BNI weekly news - August 25, 2003
. Burmese Oppositions agree on concept to ‘Road Map’
. ICFTU denounces China on Burma
. Does forced labour exist in Arakan?
. Thai police raid NGOs
. Two Deals with Burma in the Process Implementation
. Nasaka Confiscated a Garden From a Poor man
. Money Extorted From Farmers for Model Village
. Majority votes to expel Burma from ASEAN
. SPDC Authorities and DKBA Jointly Checked Mosques
. Burmese Junta officials operate smuggling gangs
. Chinese vessel sinks off Arakan coast
. Extortion from car owners as Burmese junta fail to repair roads
. Six including two Burmese nationals held with heroin in southeastern
. August Rice Killing Day observed
. Karens in large numbers celebrate Chi-Phyu
. Five Muslims arrested in Myawaddi town
. Burmese workers donate blood on Mother's Day in Thailand
. Ten crewmembers missing as boat capsizes
. Refugee camp under tight security
________________________________________
Burmese Oppositions agree on concept to ‘Road Map’
August 24, 2003
Two major oppositions in exile the National Coalition Government of the
Union of Burma (NCGUB) and the National Council of Union of Burma (NCUB) on
August 19 expressed their acceptance to ‘Road Map’ which welcomes
international intervention for the Burma’s democratic cause, their joint
declaration stated.
The meeting between these two majors held at a place near Thai-Burma border
from August 18 to 20 issued a seven-fact joint statement.
However, the oppositions clarified that they welcome only on that fact the
international communities should intervene Burma’s cause but pointed that
they didn't mean on Thai-proposed so-called ‘Road-Map’ for Burma, said
leaders of both NCUB and NCGUB.
“It’s unlikely to happen a ‘Home Grown’ movement inside Burma as the United
Nations as well as the international community perceived. That is why the
idea of the international intervention, ‘Road Map’ comes up to overcome
current situation. Because the military government (SPDC) is not willing to
change political situation, there is fewer possibility to walk through ‘Home
Grown’ initiative. That’s why we accept the concept of international
intervention,” Aung Moe Zaw, the secretary of NUCB, said.
The word “Home Grown” instantiated by Aung Moe Zaw meant to solve internal
problems of Burma by local forces.
“The people’s desire is the utmost importance. The ‘Road Map’ should
compliance with the willingness of politicians and people’s representatives.
And, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the leaders of NLD must released,” Aung Moe
Zaw explained.
When Dr Thaung Htun, UN representative of the NCGUB briefed on international
situation and the idea of ‘Road Map’, he said “the United Nations agrees on
the road map as Mr Razali has been involved already. In the recent informal
meeting attended by 21 countries and the UN General Secretary, so called
informal consultation, it was agreed that UN should take initiatives on
‘Road Map’ for democracy in Burma and some agreement have been made in that
meeting, I was informed.”
However the important and immediate neighbor of Burma, Chinese government
official Tang Jiaxuan recently told Xinhua that China rejected international
sanctions and intervention on Burma’s internal problems.
The opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was released second time from the
house arrest on May 2002 after a series of the UN initiated confidence
building talks started between military regime and the oppositions. The
international communities were hoping that the Burma’s problem would be
solved after the talks.
The concept of ‘Road Map’ was introduced after May 30 attack by the military
government on Aung San Suu Kyi and her entourage and arresting her and other
NLD leaders.
___________________________________
ICFTU denounces China on Burma
22nd August 2003:
ICFTU on August 21 issued a statement from Brussels denouncing China’s
stance on Burma of preventing foreign interference, and urged international
communities, governments and business companies to step up pressure on
military government in order to restore democracy and human rights in Burma.
The secretary of ICFTU, Guy Ryder alleged China that “China stance on Burma
is immoral and reflects its regional power game. It is just denying
universal norms of human rights with repeated words of “do not interfere
internal matters.”
In the meantime Deputy Senior General Maung Aye, the junta's number-two
leader, was currently in China for a visit. "The current domestic situation
in Myanmar is the country's internal affairs, and China will not agree to
foreign interference or to sanctions and isolation, and Myanmar will remain
stable, its ethnic groups will live in harmony," State owned Xinhua news
agency quoted saying of State Councilor Tang Jaixuan on August 20
In the statement, the ICFTU also urged international communities,
governments and business companies to take concrete actions and
responsibilities and suggested to stay away from Burma till human rights and
democracy restored.
The international communities had beef up pressures on Burma after military
government attacked brutally on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her
supporters on May 30. There were series of arrests and crackdown on
opposition members around the country. Notably, US government had approved
“Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act” signed by the President in early August.
U Aung Moe Zaw, the general secretary of umbrella anti-government
organization, the National Council of Union of Burma (NCUB) said “Chinese
Foreign Minister already told in ASEM meeting that China will support the
constructive approaches in order to get national reconciliation in Burma. If
the United Nations and the Security Council consider the Burma’s case
seriously, then I think China will not object the UN initiatives.”
_________________________________________
Does Forced labour exist in Arakan?
22nd August 2003:
On June 30,2003, the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman
of Buthidaung Township under the Arakan State ordered five villages to plant
seedlings along the roadsides, said our correspondent.
The villagers of Quan Dine, Tharakani, Nanragon, Dabru Chaung and Sinyan Way
of Buthidaung south have been engaged in forced labour for planting
seedlings along the roadsides. This road is connected to Buthidaung Town
from the headquarters of Military Operation Command 15 (MOC-15) of
Buthidaung Township, he further said,
The villagers have to plant 92 seedlings per family all along the both sides
of the road at a distance of 4-feet. They have to purchase these seedlings
from the government agriculture department at the rate of Kyat-100/- per
seedlings. They have also to fence the seedlings to protect from the cattle
and to feed chemical fertilizer in time. This project will be completed by
the end of this month, a farmer said to our source.
This rainy season is very important for the farmers to grow paddy in time.
Regarding this, farmers have to complete the paddy growing by the end of
this month; other wise, late paddy growing is hampered to the next harvest,
source further added.
At that moment, the farmers have to divert their labour forces for planting
seedlings along the roadsides. As a result, the farmers are absolutely
furious with SPDC authorities, but they have no rights to say anything, said
another farmer to our source. #
__________________________________
Thai police raid NGOs
21st August 2003:
The National Catholic Commission on Migration (NCCM), a religious
organisation that has been helping Burmese migrant workers in Bangkok, was
raided on 19 August by the Thai police. A Burmese woman was arrested and
deported to Myawady on the Thailand-Burma border.
The Burmese woman, identified as Ma Nyo Nyo Lwin (21), came to Thailand a
year ago expecting to find a job, but unfortunately was deceived by brokers
resulting to her being forced to work as a housemaid with out any pay.
Having fled work three (3) days prior, she was caught by the Thai police
while approaching the NCCM to meet survival needs.
NCCM has been assisting Burmese migrants who are in Thailand for a variety
of reasons.
Thai authorities recently started raiding the NCCM office following an
accusation by the Burmese Military Junta that the NCCM was supporting
pro-democracy activists demonstrating outside the Burmese Embassy.
The Thai authorities are restricting the work of many NGOs, especially those
that are helping Burmese migrants. Another organisation named Jesuit Refugee
Service (JRS) also reported frequent raids by the Thai authorities.#
_______________________________
Two Deals with Burma in the Process Implementation
21st August 2003:
Two deals with Burma are in the process of implementation, said Commerce
Minister Amir Khosoru Mohmud Chowdhury to reporters after an
inter-ministerial meeting held at the Ministry of Commerce Conference room
on 18th August, according to Star report.
That are account trade and a joint survey to construct a 28-kilometre road
will begin by November. But there was no mention where the road is to be
constructed, source further said.
Although the government of Burma did not mention the location of the new
road, the local people thinks that this road may be crossed from the
northern side of Buthidaung township to Kyauktaw Township of Arakan State,
where no residential areas are existent.
Representatives from home, foreign, shipping and communication ministries
and the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Sonali Bank, Export Promotion
Bureau (EPB) and Bangladesh-Burma Business Council (BBBC) attended the
meeting.
The meeting formed two committees for recommending necessary rules and
regulations for the coastal shipping agreement with Burma.
Representatives of the shipping, commerce ministries and NBR are the members
of the committee for the coastal shipping agreement.
Besides, another committee was formed to suggest ways to make the existing
border trade agreement effective. Headed by a joint secretary of the
Ministry of Commerce, representatives from the NBR, EPB and BBBC are the
members of the committee. #
_______________________________
Nasaka Confiscated a Garden From a Poor man
20th August 2003:
The Nasaka (Border Security Force) of Nasaka headquarters of Maungdaw
Township in Arakan State confiscated a garden from a poor man for new
Buddhist settlers, on July 27, said a victim’s relative to our source.
The victim, Mohamed Salim, 40, a mosque Imam, hailed from Maung Hnama
village of Maungdaw Township in Arakan State. His farmland has already been
confiscated by Nasaka for Model village since two-years, source further
said.
Afterward, he had only remained a garden as an earning source. In his
garden, he has grown many kinds of fruits yielding trees, such as banana,
jackfruit, mango, guava, papaya, pineapple, lemon and etc. Anyway, by
selling fruits, he has maintained his family, another villager said to our
source.
In his family, he has two sons and four daughters. The eldest one is
daughter, 16, years old. So, all the family members have to depend on him.
But, the Nasaka has again seized his garden, only his remaining source, on
July 27 for new Buddhist settlers, source further added.
After that the victim was economically in cripple. So, after a few days, on
August 10, 2003, an application was introduced to the Township Peace and
Development Council (TPDC) Chairman seeking permission to spare his garden
from the project of the new Buddhist settlers, said a village elder.
Anticipating favourable order from the apex of TPDC office, but the TPDC
officer ordered to arrest the applicant because of defamation of the
government. Later, the victim was arrested and sent to the Nasaka
headquarters and detained. However, he was released 3-days later, on August
14,2003, after paying a bribe Kyat- 500,00/-. Selling his wife’s ornaments
gathered this money, the village elder further said.#
_______________________________
Money Extorted From Farmers for Model Village
17th August 2003:
The Buthidaung Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman had
extorted Kyat 250,000/-from five farmers under the pretext of establishing a
model village for Buddhist settlers, ccording to our correspondent.
On August 9, 2003, by the order of TPDC Chairman, a survey team headed by an
officer named San Mya Kyaw went to the village of Nanragoon in Buthidaung
Township of Arakan State and made a field survey of the farmland measuring
about 22 acres to establish a model village for the new settlers, he further
added.
Then the TPDC had seized a total of 22 acres of farmland belonging to five
Rohingya farmers of the village as follows: 4 acres from Mohamed Yunus, son
of Fayas, 3 acres from Mohamed Tayub, son of Golam Hussain, 4.6 acres from
Farid Ullah, son of Gulam Hussain, 6 acres from Abul Hussain, son of Hussain
and 4.4 acres from Gura Meah, son of Hussain, a villager said to our source.
After a few days, when the five farmers approached to the Chairman of the
TPDC with request to spare their farmland from the project of the model
village, the victims had to pay a bribe of Kayats 250,000/- in demand for
the purpose, he further said. #
____________________________________
Majority votes to expel Burma from ASEAN
17th August 2003:
Over 72 percent voted that "Burma should be expelled from ASEAN unless
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is released" in a public opinion poll
conducted by Yahoo Asia Website last week.
In the poll conducted for a week, ended on August 15 at Yahoo Asia Internet
page, over 4300 peoples voted to expel Burma from ASEAN among nearly 6000
voters.
Democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her followers were arrested by junta
after the military regime's "orchestrated" attack to her convoy during the
party organizational tour to upper Burma on and after May 30.
Poll under a given title of “Burma should be expelled from ASEAN unless Aung
San Suu Kyi is released” had three options to choose for the voters. The
first option was “Yes, Myanmar should be expelled because Myanmar is
destroying ASEAN’s image”, and the second was “No, it is an internal issue
of Myanmar” and the last option was “Not sure”.
This public opinion poll was recorded as one of the largest numbers of
voters in Yahoo Asia Website while in other regular polls on Asia normally
received around a thousand voters.
“The opinion of the ppl (people) inside the country is most important to
judge the fate of a country. How many ppl who are staying inside Myanmar can
participate in this vote?”, U Okkar, a government Internet moderator raised
a question in an Internet discussion group during this polling period.
In Burma, it is very difficult get access to surf popular Websites such as
Yahoo and Hotmail due to military government restrictions. Currently,
people inside Burma cannot access to these sites, said one inside Burma, who
don't want to be mentioned his name.
Yet again, Asia’s Yahoo Website is now conducting poll under the title of
“Should Myanmar be allowed to lead ASEAN in 2006” at asia.yahoo.com.#
_____________________________________
SPDC Authorities and DKBA Jointly Checked Mosques
17th August 2003:
The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) authorities and their
collaborators Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) were jointly checking
the Mosques in Karen State and Pegu Devision of Burma, on August 01, 2003,
according to Burma Agency for News.
On that day, Captain Min Tun Win Naing from Light Infantry Battalion No.35
and U Kyaw Naing Maw from immigration department went to the “ Min Hla
Thine Tara Mosque” under Min Hla Township of Pegu Devision in Burma and
inquired about the mosque from the mosque Committee. They asked the date of
establishment, names of the donors or supporters and the number of mosque
goers praying everyday. They said it was only for security reasons,
according to a relative of U Maung Han, a mosque Committee member of Pegu
Division who is now in Mae Sot.
On August 5,2003, Colonel Tha Too of DKBA went to the mosque of Line Bwe
Town in Karen State and asked the Committee members not to involve in
political activities and threatened that the mosque would be burnt down in
to ashes like “Kamaw Kashu Mosque” in case of any political problem,
according to a mosque Committee member as well as a trader who declined to
be identified told on August 15.
The Muslims of Karen State and Pegu Division are now in fear and trembling
because of possible incident like the one happened to Kamaw Kashu mosque
when the SPDC is facing political and economic unrest, source further said.#
_______________________________________
Burmese Junta officials operate smuggling gangs
16th August 2003:
Officials of the ruling Burmese SPDC junta have been involved in active
operation of gangs of smugglers along the Naaf River that serves as the
common border between Burma and Bangladesh.
On 8th August three cargo boats from Bangladesh came to the salt works at
Tharak-ouk village on the Naaf River under Maungdaw Township. The MV Jumair
Anek (1327) loaded a total of 750 maunds (= 30 tonnes) of table salt, the MV
Saudi Kaizer (1326) loaded another 30 tonnes, and the MV Matin (1023) loaded
625 maunds (= 25 tonnes) at 4 in the afternoon, sources in the salt works
said.
The Nasaka Border Security Forces Area No. 7, the nearby police camp at
Tharak-ouk and their collaborator Abu Musa are entrusted with the collection
of illegal ‘tolls’ for allowing the smugglers to run their business. On
inquiry the source could not tell our correspondent whether any share of the
illegal money collected as ‘tolls’ go to the government exchequer as
revenue.
There is a ban on salt import from Burma to Bangladesh. But as the price of
salt is about two and half times higher in Bangladesh, the smugglers from
both the sides are busy continuing the illegal trade. Recently as the
smuggled Burmese salt has posed a threat to the local salt production the
law enforcement agencies in the southeastern part of Bangladesh including
Cox’s Bazaar district headquarter have stepped up their anti-smuggling
drive. But the porous coastline in the Bay of Bengal, shared by both the
countries, is hardly any hindrance to the smuggling gangs active throughout
the year.
In recent months on the face of police raids, the salt smugglers have been
mixing the refined salt from Burma with mud to look as if they have been
collected from local salt fields, making the job of the police more
difficult. Later the same adulterated salt is refined in the salt refineries
of Cox’s Bazaar district, a salt trader said.
The wholesale price of a kilo of salt is about three and a half taka on the
Burmese side, while it is about seven and half taka on the Bangladesh side.#
_______________________________________________
Chinese vessel sinks off Arakan coast
14th August 2003:
A Chinese cargo vessel sank in the Andaman seas, off the western Burmese
coast of Sittwe, capital of Rakhine state in the early morning hours Tuesday
following an earthquake in the seas.
Twenty-eight sailors were rescued by the Bangladesh Navy in the Bay of
Bengal and brought to Chittagong port yesterday.
According to a Chittagong port and Navy spokespersons, the China-bound
vessel MV U Xia was carrying around 14,300 tons of iron and steel goods.
A source said a Chittagong port-bound vessel MV Chieftain II rushed to the
rescue of the 28-member crew, including the captain after it received a SOS
message.
The local agent of the sunken vessel, Northwest Shipping Lines, said that
Chinese Embassy officials came to Chittagong on Wednesday night to receive
the rescued sailors.#
_____________________________________________
Extortion from car owners as Burmese junta fail to repair roads
14th August 2003:
The Western Commander of the Military Junta has ordered the Sittwe
Municipality to collect Kyat 10,000 each as annual parking tax and
wheel-running tax from the owners of motor vehicles, owner of a bus service
said.
The order comes in the wake of the Municipality approaching the Commander
regarding the maintenance of the roads in Sittwe, capital of Rakhine state,
which have been washed away by the monsoons. Though regular road tax,
license renewal tax and bribes are realized from the owners, the new taxes
are but plain extortion, the source said.
While Western Commander Brigadier Gen. Maung Oo came to see the maintenance
work being carried out at Minnbagri Street on July 28, he directed people in
the area to maintain all the broken streets and roads on a self-help basis.
Following the order, officials of the Sittwe Municipality have been
collecting money to repair dilapidated roads and streets in the
municipality.#
___________________________________
Six including two Burmese nationals held with heroin in southeastern
Bangladesh
13th August 2003:
Six drug traffickers, including two Burmese nationals, were arrested last
week with one kg of heroin in the south-eastern district of Bandarban in
Bangladesh, close to Burma border, a BSS report said.
Reports said two of the traffickers – Kyaw Than Naing and Aung Lwin –
belonged to Burma. The arrested persons have been kept under Alikadam police
custody in the Bandarban Hill District and two separate cases have been
lodged against them.
Recent reports have talked about the sighting of 20 armed people without
the Burmese Army uniform, roaming in the deep forests of Naikkhyaungchari,
close to Maungdaw township in Burma.
Local people say that the group was involved in smuggling goods, including
heroin, and was looking for new drug contacts along the porous border.
They added that the members of the group spoke Burmese, which is not the
local language, and bought food from the villages.
Opium and its various derivatives, including heroin, are produced in the
Golden Triangle. According to the monitoring report of the Drug and
Narcotics Control (DNC) of Bangladesh, the volume of drug trafficking began
to rise since 1995 and its consumption picked up too.
A DNC official on condition of anonymity said that 70 percent of heroin and
opium in Bangladesh come from the Golden Triangle area.
Again the possibility of using Bangladesh as a transit route for drugs from
Burma, following a campaign in Thailand to make it drug-free, cannot be
ruled out, he added.
Although Bangladesh has a long porous border with Burma, smugglers have used
the sea route across the Burmese coast since time immemorial.#
________________________________
August Rice Killing Day observed
13th August 2003:
People across Rakhine state in western Burma observed August 13 as the
August Rice Killing Day, when hundreds of people were killed in capital
Sittwe 36 years ago, reports said.
As there is an undeclared ban on commemoration of the day, the police, Army,
Military Intelligence and the paramilitary forces including Kyant-phwe
(Union Solidarity Development Association) were kept on high alert.
Large groups of people visited Buddhist monasteries to say prayers and make
religious offerings in Sittwe and other towns.
Last year on this day, unidentified people painted the streets and walls of
Sittwe in red, denouncing the Burmese military regime’s action on August 13,
1967.
In Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, a discussion was organised by seven
Rakhine political organisations in exile to commemorate the day.
In a statement, the organisations put forth four demands: self-determination
for the Rakhine people; immediate stoppage of the ethnic cleansing of the
people of Rakhine; withdrawal of more than 60 battalions of Burmese Army
deployed across Rakhine and complete stoppage to one-sided exploitation of
the natural resources of Rakhine.
In 1967 during the rule of dictator Ne Win, the rice of Rakhine state was
exported to China without taking into consideration the internal demand that
led to famine across the state. When the people of Sittwe took to the
streets demanding rice, the Burmese Army shot hundreds of demonstrators and
arrested many more. The fate of those arrested has never been known.
It is estimated that at least 300 people were brutally shot and killed while
about 1000 have since been missing. #
________________________________
Karens in large numbers celebrate Chi-Phyu
12th August 2003:
One of Burma’s major ethnic nationalities, Karen people in exile celebrated
their ‘Chi-Phyu festival in Mae Sot habitat monastery on August 12.
Over 2000 Karens attended this festival, which was organised by Rev.
Khaymasaya, head of the monastery on the full moon day of Wah-Gaung in
accordance with Karen traditional calendar.
As part of the festival, people exchange white-cotton bracelets as a symbol
of unity, to purify their moral conduct and uphold their tradition and
culture, as Karens believe.
“On the day the bracelets are tied, all family members get together. The
bracelets are a symbol of unity among our siblings and ‘white’ is a symbol
of honesty and purity,” a Karen woman attending the festival said.
“Nowadays red and blue are being used as a substitute for white, especially
among youngsters,” the woman said adding that traditionally only white
bracelets are used.
On the occasion, Rev. Khaymasaya also recalled his memory of celebrations on
this occasion for ten years in exile.
“I am happy because it is an upholding of our Karen tradition and I would be
happier if it were held in Burma,” party worker Nan May Aye said.#
_____________________________
Five Muslims arrested in Myawaddi town
11th August 2003:
Five Muslim youths were arrested in Myawaddi town in Karen state, by a
combined operation cell of Military Intelligence (MI), Nasaka (Border
Security Force) and the USDA members on August 8, the Muslim Agency for News
said.
The arrested persons are Sidique (31) of Insein town, Amin (26) of Sangin
Ggyunt town, Solaiman (34) of Moulmein, Junite (39) of Taunggyi and Aras
(20) of Mandalay, a source said.
The arrested persons are unskilled workers who worked in the farms of Mae
Sot, a border town of Thailand.
Following strict measures by the Thai government towards Burmese migrant
workers recently, there has been scarcity of work for them. Due to this the
five Muslim youths decided to return back home and on their way back were
arrested by the combined operation cell.
The victims were also asked to pay around Kyat 200,000 each in lieu of their
release by the authorities.
Cases of border crossing were filed against them after two days and they
were sent to the Moulmein Jail, their lawyer said. #
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Muslim migrant workers celebrated Mother’s Day in Thailand
13th August 2003:
Muslim migrant workers celebrated Mother’s Day in Thailand yesterday on the
occasion of Queen Sirikit Kitiyakorn’s 71st birthday, according to the
Muslim Agency for News.
About 1000 Muslim migrant workers and over 100 Thai Muslims together
celebrated the Mother’s Day at the Primary Arabic School in Mae Sot, which
was established with the support of Thai government and the Thai Royal
Family, the agency said.
There are ten Arabic schools across Thailand, which cater mostly to Muslim
migrant workers’ children.Thai people also celebrated the Mother’s Day
across the country to show their respect to the Queen.
Sayed, a school teacher from the Primary Arabic School, told the agency that
Day was celebrated as a mark of respect to the Queen, to make the migrant
children aware of Thai culture and customs and to create a deeper
understanding and trust among people of two countries.#
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Ten crewmembers missing as boat capsizes
13th August 2003:
Around 10 crewmembers are missing since last Saturday, when a cargo boat
carrying smuggled Burmese timber capsized off the coastal town of Cox’s
Bazar in the south-eastern part of Bangladesh.
A sudden squall in the seas has been cited as the cause of the accident. It
is estimated that the cargo was worth at least Taka five million (US$
85,000).
The Cox’s Bazar police and Forest guards retrieved about a million
Taka-worth floating garjan timber (Dipterocarpus turbinatus) while hundreds
of smuggled timber pieces have been washed ashore the islands of Maheshkhali
and Kutubdia.
According to a police source, the timber was loaded on the cargo boat owned
by a notorious smuggler of Chittagong on August 7 at Sittwe port in the
western Burmese state of Rakhine.
Meanwhile, 35 crew of five cargo boats, arrested while smuggling urea
fertilizer to Burma, have been sent to the Chittagong jail, according to the
local Bengali daily Ittefaq yesterday.
They were arrested on Friday evening for their doubtful movements in the Bay
waters off Maheshkhali Island.
The consignments found in the boats included 718 metric tonnes of urea of
the Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Company. Since no relevant papers were found
from the boats, the crew was brought to the Navy moorage in Chittagong. The
Navy later handed over the crew to the port police while the boats along
with cargo were seized by the Customs department.
In recent months Burmese smugglers have been offering a colour TV set for
1050 kilo bags of smuggled Bangladeshi fertilizer, said a Burmese trader in
Cox’s Bazar.#
_____________________________
Refugee camp under tight security
11th August 2003:
Thai local security forces have initiated strict regulations for visitors to
refugee camps and also issued new rules for refugees on August 7 during a
meeting between them and refugees from Mae Khong Khar Refugee Camp near Mae
Sariang in northern Thailand, a refugee said.
The regulations were formulated soon after Burmese anti-government
organizations like Karen National Union (KNU), All Burma Students Democratic
Front (ABSDF) and Network for Democracy and Development (NDD) were told on
July 8 not to stay in Mae Sariang and were sent to the refugee camp.
Under the new rules, vehicles that want to enter the camp will now need a
permit from township administration officer before they enter the camp.
Apart from this, license registration numbers, color, model and bills of all
vehicles owned by the organizations and NGOs have to report to the camp
security authorities.
The arrest of six members of Karen Women’s Organization on July 29 was a
signal that the authorities did not want any anti-government activists to
stay in Mae Sariang.
Thai authorities intensified patrolling around Mae Siriang city in order to
implement their new policy on Burmese anti-government organizations. Some
monasteries were also being kept under daily surveillance of Thai military
to keep a track on Burmese monks.
In a similar incident, Thai officials have stepped up security measures in
Karenni refugee camps along the border. #
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Burma News International (BNI) is a network of six Independent Burma Media
organizations: The Mizzima News, The Narinjara News, the Kaladan Press
Network, the Khonumthung News Group, the Network Media Group and the
Independent Mon News Agency.#
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