BurmaNet News: January 13 2003

[editor at burmanet.org]

January 13 2002 Issue #2155

INSIDE BURMA

Myanmar Times: Burma rejects UK, US claims of harassment of political parties
AP: Myanmar increases fuel rations for private cars and taxis
DVB: Forced conversion on Naga Nations by the Soldiers of Lord Buddha?

GUNS

DVB: Rangoon said to establish seven new border supervisory battalions

DRUGS

AP: Bangkok police arrest 13, seize 1.5 million speed pills
Myanmar Information Committee: Burma, China’s Yunnan to expand drug
eradication, crop substitution

MONEY

DVB: Pay increase rumor causes fall in kyat, rise in commodity prices

REGIONAL

DVB: New weapons arriving from China
Xinhua: Myanmar newspaper praises Myanmar-China ties

MISCELLANEOUS

IRNA: ASEAN can play a leading role in North Korea
New Straits Time: Yangon’s old-world charm

INSIDE BURMA

Myanmar Times January 13 2003

Burma rejects UK, US claims of harassment of political parties

The government has rejected claims by Britain and the United States that
it has harassed members of political parties. The British Foreign Office
Minister, Mr Mike O'Brien, said in a statement issued on January 1 that he
was concerned by reports of harassment and intimidation of ordinary people
and restrictions imposed on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during a trip to Rakhine
State. His comments were echoed by the US State Department spokesperson,
Mr Richard Boucher. Responding to the comments, the Myanmar Burmese
embassy in London said in a statement released on 4 January that the law
required political parties to conduct mass meetings and other activities
on their own premises. "Like in any other country the local law
enforcement personnel cannot be faulted for carrying out their legitimate
responsibilities," the statement said, without further elaboration. The
authorities have so far been able to maintain peace and stability during
trips by political party members "without restricting any politicians'
movement under the existing laws," it said. "The evolving political
transition in Myanmar will continue unabated provided that political
parties will also play by the prevailing rules and regulations of the
political games," the statement said

Of the 10 legally registered political parties, only the NLD National
League for Democracy is conducting mass meetings, the statement said. The
government reinstated the right of travel to political party members last
May.
_________

Associated Press January 13 2003

Myanmar increases fuel rations for private cars and taxis
By Aye Aye Win

In an apparent move to curb black-marketeering, the government has
increased the gasoline ration for private cars and taxis, according to an
official announcement posted Monday at gas stations.

Due to limited domestic oil production and tight foreign exchange
reserves, Myanmar suffers from a constant fuel shortage, and gasoline has
been sold under a rationing system in Yangon since 1980. Each car has a
ration book to purchase gasoline at prescribed gas stations. Operators of
both private cars and government cars who do not use their full quota sell
their excess fuel to black market gasoline sellers, from whom people who
need more than their quota buy it at inflated prices.

The situation became more extreme in May 2001, when the quota for private
cars was reduced from three gallons a day to two gallons.

A gallon of gasoline which is bought under the quota system at 180 kyats
(US$0.17 at the free-market rate of exchange, or US$30.00 at the official
rate) can fetch 900 kyats (US$0.83 at the free market exchange rate) on
the black market.

The black market price fell to 800 kyats (US$0.74 at the free market
exchange rate) as news of the ration increase spread.

Under the new regulations - which according to the official notice took
effect Jan. 6 - private car owners can purchase 10 extra gallons a month
at 700 kyats (US$0.65 at the free market exchange rate) per gallon, in
addition to their 60 gallon monthly quota at the official rate of 180
kyats (US$0.17 at the free market exchange rate) per gallon.

Taxis can draw an extra 20 gallons per month at the higher price in
addition to their normally priced 60 gallon quota.

As has become customary, the increase in the ration wasn't announced in
the official media. Many car owners found out about the increase only when
they went to fill their tanks at their local gas stations.

The reason for the increase was not made known but observers assume it is
intended to curb black market gasoline sales and bring down taxi fares.

Myanmar, once one of the region's important oil producers, produced 32,000
barrels of crude per day in 1979, but production has declined to
approximately 13,000 barrels per day while domestic fuel consumption has
increased.

According to the latest available official figures, there were 107,284
cars in Yangon in December 1998, three times the total 10 years earlier.

In other economic news, the government announced price increases of 200
percent and more on train and plane fares beginning Jan. 1.

The train fare from the capital of Yangon to Mandalay, the country's
second largest city, was increased to 4,500 kyats from 1,500 kyats
(US$4.17 from $1.39 at the free market exchange rate).

The air fare for the same route was hiked to about 18,000 kyats from 3,000
kyats (US$16.67 from $2.78 at the free market exchange rate).
___________

Democratic Voice of Burma January 11 2003

Forced Conversion on Naga Nationals by the Soldiers of Lord Buddha?

It is reported that the Naga ethnic nationals in Leshi Township, Upper
Sagaing Division who are traditionally animists are forced to convert to
Buddhism by the order of the SPDC’s IB 228. During last month, more than
100 Nagas were forced to become Buddhists during a ceremony. DVB’s Khin
Maung Soe Minn reports:

KMSM: On the 20th of December, a conversion ceremony organised by soldiers
of IB 228 was held at Khunthet Village’s Buddhist Monastery for some Naga
villagers who were rounded up from several villages. U Saw Ra, the exiled
leader of the Naga NLD expressed his views on the forced conversion as
follows: “Don’t we regard the spirit worshippers as one of the religious
groups? They practise what they believe and now they are forcing them to
become Buddhists and Christians and the like. They are just using the
religion for their own gains and it has no meaning in it. It is one thing
to convert to another religion if you believe in it and if you force them
to convert, they will have no faith in it either.”

GUNS

Democratic Voice of Burma January 11 2003

Rangoon said to establish seven new border supervisory battalions

It has been learned that the infamous Border Supervisory Companies known
as the Na Sa Khas that are stationed along the country's borders have been
upgraded and reorganized as Border Supervisory Battalions or Na Sa Yas
beginning from this year.

Border-based traders told DVB Democratic Voice of Burma that the five
former Border Supervisory Companies will be upgraded, reorganized, and
expanded to seven Border Supervisory Battalions. Although it is not known
whether the establishment of all the seven battalions has been completed,
No 2 Border Supervisory Battalion BSB has already been stationed in Lashio
near the Burma-China border. The battalion commander is Lt-Col Win Zaw and
one company each is stationed at Mu-se, Kyu Hkok, Kunlong, Chin Shwe Haw,
and Lweje. Of the remaining six Border Supervisory Battalions, plans are
underway to establish No 1 BSB at Myitkyina in Kachin State, No 3 BSB at
Keng Tung in Shan State, No 4 BSB at Taunggyi in Shan State, No 5 BSB at
Pa-an in Karen State, No 6 BSB at Mergui in Tenasserim Division, and No 7
BSB at Kalemyo in Sagaing Division.

Before transforming to Border Supervisory Battalions, the No 1 Border
Supervisory Company BSC was stationed at Kawthaung near Burma-Thailand
border in Tenasserim Division , No 2 BSC at Myawadi near Burma-Thailand
border in Karen State , No 3 BSC at Tachilek near Burma-Thailand border in
Shan State , No 4 BSC at Mu-se near Burma-China border in Shan State , and
No 5 BSC at Tamu near Burma-India border in Sagaing Division .
Burma-Bangladesh border supervision was carried out by (?Subanbyin)-based
special Border Supervisory Company.

The strength of the newly-formed Border Supervisory Battalion is believed
to number over 200 and will comprise military intelligence personnel,
immigration officers, and Myanmar Burmese Police Force members. Although
the reason for changing from BSC to BSB is not definitely known,
border-based traders told DVB that it is certain border trade regulations
would become stricter with the procedures taking longer and the officials
asking for more bribes.

DRUGS

Association Press January 13 2003

Bangkok police arrest 13, seize 1.5 million speed pills

Police in Bangkok arrested 13 Thais and seized nearly 1.5 million
methamphetamine tablets worth about 30 million baht (US$678,997) in
weekend drug raids, officials said Monday.
Police raided a suspected drug den in a run-down hotel in the outskirts of
Bangkok on Sunday, seizing 500,000 speed pills, a .22 caliber gun, a pipe
containing 0.45 kilogrammes (1 pound) of C4 plastic explosive and two
detonators, and a car police, Gen. Sant Sarutanond said in a statement.
They arrested four unidentified men and Wutthipong Chuahongkaew, 40, an
alleged stolen vehicle trafficker known for trading cars for drugs in
neighbouring Cambodia, he said.
Sant said the raid was planned using information from a previous arrest in
northern Thailand. "It's a vast network,'' he said.
In another raid, police on Saturday stormed a house in suburban Bangkok,
arresting a couple and confiscating nearly 1 million methamphetamine
tablets.
Separately, three suspected drug dealers were killed Thursday in a
shootout with undercover police in northern Thailand.
The bullet-ridden bodies of Sekan Saelee, Sutham Laoyeepa and a third
unidentified man were found at the scene along with 100,000
methamphetamine pills, two pistols and a hand grenade, police said.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has vowed to take tough action to root
out drug traffickers, and King Bhumibol Adulyadej reminded the government
recently that methamphetamines pose a serious threat to Thai society.
Thai anti-drug agencies have accused the United Wa State Army, a former
rebel group now allied with the Myanmar government, of flooding Thailand
with methamphetamines.
The Thai military has estimated that at least 1 billion speed tablets will
be smuggled into Thailand from neighbouring Myanmar, also known as Burma,
in 2003.
_______

Myanmar Information Committee January 11 2003

Burma, China's Yunnan to expand drug eradication, crop substitution

Text of report in English from Information Sheet No C-2494 (I) issued by
the "Myanmar Information Committee" in Rangoon on 11 January; "Myanmar and
Yunnan to Expand Cooperation in Replacing Poppy Plants with Substitute
Crops" carried by Myanmar Information Committee web site on 11 January

Sr Gen Than Shwe arrived at Yunnan Province on Friday 10 January after
visiting neighbouring Sichuan Province. He was met by Mr Bai Enpei,
Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist
Party and Yunnan Governor Xu Rongkai. Mr Bai said during the meeting with
the Senior General that the high-level visits between the two sides would
help Yunnan and Myanmar Burma to find more cooperation opportunities in
the fields of economy, technology, culture and personnel exchanges. Senior
General Than Shwe said his visit to China was successful and he hoped
Myanmar and Yunnan could expand cooperation in the poppy eradication
programme with crop substitution projects, in the hydro-power sector and
the use of natural resources. He also said that Myanmar would improve its
roadways to Yunnan Province and hoped two side could accelerate
cooperation in that aspect.

MONEY

Democratic Voice of Burma January 11 2003

Pay increase rumour causes fall in kyat, rise in commodity prices

Rumours have been spreading among civil service employees that civil
service employees nationwide will receive up to five times their basic
salary next month in a pay adjustment. Brig-Gen Tha Aye, Commander of
Coastal Region Military Command and chairman of Tenasserim Division Peace
and Development Council, revealed the employees' pay increase at a meeting
in Kawthaung on 8 January. DVB Democratic Voice of Burma correspondent
Myint Maung Maung filed this report.

Myint Maung Maung - recording Some civil service employees from Kawthaung
said that their pay will be increased five times from February. They said
the matter was also revealed at a meeting held at Myintzutaka Hall in
Kawthaung on 8 January by Brig-Gen Tha Aye, Commander of Coastal Region
Military Command. A Kawthaung resident said the following.

Kawthaung resident Rumours have been spreading among civil service
employees that they will receive up to five times their basic salary by
the end of this month. Some employees believed that it could be a
deliberate attempt by the Rangoon junta to organize the employees in a bid
to procrastinate the talks between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the SPDC State
Peace and Development Council . Others believed that it is the junta's way
of compromising a plan to issue new 5,000 kyat denomination notes.

Myint Maung Maung Due to the rumours of the salary increase, the value of
the kyat has fallen further and the prices of basic commodities have
risen.

REGIONAL

Democratic Voice of Burma January 10 2003

New Weapons arriving from China

During the visit of the Chairman of the SPDC, Senior General Than
Shwe and group to China, it is reported that Chinese made air force
weapons are arriving to Burma via the border. Three sealed military trucks
believed to be carrying air force weapons and equipment came from a
Chinese border town, passed the Burmese border town Mu-se and drove
directly to Meikhtila Air Base, according to observers on the border.
Among the weapons are many spare parts for jet fighters and they were
accepted by the Meikhtila Aircraft Maintenance and Repair  department.
Similar purchases of military equipments were done during September and
November last year and 200 military trucks, each capable of dragging 20
ton heavy artillery were purchased from China. During 2001, 40 heavy
artillery transport vehicles and 300 FAW soldiers transporting vehicles
were purchased from the Chinese. It is not clear whether these batches of
weapons are of the ones bought from this trip or of the remaining from the
previous purchase of 1000 million dollars. According to the latest news,
Chinese military engineers are also arriving at Burmese military bases and
they are teaching communication and new technology courses to Burmese
soldiers.
___________

Xinhua News Agency  January 13 2003

Myanmar newspaper praises Myanmar-China ties

Official newspaper The New Light of Myanmar Monday appraised the recent
state visit to China by the country's top leader Senior-General Than Shwe,
saying that it has further enhanced the paukphaw (fraternal) friendship
and cooperation between the two countries.

Than Shwe, Chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council,
paid the visit to China from Jan. 6 to 11 at the invitation of Chinese
President Jiang Zemin. In an editorial, the paper said since the
establishment of diplomatic ties between Myanmar and China on June 8,
1950, the governments and peoples of the two countries have been promoting
their friendship based on such policies as mutual respects, equality and
non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

During the visit, Than Shwe was welcomed by president Jiang and leaders of
the two countries met and discussed developments in both nations and
cordially exchanged views on mutual interest and regional and
international issues.

On the occasion, the two countries signed three agreements on health
cooperation, economic and technical cooperation, and cooperation in the
field of sports.

The paper concluded that with great efforts of the two peoples, the
friendship and cooperation between the two countries will surely develop
day by day.

MISCELLANEOUS

IRNA January 13 2003

ASEAN can play a leading role in North Korea

The Association of South-East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) can play a leading role in reducing tensions in
the Korean Peninsula through its troika mechanism and Cambodian
chairmanship, former Thailand foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan said.
    He said ASEAN had earned the trust of North Korea since Pyongyang
joined the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) in 2000 during the annual ASEAN
meeting in Bangkok.
    Surin, who played a prominent role in persuading North Korea to
join the ARF, said that there was no reason why North Korea should not
want to discuss the nuclear issue at the forum.
    "North Korea's participation in the ARF has strengthened peace
and stability in the region because the Korean Peninsula has been
discussed by ARF members," he said.
    "Before that, the issue of the Korean Peninsula had been on the
ARF agenda every year but without the other half of the equation,"
Surin was quoted as saying by The Nation newspaper.
    He said that as chairman of ASEAN, Cambodia could take the lead in
probing the current  nuclear situation in North Korea.
    Surin credited Prime Minister Hun Sen with helping to bring North
Korea into the ARF fold after the Non-Aligned Movement's Foreign
Ministers' Meeting in Cartagena, Colombia in late 1999 and the Group
of 77 Summit in Havana shortly afterwards.
    He further suggested that the ARF chairman dispatch ASEAN's troika
as a fact-finding team to North Korea to precipitate consultation.
    The ASEAN troika, which consists of representatives of the past,
present and future chairmen of ASEAN, was set up at the Bangkok
meeting in 2000, although when the idea of sending a troika team to
Burma was broached that year it was shot down.
    Surin said Cambodia had been very active in promoting ASEAN's
profile on issues related to regional peace and stability.
    ASEAN's newest member, Cambodia, will host the forthcoming ARF
meeting in July. It staged the ASEAN summit last November.
    Surin's comments came after Thailand and Singapore agreed in
Phuket over the weekend that the ARF could contribute to the dialogue
on North Korea's withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-proliferation
Treaty (NPT).
    "We cannot remain passive in the face of this unfolding
drama of a security threat to the region.
    "We have the credibility, we have the experience, we have the
neutrality, we have the `luxury of distance' to go into the Korean
Peninsula with confidence and objectivity," he said.
    ASEAN has declared the Southeast Asian region a non-nuclear
region in its Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty. China,
India and Russia have expressed interest in acceding to the treaty.
    ASEAN groups Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei,
Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
________

New Straits Times January 2003

Yangon's old-world charm
By Pola Singh

YANGON, the capital of Myanmar, once called Burma, is a city devoid of
towering buildings and snarling traffic. This green city seems so peaceful
with its wide tree-lined roads, shady parks and beautiful lakes. Yangon,
which means the end of strife, lies in the fertile delta of the Irrawaddy
River. With a population of about four million people, Yangon is a hive of
activity and offers rich cultural traditions that have developed with
little outside influence.

Buddhism is the official religion and 85 per cent of the population are
devout Buddhists; hence it is not surprising to find Buddhist shrines all
over Myanmar. Monks, young and old, are found everywhere.

The pagodas and the decaying colonial buildings add to the architectural
mix and exude an old-world charm unique to the city.

The glittering Shwedagon Pagoda in the heart of Yangon is easily the
highlight of the city and is a must-see as it is one of the world's
largest Buddhist shrines. The stupa (dome-shaped monumental structure
erected to mark a sacred spot) is located on a hill overlooking the city.
It is almost 100 metres in height and is embedded with precious stones at
its pinnacle.

The gold bud at the tip called the Diamond Bud is crowned with a 76-
carat solitaire diamond and encrusted with 4,351 smaller ones with a total
worth of 1,800 carats. At night it is a sight to behold with the bright
lights on the dazzling gold and diamonds. Many residents can be found
praying and making offerings.

The other major Buddhist shrine in Yangon is the Sule Pagoda which has
an unusual octagonal shape and a 46-metre-high golden top. The downtown
area encircling this pagoda is a hot web of activity with its shops and
markets.

The Bogyoke or Scott Market is easily the busiest place in town. It is a
one-stop centre for shoppers. One can purchase almost anything here
including gems (rubies, jade, sapphire, diamonds, gold) to longyi (the
traditional dress - the bottom is similar to our sarong) to wood, rattan,
lacquer handicraft and souvenirs.

Don't ever think of buying pants in Myanmar as almost everyone is
comfortable in sarongs, which are worn for all official and unofficial
occasions.

The food is a blend of several styles with rice and curries being the
central dish; however, the curries are not as hot as our Malaysian Indian
and Malay curries. Myanmar staples include mohinga (noodles in fish gravy)
and on-no-khaukswe (noodles with coconut and chicken curry). The residents
take to tea like the French to wine. Burmese tea is strong and served in
small portions.

There are many Indians living in Yangon. They were brought over by the
British to build the railway. These Myanmar Indians still love their sireh
and beetle nuts.

There are many vendors in downtown Yangon selling this favourite chewing
treat. The only downside to this habit is the reddish spit found on the
pavements and trash bins.