SLORC Criticizes Economic Reports

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Following are the texts of two articles appearing in the THE NEW LIGHT OF 
MYANMAR August 7 criticizing the U.S. Embassy's recent economic reports:
  

Editorial ("Perspectives" column): "It Ain't Funny," in THE NEW LIGHT OF 
MYANMAR , August 7, 1996, p. 6

Begin text:  

It ain't funny...
We would let you fill in the rest, for the issue at 
hand requires careful reading first.
There are quite a few who today champion Myanmar-bashing, 
specially those churning up concoctions 
bordering on the hypercritical, all aimed at undermining the
political, economic and social progress we have made in
recent years.
To overlook facts and to cook up concoctions aimed at
playing down the gains Myanmar has made after jettisoning
the single-party system, the centralised economy and
changing the laws wherever necessary to install a new
democratic order and the market-oriented economy would be a
sin.
True, we have our problems like so many countries. It
would be hypocritical for certain countries or a country to 
keep stalking Myanmar, targeting it on the smallest of
excuses and in the hope of making maximum capital out of
it, to exaggerate and blow things out of proportion.
Maybe, the U.S. Embassy embarked, as was said, as 
usual, on an academic exercise in putting out two recent
reports on the Myanmar economy, but the tone and content of
each report would, even after a cursory glance, reflect the
harm intent or to assess more seriously, the ulterior
motive.
Though a preamble claims that "All statistics in this
report are unofficial embassy estimates, not official U.S. 
Government statistics, unless otherwise specified", that 
fabrication is manifest cannot be denied.
In our view, and as specifically explained by Minister
for National Planning and Economic Development Brig-Gen 
Abel, the publication of such reports reflects bad taste and
borders on sabotage.
When feedback is spoken about, ours must be of 
disappointment arising from the rather low blow that was 
administered our achievement in the time of the State Law
and Order Restoration Council.
After clarification by the minister, there must be 
public indignation, for all patriotic citizens, be they here
or in any other country, rightfully feel that any insult
directed even at a lone citizen is insult on the nation
itself.
Could it be asked in diplomatic terms if the reports
must be taken as the true intention or misrepresentation.
Perhaps the latter might be ruled out.
It ain't funny, but it sure is corny!

End text of first article
***********************************************

Article by Myo Chit Thu: "Concocted reports" in THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR 
in English, August 7, 1996, p. 4

Begin text of second of two articles:

I have attended two Press 
conferences during this month. The first was the News
Briefing of the State Law and Order Restoration Council
Information Committee held at Myanma TV and Radio
Department on 1 August. The second was Minister for
National Planning and Economic Development Brig-Gen
Abel's Press Conference at the Ministry of NPED on the
third.
The Press conferences were also attended by foreign 
correspondents led by Patron of Foreign Correspondents Club 
Kyodo News Agency correspondent U Sein Win. They represented
 news agencies, newspapers, magazines, TV, and radio
stations of foreign nations. Also present were foreign
correspondents who were in the country to cover news here.
At the News Conference on 3 August, Minister Brig Gen
Abel briefed the Press on two reports, namely, "Country 
Commercial Guides: Burma", and "Foreign Economic Trends
Report: Burma". They were prepared and published by the US
Embassy in Yangon dated 1 August 1996.
In his open clarifications, the minister said he 
received the reports on 2 August evening. He said it was the
 first time he received reports of that kind since he
assumed the responsibilities of the minister.
I would like to relate what the minister had 
clarified. He said that the two reports were made by the
United States Embassy in Yangon, and that they were not
official documents. The statistics in the reports were
unofficial embassy's estimates, and not US Government's
statistics. The minister said the reports though purported
to be an economic report, were politically slanted, adding,
the tables also appended as support of the reports were not
credible documents. He then asked the newsmen present to
judge the worth and credibility of the reports.
The minister went on to explain how the reports were
slanted to discredit the government.
Economic undertakings and nation building endeavours
being made in the country have achieved remarkable success.
Rapid progress has been made and there have been tangible
results in this respect. But the reports were prepared in
such a way as to make the people lose faith in the
government and to seed doubts in the minds of the public.
The minister noted that the government in dealing with
the world financial institutions or any other bodies has 
been transparent and has always adopted an open-book policy.
He made it clear that government statistics occasionally
published and annual reports circulated to the public were
authentic documents that could be verified at any moment at
the various departments of the Ministry. In declaring thus,
he produced documents.
In connection with the report published by the US 
Embassy in Yangon dated 1 August 1996, Minister Brig-Gen
Abel presented the points as follows; 

l. The first paragraph of this report clarifies the 
value and credibility of the report. It is not an official 
statistics.
2. You can see that it has been orchestrated as 
readers are directed to send the inquiry to the Embassy in 
Yangon or even care of State department in Washington.
3. Since the statistics are unofficial, as stated, we
can come to the conclusion that the intention of floating 
such a report is to only seed doubts, to cause mischief and
to discredit the State Law and Order Restoration Council in
its very successful economic endeavour and nation-building
programme. 
4. The essence of the presentation is in nature the 
fictitious political stories trying to convince the public
with unauthentic figures that has no statistical base. lt
can also be deduced from the report as accusations: 
a. The State Law and Order Restoration Council not 
being transparent. 
b. That the major portions of the budget is being
used for the defence. 
c. That the social sectors has been neglected.
d. That sustained growth will be difficult.
e. Forced labour, prison labour is being employed 
extensively.
f. That narcotics still proved to be problem.
g. That change of government and democracy are 
essential elements for the Myanmar economy.
h. That extra-legal economy has played a considerable
role in the mainstream economy.
i. That the real GDP growth was between 4.6 percent 
to 6 percent.
j. That the World Bank, IMF, ADB are being pressured by the US not to 
extend financial
help to Myanmar.
k. That there is no microeconomic transparency.
5. Justification of the tax is supported by the tables
which only try to justify the aim of the report but is not
supported by any official documents or studies.
6. There is no real value or credibility in the report
as it is not based solely as economic study but is more 
politically oriented.
7. Transparency in Myanmar has always been 
maintained and even the World Bank, IMF, and ADB have been
given permission to study whatever they wish to study 
open books.
8. Defence spending is a matter which every country 
has to live with. In Myanmar, it is round about 8 percent to
10 percent. Every Army has to be timely trained and
equipped for self-defence purposes. There is no intention
of aggression by Myanmar to its neighbours.
9. The new 5-year plan has come on steam and there is
no problem to sustain present economic growth rate. Even 
during the four-year plan, the performance exceeded what was
 planned. The growth rate annually was 8.2 percent with
present five year plan, it is planned for 6 percent.
10. The social sector has been taken care of without
any sacrifice, spending in the social sector has increased
annually, statistics given. Education: 92-93 4.7 billion
[kyats], 93-94 5.5 billion, 94-95 5.8 billion, 95-96 2.7 billion, 96-97 
planned
2.5 billion; Health: 92-93 2.07 billion, 93-94 1.9 billion,
94-95 2.1 billion, 95-96 2.7,billion, 96-97 planned 2.5
billion.
11. Forced labour, Prison labour has not been 
extensively used. There is no forced labour, only work 
contribution. Prison labour is being used according to
existing laws.
12. The Ministry of National Planning and Economic 
Development welcome any clarifications on any of its reports
or its statistics. We are also happy to lift the cloud that
has been cast by the foreign economic trends report issued
by the US Embassy, Yangon. You may contact us any time at
Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development,
Minister's Office, Theinbyu Road, Yangon. Tel: 282391,
289666, 280816, Fax: 951 243791.
Intentions of the guides and report prepared by US 
Embassy in Yangon were clear. It has been merely a
destructive act designed to play down successes of Myanmar,
make people lose faith in the government, seed doubts in
the minds of the public. That was an act that should not be
committed by an embassy which represents a big nation. Such
acts should be put to an end under international practices.
The guides and the reports prepared and published by
the US Embassy are, in fact, done so intentionally to 
discredit Myanmar.


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