the Nation News (22-6-99)

[mandalay@xxxxxxxxxx]

<bold>Asean to set up crime-combat centre

</bold>

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is considering setting
up an agency to deal with terrorism, arms smuggling, illegal migration,
piracy and other crimes that occur across national borders, a statement
from the organisation said yesterday.


The proposed body, called the Asean Centre on Transnational Crime, would
share information among member countries.


The decision to go ahead with its establishment is to be made during the
second Asean ministerial meeting on transnational crimes, which begins
tomorrow.


"Initially, Asean was concerned with the abuse of narcotics and
trafficking in illicit drugs only. However, with the expansion and
diversification of transnational crimes, including terrorism, arms
smuggling, money laundering, illegal migration and piracy, Asean has
stepped up cooperation to fight these crimes," the statement said.


Addressing the opening session yesterday of a meeting of senior Asean
officials, which precedes the ministerial meeting, Burma's Home Minister
Col Tin Hling said there is an urgent need to combat smuggling of
humans.


"trafficking of women and children through deception and false pretence
to foreign countries for immoral economic exploitation has grown to such
a proportion that it now rivals arms and drug smuggling in size, networks
and sophistication," he said.


The ministerial meeting follows an inaugural meeting of the forum in
Manila in December 1997.


It will be the second Asean ministerial meeting military-ruled Burma has
hosted this year and since it joined the regional bloc in July 1997.


It hosted the 13Th Asean Labour Ministers' meeting in May, provoking a
storm of criticism from human rights activists, who say it makes use of
forced labour.


Last week, the International Labour Organisation virtually expelled
Burma, banning it from receiving aid or attending meeting until it halts
the practice. The junta says the charges against it are political
motivated.


Burma is a major link in the chain of transnational crime, especially as
it is one of the world's main sources of heroin.


It is accused by the United States and others of failing to go enough to
stamp out drug trafficking and money laundering.


Asean groups Thailand Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, The
Philippines, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia.



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Obstructing labour rights in Burma


It has been two years since the military junta arrested trade union
leaders U Khin Kyaw and U Myo Aung Thant along with their family members
in June 1997. The two activists are central executive committee members
of the Federation of Trade Unions-Burma (FTUB).


According to the Amnesty International Report 1998 stating that Myo Aung
Thant, a member of the Federation of Trade Unions-Burma was sentenced to
" transportation for life" defined in the 1957 Burmese Penal Code as
equivalent to transportation for two years for committing "High Treason"
and to 10 years' additional imprisonment. He had been arrested in June
1997 and accused of passing money to the National League for Democracy
(NLD) and assembling explosives in order to assassinate an unnamed Slorc
member. His trial was reportedly held in camera and lasted only 10 
days.


In fact, the two activists have organised the workers inside on
protective rights according to international norms. Burma is a country
that has ratified the ILO Convention(87) and (29): freedom of association
and the right to organise. Still, the regime is not willing to allow free
trade unions movement since they seized power in 1962. This incident is
an obvious example that there is no rule of law in Burma.


The present Burmese regime is not only disrespecting the Workers' rights,
which are chartered by the ILO, but it is also violating the basic human
rights prescribed in UN Charters.


On the other hand, the military junta hinders the day-to-day activities
of the NLD, and others. This shows that the regime is responsible for all
sorts of obstacles on the way to democratisation in Burma.