BNI Weekly News - October 20, 2003
. Seven Burmese Citizens fined 10,000 Taka for overstay in Bangladesh
. ASEAN Values and President Bush
. Two arrested for smuggling arms into Bangladesh
. Burma, India and Thailand to develop highway network
. Army looting goods from passengers and travellers
. Burma Remains Contentious Issue for Region, U.S.
. Cooperation on combating drug trafficking agreed at ASEAN meet
. Tension in Manipur affects Indo-Burma border trade at Moreh
. Burma, An Acid Test of American Foreign Policy
. No Sign of Policy Change in Burma after ASEAN Summit
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Seven Burmese Citizens fined 10,000 Taka for overstay in Bangladesh
Cox’s Bazar, October 18:
Seven Burmese citizens, who were travelling around Bangladesh, are spending
5 days in prison, after being charged by the Bangladeshi court on the 8th of
October for overstaying their visa.
The Burmese were arrested on their way to Teknaf (the border town in the
eastern border of Bangladesh) from Chittagong. On the 4th of October they
were charged for illegally overstaying their visa and fined. Since they
could not pay a fine of 10 000 Taka, they are serving their imprisonment.
The Burmese are from Rangoon (the Capital of Burma) and they are in
Bangladesh for business reasons. According to the Daily Cox’s Bazar, three
of them are Chinese, but Burmese-passport holders and they entered
Bangladesh more than two weeks ago. They visited the Chittagong Hill Track
regions.
The Burmese are (1) Yin Htwe (age 37), (2) Thein Linn (age 23), (3) Tun
Naing Win (age 28), (4) Myint Aung Tun (age 32), (5) Htine Linn (age 32),
(6) Aung Yin Thein (age 30), and (7) Aung Ye (age 35).
The arrest has raised the tension in the border relations and trade between
the two countries and Burmese traders are now being more cautious with their
movements in Bangladesh.#
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ASEAN Values and President Bush
By Kanbawza Win
October 16, 2003
The media depicted that, "The 9th ASEAN Summit that recently concluded in
Bali, Indonesia, had voiced concern over free flow of drugs in their
respective territories despite strict vigilance". Obviously the mainland
peninsular countries of Southeast Asia are losing some of their younger
generation to the free flow of heroine, opium and other psychotropic
substance. The 10 million Yaba pills seized very lately in the
Thailand-Burma border areas was just a tip of the iceberg, as truckloads of
illicit drugs roll across the border and every intelligence agency be it a
Thai, CIA, Chineseor ethnic groups indicated that the Burmese Military
Intelligence Service headed by Khin Nyunt (to be specific, MI 25 the
Military Intelligence Unit in Karen State's capital, Hpa-an) was very much
involved in it. And yet the current Thai administration like their
predecessors still continues to sup! port the Burmese Junta and persecute
the opposition-seeking haven in Thailand. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
who had called for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release while he was on a visit to
Washington after May 30, has subsequently ordered a serious offensive on her
supporters in Thailand including the blacklisting of 700 people barred from
entering Thailand for supporting the Burmese democracy movement.
Retiring Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad who at one time loudly
scolded the Burmese Junta for not releasing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has eaten
his words silently when he recollects the fate of former Deputy Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim, now still lingering in jail. So, also Singapore's
Goh Chok Tong who has strongly acted in favour of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi seems
to remember his government's repressive measures, such as internal security
act and legal lawsuits especially against former Professor Dr Chee of the
Singapore Democratic Party, is forced to stay mum.
Indonesia posing as the champion of democracy has to eat a piece of humble
pie as most of the senior officials and ministers, had to brief counterparts
on clashes between Christians and Muslims in Maluku and other issues of
endless domestic turbulence. Grudgingly they have given up East Timor.
Perhaps the most shocking experience for Indonesia and ASEAN was during the
post-referendum mayhem in East Timor in 1999. At that time ASEAN could not
do much to support the Indonesian government, because for decades they had
pretended not to hear and not to know anything about East Timor. After all,
by ASEAN standards, it was strictly Indonesia's domestic affair. The same
standard applies to Burma in Bali Concord II and nobody seems to notice the
fate of the Burmese Nobel laureate and the pro democracy leader.
The region's values reached its hypocritical zenith when the Philippines
representative managed to insert the word, "Democracy" as one of the
cherished goals of ASEAN when to everybody's knowledge five members such as
Burma, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Brunei are anathema to democracy and
human rights. Sometimes we wonder whether the Southeast Asians leaders have
lost their sense of shame.
The world will soon witness how President George W Bush reacts to this
regional leaders who fall short of the international norms of human rights
and democracy and Burma will just be one of the test cases. Will President
Bush adhere to the principle of the universality and indivisibility of the
Geneva Human rights accord or will the business over rules the conscience in
the post nine eleven era in his zest for terrorism when Osama Bin Laden s is
smiling somewhere in the mountains? #
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Two arrested for smuggling arms into Bangladesh
16th October 2003:
Two arms smugglers were arrested by Bangladesh police for smuggling firearms
from Burma into Bangladesh, a Bangladesh newspaper reported yesterday.
The two arms smugglers - Abul Kashem (40) and Zahid Hossain (24) – were
arrested by the police with some arms on September 20 while waiting in a
hotel in Faridpur district town for another big haul of firearms from Burma.
On interrogation they confessed to having link with a Cox's Bazar-based
firearms smuggling gang and said they were responsible for supplying arms to
different parts of Bangladesh. They also disclosed the names of other
persons who are involved in the smuggling.
At the time of their arrest, the police also seized a revolver, mobile
phone, four dairies with entries in Burmese, two maps of river routes in the
country, two cassette recorders and two microphones from them.
The police, however, refused to divulge whether the duo had any link with
terrorist groups in Bangladesh.
Last year, two Rakhinese youths were arrested on their way to Cox's Bazar
from Teknaf carrying huge amount of bullets into Bangladesh. #
_________________________________
Burma, India and Thailand to develop highway network
15th October 2003:
Burma, India and Thailand are planning to develop a highway linking the
three countries and the matter will be discussed when their foreign
ministers meet in New Delhi in December, Myanmar Time reported on Monday.
The meeting will discuss the funding for the project after a technical study
on the proposal is completed, Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant
Sinha was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times last week.
The 1,400-km-long highway would link Moreh in north-east India with Tamu and
Myawaddy in Burma and Maesot in Thailand and would take atleast two years to
complete, the paper added.
It was reported that the highway project would be financed by India and
Thailand, with assistance from the world Bank, Japan Bank and Asian
Development Bank.
The first meeting for discussing the three-nation highway network was held
in Rangoon in April 2003, where foreign ministers of three countries decided
to promote economic and trade cooperation, people-to-people and culture
exchanges and to launch the field survey for the network in February next
year.
India also offered Burma financial and technical assistance for developing
the infrastructure required for the highway.
India is also exploring the possibility of linking Sittwe port in Rakhine
state in Burma to its north-eastern states to facilitate export and import
of goods.#
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Army looting goods from passengers and travelers
15th October 2003:
The Burmese Army has been indulging in looting goods from the traders and
civilians, especially Muslims, crossing army check posts in Buthidaung
township in Arakan state since last month.
While crossing an army out-post, set up on the eastern bank of Mayu River
near Maung Nama Palay Daung village, the army officials forcibly take away
goods like kerosene, edible oil, potatoes, medicine, fertilizer, sugar,
pulses, etc from the passengers crossing the river, a trader told Kaladan
Press.
Such looting has also been rampant at another army check post set up near
Laway Dak Bridge, which is the main crossing point of upper Buthidaung,
another trader from here said.
On October 12, the matter was raised in a meeting with Western Command
Commander Brig. Gen. Maung Oo by the village heads, who informed that all
the victims are Muslims and other communities are exempted, he further
added.
Brig Gen Oo assured that the culprits will be punished and dismissed from
service if the victims are indigenous people, according to a village
chairman who participated in the meeting.#
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Burma Remains Contentious Issue for Region, U.S.
Larry Jagan, BANGKOK (IPS)
Oct 15, 2003:
Burma will remain a major issue of contention between the United States and
Asia's leaders in the coming weeks, after South-east Asian governments
indicated willingness to give Rangoon some room to prove that its road map
is indeed in the offing.
U.S. President George W Bush will raise Burma's political deadlock with his
host - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - during both the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit here this month and his official one-day
state visit, White House aides have been quoted as saying.
South-east Asia's approach however differs from that of the United States
and Europe, which believe that only international pressure and tough
sanctions will bring Burma's generals into line.
They will also be maintaining pressure on Burma's neighbours to convince
Rangoon's military rulers to release Aung San Suu Kyi immediately and
restart the dialogue process, a demand also earlier made by the Association
of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Western governments appear to fear that the 10-member ASEAN, of which
Rangoon is a member, has let the Burmese military regime off the hook by not
using last week's ASEAN summit in Bali to press for immediate political
change.
"It's been a very successful meeting," Khin Nyunt told reporters in Bali
during his rounds of bilateral sessions with many of the countries attending
the summit, where he explained Rangoon's road map to democracy for Burma.
"We have no intention of delaying things," Burmese Foreign Minister Win Aung
said of the seven-step road map. "After that the process will move forward
in an appropriate time; it does not mean seven steps, seven years,'' he said
in an exclusive interview after the meeting.
But Marty Natalegawa, foreign ministry spokesman for host Indonesia, was at
pains to dismiss the interpretation that the Indonesian president's final
statement on behalf of ASEAN leaders was soft on Burma.
"It (the statement) is not an endorsement of the Myanmar road map to
democracy," he said. "But it is a recognition of the progress that has been
made in the country since the ASEAN foreign ministers' summit in Phnom Penh
four months ago," he added.
ASEAN's position remains that Aung San Suu Kyi should be released
immediately and the national reconciliation process resumed.
"The statement should be seen as an addition to that and not a reversal of
the previous position," said a senior Indonesian diplomat involved in the
drafting of the press statement. "It recognises the fact that General Khin
Nyunt has only recently become prime minister and needs time to be able to
implement his newly announced plans to introduce democracy." What is even
more important, South-east Asian diplomats say, is that Burma has promised
to introduce real political and economic change.
Regional leaders appear willing to give Khin Nyunt time, believing that
Burma's military rulers have to be encouraged and persuaded to reform rather
than pressured and coerced.
"We have to wrench every concession from the regime, and then lock them into
it," said a senior South-east Asian diplomat on condition of anonymity..
Still, there was some tension within ASEAN behind closed doors over what to
do with Burma. "The resolution was not strong enough," said Philippine
Foreign Minister Blas Ople. "They should have acknowledged the problem in
the formal statement, but they did not.''
But no one - not even the Philippines pressed for a stronger resolution --
according to one of the participants.
Thailand strongly supported Burma's prime minister during all the formal
discussions. In their bilateral meeting, Khin Nyunt thanked Thaksin for his
support, according to a Thai government spokesman, Sihasak Phuangketkeow.
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo told Filipino journalists at
the end of the ASEAN summit that Thailand's prime minister protected Burma
throughout the summit. This, she said, swayed the other ASEAN leaders
because of their recognition that Thailand -- as a neighbour -- was more
intimately aware of the circumstances in Burma and therefore his opinion was
highly respected.
In the ASEAN way, however, leaders found their own way of expressing their
concern about the situation in Burma.
During his meeting with Gen Khin Nyunt, Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok
Tong stressed the need for Rangoon to announce a proper timeframe for its
road map.
Malaysia's outgoing prime minister Mahathir Mohamad used the opportunity of
his meeting with Khin Nyunt to remind the regime that ASEAN expects Burma to
release Aung San Suu Kyi and resume the national reconciliation process as
soon as possible.
The main concern of most Asian leaders at the summit though was to
strengthen Prime Minister Khin Nyunt's position in bringing about change, if
slowly. Diplomats from the South-east Asian countries all seem to be of the
same view - that there was no point in beating the generals over the head at
the moment.
"He knows what we think; change is essential and Aung San Suu Kyi and the
NLD (National League for Democracy) must be part of the process," said a
senior Thai diplomat.
Many in the region are convinced that the Burmese military are still split
over how to deal with the pro-democracy leader and that there are some
hardliners who do not agree with Khin Nyunt's apparent conciliatory
approach.
They hope that by supporting Khin Nyunt and welcoming his road map, the
general's position with the country's top leader û Gen Than Shwe û would be
strengthened as well.
The ball is now firmly in Burma's court. "With Prime Minister Khin Nyunt's
announcing publicly his clear seven-stage plan, we are now on a very firm
track to achieving the aspirations of the Burmese people - a modern,
prosperous and democratic country," Burma's Foreign Minister Win Aung said.
"Prime Minister Khin Nyunt is a very simple and honest man who is looking
forward to turning his country into a real democratic one," Win Aung said. #
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Cooperation on combating drug trafficking agreed at ASEAN meet
15th October 2003:
The 9th ASEAN Summit that recently concluded in Bali, Indonesia, had great
significance for those countries engaged in the fight against the increasing
incidence of drug trafficking. Most Southeast Asian countries participating
in the marathon Summit voiced concern over free flow of drugs in their
respective territories despite strict vigilance.
India and Thailand played a pivotal role, having put much effort into
attempting to tackle the problem in the past several decades. Indian Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee sought help from the South East Asian
countries for initiating a concerted effort to contain the increase in drug
trafficking.
Other affected countries – including Burma, Laos, and Cambodia – joined
hands with the Indian Prime Minister to work together in containing the
problem. These five countries – India, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Vietnam –
have faced serious threats from free flow of heroine, opium and other
psychotropic substances to which the young generation is increasing drawn.
In all five countries, drug traffickers take advantage of the hilly terrain,
cooperate with people living along the borders and with underground
organisations.
This is the first time that Thailand, Burma, Laos and Vietnam have come
together to launch a joint effort to contain the problem.
India and Burma have carried out joint vigilance operations in the past and
have shared intelligence, leading to several seizures and the arrest of
traffickers.
However, the flow of drugs across porous Indo-Burma border remains
significantly unaffected both under the legal and "illegal" trade.#
_________________________________
Tension in Manipur affects Indo-Burma border trade at Moreh
13th October 2003:
Indo-Burma border trade across Moreh town has suffered a serious setback
following protests in Manipur, India's northeastern state bordering with
Burma. The border trade through Moreh in Manipur State and Tamu in Sagaing
Division of Burma has come to a grinding halt for the last five days after
protests and bandhs by the local Manipur organizations.
The protests began with the decision of Manipur government to release 13
National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM) cadres who were arrested last
week after their intrusion into the state's territory.
The powerful United Committee of Manipur (UCM) had also called for a mass
sit-in-protest in Manipur to press for its demand on clarification over the
controversial issue of the state's boundaries.
Recent media reports that Indian Government's emissary Mr. K. Padmanabhaih
during the course of the peace talks had suggested setting up of a Boundary
Committee to include Ukhrul and Senapati districts of Manipur and Tirap
district of Arunachal Pradesh had inflamed the anger of the Manipuries.
Talking to Mizzima correspondent in Guwahati, the General Secretary of the
Indo-Myanmar Traders Union Mr. Y Kapoor appealed to the people in Manipur to
restore border trade in the greater interest of the traders of both
countries.
"We should explore the trade potential with Burma but if the situation
remains tense, the entire trade will come to a standstill", he added.
Considering the gravity of the situation, the Manipur Government is learnt
to have requested the Indian Home Ministry to step up security in the
region.#
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Burma, An Acid Test of American Foreign Policy
Kanbawza Win
October 18, 2003:
“I am really looking forward to this trip. Alliance is an important part of
our foreign policy as it accomplishes a lot of important objectives. No more
important objective is continuing to fight terror, and it is going to be an
important part of my discussions to renew our efforts to find those who
would kill innocent people and bring them to justice, to disrupt cells, to
cut off financing, to prevent the catastrophes that have taken place, that
have taken innocent lives from happening again. I go with a strong
determination to work with the leaders to fight terror” were the words of
President Bush on his trip to Southeast Asia. As a Burmese I am happy to
hear this statement as “Depayin Attack” is one of the worst terrorist acts
of the region where the criminals, instigated by the Burmese military,
killed over hundred of peaceful people with an intention to assassinate the
Nobel Peace laureate and pro democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The
Burmese Generals being in the category of the Taliban and Saddam Hussein
should be dealt accordingly.
The American President also said that, “An important part of the trip for me
is to talk about values of freedom and democracy.” As far as Burma is
concerned, perhaps, President Bush does not need to talk about values, as he
had already known the ASEAN values at the Bali Conference and may have to
lecture these ASEAN countries only about the government of the people, of
the people for the people.
Again he said that, “One of the key agenda items on my trip is to discuss
terror, and remind people we are dealing with cold-blooded killers, people
who just take innocent life in order to create and instill a sense of fear.
They want people to be afraid.” This phrase fits in nicely with the Burmese
Junta? For decades the cold blood murderers of the Burmese army has
terrorized the entire people of Burma and it is high time that the
international community should come to rescue the people of Burma.
President Bush has also said “I am displeased with Burma. I think Burma
continues to detain a heroic figure who needs to be treated with respect.
The wishes of the people need to be honored ...I believe free societies and
the ability to control narcotics and terrorism go hand in hand. We will
continue to press for freedom in Burma. Aung San Suu Kyi is a great figure.
She is an heroic woman. This country honors her and will continue to press
for her freedom.”
We ardently hope that his coming trip would not be only a time of rhetoric
but also of actions and speak in the language, which the thugs in Burma
understands.
Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice has said the president
during his six-nation tour of Asia will be targeting on Burma. The soothing
assurances given by the fellow ASEAN countries in Bali will soon melt away
and will have to face the hard facts. Credit should also go to Japan who now
comes to know the real intention of the Junta to hold on to power in
perpetuity. In front of the twenty one world leaders at the AP! EC,
Washington will denounce the Burmese Junta and of course the generals in
Rangoon will learn a bitter lesson that in this globalized world where
complex relations between nations are dictated by national interest, nothing
comes without a price. Of course they will put to shame the entire Burmese
nation. But the Generals have thick skin and according to the Anglo-Burman
word they are Saut Shet less (less in an English word no, while Saut Shet
in Burmese means shame) as long as they can retain power.
The Philippino President, Arryo has said that it was the Thaksin who always
defended Burma in the Bali summit and since Bush will be meeting him, we
hope that some valuable lessons would be conveyed to his Thai counterparts
about democracy, human rights and that the Junta cannot lie all the people
all the time. The Bali Conference has clearly indicated that the Southeast
Asian leaders cannot solve their own problem and have trusted it to an
outsider (just as the Arabs has trusted the Iraq problem). One should not be
surprised for this natural consequence for ASEAN countries have a track
record of supporting the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia and the Suharto against
Timor.
But President Bush will be facing a tough time because he will be against
not only ASEAN but also China and India who give a tactic support (the
population of China, India and ASEAN is more than half of the world) but
against the Asian values itself for supporting tyrannical regimes all
because of this little country called Burma led by a handful of naughty
generals.#
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No Sign of Policy Change in Burma after ASEAN Summit
Zin Linn
October 11, 2003:
The Ninth ASEAN SUMMIT in Bali has come to an end, abandoning the Burmese
people's political aspiration to desperation. In a closing statement, host
Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri did not underline mention of
Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi but cited the Burmese junta's recent pledge
to work towards democracy as a '' positive development.''
The ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) leaders attending the
Bali Summit Conference issued a joint communiqué in which no reference to
detained pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was made. Instead the ten ASEAN
applauded the military regime's false promises to draft a new constitution
and move towards disciplined democracy. It is regrettable that the regional
leaders failed to shed light on the pretences of the Burmese regime but
rather chose to take seriously the show it put on.
The ASEAN leaders' approval of the prime minister in the military uniform
and their shattering of the Burmese people's hopes for a better Burma occurs
at a time when the junta has given no timetable for the process, nor a date
for the release of the Lady who won the Nobel Peace prize in 1991.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said that ASEAN would
give the junta time to prove its claim that Suu Kyi, who has just been
released from hospital after an operation, is not under house arrest. But on
25 September, Indonesia's special envoy Ali Alatas left Myanmar without
meeting Suu Kyi. He commented that it would be good if the restrictions
placed on Suu Kyi were lifted and she would be released.
Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra also gave his backing to the
Burmese junta and its "road map". He quoted Burmese Premier Khin Nyunt as
saying that Burma was very committed to the "road map". "A committee had
been set up, and clear timeframes for the drafting of a constitution had
been outlined. Mrs Suu Kyi was fine and recuperating." Contrary to these
references, the junta's road map is widely perceived as no more than a
time-buying process. Aung San Suu Kyi is under heavy guards.
According to the junta's spokesman, Burmese Prime Minister Khin Nyunt and
Foreign Minister Win Aung informed other ASEAN countries that Aung San Suu
Kyi was at home, refusing to recognise that, effectively, she is under house
arrest, underheavy guard, with no one allowed to see her as yet, except for
UN Special Envoy Razali. About eighty individuals were turned away at a
checkpoint at an intersection near the Lady's lakeside residence on the Full
Moon Day of Thadingyut (10 October) that marks the end of Buddhist lent and
on which traditionally homage is paid to elders and teachers.
Jiro Okuyama, spokesman for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, said
Suu Kyi remained in detention and that his country persisted in demanding
her ''immediate'' release. Japan would continue to withhold its aid toBurma
until Aung San Suu Kyi was freed and the opposition was able to participate
in a genuine political reform process.
The United States sharply disagreed with an ASEAN statement welcoming
"positive developments" in Burma and a promise of democracy from its
military rulers.
"The military regime should allow reopening of the NLD's offices and begin
meaningful talks with Aung San Suu Kyi and other political parties. So that
national reconciliation can take place, we also look for the ethnic
minorities to be part of that," said State Department spokesman Richard
Boucher. "That, to us, is the only way forward to achieve peace and
stability in Burma," he added.
ASEAN's main theme is trade and investment. The organization has
traditionally been reluctant to deal with issues of democracy and
human-rights. ASEAN members do not, in the parlance of the region, interfere
in the internal affairs of other countries. But ASEAN leaders are
overlooking the crucial point. Accept it or not, they are interfering in
Burma's internal affairs. Trading with present day Burma means doing
business with the illegal military rulers who brutally oppress their own
people. Doing business with the generals means financially rewarding and
propping up the brutish junta that rules the country without legitimacy. At
the same time, ASEAN leaders fail to support Burma's true representatives
who were chosen by the majority of the Burmese people in the 1990 general
elections. I! s that not interfering in Burma's internal affairs? Moreover,
this conduct is far from on the democratic side but manifests a self-centred
style, prioritising economic development and business in the first place
over democracy and human rights in the second or maybe last place.
According to one Burmese civil servant in Rangoon, the carrots and sticks
policy fails to persuade the military rulers to allow Burma to change into a
democratic society. ''Instead of carrots and sticks, it should be a
stick-after-stick policy,'' he said. ''The generals have become used to
ruling the country with an iron rod, and now they fear revenge against their
abuse of power for years and have made up their minds not to transfer power
to civilians.''
It is obvious that the generals' decision against the transfer of power to a
civilian government has been encouraged by the Ninth ASEAN Summit in Bali.
The generals are planning to change from military uniform to mufti but
policy will remain unchanged.#
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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.#