WEEKLY NEWS PACKAGE
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ON THE BORDER
INSIDE
INTERNATIONAL
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ON THE BORDER
More Funds Injected to Develop Indo-Burma Trade Points
Guwahati, 3 June 2004 Mizzima
News: In a bid to boost cross-border trade between India and Burma, India's
Commerce Ministry has approved Rs 1.70 crore (US$17 million) for the Longwa
trading point in Nagaland. The funds have been
approved for the development of the township and the improvement of existing
roads in the area.
The Nagaland government has been pushing to have Longwa declared an official trading point in order to
increase the volume of legal trade with
The Longwa trading point, located 32 km from Nagaland's Mon district, has traditionally been a point of
barter trade among local people living along the international border. To
explore the trade potential, the Nagaland government
had already constructed a temporary shed in the area to encourage the smooth
running of trade between traders of both countries. Commonly, Indians exchange
salt, herbal medicines and rice while the Burmese exchange tea, gold and
garments.
Commenting on the recent approval of funds, the Joint Director of Foreign
Trade, MK Mero, told our correspondent that the
Commerce Ministry is keen to open more trading points along
Mero also commented that the Commerce Ministry had
already released Rs 6 crore
to accelerate ongoing work related to the Zokhuthar
trading point in Mizoram.
"The Commerce Ministry is in the process of releasing more funds to
The Federation of Industry and Commerce for the North Eastern Region
(FINER) president, Subhash Agarwal,
has welcomed the decision of the Commerce Ministry saying that this would
encourage the traders of the region to become involved in export and import. He
also said that the Commerce Ministry should open more trading points in
Hailing the initiative of the Commerce Ministry, the general secretary of the
Indo-Myanmar Traders Union (IMTU), Y K Kapoor, said
that this region could be made into a major trading hub with Southeast Asian
countries by opening more trading points.
"We need more trading points with
*** **** *** ***
India submits list of militants' camps to Burmese Authorities
Mizzima News June 4, 2004: At an important
meeting of the Indian-Burmese Joint Working Group (JWG), recently concluded in
Rangoon, representatives of both countries agreed to work jointly to scale down
the militant activities along the shared international border.
The JWG was initiated with the purpose of sharing intelligence to contain the
growing insurgent activities that trouble both states.
Highly-placed official sources told Mizzima that
during the meeting, representatives from
The sources further said that Indian members of the JWG had provided the
Burmese with a long list of militant groups and their various camp locations on
Burmese territory and requested that the Burmese authorities take action
against them.
Several militant Northeast Indian organizations, including the National
Socialist Council of Nagalim - Issac
Muivah (NSCN-IM), the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), the United National Liberation Front (UNLF),
the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA)
have been taking shelter on the Burmese side of the border, which provides them
the opportunity to organize their subversive activities.
The previous Indian National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had asked the
Burmese Government to intensify its patrolling along the international border
because of the increasing activities of insurgents. Additionally, the NDA
government had conducted a feasibility study to construct fencing along the
international border.
Asked about the present position of border fencing, the sources said that the
feasibility study had only just been completed.
"We have a long way to go. The Indo-Burma border is a vast area and it is
not possible for the government to fence the entire border. But we are planning
to erect fencing along some portions (through which militants tend to sneak
into
Regarding these known sensitive areas, the sources also revealed that the
*** *** ****
Custom Gates mushrooming across Arakan
Akyab, June 4 Narinjara News: Arakan is
experiencing a boom in the numbers of illegal tollgates run by local
authorities.
These gates are run by police, armed forces, immigration officers, and Na Sa Kha (Border Security). However,
all of these gates are under the management of the Township Peace and
Development Council, the local level junta.
Generally, these gates are stationed at the cross roads of waterways and
collect money from trespassers. On the May-Yu River, the waterway between Akyab and Buthe Daung, Rachan Byan,
Nga Lat Pyar, Prean Daw and Naung Khaung have government custom gates to collect money from
all small or big boats that traverse the river.The Arakan State authorities do not allow the transport of
rice, chili, bamboo, timber, cattle, fuel, etc.
The ban on transport of these commodities makes a fertile ground for bribery,
which means these gates are generating substantial revenue for the State.
On the upper Lae Myo river,
at Mraung Bawe, forestry
officials and police have set up a tollgate, the former collecting money on
timber, bamboo and thatch, and the latter collecting on commodities such as
cattle and rice.
According to a farmer in that region, thatch is legally a “free” item that can
be transported and traded without any restriction, because it is a basic
commodity used in many households. However, the forestry authorities still
collect money on it.
In
Four miles from Maung Daw, there is also the Nasaka
gate that collects 500 kyats for every rice bag that comes from Buthee Daung. Nasaka
(25) gate at Ann is dubbed “the blackmailing station.” At police stations there
are signs saying, “May we help you?” However, one must offer them a bribe in
order to get any help.
The higher authorities turn a blind eye to these corruption and bribery
problems, which are also taking a “toll” on people’s liberty and well-being.
*** *** ***
Give Autonomy to Nagaland, Naga
group tells new Indian Government
Guwahati, May 31, 2004 Mizzima
News: An Amsterdam-based human rights organization, the Naga
International Support Centre (NISC) has urged the newly-formed, Dr Manmohan Singh-led Congress coalition government of India
to initiate a negotiation process to convince North East Indian states and
Burma to create a greater Nagaland.
"Nagas as a whole have a right to self
determination. Firstly, the government of India must stop their divide-and-rule
tactics and instead, it should convince the relevant states (namely Assam,
Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh of North East India)
and Burma on the other side of international border that Nagas
had been divided by former governments of India.”
“Despite the fact that the lands of Nagas have been
divided by both an international border as well as provincial Indian borders, Nagas as a whole continue asserting the right to self
determination," the NISC stated.
Revolutionary Nagas are demanding an undivided Nagaland, comprising Naga-inhabited
areas of
Congratulating the Congress-led coalition government in New Delhi for swiftly
deciding to continue the peace talks that should lead to an honourable
solution concerning the longstanding conflict between the Nagas
and India, the NISC however did not forget to remind the government of India
that the Nagas were divided over the Shillong Accord, which was intended to do just that.
"The reverberations of the Shillong Accord are
still felt. The wounds have barely healed," said the NISC statement.
It also added that the new government in
"The Government of India recognizes the unique history of the Nagas. For the Nagas, this is
most important as it recognizes that Nagaland as a
whole has never been part of India historically, geographically, culturally or
religiously, nor was it part of Britain, since only one third was
colonized," concluded the NISC statement.
*** *** ***
INSIDE BURMA
Burmese Currency Exchange Rate down in Mon Area
June 3, 2004 Independent Mon News Agency: The Burmese currency exchange
rate has dropped a little in the Mon area this week, according to the money
exchange businessman in Three Pagodas Pass, a small border town with Thailand.
“Burmese money has gone up 1.70 kyat in exchange for Thai currency,” said Win
Mar, a currency exchange trader at Three Pagodas Pass.
“The exchange price started low last week after the rain stopped truck
transportation between the
“Even during the rainy season, hundreds of Burmese migrant workers still try to
enter
“It has caused the price of Burmese currency to go down,” Win Mar added.
Today the exchange price has gone down a little. It is one baht to 23 kyat and
yesterday it was one baht to 22.30 kyat. Those who want to get Thai currency
have to pay 23.50 kyat for one baht.
Last week the exchange rate was one baht to 21.30 kyat and 22 kyat to 1 baht.
*** *** ***
Three Mon Leaders Released from Moulmein Jail
June 4, 2004 Independent Mon News Agency : Three Mon political leaders,
including two MPs and a close aide of the National League for Democracy from
the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), were released today at around noon
from the jail in Mon State’s capital Moulmein,
according to an MNDF spokesperson.
The MNDF spokesperson, Mr. Nai Pan Aung, said the
SPDC authorities and Military Intelligence Officers sent three Mon political
leaders - Nai Ngwe Thein, Dr. Min Soe Lin and Dr.
Min Kyi Win - back to their homes.
An NMSP source from
“On May 27, the MNDF members were allowed to meet them in hospital. Now,
the MNDF spokesperson told me they have already released them”, said an NMSP
member.
There is no clear reason why the SPDC released these Mon leaders, including the
MPs: Dr. Min Soe Lin and Dr. Kyi Win, before the end
of their term of imprisonment and during the National Convention. Nai Ngwe Thein,
who is over 80 years old, is a close aide to the NLD and a veteran
politician.
These three political leaders were imprisoned in 1998 after the formation of
the Committee Representing People’s Parliament (CRPP) when they wrote a
critical letter to the New Mon State Party. They were accused of
destabilizing the country’s security, a charge that the regime has constantly
used to imprison many other political prisoners.
The term of imprisonment decided by the SPDC’s court
was eight years, which will end in late 2005.
*** *** ***
Army to seize 800 acres of farm land
June 4, 2004 Independent Mon News Agency: Burmese Army bases in Mon State
ordered the Village Peace and Development Council to hand over 800 acres of
farmland to the army after they held a meeting with village PDC chairpeople in Thanbyuzayat Town,
the village’s PDC members said.
“The Infantry Battalion No.31’s Army Officer ordered us to hand over farmland
to four battalions that are based in Thanbyuzayat,”
said Hnee Padaw village PDC
members and Kwanhlar villge
PDC members.
“Soon, the army will measure the farmland in southern
According to the order “the army will confiscate the farmland which the land
owners do not cultivate as well as farmland that is not registered.”
Burmese Army bases in
Last year, Burmese Artillery Regiment No.318 confiscated about 300 acres of
farmland in Yaung Daung village in
There are four Burmese army battalions based in
*** *** ***
INTERNATIONAL
Mon Cultural Exhibition in Bangkok
June 3, 2004 Independent Mon News Agency: Hundreds of members of the Thai
Mon community from different provinces in central Thailand brought their OTOP
(One Tambon One Product) items to display at the Mon
cultural exhibition in the “Royal Music Library” near the National Library in
Bangkok for a period of one month.
“The Thai Raman Cultural Exhibition has been showing for three days and it will
continue till the end of June 2004,” said a leader from the
“The Show was opened and presided over by the Royal Princess Mahajakri Sirinthorn on May 31,” Nai Sunthorn added.
“The relationship between the generations of Thai and Mon Kings are shown with
big charts. There are also stories of Mon and Buddhism illustrated with
pictures, ancient Mon scriptures, Mon traditional uniforms and musical
instruments on display at the library” Sunthorn went
on.
“The exhibiton will be open to the public for one
month and the Royal Princess rang a Mon bell to mark the official opening
ceremony,” he added.
Mon antiques from the Mon community in
The Royal Princess also walked around the area where the antiques are on
display and
she sang a Mon song titled “Phra Arthit
Chingdaung” to the audience at the opening
ceremony.
“There are no Mon antiques from the Mon community in
*** *** *** ***
Newspapers Condemn Burma's Military Junta
June 4, 2004 Mizzima News: The World Association
of Newspapers (WAN) has condemned Burma's ruling military junta for repression
of press freedom and restriction of freedom of expression and has called for
the release of all imprisoned journalists.
"The Board of WAN calls on the government of
The meeting, held in
The Congress' resolution said that
It also states that at least "eleven journalists are known to be behind
bars in
*** **** ***
Bangladesh is committed to close ties with South
Asian countries
June 2, 2004 Mizzima News: The Bangladeshi
Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia,
has emphasized the equal and vital interests at stake in developing social,
economic and cultural ties with friendly countries in Asia including India,
Burma, and Thailand. “Our close bonds of friendship with the countries in the
region are wide in their scope and rich in content. We must be sincere in
deepening these relations further so that the ever-growing friendships
contribute to our collective well-being and interest.
Talking about her experience as premier of
The opposition party in
Speaking to Mizzima, Dhaka-based political reporter Mafijur Rahman said that Begum Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led coalition won the
last general elections with a voter turnout of more than 75 per cent, showing
that democracy has taken firm root since 1990. “Begum Khaleda
Zia has demonstrated a commitment to work for the
people of
*** End ***
Burma News International is a network of seven
exiled media groups such as Mizzima News, Khonumthung News Group, Narinjara
News, Kaladan Press Network, Independent Mon News
Agency, Karenni Information Network Group and Network Media Group.
For more information, contact duty editor of BNI at:
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E-mail: [email protected]