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Burma Related News - February 15,
2002.
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Headlines
----------------------------------------------------------------------- The Daily Star - Myanmar envoy calls on Shahjahan Siraj
Bernama - Fall Of Singapore
Remembered
AP - Watchdog: Conditions harsh for Myanmar
journalists
AFP- EU trade chief urges ASEAN to look beyond
tariff reduction
AFP - Thai police
round up 100 illegal immigrants in Little India raid
Asia Pulse - Pakistani Trade Delegation to Visit
China, Myanmar
BBC - Timeline: Burma - A chronology of key
events
VOA News - Authorities Raid Two Heroin
Refineries in Burma
Xinhuanet - Myanmar Enacts Maritime University
Law
NSTP - 50 fishermen junkies/dope dealers nabbed
over the past year
BMA News - CPJ RELEASES SPECIAL REPORT ON
BURMESE JOURNALISM UNDER MILITARY RULE
Narinjara news - TRADERS IN MYANMAR NOT ALLOWED TO BUY PADDY WITH MYANMAR
CURRENCY
SHAN - Khun Sa cronies released by
US
SHAN - Border briefs ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The Daily Star
Fri. February 15, 2002
Myanmar envoy calls on Shahjahan
Siraj
BSS, Dhaka
Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh U Ohn Thwin yesterday called on Minister
for Forest and Environment Shahajahan Siraj at his office in the city.
During the meeting, they discussed matters relating to environment and
forest, especially environmental problems of Bangladesh including polythene and
black smoke emitted from motorised vehicles.
They also discussed about the existing refugee problems between the two countries and hoped that it would be solved through high-level talks. The Myanmar envoy also expressed his country's keen interest in expanding
bilateral trade and commerce, and laid emphasis on strengthening the existing
friendly relations between the two neighbours.
Referring to the air pollution, the ambassador apprised the minister that
Myanmar government has banned two-stroke engine vehicles in urban areas of the
country.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Malaysian National News
Agency
February 15 , 2002 11:26AM Fall Of Singapore Remembered By Wan A.Hulaimi LONDON, Feb 15 (Bernama) -- Lt Gen Sir Arthur Percival's memory of the fall
of Singapore was one of bitterness, and he rarely mentioned a word about his
role in the surrender until his death, his son Brig James Percival recalled
during a get-together of Far Eastern prisoners of war at the Imperial War Museum
here.
Brig (Rtd) Percival, who followed the footsteps of his father when he
served in the Cheshire Regiment during the Emergency in the 1950s, said that a
lot had been said and written about Lt Gen Percival and the surrender of the
"impregnable" fortress Singapore, but at the end of the day it had to be remembered that he had to do so to prevent the loss of many more civilian lives on the island. It was not true that guns on the island were pointing in the wrong
direction when the Japanese, coming down from the north of the peninsula,
attacked by land.
"Those guns were meant for attacks by sea," he said.
About 100 former prisoners of war in the Far East, a diminishing band
referred to in this post-wartime camaraderie as Fepows, gathered at the Imperial
War Museum on Feb 7 to mark the 60th anniversary of Singapore's fall to the
Japanese on Feb 15, 1942.
There were old veterans clutching to walking sticks, chest bedecked with
medals from various theatres of war, former child prisoners in Singapore who are
now touching their late 60s with good humour, and civilian Fepows still clinging
to paintings of wartime memories, and on-the-spot recollections that reminded
them of the bitterness of war.
Not all feelings were bitter though. Robert Brook, of mixed parentage,
spoke of how hard he and his fellow child inmates in Changi were forced to
attend lessons.
"We were treated better than most. We were given sterilised milk," he said.
Others remembered their harsh treatment in the hands of their Japanese
captors. An old soldier wept openly when asked about his experience in Changi,
the infamous detention camp of Syonan-to, as Singapore was known during the
Japanese occupation.
It is generally acknowledged, however, that the campaign conducted by the
Japanese from Kota Baharu downwards to Singapore was a brilliant one. Their
numerically inferior force swept through Malaya and captured Singapore in just
70 days.
Lt Gen Percival bore this shame when he surrendered the island fortress on
Feb 15, and with it some 123,000 British, Australian, Indian and Malayan troops
under his command.
British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill called this "the greatest
disaster in our history". It was "a grievous and shameful blow to British
prestige," he said.
For the thousands of men and women who were left behind, it was a life of
unimagined hardship. The detainess on the island lived under appalling
conditions and some were subjected to severe torture.
Many were taken to Burma to work on the notorious "Death Railway", which
took the toll of one life for every 28 yards of track.
The story of this "Death Railway" has been told many times, not least in
the film "Bridge On The River Kwai" with its haunting march, "Colonel Bogey".
Recently, it was told again in a brilliant award-winning book by Eric
Lomax, called simply the "Railway Men".
Eric Lomax was at this reunion too.
The story of Lomax was one of hate which was finally overcome by compassion
and then reconciliation.
Lomax, a signals officer in Singapore in 1941, was among the prisoners
taken when Singapore fell.
They were taken to Burma where he and his colleagues assembled a secret
radio and also drew a map of the railway that the Japanese were building with
their "help".
The Japanese discovered their secret, and took them for spies, and he and
his fellow detainees were badly tortured.
In 1985, Lomax received a letter from a former army chaplain telling him
that he was being sought by one Nagase Takashi, an interpreter during his
interrogation. Takashi, the former chaplain said, was working on reconciliation
and repentance.
Lomax scoffed at this idea of Japanese repentance as absurd.
Then, in 1989, he came across a book written by Takashi about the incident
of the discovery of the radio and what followed. Lomax's second wife, Patti,
wrote to Takashi these words:
"My husband has lived all these years with the after-effects of the cruel
experience he suffered, and I hope that contact between you could be a healing
experience for both of you. How can you feel "forgiven", Mr Nagase, if this
particular former Far Eastern prisoner of war has not yet forgiven you?"
Patti received a beautiful letter from Takashi in reply, and this led to
the ultimate meeting between the Lomaxes and Takashi at the River Kwai Bridge in
1990 that began with the now famous greeting by Lomax in Japanese: "Good Morning
Mr Nagase. How are you?"
Many at the meeting at the Imperial War Museum also spoke of forgiveness,
and how they could not blame the entire Japanese population for their bad
experience.
As Eric Lomax himself has said: "Sometime the hating has to stop."--
BERNAMA
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Watchdog: Conditions harsh for
Myanmar journalists
Fri Feb 15,12:12 AM ET By MATTHEW PENNINGTON, Associated Press Writer BANGKOK, Thailand - Journalists in Myanmar work under abysmal conditions
and are prohibited from writing about issues such as AIDS, corruption and the
situation of students, an international press watchdog reported Friday.
"The restrictions imposed by the ruling military junta make reporting on
even the most mundane topics a risky business," said the New York-based
Committee to Protect Journalists in a report received by news organizations in
Bangkok.
By the end of 2001, 12 journalists were imprisoned for their work and all
journalists labor under a harsh regime of censorship, licensing and threats, it
said. One was freed this week during a visit to Myanmar by a U.N. human rights
investigator, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro.
"I found journalists dedicated to uncovering information and ideas," said
Lin Neumann, the author of the report and who visited the military state. "The
tragedy is that so little of what they know finds its way into print."
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been ruled by its military since 1962. In
1990, the junta overturned its defeat in general elections by the democratic
opposition led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
In addition to direct censorship, the government allows no public Internet
access, controls all news and owns the electronic media. Unauthorized ownership
of a fax machine is punishable by up to 15 years in jail.
The report cites an unidentified editor of a weekly magazine as saying that
the government censorship board forbids writing about the country's AIDS
epidemic, corruption, education or the situation of students, who have
historically been at the forefront of the democracy movement.
The editor also said the magazine cannot write "any bad news" and must be
careful about its coverage of political issues.
The committee welcomed the release this week of former magazine editor Myo
Myint Nyein, who had served more than 11 years of a 14-year prison term for
writing a satirical poem about the military and a letter protesting prison
conditions to the United Nations.
He was freed along with four other opposition activists during an ongoing
visit by Pinheiro, the U.N. investigator.
"CPJ is extremely pleased that Myo Myint Nyein is finally free," said the
committee's executive director Ann Cooper.
"But he should never have been arrested in the first place and 11 of his
colleagues remain in jail for doing their professional duty as journalists," she
was quoted as saying.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday February 15, 4:16 PM
EU trade chief urges ASEAN to look beyond tariff reduction SINGAPORE, Feb 15 (AFP) -
Southeast Asia must move beyond reducing tariffs to aligning investment rules
with global standards if it is to compete for foreign investments, European
Union (EU) Trade Commisioner Pascal Lamy said Friday.
Lamy said greater competition from China after its entry into the World
Trade Organisation (WTO) should spur the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) to open up its markets further.
China has been getting the lion's share of foreign direct investments into
Asia at the expense of the 10-nation ASEAN as investors take advantage of the
regional giant's potential market of more than one billion people.
But Lamy, in an interview with AFP, said ASEAN nations could grab a greater
piece of the action.
"The solution is that ASEAN as an economic zone becomes more relevant and
more attractive, which means that integrating this region economy-wise and
trade-wise is probably even more relevant with China in WTO," he said.
ASEAN, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, offers a market of more than
500 million people.
"My personal view is that it (China's entry to the WTO) will increase
pressure for trade integration and for investment regimes which are more
welcoming than they are at present.
"If EU investors have a feeling that they can invest here, that there is no
barrier to investments and that there is a potential market... they will come.
No doubt about that," he said.
Lamy, however, stressed that integration went beyond just reducing
tariffs.
Under the ASEAN Free Trade Area scheme, six of ASEAN's wealthier members
have cut tariffs on most goods traded within the region to between zero and five
percent. Newer members Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam have until 2005 to
follow suit.
"Tariffs are fine. But trade integration and economic integration in
today's world is about more than tariffs," said Lamy, who was in Singapore to
deliver a lecture on Asia-Europe relations.
"It's about rules, it's about investment regimes, it's about transport
agreements, it's about technical standards... it's about phytosanitary
standards.
"It's no use having no tariffs, or having them reduced, if you don't have
the same sanitary or phytosanitary rules. So there is a lot to do in this field
also," said Lamy, who also mentioned standardised customs procedures.
Sanitary and phytosanitary standards cover measures to make sure that
consumers are being supplied with food that is safe to eat.
Lamy's remarks echoed a speech by Singapore Trade Minister George Yeo in
Jakarta on January 31. Yeo had said ASEAN must hasten economic integration if it
wants to compete with China.
While countries in the grouping have taken steps to tear down non-tariff
barriers, "much remains to be done", Yeo said.
Lamy said China itself will take some time to comply with its WTO
commitments to open up its markets.
"We are very positive on that and we are helping them... to upgrade their
own rules and systems," he said.
On regional and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs), Lamy said these do
not contradict WTO's multilateral system.
Singapore has signed FTAs with New Zealand and Japan and is negotiating one
with the US and several other countries. There have also been proposals for an
ASEAN free trade accord with China -- a potential combined market of 1.7 billion
people.
"The fact that on top of the WTO common floor other floors are built is not
a problem," Lamy said, adding however that such agreements must be consistent
with the WTO.
In his lecture, Lamy said Singapore has also proposed an FTA with the
EU.
"We are now examining this and we will certainly be sounding out EU
business to provide us with their views," he said.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday February 15, 6:40 PM
Thai police round up 100 illegal
immigrants in Little India raid
BANGKOK, Feb 15 (AFP) - Thai
immigration police said Friday they had rounded up some 100 illegal immigrants
from South Asian nations in a pre-dawn raid on Bangkok's Little India.
Police raided a five-storey dormitory in the Pahurat area of the capital's
old quarter, arresting nationals from Nepal, India, Pakistan and a number of
Middle-East countries, they said.
Police said they found three Pakistanis working under fake work permits,
registered as Myanmar nationals.
Thailand is a busy transit point for illegal immigrants heading to South
Korea, Malaysia and other countries, police said. Many of them enter Thailand on
tourist visas.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday February 15, 7:49 AM
Pakistani Trade Delegation to Visit China, Myanmar KARACHI, Feb 15 Asia Pulse - A
strong Pakistani trade delegation would be visiting China in March for boosting
trade and economic ties between the two friendly countries, official sources
said in Karachi on Feb 13.
Talking to reporters, the sources said that the delegation would also visit
Myanmar and explore the possibilities of boosting trade relations between the
two countries. The government has reserved a special quota for women
entrepreneurs, new exporters and small and medium entrepreneurs etc, the sources
added.
The selection of members of the trade delegation will be made on merit and
the financial status (export performance during the last three years duly
verified by the bank), quality of product and business achievements.
Interested exporters have been advised to apply by Feb 25. Efforts are also
being made to finalise another trade delegation for Vietnam and the Philippines
as well. According to plans, the delegation would visit these countries sometime
in April this year. Interested exporters are to contact the Export Promotion
Bureau latest by Feb 28, the sources added.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC - Wednesday, 13 February, 2002,
17:01 GMT
Timeline: Burma A chronology of key events 1057 - King Anawrahta founds the first unified Burmese state at Pagan and
adopts Theravada Buddhism.
1287 - Mongols under Kublai Khan conquer Pagan.
1531 - Toungoo dynasty, with Portuguese help, reunites Burma.
1755 - Alaungpaya founds the Konbaung dynasty with Rangoon as its capital.
Anglo-Burmese wars
1824-26 - First Anglo-Burmese war ends with the Treaty of Yandabo,
according to which Burma ceded the Arakan coastal strip, between Chittagong and
Cape Negrais, to British India.
1852 - Britain annexes lower Burma, including Rangoon, following the second
Anglo-Burmese war.
1885-86 - Britain captures Mandalay after a brief battle; Burma becomes a
province of British India.
1937 - Britain separates Burma from India and makes it a crown colony.
Japanese occupation
1942 - Japan invades and occupies Burma with some help from the
Japanese-trained Burma Independence Army, which later transforms itself into the
Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League (AFPFL) and resists Japanese rule.
1945 - Britain liberates Burma from Japanese occupation with help from the
AFPFL, led by Aung San.
1947 - Aung San and six members of his interim government assassinated by
political opponents led by U Saw, a nationalist rival of Aung San's. U Nu,
foreign minister in Ba Maw's government, which ruled Burma during the Japanese
occupation, asked to head the AFPFL and the government.
Independence
1948 - Burma becomes independent with U Nu as prime minister.
Mid-1950s - U Nu, together with Indian Prime Minister Nehru, Indonesian
President Sukarno, Yugoslav President Tito and Egyptian President Nasser
co-found the Movement of Non-Aligned States.
1958-60 - Caretaker government, led by army Chief of Staff General Ne Win,
formed following a split in the ruling AFPFL party.
1960 - U Nu's party faction wins decisive victory in elections, but his
promotion of Buddhism as the state religion and his tolerance of separatism
angers the military.
One-party, military-led state
1962 - U Nu's faction ousted in military coup led by Gen Ne Win, who
abolishes the federal system and inaugurates "the Burmese Way to Socialism"-
nationalising the economy, forming a single-party state with the Socialist
Programme Party as the sole political party, and banning independent newspapers.
1974 - New constitution comes into effect, transferring power from the
armed forces to a People's Assembly headed by Ne Win and other former military
leaders; body of former United Nations secretary-general U Thant returned to
Burma for burial.
1975 - Opposition National Democratic Front formed by regionally-based
minority groups, who mounted guerrilla insurgencies.
1981 - Ne Win relinquishes the presidency to San Yu, a retired general, but
continues as chairman of the ruling Socialist Programme Party.
1982 - Law designating people of non-indigenous background as "associate
citizens" in effect bars such people from public office.
Riots and repression
1987 - Currency devaluation wipes out many people's savings and triggers
anti-government riots.
1988 - Thousands of people are killed in anti-government riots. The State
Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) is formed.
1989 - Slorc declares martial law, arrests thousands of people, including
advocates of democracy and human rights, renames Burma Myanmar, with the
capital, Rangoon, becoming Yangon.
Thwarted elections
1990 - Opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) wins landslide
victory in general election, but the result is ignored by the military; NLD
leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of Aung San, is put under house arrest.
1991 - Aung San Suu Kyi awarded Nobel Peace Prize for her commitment to
peaceful change.
1992 - Than Shwe replaces Saw Maung as Slorc chairman, prime minister and
defence minister. Several political prisoners freed in bid to improve Burma's
international image.
1996 - Aung San Suu Kyi attends first NLD congress since her release; Slorc
arrests more than 200 delegates on their way to party congress.
1997 - Burma admitted to Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean);
Slorc renamed State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
1998 - Three hundred NLD members released from prison, but ruling council
refuses to comply with NLD deadline for convening of parliament, ignores
pro-democracy roadside protests by Aung San Suu Kyi and breaks up student
demonstrations.
1999 - Aung San Suu Kyi rejects ruling council conditions to visit her
British husband, Michael Aris, who dies of cancer in UK.
2000 September - Ruling council lifts restrictions limiting the movements
of Aung San Suu Kyi and senior members of the NLD.
2000 December - Amnesty International reports that torture is increasing in
Burma despite official military statements that it is illegal.
2001 January - Ruling council releases 84 NLD activists. In the course of
the year around 200 are released.
2001 February - Burmese army and Shan rebels clash on Thai border; Burmese
authorities agree to abandon the construction of a controversial dam on the Naf
river between the two countries.
2001 June - Government frees several pro-democracy activists, saying the
releases reflect progress in landmark talks with opposition NLD leader Aung San
Suu Kyi. Several opposition party offices are allowed to reopen.
2001 June - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra makes a two-day visit to
Burma and hails it as a success, saying relations between the two countries are
now back on track. His aim is to patch up disagreements over drugs and
smouldering border tensions.
2001 August - Government frees senior NLD leaders U Aung Shwe and U Tin Oo,
but Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest.
2001 September - Intelligence chief Khin Nyunt, No 3 in the ruling council,
visits Thailand. Burma pledges to eliminate drugs trade in the Golden Triangle
by 2005. Thailand commits funds to finance crop substitution programme. Khin
Nyunt says Burma and Thailand are good neighbours again.
2001 November - Official press hails capture of a white elephant,
traditionally seen as a portent of peace and prosperity.
2001 November - Governing military council sacks two top generals and
orders five other ministers to retire.
2001 November - International Labour Organisation sends mission to
investigate government measures to end forced labour. Mission reports some
progress but expresses "profound concern" that government measures have had
limited impact.
2001 November - Chinese President Jiang Zemin pays visit, the first by a
Chinese head of state since the army took power in 1988. Jiang issues statement
supporting government but reportedly urges more economic reform.
2001 December - Thailand shuts down camp housing Burmese dissidents.
Activists with links to the camp had been associated with hostage incidents in
1999 and 2000.
2002 January - Burma announces plans for a nuclear research facility, with
Russia to supply the reactor and train the staff.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Authorities Raid Two Heroin
Refineries in Burma
VOA News 15 Feb 2002 12:07 UTC Authorities in Burma raided two heroin refineries in the north of the
country last month and seized 42 kilograms of heroin and 383 kilograms of raw
opium.
Burma is one of the world's biggest opium producers.
The country is on a U.S. black-list of countries deemed not to be doing
enough to combat narcotics production, but Burmese officials say they are doing
what they can to suppress narcotics with limited resources.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Myanmar Enacts Maritime University
Law
Xinhuanet 2002-02-15 12:18:58 YANGON, February 15 (Xinhuanet)
-- The Myanmar State Peace and Development Council has enacted a Maritime
University Law under which a university is to be established along with,
according to the official newspaper The New Light of Myanmar Friday.
The law, promulgated on Thursday, states that the Ministry of
Transport may set up degree colleges, colleges, institutes and schools
affiliated to the university with the approval of the government.
The aims of the university are to contribute towards modernization and
development of the state by maritime industry, to nurture the ethical, skillful
and reputable maritime experts and to know and comply with the provisions and
standards prescribed by the International Maritime Organization.
A University Council shall also be formed under the Ministry of Transport
to lay down educational policies and guidances of the university among
others.
Meanwhile, the Maritime University, which is the first ever in Myanmar is
due to open in August this year along with an Aerospace Engineering University,
also the first one in the country.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- The New Straits Times Press
Friday, 15 February 2002 KANGAR 50 fishermen junkies/dope dealers nabbed over the past year by Alina Simon Fifty fishermen suspected of drug addiction were among 267 people detained
by Marine Police during operations at Perlis' northen coast from January last
year until now.
State police chief Datuk Radzali Shah Lason said the addicts were arrested
with three other Thai fishermen, also suspected addicts, under the Dangerous
Drugs Act. Also confiscated were 22 straws of heroin.
"Based on the number of drugs found on them, they are users and not
pushers," he told Press conference after launching the Ops Wawasan 2/2002 on
board a police patrol boat off the coast of Kuala Perlis near here today. The
operation which began on feb 6 will end on Feb 28.
The others detained include 33 arrested under the Police Act 1970, 18 under
the Marine Act, 31 under the Immigration Act, one under the Customs Act and 27
for other offences.
Radzali said the operation had also nabbed 89 illegal immigrants from Thai,
Indonesia, Myanmar and Nepal.
Under the Ops Wawasan, he said 14 aliens mostly Thais were caught for
trying to enter the country illegally.
"We will step up checks on the local and foreign boats and vessels to
monitor on smuggling of firearms, humans, drugs, food and clothes," he
said.
"This is also in line with the recent Government directive to check on the
flow of illegal immigrants into the country."
Radzali said the exercise involving 23 patrol boats and 75 personnel will
cover the coastal waters of Langkawi, Batu Putih in Perlis, Tanjung Dawai in
Kuala Muda Kedah.
Police are using a two-layered approach with large boats like Class PX and
PZ patrolling the deep waters while the smallers ones like Class PC, PGR, PAC
and the latest acquisition, the hornet speed boats, monitor coastal areas.
The exercise will also be made from the air with the help of a Cessna
Caravan 208 from the Police Air Wing in Sungai Besi.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- The Burma Media Association
CPJ RELEASES SPECIAL REPORT ON BURMESE JOURNALISM UNDER MILITARY RULE New York, February 14, 2002---Facing strict government regulations,
capricious censors, and corrupt bureaucrats, journalists in Burma persevere
against odds unheard of in almost any other country, according to a CPJ special
report, "Under Pressure: How Burmese journalism survives in one of the world's
most repressive regimes."
The report was released as United Nations envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro
visited Burma to investigate the country's deplorable human rights record.One
journalist, Myo Myint Nyein, was among a small group of political prisoners
released on February 13 to coincide with Pinheiro's visit, but press conditions
in Burma remain abysmal.
"Journalists took enormous risks just to meet with me," said the author of
the report, A. Lin Neumann, CPJ's Asia consultant. "I went to Rangoon expecting
to find few reporters and editors eager to practice their craft at all. Instead,
I found journalists dedicated to uncovering information and ideas. The tragedy
is that so little of what they know finds it way into print."
While 12 journalists were imprisoned for their work at the end of
2001,according to the report, every journalist in Burma labors under a harsh
regime of censorship, licensing, and threats. The restrictions imposed by the
ruling military junta make reporting on even the most mundane topics a risky
business. Magazines can easily be closed and reporters imprisoned or driven into
exile-frequent occurrences since military dictatorship was imposed in Burma in
1962.
"The censorship board has told us we must not write about AIDS,
corruption,education, or the situation of students," said an editor of a monthly
magazine cited in the report. "We also cannot write about any bad news and we
must be careful about everything political. That does not leave very much for us
to publish."
In addition to direct censorship, the government allows no public Internet
access, controls all news, and owns the electronic media. Burma's journalists
are reduced to working the margins, trying to put meaning between the lines of
what they write, and waiting for better days.
"This report shows that journalists try to do their jobs even under the
most severe repression," said CPJ executive director Ann Cooper. "It really is a
remarkable story that demonstrates the strength of people's desire for
information and free _expression_."
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Narinjara news
TRADERS IN MYANMAR NOT ALLOWED TO
BUY PADDY WITH MYANMAR CURRENCY
Maungdaw, February 02 : Myanmar stepped up its sale of paddy to
Bangladesh through the border for earning foreign currency in recent months, our
correspondent writes from Maungdaw.
The military junta of Myanmar is selling paddy to the traders who want to export it to Bangladesh legally in exchange of hard cash in US dollar, and not in Myanmar kyat, the official currency. The paddy of one tonne of paddy stands at US $ 61 [the paddy of one tinn (32 kg) of paddy is US $ 1.95] when bought by enlisted traders from the Myoma paddy depot at Kanyin-chhaung, one and half mile north of Maungdaw on the eastern bank of the Naf river. Every trader who wants to export paddy to Bangladesh is required to make
an advance deposit of 10 percent money of the
paddy of the paddy to be exported in US dollars to the military regime's
coffer. Each trader has to pay the amount before each transaction is
completed. Only the Myanmarese traders who have contacts with the paddy
traders from Bangladesh and who have good relations with the military authority
can carry out the business, transporting and exporting the paddy to Teknaf and
Hnila on the Bangladesh side of the Naf river.
Paddy stored by the state authority is brought to the centre in large motor
boats from such destinations as far as Bathein (Pathein) of Ayeyawaddy division,
and Sittwe, Taungup, Kyaukpyu, and Thandwe from Rakhine State.
The military regime gives a paddy of US $ 12.50 for one tonne of paddy to
the paddy growers, while it sells the same at US $ 61 to the
enlisted exporters from its sales depot at Maungdaw.
One month ago the paddy of one tonne of paddy in Kyauktaw and its
neighbouring areas within Rakhine state was kyat 15,000 while now the paddy
stands at about kyat 30,000 (US $ 40). At present the unofficial
exchange rate of the US $ in Rakhine State is kyat 750, which has a tendency to
steadily increase as days go on.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Shan Herald Agency for News
No: 02 - 14: 14 February 2002
Khun Sa cronies released by
US
Most of Khun Sa associates who were arrested during the joint Thai-American
operation code-named Tiger Trap in 1994 have done their time in the United
States and are already back home, according to a former inmate.
Among the 11 "key associates", only 4 remain in US prison. They are Ho Ming
Teh a.k.a. Chatchai Pattarawiboon, 9 years; Yang Seuhua a.k.a. Chalee Yang
wiriyakul, 9 years; Liu Fengteh a.k.a. Siewsing Sae-sia, 9 years and Kuo
Shangping a.k.a. Thawee Apiradeethonsarn, 11 years.
"We were given 3 options by the Americans," he said, "one, you can fight it
out in court; two, you can confess and three, we can cooperate. Of course, our
parents bred no fools, so we all chose the third option. As result, most of us
were sentenced to 7-year imprisonment on conspiracy charges."
Most of them did not serve the full term because of their "good conduct"
and the routine 54-day per year deduction, he added. They were Na Hsai-kuei
a.k.a. Chukiat Nimitpakpoom, Kuo Famong a.k.a. Asafa Sanlee, Chao Fusheng a.k.a.
Somboon Khamdaeng, Chang Yuenlong a.k.a. Khamzuen, Lo Teh-ming a.k.a. Somwang
Oonman, Chang Tehchai and Arhee a.k.a. Wu Hsengshi a.k.a. Meechai
Pathummanee.
"Only one among us was sent back to Burma," he said. "That's Chang
Yuenlong, formerly an assistant to Liang Chungying a.k.a. Col Liang Zuen who
died last year."
He said he also met Li Yuenchung who jumped bail and fled to Burma in 1997
only to be extradited back. "He is serving a 9-year imprisonment," he replied
when asked about Li.
Others reputed to be close to Khun Sa but arrested separately were Li
Jiajeng, 5 years (released); Lin Jinpang, 5 years (released); Liu Weiming a.k.a.
Zao Zuenja (still in prison) and Lao Tai a.k.a. Yang Wangsuan.
Meanwhile, Khun Sa's health is improving thanks to Lo Hsinghan, who became
"King of Opium" prior to Khun Sa. Lo had provided herbal treatment for Khun Sa's
ailment, a massive stroke that almost paralyzed him totally. Khun Sa however had
not accepted more favors other than that. "He said he was happy enough at Ye Kyi
Aing (north of Rangoon) under close attention of the Military Intelligence,
although he missed Homong (his former headquarters opposite Maehongson) a
lot."
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Shan Herald Agency for
News
No: 02 - 15:
14 February 2002
Border briefs Sunday killings committed by Wa A source close to the United Wa State Army disclosed on Wednesday, 13
February, that the attack in, Marklang, near Doilang, opposite Mae Ai District
of Chiangmai on Sunday, 10 February, was staged by the Wa.
He said this was admitted by a Wa officer although the reason for the
killings was not given except that the Wa would continue to struggle against the
Burmese (military).
One reason, said a border watcher, was the abrupt recall of Wei Hsaitang, a
popular commander from Mongyawn, to Panghsang, the UWSA headquarters.
Burma army snoopers nabbed by Thai army
4 Burmese soldiers in civilian garb were caught in Thai territory on
Monday, 11 February. They were taken in at a place between the village of
Nawngtao and Border Pass-2 (BP-2) in Fang District, Chiangmai province.
"At first they denied they were soldiers," said the source, "but later
admitted they had been detailed to find out information on Thai and Shan
movements."
The 4 were Sgt. Saw Aung, privates Kyaw Htun, Zaw Zaw and Maung Maung from
Pakhee outpost, the scene of fierce fighting last April and May. The base is
manned by Lt. Nay Oo Hlaing of Company 4, LIB 328 (Mongkhark).
Kachin leader of Wa passes away
Zau Mai, who was one of the Kachin rebel leaders that revolted against
Rangoon in 1949, passed away in Panghsang on 31 January, according to Thai
sources.
Zau Mai, together with Naw Seng, the top leader, took refuge in China after
the rebellion was crushed. They returned to Burma in 1968 with the Communist
Party of Burma's People's Army. Naw Seng was killed during a
"hunting accident", but Zau Mai stuck it out with the CPB until 1989 when the Wa mutiny led to its collapse. Zau Mai was serving as a Vice Chairman of the Wa "Government" at the time
of his death.
Wei Hsuehkang is reported to be one of the Wa seniors tipped to succeed
him. Some thought he might be able to smooth out relations with Rangoon, being a
"close friend" of Gen. Khin Nyunt.
Correction:
Last day's report says Brig Gen Chit Than, commander of the Triangle
Region, had attended the border meeting in Tachilek. As Bangkok Post today
points out, Lt-Col Htoo Aung, Commander, LIB 526, appeared in his stead.
...........
No: 02 - 16: 14 February 2002
Refuge seekers slain
A Burmese soldier has admitted that 6 Shans from Mongkerng southern Shan
State, including 2 women and 4-month old girl were robbed and shot near the
border between Shan State and Chiangmai province, Sarmlaw reports.
The 6 unknown victims were originally from Wansarng village, Hamngai Tract.
According to visitors at the weekly 3-day market at Arunothai (Nawng-ook)
village, Chiangdao district, they were among thousands of villagers who
were forcibly moved into the town of Mongkerng, 118 miles northeast of Taunggyi, in 1997 during the height of the 4-cuts campaign against Shan State Army "South" of Col Yawdserk. "They had arrived at the Burmese outpost manned by Company 2 from IB 281
just across the border on 29 January," according to a source, whose report
concurred with those from two others. Soon after their arrival, they converted
their banknotes in Burmese currency into Thai banknotes at a local money-changer
which was seen by some Burmese soldiers.
The next morning they hired a Burmese private to guide them across the
border at B. 600 per person rate. Later in the evening, the soldier told
villagers the 6 of them had run into a group of soldiers from the same company
who lined them up, searched their belongings and shot them down in cold blood.
"They were only about 30 yards away from the boundary line, their safety, when
they were killed," the guide was reported to have said.
Among the loot was 2.5 baht of gold (1 baht of gold fetches B. 6,400) and
30-old British coins. Captain Nyein Aung Kyaw, commander of the company, later
told his troops as the six were working for the SSA the killings were
justified.
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