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BURMA RELATED NEWS
- November 13, 2002.
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HEADLINES
------------------------------------------------------------------------ AFP - Aung San Suu Kyi's party asks
UN envoy to push junta into dialogue
AFP - TotalFinaElf chief denies use
of forced labor in Myanmar
AFP - US agents help Thailand seize
record three million speed pills
Reuters - Suu Kyi tests Myanmar
junta's nerve with Shan trip
Dow Jones - Asean To Form Council To
Oversee Gas Pipeline Project
Dow Jones - ASIAN ENERGY WATCH:
Renewable Energy Struggles In Asean
AP - Suu Kyi travels to northern Shan
State for party work
AP - Opposition urges Myanmar's
military junta to start democracy talks
AP - Suu Kyi party urges military
junta to start dialogue
OneWorld - South Asia - Tobacco
Company Urged to Exit Burma
Xinhuanet - Myanmar newspaper hails
China-ASEAN framework agreement on economic cooperation
Asia Tribune - We do not want to go
back.- Razali Ismail UN special envoy to Burma
SHAN - Triple X comes to
Burma
SHAN - Small drug shops forced
to close
Sacramento Bee - Burmese
activist builds global support
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wednesday November 13, 3:08 PM
Aung San Suu Kyi's party asks UN envoy to push junta into dialogue YANGON, Nov 13 (AFP) - Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party says it has urged visiting United Nations envoy Razali Ismail to convince Myanmar's junta to move ahead with a stalled political reconciliation process. "We urged him to try to get the dialogue to move forward and he said he would try his best," said National League for Democracy (NLD) party spokesman U Lwin. "He appears hopeful of making progress this time. As far as we are concerned we are prepared at any time to start a meaningful dialogue," he told reporters after the envoy met with party leaders. Razali arrived in Yangon Tuesday on a five-day mission to revive the dialogue between the military government and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi which he initiated two years ago. In a recent interview, he warned the process was moving too slowly and that he could quit his position if the government continued to resist democratic reforms. The Malaysian diplomat met with Aung San Suu Kyi and military intelligence chief General Khin Nyunt on Tuesday, but so far a hoped-for meeting with the nation's leader Senior General Than Shwe has not been confirmed. Razali told the Malaysiakini Internet news service that he wanted to ask Than Shwe why the junta had reneged on a promise to kick off the dialogue soon after Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in May. "Senior General Than Shwe is the only one who can give answers to his questions. If he cannot do so, nobody else can," said U Lwin. Razali declined Wednesday to indicate how his mission was progressing, saying he was "still in the middle process of having my discussions so I'll not pass on anything at this point." Asked whether he expected the meeting with Than Shwe to go ahead, he said "I've asked to see him and I'm waiting for confirmation." Official sources said that the envoy and Aung San Suu Kyi were scheduled to meet again in Shan state on Thursday, where they are both travelling on separate visits. The opposition leader has made several political trips around the country since she was released from 19 months under house arrest. The latest trip to Shan state will run to the end of the week, sources said. Shan state has been in the spotlight recently with the release of a report that claimed the military was using systematic rape as a weapon of war against ethnic minority women there. However, Razali's visit is expected to be aimed more at including the ethnic nationalities in the fledgling political reconciliation process rather than looking at the rights abuse claims which fall outside his job description. Also present at the meeting at NLD headquarters Wednesday were representatives of ethnic political parties who will see Razali again Friday before he departs Yangon. The envoy is scheduled to hold talks with Home Minister Tin Hlaing and junta figure Brigadier-General David Abel later Wednesday. Shan NLD party leader Khun Tun Oo said in an interview with the dissident Democratic Voice of Burma that there could be disastrous consequences if Razali resigned. "It would be a great loss to us if someone like him who is comfortable with all of us decided to abandon us," he said. "If the UN is not able to help, there would be no help from other quarters. I think that scenario could become an unimaginable nightmare." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tuesday November 12, 11:54 PM
TotalFinaElf chief denies use
of forced labor in Myanmar
PARIS, Nov 12 (AFP) - TotalFinaElf chairman Thierry Desmarest refuted accusations that the French oil group used forced labor in Myanmar, in a newspaper interview published here Tuesday. "The site was entirely managed under our control and we never resorted, directly or indirectly, to forced labor," Desmarest told Le Figaro Entreprises, a weekly supplement included in the French daily. He was referring to construction of the Yadana gas pipeline, which two Myanmar citizens have alleged was completed through the use of forced labor. The two men filed a complaint with French courts in August, charging that they had been forced to work on the pipeline, built between 1994 and 1998 by an international consortium led by the French company and the US group Unocal. French prosecutors have since launched an inquiry into the accusations, marking the first time that the formerly state-owned firm has faced an official French probe into its activities in Myanmar. In a report published last month, the International Conference of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) alleged that TotalFinaElf paid Myanmar's armed forces to round up civilians and force them to help build a pipeline access road. TotalFinaElf has repeatedly denied the accusations and dismissed the ICFTU report as "wild speculation or even pure lies." Desmarest remained defiant, saying: "It must be said that forced labor has been officially abolished by Myanmar, and that we are very vigilant about making sure this legislation is strictly enforced in zones where we work." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wednesday November 13, 6:03 PM
US agents help Thailand seize
record three million speed pills BANGKOK, Nov 13 (AFP) - Thai anti-narcotics police and US agents Wednesday arrested three alleged drug-traffickers and seized more than three million methamphetamine tablets in the capital's largest ever haul, officials said. Thai police were assisted in the joint operation by agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) under the two nations' anti-narcotics cooperation agreement. "This was the largest (methamphetamine) haul in the capital so far," national police chief General Sant Sarutanond told a press conference. The arrests were made on Bangkok's eastern outskirts, after Thai authorities and the DEA learned traffickers were transporting drugs from the Myanmar border to dealers in the capital's largest slum Klong Toey. Police stopped and searched a pickup truck and found 1.6 million tablets of methamphetamines. After interrogating the suspects they stopped another truck and seized an additional 1.48 million tablets hidden in special compartments. Sant said the suspects confessed they had been hired to transport the drugs for 100,000 baht (2,317 dollars) per trip, and that this was their third trafficking mission. The bust occurred during a visit to Thailand by the DEA's chief of worldwide operations, Rogelio Guevara, who attended the briefing with Sant. The suspects, all Thai nationals, will face the death penalty if convicted under the kingdom's strict drug-trafficking laws. Methamphetamines have largely supplanted heroin as the drug of choice in Thailand and some four percent of the Thai population is believed to be addicted to the stimulant pills. However, trafficking of heroin through the country remains a major problem. In September authorities announced their biggest heroin seizure on record, a haul of nearly 140 kilograms (308 pounds). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wednesday November 13, 1:55 PM
Suu Kyi tests Myanmar junta's nerve with Shan trip YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi left Yangon for Shan State in the east of the country on Wednesday in a trip likely to test the military junta's nerve while a key U.N. envoy is visiting. Since the military released Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi from house arrest in May, she has been allowed to travel freely to visit members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party in central Myanmar and Mon state. But a visit to Shan state is much more sensitive because of allegations by rights groups that the Myanmar army carried out human rights abuses in the region, including forced conscription of child soldiers and systematic rape of Shan women and girls. NLD spokesman U Lwin told Reuters Suu Kyi would travel throughout Shan state, a region embroiled in armed conflict between ethnic minority separatist militias and the Myanmar government. "She will cover the entire Shan State and we cannot say how long it will take," U Lwin said. Suu Kyi's trip coincides with a visit to Myanmar by U.N. special envoy Razali Ismail, who is trying to encourage the ruling generals to start talks with the NLD on political change. Razali, who said this week he would consider quitting if there was no progress, met Suu Kyi on Tuesday and has requested a meeting with the junta leader, Senior General Than Shwe. Myanmar's military has kept a tight grip on power for the last 40 years, ignoring results of 1990 elections that the NLD won by a landslide. Since entering into U.N.-brokered "national reconciliation" talks with Suu Kyi in late 2000, the junta has released more than 400 political prisoners and promised a transition to democracy. But many analysts and diplomats say the junta has no real intention of stepping down. They say the ruling generals took a calculated risk granting Suu Kyi freedom in the hope of breaking the country's political isolation and attracting trade and investment into a crumbling economy. Many Western countries, including the European Union and the United States, have imposed political and economic sanctions on the regime, accusing it of widespread human rights abuses and of being a drug-producing haven. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wednesday November 13, 3:02 PM
Asean To Form Council To Oversee Gas Pipeline Project SINGAPORE -(Dow Jones)- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, will create a council by July 2003 to oversee the US$7 billion trans-Asean gas pipeline project, Asean Center for Energy Executive Director Guillermo Balce said Wednesday. "It's main responsibility will be to ensure that the pipeline project is progressing," Balce told Dow Jones Newswires. The Asean Gas Consultative Council - as it will be called - will include representatives from every Asean member. The council will develop regulations and frameworks for the cross-border supply, transportation and distribution of natural gas throughout the region. The ambitious pipeline project is designed to help alleviate concerns about threats to long-term oil supplies in the region. While many Western countries have large oil stockpiles that can be tapped in case of unexpected supply disruptions, Southeast Asian nations don't have such reserves. Asean also expects most countries in the region to become net oil importers within the next 10 years. Asean members have also previously noted that a regional gas pipeline, as well as electricity networks, are the most efficient way for Asean countries to prevent a future energy crisis. The gas grid is expected to be completed in 2020. Indonesia has already developed several pipelines - from West Natuna to Singapore, West Natuna to Malaysia, and from South Sumatra to both Singapore and Malaysia. It is also studying a possible pipeline from West Natuna to Thailand. Asean comprises Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wednesday November 13, 3:02 PM
ASIAN ENERGY WATCH: Renewable Energy Struggles In Asean By Leigh Murray - Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Large-scale expansion into renewable energy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, in the near-term is unlikely as the high costs involved are deterring many of the countries. ASEAN members such as Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar are still struggling to improve the livelihood of their people, and in some cases are mired in debt, leaving little cash to experiment in areas such as renewable energy. The more developed and richer countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, which could expand further into renewable energy, have balked at widespread expansion largely because of the initial expense. A key reason for introducing renewable energy into Asean countries is to help ensure energy supply security, while also providing energy to traditional and remote communities. Asian comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. But renewable energy faces major hurdles before it becomes a leading player in the region. The crucial issue is cost, particularly for solar energy. Startup costs for installing solar panels is beyond many countries considering cleaner sources of energy. But Asean Center for Energy executive director Guillermo Balce believes renewable energy will be successful, although it will be gradual. "Renewable energy is more expensive than the usual big-scale fossil fuel power development and therefore the biggest barrier is the cost," Balce told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview. However, he remains positive about developments in the sector in Asean, with renewable energy now commanding 8.2% of the region's overall energy mix. "I think from the point of view of Southeast Asia we should be able to achieve our target of 12% by 2010," Balce said. "And maybe 15% by 2020." Solar energy is the most widely promoted renewable energy in Asean, particularly in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. It is concentrated on remote areas where other energy sources remain unattainable. Another long-term possibility is ocean energy, which Balce said offers great potential in South East Asia. However, energy conversion technologies remain in the research and development stage, meaning it will take years before ocean energy can be commercialized within Asean. Too Expensive While developments in renewable energy technology have been growing in the region, the financial burden of these sources remains too high for most. Balce said the cost of generating electricity from bioenergy and hydro is competitive with coal, and nuclear, while wind and geothermal are only slightly more expensive than more conventional means. However, one area that lags behind in cost competitiveness is solar power. While solar power is one of the simplest forms of renewable energy to promote within Asean, it remains unfavorable because of its high costs which can be 10 times more expensive than regular energy sources. He said there are also problems with the initial startup of solar power, which can take two years from the planning stage until implementation. But he said costs can be reduced, with better efficiency in design, manufacturing, installation and management likely to reduce costs by 10%-50% by 2020. "One of the things about solar energy is that, of course there are the high costs of development, but once it is developed there are basically no more costs," he said. While some Asean countries offer incentives to encourage companies to move into renewable energy, more are needed. A German energy expert, in Singapore this week, agreed that governments need to invest in solar energy to make it work due to the costs of buying and installing solar panels. Dr Volkhard Riechmann, the general director for energy, coal and mining in Germany's Nordrhein-Westfalen state, said solar energy had proven successful there because of government incentives. Those incentives include subsidies and loans of 25% of the cost of installing solar panels, while also allowing home owners to sell the solar power they generate back to the main grid at artificially high prices. There is some financial and non-financial support by the Thai and Malaysian governments in solar energy, which helps reduce the investment costs to affordable levels for individual households and communities. Rapid development in renewable energy within Asean is unlikely, however, at a time when even more developed countries are also struggling to expand. In the U.S., the Senate is considering a plan that will require that by 2020, 10% of the country's power comes from renewable sources such as wind, geothermal and solar power. Non-hydro renewables currently represent only 2% of the country's power. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suu Kyi travels to northern Shan
State for party work
Wed Nov 13, 23:03 PM
ET
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) _ Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi left Wednesday for the northeastern Shan State to open party offices, her fourth political trip outside the capital since her release from house arrest in May. Accompanied by party Vice Chairman Tin Oo and about a dozen youth members, Suu Kyi left her lakeside home around dawn in a three-car motorcade for the long journey, said party spokesman U Lwin. He said the journey is expected to take a few days as Suu Kyi will meet supporters along the way. She will make her first night's stop at Kalaw, a hill town 655 kilometers (407 miles) north of Yangon. No return date has been set. Suu Kyi met with United Nations envoy Razali Ismail on Tuesday night as part of his ongoing efforts to restore democracy in Myanmar, which has been under military rule since 1962. The current group of generals came to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement. The junta called elections in 1990 but refused to hand over power when Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won. Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel peace laureate, has suffered long periods of house arrest, the latest lasting 19 months until May 6. Razali was instrumental in initiating reconciliation talks between the junta and Suu Kyi even while she was under house arrest. But apart from freeing her and some other political dissidents, the junta has made few other concessions. Since her unconditional release, Suu Kyi has made three political trips outside Yangon. She also has visited several party offices in Yangon suburbs. During her latest trip, Suu Kyi will visit the Shan State capital Taunggyi, 725 kilometers (450 miles) north of Yangon, and will travel to other towns including Keng Tung and Lashio. ``Because there are not many NLD offices in Shan State, Daw Suu will open a few party offices and carry out youth organizational activities,'' said U Lwin. Asked about reports that Suu Kyi will meet Razali in Taunggyi, U Lwin said: ``That depends on Mr. Razali and his schedule.'' Razali, a Malaysian diplomat who is in Myanmar on his ninth trip as the U.N. envoy, is scheduled to meet senior NLD members at party headquarters later Wednesday. He has also asked for a meeting with junta leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe. He is scheduled to leave Myanmar on Saturday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opposition urges Myanmar's
military junta to start democracy talks
ASSOCIATED PRESS YANGON, Myanmar, Nov. 13 ? Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party on Wednesday urged Mynamar's military junta to start democracy talks, saying it is ready to discuss any issue without preconditions. Senior members of the National League for Democracy party asked visiting U.N. envoy Razali Ismail to convey the party's stand to the junta as he mediates in a bid to accelerate a 2-year-old reconciliation process that appears to have stalled. ''We are prepared for the dialogue with the government and we have not set any preconditions,'' party spokesman U Lwin told reporters after he and other senior leaders met with Razali. ''There could not be any dialogue that is as simple and uncomplicated as that. Any issue can be discussed at the dialogue table,'' U Lwin said. Razali arrived here Tuesday for a five-day visit. He intends to meet with junta leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe amid growing concerns that the government is not serious about the reconciliation, which Razali initiated in October 2000. Apart from releasing Suu Kyi from 19 months of house arrest and freeing other political dissidents, the junta has made no other concessions. It has given no indication that it wants to hold a dialogue with Suu Kyi. Razali met with Suu Kyi and No. 3 government leader Gen. Khin Nyunt on Tuesday and is scheduled to meet with Home Minister Col. Tin Hlaing later Wednesday. Asked if he was optimistic about a dialogue, Razali said he was ''still in the middle of the process'' of discussions. ''I have asked to see senior general (Than Shwe) and I think it may be possible. I'll wait for confirmation,'' Razali said. The current junta came to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement. It called elections in 1990 but refused to hand over power when the NLD won. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suu Kyi party urges military
junta to start dialogue
Wed Nov 13, 2:44 AM ET YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party on Wednesday urged Myanmar's military junta to start democracy talks, saying it is ready to discuss any issue without preconditions. Senior members of the National League for Democracy party told visiting U.N. envoy Razali Ismail to convey the party's stand to the junta as he mediates in a bid to accelerate the 2-year-old reconciliation process, which appears to have stalled. "We are prepared for the dialogue with the government and we have not set any preconditions," party spokesman U Lwin told reporters after he and other senior leaders met with Razali. "There could not be any dialogue that is as simple and uncomplicated as that. Any issue can be discussed at the dialogue table," U Lwin said. Razali arrived here Tuesday for a five-day visit with the intention of meeting with junta leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe amid growing concerns that his government is not serious about the reconciliation, which Razali initiated in October 2000. Apart from releasing Suu Kyi from 19 months of house arrest and freeing other political dissidents, the junta has made no other concessions. It has given no indication that it wants to hold a dialogue with Suu Kyi, which has apparently frustrated Razali. Razali met with Suu Kyi and No. 3 government leader Gen. Khin Nyunt on Tuesday and was scheduled to meet with Home Minister Col. Tin Hlaing later Wednesday. Asked if he was optimistic about a dialogue, Razali said: "I'm still in the middle of the process of having my discussions so I will not pass any information." "I have asked to see senior general (Than Shwe) and I think it may be possible. I'll wait for confirmation," said Razali. The current junta came to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement. It called elections in 1990 but refused to hand over power when the National League for Democracy won. Suu Kyi left early Wednesday for a political trip to Myanmar's northeastern Shan State and was not present during Razali's meeting with party members. Asked if he would meet Suu Kyi before leaving on Saturday, Razali said: "I usually meet her twice. I met her once yesterday. I'm working how I should see her. Efforts are being made for me to see (her) again." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tobacco Company Urged to Exit
Burma
1 hour, 53 minutes ago Kalyani,OneWorld South Asia Human rights activists launched a global drive Tuesday to oust British American Tobacco (BAT) from Myanmar, the Southeast Asian country formerly known as Burma, claiming that the firm was supporting the "brutal" military dictatorship there. Spearheaded by the London-based Burma Campaign UK (BCUK), campaigners capitalized on recent statements by BAT deputy-chairman and Member of Parliament Kenneth Clarke, unequivocally criticizing his company's operations in Myanmar. "I must admit I sometimes feel uncomfortable about investment in that country," Clarke said in a recent letter to a member of his constituency about BAT's cigarette factory in Myanmar, a joint venture with the military regime. "The problem in Burma arises when companies start collaborating with an extremely unpleasant regime which is totally contrary to our notions of civil liberties and democracy," he said. "Ken Clarke is absolutely right," said John Jackson, director of BCUK, which believes that discouraging trade or investments in Myanmar can help restore democracy in the country, that has been under military rule for over four decades. "BAT's collaboration with the regime is helping to keep this brutal dictatorship in power. He [Clarke] should get them to pull out immediately." Campaigns during the last five years have forced several companies--including U.S. cola maker Pepsico, Dutch brewery Heineken, and Swiss garment-maker Triumph International--to pull out of Myanmar. A major campaign, against Premier Oil, one of the largest British investors in Burma, forced the oil giant to withdraw in September. As part of the campaign to make BAT follow suit, BCUK said in a statement Tuesday that it would urge supporters to "deluge" the company's offices with emails and letters demanding that it close its Myanmar plant. The campaign, to be rolled out over one year in 20 countries--including the United States, Australia, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, Brazil, and Thailand--was supported by the Federation of Trade Unions-Burma, a workers' group in Myanmar, and Britain's largest trade union body, UNISON. BAT's Burmese subsidiary, Rothmans of Pall Mall Myanmar, is a joint venture with the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings, totally owned and controlled by officers of the military junta. BCUK estimates that the regime earns hundreds of thousands of dollars each year through its 40 percent ownership. The operation saw a profit of $US1 million for the year 2000-2001. Workers at the BAT plant, located in a military-owned industrial zone of the capital Yangon, were paid less than 40 cents a day, according to the statement. A single worker would take 85 years to earn what BAT chairman Martin Broughton earns in a day, it said. Jackson estimates that BAT is facing the biggest global campaign ever organized by campaigners for democracy in Burma. He warns, "They would do well to pull out now before their corporate reputation is damaged even further." BAT's Clarke said this week, "An international company cannot reform the politics of the government of any country in which it does business...However, we manage our business to our own high standards of social responsibility and this is what we strive to do in Burma." BCUK, however, believes that BAT's arrangements in the country would impede the vibrant local movement for democracy. The movement's political party, the National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won 82 percent of the vote in 1990 elections. The State Law and Order Restoration Council annulled the result and imprisoned Suu Kyi and many of her party colleagues. Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel prize for peace in 1991, was released after 19 months of house arrest in May this year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Myanmar newspaper hails
China-ASEAN framework agreement on economic cooperation
Xinhuanet 2002-11-13 12:20:33 YANGON, Nov. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Myanmar's official newspaper The New Light Wednesday hailed the recent signing of the Framework Agreement on China-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation, saying that the agreement is a milestone for regional economic cooperation. The agreement, signed at the ASEAN+China Summit held in Phnom Penhon Nov. 4, aims to establish a free trade zone between China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)not later than 2020. The establishment of the China-ASEAN free trade zone is "an inevitable result of the development of the ever-closer economic relations between them," the paper said in an article. It is a great strategic decision to set up such zone with a view to strengthening the good neighborliness between the two sides, it added. The proposed free trade zone will cover 1.7 billion consumers, a combined gross domestic products of 2 trillion US dollars and 1.2 trillion dollars of trade volume, the paper said. It said that it will be the most populous free trade zone in the world and the largest one made by developing countries. Noting that Myanmar will also take part in the zone not later than 2015, the paper anticipated that the zone will render greaterassistance to the continued development of the country's national economy in the future. The paper said that the setting up of the free trade zone will lead to boosting the economic development of China and the ASEAN and widen the scope of bilateral trade between the countries, resulting in the enhancement in the whole region's competitive power. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Asia Tribune
Date : 2002-11-13 We do not want to go back.- Razali Ismail UN special envoy to Burma Razali Ismail spoke exclusively last week with Yap Mun Ching from the Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysiakini News Service. Razali spoke about his frustrations concerning the protracted negotiations, the potential for elections as well as the obstacles Burma must overcome before it will be viewed as a sound spot for foreign investors. "We are going forward. We do not want to go back. This is not about criticizing the government. It is about finding a way out." Q: What do you hope to achieve for your next visit to Myanmar [Burma]? A:I am hoping to get the momentum moving again, and I want to understand why it has slowed down. I want to get the wheels moving as agreed to by all parties before. Q: Are you going to meet the government and Aung San Suu Kyi separately? A:Yes. I'd like to see the highest people in the government if possible, that is Senior General Than Shwe. A request has been made [to meet with him]. Under him, there is Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, who is the person I have been seeing. He is the interlocutor. I would discuss most things, or all things, with him. Q: Is Khin Nyunt considered the one most supportive of the talks? A: That is the assumption people make. I cannot say whether he is most supportive. I think I have to assume that the government supports the talks and wants the talks to move forward. At the moment, the momentum is rather arrested. It has not moved. I would be bringing the concern of the United Nations and the international community to ask why since the lifting on the restrictions on Suu Kyi in May, a dialogue did not take place. A promise was made to me?that there would be a dialogue. I hope in the course of the discussions, we can work towards solving whatever bottleneck there is and continue with the steps for dialogue. Q: Did they say when they would meet for the dialogue? A: Yes. They didn't give a time but they said very soon. I have been dealing with dialogues and diplomatic discussions on various issues all over the world for a number of years. In my understanding, ?very soon? would be like a couple of weeks or three to four weeks. It has been more than that. Q: Are you surprised that the talks have not progressed? A: I am surprised seeing that. I can find no reason why there should be that much of a delay. There are always reasons, but the lapse is rather prolonged. Q: When you were first appointed as envoy, you said the peace process would take two to four years. It has been two years now. How long more do you think it will take? A: I do not allow myself the luxury of predetermining things. If there is genuine intention by all parties to try to achieve national reconciliation and move towards civilian constitutional democratic government, there is no reason why it cannot be done in the next few years. Q: Do you think the government really intends to move this forward? A: I do not allow myself to debate or agonize whether this is genuine or whether this is sincere. If you are facilitating, you mustn't ask yourself these questions. You must be positive and you must catch the momentum. Q: Since Suu Kyi was released from house arrest, she has mentioned the possibility of a compromise and there have been reports saying that she might be willing to abandon the 1990 election results. A: First, the word ?compromise? shouldn't be used. Suu Kyi has been travelling around. She has seen situations which have saddened her. She has seen that the Myanmar people are far behind their neighbors in terms of development. [This includes] their ability to deal with an economically competitive world and their [grasp] of technical and computer skills. I don't think anybody would dispute that Myanmar may be some 30 to 35 years behind Malaysia. [Suu Kyi] really wants Myanmar to catch up with that and make up for the lost time. She told me that she is prepared to cooperate with the government in anything as long as it brings direct benefit to the people and it promotes the process of democracy. She has not compromised on any of the principles that she has always stood for. But she has opened her mind to accepting certain things like working with the government as long as it helps the people. Q: But the economy is affected by the sanctions against Myanmar which Suu Kyi had supported. A:I can assure you that if there is no clear steps towards national reconciliation and political stability, even if there are no sanctions, investors would be [reluctant] to go in. Secondly, the country must have the absorptive capacity to deal with funds that come in. If they do not have the capacity, skilled labor and infrastructure, nobody will invest. I don't think that sanctions alone have put the clock back on Myanmar. It is also the inability to deal with economic adjustments and reform. For example, take China. Despite still keeping its command and control government and set of governance, China has moved on the economic front in a very pragmatic fashion. The benefits have gone to the people even if there has not been political evolution. This is something that Myanmar can look at as a very good example. Even as you start the political process of national reconciliation, you can already begin economic adjustment. Q: But would the UN be happy with that form of government? A: Of course, everybody would be happy with that. Q: Aren?t the key governments interested in the talks?the United States and Britain?looking for a more open form of democracy? A:Nobody has the right to determine the final shape of things or the structure applicable to Myanmar. It is up to the people of Myanmar. If they want a Pakistani model, a Turkish model or a Chinese model, that's fine. Everybody can accept that. But the people must express their views. Q: But they did in the 1990 elections ... A: We know that but we are not looking backwards. We are looking at how to deal with the situation where there is the election results but things didn't happen the way they should have. We are going forward. We do not want to go back. This is not about criticizing the government. It is about finding a way out. Q: Do you think the government will reconsider the election results, hold fresh elections or will the military junta retain key positions? A: I think there is no denying that the [military] government has many times stated that it is a government in transition. They want a civilian democratic constitutional government with elections. So elections are definitely something that has to happen in the future. I think if there is national reconciliation in Myanmar, it would not be impossible to find a way out?while one can recognize in some way the results of 1990?and go on to have another elections. It is not impossible. Q: Has Suu Kyi said anything about your involvement in Iris? [A controversy over possible conflict of interest arose in May after it was revealed that Iris Technologies, a Malaysian company in which Razali held 30 percent ownership, signed a deal to provide 5,000 electronic passports to the Burmese government.] A:She has. I have spoken to her and she has complete trust in my integrity. But it is not a question of a person trusting you or not. At the end of the day, you have to think if you are qualified or not. If you are no longer qualified because of certain involvement, you should step down. I think I am qualified. If I step down it would be because it takes too much time, and if I think I am not going anywhere with the discussions. If it just goes on and on, I may decide to step down. It has been going on in my mind?how long more, how long more? Q: Did you set yourself a time? A: I want to see a situation where there is negotiation and it comes to a point of irreversibility. And all the parties, including the ethnic groups, are all together. Then, the UN does not have to do too much anymore "So, all Asean countries, particularly the ones physically neighboring Myanmar, have the right to make known their views and hope that there will be peace, reconciliation and economic development?. Asean countries can play the necessary role to bring about the evolution of political structure in Myanmar." Q: Were you already involved with Iris Technologies before you became UN special envoy? A: I joined Iris nearly four years ago. About two and a half years ago, I became the UN envoy. Iris? interest in Myanmar [Burma] happened before I became the special envoy but it was a general interest. Then, it developed into something specific. I have never once spoken to the leaders in Myanmar about Iris. Iris is a technology [company] that wins contracts by itself. Iris? technology is the most obvious one to have because this is the way how passports will go?electronically. I have never at any moment felt that there was conflict of interest. Purists can say otherwise, as one journalist did. So I asked him if he wanted me to resign. Would everybody be happy if I resigned? We seem to try to splash things up to so many parts. I have been in the US, I have been to the UK and Europe, and the connections between business and politics have always been there but you must be accountable. Here, in the context of accountability, I have done nothing at all. There is not an iota of conflict involved. Q: So you don?t think it has affected your credibility? A: No, I think the UN looked at it and thought there was nothing there. If they didn?t like it, they could have stopped my contract. I would be quite happy not to be special envoy, I have other things to do in my life. I was sort of shanghaied to do this job. If they don?t think that I am the right person to do it then they can always terminate the contract. Q: Are they happy with what you are doing now? A: Well, every six months they come and say please do it for another six months. Basically while some people raised their eyebrows, nobody wanted me to actually to drop this. In fact, I got another contract recently, without asking. Q: Will this silence your critics? A: No, it will not silence them. There are always people who want to be such purists. It is not so simple. Life is not so compartmentalized. Q: You are a very busy businessman in addition to your UN work. If the Myanmar parties and the UN want you to expand your role, would you have the time? A: There are a lot of things I want to do. I want to do some environmental things. I want to do some farming, I want to grow trees. We should try to do forest plantation. We should not cut trees anymore. Down the road, say 20 years from now, we should cut trees only from plantations. We should already begin. It is already beginning in Sabah and Sarawak, and we should do it here in the peninsula. I also want to do better with the Yayasan Salam [state-owned Salam Foundation] which wants to help in national integration and push the concept of active citizenship. So, this has already taken a lot of my time and I am beginning to feel like a fellow who is punched-drunk?you know, running from pillar to post. But Myanmar is like a magnet, it draws you in. It is not just the political things but also the people, the rights of people to have a chance to do better for themselves. And the personalities are very, very interesting so if I can play a role then I will do it. Q: Why were you picked as envoy? Could it be because of your position as special advisor to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad? A: The [UN] secretary-general [Kofi Annan] has advisors to tell him who to [choose] and I was picked. I don?t think it has any connection to my job with the prime minister of Malaysia but I am sure they took into account the relationship between Malaysia and Myanmar. Q: When Asean embraced Myanmar, one of the reasons given was that the move would open up dialogue with the military government. But there is little visible effort to push for reconciliation talks between the junta and the opposition. A: How can you say that? The prime minister of Malaysia... Q: But he is a Malaysian leader. What about Asean? A: Here I am speaking as a Malaysian. I think Dr Mahathir has done a huge amount of work in trying to help the UN and bring about a situation of national reconciliation in Myanmar at the highest level. He continues to have that concern and he also wants to get businesses [going] in Myanmar. That would help Myanmar. As far as the other Asean leaders are concerned, as a Malaysian or even as a UN special envoy, I am somewhat surprised that they have not expended energy to that extent. Q: What kind of efforts do you expect? A: In the case of Asean, while respecting the question of non-interference strongly, it is still possible to express your view on a particular situation. After all, we have common borders. There is mobility across borders and people move from one side to the other and there is also [migrant] laborers from Myanmar. There is also the fear of HIV spread, and the fear of the movement of narcotics, whatever their place of origin. So, all Asean countries, particularly the ones physically neighboring Myanmar, have the right to make known their views and hope that there will be peace, reconciliation and economic development. As the prime minister says: ?Prosper your neighbor?. This is the only thing that will work. We don?t want a situation similar to what Western Europe did to Eastern Europe during the Cold War?to try to starve and bankrupt Eastern Europe. To some extent they did succeed but the price they have to pay to rebuild the economies is huge. So why don?t we do it this way? We help to develop these countries as much as we can, not just Myanmar but also Laos and Vietnam. In the context of constructive engagement, Asean countries can play the necessary role to bring about the evolution of political structure in Myanmar. Q: Similar to what Mahathir is doing now? A: Yes, without headlining and without trying to get kudos from it?just quietly. The [8th Asean Summit in Phnom Penh] has just taken place. I do not know how many leaders took the trouble to talk about this quietly. Q: As the special advisor to Mahathir, are you required to brief him on the Myanmar situation? A: Yes, as much as possible. As often as the PM has the time, I brief and talk to him on this and that about Myanmar. I also express my views over a few other things. I think the honor is mine. I have gained more from that designation than I have given to the PM so I am very grateful for that. I am honest enough to realize that the PM has done me a favor. I haven?t really helped him enough in advising him. Q: It was said that Suu Kyi wanted to meet with Mahathir during his visit to Myanmar in August. Subsequently, they did not meet. Do you know the reason for it? A:I was told that Suu Kyi wanted to meet with Dr Mahathir, and Dr Mahathir also would have liked to meet with her. I am surprised that they have not met. I think it would help the government of Myanmar and Suu Kyi in their understanding and their perspectives of the issues. I hope they meet. I do not want to speculate why they did not meet, I have no right to do that. I think it makes a lot of sense for them to meet. Q: According to Human Rights Watch, the military has been involved in persecuting Muslim minority groups. Malaysia is home to a sizeable community of Muslim Rohingyas who say they face persecution. A: I am aware of what has taken place and there are huge numbers of internally displaced people. Some of them have come here. A solution must be found eventually, if not sooner. I think if there is political reconciliation, all these issues will begin to be solved. If these Muslims from the Arakan area have citizenship, then the government would have to accept that they are citizens. If they do not have citizenship, then it is another matter. If they are citizens, all rights of citizenship must be given to them. Q: That is the disputed point. A: In a better climate when there is national reconciliation, all these things will have to be examined. But you can?t just plunk this out and make this a red flag?that the military government is terrible. That is not putting the whole picture there. Various groups outside can always have their favorite flogging horse. Everybody has that. Here too, maybe there are politicians who feel that as Muslims, we have to help them. Maybe there are grounds for all this, but please look at it in context. Q: There are also reports from human rights groups alleging rape of Shan women, use of child soldiers, slavery, ethnic and religious persecution. A: I deal with the reconciliation process. These [other] matters are dealt with by Dr Paulo Sergio Pinheiro who is the UN special envoy for human rights. However, they do impact on what I have to do. All the allegations must be investigated. It would not be wise not to investigate them. One has to know the truth. Sometimes things are said and they have their own momentum. I am not saying that these allegations are blown out of proportion but we have to be very careful because these are very emotive things. Women being raped and [persecution of] ethnic groups are terrible but one has to be cool-headed about these things. It is also very easy to make allegations. Q: So far you have met with Suu Kyi and the government separately. Any chance for you to meet them together? A: My role is that of a facilitator. I do not really mediate. That has been an arrangement that has suited everybody given their sensitivities and all that. Of course, the UN is prepared to consider all possibilities if, for some reason or other, the UN has to do more and I am asked to be more involved. If all parties agree, there is no problem. Q: Do you see your role evolving to one of a mediator or do you see yourself stepping out at some point? A: One has to be very careful about this because the Myanmar parties are very sensitive and very clear in their minds that they want to do it their way. This is a homegrown process of national reconciliation and as far as the UN is concerned and the international community is concerned, as long as the results are there we have no right to say this or that. If there is a need recognized by all parties that I should do more then, of course, I would do it. Q: You have said that you met with several ethnic minority group leaders. Who are they are which groups do they represent? A: They are the leaders of ethnic political parties that are considered legal. They have an alliance called the [United Nationalities Alliance]. Q: Some exiles from Myanmar have said that the people are now at a breaking point. A: I think the events of 1988 are not something that one should contemplate for the future. I think there must be other ways of doing this. It is the right of the people to take to the streets if things are desperate, but things are not that desperate. If you look at Suu Kyi?s philosophy, she does not want any of those things. She wants to persuade the government that it is in everybody?s interest, including the military government to evolve into a situation where there is national reconciliation and a proper government. Q: What about news that people are starving? A: People are undernourished and people are poor in certain areas. They need infrastructure development. They need power, their lights are sometimes shut off. There is no reason why 50 million people in Myanmar should live like that. Myanmar is not in some remote corner of the world. Myanmar is part and parcel of Asean, a burgeoning area of growth. The people in Myanmar should benefit like other people in Asean, so it is not acceptable. This interview is reprinted from Malaysiakini. www.malaysiakini.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shan Herald Agency for
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No: 11 - 03, 12 November 2002 Triple X comes to Burma Hundreds of Chinese six-wheelers for military use, with triple axles, were poised for entry into Burma yesterday morning, reported S.H.A.N. correspondent Hawkeye. The trucks, called Dongfeng (East wind) in Chinese, were being washed alongside the road between Zegao and Mongmao (Ruili in Chinese), opposite Muse, the northernmost city of Shan State when S.H.A.N saw them. "Their destination is Mandalay (290 miles from Muse)," according to a hired truck attendant. "These are mountain-climbers suitable for rugged terrains like areas opposite Thailand where we have the Shan State Army of Yawdserk and such, "said an ex-resistance member who claimed to have come across them in Laos. "But they are also known as inordinate fuel-consumers." According to Bangkok Post, 6 November, Burma has been hoarding 3 million liters of gasoline since the border was reopened on 15 October. A Thai source, it says, believes it points out to a major crackdown on dissident groups along the Thai border. "It would also mean Rangoon was not interested in parleying with the opposition," said a veteran Thai border-watcher. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shan Herald Agency for
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No. 11-04, 12 November 2002 Drugs - Small drug shops forced to close Several mini-refineries across the border from Chiangmai that had closed shop since April have yet to be re-opened even as the season's first crop of opium is being harvested, said Lerntawng, S.H.A.N. correspondent on the border. At least six of them in Mongton Township, opposite Chiangmai, Chiangdao District, have remained inactive, although large refineries owned by bosses close to the military continue to operate unabated. "For instance, no one's going to stop Chao Ching's lab near Wanhong (in the neighboring Monghsat Township) and Li Shin's at Hwe Khailong (east of Mongton),"said an insider source. Chao Ching is reportedly close to the Wei brothers. Sources say the seizure in Chiangmai's Phrao District on 7 November had originated from one of his laboratories. In the meantime restrictions on small scale operators appear to have become more severe. "Prices have gone down: opium to 10,000 baht per joy(1.6kg), heroin to 110,000 baht per block and yaba (methamphetamine) to 4.5 baht per pill," said the same source. "Still there are few purchasers." One of the small timers from Kunhing, west of the Salween, who had been waiting in vain in Mongton for some refinery operators to convert his 50 joy of opium into heroin had already given up his dream of getting rich quick. What he had in mind now was to cut his losses. "He has offered to sell his opium wholesale at the rate of 6,000 baht per joy," said another source. "Still there is no one to buy his goods. In the end, he'll be lucky to get of this in one piece, because the government will do what it can to squeeze out the small fish." According to local professional estimates, at least two tons of last year's opium are still stuck in the two townships, Mongton and Monghsat, as this year's yield is being scraped off their pods. "Both the Burmese and the big fish want to get rid of petty operators," said another insider source. "What they do does not help the government except to tarnish its image in the eyes of the world. Big operators, on the other hand, can keep the government in good financial stead during its hard times." Poppy fields are twice as big this year as last year's, confide several sources. Official interference is their least worry. "In Mongpu Long (north of Mongton in Mongpiang Township) where we live," said a farmer, "we have 320 families. Each pay 5,000 kyat to the local commander and nobody touches us." "Our only hope now is that the rains don't come before we scrape off the milky sap," he said. He would worry about the price later, he added. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Burmese activist builds global
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The former UCD student works out of a tiny Berkeley office to try to rid his country of military rule. Priyanka Sharma-Sindhar -- Bee correspondent source : Sacramento Bee, CA - November 12, 2002 BERKELEY -- On an average day, Zar Ni gets into work by 5 a.m. Like many others, he works 12-hour days, spending a lot of time on the computer and the phone. Unlike many others, he devotes his time to ridding his homeland -- Myanmar, formerly known as Burma -- of military rule. Ni, 39, who now goes by the one-word name "Zarni," is the founder of the Free Burma Coalition, the highest-profile Burmese activist organization on the globe.The movement -- inspired by the push to end apartheid in South Africa -- is rooted in putting economic pressure on Myanmar's military commanders. "We're a totally nonviolent movement," said Zarni, who left his country 14 years ago to attend the University of California, Davis, and now works out of a tiny office in Berkeley. "We're not training our people to blow themselves up." His days as a student activist continued at the University of Wisconsin, where he enrolled in a doctorate program in education. Zarni created the Free Burma Coalition in 1995. The network connects supporters on college campuses via e-mail. Today, the network extends to 28 countries, and has chapters at nearly 50 college campuses in the United States. "Internationally . . . every activist interested in Burma knows Zarni and the Free Burma Coalition," said Maung Maung Oo, a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley's journalism school. Oo is a journalist with Irrawaddy, a magazine published by Burmese exiles along the Thai-Burma border. Renamed Myanmar by its military rulers, Burma is a country of 42 million people in Southeast Asia. Slightly smaller than Texas, it shares borders with China, India and Thailand, and for brief stretches, with Bangladesh and Laos.It was ruled by the British through the 19th and early 20th centuries -- and for a brief period during World War II by the Japanese -- before it fell into British hands again. Burma finally attained independence in 1948.But, with warring ethnic groups and a weak socialist democracy, the nation remained politically unsettled. In 1962, Gen. Ne Win overthrew the democratically elected prime minister, U Nu, and seized power. Since then, Myanmar has been ruled by a military regime. Rebellions have occurred sporadically -- only to be subdued.The most forceful uprisings took place in 1988, led by student activists. The ruling military junta sent in the army and many protesters died in the ensuing violence.Two years later, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy swept parliamentary elections, but the transition to democracy has yet to take place. With an army that's accused of drafting boys into military service, forcing villagers into heavy labor and raping women, the country has a dismal human rights record, according to Human Rights Watch. Dissenters and religious and ethnic minorities are persecuted, the nonprofit group says. Jack Healey, head of the Washington D.C.-based Human Rights Action Center and former executive director of Amnesty International USA, said efforts to improve conditions within the country, including sanctions by the U.S. government, have largely failed. "There isn't all that much movement. I don't know if that's because nobody knows where Burma is, or no one cares about Asia, or if it's 9/11," said Healey. Yet, he and others do credit activists here with keeping the issue alive. Kyaw Paw U, a professor at UC Davis and an American of Burmese origin, said, "The movement is so suppressed under the military regime that any amount of help that comes from here is important." Human rights groups and the Free Burma Coalition scored their biggest victory with its efforts to get PepsiCo Inc. to withdraw from Myanmar five years ago. The coalition launched a boycott against Pepsi products on local and international campuses. It also reached out to labor groups, women's groups, and church groups. In 1997, Pepsi ceased operations in Burma. "Pepsi was not the only company we were boycotting, but it became our poster boy, because it was a global company," said Zarni. The coalition went on to lobby state and federal agencies and corporate shareholders to disengage from companies that had business interests in Myanmar. That ended when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that states could not use their purchasing power to influence companies in business with countries known for human rights violations -- if the federal government had already established a foreign policy for those countries. The U.S. government has sanctions in place against Myanmar, which include an arms embargo and a ban on investment and direct assistance to the regime. The activists continue to pressure companies to pull out of Myanmar and claim 70 successes, such as the hotel chain Best Western International Inc. and clothing retailer J.Crew. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, in 2000 there was a $454 million deficit in U.S. trade with Myanmar, and in 2001, a $458 million deficit. El Segundo-based Unocal Corp., which has a stake in a $1.2 billion natural gas project, is the last prominent American company in Myanmar.Six years ago, villagers in Myanmar filed a suit against Unocal seeking damages for human rights abuses, such as forced labor and rape, committed by soldiers during the pipeline's construction. In September,the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an earlier federal court decision and said the oil giant could be held liable for any violations and must now stand trial.A Unocal spokesman has said the company has no knowledge and is not responsible for any human rights abuses that may have occurred. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |