. Meena said rail stations, hotels and
guesthouses were being monitored and citizens were being urged to report
anything suspicious.
Delhi police this month arrested four people linked with the now banned
Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba over an alleged plot to disrupt the Republic Day
ceremonies.
Security forces stepped up cordon and search operations and what are called
area domination patrols in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir,
particularly during the night.
An official said more forces have been deployed across the Muslim-majority
Himalayan region where tens of thousands of soldiers are struggling to quell a
nearly 12-year-old revolt.
Kashmir's leading separatist alliance, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference,
has called for a strike on Saturday and asked people to observe it as a "black
day".
Troops have also been rushed to the remote northeast, racked by dozens of
insurgencies for more than half a century. The area is home to more than 200
ethnic groups and encircled by China, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday January 24, 7:49 PM
Spotlight on image as SE Asia tourism
ministers meet
By Dean Yates YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters)
- Southeast Asian tourism ministers met in Indonesia on Thursday as the region's
image as a travel destination comes under scrutiny following the discovery of
alleged Islamic terrorist networks.
Rodolfo Severino, secretary general of the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN), said the region was partly at the mercy of media coverage in
its efforts to attract tourists with little knowledge of the countries that make
up the grouping.
Following the recent arrests of Muslim militants in Malaysia, Singapore and
the Philippines along with fears about radicals in Indonesia, ministers at the
two-day meeting in the ancient royal capital of Yogyakarta in central Java are
likely to discuss the image question.
"It depends on how the media portrays it," Severino told Reuters when asked
before the meeting got underway on Thursday afternoon if recent events could
tarnish Southeast Asia's tourism image in places like the United States and
Europe.
"That's very critical because information like this for most people is
available only in the media and probably from travel agencies and airlines and
so on. So we're really almost at the mercy of these channels of communication,"
Severino said.
TOURISM VITAL
Tourism is vital for Southeast Asia, employing millions of people and
providing precious foreign exchange. Officials have stressed their view that the
region is safe for travel.
But foreign media coverage of possible Southeast Asian links to the al
Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden has gone into overdrive in the past few weeks,
guaranteeing a constant supply of headlines that might make some tourists go
elsewhere.
Severino said ministers would discuss progress on a current ASEAN tourism
promotional campaign. Figures on arrivals to the region were not immediately
available.
"I suppose they will address (the image issue) because there has been an
impact particularly as a result of September 11, and with people's reluctance to
fly and so on. But I think that this is a temporary phenomenon," he said,
referring to the attacks last year on the United States that killed some 3,000
people.
Washington has blamed bin Laden for those strikes and launched a war
against his network in response.
Singapore, long known as one of the world's safest tourist destinations,
recently arrested Muslim radicals suspected of plotting attacks on U.S.
interests in the island state.
Indonesia has not arrested any militants but its image took a hit following
protests and threats by radical Islamic groups that coincided with the early
U.S. bombing of Afghanistan last year.
There have been no confirmed attacks by militants on tourists in the
world's most populous Muslim country, but travel agents in Yogyakarta complain
the threats drove many away.
Yogyakarta is among Indonesia's top draws for foreign tourists after the
resort island of Bali, boasting sites such as the nearby Borobudur, the world's
largest Buddhist monument.
President Megawati Sukarnoputri will join the ministers on Friday to open a
travel trade fare that has brought together tourism outlets from across the
region along with buyers of tour packages from some 40 countries.
The 10-member ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC - Thursday, 24 January, 2002,
07:11 GMT
Concerns over Burma's nuclear plans International concerns have been raised over Burma's decision to build a
nuclear reactor with help from Russia.
The United States, Europe and China say Burma is not adhering to advice
from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on setting up a regulatory
framework to ensure the safety of the nuclear plant.
The European Commission said without the intervention of a independent
regulatory body, operational and maintenance standards might not be sufficient
to prevent radioactive leaks.
The country's military government says the reactor is needed to produce
Isotopes for the medical industry.
A BBC science correspondent says Burma's partner, Russia, does not itself
have a good safety record, with three of its reactors having been shut down
because of malfunctions in the past week alone.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Independent-Bangladesh - January 24,
2002.
Call to introduce direct air link with
Myanmar
Bangladeshi business leaders said direct air link between Dhaka and Yangon
and improving shipping facility would reduce trade gap between the two
countries, which in favour of Myanmar, reports BSS.
The opinion was expressed when Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh U Ohn Thwin
called on President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Matiur
Rahman yesterday at his office. He exchanged views with the members of the DCCI
Board of Directors.
Welcoming the ambassador, the DCCI President said that the trade relation
between the two countries have been declining in spite of having good
opportunities for further development.
"Business sides from both the sides should come forward to increase the
border trade and business," he said.
The ambassador also expressed the hope that the relation between the two
friendly countries would further be strengthened in the days to come. He also
underscored the need for reaching more consensus of understanding through
concerted efforts to achieve the huge growth of national economy for both the
countries.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roundup: Myanmar Endeavors for IT
Development
Xinhuanet 2002-01-24 10:21:58
ã??ã??YANGON, January 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Myanmar has been endeavoring for the development of information and communications technology, aimed at adapting to economic globalization and demand of the information technology (IT) era so as to narrow the gap between Myanmar and other countries in the IT aspects and to enhance the development of Myanmar's IT industry. ã??ã??The Myanmar government is giving encouragement and incentive toinvestment
in the field, especially in education and human resources development for the
IT.
ã??ã??In order to create a favorable environment to facilitate cooperation with
other countries, the government synchronized its IT principles and codes,
enacted necessary laws and standardized criteria.
ã??ã??The government encourages the private sector's participation not only
with the legal enforcement but also with the supporting for institutional
development, organizing various seminars and workshops on IT development in
collaboration with domestic and international private sector institutions.
ã??ã??So far, Myanmar has made some progress in the IT development. The
state-run Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) is providing data services
in the country's two major cities of Yangon and Mandalay with a packet switching
system.
ã??ã??The MPT said that there are over 2,500 E-mail users in the country and it
is preparing to introduce fiber optics long distance systems for high bandwidth
requirement in the near future. The country is also speeding up digitization of
auto-telephone switches.
ã??ã??Meanwhile, the Myanmar Education Ministry has been setting up multi-media
class rooms in schools and universities with 20 computer colleges so far
established across the country and has also successfully introduced nationwide
electronic data broadcasting via satellite.
ã??ã??A fact that deserves mention is that Myanmar's first ever Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) Park, built at an estimated cost of some 10
million U.S. dollars, was inaugurated inthe capital of Yangon on January 21 this
year, signifying the country's entry into a new era of IT development.
ã??ã??The park provides modern communication facilities to local and foreign IT
companies for software production.
ã??ã??E-commerce, e-learning and other IT-related works can be implemented by
the work programs and services of ICT park and e-government will come true.
ã??ã??This park can simultaneously accommodate 32 companies and it has now been
occupied by 24 Myanmar IT ones and two Japan-Myanmar e-learning centers
ã??ã??In addition, a teleport and internet data center was established near the
ICT park by the Bagan Cybertech, a semi-government organization, providing the
park with high speed data communication broadband internet access and telephony
voice services.
ã??ã??In cooperation with fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN), Myanmar joined in signing the ASEAN Framework Agreement at the
4th ASEAN Informal Summit in November 2000 and an e-national task force has been
formed to implement the framework in an effort to provide access to the
country's 52-million population having a tele-density of 0.53 per 100 people.
ã??ã??Meanwhile, Myanmar has been selected to promote 8 of 40 e-ASEAN pilot
projects including e-tourism.
ã??ã??On the crucial role of the IT, the country believes that IT offers the
cost effective and far better efficient business transaction in accelerating
economic growth, promoting development,eliminating poverty and promoting the
economic integration into the global market.
ã??ã??But Myanmar warned that IT revolution also poses challenges andrisks as
it breaks down information barriers and country borders while it opens all
societies to the fierce global competition, challenging the developing countries
to build technological capacity and exploit the opportunities offered by the IT
revolution. It is also possible that certain types of crime are made easier.
ã??ã??The country also stressed the need for eliminating the widening
disparities between the developed and developing countries, while the rich are
moving into the better quality services of IT.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shan Heral Agency for News
21 January 2002 Druglord meets spy chief Fugitive drug-lord Wei Hsiaokang had an audience with Burma's No. 3 citizen
on the eve of the 10-day trade fair held in the city of Tachilek, opposite
Chiangrai, reported S.H.A.N. reporter Moengzay today (18 February).
The meeting was held at the Military Operations Command post near the Tachilek airport, 12 km north of the city on 17 January evening, said an informed source. Details of the meeting however were not disclosed. According to the source, Gen Khin Nyunt crossed the Friendship Bridge between the two countries today at 08:45 to receive "Elder brother" Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh in Maesai and went to the Golden Triangle Resort together. Both generals officially opened the joint trade fair at 10:30. The ceremony lasted an hour. "It was at that time when people at the gathering noticed the blue Prado Land Crusier of Wei Hsiaokang with the SW number plate leaving Tachilek in the direction of Monghsat," said the source. Wei is reported to enjoy a close relationship with Gen Khin Nyunt, he added. Update: Gen Khin Nyunt visited Poongpakhem in Mongton township, Monghsat District, today (19 January). It is near Hwe Aw, where Wei's younger brother Hsiaoying lives. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |