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BURMA RELATED NEWS
- November 07, 2002.
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HEADLINES
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reuters - Asia Rice-Prices seen
steady, Manila in focus
Reuters - Malaysia to keep sky-high taxes on cars - Mahathir AP - Law student sentenced to 14 years in jail for staging political AP - Police arrest six suspects,
seize drugs
AP - Thai prime minister
says East Timor not ready to join ASEAN
AFP - Be patient over democratic reforms in Myanmar: Malaysian PM Bkk Post - Burma rebuffs global pressure Bkk Post - Speed labs raise
production
Xinhuanet - Austria opens air
link with Myanmar
Asian Tribune -
Fifty-nine Political Parties from 22 Countries to participate in the biggest
Conference.
FEER - USAID Seeks
Medical Help for Burma
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thursday November 7, 1:57 PM
Asia Rice-Prices seen steady, Manila in focus By Vissuta Pothong MANILA, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Asian rice prices have firmed this week and are expected to stay steady next week, supported by a state buying scheme in Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, traders said on Thursday. Thai 100 percent parboiled rice grade was offered on Thursday at $204 per tonne FOB, versus last week's $198 per tonne FOB. Thailand announced that it would start buying rice from farmers from the 2002/03 crop from November 1 as part of an annual scheme to support prices. The scheme, involving the purchase of nine million tonnes of unhusked rice, will run to February 28. Traders also said they were keeping a close eye on the Philippines following a report that farmers were preparing to import rice after the government scrapped the decades-old state monopoly on buying the staple food. The Philippines is one of Asia's largest rice buyers, importing 1.14 million tonnes in 2002. It usually buys from Thailand, Vietnam and India. "If they really come in and buy for a trial lot in January, and if they see this is successful and if they buy more, definitely the price will go up," one trader said. He added that even though it may be in small quantity initially, it would trigger hopes of more business prospects. "It is the first prospect for the future," the trader said. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo previously announced the government was going to allow the private sector to import rice, dismantling the National Food Authority (NFA)'s monopoly, the only state agency allowed to import rice since 1983. NFA had bought rice over the years only through government-to-government deals. "We are now busy with importation of rice. Twenty thousand tonnes of rice will be initially imported by farmer's groups for arrival in January 2003," an official at NFA said on Thursday. "This will be the first time that farmers are allowed to import rice," he added. The rice would be limited to only special rice varieties of glutinous, premium rice of five percent broken grade and fancy rice (fragrant), NFA officials said. THAI EXPORTERS AWAIT MORE NEWS Thai exporters said they were waiting for more news on the Philippines' rice imports in 2003. "It is something new actually that farmers could import as the Philippines' rice imports have been controlled by NFA and PITC (Philippine International Trading Corp.)," said one Bangkok-based exporter. "So, let's see what will happen. I think within a few days in Bangkok, it will have some slight change on upper grade-level prices because of this demand," he added. In Myanmar, the government sold 70,000 tonnes of Myanmar's 25 percent broken grade in a recent tender to three trading firms, Singapore-based Agro Corp, a Swiss firm Rustel Trading and Malaysia's Petronas, traders said. "Agro Corp and Rustel firms bought totally 50,000 tonnes at $132.75 per tonne FOB for November-December shipment for Africa. Petronas bought for Indonesia," said one Myanmar trader. Myanmar is expected to export around 900,000 tonnes of rice in 2002, about the same amount shipped last year, traders said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thursday November 7, 3:39 PM
Malaysia to keep sky-high taxes on cars - Mahathir KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Malaysia will keep taxes on imported cars sky high to defend local auto-maker Proton, despite a trade pact with Southeast Asian neighbours to cut protective tariffs in 2005. Imported cars, which can carry duties as high as 300 percent, won't be any cheaper in Malaysia after the trade pact comes into force, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Thursday. That effectively leaves Malaysia, one of South East Asia's biggest car markets with a relatively wealthy population of 24 million, Proton territory. "All cars will be subjected to the same tax, so the price is not going to go down, sorry," said Mahathir, who also is the country's finance minister, at a news conference after the launch of two new Proton car models. "Some people are waiting for the price to go down but it won't happen," he said after Proton unveiled a 1.8 litre model of its flagship Waja sedan and a two-door pick up. Malaysia irked ASEAN partners like Thailand as well as foreign car makers by negotiating a two year delay before bringing down import duties in accordance with the bloc's free trade pact. Mahathir, who said in his launch speech that building up the national car project had been tougher than expected, said Malaysia would levy non-tariff taxes on all cars once Malaysian vehicles are covered by the the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) free trade agreement. "They (will) come in with very little tax, most probably five percent but once they are in, then they will be subjected to other taxes. "But the taxes will be imposed on all cars, locally produced as well as foreign," he added. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Under the ASEAN Free Trade Area, six of the 10 members have pledged to cut tariffs next year to between zero and five percent on all manufactured goods bar a tiny minority. Most of the planned reductions are already in place. The four later and less developed members -- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam -- intend to reduce tariffs in stages through the decade. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Law student sentenced to 14
years in jail for staging political
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) _ A law student who staged a solo protest to demand the release of political prisoners in Myanmar was sentenced to 14 years in jail under emergency laws of the military government, lawyers said. The verdict was passed on Tuesday, a week after United Nations human rights envoy Paulo Pinheiro ended a 12-day tour of the country by severely criticizing the junta for holding political prisoners. He demanded their immediate and unconditional release. Thet Naung Soe, a final-year law student from Yangon, was tried in a special court at the Insein prison where he is being held, the officials said. He was sentenced to two seven-year terms on two separate charges, said a lawyer who did not wish to be identified further. He said Thet Naung Soe was charged under the all-encompassing emergency laws that can be used to suppress any allegedly political or economic crime. Myanmar's military government strictly controls the judiciary and the media, and trials of political dissidents are held behind closed doors. Verdicts are almost never made public. The lawyer said Thet Naung Soe refused legal assistance provided by the opposition National League for Democracy party, saying a defense would be futile as ``the present military government is not a legally elected government and it would be impossible for him to get a fair trial.'' Thet Naung Soe was arrested on Aug. 18 for protesting in front of Yangon City Hall by holding a red flag on which was printed a fighting peacock, a symbol of the National League for Democracy party of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He was among the 17 political prisoners met by Pinheiro inside Insein prison during his visit last month. The NLD has been leading a pro-democracy campaign since 1988 when the current group of generals came to power after a bloody crackdown. The junta called elections in 1990 but refused to hand over power to the victorious NLD. Another law student, Khin Maung Win, who was arrested the same day as Thet Naung Soe for distributing anti-government leaflets in the university campus, is currently facing trial at Insein prison and will be charged soon, the lawyer said. A Myanmar dissident group based in neighboring Thailand issued a strong protest against the arrests. ``They shouldn't be imprisoned because of that action. This imprisonment violates the human rights and all other rights of a citizen,'' said Min Naing, the spokesman of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, said in a statement received in Bangkok. After his visit, Pinheiro urged the junta to release all political prisoners, saying that's essential for its ongoing reconciliation efforts with Suu Kyi. According to Pinheiro there are about 1,200 and 1,300 political prisoners in the country, some of them NLD members. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Police arrest six suspects,
seize drugs
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ A narcotics squad in northern Thailand arrested Thursday six people and seized a large amount of heroin and methamphetamines from them, police said. Acting on a tip-off, police stopped three vans and found 24 bars of heroin weighing 8.4 kilograms (18.5 pounds) of heroin and 480,000 tablets of methamphetamine hidden in the spares tires, police Capt. Akarat Poonworaluck told The Associated Press. The seizure occurred in Proa, about 750 kilometers (457 miles) north of Bangkok. The area is part of the infamous Golden Triangle, which is known to be one of the world's major drugs and narcotic producing centers. The Golden Triangle refers to the area where border of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet. Akarat said the suspects _ four men and two women _ are Thais and are being held in custody pending formal charges. The penalty for drug trafficking is death. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thai prime minister says East
Timor not ready to join ASEAN
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ East Timor is not yet ready to become a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Thai prime minister said Thursday during a visit by that country's president. Thailand's Thaksin Shinawatra and East Timor's Xanana Gusmao held a brief meeting in the morning and were scheduled to hold a longer discussion later Thursday. Thaksin told reporters after the first session that he and Gusmao will talk about promoting development in East Timor, the world's newest country. ``As for East Timor becoming an ASEAN member, more time is needed because the country isn't ready yet,'' he said. ``A huge budget is needed, and there are a lot of expenses, with as many as 300 meetings between leaders from member countries,'' Thaksin said. A Foreign Ministry statement said the agenda for talks between the two will include bilateral ties and cooperation in agriculture, education and public health. ASEAN, which comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, ended its annual summit on Tuesday in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Gusmao arrived late Wednesday on his first official visit to Thailand as president of East Timor, a former Portuguese colony that became independent on May 20. Thailand established diplomatic ties with it the same day and opened an embassy in October. On Friday, Gusmao will give a speech at a seminar on five years of reform under Thailand's new constitution, after which he will visit the Sa Paper Preservation Village_ part of the Thai government's project to develop at least one locally made product in each village. Gusmao will have an audience with King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Saturday before leaving that night for South Korea. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Be patient over democratic
reforms in Myanmar: Malaysian PM
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 (AFP) - Progress is being made towards democratic reforms in Myanmar but they will take time and the world needs to be patient, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Thursday. "The Myanmar government is taking steps to release prisoners etcera, so to me that is progress," he told a news conference. Mahathir also pointed to meetings between democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the military government as a good sign, although "it's not being publicised." Asked if the ruling generals were genuine in their promises to introduce democratic reform, Mahathir said: "I think eventually they will. It takes a little bit of time, we have to be patient." The United Nations special envoy to Myanmar is a Malaysian, Razali Ismail, and he is to visit the country again next week on his ninth mission to promote reforms. Razali described his last visit to Myanmar in August, where he again met with the ruling generals and opposition leaders including Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, as "productive". Razali, who was appointed two years ago as the personal representative of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, is credited with brokering landmark secret talks between the junta and Aung San Suu Kyi which began in October 2000. They have so far led to Aung San Suu Kyi's release in May after 19 months of house arrest, but are yet to progress beyond an initial confidence-building stage and in recent months are seen as having completely stalled. However, since her release the charismatic leader has been permitted to make a number of political visits outside the capital, drawing huge crowds of supporters. Razali's last trip to Myanmar was aimed at establishing when the two sides will begin a fully fledged political dialogue and the new visit is likely to be focused on the same issue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bangkok Post -
Thursday 07 November 2002
Burma rebuffs global pressure Talks between the junta and the opposition have ground almost wholly to a halt. The task before the UN envoy due in Rangoon next week is to remind the generals that they need to get things back on track. LARRY JAGAN The UN special envoy to Burma, Razali Ismail, begins his latest mission to Rangoon next week amid fears that the junta has no intention of talking to Aung San Suu Kyi. There is no doubt that this is going to be a crucial trip and some diplomats in Rangoon believe it may even be a make or break visit for the regime. The UN rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, has just told the United Nations General Assembly that though there has been very slow progress by the regime over the past two years since he took up his appointment on human rights, the international community must stay engaged with the regime as there is no other realistic strategies that will hasten political reform in the country. It is this which Mr Razali will have to determine on his forthcoming trip. ``The dialogue process between the opposition leader and the military government has completely stalled,'' said a Western diplomat based in Rangoon. ``And it will take all Ambassador Razali's skills as a diplomat and negotiator to revive them.'' UN officials say Mr Razali is very upset that Burma's top generals have still not started political talks with Ms Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) despite the fact that they promised that this would happen in a matter of weeks on his last visit to Rangoon in August. He knows that much will be riding on this forthcoming visit. When Mr Razali was last in Rangoon one of Burma's top generals, intelligence chief Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, told him that the talks with the opposition leader would start within weeks and that several hundred political prisoners would be released before his next visit. Mr Razali had been expecting around 600 political prisoners to be released by the end of the year. But only a handful of political prisoners have been freed and no meeting has taken place between Ms Suu Kyi and the top generals since his trip to Burma in August. UN officials say Mr Razali will be taking a tough line with the generals on this visit. ``He's coaxed them, prodded them and appealed to their vanity on previous trips,'' a senior diplomat in Rangoon said. ``But he'll have to read the riot act to them this time.'' UN officials say Mr Razali will be telling the generals that they have embarrassed him and made him lose face. Mr Razali will certainly be asking the generals to explain why they haven't kept their promises to meet Ms Suu Kyi and release a substantial number of political prisoners. Mr Pinheiro has also been pushing the regime on the issue of political prisoners. ``They now agree there are more than 1,300 still in jail,'' he told the Bangkok Post. ``This is a significant step forward, [as] previously they'd insisted that there was only a few hundred political prisoners.'' Mr Pinheiro was told that the military authorities review each case on a weekly basis. They also assured him that more prisoners will be freed soon but that a mass amnesty was out of the question for security reasons. This is an excuse that neither UN envoy accepts as credible. Privately Mr Pinheiro told the Bangkok Post that he did not expect any real progress in the dialogue process or on the release of political prisoners in the next few months. Mr Razali knows that he must insist on seeing Burma's top leader, General Than Shwe, on his next visit and demand reasons for why the authorities have not started constructive political negotiations with Ms Suu Kyi as they promised. UN officials say Mahathir Mohammad, Malaysian prime minister, saw Gen Than Shwe privately during the Asean summit in Phnom Penh this week and urged him to see Mr Razali and take his message on board. Diplomats in Rangoon fear that the Burmese generals are now digging in their heels as they feel the international community is distracted by the issue of terrorism and the possibility of a war against Iraq. They will certainly have been reassured by Asean's lack of interest in Burma's internal situation during this week's summit. But they should not be fooled as the West is growing increasingly impatient with the generals' failure to even meet Ms Suu Kyi, let alone start substantive political talks. Mr Razali is certain to tell the generals that their inaction has not only caused him to lose face internationally but has placed him in a very vulnerable position. The clear message Mr Razali will be taking to Rangoon is that the international community is prepared to reward the regime substantially for significant political reform but that the international community is growing impatient with its failure to start substantive political talks with the opposition leader and is seriously considering adopting tough economic sanctions. The problem is that the generals don't seem to be listening to anyone at the moment. - Larry Jagan is the BBC's Southeast Asia analyst, based in Bangkok. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bangkok Post -
Thursday 07 November 2002
Speed labs raise production Isoc says 700m pills expected from Burma Wassana Nanuam The Internal Security Operations Command has predicted that as many as 700 million methamphetamine pills will flood across the Burmese border next year. Drug-producing groups in Burma, including the Wa, had set a combined production target that represented a 30% increase over current inflows, said Gen Pallop Pinmanee, Isoc deputy director. About 500 million speed pills were smuggled into the country last year, he said. Similar figures were expected this year, with only 120 million pills having been intercepted by authorities. Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Board sounded a warning over a rise in the popularity of the party drug ecstasy, especially among teenagers in Bangkok. Wa drug gangs had hired two Dutch chemists to assist in the production of ecstasy along the Burmese border, while pills were also trafficked from labs in Indonesia, said Chartchai Suthiklom, ONCB deputy secretary-general. A total of 120,000 ecstasy pills had been seized this year, marking a significant increase over previous years. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Austria opens air link with
Myanmar
Xinhuanet 2002-11-07 00:41:29 YANGON, Nov. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Austria has opened air link with Myanmar with an inaugural flight, made by the Lauda Air of the country from Vienna, landing at the Yangon International Airport on Wednesday. According to Thursday's state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar, the Austrian airline's flight schedule involves the border town of Phuket of Thailand on its return trip from Yangon. The Lauda Air Luftfahrt AG will operate once a week Vienna- Yangon-Phuket-Vienna regular flight, leaving Vienna on Tuesday and reaching Yangon on Wednesday morning. It uses B767-300 aircraft as carrier which has a seating capacity of 244. Meanwhile, aimed at attracting more foreign tourists in the country, the Myanmar authorities will grant visas-on-arrival to any individual arriving at the Yangon International Airport on flights operated by the Lauda Air, according to an earlier official report. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Asian Tribune
Date :
2002-11-07
Fifty-nine Political Parties from 22 Countries to participate in the biggest Conference. by K.T.Rajasingham Bangkok, Nov. 07The Second International Conference of Asian Political Parties, scheduled for November, is to be attended by representatives of 59 political parties in 22 countries. The Conference is expected to be one of the leading and important event for Asia, which would lay the foundation for the future Asian Solidarity, and for an Asia without borders and barriers. The list of Political parties invited and have confirmed of their participation are as follows: Thailand: ThaiRakThai Party, Democrat Party, Chartthai Party, and Chartpattana Party Brunei Darussalam: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cambodia: Cambodian People's Party, FUNCINPEC Party, and Sam Rainsy Party East Timor: FRETILIN Party Indonesia: Parti Amanat Nasional (PAN), Party Belan Bintang, Partai Bulan Bintang, Partai Damokrasi Indonesia, Parti Demokrasi Kasih - Perjuangan (PDI-P), Parti Demokrasi Kasih, Parti Kchangkitan Bangsa (PKB), Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa, The GOLKAR Party, and The Partai Persatuan Pembangunan Laos: Lao People's Revolutionary Party Malaysia: United Malays National Organization (UMNO), Malaysian Chinese Association Party, Malaysian Indian Congress, Islamic Party of Malaysia Party (MIC), and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) (Malaysian Peoples Party). Myanmar: The National League for Democracy, The State Peace and Development of the union of Myanmar, The National Unity Party, The Union Solidarity and Development Association. Papua New Guinea: People's Democratic Movement Party, Papua and Niugini Union Pati, Melanesian Alliance Party, National alliance Party Philippines: LAKS-NUCD-UMDP (LAKAS NG KRISTIYANO AT MUSLIM DEMOCRATA PARTY (LAKAS CMD), Reporma Party, Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Nacionalista Party (NP), Laban NG Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), Liberal Party (LP), LAMP Party, People's Reform Party, PDP-Laban, Aksyon-Demokratiko Party, Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista NG Pilipinas (PDSP), and Kabalidat NG Mamamayang Pilipino (KAMPI). Singapore: People's Action Party, Workers' Party CEC, Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) (Singapore People's Party. Vietnam:Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam China: Communist Party of China Japan: Social Democratic Party, Minshuto Democratic Party of Japan, Liberal Democratic Party, New Komeito Party, New Komeito Party, The Japanese Communist Party, DRJ, and New Conservative Party Mongolia: Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), Democratic Party (Democrat Party), Citizens Will Party (Civil Will Party) (Republican Party of Mongolia). North Korea: Workers' Party of Korea, The Korean Social Democratic Party South Korea: The Grand National Party, Democratic Labor Party, The Millennium Democratic Party, and The United Liberal Democrats. Bangladesh:Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Awami League Party. Bhutan: The Royal Bhutanese Embassy in Thailand India: All India Congress Committee (Congress Party), Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India, Telegu Desam Party, Shiv Sena Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Party, and Janata Del (Samata) Party. Nepal: Napali Congress Party, Nepali Congress Party (Democratic), Communist Party of Nepal, and National Democratic Party of Nepal (Rastriya Prajatantra Party). Pakistan: Pakistan Muslim League Party, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sri Lanka: United National Party, Tamil United Liberation Front Party, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Party, Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Ealam People's Democratic Party, Democratic People's Leberation Front Party, The People's Alliance Party, and Mahajana Eksath Peramuna Party. Iran: The Militant Clergy League, The Islamic Iran Participation Front Party, The Islamic Revolution Mojahedin Organization, The Islamic Iran Solidarity Party, The Construction Party of Iran, and The Coalition of the Islamic Societies. Kazakhstan:Republican Party, Agrarian Party of Kazakhstan, Civic Party of Kazakhstan, and Otan Party . Oman: Ministry of Foreign Affair. Tajikistan: Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan. Uzbekistan: People Democratic Party, Social Democrat Party (ADOLAT) Russia: Yabloko Party, Communist Party of Russia, Fatherland-All Russia Party, Unity and Fatherland (United Party) (Merged between "Fatherland-All Russian Party." Afghanistan: Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Speaker of National Assembly Australia: The Liberal Party of Australia, The Australian Labor Party, and The National Party of Australia. Bahrain: Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Speaker of National Assembly. Kuwait: Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Speaker of National Assembly. New Zealand: Labor Party, NZ National Party Qatar: Ministry of Foreign or Speaker of National Assembly. Saudi Arabia: Ministry of Foreign or Speaker of National Assembly. United Arab Emirates: Ministry of Foreign or Speaker of National Assembly. Belgium (Guest- VIP): European People's Party (Wilfried Martens) Italy (Guest- VIP): Italian Parliament (Pier Ferdinando Casini) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Far Eastern Economic
Review
INTELLIGENCE - USAID Seeks Medical Help for Burma Issue cover-dated November 14, 2002 Burma may soon be getting its first assistance from the United States since the current military leaders seized power in 1988 after suppressing a pro-democracy uprising. The U.S. Agency for International Development has asked Congress for $1 million to fund HIV/Aids education programmes through non-governmental organizations during the fiscal year that began on October 1, according to a U.S. State Department official. This figure is expected to rise to $3.5 million next year and $10 million the year after, adds the official, who insists that none of these funds will benefit the military government. Washington also provides $6.5 million a year for democracy and leadership training among Burmese refugees in Thailand. Analysts assume the aid request will be approved because Congress has been pushing for an HIV/Aids programme in Burma. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |