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Organization: Forum for Democracy and Human Rights
To: burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 21:14:15 +0000
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Subject: Duties in Burma on black market
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The Asian Age ( 26 th July, 1996 )
Duties in Burma on black market
Rangoon, July 25: Burma finance minister's Brigeria General Win Tin said =
his
ministery has recently been levying customs duties at the black market e=
xchange
rate instead of overvolued official rate, state media said on Wednesday.
Mr.Win Tin comments mark the first time an official has publicy confirmed=
rumours in business circles that the government has been leving duties at=
the
open market rate for the past couple of months.
On the black market, one dollar bought 155 Kyats on Wednesday compared
to the official rate of 5.9 Kyats per dolla.
"Previously, customs duties were high but the state suffered when values =
of
imported items were calculated based on official rate=94 state-run newspap=
er
quoted Brig-Gen Win Tin as saying so in a speech.
"On the other hand, the items are sold based on the unofficial rate. To be=
in
accord wiyh the policy of the market economy, costom duties were cut down =
to
onetenthand arrangements are made to evaluate imported items based on the
open market rate."
The change has been seen as part of move by the Burmese goveernment to eve=
n
out the ezchange rate. In December, the Government legalised the exchangr =
of
foreign exchange certificate for Kyats.
previously the FECs, which were introduced as a parallel currency in 1993=
mainly so foreign tourists would not have to deal at the overvolued offic=
ial
rate,could only be exchange for dollas.
Brig-Gen Win Tin said recent fluctuations the sent the open market rate
soaring as high as 170 Kyats to one dolla-denominated FEC has stablised.
He said some of the fluctuation was due to regular market factors and
attempteds by " subversives" to hinder economic progress.
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The Hindu(July 26): 'ARF's handling of Myanmar demonstratets flexibility'
from V. Janyath
Jarkata July 25: The Indonesian Foreign Minister and the Asean Standing
Comittee Chaiman, Mr. Ali Alatas, today made it clear that the discussion=
that took place on Myanmar this time could not precedent for some countrie=
s
to rise question on human rights democratisation as if they were related t=
o the
security of the region.
In a winding up press conference at the end of a week-long Asean-relate
meeting, he said Asean believed that what was happening in Myanmar now
was an "internal affair". But some ARF[Asean Regional Forum] members
wanted to express their concen and so it was agreed to provide an apportu=
nity
for them and Myanmar to exchange their preceptions.
Was the West satisfied with the discussion or the opportinity, Mr. Dic=
k
Spring, chairman of EU Councial of Minister said " satisfied is not the r=
ight
word. We are satisfied we could discuss it here and raised our concerns.Th=
ere is
a serious problem and we herd their views. We have to see what comes out o=
f it."
But New Zealand's Minister Mr.Don Mckinnon note "this organization reached=
a branch-market in maturity dealing with Myanmar. There was a wide rang=
e of
opinion. Myanmar was also there and had a lot bilaterals. These advance
situation and the level of maturity, which will enhance the status of the=
ARF and Myanmar must regonise this option.
Singarpore's Prof.s.Jayakumar put the issue in perspective. He said "cont=
rary
to expectation ant the sceptics, the way in which the ARF handled Myanma=
r
demonstrated the heigh degree of flexibility in handling sensitive issue=
. They
must be considered in such a way that it does not lead to confrontation an=
d there
is no violation of principles. It is an incremental step for ARF and the n=
ext stage
could be preventive diplomacy, but we are not there yet."
It was a joint press conference by all Foreign Ministers of Asean and dial=
ogue
partner countries. The World Trade Organization, its first Ministerial con=
ference
and the brewing differences on issue to be discussed there, received consi=
derable
attention, as it become clear that the West was bent on raking up labour-r=
elated
and other new issues such as corruption, which Asean and most developing
countries consider as " non-trade and extraneous."
Prof. Jayakumar spoke of the "two hats" Singarpore was wearing. As a
participant, it had its own view and was convinanced that labour-related i=
ssue
were better left to other, relevant organization like the ILO.But as host,=
Singapore woult consult with all shades of opinion and try to ensure tha=
t
discussion were not 'acrimonous or diviside.' So Singapore would try to " =
iron
out the differences, not suppress the expression of the views.
The case of North Korea was raised. Mr. Ali Alatas said its membership in =
the
ARF did not raise at the movement . Asean wanted a " peace mechanism" in=
place but till then, the Armatice Agreement should be honoured. South Ko=
rea
wanted its northern neighbour to first open up and participiate in the fou=
r-party
talks before othre steps could be considered.
Answering a question on Taiwan, Mr. Ali Alatas asserted that it was an
"internal matter" for China and there was no question of raising it at the=
ARF.
The Chinese Foreigner Minister Mr. Qian Qichen, said tensions would not ra=
ise
as long as " separate activities" and "pro-independence" were contained an=
d there
was no foreign intrvention in the issue or area.
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The Asian Age: Burmese Army forcibly relocate Shan refugees
Bangkok, July 25: Record numbers of shan refugees are fleeing to thailand=
as the
burmese army forcibly relocates more than 80,000 villagers as part of a mi=
litary
campaign, a refugee organization said on thursday.the relocations are an A=
rmy
tactic to tighten its grip over shan state , mountainous,forest area that =
was once
the stronghold of opium warlord Khun Sa and remainsthe source of much of t=
he
heroin sold on streets of america.
Khun Sa, who is wanted in the united state son heroin trifficking
charges, surrendered with 13,000 of his troops to the Burmese Army in
January. But nearly 10,00 Shan soldiers are refusing to lay down their arm=
s,
and observers say hte Burmese Army is focibly moving villergers into areas=
they can control to cut off for the rebels.
"The situation is at a crisis point," Mr. Khun Kya, chairman of the Volunt=
eers
for Displaced Shans, which provides aid to refugees, said. His organisatio=
n is
appealing to the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees to ask
the Thai government to set up refugee camps for the thousands of shans he=
said
have spilled across the border. Aforiegn aid worker who recently returned =
from
Shan state said that an average of 100 refugees a day had been acrossing i=
nto
thailand since April.
UNHCR offcials were touring border areas and were not available for commen=
t.
The official thai response on his issue has been that there are currently =
no
refugees from Shan state, and that the shans arriving thailand are simply
economic migrants. The foreign aid worker, who requested anonymint, said
many Shan refugees have become part of the 700,000immegrants working
illegally in thailand. Others, who feel ill from the harsh trek out of the=
ir
homeland, are filling hospitals in the north. A Thai official, who request=
ed
annymity, said the county's policy is to provide help to refugees in the n=
ame
of human rights and safety. But he added that he thought Sa could provide=
d
protection to shans because of his new relationship with the Burmese Army.
[AP]
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