EBO “Burma News” 20 January 2003

News Summary:

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1. Rebel leader offers conditional surrender to Myanmar

2. Rep. Pitts to press for human rights in Southeast Asia (News from Congressman Joe Pitts)

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Rebel leader offers conditional surrender to Myanmar

CHIANG MAI, Thailand, Jan 21 (AFP) - The leader of the rebel Shan State

Army (SSA) offered to surrender to Myanmar's military junta if the United

Nations moves to protect his people, a statement received here Monday said.

"We are ready to surrender if the world believes that drugs can be eradicated

(in the region) by this, but the UN and other international bodies

must intervene and guarantee the safety of the Shan people and restore their

rights," SSA leader Yord Serk said in the statement.

The SSA, one of two major armed insurgent groups in Myanmar yet to sign a

ceasefire agreement with the junta, has in the past called for peace talks

with Myanmar's junta but has refused to lay down arms during negotiations.

Yord Serk also said in the statement he would be willing to testify to an

international court that the SSA was not involved in the lucrative drugs

trade, as often charged by Myanmar's junta.

He also expressed willingness to provide information his rebel army has

collected on the drugs factories that dot Myanmar's borders with Thailand,

Laos and China.

The factories produce massive quantities of heroin and methamphetamines

that are then shipped worldwide.

The Thai army has estimated that as many as one billion methamphetamine

pills could flood Thailand alone this year, where addiction has reached the

crisis point.

"I am making this appeal for a chance to testify about the narcotic drug

problems in the Shan state, and also to suggest ways to eradicate drugs from

my experience," Yord Serk said.

Myanmar forces are reportedly gearing up for their regular dry season

offensive against the SSA in eastern Shan state, which borders Thailand's

north.

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Rep. Pitts to press for human rights in Southeast Asia

January 16, 2003

Washington – Congressman Joe Pitts (R, PA-16) left this morning on a ten-day

trip to Southeast Asia where he will visit refugee camps and press governments

for human rights improvements. He will be accompanied by Lord David Alton,

a member of the British House of Lords.

In Thailand, he will visit refugee camps along the Burmese border. The Burmese

regime has a well-documented record of persecuting religious and ethnic

minorities, particularly the Karen tribe, who are Christians.

In Vietnam, Congressman Pitts will similarly press for human rights improvements.

Vietnam is one of only four communist regimes left over from the Cold War.

In Laos, Congressman Pitts will also press for human rights improvements,

although Laos has a better record than Burma and Vietnam. Laos is one of

only a handful of countries that does not have normal trade relations (NTR)

with the United States. The Congressman will discuss measures that Laos

can take to achieve NTR status.

Slavery, drug trafficking, religious oppression, and other human rights violations

are widespread throughout the region.

Congressman Pitts is a member of the International Relations Committee and

of the Human Rights Caucus. He is also co-chairman of the Religious Prisoners

Congressional Task Force. He was last in Southeast Asia as an officer in the

Air Force during the Vietnam War.

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Burma News