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BURMA RELATED NEWS - MAY 18,
2002.
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HEADLINES
----------------------------------------------------------------- AFP - US pleased that Aung San Suu Kyi can
travel
AFP - ASEAN nations urged to set up
anti-terrorism centre
Reuters - U.S. "encouraged" by Suu Kyi trip to
provinces
Reuters - Interview with Myanmar's Aung San Suu
Kyi
TI - US extends
sanctions on Myanmar for a year
AP - In first test of freedom, Myanmar Democracy
leader Suu Kyi visits office outside capital
VOA News - Aung San Suu Kyi Exercises New
Freedom of Movement
IHT - Burma's rule of silence
Power Report - Burma's Aung Htwe at Opening of
New Power Plant in Shan State
USINFO - Bush Informs Lawmakers That National
Emergency With Burma Continues
The Nation - Jolie to visit Karen refugees
----------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday May 18, 9:58 AM
US pleased that Aung San Suu Kyi can travel (AFP) - The United States said it was encouraged that Myanmar's military leaders had so far lived up to their promise to allow democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to travel freely, after she visited party members in suburban Yangon. But in a sign that he has no intention of easing its hardline stance
towards the junta, President George W. Bush went through the motions of renewing
sanctions against Myanmar for another year.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher noted that Aung San Suu Kyi had
tested the military's word for the first time since her release from house
arrest last week.
"She stated that the visit has gone very well. We're encouraged that the
regime is living up to its commitment to allow Aung San Suu Kyi freedom of
movement," he said.
"We urge the regime to continue progress by scheduling substantive talks
soon with Aung San Suu Kyi and with the National League for Democracy to move
forward in political reform and national reconciliation."
Aung San Suu Kyi visited Shwepyitha township office of her National League
for Democracy, which lies around 18 kilometers (11 miles) north of central
Yangon.
The Nobel laureate and leader of the NLD was released May 6 after 19 months
under house arrest at her lakeside villa.
In an unrelated move, Bush extended sanctions on Myanmar for one year,
underlining his insistence that Yangon's generals must embrace reform before
they can expect concessions from Washington.
The sanctions, which include investment restrictions, a visa ban and a bar
on lending by international financial institutions, were imposed by
then-president Bill Clinton in 1997, and have been renewed every year
since.
Bush posted notice of their renewal in a declaration in the Federal
Gazette, a daily digest of government business.
"Because actions and policies of the Government of Burma continue to pose
an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy
of the United States, the national emergency declared on May 20, 1997 and the
measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency must continue in
effect beyond May 20, 2002."
The United States told Myanmar's military rulers this week that they could
expect a "positive response" from Washington if they moved their country towards
democracy, after a 12-year-stalemate with Aung San Suu Kyi.
But far reaching change in Myanmar, the former Burma, still appears a long
way off, despite her secret dialogue with the government brokered by United
Nations envoy Razali Ismail.
The United States said Wednesday it was preparing an aid package to help
tackle Myanmar's accelerating HIV/AIDS crisis.
The decision has been seen as a small gesture to the regime in Myanmar, but
may be intended to bolster Razali's credibility in his painstaking task of
convincing the military to offer genuine political reform.
The United States is one of Myanmar's most vociferous critics, frequently
lambasting Yangon over its suppression of democracy, human rights record and the
fact Myanmar is the world's top producer of opium.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday May 18, 3:36 PM
ASEAN nations urged to set up anti-terrorism centre (AFP) - Singapore urged Southeast Asian nations to each set up an anti-terrorism centre to boost coordination in the region's war against the scourge. "We recommended to the other ASEAN countries to form a central point of
contact and also a point of coordination on information related to counter
terrorism," said the home ministry's deputy secretary Tan Boon Huat.
"It will be good to have a single point of contact so that when we work
with one country, it is easier to go to one (centre) than to a dozen."
He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an ASEAN senior officials
meeting here to lay the groundwork for a special two-day ASEAN home (interior)
ministers' session on terrorism starting Monday.
Tan offered Singapore's assistance to intensify training among the
10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
"(ASEAN) has limited expertise in various aspects like bomb detection, bomb
disposal and recovery, and bomb blast investigation," he said.
"We will be happy to share what we have. We can also offer the use of our
police academy, civil defence academy for the conduct of such ASEAN
training."
ASEAN officials Friday ended a two-day meeting on transnational crime by
agreeing to work towards harmonizing criminal laws, to conduct joint exercises
to boost law enforcement, and intelligence to combat terror.
Asked why Singapore did not join an anti-terrorism pact signed in Kuala
Lumpur last week between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, he said it has
to study the details first before making a decision.
"In general, I believe the three countries have got certain common problems
and have very quickly designed a pact around this immediate problem," he
added.
Thailand has expressed interest in joining the pact, which sets out a
framework for the countries to cooperate to combat terrorist groups and prevent
them from using their assets for transnational crime.
Officials said ASEAN ministers next week may unveil an anti-terrorism pact
amid criticism that the region had been slow to forge collective action against
terror in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the United States.
Malaysia is also seeking to get the ASEAN ministers to agree on a
definition of terror, but is unlikely to meet with success, officials
said.
Tan said not all ASEAN members could accept a common definition.
"Let's concentrate on the practical stuff. Let's determine what are the
practical things we can do and what immediate things we can do," he added.
Myanmar's Colonel Sit Aye, director of international relations department,
described the matter as "very controversial" but said Myanmar would follow the
consensus.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday May 18, 3:41 PM
U.S. "encouraged" by Suu Kyi trip to provinces WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Friday it was encouraged that Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was able to travel outside the capital, putting to the test the assurances of the military authorities that her movements are no longer restricted. Suu Kyi, who was released from 19 months of house arrest last week, on
Friday visited a provincial office of her National League for Democracy Party
about 20 miles (32 km) north of the capital Yangon.
"We're encouraged that the regime is living up to its commitment to allow
Aung San Suu Kyi to have freedom of movement," said State Department spokesman
Richard Boucher.
"We urge the regime to continue progress by scheduling substantive talks
soon with Aung San Suu Kyi and with the National League for Democracy to move
forward in political reform and national reconciliation," he added.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Friday May 17, 9:11 PM
TEXT-Interview with Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi BANGKOK, May 17 (Reuters) - The following is a full text of a telephone interview with Myanmar pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday. The interview was conducted by Reuters from Bangkok shortly after the 1991
Nobel Peace Prize winner returned from her first trip outside the Myanmar
capital of Yangon since October 1997.
She visited an NLD office in Shwepyitha, about 20 miles (32 km) north of
the city, and made a speech to party activists at a provincial office of her
National League for Democracy (NLD).
The party won the country's last general elections in 1990 by a landslide
but has never been allowed to govern.
Suu Kyi, 56, is the charismatic daughter of Aung San, the independence hero
of Myanmar, which is also widely known as Burma.
The military, which has ruled for the past 40 years, released Suu Kyi from
19 months' house arrest on May 6.
The move followed secretive talks with the junta brokered by U.N. special
envoy Razali Ismail.
Q: I gather you made your first trip outside the periphery of the capital
this morning, your first such trip for more than four years this morning. How
did that feel? Was it a success?
A: "Yes, it was. It went very well."
Q: Turning to your hopes for the future of your country, some people have
said they are suspicious of the motives of the military government, pointing out
that hopes for change have been raised before, only to be dashed by a new
clampdown on the opposition. How confident are you that the current momentum
towards reform will be sustained?
A: "Well I have always said I am a cautious optimist and nothing has ever
happened to make me change my mind. My view is that when you set out to achieve
something you don't just depend on hope, you put in a lot of hard work. And I
think what is important now is that everyone who wants to see change in Burma
should put in a lot of hard work, rather than sit around wondering whether one
can trust the regime or not."
Q: When do you expect talks with the government on concrete political
reform to start? I understand that your dialogue so far has been a building of
mutual trust rather than real negotiation.
A: "That's right. We think that the sooner that the talks start the better
for the country because there is so much work to be done in Burma."
Q: Do you have any timeframe for that? Are we talking about days, weeks, or
months?
A: "I think that we would like something substantive to begin within a
matter of weeks."
Q: How long would you expect the next stage of talks to last?
A: "That is very difficult to say -- especially as the talks haven't even
begun!" (laughs)
Q: The National League for Democracy has indicated in the past that it is
only willing to accept full democracy for Burma, while the military government
says it must continue to play a part in running the country. Are those positions
reconcilable?
A: "The SPDC (the ruling State Peace and Development Council) and (its
predecessor) the SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) before that
have always said that they do intend to give democracy to Burma, so I think this
is something on which we both can agree -- that Burma has to work towards
democracy. I think the questions that will have to be settled are how we are
going to work towards democracy and how quickly."
Q: Do you think that your understanding of democracy and the military
government's understanding of democracy are the same?
A: "I don't think our real understanding of democracy is any different,
although perhaps some would like to put a different official interpretation on
it."
Q: The generals say the country is not ready for democracy and in fact that
the country would fall apart if they loosened control. This has always been
their response to demands for democracy in the past. What is your view on this
now?
A: "My view is that some confidence-building is needed between the people
and the regime, but I don't think one should underestimate the capability of the
people. I don't think a country falls apart simply because there isn't a
'strong' government on top -- 'strong' in a totalitarian sense. I think a truly
strong government is one that has the support and trust of the people."
Q: If you start the talks as you hope, and there is no progress, how long
would you be willing to wait before giving up?
A: "It would depend very much why the talks made no progress. If there is
no progress because there is an unwillingness to work towards progress, then
that is a serious matter that we would have to consider and we would have to
decide what we then do. But if lack of progress is due to problems that could be
overcome and resolved then I think we have to be patient."
Q: Your supporters, the pro-democracy movement inside and outside the
country, say they are impatient for change. How long will the pro-democracy
movement be willing to wait for some concrete change in the country?
A: "I think it is a matter of patience. You could say that we are the least
patient of the lot because after all we are the ones who have had to struggle
very, very hard and the League -- the National League for Democracy -- has had
to struggle harder for democracy inside Burma than almost anybody else. So we
are certainly not patient in the sense that we are prepared to wait and wait and
wait. But what we have is perseverance. It is not patience, it is perseverance.
We are prepared to persevere whatever the obstacles, and if it were up to us to
decide when we get democracy, we would have got it many, many years ago. So when
people say that they are not prepared to wait, what then are they going to do
about it? I think it usually means that they leave it to us to do something
about it, which we are doing anyway."
Q: What would need to happen for you to change your position on sanctions?
A: "Sanctions, aid, the national convention, elections. These are the
policy matters mentioned on the day of my release that remain unchanged until we
enter into substantive negotiations with the authorities."
Q: In the past your party has always insisted on sticking to the results of
the 1990 election, in which your party won a huge victory. Would you insist on
sticking to the results from that election, or would you permit new elections to
take place before the establishment of a civilian government?
A: "What we have always insisted is that the results of the 1990 elections
must be honoured because it is a bad precedent to allow the results of an
election to be set aside if they do not suit somebody's wishes. So what we are
insisting is very much in line with the provisions of the United Nations
resolutions on Burma -- successive United Nations resolutions. It also says that
the will of the people of Burma as expressed in the 1990 elections must be
respected and honoured. So this is what we have always asked for and I think
this is something which is a very, very reasonable thing to demand should happen
in a country that is progressing with democracy."
Q: How long will it take on this road towards democracy? When will your
country finally be a democracy?
A: "I don't think I can say. I don't think anybody can say. I think it
would be very foolish of anyone to say exactly when Burma is going to become a
full democracy. As soon as possible is what we say -- and the sooner the
better."
Q: What are your immediate travel plans? You are reported to have said last
week that you wanted to go to Norway. Do you have an agenda laid out of travel
around the world for the next few months?
A: "No, no. I think there has been a lot of misunderstanding over that. I
think it was that somebody invited me to visit another country and I said I
would love to but I have always resolved that when I am able to travel outside
Burma, the first country I shall visit will be Norway."
Q: So that might that be some way away still?
A: "Oh, you never know." (laughs)
Q: What about your family. Are you going to see your two sons soon?
A: "I hope so, but of course they have got their own work and families and
so on. I would very much like to see them and I am sure -- I hope -- they would
very much like to see me and I hope we will be able to arrange something."
----------------------------------------------------------------- The Times of India
US extends sanctions on Myanmar for a
year
PTI [ SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2002 8:30:08 AM ]
WASHINGTON: Lauding the release of Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the US said, however, it would extend sanctions on Myanmar for yet another year and urged the ruling military junta to take substantial reform-oriented steps. "The crisis between the US and Burma, constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Burma, including its policies of committing large-scale repression of the democratic oppostion in Burma, that led to the declaration of a national emergency on May 20,1997, has not been resolved," said US President George W Bush in his six-monthly report on Burma to Congress. Bush extended sanctions on Myanmar for one year, insisting that Yangon's
generals must bring in reforms before they can expect concessions from
Washington.
State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said "we are encouraged that the
regime is living upto its commitment to allow Aung San Suu Kyi freedom of
movement".
"We urge the regime to continue the progress by scheduling substantive
talks soon with Kyi and with the National League for Democracy to move forward
in political reform and national reconciliation." Boucher added.
The sanctions include investment restrictions, a visa ban and a bar on
lending by international financial institutions.
----------------------------------------------------------------- In first test of freedom, Myanmar
Democracy leader Suu Kyi visits office outside capital
ASSOCIATED PRESS YANGON, Myanmar, May 17 ? Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi visited a party office on the outskirts of the capital Yangon on Friday, testing her political freedom for the first time since her release from house arrest on May 6. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate drove unannounced to Shwepyitha, a northern
suburb of Yangon, to a boisterous welcome by some 500 people, who had heard
about the visit by word of mouth.
As she got out of her car, the crowd clapped, cheered and chanted ''May you
live long, Aung San Suu Kyi.''
The last time Suu Kyi ventured outside the city ? defying a government
order against traveling ? the military junta put her under house arrest. That
was in September 2000 and Suu Kyi was not freed until this month.
Though the trip took Suu Kyi just outside the capital ? Shwepyitha is less
than 20 miles from downtown Yangon ? it served to demonstrate the military
government's willingness to honor its pledge to allow her full political freedom
as part of ongoing reconciliation efforts.
It was the 56-year-old democracy leader's first visit to an office of her
National League for Democracy party other than the Yangon headquarters 13 years.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the
administration is encouraged that the Myanmar government is living up to its
commitment to allow Aung San Suu Kyi freedom of movement.
''We urge the regime to continue progress by scheduling substantive talks
soon with Aung San Suu Kyi and with the National League for Democracy to move
forward in political reform and national reconciliation,'' he said.
Wearing a bluish gray jacket and sarong, Suu Kyi addressed the people
outside the Shwepyitha party office for five minutes before going inside.
Reporters were not allowed in.
She was accompanied by party vice chairman Tin Oo and some youth members.
''The NLD is working for the welfare of everyone in the country, not for
NLD alone. Don't support me without knowing what we are doing,'' Suu Kyi said.
While she encouraged people to go home when she went inside, hundreds
stayed outside the office building waiting for her to come out. She emerged
three hours later, and was waved at by people lining the street as she headed
back to Yangon.
'I had heard of her so often. She is such a brave lady. I really wanted to
see her,'' said Myint Myint, a 60-year-old housewife.
Suu Kyi is scheduled to visit another suburb in northeastern Yangon on
Wednesday, party officials said.
Suu Kyi last traveled to the countryside for party work in 1988 soon after
she formed the National League for Democracy in the aftermath of a bloody
crackdown by the junta on a pro-democracy uprising.
She was put under house arrest in 1989. The junta called elections in 1990
but refused to honor the results when the NLD scored an overwhelming victory.
Suu Kyi was freed in July 1995 and traveled to the southern city of
Moulmein without problems, but her subsequent attempts to travel outside the
capital for party work were thwarted by the junta.
The reconciliation talks between the two sides have been brokered by
special U.N. envoy Razali Ismail, who told a news conference in New York on
Thursday that he believes the military government is committed to making the
transition to civilian constitutional government.
----------------------------------------------------------------- VOA News
Asia Pacific Aung San Suu Kyi Exercises New
Freedom of Movement
Nancy-Amelia Collins Bangkok 17 May 2002 12:57 UTC Burma's newly released democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has tested her
new freedom by traveling outside the capital to visit a provincial party office.
Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to her National League for Democracy office in
Shwepyitha met no opposition from the authorities.
NLD officials said she met with party officials, made a short speech, and
then returned to her lakeside home. It is the first successful trip the
opposition leader has made outside the capital in four years. Earlier attempts
to leave the capital were blocked by the government and led to her second house
arrest 19 months ago.
Aung San Suu Kyi was released May 6 after months of secret negotiations
with the government. Although she traveled only 32 kilometers, her trip tested
the government's willingness to allow the popular democracy leader unrestricted
travel.
Political analyst Doctor Sunet from Bangkok's Chulalungkorn University
calls the trip an important first step for political development in Burma, also
called Myanmar.
"Nevertheless, I believe there is a long way to go. Because when it comes
to Myanmar politics you see, particularly concerning the role of Aung San Suu
Kyi, we have seen that there is only one important channel that could lead her
to power, that is general elections," he said.
Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest for six years in 1990 after
the NLD won national elections. Burma's ruling generals, who have controlled the
country for 40 years, never allowed the NLD to govern, and killed and imprisoned
thousands of democracy supporters.
Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of Burma's independence hero, Aung San, won the
Nobel Peace prize in 1991 while under house arrest.
----------------------------------------------------------------- The International Herald Tribune
Burma's rule of silence Kavita Menon Saturday, May 18, 2002 Press freedom NEW YORK When the military government in Burma announced the release from
house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who leads the
opposition, an official statement made a tantalizing promise: "We shall recommit
ourselves to allowing all of our citizens to participate freely in the life of
our political process."
. What could the generals in charge possibly mean? The last time the junta allowed citizens to participate in the country's political life was in 1990, and the government ignored the election results when it became clear that the regime had lost, badly. . Suu Kyi's release came after months of secret talks between the opposition leader and the ruling generals. Now it's time to let the Burmese public in on the discussion. . If the government is serious now about permitting the public a voice in the country's affairs, then the first step toward political reform must be to lift state censorship of the media. . Burma is a country in crisis. The economy is a shambles. One-third of all children under 5 are malnourished, according to the United Nations, and more than half a million citizens have HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The country is one of the world's leading exporters of opium. Its jails hold more than 1,000 political prisoners. . Yet information about these issues is hard to come by because real journalism is nearly impossible. Local journalists are forbidden by state censors to publish almost anything of substance and are subject to imprisonment simply for expressing a dissenting view. . "The censorship board has told us we must not write about AIDS, corruption, education or the situation of students," an editor said last year. "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." . Witness Suu Kyi's release, which grabbed headlines around the world - but not in Burma, where state-controlled newspapers and television neglected to mention it. . Censorship used to be obvious, with the Press Scrutiny Board either inking over or ripping out offending sections from magazines and books. In the past few years, however, the censors have become subtler, forcing editors themselves to make the required cuts and adjust layouts to hide the damage. . Because these last-minute changes can be costly, self-censorship is widespread. And even when journalists do tackle sensitive topics, they often write in an elliptical style that is designed to confuse the censors but can be equally puzzling to ordinary readers. . Restrictions on foreign correspondents also have helped ensure that Burma's problems do not receive the international attention they deserve. . The regime announced that "national unity, peace and stability" must accompany any moves toward democratization. But these worthy goals will never be born of repression. To get there, the junta must consult the people and this time listen to what they have to say. A national conversation, carried through free media, would be a beginning. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Power Report
Burma's Aung Htwe at Opening of
New Power Plant in Shan State
BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific - Political ( May 17, 2002 ) Text of report in English by Burmese newspaper The New
Light of Myanmar web site on 16 May
Yangon [Rangoon], 15 May: The inauguration ceremony of Meipan Creek Hydel
[hydroelectic] Power Plant was held at the power plant in Monghsat [Mong Hsat]
Township, Shan State (East), yesterday morning, attended by member of the State
Peace and Development Council Maj-Gen Aung Htwe of the Ministry of Defence.
Speaking on the occasion, Maj-Gen Aung Htwe said that the government lays
emphasis on undertaking development tasks of border areas and national races
with momentum; according to the guidance of the head of state, development tasks
of border areas, improvement of 24 development regions and five rural
development tasks are being systematically carried out; in doing so, the
government has laid down and is implementing the plans on smooth transportation,
education, health, agriculture and livestock breeding, power supply,
communication system, public relations and reclamation of highland farming; the
government has spent 24,610.42m kyat on regional development tasks from 1989 to
date; development tasks in respective sectors are being the carried out with
added momentum in Shan State (East); Meipan Creek Hydel Power Plant would supply
power to Monghsat and its surrounding villages and contribute to extending
cottage industries in the region; and local people are to safeguard and maintain
it for durability of development structures built by the government.
Then, Minister for Electric Power Maj-Gen Tin Htut explained construction
of power plants all over the country and opening of Meipan Creek Hydel Power
Plant. Next, Monghsat Township Union Solidarity and Development Association
Executive Akha national race U Ar Gah spoke words of thanks.
Afterwards, Maj-Gen Aung Htwe presented cash prize for workers of the
Ministry of Electric Power to in-charge of the plant U Tha Aung. Maj-Gen Aung
Htwe unveiled the stone plaque of the plant and Ministers Col Thein Nyunt and
Maj-Gen Tin Htut and Brig-Gen Tun Tun of Monghsat Station formally opened the
plant. Then, guests visited the plant. Meipan Creek Hydel Power Plant was built
at a cost of 150m kyat and 320,000 US dollars by the government. The plant is
installed with two 600 kilowatt generators and it can supply power to Monghsat
and its surrounding villages the whole day. The power plant is the 15th one in
Shan State built by Ministry of Electric Power.
----------------------------------------------------------------- 17 May 2002
Bush Informs Lawmakers That National Emergency With Burma Continues (Submits six-month report on conditions justifying
emergency) (590)
President Bush sent two messages to Congress May 16 saying the national
emergency with Burma continues.
"The crisis between the United States and Burma, constituted by the actions
and policies of the Government of Burma, including its policies of committing
large-scale repression of the democratic opposition in Burma, that led to the
declaration of a national emergency on May 20, 1997, has not been resolved,"
Bush wrote to lawmakers.
"These policies are hostile to U.S. interests and pose a continuing unusual
and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the
United States," he added.
Following are the texts of President Bush's letters to Congress regarding
Burma:
(begin texts)
CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES H. DOC. NO. 107-211 House of Representatives
May 16, 2002 The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message from
the President of the United States; which was read and, together with the
accompanying papers, without objection, referred to the Committee on
International Relations and ordered to be printed:
To the Congress of the United States:
Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides
for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, prior to the
anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal
Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to
continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. I have sent the enclosed notice,
stating that the Burma emergency is to continue beyond May 20, 2002, to the
Federal Register for publication. The most recent notice continuing this
emergency was published in the Federal Register on May 17, 2001.
The crisis between the United States and Burma, constituted by the actions
and policies of the Government of Burma, including its policies of
committing large-scale repression of the democratic opposition in Burma, that
led to the declaration of a national emergency on May 20, 1997, has not been
resolved. These policies are hostile to U.S. interests and pose a continuing
unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of
the United States. For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to
continue the national emergency with respect to Burma and maintain in force the
sanctions against Burma to respond to this threat.
George W. Bush.
The White House, May 16, 2002.
PERIODIC REPORT ON THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES H. DOC. NO. 107-212 House of Representatives
May 16, 2002 The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message from
the President of the United States; which was read and, together with the
accompanying papers, without objection, referred to the Committee on
International Relations and ordered to be printed:
To the Congress of the United States:
As required by section 401(c) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C.
1641(c), and section 204(c) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act,
50 U.S.C. 1703(c), I transmit herewith a 6-month periodic report prepared by my
Administration on the national emergency with respect to Burma that was declared
in Executive Order13047 of May 20, 1997.
George W. Bush.
The White House, May 16, 2002.
----------------------------------------------------------------- The Nation
Jolie to visit Karen
refugees
Published on May 18, 2002
Hollywood movie star Angelina Jolie will visit Tham Hin refugee camp in
Kan-chanaburi, where thousands of ethnic Karens from Burma have been sheltered
for the past decade.
Jolie will visit the camp on Sunday in her role as goodwill ambassador of
the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, an agency statement said.
Jolie has visited refugees in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Nami-bia, Cambodia
and Pakistan.
She insists on covering all costs related to her missions and has made
funds available for refugees.
A journal of her missions can be found on the Internet at
Jolie is currently in Thailand shooting "Beyond Borders", a romantic story
about aid workers working with refugees.
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