BNI Weekly News - November 17, 2003
. Gas Export Deal Kept Secret from the Arakanese
. Residents of Taungbru Left Relocated for New Battalion and Jail Project
. Human Rights Commission moved to act on behalf of Burmese refugees
. Naga people barred from Traveling
. Burmese woman dead due to harassment by Thai authorities
. No Cane for Arakan’s lone sugar mill
. Burmese refugees kept from demonstrating against UNHCR
. Burmese In-Gyin Fossils Fast Disappearing to China
. Bangladesh ministers oversee privatisation of Teknaf port
. Arakan rice trade restricted by military junta
. A cattle grazer sodomized by Army soldier
. Sixty families ordered to relocate for bridge construction
. Bangladesh Consul graces Bangla-Myanmar Friendship Bridge construction engineers’meeting
. BDR seizes arms and ammunition from RNA
. Three victims of Depeyin incident released from prison
. Prices of essentials fall in Maungdaw town
. Rise in price of London Cigarette in the China-Burma border area
_________________________________________
Gas Export Deal Kept Secret from the Arakanese
17 November 2003:
The plan to export natural gas from Arakan to India has been kept a secret
from the people of the state, says an Arakanese governmental official from
the state capital, Sittwe (Akyab).
Under the condition of anonymity, the official claimed “It is unfair of the
SPDC military junta to sell the natural resources of the state without the
knowledge of the people. At least they should be informed about it.”
The foreign companies are about to start producing natural gas from Block
(A-1) of the Arakan coast, and the public has no idea about such a major
project. At the same time, the people of Arakan do not know that the state
project is already sold to India. Production will be commenced within a
fortnight by an international consortium led by Indian Kuogas, according to
a statement from India Gas companies Ongc Videsh Limited and GAIL.
The consortium consists of Kugos, which has a sixty percent interest in the
project, ONGC Videsh Limited, a 20 percent interest, and GAIL and Daewoo
(South Korea) ten percent each (UNI).
The gas will be fed through a pipeline from Kyauktaw-Paltwa in northern
Arakan via Tripura and Mizrom in India to the state of Assam.
“We oppose the SPDC selling the natural gas from Arakan to foreign
companies. The gas sale will not benefit the people of Arakan, or the
people of Burma. In our view, the foreign companies are paying hard
currency to the SPDC, which buys arms to suppress the people of Arakan and
Burma,” says Ko Khaing Zaw from the All Arakan Students and Youths Congress,
and also a member of the anti-gas export committee.
Arakanese leaders and activists in exile have formed an action committee to
organise a strategy with the help from other international communities and
Burmese democratic forces to stop the gas export of the military government.
According to our reporter in Sittwe, the SPDC has built an artillery
military camp on Fharoongar Island in Pauk Taw Township, 20 miles south of
Sittwe, to provide security to the gas works. Villagers from Saw Mae Gyi -
a village on the Island - were forced to build the camps. #
_____________________________________
Residents of Taungbru Left Relocated for New Battalion and Jail Project
15 November 2003:
Residents of Taungbru left (Day Banna) village in Maungdaw Township, Arakan
State have been relocated recently for a new army battalion and jail project
by SPDS authorities, according to our sources.
According to local news, over 53 houses and a Muslim graveyard in Taungbru
left village of Maungdaw Township have already been destroyed, followed by
the SPDC authorities.
In return, local residents have been granted land for housing near a
Mountain of Taungbru village, but villagers were not given any compensation,
sources further added.
“Whenever the SPDC wishes to establish a new army battalion or other
projects in Arakan State, they always target Muslim villages, mosques and
graveyards to destroy though there are available places for the
establishment of army battalions,” said a villager.
A village headman said, “ The ruling military junta is underway to upgrade
border village Taungbru into a sub-township under the jurisdiction of
Maungdaw Township. At present, there is no jail in Maungdaw town. Instead of
this, the SPDC authorities are establishing a jail in Taungbru, very near to
the Bangladesh border.
“Some of these households have to depend on their domestic gardens in this
area. These people suffer most. But they don’t have any choice because of
authorities said it is an order from government to relocate. Authorities
also asked them if you are not moving home, they may use force to relocate,”
a local villager said.
Taungbru village becomes an important location for Burma-Bangla trade since
the opening of official border trade between two countries, a trader said.
A bridge is going to be constructed across the two countries through the
Taungbru River, which is separated Burma and Bangladesh. This bridge will be
known Bangla-Burma Friendship Bridge forms a major part of the Asia High Way
leading to Thailand throughout Burma, he further added. #
________________________________________
Human Rights Commission moved to act on behalf of Burmese refugees
14 November 2003:
The Delhi-based Asian Center for Human Rights (ACHR) today made a formal
complaint with the Indian National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against
alleged atrocities meted out to Burmese refugees by Delhi police on 12
November.
In the letter to NHRC Chairman Justice A.S. Anand, ACHR’s Director Suhas
Chakma complained against the torture of 80 Burmese refugees on 12 November
and the arrest of more than 100 Burmese nationals by the Delhi Police at
Lodhi Police Station in New Delhi.
The ACHR has sought urgent intervention by the NHRC and appealed for an
investigation into the incidents of 12 November. It has also asked the
Commission to direct the Government of India to immediately release all
refugees, including 24 Burmese men and women who are now lodged in Tihar
Jail, and to drop all charges against them.
Several Burmese refugees had staged sit-in protests against UNHCR in front
of the UNHCR Office in New Delhi since 20 October. They demanded the
recognition of refugees by the UNHCR and their resettlement in third
countries.
On 12 November, Delhi Police took action against the demonstrators and
dispersed the Burmese refugees by the use of water cannons and lathi
charges.
A total of 435 Burmese, including women and children, were rounded up by the
police. Several got injured. The police later released all but 24 Burmese
men and women who were charged with rioting.
Delhi police claimed that some demonstrators had turned violent and tried to
enter the UNHCR compound. “The police thus had to use mild force. In the
scuffle, 12 police personnel and 22 Burmese were injured”, the police
stated.
The Burmese demonstrators stated that it had been the police who had started
provoking the demonstrators who had not tried to enter the UNHCR compound.
They said they had been demonstrating peacefully.#
________________________________________
Naga people barred from Traveling
14 November 2003:
Burmese army issued an order in last week of October banning all adults from
Layshee township in Naga hilly region in upper Burma, not to travel for long
period, one local villager said.
Column Commander Maj. Nyi Zaw Myint from LIB (87) on 28 October instructed
the head of villages in Sumra village track in Layshee township and ordered
adults (age between 18 to 40 yrs) not to travel for a long period.
“The order sheets were pasted in every villages on 28 October. In the order,
peoples under 40 yrs have to take permission from Village Peace and
Development Council and peoples are not allow to travel for a long period.
They are not allowed to travel if it will take more than a fortnight.
Peoples are not allowed to travel a week or ten days,” one Naga youth told
to NMG.
The reasons were not disclosed why peoples are not allow to travel more than
a fortnight.
Some local residents believe that Burmese Army is planning for its
recruitment and there will be some paramilitary training in their areas.
Burmese Army is recruiting new members in Layshee township and there was
only two men who registered themselves voluntarily. Some reports said
government is planning to conduct paramilitary training which designed to
make people follow order and collect information.
Local Naga peoples told NMG that their villages had to send villagers as new
recruits for the army in ration according to the number of house holds in
1995.
Peoples were not informed when this new order of banning traveling will be
withdrawn.
Maj Nyi Zaw Myint also warned the villagers that wives of these defectors
will be arrested if the villages could not recruit in place of defectors
from army.#
_______________________________________
Burmese woman dead due to harassment by Thai authorities
Zaw Lwin Oo
13 November 2003:
A Burmese woman died on 8 November because of severe harassment by Thai
military personnel who were posted as guards to the "Than Hin" Burmese camp
in Ratchbury district.
The Burmese woman, Ma Pale (age 30), fainted at the sight of her husband
being severely beaten by Thai soldiers and died subsequently.
"Since the beginning of this month, Thai soldiers have come and taken away
all mobile phones. They do check-ups every night. On the evening of 8 of
November, Thai soldiers beat up Ko Naing while looking for mobile phones in
the camp. His wife was so frightened that she fainted. She did not recover",
said women from the camp.
Attempting to cover up the event, the Thai authorities have tightened
security around the camp, allowing no one to leave the premises.
The camps consists of more than 50 Burmese students and more than 7000
refugees. The Than Hin Burmese student camp was formed by relocating
students from the Maneeloy camp.
The camp is surrounded by hills impeding the use of mobile phones. In order
to use mobile phones to pass on information, the students have to climb the
hills, which takes about an hour. But the Thai military had lately banned
the students from climbing up into the hills.
Reportedly, the search for mobile phones inside the students' camp and
harassment continue. The students blame the Thai soldiers for violating
their human rights: as a democracy, Thailand is a country where everyone has
the right to keep and use phones of any type.#
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No Cane for Arakan’s lone sugar mill
13 November 2003:
The state-owned Kyauk Taw Sugar Mill, the lone sugar mill in Arakan state,
will not be able to produce sugar due to lack of sugar cane, according to an
official from the sugar mill.
Since the local cane growers did not provide sugar cane to the factory, the
mill will be closed for this year. During the last year the mill could
manage to run only for seven days.
Since the government started paying lower price than the market value for
sugar, the cane growers turned to rice hence cutting the cane supply for the
mills. Also, the mill purchasing authorities who pay Kyat 2500 for a ton of
sugar cane, tampered with the weights to give less money to the growers,
forcing them to turn to rice cultivation.
“This is an act of defiance and protest. If they want to arrest us, then we
might as well be arrested. There are no benefits from growing cane, which is
why the cane growers agreed not to grow cane this year,” a cane grower from
the region said.
In Kyauk Taw township, about 20 villages used to grow sugar cane. However,
the Kyauk Taw Sugar Mill used to produce a sweet alcoholic beverage instead
of sugar from the cane, en mass. Arakanese villagers alleged that the sugar
mill was used by Burmese government to corrupt the Arakanese through
alcohol. However, the alcoholic facilities were moved to main land Burma due
to low supply of sugar cane in Arakan. #
__________________________________________
Burmese refugees kept from demonstrating against UNHCR
13 November 2003:
More than 200 Burmese nationals were detained at Lodhi Police Station,
Delhi, on 13 November when attempting to protest in front of the
headquarters of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
On 12 November, Delhi Police issued a prohibition order against
demonstrations around the UNHCR office, not allowing the Burmese to
demonstrate and forcibly dispersing demonstrators by using water cannons and
lathi charges.
According to the police, some of the demonstrators turned violent and tried
to enter into the UNHCR compound. “The police thus had to use mild force. In
the scuffle, 12 police personnel and 22 Burmese were injured”, the police
claimed.
Burmese demonstrators denied the Delhi Police version of the events, saying
that it was the police who started provoking the demonstrators.
Demonstrators had not tried to enter into the UNHCR compound but had been
demonstrating peacefully. They alleged that Delhi police had spread a false
story to cover police brutality against peaceful demonstrators.
Indian newspapers quoting the Delhi Police yesterday stated that a total of
435 Burmese were rounded up, including women and children. Some were injured
and hospitalised. Most of the detained Burmese were later released at night.
Reportedly 12 Burmese were charged for rioting before a magistrate in New
Delhi on 13 November.
Several Burmese refugees have staged daily sit-in protests in front of the
UNHCR Office since October. They demand the recognition of refugees by UNHCR
and their resettlement in third countries.
The demonstrators are not representative of the entirety of Burmese
political activists in India. Many find that the demonstrators were putting
forward unrealistic demands. Critics of the demonstration are ready to
concede, however, that Burmese refugees in New Delhi face genuine problems
and hardships.
The UNHCR in India has refused to accept the demonstrators’ demands. In a
reply letter to the demonstrators on October 20, the UNHCR’s
officer-in-charge Ms. Wei-Meng Lim-Kabaa said that UNHCR does not grant
prima facie refugee status to all Burmese nationals who leave Burma.
“In regard to the request for resettlement, this Office at this time does
not consider this as the most appropriate durable solution”, she added. On
the other hand, UNHCR has encouraged Burmese refugees “to embark on training
and self-reliance activities, so that they could be empowered to improve the
quality of their living in Delhi”.
When the Burmese continued their demonstrations on a daily basis, the UNHCR
had urged the Indian authorities to take whatever action necessary to dispel
them.#
___________________________________________________
Burmese In-Gyin Fossils Fast Disappearing to China
Ruili,
12 November 2003
In-Gyin fossils, which are mainly found in Myin Kyan and Nathogyi in central
Burma, are being illegally traded at a brisk rate in the Chinese border
towns of Kyegauk and Ruili (Shwelee). In-Gyins are fossils produced by
ancient trees that have been buried under the ground for many years and are
now found in the form of fossilized stone.
The In-Gyin fossils are bought by Chinese traders from the local people for
a cheap price and are transported by trucks to the northern border.
Throughout the journey the traders bribe authorities to let them pass. The
greatest amount of money that the traders have to spend during the entire
process is for the bribing of these authorities, with the highest rates
going to the border trade department, police and intelligence officers. In
spite of the costs involved, the traders are reported to be making high
profits from this smuggling of fossils.
According to a Burmese trader, a ton of poor quality In-Gyin fossils can be
bought for between 10000 Kyats to 20000 Kyats inside Burma and is later sold
for between 150000 Kyats to 200000 Kyats in China.
There are two types of In-Gyin fossils. 'Dry' In-Gyin fossils that were
formed from vegetation that grew on land and 'wet' In-Gyin fossils, which
have been created by plants that grew in water. The 'dry' In-Gyin fossils
are in higher demand and fetch a higher price than the 'wet' ones. The
fossils also differ in sizes and exhibit a range of colours such as yellow,
white, red, black and green.
According to a trader, the retail price of the fossils in the border towns
is usually between 10 Yuans to 100 Yuans a kilogram although it can reach as
high as 200 Yuans per kilo. The fossils are then transported to Shanghai,
Beijing and other large cities in China. Many of the fossils are then
turned into statues and sold for high prices.#
________________________________
Bangladesh ministers oversee privatisation of Teknaf port
12 November 2003:
Bangladesh Ministers of Shipping and Communication and other officials
attended the privatisation ceremony of Teknaf Port last week and also
inspected the Burmese cargo ships unloading fish exported from Burma to
Bangladesh, a local reporter from the border area said.
Mr Akbar Hossain and Mr Salahudin Ahmed, local MP Shahjahan Chowdhury,
President of Bangladesh Ports Authority Shamser Uddin Ahmed and other
officials attended the ceremony on November 5 where the control of the port
was transferred to private hands to improve efficiency in handling cargos
and to increase profits.
The US has imposed trade sanctions against the military junta since it
detained NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi. This has led to cessation of export of
fish from Burma to the US and has also led to demand for fish from other
Asian countries to fall, thereby increasing the quantum of export to the
Bangladesh market.
Before the sanctions were imposed, a kilogram of prawns in Sittwe markets
was priced at more than Kyat 20,000, but now it has come down to less than
Kyat 10,000. Hence, a major portion of fish exports reaches Bangladesh and
the Teknaf Port is jammed with Burmese cargo ships loaded with fish.
The Teknaf last year only made a revenue of Taka 280 million while within
the first four weeks of this financial year, its revenue has come to Taka
150 million, according to Chittagong Taxation Commissioner Sawar Jahan. #
__________________________________________
Arakan rice trade restricted by military junta
12 November 2003:
The Arakan state local authority has asked rice traders to make a
contribution to the Arakan State Peace and Development Council and for the
Border Security Forces (Nasaka).
A rice trader from Sittwe said a rice bag (50 kg) incurs Kyat 200 for the
fund of Arakan SPDC and Kyat 300 at the Nasaka checkpoint No 25 on the
Rangoon- Sittwe ( Akyab) highway.
These “contributions” are organised at Sittwe Truck Depot Shwe See Tharrn
since the Nasaka does not want the public to know about this forced
“contribution”.
To reduce the higher price of rice, the State Peace and Development Council
set up domestic trading, which is strictly controlled by the state and
permits for trading in rice is given to many private businesses.
Therefore, low quality rice is sent from Rangoon, Magwe, Prone (all from the
mainland Burma) to Arakan and is priced at Kyat 6000 per bag in mainland
Burma while it is priced at Kyat 9000 in Arakan.
“The low quality rice cost Kyat 9000 a bag on retail. Better quality rices
are the worst because they can cost Kyat 15000 a bag, said a Sittwe
resident.
Though there are mass imports into Arakan from other parts of Burma, the
price of rice is still high. The reason being the costly transportation in
Arakan due to its distance and inaccessibility, as well as the cost of
bribes like the “forced contribution” by the local authorities. #
______________________________________________
A cattle grazer sodomized by Army soldier
12 November 2003:
A Rohingya cattle grazer was sodomised by an Army soldier in Buthidaung
township in Arakan state.
According to a relative of the victim, the boy Deen Mohamed, 12, son of Noor
Boshor Deen hailing from Kyakma Taung village of Buthidaung, was sodomised
by the soldier belonging to Battalion No 556 on October 28 when he was out
grazing cattle along with other boys.
The incident occurred when Mohamed along with others went to a forest area
where the battalion was stationed. The boys were playing football with the
soldiers. When the ball went deep into the forest, the boys along with the
soldiers went inside the forest looking for it. By taking advantage of the
situation the culprit forcibly took Mohamed to a solitary place and
sodomised him, a villager said.
Hearing Mohamed’s scream, people rushed to the spot and caught the culprit.
On being threatened by the culprit, they however, took him home.
The following day, Mohamed’s father Deen went to the battalion commander and
apprised him of the matter. However, no action has been taken yet.
Another relative of Mohamed said that the Commander further dismissed the
incident saying that it must have happened with mutual consent.
The father then approached the Military Operation Command (MOC) -15 with the
matter. However he didn’t get any favourable response from the MOC Commander
who accused Deen of trying to vilify the Burmese army, which was known for
its courage, discipline and sympathy to people. #
_____________________________________________
Sixty families ordered to relocate for bridge construction
11 November 2003:
Sixty families in Tamu on the Indo-Burma border have been asked by the
Chairman of Tamu District Peace and Development Council to relocate within
50 days for the construction of a bridge across the stream in the village.
They have also been asked to pay Kyat 3,000 to 10,000 to get a new plot to
rebuild their houses, local people in Tamu said.
“The local authorities came to us and demanded money to get a plot for our
house. As some people have house numbers while others don’t have,
authorities charged Kyat 10,000 from those having house numbers and Kyat
3,000 from those not having house numbers. And people who want a good
location for their plot have to pay an extra Kyat 10,000,” a local youth
from Hna-hmwar-sone quarter said.
Fifty-eight households currently living in Hna-hmwar-sone quarter No 1 that
is situated between Tamu and Nant-Phar-Lon market, were ordered to relocate
to the south by Chairman of Tamu District Peace and Development Council
Major Maung Maung Aye on November 7.
Although people in this area have ancestral houses, the authorities insist
that the order has to be complied with. The authorities have threatened to
use force if the people do not voluntarily relocate, a local from Tamu said.
Nant-Phar-Lon market in Tamu has become an important location for Indo Burma
trade since the opening of official border trade between two countries.
Previously Burmese businessmen had to enter Indian soil as the bridge was
owned by both the countries. The new bridge will be on Burmese territory and
people would not have to cross over into India in order to reach
Nant-Phar-Lon market from Tamu. #
______________________________________
Bangladesh Consul graces Bangla-Myanmar Friendship Bridge construction engineers’ meeting
11 November 2003:
A daylong meeting of engineers for the construction of Bangla-Myanmar
Friendship Bridge over the Naaf river was attended by Bangladesh consul in
Sittwe, Mahmudul Ahmed last month, a report from Maungdaw said.
The Burmese team of five engineers headed by Rakhine state Chief Engineer U
Thein Kyaw met their three Bangladeshi counterparts under the leadership of
Bangladesh Chief Engineer Abed Uddin Ahmed on October 28 in the Rakhine town
of Taungbro in Maungdaw township.
The cost, time frame, and mutual benefits of the two countries were
discussed at the meeting. Accompanied by the Bangladesh Consul, the
engineers of the two countries also surveyed the actual bridge site at the
east bank of Naaf River and the territorial topography of Cane
Chaung-Muangdaw area where the friendship road will be constructed, it was
learnt.
Reports said that the Bangla-Burma Friendship Bridge was a major part of the
Asia High Way leading to Thailand across Burma. #
______________________________________
BDR seizes arms and ammunition from RNA
11 November 2003:
The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) raided a hideout of the Rohingya National Army
(RNA) fighters and seized some arms, ammunition and equipments from them on
November 6, a RNA spokesman said.
Two AK 56 rifles, a pistol, over 1000 rounds of ammunition of AK 56 were
seized in the operation. Besides, the BDR officials also seized some
uniforms, according to The Daily Star.
On November 6, about 24 BDR men led by Naikhonchari Zonal Commander Lt. Col.
Hasinur Rahman raided a hideout of RNA on the Burma-Bangladesh border at
Dormorsara, four km from Lemosari BDR camp at Bandarban Hill District, said
the spokesman.
The spokesman further said “he was pained to say that the truth is never
spoken in the media. After BDR’s raids the concerned authorities had
intentionally portrayed our freedom fighters as “criminals” or “terrorists”
in the media.”
“It has been observed that the extremist RSO (Rohingya Solidarity
Organisation) has been exempted from the target of Lt. Col. Rahman,” he
further added.
In a similar incident, on August 27, a contingent of BDR led by Lt. Col
Rahman attacked a hideout of Arakan Army (AA) on Bangladesh-Burma border
and seized two weapons. Again after five days he raided a hideout of RNA and
seized some landmines and other explosives. #
___________________________________
Three victims of Depeyin incident released from prison
10 November 2003:
Three members of Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD),
who were arrested by the military junta on May 30 after the Depeyin
incident, were released from Shwe-Bo prison yesterday, NLD sources said.
Member of Mandalay division organising committee U Aung Soe, joint secretary
of Mandalay Northeast Township U Hla Oo and youth member of Myin-Mu
township Tayza Naing were released at 2105 hrs last night and taken to their
homes by the Military Intelligence (MI), an unidentified NLD women’s wing
member said today.
Regarding the health condition of these members, she said: “U Aung Soe has a
swelling on his leg and also suffers from slight hypertension.” U Hla Oo
also suffers from dizziness.
Before they were released from the prison, all the three NLD members were
warned not to exaggerate the information on Depeyin incident and condition
of the prisons by authorities, she added.
U Aung Soe and Tayza Naing were arrested on the spot in the Depeyin incident
and U Hla Oo was arrested on the next day while he was hiding in the fields
after getting wounded.
The Three NLD members along with several dissidents were detained for one
day in Depeyin and later they were sent to Shwe Bo prison. After being
detained for 160 days in the prison, eventually three of them were released.
According to the reliable sources, around 31 Suu Kyi’s followers in Depeyin
are still in prisons; 10 in Shwe Bo prison, four including NLD vice Chairman
U Tin Oo in Kalay prison and 17 youth members in Khan-Te prison. #
______________________________________
Prices of essentials fall in Maungdaw town
10 November 2003:
Prices of essential commodities, which shot up with the beginning of Ramadan
(Sabbath month), have started falling in local markets, a trader from
Maungdaw town yesterday said.
Prices of items like turmeric, sugar, condensed milk, petrol, kerosene etc,
had registered a moderate rise, but vegetables like onion, garlic, pea,
potato virtually went beyond the reach of the common man, he further added.
But the prices of tea, egg, edible oil, meat etc, however, didn’t see any
change.
Prices of fishes have also come down substantially following increased
supply in markets because of the favorable season of catching fishes, the
trader said.
Although the prices of some essentials have come down, the lives of the
people in North Arakan, where starvation has been prevailing, are under
threat as most of them are jobless and have no money to buy food items, a
village elder said.
Burma’s military junta claims the country’s economy is growing at a
reasonable rate, but outside analysts question their figures suggesting that
the country’s economic health is shaking.#
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Rise in price of London Cigarette in the China-Burma border area
9 November 2003:
The retail price of the Burmese’ favourite cigarettes – London Cigarette -
increased in the China-Burma border area shortly after Britain-based BAT
Company, one of the producers of the brand, announced withdrawal of its
investments from Burma on November 6.
The price of one carton of London Cigarette suddenly rose up from Kyat 4,000
to Kyat 5,200 in MuSe on the China-Burma border.
“There was a sharp increase in price of London Cigarette yesterday. It now
costs Kyat 5,200 for a carton. Yesterday, it was available for Kyat 4800,” a
businessman from Jae-Gaung in China, just opposite to Mu-Se in Burma said
yesterday.
London Cigarette, co-product of British American Tobacco (BAT) and Union of
Myanmar Economic Holdings Company (UMEHC), was one of the most favourite
cigarettes in the Burmese market and was also being exported to China and
Bangladesh.
The BAT had been constantly under pressure by rights groups and Burmese
activists around the world to withdraw from the country due to the military
junta’s unfavorable human rights records and suppression of dissidence.
The London Cigarette was earlier produced by Burma’s UMEHC and
Singapore-based Rothmans since 1997. However, the BAT took over shares from
Rothmans in 1998.
According to recent figures, London Cigarette was one of the consumer’s
favourites in Burma and over five million cartons were exported to
Bangladesh last year through Maungdaw 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
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