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BURMA RELATED NEWS - April 29,
2002.
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HEADLINES
----------------------------------------------------------------- Reuters - Freak storm kills five in Thai refugee
camp
Dow Jones - Iris To Aid In Myanmar E-Visa
Project
Dow Jones - INTERVIEW:Unocal Plans To Invest
Heavily In Asia Pacific
AP - Myanmar Cites Progress From
Mediation
AP - China Man Sentenced for Opium Scam
BBC - Burma talks 'make progress'
The Star - 4WDs stolen in Malaysia, sent to
border town and sold in Myanmar
The Nation - BORDER
TENSIONS: Battles with Wa militia continue
Bkk Post - Rangoon
pledges to stop Wa drug gangs
Bkk Post - Editorial - Rangoon stymies bilateral
talks
NSTP - Razali doing Malaysia proud in
Myanmar
----------------------------------------------------------------- Monday April 29, 1:06 PM
Freak storm kills five in Thai refugee camp BAAN MAELAH, Thailand (Reuters) - A freak tropical storm has killed five people at Thailand's largest refugee camp, which shelters around 40,000 people near the Myanmar border, Thai officials said on Monday. The storm, which broke late on Sunday, damaged about 300 bamboo shelters as
it tore through the camp some 540 km (338 miles) north of Bangkok, camp
officials said.
The camp houses mainly Karen people who have fled repression in Myanmar and
fighting between Myanmar government troops and ethnic rebels over the past
decade.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Monday April 29, 12:49 PM
Iris To Aid In Myanmar E-Visa Project MALAYSIA (Dow
Jones)--Soon-to-be-listed Iris Corp. expected to participate in
Myanmar's electronic visa project according to weekly Myanmar Times. Project
discussed between Myanmar's e-national task force and Malaysia's Multimedia
Development Corp. according to report. Report quotes Iris Corp. Assistant
General Manager Lee Wai Sum as saying Malaysia and Myanmar would begin working
on technical specifications in May for the 5,000 e-passports to be issued in
Myanmar. Sources say Iris, which specializes in smart card technology, due for
listing in June '02.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Monday April 29, 3:32 PM
INTERVIEW:Unocal Plans To Invest Heavily In Asia Pacific By Supunnabul Suwannakij Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES BANGKOK (Dow Jones)--Unocal
Corp. (UCL), the U.S.-based energy giant, plans to commit substantial funds over
the next decade to develop its oil and gas business in the Asia Pacific region
with Thailand and Indonesia as its prime locations.
"Unocal continues to invest heavily in the Asia region with a focus on
(natural) gas business as there is lots of room for investment opportunities,"
Chuck Williamson, chairman and chief executive officer of Unocal Corp., told Dow
Jones Newswires in a recent interview.
"We see positive signs of economic recovery in the region and we want to
grow along with it," he added.
Unocal has set total capital expenditures for 2002 for its oil and gas
business at around US$1.6 billion, with about half of that amount to be
allocated to the Asia Pacific region, said Williamson.
Some $400 million will be invested in Thailand and another 300 will go to
Indonesia to expand local oil and gas businesses, he said.
In Thailand alone, the company plans to invest $4.3 billion over the next
decade on top of an existing investment of $6 billion so far.
The Asia Pacific region plays a significant role in Unocal's oil and gas
business contributing more than half of the company's total gas resources
In 2001, Unocal's worldwide net daily production of crude oil and
condensate stood at 170,000 barrels, while natural gas production amounted to
two billion cubic feet. Its net income last year amounted to $615 million.
"The company's earnings this year are expected to improve following rising
oil prices and new development projects," said Williamson.
Revenue from Thailand last year amounted to $700 million.
Unocal's oil and gas exploration fields in Asia are located in Thailand,
Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh and China.
Unocal hasn't participated much in the Asian power business, but it is
determined to penetrate this area as well, said Williamson.
Unocal's regional investment in power generation business is largely
concentrated in Thailand. The company holds a 24% stake in Independent Power
(Thailand), which supplies 700 megawatts a day to the state-run Electricity
Generating Authority of Thailand.
Moreover Unocal and Electricity Generating PCL (H.EGA) , Egco Joint
Ventures & Development Ltd., jointly hold a 30% stake in two power plants in
Thailand's eastern seaboard area with a combined daily generating capacity of
277 MWs.
Unocal operates two power plants in Indonesia with a combined capacity of
440 MWs a day and another two power projects in the Philippines with a total
daily capacity of 756 MWs.
"We're looking at the (natural) gas market as our primary investment in
Asia. We also watch the market's movement closely in the power business for
investment opportunities," said Williamson.
To Develop New Oil And Gas Fields In Thailand
In Thailand, the bulk of the $4.3 billion investment budget will be
allocated over the next decade to develop new oil and gas fields and to maintain
production volume, Williamson said.
A supply contract between Unocal and Thailand's oil and gas conglomerate
PTT PCL (H.PTX) was recently amended, lowering natural gas prices sold by
Unocal. Williamson said the change was the result of changing economic
conditions and would not deal any severe blow to Unocal.
"The (contract) amendment is not an unusual event. It's not a threat to
people investing Thailand," he said. "However, it forces us to plan more
carefully in the future."
Thailand's natural gas resources are estimated to be around 55 trillion
cubic feet, which means a sound investment for another 30 to 40 years, said
Williamson.
Unocal Thailand was awarded the first exploration concession in the Gulf of
Thailand in 1962. Presently, Unocal operates 13 gas and condensate fields in the
country with a natural gas production of around one billion cubic feet a day and
condensate of around 37,000 barrels a day.
Unocal serves around 30% of Thailand's natural gas demand. The country's
total natural gas consumption is about 2.4 billion cubic feet a day.
In 2002, Unocal expects worldwide natural gas net production to increase by
an average of 490,000 to 500,000 barrels of oil equivalent, driven mainly by new
projects in Thailand and North America.
Unocal Thailand plans to start up a second phase of natural gas production
at Pailin field in the Gulf of Thailand in July, which will double its natural
gas production at the field, now at 165 million cbf/d.
By the end of 2002, the Thai unit's crude oil production rate is expected
to reach 15,000 to 18,000 barrels a day, or roughly 25% of the current output of
crude oil produced in Thailand.
Recently Unocal Thailand started crude oil production from the Plamuk,
Kaphong, Surat and Yala fields in the Gulf of Thailand. The current production
volume from these fields is approximately 9,000-10,000 barrels a day.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Myanmar Cites Progress From
Mediation
Sun Apr 28, 9:01 AM ET YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -
Myanmar's military government said Sunday that "significant progress" in healing
the 12-year-long rift between the junta and the pro-democracy movement will be
revealed within days.
The announcement follows the latest mediation mission by an envoy from the
United Nations (news - web sites) to reconcile the military rulers and the
opposition, led by Nobel Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
The two sides have been holding secret talks since October 2000.
"Significant progress, a kind of action, will take place in a few days.
Wait and see," Labor Minister Tin Win told reporters.
But asked whether Suu Kyi might be freed from 18 months of house arrest,
the minister said, "I don't think so." He gave no other details.
U.N. envoy Razali Ismail ended his seventh visit to Myanmar on Friday amid
optimism that some kind of breakthrough in the deadlock would take place. He
said developments could unfold "quite quickly" and that he was "optimistic"
after holding talks with junta leader Gen. Than Shwe.
The deep division between the two sides stems from the military's refusal
to hand over power to Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, which swept
general elections in 1990.
The junta, which seized power in 1988, instead has jailed and harassed Suu
Kyi's followers and placed her under house arrest for years at a stretch.
Razali's two-year mediation effort has yielded some results: 258 political
prisoners have been freed and the National League for Democracy has been allowed
to reopen 35 of the more than 300 branches it once had in Yangon.
But human rights groups say more than 1,000 political detainees remain in
jail, and the military has made no known move to hand over power to the winners
of the 1990 elections.
The U.N. Human Rights Commission has recently blasted Myanmar's human
rights record, citing "arbitrary executions, enforced disappearance, rape,
torture, inhuman treatment, forced labor" and other violations.
Although diplomats are more optimistic after the latest round of mediation,
there remains a great deal of speculation about what if any significant
concessions the military might make.
Little information has surfaced about the secret reconciliation talks
between Suu Kyi and the generals.
----------------------------------------------------------------- China Man Sentenced for Opium Scam
Mon Apr 29, 4:03 AM ET BEIJING (AP) - A Beijing
restaurant-owner was sentenced to 18 months in prison for sprinkling ground
opium poppy over a spicy fish dish in an effort to ensure that diners returned,
a newspaper reported.
Beijing's Haidian District People's Court on April 23 convicted Bi
Jingxiang of "tricking others into using drugs" and also ordered him to pay a
$365 fine, the Workers Daily said in its Saturday edition.
Bi claimed ground opium poppy was frequently used in his hometown of
Chongqing to prevent dysentery among those partaking of the region's spicy
cuisine.
"It's extremely common and has lots of positive effects," the paper quoted
Bi saying. It said he plans to appeal the sentence.
Bi invested $12,000 in the Yuyuan Restaurant a year ago and enjoyed a
roaring trade, the paper said. Police responding to a tip arrested him in late
February and seized one pound of ground opium poppy powder.
Chinese authorities say opium poppies grow naturally or in small cultivated
plots throughout the country and are still used in some remote districts as a
folk cure. Authorities say most of the refined heroin and opium used in China
comes from jungle labs in Myanmar.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, 28 April, 2002, 16:14 GMT 17:14 UK
Burma talks 'make progress' By Larry Jagan BBC correspondent in Rangoon The Burmese Government says progress has been made in the secret talks with
the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
This will be clarified in a statement to be released in a few days' time, a
senior minister told the BBC.
On Friday, the United Nations envoy for Burma, Razali Ismail, said he expected significant political developments in Rangoon soon. Many believe this will include the release of opposition leader from house
arrest.
For more than 18 months, the Burmese military government has been in secret
talks with Aung San Suu Kyi. But in recent weeks, the international community
has been voicing its impatience at the lack of progress in the dialogue brokered
by the UN envoy.
'Significant'
The Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister, Khin Maung Win, told the BBC that
there would be significant developments in the dialogue process very soon.
Another senior Burmese minister, Tin Win, said a government statement in
the next few days would explain what progress had been made in the talks.
The UN envoy's report to the UN has fuelled speculation that a major breakthrough in the dialogue process is imminent. There is no doubt that the National League for Democracy leaders believe
Aung San Suu Kyi is going to be freed soon and able to resume an active
political role.
But it is far from clear that this will in fact happen in the next few
days.
Pressure grows
Three months ago exactly, the opposition leader met the country's top three
generals - General Than Shwe, General Maung Aye and Lieutenant-General Khin
Nyunt for dinner.
But even that did not secure her release.
Europe, the United States and Japan have all warned Rangoon that, unless
there is significant progress soon, they will be forced to consider isolating
the country further and even introducing trade sanctions.
Only Aung San Suu Kyi's release would satisfy them.
But diplomats here remain cautious that this will in fact happen
soon.
----------------------------------------------------------------- The Star
Monday, April 29, 2002
4WDs stolen in Malaysia, sent to border town and sold in Myanmar By LOURDES CHARLES
CHIANG RAI (Thailand): Malaysian police, who for the first time were
allowed to conduct investigations and carry out forensic analysis in Thailand,
have uncovered syndicates responsible for the theft of hundreds of
Malaysian-registered vehicles.
The vehicles, mostly four-wheel-drives, are said to have been sold to
Myanmar?s United Wa Army. The Wa army is believed to be heavily involved in
smuggling heroin and methamphetamines over the mountainous border with northern
Thailand.
Police here acting on information from their Malaysian counterparts made
the discovery when they intercepted 45 suspicious vehicles in high-speed car
pursuits and shootings.
Several suspects, including a number of Malaysians arrested by Chiang Rai
police, have jumped bail and are now being sought by both Malaysian and Thai
police.
A high-powered task force from Bukit Aman comprising Interpol officers,
forensics experts, officers involved in ?Ops Cobra? (the team set up to
investigate car thefts) and an executive from Ford Malaysia inspected and
confirmed that at least 20 of the 45 four-wheel-drive vehicles were reported
stolen from Malaysia.
Federal police assistant CID director Asst Comm Abu Bakar Mustaffa, who led
the task force, said several of the cars even had gate passes in their glove
compartments while one had Malaysian coins strewn under the seats.
?Our forensics officers uncovered the actual engine and chassis numbers by
using special chemicals and equipment.
?They conducted four days of painstaking and round-the-clock investigations
here and also at the border town of Mae Sai to etch and uncover the chassis and
engine numbers with the help of the Ford executive.
?We hope to recover more stolen cars, especially now with both the Thai
police and us
declaring an all-out war against the thieves,? he told The Star.
Others members of the task force included Supt Syed Ismail Syed Azizan from
the National Central Bureau (Interpol), Deputy Supt Azari Abdul Rahim and DSP
Sheikh Adjis from the forensics department and Steven Lee from Ford Malaysia.
The vehicles inspected and confirmed to be stolen from Malaysia included 16
Ford Rangers, two Toyota Hi-Lux, a Toyota Harrier and a Toyota Lexus. The
vehicles are worth an estimated RM4mil.
It is learnt the stolen vehicles were sold for between RM30,000 and
RM50,000.
Police records show that last year alone 1,014 four-wheel-drive vehicles
were reported stolen in Malaysia, with Ford toping the list with 377, Isuzu 361,
Mitsubishi Pajero 191 and Toyota Prado 85.
ACP Abu Bakar said Malaysian and Thai police had been investigating the
syndicates for some time through their respective Interpol networks.
?At least six of the vehicles were seized in the Mae Sai district that
borders Myanmar and Laos, while the rest were seized from the Chiang Saen and
Chiang Khong districts,?? he added.
ACP Abu Bakar, who is also Ops Cobra commander, said he had asked the Thai
police to return the stolen vehicles to Malaysia.
He said they had assured him they would assist the Malaysian police in
every way possible.
?However, the process will take time.
?We thank the Thai police, especially Chiang Rai provincial police chief
Maj-Gen Wuthi Vititanon for his efforts in seizing the vehicles and allowing us
to inspect and conduct investigations,?? he added.
Maj-Gen Wuthi said he had directed all his district-level police chiefs to
step up enforcement against car thieves, especially along the 400km-long border
with Myanmar.
?I do not want to see cars from Malaysia and Thailand being smuggled into
neighbouring countries.
?We want to stress to our Malaysian counterparts that we are serious about
such matters and do not want them to think that the Thai police were assisting
car theft syndicates to sell stolen cars,? said Maj-Gen Wuthi.
?I will do my best to assist the Malaysian police get back the cars but it
must be via proper channels and the authorities concerned will decide on it,??
he added.
Maj-Gen Wuthi said he had come across a workshop in a neighbouring country
that specialised in tampering with and modifying stolen vehicles.
?It is difficult for my men to monitor the border because it is nearly
400km long.
?It takes syndicate members only 15 minutes to cross the border via river
with make-shift rafts,?? he added.
----------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation
BORDER TENSIONS: Battles with Wa militia
continue
Published on Apr 29, 2002
Thai border-patrol police and a Rangoon-allied ethnic Wa militia continued
to exchange mortar fire yesterday in Chiang Rai's Mae Fa Luang sub-district, a
provincial commander said.
No Thais were injured, but the shelling sparked panic among local people,
some of whom fled to a nearby village, Colonel Surasak Boonsiri said.
"The exchange of fire started at about 8am [and continued] to 9am, but
there have been no causalities on our side," Surasak said.
He said he could not confirm reports that 10 Wa militiamen had been
killed.
"I cannot verify the death toll, but I think that they certainly have
suffered some casualties," Surasak said.
The situation remained tense with sporadic fighting between Thai troops and
the Wa militia, who Thai authorities believe are major producers of narcotics
sold around the globe.
The fighting began on Friday, the day General Maung Aye, vice chairman of
Burma's military junta, finished a three-day official visit to Thailand. Border
clashes were a priority issue during the visit.
The attack on the Thai side may have been motivated by anger over Friday's
arrest of two Wa men suspected of being involved in drug trafficking who had
crossed the border into Thailand, an army source said.
Agence France-Presse quoted Burmese Defence Ministry official Colonel San
Pwint as saying the two had been drawing water from a creek that marks the
border when they were seized.
Thai helicopters later attacked a Wa camp inside Burma, firing machine guns
and rockets, and shelled it with heavy artillery, San Pwint said.
"It was an unprovoked attack from border-patrol units belonging to the Thai
Third Army. Shelling is still taking place from the Thai side with no
retaliation from the Wa side," he added
Meanwhile Maj-General Kyaw Win, Burma's deputy military intelligence chief,
said: "Some junior Thai army officers who want to sabotage friendly relations
are deliberately trying to create misunderstanding and problems between the two
countries."
----------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - Monday 29 April 2002
Rangoon pledges to stop Wa drug gangs
Bangkok will keep tight rein on Shan
Wassana Nanuam Subin Khuenkaew
Burma has promised drastic action against drug trafficking gangs under the
control of the United Wa State Army, while Thailand has agreed Shan rebels will
not be allowed to launch raids on Burmese troops from this side of the
border.
A source at the Defence Ministry said the deal was made during talks
between Burmese army chief Gen Maung Aye and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
and Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.
Drug trafficking topped the agenda. Gen Maung Aye, also deputy chairman of
the State Peace and Development Council, was here last week.
Gen Maung Aye was unhappy about allegations that Burma supported the UWSA
in making drugs, the source said.
The allegations painted a negative image of Burma.
``The Burmese government has promised to crack down on drug gangs run by
the UWSA. In turn, Thailand pledged that it would neither support Shan State
Army rebels nor allow them to use its territory to attack Burmese troops,'' the
ministry source said.
Third Army commander Udomchai Ongkhasingh said Rangoon had said it would
issue an order prohibiting the UWSA from making drugs, particularly at its base
in Mong Yawn town.
However, the UWSA was unlikely to comply, Lt-Gen Udomchai said.
There were reports the UWSA was preparing to move its drug production base
to Ban Hong and Pang Sang towns, about 30km from Mong Yawn and deeper inside
Burma.
He expected Rangoon would this time take drastic action against the UWSA,
after giving it time to stop drug trafficking.
Thailand was keeping a close watch on the SSA to see if it was involved in
drug trafficking. Thailand would not support the Shan rebels.
``I believe co-operation and ties between Thailand and Burma will improve,
particularly after Gen Maung Aye's visit.
``He has decision-making power over several issues,'' said Lt-Gen
Udomchai.
Further details would be discussed during a Regional Border Committee
meeting in June.
The meeting would be held in Moulmein, Burma.
Army chief Surayud Chulanont said Burma had banned the UWSA from making
drugs and declared that it would not support Wa traffickers.
However, whether Rangoon would take serious steps to suppress drugs was
still uncertain.
The Pha Muang task force has been told it can retaliate against the Wa,
following clashes on Saturday between Thai troops and drug traffickers in Chiang
Rai. Two Wa fighters were captured.
Sources said Wa troops yesterday shelled the 241st Cavalry Battalion in
Chiang Rai for the second day.
No injuries were reported. The military retaliated with 20 mortar
shells.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post - Monday 29 April 2002
Editorial - Rangoon stymies bilateral talks Thailand's most troublesome neighbour is Burma, to the point that armed
confrontations have almost got out of control on several occasions. It seems to
many that Rangoon is the problem child of the region. On the presumption that _
as Winston Churchill put it _ it is ``better to jaw-jaw than to war-war'', Gen
Maung Aye received Thai hospitality last week. There was a long if informal
agenda for discussion with the second ranking member of the Burmese
dictatorship. It was a major disappointment, then, that so little was
achieved.
While Gen Maung Aye was here in Thailand, many of the most serious problems
between this country and Burma actually appeared to worsen. These included the
three most dangerous security threats to Thailand. Drug traffickers from Burma
killed a Thai border policeman and wounded others. The patient United Nations
special envoy came away from his seventh visit to Rangoon with no tangible gains
on democracy. And the festering, continuing problem of Burmese refugees and
migrant workers took a nasty new turn.
To be fair, this lack of progress in securing Thailand is not entirely the
fault of the Burmese dictators. The Thai government has bent over so far
backwards in accommodating the Rangoon generals that it has actually contributed
to a lack of progress. Before Gen Maung Aye arrived here, government spokesmen
listed the topics to be discussed with the Burmese autocrat. At the top of the
list: drugs, border trade, repatriation of Burmese refugees, fishing.
At the end of his visit, there was nothing concrete to announce. Gen Maung
Aye called for better relations. Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said
``foreign countries'' should not criticise the lack of progress on democracy.
Not a word was said about the contracts of Thai fishermen unjustly broken by
Rangoon. Rangoon agreed to take a few hundred of hundreds of thousands of abused
refugees in a bizarre, token test programme.
While Gen Maung Aye was in Bangkok, the Rangoon-supported United Wa State
Army invaded Thailand on two drugs trafficking missions. The Wa fought with a
Thai military force in Chiang Mai, and killed a Thai soldier. The UWSA murdered
five hilltribesmen in Chiang Rai when the Thais refused to co-operate with the
traffickers. Gen Maung Aye made no comment and the government made no public
attempt to discuss these murderous events. The promise to close a company owned
by drug kingpin Wei Hsueh-kang is a farce and an insult. Gen Maung Aye's regime
encourages Wa drug traffickers including Wei, and welcomes drug profits as
investment money.
While Gen Maung Aye was enjoying his stay and golf game in Phuket, the
United Nations envoy Razali Ismail was in Burma for another round in his
patient, 18-month quest to help Burma join the world community of nations which
behave in a civilised manner to their citizens. On this visit, even the
implausibly unflappable Mr Razali appeared impatient. He is secretive to a
fault, but it seemed the Malaysian statesman told Rangoon it was time to show
serious progress in talks with the democratic faction. For one thing, it is past
time to release the democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi from 18 months of house
arrest on no legal charges.
To his credit, Gen Maung Aye cut short his Phuket stay by a few hours to
attend the luncheon with Mr Razali. Burma cannot wipe out its social evils
overnight. But Burma can literally change its policies overnight. It can switch
to a system of government which responds to the needs of its citizens, opposes
the drug-dealing criminals in its midst, and stops direct support for the groups
and policies which make it a security threat to its immediate neighbours.
----------------------------------------------------------------- The New Straits Times Press
Chisel & Stone
Razali doing Malaysia proud in Myanmar By Ong Kian Ming April 29: I READ with a certain degree of pride that a Malaysian is
negotiating for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner
and leader of the National League for Democracy. Tan Sri Razali Ismail,
appointed as the UN special envoy to Myanmar, has been working tirelessly over
the past two years to arrive at this crucial juncture in the negotiation
process.
Suu Kyi was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and was under
house arrest at that time and her two sons had to accept the award on her
behalf. She was released in 1995 but was put under house arrest again. Unable to
leave, she had to mourn, in Myanmar the loss of her British husband, Michael
Aris, in 1999. Aris died in Britain after battling cancer for three years.
Her bravery inspired many around the world, including Razali himself. He
was reported by the BBC to have described Suu Kyi as "undoubtedly one of the
most impressive people he has ever met" and that "the Myanmar junta owes it to
the rest of the world to allow her to realise her potential ? for he is certain
not only Myanmar but Asia will benefit from her political leadership".
We in Malaysia have certainly benefited from Razali's leadership. He did
Malaysians proud by being appointed president of the 51st General Assembly of
the United Nations in 1996.
Well-known for speaking his mind, Razali was a strong advocate of the need
to reform the UN Security Council because of the decision-making powers of the
permanent members at the expense of the voice of the "little" guys among the
developing countries.
His work is not over, and his efforts to ensure that the voice of Suu Kyi
is clearly heard in her home country of Myanmar and by the world community
should make all Malaysians proud.
To have reached this far in the negotiation process is an accomplishment in
itself, even though the chances of a positive outcome from the talks are
small.
The fact that a high-profile Malaysian is heavily involved in the work of
human rights is testimony that not all Malaysians have subscribed to the "Asian
values" argument that Asians should care more about putting bread on our tables
(not to mention cars in our garages, diamond rings on our fingers, cash in our
wallets, etc). There are those who speak up against injustice.
Suu Kyi, like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi before her, represents not
only a struggle for democracy and the rights of the people of Myanmar, but
symbolises a greater struggle that the world community has embraced ? the right
to a democratic Government, elected for the people and by the people.
We thank God that someone like Razali represents the conscience of the
world community in upholding this principle in his current capacity.
The uniqueness of Razali only points to the need for more Malaysians of his
calibre to stand up, Malaysians who are respected by the international community
and well-known for their honesty, integrity and objectivity.
The current debate over the selection of Malaysian Human Rights
Commission's (Suhakam) new chief should be a cause for concern for all
Malaysians. There continues to be the debate over the "success" of former
Suhakam chief, Tan Sri Musa Hitam.
More importantly, the appointment of former Attorney-General Tan Sri Abu
Talib Othman as the new chief has sparked a greater debate on his "suitability"
to play that role.
Examples cited from concerned groups included his alleged remarks comparing
ISA detention to a stay in a hotel, the lack of any prosecution in the
Bumiputera Malaysia Finance scandal, and the destruction of evidence in the
Vijandran pornographic video scandal.
There have also been commendations in regards to his role in finding former
IGP Abdul Rahim Noor guilty of assaulting former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the infamous "black eye" incident.
Public credibility and respect are essential qualities that a Suhakam chief
must possess for Malaysians to have any sort of confidence in the organisation
and the values it represents.
Otherwise, the contribution that Suhakam can make in promoting human rights
in Malaysia will be severely circumscribed.
Which makes one wonder about the availability of suitable candidates for
the post of Suhakam chief. Were possible candidates such as Tunku Abdul Aziz, a
respected corporate and international figure and president of Transparency
International Malaysia, or Datuk Param Cumaraswamy, United Nations Special
Rapporteur on the Independence and Impartiality of the Judiciary of the UN
Commission on Human Rights, ever considered or approached? We should thank God
for the likes of Razali. We should pray for more individuals like him to avail
themselves for the cause of human rights in the Malaysian context.
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