[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
[theburmanetnews] BurmaNet News: Ap
Reply-To: theburmanetnews-owner@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [theburmanetnews] BurmaNet News: April 12, 2000
______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
An on-line newspaper covering Burma
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________
April 12, 2000
Issue # 1507
This edition of The BurmaNet News is viewable online at:
theburmanetnews.editthispage.com/stories/storyReader$306
*Inside Burma
MTBR: AUSSIE CLUB TURNS ON A BIG ONE AT END OF MONTH
RADIO MYANMAR: [PROJECTS IN "PEACEFUL" AREAS OUTLINED]
MTBR: FEDERATION PUSH FOR GREATER AUTONOMY
*International
THE HUMANITARIAN TIMES: BRITAIN'S PARLIAMENT DISCUSSED WAR CRIMES
TRIAL AGAINST BURMA'S JUNTA
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON): CITY: PREMIER COULD SNUB REQUEST TO QUIT
MYANMAR
AFP: BRITAIN? '²S PREMIER OIL REFUSES TO PULL OUT OF MYANMAR
MIZZIMA: HARD-BITTEN BURMESE DISSIDENTS IN THAILAND?
BANGKOK POST: WA REBELS KILLED IN CLASH WITH LOCAL TROOPS
BANGKOK POST: WA PLAN ECSTASY PRODUCTION
*Opinion/Editorials
MIC: [REGIME REJECTS RAPPORTEUR? '²S REPORT]
MIC: [RULERS SEEK COOPERATION FROM NLD]
___________________ INSIDE BURMA ______________________
MTBR: AUSSIE CLUB TURNS ON A BIG ONE AT END OF MONTH
THE MYANMAR TIMES & BUSINESS REVIEW
April 10 - 23 ,2000
Volume 1, No.6 & 7
TIME OUT 7
Social
WHO says there are no expats in Yangon? That certainly wasn? '²t the case
at the Australian? '²s Club? '²s end of March social get together. More than
150 people packed the club to talk business and pleasure. It was also
the last event before the departure of the popular Ambassador Lyndall
McLean and her other half Stig Engstrom, who availed himself of the
opportunity to savour his last Crown beers before heading to the land
of the long white cloud where Lyndall will take up the post as
Australia? '²s ambassador. The atmosphere was party-like, especially as
the night wore on with regulars mixing with a sizeable number of
? '³outsiders.? '´ One old-time expat said around 30 per cent of the guests
were first timers at the Club, perhaps reflecting the growing number
of expatriates in Yangon.
Captured by MT? '²s photographers were Katty Jones of PSI and IT wiz
Shaun Hurley, Wael Elmawie of Zamil Steel and the portly Malcolm
Scott, publisher of Pacific Asia Travel News. Noticeable in the crowd
was Roger Mitton of AsiaWeek, who confidentially admitted to
one of our reporters that Yangon was feeling better than Bangkok these
days. Some of the usuals also at the end of month event were Claire
Burgess of Diethelm Pharmaceuticals, oil barons Maurie and Chris
Drewe. Enjoying her last glass of true Australian wine before heading
off to Cuba was French beauty Ghislaine Firino-Martell (who
followed up with a farewell party of her own the following evening).
Also researching the evening, were Lyndal Pearce and Jason Copland
from Compass, together with Anke Rosa from Asian Trails.
_______________________________________________________
RADIO MYANMAR: [PROJECTS IN "PEACEFUL" AREAS OUTLINED]
Radio Myanmar, Rangoon, in Burmese 1330 gmt 4 Apr 00
Excerpts from report by Burmese radio on 4th April
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development
Council [SPDC], accompanied by ministers, the chief of staff, air,
deputy ministers, and officers form the SPDC Office, left Yangon
[Rangoon] in a military plane this morning and arrived in Moulmein at
1100 [local time] on 3rd April.
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and party inspected the construction site of
Thanlyin [Salween] Bridge in Moulmein...
Speaking at a meeting with members of the state and township peace
and development councils in Karen state and departmental personnel at
the Office of the Karen State Peace and Development Council, Lt-Gen
Khin Nyunt explained that he and the ministers have come to Karen
State to attend to regional development projects in Karen State. He
said Karen State, which still has remnant armed groups, is different
from other states as its territory is not completely peaceful.
He said the armed groups are holding on to the narrow-minded belief
that they will lose the external support if they come back to the
legal fold. These armed groups which rely on the external support are
still opposing the government. However, the government has not
neglected Karen State; it is carrying out regional development
projects with a momentum in areas that are stable and peaceful.
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt said the government has constructed Pa-an Bridge
over Salween River, which connects Mon State and Karen State, and
Zarthabyin Bridge over Gyaing River and Kawkareik Bridge, which
helped promote border trade. He said Karen State, which has the
tradition of success in agriculture, has the potential for
agriculture development. He urged the local people to strive for
multicropping through reclamation of virgin land and expansion of
acreage and production. He said the government is spending large
amount of fund to reclaim wetlands for agriculture and meeting the
needs for regional development.
He said currently Moulmein Bridge across Thanlyin River is being
built to connect Martaban with Moulmein. It will be the biggest
bridge in Myanmar. He said the project is being undertaken with the
belief that proportionate socioeconomic development among the
national people would promote Union spirit...
_______________________________________________________
MTBR: FEDERATION PUSH FOR GREATER AUTONOMY
THE MYANMAR TIMES & BUSINESS REVIEW
April 10 - 23 ,2000
Volume 1, No.6 & 7
National News
IF ECONOMIC life is not independent, the independence of the State
will be infringed,? '´ said Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-2, at the ninth
annual meeting of the country? '²s Federation of Chambers of Commerce
and Industry (UMFCCI). ? '³In addition, the association must be a free
and active non-governmental one,? '´ he added. The General? '²s statements
reflect the Federation? '²s growing influence on commerce in Myanmar and
its united voice for greater efficiency in business. The 8000-strong
membership is also widely representative of the full spectrum of
commerce in Myanmar, from single operators to large conglomerates ? '¶
both local and foreign. While considerable effort has been expanded
moving towards a market-oriented economic system, an association
dealing with entrepreneurs that can organise them in an extensive
manner is also required, S2 said of the Federation at its meeting
on 31 March. The UMFCCI is now vigourously campaigning to recruit
local companies, both small and big, in all states and divisions. It
has also been suggested that membership be compulsory for local firms
in order to boost the influence of the Federation. Currently the cost
to join the UMFCCI is K3000 plus annual fees of K1500. For foreign
invested businesses a joining fee of US$200 applies with annual dues
of US$100. ? '³Increasing the membership amount will raise funds so the
Federation can provide facilities like office buildings and
information access,? '´ said UMFCCI president U Win Myint.
Another solid initiative of the Federation is to make membership
compulsory for business so as a group it can lobby the Government to
reduce a 10 per cent tax on commodities exported, thus raising the
competitiveness of Myanmar products on the global market. ? '³Currently
the price of our commodities for export is not competitive with
overseas markets. We are attempting to deal with this issue and the
reduction a 10pc tariff will assist our ability to make sales,? '´
indicated U Zaw Min Win, general secretary of the federation. He added
that a majority of the export goods are also not competitive in
quality, especially agricultural products. ? '³Some traders have to
store beans and pulses in warehouses and wait for demand from
overseas,? '´ he said. ? '³When a buyer is found the quality of the goods
may no longer be at the standard required. A lack of stable markets
is always an issue
for us.? '´ ? '³Now that agriculture, manufacturing and trade are more
interrelated, the goods produced are greatly influenced by the
conditions of local and overseas markets. Policies and development of
trading systems are becoming a crucial factor in our success,? '´ said a
member of the UMFCCI. ? '³The members should be more united, and it is
more effective to tackle difficulties as an organisation rather than
individually,? '´ said President U Win Myint. With a market-oriented
economic system operating for a decade, the private sector has yet to
play a significant role in the economic life of the State according
to U Soe Tha, Minister for National Planning and Economic
Development. ? '³Our entrepreneurs need to be more intelligent. Members
are yet to be well-versed in international business dealings,? '´ he
said. The Federation is a member of Paris-based International Chamber
of Commerce (ICC) and ASEAN? '²s - Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(ASEAN-ICC) and has excellent working relations and cooperation with
others abroad. ? '³We deal mostly with Malaysia and
Japan, but some trade missions, especially from Japan, pinpoint our
weaknesses like poor infrastructure,? '´ said U Win Myint. Trade
missions sometimes lack the proper attitude to cooperate with us and
are afraid of the ? '±World Police? '²,? '´ he added. Most senior members of
the Federation admitted a lack of coordination among industries is a
major\ limiting factor in the Myanmar business world.
? '³Japan? '²s GDP is the second biggest in the world and the first in
Asia. Why is it so? Because they are ever ready to cooperate with
their government, to have common sense and to follow its guidelines
with strong belief, said Minister U Soe Tha. ? '³We should adopt such
practice to develop our country,? '´ he said, ? '³there are few efficient
Myanmar businessmen, we need to turn out more.? '´ ? '³Needless to say that
is not
surprising. Some businessmen set up companies because it seems like a
good idea, but few have well thought out and planned objectives. They
don? '²t understand things like the formation of a company with a
memorandum of association, articles of association and shareholder
agreements. It is alarming,? '´ said an educated businessman operating
in local and foreign trade. With regard to this Secretary-3, Lt-Gen
Win Myint said, ? '³The government has privatised some enterprises, but
many
private firms are found inefficient in running business.
So the government inevitably keeps and runs some large industries and
enterprises, most of which are capital intensive.? '´ He added that
businessmen should focus on long-term interests of their nation and
the people, and eliminate the attitude of ? '³hit and run? '´ in business
dealings. In reply to the question of what support he would like from
the UMFCCI, an executive member stressed the importance of
information technology to global trade. ? '³Globalisation is inevitable,
but we must maintain our own culture. Today business life
aggressively demands e-commerce and Internet trading. Within three to
five years we hope to be conducting much business through this
medium. Unless this technology is applied we will continue to be
behind,? '´ the businessman
said to Myanmar Times.
Currently the price of our commodities for export is not competitive
with overseas markets. We are attempting to deal with this issue
and the reduction a 10pc tariff will assist our ability to make
sales.? '´
___________________ INTERNATIONAL _____________________
THE HUMANITARIAN TIMES: BRITAIN'S PARLIAMENT DISCUSSED WAR CRIMES
TRIAL AGAINST BURMA'S JUNTA
April 12, 2000
Last week when MP Edward Leigh proposed that the UK advocate within
the
UN to create a new Intl. Tribunal to investigate atrocities in Burma,
based on alleged genocide by the Burma military against Shan & Karen
minorities. (PA News) UK Foreign Off Minister John Battle formally
asked the British petroleum comp, Premier Oil, to disinvest its $200M
from Burma. Oil services corp. Baker Hughes (Texas) announced it
would withdraw from Burma in late March, after share-holders pressed
human rights concerns. This week, EU foreign ministers made economic
& travel sanctions more strict, freezing the overseas funds of Burma's
military junta.
_______________________________________________________
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON): CITY: PREMIER COULD SNUB REQUEST TO QUIT
MYANMAR
April 12, 2000, Wednesday
By David Litterick
PREMIER Oil is likely to ignore a request to pull out of its gas
exploration operations in Myanmar made by the Government because of
concerns over the country's human rights record.
Foreign office minister John Battle met Premier chief executive
Charles Jamieson to ask him to withdraw 10 days ago and followed it
with a written request.
Mr Jamieson said he had yet to consult with collegues but was not
inclined to adhere to the Government's request, claiming the
company's policy of positive engagement was more likely to lead to
progress in Myanmar than isolationism.
He said: "We have developed our own human rights statement in
conjunction with Amnesty International. We have community programmes
in the country with Save the Children which we estimate will have
helped one million people by 2005.
"It is difficult to see how Premier pulling out would have an effect
on the situation other than our position being taken by someone else
that would not have the same standards."
The Government believes that the continued prescence of reputable
companies such as Premier in Myanmar encourages the military regime
there.
Premier has invested more than pounds 100m in Myanmar in 10 years and
gas production is expected to begin shortly.
AFP: BRITAIN? '²S PREMIER OIL REFUSES TO PULL OUT OF MYANMAR
2000-04-12 Wed 07:58
LONDON, April 12 (AFP) - British Oil Company Premier Oil has no
intention of leaving Myanmar, the company's chief executive said
Wednesday after the British government asked it to withdraw to
heighten pressure on Rangoon's military leaders.
"We respect the political and human rights concerns of certain
government and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and the support
of sanctions in relations to these issues," a statement quoted Chief
Executive Charles Jamieson
as saying.
"However, although we're often pressured to pull out of areas, we
strongly believe that dialogue engagement as well as sustainable
development, are key to effecting changes both now and in the
future." The chief executive added that he believed the company's
ongoing dialogue with the human rights campaigning organisation
Amnesty International had made a
significant difference in Myanmar.
Junior foreign minister John Battle earlier said he had told Jamieson
that he wanted Premier Oil to negotiate its withdrawal from Myanmar
and end its ties with the regime.
"I set out our position in a way which could not be misunderstood,"
Battle tod reporters.
He said: "I really expect Premier to do the decent thing without
having to resort to legal pressure."
Aung San Suu Kyi, the Myanmar opposition leader whose National League
for Democracy won a huge victory n 1990 national elections, has
repeatedly urged the international community not to invest in the
country or supply aid as long
as the military remains in power.
In Paris a foreign ministry spokesman said France would not follow
Britain's example and ask TotalFinaElf to withdraw from Myanmar, even
though it deplored human rights violations in the country.
_______________________________________________________
MIZZIMA: HARD-BITTEN BURMESE DISSIDENTS IN THAILAND?
By: Win Htein
Bangkok, April 12, 2000
When the Thai authorities arrested Moe Thee Zun, a prominent student
leader, in Bangkok airport last month, Burmese dissidents in Thailand
were shocked and worried for their security. Moe Thee Zun is vice
chairman of All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), a dissident
group fighting against the military junta in Burma. He is also a
senior
member of National Council of the Union of Burma, an umbrella of Burma
dissident groups.
Having based in Thailand, Moe Thee Zun and many of his comrades have
been traveling to other countries outside Thailand to promote their
cause for the restoration of democracy in Burma for the past twelve
years. But, why did the Thai authorities arrest him this time? Is he
truly arrested for holding ? '³fake? '´ passport? According to media
reports,
Moe Thee has already got visa from the US Embassy in Bangkok.
"He had already passed the passport counter and almost in the
departure
room. Then, two uniform officers came and arrested him. I am sure
Burmese junta? '²s intelligent network reported to Thai authorities,"
said
U Aung Saw Oo, another dissident leader who accompanied to Moe Thee to
the airport on that fateful day. However, two of Moe Thee's comrades
who
were travelling along with him to the United States in the same flight
were lucky. They arrived their destination on time for a 'Free Burma'
seminar to be held in the United States.
In the past twelve years, hundreds of thousands of Burma student
activists fled to Thai-Burma border after the Burmese army killed
nearly
3,000 of their comrades in Rangoon alone. Since then, they have allied
with ethnic armies, such as Karen, Mon and Karenni in the border and
have been fighting against the Burmese government troops.
After twice hostage drama by Burmese dissidents on its soil, the Thai
authorities had apparently decided to change their policy on those
Burmese activists who have been taking shelter in Thailand since 1988.
(In October last year, five Burmese armed students led by Johnny
seized
the Burmese embassy in Bangkok and February of this year another 10-
armed dissidents seized a hospital in Ratchaburi district in
Thailand.)
"I don't understand why the Thai authorities do not want us to stay in
their country while our alliance ethnic groups have been living here
for
more than 50 years?" asked an ABSDF leader.
There may have some strong reasons for the Thai authorities. First,
the
student activists often travel to other countries in promoting their
campaigns in international fora while the ethnic armies stay silent in
the jungles of Thai-Burma border. Second, many dissident students are
registered with the UNHCR's Bangkok office to go to ? '³third country? '´
for
further studies and resettlement programs while ethnic minorities are
living in the border refugee camps. Third, the students stormed the
embassy and hospital for their political objectives while the minority
armies don? '²t.
According to Burma Border Consortium, a non-governmental organization
providing food relief to the refugees along the Thai-Burma border,
there
are 118,419 Burmese displaced persons currently living in the 15-camps
at the border while 1,764 Burmese students are staying at the Maneeloy
holding center in Ratchaburi district.
Since the embassy crisis in October last year, the media spotlight has
raised questions among the Thai general public of what should be done
with the Burmese students in Thailand. Obvious enough, there are
different responses to this. Academics and NGO workers suggest that
government should grant scholarships to the dissident students in Thai
colleges and universities, while government officials have stated that
there is only one solution ? '¶i.e. urgent resettlement in "third
country".
"I think if the Chuan government had an education plan for them,
Johnny
and his friends would not have acted like this," commented Mr Somchai
Homlaor, General Secretary of Forum-Asia, a regional human rights NGO
based in Bangkok.
Many academics agree with him. "I support his idea and if the
government
allows us, we are ready to teach them here", said Dr Mark Thamthai, a
lecturer at Chulalongkon University.
Currently, there are eight Burmese students (from the Maneeloy holding
center) studying Business Administration at Blackford with scholarship
program of US-based Open Society Institute (OSI). In fact, Thai
authorities granted them permission a few days ago only to travel from
the refugee camp to Bangkok for the study. "We want to study here
because we have no right to study in our own country." Said Ko Cho
Too,
31-year old former student from Rangoon University. He is now studying
at Blackford with other seven students.
Moreover, there are five students studying at ABAC University and four
students in Mahidol University in Bangkok. Almost 2,000 students have
been resettled in third countries such as the United States, Canada
and
Australia since the Maneeloy refugee camp was set up in 1992.
However, students say that they don? '²t want to go to any third country
if
the Thai government allows them to stay here. ? '³This is because they
left
their home, dears and nears to fight democracy in Burma. They want to
stay here, the nearest place to their own country,? '´ said a Burmese
dissident leader.
"Thailand is a democratic country. We are fighting for democracy. So
why
can't we stay here," questioned another student who is now working
for a
human right NGO in Thailand.
There are about six Burma student organizations functioning in
Thailand.
These are: the ABSDF, the All Burma Federation of Students Union
(ABFSU)
and the Vigorous Burmese Students Warriors (VBSW) in the border areas
while some others in the Maneeloy and Bangkok such as Burmese Students
Association (BSA), Oversea National Students Organization of Burma
(ONSOB) and All Burma Basis Education Students Union (ABBESU).
When the Thai authorities deported some students to Myawaddy (Burma? '²s
border town with Thailand) from Mae Sod in March this year, many
student
activists went into hiding. Recently, the Thai police raided the
ABSDF's
offices in Bangkok, Hua Hin and Mae Saring. Some students were
arrested.
The police also took away some of the office equipment such as
computers, Fax machine, and files.
"We might have to change our strategy to underground movement if the
Thai authorities keep going on pressurizing us. We want to cooperate
with the Thai authorities. If we are underground, it will be more
difficult for the Thai to solve the problem, " said Dr Naing Aung,
chairman of the ABSDF.
On the other hand, many observers feel that Thai government has no
policy on Burma at the moment. ? '³Deportation and pressure is not
policy,
it is just reaction. If the Thai government keeps more pressure on the
dissidents, it will reflect in a situation like a dog being beaten in
the corner without a way out,? '´ warned a Burma observer.
The question is which policy is the best for Thailand as a leading
democratic government in the ASEAN? To promote Burmese democratic
organizations? Or to cooperate with the military junta in Rangoon?
(Win Htein is a correspondent for Democratic Voice of Burma and
contributed this article to Mizzima News Group.)
BANGKOK POST: WA REBELS KILLED IN CLASH WITH LOCAL TROOPS
(April 12, 2000)
Two guerrillas of the United Wa State Army, the biggest
methamphetamine producer in the Golden Triangle, have been killed in
a clash with local paramilitary troops, a source in the Pha Muang
Task Force said yesterday.
The fighting took place in rugged terrain near Doi Lang, a disputed
area between Thailand and Burma.
The slain men were "UWSA's armed guards protecting a drug caravan.
The clash took place around 7pm on Monday while our paramilitary
forces were patrolling the border," the source said.
The Pha Muang Task Force, responsible for narcotic suppression along
the border in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, has stepped up its border
patrols to check the flow of illicit drugs into the country. Last
month, its troops killed five UWSA guerrillas in Chiang Mai.
_______________________________________________________
BANGKOK POST: WA PLAN ECSTASY PRODUCTION
(April 12, 2000)
Chinese chemists hired for the job
Anucha Charoenpo
The United Wa State Army was preparing to produce high quality
ecstasy pills in its factories along the northern Thai-Burmese
border, a senior official of the Office of the Narcotics Control
Board said yesterday.
Chinese-Dutch chemists had been hired for the job, said Theeraphat
Santimathaneedol, deputy ONCB secretary-general, quoting an
intelligence report.
The UWSA, the biggest methamphetamine producer in the Golden
Triangle, wanted to enhance its capacity to produce other types of
illicit drugs, Mr Theeraphat said.
The Chinese-Dutch chemists were believed to be the same ones who two
years ago tried to produce ecstasy here but failed because of the
drug's poor quality.
New techniques and ingredients were believed to have been brought in
to improve the quality.
Mr Theeraphat said the ONCB and other narcotics agencies were
concerned the drug would spread among Thai teenagers if no action was
taken to stop it in time.
An ecstasy tablet costs between 600-800 baht now while it was about
double that a few years back, he added.
Mr Theeraphat said five months ago some ecstasy pills were found in
the South but the ONCB still could not identify the traffickers.
The ecstasy pills found in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, were produced
in France, Germany and Great Britain and believed to have been
smuggled into Thailand via Malaysia and Singapore, he said.
Cocaine, imported from the United States, was also found to have
become more popular among actors and other high-income people, he
said.
Bangkok Post (April 12, 2000)
____________OPINION/EDITORIALS_____________
MIC: [REGIME REJECTS RAPPORTEUR? '²S REPORT]
MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE
YANGON
Information Sheet
No.B-1327 (I) 12th April, 2000
This office is presenting the Press Release issued in April
2000 by Myanmar Embassy in London for your reading pleasure.
Myanmar News Bulletin
Issue No. 3/2000 April 2000
News Release
The Government of the Union of Myanmar has once again
totally rejected the allegations made by Mr. Rasjoomer
Lallah, the UN special Rapproteur on Human Rights
whose report contains no credible proof, no
authoritative references or any independent
confirmation. It does contain, however, in seemingly
realistic details (probably extracted from witnesses
with insurgent affiliations), false allegations,
gross exaggerations and even outright fabrications of
so-called ''atrocities" ranging from torture and rape
to arbitrary executions of a such a scale bordering on
genocide. These as a matter of fact have been
identical to what has been part of negative propaganda
campaigns waged by certain armed separatist insurgents
and dissident politicians trying to find a short-out
route to political power.
The main reasons for the sudden escalation of this propaganda war
are
twofold:
1. The 50 year old military campaign of the Karen
National Union (KNU) to overthrow the first
democratically elected government as well as the
successive ones have faltered to such a degree that
they have had to abandon not only their fortresses
within the Union of Myanmar but have suffered from
mass defections from their ranks in response to the
government's offer of ''peace and
development-in-exchange-for-arms'' to the umbrella
Organization of insurgents including the KNU. To
aggravate the situation, the returnees have been doing
so well that the rate of defections have further
accelerated in recent months, which would not have
happened if above allegations were true.
2. The declining fortunes of their above-ground ally
and political force, the National League for
Democracy, which is also suffering from similar
defections, mainly because of disenchantment by their
former supporters who find the Party's call for
isolation of the country by Western Governments to be
self destructive and counter productive.
This propaganda war now seems to have been carried on
by certain members of Parliament in Britain some of
whom possibly inherited the legacy of ''Friends of
Burma Hill Peoples'' founded in 1947 in England and
who opposed the Independence of ''Burma''. They also
founded the Karen National Union (instigating the
Karens or Kayins to choose the military option for
separating from the Union ) and were allegedly
involved in the assassination of General Aung San,
founder of the Union, in the same year.
In order to rectify any possible misinformation that
might be conveyed to the people of Britain, this
office would like to emphatically state that the
present government of Myanmar has already achieved
peace with an overwhelming majority (17 out of 18
groups-- excluding surrender of former drug warlords
in the Shan State) of former ethnic insurgents and are
together rapidly developing their lands as a prelude
to establishment of a multiparty democratic state.
Above all, the allegations mentioned in Mr. Lallah's
report have been thoroughly investigated, using
independent and credible organizations such as the
Anglican Church of the Province of Myanmar and it's
diocese of Kayin (Karen) State, and could find no
evidence whatsoever to substantiate the above
mentioned allegations. (Many foreigners who worked in
or visited Myanmar recently such as Premier, Unocal
and Total Oil Companies, could find so such news in
circulation either). The International Committee of
the Red Cross, which has visited all prisons in
Myanmar and working with the authorities found the
correctional facilities in better condition than in
many other countries.
The people and the Government of the Union of Myanmar
bear no ill-will against any foreign governments or
organizations, least of all against it's own 135
ethnic brethren who have lived together as a Kingdom
for many centuries and the assimilation of the peoples
over time has become so complete that so called ethnic
differences are now barely discernible. This office
still believes that only truth will stand the test of
time and would like to remind all well-meaning friends
that only action based on credible factual data can
yield expected outcomes and that none of negative
measures taken, be they economic or political, against
the Union of Myanmar has achieved any significant
results in the past three years and predictions of
civil unrest and economic collapse remain hollow. They
have only denied cooperative assistance to the
population who are innocently pursuing their
livelihoods and developing their lands in
collaboration with friendly neighbouring countries.
At the same time any undue interference in the
internal affairs or infringement on the sovereignty of
Myanmar under any pretext will have to be firmly resisted.
_______________________________________________________
MIC: [RULERS SEEK COOPERATION FROM NLD]
SOURCE: Source: Myanmar National Homepage web site in English 6 Apr
00
Excerpt from "Information Sheet No. B-1320(I) issued by the 'Myanmar
Information Committee' in Rangoon on 6th April" headlined "Myanmar
endeavours to rejoin world community but encounters attempts to
isolate her", carried by Burmese National Homepage web site on 6th
April
It is indeed regretful that the National League for Democracy Party,
NLD, and some foreign governments are in favour of using the method
of confrontation in dealing with the State Peace and Development
Council [SPDC] which is merely a caretaker or transitional
government. The SPDC has discarded the one-party socialist system
for a multi-party democratic system and has also introduced a market
economy. It has also created Myanmar [Burma] to become one of the
most peaceful and stable countries in the world from not too long ago
a war-torn country. The government of Myanmar has in fact kept and is
still keeping the doors open for those who sincerely desire to
cooperate together with the government and the people of Myanmar to
develop the country. It would be of great benefit to the nation if an
organization like the NLD contributes in a positive and meaningful
way in achieving our common goals: a thriving economy and a stable,
multi-party democratic system.
While the government is working hard to develop Myanmar and rejoin
the world community, it is the nation's hope that the NLD acts in a
more responsible and constructive manner, not whimsical and symbolic
gestures merely designed to create attention and add hardship for the
country and the people...
________________
The BurmaNet News is an Internet newspaper providing comprehensive
coverage of news and opinion on Burma (Myanmar).
For a subscription to Burma's only free daily newspaper,
write to: strider@xxxxxxx
You can also contact BurmaNet by phone or fax:
Voice mail +1 (435) 304-9274
Fax + (202) 619-1241
________________
\==END======================END=======================END==/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enjoy the award-winning journalism of The New York Times with
convenient home delivery. And for a limited time, get 50% off for the
first 8 weeks by subscribing. Pay by credit card and receive an
additional 4 weeks at this low introductory rate.
http://click.egroups.com/1/3099/4/_/713843/_/955556098/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
theburmanetnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxx