[burmanet2-l] Burma Related News - Nov 22, 2002.

["TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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BURMA RELATED NEWS - November  22, 2002.
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HEADLINES
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AFP - Myanmar's leaders should "hang their heads in shame" : top US official
AFP - UN chief hails release of Myanmar political prisoners
AFP - Myanmar to free Frenchmen detained for illegal entry: Paris
AP - More than 100 political prisoners including 51 Suu Kyi supporters
AP - Report: Southeast Asian anti-terror crackdown may be driving Islamic
radicals to Thailand, Myanmar
Xinhuanet - Asian political parties meet in Bangkok
Asian Tribune - Asian Political Parties Conference begins today on an
optimistic note
WP - U.S. May Take Burma Off 'Major' Drug List
Indian Express - Fest to foster unity among Asian cities
JER - What Can Japan do for Myanmar
Mizzima - Burma will change but not by outside policy
Irrawaddy Online - Opposition Leader Apologizes to Ethnic Groups
Irrawaddy Online - Leading Figures not Among Released

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Friday November 22, 9:52 AM
Myanmar's leaders should "hang their heads in shame" : top US official

WASHINGTON, Nov 21 (AFP) - Myanmar's leaders should "hang their heads in
shame" over their broken economy, a senior US official said in the Bush
administration's most fiercely critical outline yet of its policy towards
the military-ruled state.

James Kelly, the State Department's senior Asia policymaker, said in a
strongly worded speech Thursday that signs of tentative progress in a
government-opposition dialogue over the past six months stood out only
because the country's plight was so "bleak."

Kelly granted the regime marginal credit for allowing democracy leader Aung
San Suu Kyi to travel around the country, but savaged the Yangon junta's
treatment of dissidents and handling of claims that its troops were involved
in mass rapes.

He told a closed-door reception of academics and Myanmar experts, scheduled
to include Myanmar's ambassador to the United States Kyaw Win, that he had
hoped to attend the forum with "significant good news to share and even new
acquaintances to make."

"But it was not to be. I think it fair to say that Burma represents a most
frustrating challenge for American diplomacy," Kelly said, according to a
copy of a speech at a School of Advanced International Studies forum on
Myanmar.

Sources in Yangon said earlier this week that Myanmar Deputy Foreign
Minister Khin Maung Win and junta spokesman Colonel Hla Min would travel to
Washington for the forum among other officials.

But they did not arrive, and US officials refused to confirm or deny whether
they had been refused visas by the US government. The junta's US-based
lobbying firm also declined to comment.

"I break no new ground when I observe that Burma was once poised to be one
of the most prosperous countries of Southeast Asia," Kelly was due to say in
remarks obtained by AFP.

"Now its broken economy has trouble feeding itself. This is a man-made, not
a natural phenomenon, and Burma's leaders should hang their heads in shame,"
he said, in US custom using Myanmar's former name, which was changed by
junta leaders.

"The picture presented by events in Burma over the past year is decidedly
mixed and it is a measure of how bad things are in Burma that even a mixed
record represents some progress, but progress exceeded by disappointment,"
Kelly said.

"Unfortunately, conditions inside the country for the Burmese people remain
dire and the optimism generated by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release on May 6th
has diminished as the regime continues to delay its dialogue with Daw Suu
and her party."
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Thursday November 21, 13:31 PM
UN chief hails release of Myanmar political prisoners

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 21 (AFP) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan welcomed
Myanmar's release of political prisoners Thursday, while Yangon said a total
of 115 would be ultimately be freed.

According to statement from Yangon, prisoners to be released will include
members of the opposition National League for Democracy, led by Nobel peace
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

"The release of the prisoners started to take place in various parts of the
country since this morning," a government spokesman in Yangon told AFP.

The prisoner release by the junta in Myanmar, formerly Burma, would be the
biggest single release since UN-brokered reconciliation talks began two
years ago.

The mass release came as pressure mounted on the government to advance a
reconciliation process with the opposition, which UN envoy Razali Ismail
kicked off in October 2000.

Since then, more than 400 dissidents have been freed from jail in small
batches and Aung San Suu Kyi has been released from house arrest. However,
the junta has reneged on promises to begin political talks with the
opposition.

Annan said through a spokesman that, during Ismail's visit to Yangon
November 12-16, the envoy "strongly urged the government to release
political prisoners in a large number at one time so that more than 200
political detainees would have been released by the end of 2002."

He expressed the hope that "this first large-scale release will provide
fresh momentum for the nationional reconciliation process in that country."
The National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in 1990 elections,
the results of which were never recognized by the military junta.
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Myanmar to free Frenchmen detained for illegal entry: Paris

PARIS, Nov 21 (AFP) - Myanmar has agreed to free two French nationals held
for nine days after crossing into the military-ruled state without visas and
will deport them to Thailand, the French foreign ministry said Thursday.

The French embassy in Bangkok would then help the two men, both in their
30s, to get to the Thai capital, ministry spokesman Francois Rivasseau said.

The pair, who are from Paris and the southeastern town of Toulon, crossed
into Myanmar without visas on November 12 just to "have a drink on the other
side," according to a French diplomat in Yangon.

They were taken into custody in an area of southern Myanmar known as
Victoria Point.

Myanmar is one of the world's most isolated nations and is intensely
concerned about foreigners entering the country illegally, especially those
whom it believes could be dissidents or foreign correspondents posing as
tourists.

Rivasseau urged French tourists to review the ministry's foreign travel
guidelines posted on its website.
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More than 100 political prisoners including 51 Suu Kyi supporters
Thu Nov 21, 23:02 PM ET

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) _ Myanmar's military government has freed 51 members of
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party as part of the large-scale
release of 115 political detainees under an ongoing reconciliation process,
party officials said Friday.

Most of the 51 party members freed Thursday were youth members of the
National League for Democracy, party spokesman U Lwin told The Associated
Press.

An official statement late Wednesday had announced that the government would
free on Thursday 115 prisoners including NLD members. Government officials,
speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed on Friday that all have been
released. They did not give details.

U Lwin confirmed the release of 51 NLD members whose names were given to him
by authorities. He said they were freed from various prisons in central
Myanmar, the delta region and Yangon's main Insein prison.

This is the biggest batch of political prisoners to be released since the
government began reconciliation talks with Suu Kyi in October 2000 following
mediation by United Nations envoy Razali Ismail.

Razali ended a five-day visit to Myanmar last week, saying he expects the
government to free more than 200 political prisoners by the end of this
year. But he has expressed disappointment at the slow progress of the
reconciliation talks, which have not moved beyond the so-called
confidence-building stage.

The junta, which has been in power since 1988, refuses to step down and has
not held any substantive dialogue with Suu Kyi on restoring democracy. Suu
Kyi's party won the 1990 general elections but was not allowed to take
power.

The only positive outcome of the reconciliation process has been the
piecemeal release of prisoners and Suu Kyi's release from 19 months of house
arrest in May.

With the latest releases, the government has freed 383 NLD members. About
350 more non-NLD political detainees have also been freed.

But about 1,000 more political prisoners are estimated to remain in jails.
The United Nations, human rights groups, Suu Kyi and Western governments
have demanded their unconditional and immediate release.

According to NLD figures 111 party members including 16 elected
representatives of the 1990 election remain in prison.
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Report: Southeast Asian anti-terror crackdown may be driving Islamic
radicals to Thailand, Myanmar
Thu Nov 21, 4:09 AM ET
By JIM GOMEZ, Associated Press Writer

MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Anti-terrorism crackdowns in Malaysia, Singapore
and the Philippines may force Muslim extremists to seek safer havens and
develop logistical bases in Thailand and Myanmar, according to a
confidential report.

Members of the Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiyah also have been
detected in three Australian cities, said the report, which was obtained by
The Associated Press in the Philippines on Wednesday.

The report on the threat of Muslim extremism in Southeast Asia was presented
by Singapore authorities during a security conference with Philippine
officials last month.

Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore have arrested dozens of suspected
Jemaah Islamiyah members and leaders in recent months, seizing explosives
and uncovering alleged attack plots in a region increasingly viewed as a
major front in the U.S.-led global war on terrorism.

Indonesia, criticized in the past as having a soft stance on terrorism, took
tougher steps after bomb attacks blamed on Jemaah Islamiyah killed nearly
200 people, mostly foreign tourists, on the resort island of Bali last
month.

Jakarta has been wary of cracking down hard on suspected terrorists because
of a feared backlash from hard-line Muslim constituencies.

The report said terrorism remains a threat in the region but that some
countries that cracked down early, such as Malaysia and Singapore, have
generally put the problem under control.

"The problem is most serious in Indonesia, where the Bali attacks have
highlighted the dangerous consequences of giving extremists the leeway to
organize and expand," the report said.

It said that in Thailand - where there is no concrete evidence of a Jemaah
Islamiyah cell - members of the group have bought arms and explosives from
Muslim radicals in the south and may be considering the country, along with
Myanmar, as a possible refuge and alternative base.

Several Jemaah Islamiyah members on the run from Singapore authorities,
including an al-Qaida-linked militant identified as Mas Selamat Kastari, may
have fled to southern Thailand late last year before moving on to Indonesia,
it said.

"Information received suggests that the JI (Jemaah Islamiyah) leadership has
considered using southern Thailand as a safe haven in the event that its
networks in Singapore and Malaysia are disrupted," the report said.

Myanmar has also been considered as "a viable safe haven," the report said.
It cited unconfirmed reports that suspected Muslim radicals from southern
Thailand and Bangladesh may have entered Myanmar.

Additionally, Australian security agencies say they've detected Jemaah
Islamiyah cells in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, the report said.

Investigations indicated the militants have met comrades from Southeast Asia
but there were no "firm indications that these Australian JI elements have
been directly involved in regional JI activities," the report said.

It said dealing with extremist threats would be a long, difficult process
that would take more than military action.

"A campaign on this front is an arduous process, involving not only winning
the hearts and minds of Muslims, but also reducing the political instability
and endemic poverty in the region that have helped the radicals to expand."
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Asian political parties meet in Bangkok
Xinhuanet 2002-11-22 13:25:10

BANGKOK, Nov. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Over 200 politicians and representatives
from 72 political parties in Asia gathered here Friday for a three-day
meeting to discuss regional issues and enhance cooperation.

According to local TV news reports, there will be a meeting of the standing
committee on the first day of the 2nd International Conference of Asian
Political Parties (ICAPP) that will be held onNov. 22-24.

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, who will address the plenary
session Saturday as the deputy head of the ruling ThaiRai Thai Party, said
terrorism, regional security and political reform will top the agenda of the
meeting.

"Participants will present to the world their belief that Asia is definitely
not a terrorist base and will exchange views on political development in the
region," he said.

Concerns over economic and social problems facing the region inrecent years,
such as financial and environment issues, will also be discussed in broad
terms to learn from various experiences and find solutions that every
country will implement, said Surakiart.

Leading political parties attending the meeting include the Communist Party
of China, Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), India's Bharatiya Janata
Party, Indonesia's Golkar Party, Malaysia's United Malays National
Organization (UMNO) and Thailand's Thai Rak Thai Party, this year's host.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo will address the meeting.
The first ICAPP meeting was held in the Philippines in September last year,
gathering 150 participants from 43 Asian parties.
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Asian Tribune
Date : 2002-11-22
Asian Political Parties Conference begins today on an optimistic note
By K.T.Rajasingham

Bangkok Nov. 22: More than 200 delegates from 24 countries representing 67
political parties in Asia are participating in The Second International
Conference of Asian Political Parties. The 3-day conference begins today in
the Shangri-la Hotel Bangkok and is hosted by Thai Rak Thai Party,
Democratic Party and including other political parties in Thailand.

In the evening, Utahi Pimchaichon, President of the National Assembly and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Thailand would host a reception
to the delegates.

On 23 November, Dr.Surakiart Sathirathai, Deputy Leader of the Thai Rak Thai
Party, who is also Thailand's Foreign Affairs Minister, is to make the
welcome address on behalf of the Thai Political parties, who are organizing
and hosting the Conference. Followed by the foreign minister's address, Jose
C. de Venecia, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the International
Conference of Asian Political Parties and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives- The Philippines, would address.

Dr. Thakshin Shinwatara, Leader of Thai Rak Thai Party and the Prime
Minister of Thailand will deliver the keynote speech.

In the afternoon, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, of the LAKAS CMD Party and the
President The Philippines is expected to address the delegates.

Delegates of the various political parties from Asia attending the
conference are expected to participate in the workshops on "enhancing
political Party cooperation." It is reported that there would be three
different workshops, namely on -

1. Political dimension,
2. Economic dimension, and
3. Social Dimensions.

On 24 November, the Conference is expected to conclude after the adoption of
the Bangkok Declaration. After the conclusion of the conference, Dr.
Surakiart Sathirathai and Jose C.de Venecia would address a press
conference. Leading political parties include the Communist Party of China,
Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, India's Bharatiya Janata Party,
Indonesia's Golkar Party and Malaysia's United Malays National Organisation.

Earlier, Sonia Gandhi, the opposition leader and the leader of the Indian
Congress, M.Venkaiah Naidu - the President of the ruling Bharatia Janata
Party, Dato Seri Samy Vellu, the leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress and
the Minister of Works in Malaysia were expected to participate in the
Conference. But according to the organisers these leaders have indicated
their inablity to participate in the conference.
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U.S. May Take Burma Off 'Major' Drug List
By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 22, 2002; Page A25

State Department officials are close to recommending Burma's removal from a
list of "major" drug producers, allowing the Southeast Asian nation to press
for significant counternarcotics funding, according to sources on Capitol
Hill and people who have spoken with State Department officials.

A decision by the Bush administration to reward Burma's counternarcotics
efforts would be an important psychological boost for the repressive
government, experts said. Burma's ruling military junta, which has been
condemned for human rights abuses, has long sought to use its counterdrug
efforts to gain greater international recognition.

"This would bring the regime a great deal of prestige," said David
Steinberg, director of Asian studies at Georgetown University.

A State Department recommendation would need to be reviewed by the White
House, and officials at the bureaus involved in the recommendation refused
to discuss the issue. But, in a speech last night, Assistant Secretary of
State James A. Kelly pointed to Burmese efforts on drugs as one of the few
bright spots in a "most frustrating challenge for American diplomacy."

"Burmese cooperation with the international community on narcotics issues
has continued to improve in real terms," Kelly said.

Removing Burma from the list of major drug producers likely would prompt
fierce complaints from members of Congress, such as incoming Senate Majority
Whip Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who favor keeping the pressure on the Burmese
leadership.

"This would be a very controversial decision," one congressional staffer
said. He said Burma continues to have an ongoing narcotics problem, while
the Burmese government "will view this as a broader blessing for their
approach."

Adding to congressional anger, a State Department investigation has
corroborated reports over the summer that the Burmese military uses rape as
a "weapon of war" against ethnic civilian areas on a widespread basis, a
department official said yesterday. Kelly last night said the United States
is pressing for an international investigation of the rape allegations.

The administration has maintained economic and political sanctions on the
Burmese government, despite the release this year of Burmese democracy
activist Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest. But Steinberg said he had
detected a distinct shift in tone by the State Department this year,
suggesting a greater willingness to move toward better relations with Burma.

The Burmese government also hired a high-powered lobbying firm, DCI
Associates, to press its case in Washington. The key lobbyist on the Burma
account, Charles Francis, is a friend of President Bush.

The State Department, in a report in March, said that Burma last year became
the world's largest producer of illicit opium.

Burma is also the primary source of amphetamine-type stimulants in Asia,
producing an estimated 800 million tablets per year.

But in testimony before a congressional committee in June, Deputy Assistant
Secretary Matthew P. Daley appeared to lay out steps that the Burmese needed
to take to win what is known as "certification" of its antidrug program,
such as enforcing money-laundering laws and targeting high-level drug
traffickers. He said it was possible to "pursue better communication and
cooperation with Burma [on drugs] without diminishing our support for
political reform and national reconciliation."

State Department officials appear to believe Burma has met the requirements
laid out in Daley's testimony. But Bertil Lintner, an expert on the Burmese
drug trade, said substantial evidence shows the government is linked to
major drug traffickers, including joint ventures with the military and
frequent meetings between traffickers and junta leaders.
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Indian Express
Fest to foster unity among Asian cities
Express News Service

New Delhi, November 20: IN keeping with a declaration signed by 12 Asian
cities to work towards closer understanding, Delhi is currently hosting
cultural performances from three Asian cities - Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and
Bangkok.

The performances are scheduled to be held at two venues simultaneously-
Hamsadhwani Theatre and Dilli Haat - from November 21-23.

Delhi, a signatory, had participated in the first plenary meet and the Asian
Performing Arts Festival which were held in Tokyo. This time, Delhi is
taking the lead by hosting the second plenary meet of ANMC-21 and the Asian
Performing Arts Festival in the year 2003. ANMC-21 is being held from
November 20-23 in Delhi. Beijing, Hanoi, Djakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila,
Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Yangon were among the 12 signatories to
the declaration.

The opening ceremony, choreographed and designed by theatre director Bhanu
Bharti, was held at Hotel Maurya Sheraton on November 20. The programme
represented the concept of Unity in Diversity within the Indian culture. The
closing ceremony has also been designed by Bharti and is based on the
principle of non-violence and peace through modern dance. Music has been
composed by Govind Pandey and choreographed by Naresh Kumar.

Tokyo is presenting The Sacred Fire Drums of Oshima Island which are
inspired by the eruption of Mt Mihara. The performance represents the
shudder of the ground, the energy of the magma erupting out of the volcano
and the lava flowing down the side of the mountain. It is the lively taiko
experience dating back to old Japan. The mideareuchi drummer stands between
two taiko drums set at the same height and beats them in unison. The
drumming style is particular to Oshima Gojinka Taiko.
Kuala Lumpur is presenting Malaysia Truly Asia. It portrays traditional
Malay movements with performers in traditional costumes. Many dance
performances like Randai, a popular folk theatre of the ethnic Minangkabau
group of West Sumatra, display influences of martial arts. Siamese dance and
Endang, a traditional court dance are also being presented.

Bangkok is presenting The Amazing Thailand, a popular Thai classical dance.
It is a combination of Thai customs and traditions from the four regions of
Thailand - North, Central, East and South. These performances are being
presented by the Delhi Art and Culture Depertment and Delhi Tourism.

Speaking about the initiative, Delhi Art and Culture Department secretary
Nita Bali said a need was felt to reaffirm the common values, aesthetic
perceptions, life styles and ideas shared by the Asian countries.
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The Japan Economic Review
Friday, November 15, 2002
What Can Japan do for Myanmar
by - Takehiko KONDO,  Ph. D, JER Guest columnist

     As this year has progressed, dynamic changes in the situation within
and outside the Union of Myanmar have shaken the country out of its years of
stagnation. The release from house arrest of General Secretary of the
National League for Democracy (NLD) Daw Aung San Suu Kyi signaled to the
world that Myanmar is now heading toward political democratization. I am
expecting the Myanmar of the future to transmit to the world a signal
concerning polices for economic opening and also to begin a process to
improve its relations with the United Sates, which would undoubtedly help
Myanmar normalize relations with the international community as a whole. In
the process that is therefore envisaged, what kind of contribution will
Japan be able to make? On the occasion of the visit by Minister for Foreign
Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to Myanmar this past summer Myanmar showed the
Foreign Minister hospitality on the level accorded to the head of a nation,
thereby indicating Myanmar's high hopes for Japan's role in Myanmar. From
before, Japan and Myanmar have shared many mutual similarities. There are
many outstanding aspects to life in Myanmar such as public safety, things
run on time, high knowledge standards and beggars in towns are very rarely
seen. Moreover, certain regions in Myanmar, such as Shan State, are
affluent.

MYANMAR MOVES TOWARD DEMOCRATIZATION-

     In Japan-Myanmar economic relations, policy dialogue that began with an
agreement between the late Prime Minister of Japan Keizo Obuchi and Prime
Minister of the Union of Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe will be completed
following two and a half years of work with the submission of a report to
the governments of both countries this December. The JICA Policy Support
Program on Structural Adjustment of the Myanmar Economy is the official name
of the dialogue and it has been undertaken in the form of four formal
Working Groups: Monetary and Fiscal Policy, Trade and Industry Policy,
Information and Communication Technology and Agriculture and Rural
Development Policy. I have headed the Monetary and Fiscal Policy Working
Group, yet in this article I would like to distance myself from the findings
of that Working Group and state opinions that are purely my own.

     One issue that has already been identified with the Myanmar economy is
the great difference between the official currency exchange rate and the
real currency exchange rate. At the official rate, in Special Drawing Rights
(SDR), one US dollar is equivalent to about six kyat. The real rate,
however, has depreciated much further since the Asian financial crisis, and
as of August this year, it surpassed 1,000 kyat to the US dollar. I have
heard of no other example where a real exchange rate is higher than the
official rate by a factor of more that a hundred. Although Myanmar
authorities do not speak openly about it, it is thought that insufficient
preparations toward foreign currency, through currency speculation by
domestic traders, will lead the kyat into a free fall.

JAPAN SHOULD MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO FOREIGN CURRENCY ASPECTS-

     As many international organizations have pointed out the necessity of
unifying exchange rates, this idea in itself is not a new thing. Yet,
Myanmar's huge discrepancy in exchange rates is presenting great
difficulties for its economy in many areas. The exceptional capability of
the Myanmar people to face this issue has seen some success, but actually it
is an issue that has persisted for many years. Hence, the unification of
exchange rates is something that requires a strong political will. What
therefore can Japan do to help Myanmar unify its exchange rates, an endeavor
that will probably take place in the near future? This is purely my personal
opinion, but I believe that Japan's contribution should be limited to
supporting the currently insufficient  foreign exchange preparations Myanmar
has taken to unify exchange rates and Japan should concentrate on this
aspect with capital cooperation. According  to some reports, North Korea has
also recently announced a unification of it exchange rates, and if Myanmar
were to act as swiftly as possible in formulating a sweeping economic
structural package, including exchange rate unification to revitalize the
economy, the international market would undoubtedly take notice of Myanmar's
actions. The unification of exchange rates could be Myanmar's signal to the
world that it is engaging in an economic opening and would symbolize
Myanmar's future economic development. This is where Japan should make its
contribution.

     In an environment in which Japan's Tax collection revenues are
stagnating, there is much talk in Japan about revising Official Development
Assistance (ODA) policies. Japan's foreign economic cooperation should begin
to be based on detailed studies and analyses of the needs of beneficiary
countries only sent to the places where it is necessary and be provided as
capital that is in contrast to the previous situation when indifferent
assistance was provided. The ways cooperation can be extended to Myanmar,
which to frankly comment is currently struggling with many economic issues,
should be the litmus test by which Japan's ODA policies are reconsidered.
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Burma will change but not by outside policy
Htoo Shin - Mizzima News
21 November 2002

Burma will certainly change but that change will not be imposed by outside
policy, said Burma's Ambassador to India Kyaw Thu at a seminar on
India-Burma relations
yesterday.

India's former Prime Minister Shri I.K Gujral and veteran politicians,
groups in opposition to the Burmese military regime and the Burmese
Ambassador attended this seminar, which was held at the Constitution Club,
New Delhi.

Politicians, including the former Prime Minister; strongly critized India's
BJP-led government for omitting to pressure the military junta and demanded
support for opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Burmese Ambassador to India, son of  former President U Mg Mg, concluded
that the Western countries and the United Nations had isolated Burma and
forced the country to move closer China. He left seminar as soon as he
finished his speech on second round.

U Tint Swe, Minister in the exiled government, told Mizzima News that he was
glad to hear about Burma's transition to democracy from a representative of
the military regime but he added; "This promise is nothing but words".
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Irrawaddy Online
Opposition Leader Apologizes to Ethnic Groups
By Kyaw Zwa Moe

November 21, 2002-Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi apologized
today for the weak efforts by the country's Burman majority in fostering
national unity among ethnic races. Suu Kyi made the remarks this morning,
while addressing more than 2,000 supporters during a one-hour speech marking
the reopening of the National League for Democracy's (NLD) Taunggyi office,
according to NLD sources.

NLD spokesperson U Lwin told The Irrawaddy that she made the apology as a
Burman and said it was necessary for all nationalities in Burma to
participate together in the country's reconciliation process. Aung San Suu
Kyi has continually called for the need for tripartite dialogue in Burma
since she was released from 19 months of house arrest on May 6.

The democracy leader has been touring Shan State for over a week now while
reopening NLD offices. She has also been conducting meetings with prominent
Shan leaders, including U Shwe Ohn from the Democratic League for the
National Races of the Shan, which was formed in 1988 and later banned by the
junta. U Shwe Ohn is a veteran politician, and has been involved in politics
for over 50 years.

According to U Lwin, Suu Kyi will leave tomorrow for northern Shan State,
where she will visit Lashio and other towns. He could not confirm when she
would return to Rangoon. Due to a lack of infrastructure in Shan State, Suu
Kyi has been traveling by airplane when necessary. This is the first time
the regime has permitted her to board an airplane in 14 years.
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Irrawaddy Online
Leading Figures not Among Released
By Kyaw Zwa Moe

November 22, 2002- Both dissidents and observers acknowledge that the
large-scale release yesterday of political prisoners by Burma's military
government would draw international appraise, but they continue to remain
skeptical of the regime.

National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesperson U Lwin said that 51 of the
115 freed prisoners were NLD members, and that the majority were younger
party members. He said the release fell short of the number they had hoped.
"We requested that the authorities release 400 political prisoners,
including prominent figures, from both the NLD and other groups," U Lwin
said today from Rangoon.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed the release in a statement issued
today. The statement said: "The secretary-general hopes this first
large-scale release will provide fresh momentum for the national
reconciliation process in that country."

Despite calls from the Burmese opposition to release all of the remaining 18
incarcerated Members of Parliament (MP), none were freed yesterday during
the regime's largest general amnesty for political prisoners since secret
talks began in October 2000.

Opposition sources also said many of them remain on parole. Some of the
released said they had to vow not to break the law in the future, and if
they did authorities said they would have to serve the remainder of their
original sentence.

The release comes on the heels of UN special envoy to Burma Razali Ismail's
ninth trip to Burma, which ended on Saturday. He reportedly urged the
military leaders to free more than 200 political prisoners by year's
end-including student leader Min Ko Naing and journalist U Win Tin, both of
whom have been in prison for over 13 years.
The prisoners were released yesterday from Insein, Tharawaddy, Taungoo, and
Khamti Prisons, however, approximately 1,500 political prisoners remain in
detention in Burma, including two Rangoon law students who were sentenced
this month to seven and 14 years in prison for protesting against the
government.
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