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BURMA RELATED NEWS - May 10, 2003.
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HEADLINES
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AFP - Myanmar junta
admits barring supporters from welcoming Suu Kyi
AFP - Myanmar irked
by US criticism, urges end to sanctions
AP - Myanmar junta
says it is serious about improving human rights
NST - Drug
traffickers expand their market after Thai
crackdown
DS - Organic
fertiliser finds way to Myanmar
NMG - Rainstorm
crashes 300 refugee huts, 5 injured in Karen Refugee
Camp
Kyodo News - ASEAN
ministers call on ILO to ease up on Myanmar
Asian Tribune -
?Shans are refugees, not job seekers? -
Report
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Myanmar
junta admits barring supporters from welcoming Suu Kyi
YANGON, May 10 (AFP) - Myanmar's ruling junta has been ordering
democracy supporters not to gather in large numbers to welcome opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi on her political trips, a senior general admitted Saturday.
While it is widely known local authorities have pressured residents not
to come out and greet the pro-democracy campaigner on her forays outside of
Yangon, the junta had remained steadfast in its claims that Aung San Suu Kyi's
trips have gone ahead unhindered.
"For the sake of security and
stability, all we have done was ask (supporters) to refrain from coming out in
big numbers, shouting and carrying placards to welcome her to the city or town,"
Brigadier General Than Tun, a military spokesman, told AFP.
"They can
gather at their respective party offices all they want," he went on. "We are not
preventing them from welcoming her in small groups of a dozen or so on her
arrival anywhere."
He also dismissed as "misunderstandings" the several
complaints of harassment he said have already been lodged during Aung San Suu
Kyi's current month-long trip to northernmost Kachin State.
"We have not
limited her freedom of movement in any way," stressed Than Tun, who serves as
the key liaison between Suu Kyi and the junta.
"Unless you consider
taking videos and snapshots a form of harassment, which they are definitely
not," he said.
Thousands of jubilant supporters have turned out this
month to greet Aung San Suu Kyi as she pushed on with what is expected to be her
longest political trip since her release from house arrest one year ago, her
National League for Democracy (NLD) has said.
Similar scenes have played
out across Myanmar over the past year as the charismatic campaigner tested her
new-found freedom.
In her trips to the second city Mandalay and to other
destinations upcountry, thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of people
crowded the roadsides to catch a glimpse of her, the NLD has said.
The
junta's latest address of the issue casts light on the extent to which the
ruling generals monitor the Nobel peace laureate's trips outside of Yangon.
Her current trip is being viewed as a test of whether the regime will
attempt any disruption. The NLD and Suu Kyi have complained increasingly of
government harassment during the leader's travels, particularly of the thousands
who flock to see her.
She travelled Thursday to northern Shwebo from
Mandalay, a former NLD stronghold that she was blocked from visiting in
September 2000, prior to her arrest, NLD spokesman U Lwin said Thursday.
In and around Shwebo, large crowds gathered "even though the people in
those villages and Shwebo were warned by the authorities not to form a big crowd
to receive her," he said.
Late last year in Rakhine state, Suu Kyi
climbed aboard a fire engine to prevent it from dispersing a crowd of 20,000
people with high-pressure hoses.
Suu Kyi's trips have been aimed at
reinvigorating the NLD, which won 1990 elections by a landslide but has never
been permitted to rule by the military.
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Myanmar irked by US criticism, urges end to sanctions
YANGON, May 9 (AFP) - Myanmar on Friday shrugged off the latest
US criticism of its military rule and reiterated its call for Washington to end
crippling sanctions and help in "our political transition to democracy."
The State Department on Tuesday accused Myanmar's military rulers of a
catalogue of repression and reinforced its firm support for democracy leader
Aung San Suu Kyi, as it marked the anniversary of her release from house arrest.
Clearly irked by the accusations, Myamnar's junta Friday questioned the
US government's judgment in a statement sent to AFP.
"(Washington) noted
positive developments in Myanmar -- including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's complete
freedom to travel, the opening of many new offices of the National League for
Democracy (NLD), and the release of hundreds of political prisoners -- and then
oddly declared that 'little progress' had been made toward democracy," the
statement said.
"The truth is that the government of Myanmar is taking
its steady and tangible steps toward democracy."
The junta highlighted
what it described as its "deepening" involvement with the international
humanitarian community, noting a recent mission to Myanmar by rights monitor
Amnesty International and increased activity by the Red Cross and International
Labour Organization.
"We urge the United States to join the people of
Myanmar in our political transition to democracy," it said.
"Rather than
hurting the poor through economic sanctions, we urge the US to provide economic
opportunities for the people of Myanmar."
Washington is a staunch critic
of Myanmar, and a strong supporter of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose NLD party won a
landslide election victory in 1990 which has never been recognised by the
military.
She and the junta quietly began national reconciliation talks
in October 2000 but they never moved beyond the confidence-building stage and
are now stalled.
Last month Suu Kyi, who was awarded the 1991 Nobel
Peace Prize, complained for the first time publicly about the lack of progress
in the talks, a major turnaround on her usually conciliatory stance.
Yet
the junta stressed its "official government representative is at the NLD's
disposal to manage any comments and suggestions they would like to share."
The United States currently maintains an investment ban, travel
restrictions for Myanmar officials and an arms embargo on Yangon among other
sanctions.
In February when Yangon called for a constructive dialogue
with the US, the human rights group Alternative Network on Burma labelled the
call "outrageous" in light of Myanmar's lack of progress in discussing political
transition with the opposition.
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Myanmar junta says it is serious about improving human
rights
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ Myanmar's military government Friday
insisted that it is serious about improving its human rights record, and
rejected U.S. criticism that it has done little to promote democracy.
A
government statement faxed to The Associated Press in Bangkok said opposition
leader and Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's party and other political
groups ``have unparalleled freedom to conduct their activities and (political)
prisoners are being released at a steady pace.''
The statement was in
response to comments by U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher on
Tuesday that Myanmar's junta has failed to open a dialogue with Suu Kyi despite
releasing her from house arrest a year ago.
Boucher also acused the
regime of oppressing its people, harassing Suu Kyi in her travels and limiting
her party's activities.
In response, the junta statement said it has
been ``reforming its own internal procedures and practices through human rights
programs _ run by outside humanitarian groups _ that have been going on for more
than two years.''
It said ``hundreds of people in all branches of the
government have been trained (in human rights) and the results are widely felt
throughout the country.'' It did not elaborate.
The statement said the
United States should ``help lay the foundation for a smooth transition to
democracy'' in Myanmar by lifting economic sanctions and helping it in its drug
eradication efforts.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been ruled by the
military since 1962. The current group of generals came to power in 1988 after
crushing a pro-democracy movement. It called elections in 1990 but refused to
hand over power to Suu Kyi's party despite its convincing victory.
Suu
Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
A reconciliation process
started in October 2000 between the two sides has yielded no tangible result
except the release of a few hundred political prisoners while about 1,500 more
remain jails.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government on Friday welcomed the
May 4 release of 21 political prisoners including 12 members of Suu Kyi's party,
a Japanese Foreign Ministry statement said.
``The Government of Japan
expects that the government of Myanmar will expand its release of political
prisoners. Japan also has a firm hope that, through the release of political
detainees, basic human rights in Myanmar will be improved, contributing to the
nation's democratization and national reconciliation process,'' it said.
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New Straits Times
Drug traffickers
expand their market after Thai crackdown
BANGKOK, May
9: Drug manufacturers and traffickers are seeking new users beyond their
traditional methamphetamine market in Thailand following a brutal crackdown
here, the United Nations drug agency said today.
The makers of
methamphetamines, predominantly in Myanmar, have turned to neighbours India,
Cambodia and Laos to peddle pills since Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's
three-month war on drugs which ended April 30, a top official in the UN Office
on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said.
"Our concern is that we have received
reports of new seizures of amphetamines in neighbouring countries.
"This
would suggest that organised crime behind the trafficking of amphetamines is
actively searching for new markets," Sandro Calvani, director of the UNODC's
regional centre for East Asia and the Pacific, said. "The concern is related to
India and Cambodia because of seizures there, and to Laos where some tableting
operations may have been moved from Myanmar," Calvani said.
Thaksin's
self-described drugs war, during which over 2,000 people were killed, has forced
dealers to reconsider their normal practice of moving the pills across the
border from Myanmar, identified by experts as Asia's number one producer of the
stimulants.
Calvani said the finger of suspicion of pill production
pointed to Myanmar's Wa ethnic group, whose Yangon-allied United Wa State Army
is believed to control large portions of the methamphetamine trade.
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The Daily Star - Sat. May 10, 2003
New item in export basket
Organic fertiliser finds way to
Myanmar
Star Business Report
Another item has been
added to export basket as a local company has started exporting organic
fertiliser to neighbouring Myanmar.
Faruq Fertilizer Limited exported
one tonne of organic fertiliser branded as Chook Chook to Myanmar in March this
year. Faruq Fertilizer is the first Bangladeshi company that has exported the
non-traditional item.
The export followed the company's participation in
the Bangladesh Trade Fair in Yangon, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister
Khaleda Zia during her visit to Myanmar in March this year.
Omar Faruq,
managing director of the company, said visitors at the stall of his company
showed keen interest in buying the product. The company also set up six
demonstration plants at various locations in Myanmar after the fair, Faruq
added.
Faruq said Chook Chook, which has hundred per cent local value
additions, holds immense potential in foreign market.
He said organic
fertiliser is in great demand in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and
Indonesia.
Chook Chook, which has 12 varieties for different crops, also
got tremendous response at home as it is very useful for betel leaf and banana
cultivation.
Faruq said the fertiliser is a complete solution. It is not
only helpful for improvement of crop quantity but also for soil fertility, added
Faruq.
Faruq, an electrical engineer by profession, started research on
organic fertiliser in 1998. He came up with his organic fertiliser in 2000.
The fertiliser got recognition from the Bangladesh Agriculture Research
Institute (BARI) in 2001.
Faruq Fertilizer has also established its
strong network across the country by appointing over 250 dealers to ensure
smooth availability of Chook Chook.
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Network Media Group
Rainstorm crashes 300 refugee huts, 5 injured in Karen
Refugee Camp
May 9 (NMG) - A powerful storm followed by heavy rain
crashed over three hundred huts and wounded five people including one infant in
Mae-Khong-Khar Karen refugee camp near Maesarian in North-West Thailand on
Thai-Burma border on the evening of May 8.
The rainstorm started after 9
pm on May 8 in the refugee camp that destroyed almost 300 homes including the
residence of Head of the Camp as the storm smashed the trees and houses
recklessly.
?Because, due to the storm our houses were collapsed all the
furniture, kitchen utensils almost all are in ruin. As the wind is so reckless,
some trees were wrecked and some of these wreckages smashed again to our houses.
As far as I know we lost not less than 300 homes? said Naw Khay (alias)
A-Moe-Gyi, former secretary of Camp Committee who just came out from refugee
camp.
?Among total 13 wards in that refugee camp, almost five wards
including No. 9, 10 and 11-B were victims of this rainstorm? she
added.
An emergency rescue committee was formed by Mae Khong Khae Camp
authorities in order to take care of double-burden peoples at that refugee camp.
Karen Rescue committee (KRC) and Burma Border Consortium(BBC) teams also rushed
in the storm-effected area this morning.
However, vice president of
Refugee Camp authority Naw Shae Maree said that there is no need to worry for
the lives of casualties.
In the last winter on September 2, 2002, this
camp was also been a victim of mountain torrent that caused thirty deaths, many
casualties and some lost their homes.
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ASEAN ministers call on ILO to ease up on
Myanmar
Saturday, May 10, 2003 at 00:07 JST
JAKARTA
(Kyodo News) - Labor ministers
of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called Friday on
the International Labor Organization (ILO) to consider removing measures against
Myanmar over its forced labor, saying efforts have been made by the country to
end the practice.
Myanmar is the only country in the world where forced
labor is imposed by the authorities and the country is widely condemned by the
international community for its use of forced labor.
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Asian Tribune
Date :
2003-05-10
?Shans are refugees, not job seekers? -
Report
Once again, a report that recently came out rose
up to challenge successive Thai governments' claim that hundreds of thousands of
Shans were in the kingdom only to look for better paid jobs.
Charting the
Exodus from Shan State: Patterns of Shan refugees flow into northern Chiang Mai
province of Thailand (1997-2--2), prepared by the Shan Human Rights Foundation,
contends that its data, based on interviews with 66,868 Shans arriving in
Chiangmai's Fang District, supports the conclusion that most of the Shans
arriving into Thailand in the past six years are genuine refugees, who are
fleeing persecution and not simply migrant workers.
Prior to 1996, the
annual influx of Shans into Fang reportedly did not exceed 4,000. Most of them
would be adult men between the age of 20-40, who came to Thailand without
dependents in order to work and save money. They would also come from Shan State
to work during January to May, months of the dry season, when there is a high
demand for labor, mainly in the agricultural sector in Thailand and a few of
them chose to remain in the Kingdom.
However, following the three year
long forced mass relocation campaign that began in March 1996, when more than
300,000 people from 1,400 villages in central Shan State were uprooted, the
number of new arrivals began to surge between 8,000 and 15,000 each year. The
report also revealed that 47% of the arrivals are youths who are 17 years and
under, or on the higher side are those 45 years and over. "In other words, the
entire families use to flee, unlike the typical migrant workers," the report
says.
"An analysis of the sex of the refugees (also) shows that there
were almost equal number of men and women," states the report.
The fact
that the arrivals were not coming from other parts of Shan State, but from the
12 townships: Kunhing, Murng Nai, Laikha, Nam Zarng, Murng Kerng, Murng Pan, Kae
See, Loi Lem, Ho Pong, Murng Paeng, Murng Suu and Murng Sat, where the populace
had borne the brunt of the relocation drive, added a strong evidence that they
were refugees, it declares.
The highest number of arrivals had come from
Kunhing, known for the excesses of the Burmese troops against the local
civilians. "During 1997, out of a total of 664 extra-judicial killings, 314 were
committed in Kunhing township", the report revealed. According to the
frightening revelation: "This included massacre of civilians, including women
and children, in groups of up to 96 people."
The total arrivals in
Thailand is estimated by SHRF and its sister group, Shan Women's Action Network
(SWAN), as to have reached over 150,000 since 1996.
It goes on to say:
"Unlike on the Karen and Karenni borders, there are no official refugee camps on
the Shan border. As a result, Shan refugees have been forced to survive as
migrant workers."
The only Shan group that has been officially accepted
as "persons fleeing dangers from war" are the 400 men, women and children who
have been forced to take refuge in Chiangmai's Wianghaeng District since
fighting broke out between the Shan rebels and the Burma Army last
May.
The SHRF is known for its monthly reports on human rights situation
in Shan State as well as Dispossessed: Forced Relocation and Extrajudicial
Killing in Shan State (1998).
- Shan Herald Agency for News. -
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