BurmaNet News: February 27 2003

[editor at burmanet.org]

February 27 2003 Issue #2185

REGIONAL

Irrawaddy: Ethnic groups warm to Thakisin’s offer
AFP: Myanmar rebels welcome Thai PM’s encouragement for talks with junta
DVB: Japanese Buddhist nuns demand the releases of Burmese nuns

INSIDE BURMA

New Light of Myanmar: Information Minister receives project director of
Washington Times
DVB: Forced labor in Sagaing Division
DVB: Forced labor in Tenasserim Division

MONEY

DVB: Burmese scramble to withdraw cash

INTERNATIONAL

Myanmar Times: US urged to ‘roll up sleeves’ and help
Narinjara: Belgian ambassador pays a visit to Rakhine State in Burma

STATEMENTS

ICBL: NAM’s Kuala Lumpur Declaration: Mine users & producers ‘deplore’
mine use

REGIONAL

Irrawaddy February 27 2003

Ethnic Groups Warm to Thaksin's Offer
By Taw Taw

Five armed ethnic armed groups have welcomed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra's offer to mediate long-running conflicts with Burma's military
junta, on several conditions.

Rimond Htoo, general secretary of the Karenni National Progressive Party
(KNPP) one of the groups who has agreed to Thaksin's proposal, said that
the military junta must announce a nationwide ceasefire before meaningful
dialogue can take place.
"We have called for dialogue with the junta several times but has nothing
happened until now," he said. According to Rimond Htoo, whenever ethnic
groups have asked for dialogue in the past, the military junta has said,
"we welcome you and open door for peace," but it has never worked that
way.

Rimond Htoo told The Irrawaddy that the KNPP wants the meeting to take
place in a neutral country. A Shan State Army (SSA) spokeswoman said the
meeting should take place in Thailand.

The five groups who agreed to the proposal are the SSA, the KNPP, the
Karen National Union (KNU), the Chin National Front (CNF) and the Arakan
Liberation Party (ALP). The decision was reached at an emergency meeting
held in a jungle hideout on the Thai-Burma border early this week.
Analysts, however, predict that Rangoon will reject the group's
conditions.
Fearing a "divide-and-rule" approach by the military, ethnic leaders said
that the groups would all meet with the junta at the same time.
Previously, the military junta has met with ethnic groups separately in
negotiating ceasefires.
There are now 22 official armed ethnic groups who have signed ceasefire
agreements with Rangoon and are allowed to retain arms and control
territory. But the groups are restricted from getting involved in
political issues. The KNU has so far resisted signing a ceasefire
agreement with the junta.

Dissidents along the border suggest the junta is now interested in
striking a deal with the KNU. In the past, the KNU has held
meetings with Rangoon authorities and failed to reach a common ground. The
last meeting was held in Mon State in 1996, and was attended by
high-ranking officials from both sides.

Some dissidents were also concerned that the KNU would be left with no
choice but to enter into a ceasefire agreement with Rangoon, as pressures
from Thailand continued to mount.
But observers say that the line of communication did not shut down
completely. Rangoon occasionally dispatched "peace brokers" or embassy
officials from Bangkok.

Thaksin made the offer to act as a mediator during a recent visit to Burma
and his since asked his defense ministry and armed forces to promote
reconciliation between the Burma's junta and rebels.

Thai Defense Minister Gen Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya admitted
mediation would be difficult as both the junta and ethnic groups have been
so far uncompromising.

Thailand plans to set up a committee for the process. Rimond Htoo said
that members on the committee must be well-informed about politics and
conflicts in Burma.

Among the ethnic groups, the KNU and SSA are known to have strong armed
forces. The KNU, KNPP and SSA have bases along the Thai-Burma border,
while the ALP stronghold is in western Burma and the CNF is based along
the India-Burma border to the northwest.

Meanwhile, a senior Thai official has said that NGO support for Burmese
ethnic minority groups would make it hard for the Thai government to
mediate peace talks, the Bangkok Post reported.
But a spokesman from the KNU said: "There will be no difficulties or
hardship for Thai government. The NGOs are just doing their jobs."

Previously, Rangoon has accused Thailand and foreign NGOs of aiding
rebels. "We don't think we are creating difficulties for the [Thai]
government [to mediate]," a border-based NGO worker said. "We help
refugees, no one else. We don't break any international or Thai laws."
________________________

Agence France Presse February 27 2003

Myanmar rebels welcome Thai PM's encouragement for talks with junta

An alliance of rebel groups fighting Myanmar's military government said
Thursday they welcomed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's promise to
push for the government to sit down for peace talks.

Thaksin pledged to work to persuade Myanmar to negotiate with rebel ethnic
minority groups prior to his visit there this month. After the visit,
Thaksin said the leaders told him they would talk with minority groups.
"We appreciate the Thai proposal but cautiously welcome Myanmar leaders'
response because we have had a lot of experience with them breaking
promises," said Nam Khur Hsen, spokeswoman for the umbrella Shan group,
Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS).

She was speaking after a meeting of the Military Alliance Group, an
alliance of five rebel groups, including the Shan State Army (SSA) and
Karen National Union (KNU), held Monday in a Myanmar's eastern border
region.

"We held the meeting to prepare for future peace negotiations with
Myanmar's military regime," she said.

"However, we have not received any official information or invitation on
that matter from Yangon or the Thai government yet."

If the push for talks came to fruition, the leaders agreed that
negotiations should be attended by all groups and held in Thailand or
another third country, she said.

The spokeswoman added that the groups would not surrender their arms
before talks -- a key condition the Myanmar junta has imposed on previous
rebel groups before signing peace deals with them.

The SSA has independently offered to enter peace negotiations with the
junta several times, but has consistently refused to lay down arms first.

Rebel activity along the Thai-Myanmar border has been a perennial irritant
to relations between Thailand and Myanmar.

They plummeted to a low last May when deadly border clashes led Myanmar to
accuse Thailand of assisting rebels fighting its troops.
____________

Democratic Voice of Burma February 25 2003

Japanese Buddhist nuns demand the releases of Burmese nuns

Three orders of the Japanese Buddhist nuns have demanded the SPDC in a
statement to release all political prisoners including the two Burmese
Buddhist nuns who were arrested and imprisoned for staging a peaceful
protest near Sule Pagoda in downtown Rangoon during last January.
The statement was sent to the SPDC in Rangoon by fax and a copy was sent
to the Burmese embassy in Tokyo. A meeting was held by the Buddhist
faithful at Nagoya in Japan today and the statement was issued from the
meeting. They will also continue a postcard campaign for the releases all
political prisoners including the two nuns in Burma.

INSIDE BURMA

New Light of Myanmar February 26 2003

Information Minister receives Project Director of Washington Times

Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan received Project Director of
Washington Times of the United States Mr Stephen Brookes at his office
here this afternoon.
_______________

Democratic Voice of Burma February 25 2003

Forced labour in Sagaing Division

The local authorities in Sagaing Division are forcing people to work
without pay and the people are said to be reporting it to the higher
authorities. Local villagers of Homalin and Leshi Townships are ordered to
contribute stones by the Northwest Military Command’s commander General
Soe Win since October 2001 for the building of Htamanbi Leshi motorway.
But in order to make the practise look voluntary, he guaranteed them 200
kyats for each ten cubic feet of stones provided, to be paid by government
construction contractors. At the time, the same amount of stones fetched
2000 kyats and some poor people were forced to do the job for them.
After more than a year, more than 400,000 kyats are still to be paid to
the workers and some villagers in Homlin Township have asked the
authorities to pay their wages, according to the local people.
_______________

Democratic Voice of Burma February 25 2003

Forced labours in Tenesserim Division

It is reported that the practices of forced labour and military porters
are still going on in Tenesserim Township, Tenesserim Division of southern
Burma.
Ten villages are still affected by the practices including Tagu, Thantaik,
Tharabwin, Thabawleiggyi and Nyaungpingwin. Each village has to provide 50
villagers and their duties are to carry provisions and ammunitions for the
SPDC troops on the Thai-Burma border from Thebyu Village.
The person responsible for the order is said to be Colonel Than Myint, the
2nd Military Strategist based in Tenesserim. The ten heads of the village
were summoned to the military base and given the order. He also ordered
them not to leak the news to the ICRC and labour organisations, according
to the news from the border.

MONEY

Democratic Voice of Burma February 25 2003

Burmese scramble to withdraw cash - opposition radio

From investigations conducted about the ongoing banking and financial
crisis in Burma, the Democratic Voice of Burma DVB has learned that people
are continuing to crowd the banks in Rangoon today in an effort to
withdraw their deposits. People who have large amounts of cash deposited
with the banks were reported to have been heard yelling out in public that
they would rather not take the money if the withdrawal amount was limited
to 100,000 kyats per week because the amount was nothing more than "tea
money" for them. However, some were seen queuing up for the money because
they felt anything was better than nothing. We have heard that banks in
Rangoon are handing out cash every day but many banks in the districts
remain closed. Some entrepreneurs and major companies have kept their
businesses on hold because the banks have withheld their money. The people
most hurt by the stalled businesses are the daily wages earners who are
feeding their families with their daily income.

The entrepreneurs are also facing problems because they do not have enough
funds to cover the salaries of their workers.

Meanwhile, a lot of people were reported to have come to the Asia Wealth
Bank's Kawthaung branch in Tenasserim Division this morning but many of
them were disappointed because the bank issued tokens to only 200 people.
To make matters worse, the bank only issued 50,000 kyat per person and
many of the entrepreneurs went away without withdrawing their cash.

DVB correspondent Myint Maung Maung filed this report. Begin recording
Since 0800 this morning, people were seen queuing up at the Asia Wealth
Bank branch in Kawthaung. The bank handed out tokens to the first 200
people who were permitted to withdraw 50,000 kyats each. A local resident
said he did not see business people lining up because there was little
they could do with 50,000 kyats.

Some traders are reviving the hondi system transferring funds through
unofficial channels to conduct businesses. However, since the monetary
situation is unstable there are concerns that they will get cheated using
the hondi system.

A trader said although the banks are not allowing the withdrawal of
deposits, the Customs Department continues to collect duties without any
hesitation.

Companies which have their funds held by the banks continue to suspend
their businesses.

INTERNATIONAL

Myanmar Times February 24-March 3 2003

US urged to ‘roll up sleeves’ and help
By Thet Khaing
THE government has called on the United States to lift its sanctions and
start an open and constructive dialogue with Yangon as a means of
promoting economic and political development in Myanmar. "We urge the
United States to roll up its sleeves, open its heart, and join with us to
bring a better life to the people (of Myanmar)," said a press statement
released in Yangon last Thursday. It said sanctions have directly hurt the
health care and education systems of the country and deprived many
thousands of people of job opportunities. "Sanctions, by definition, shut
down interaction and stop the flow of ideas. "Sanctions [do] not solve
problems, they only make them worse," said the Government statement, which
was issued in response to a recent comment by a senior Bush administration
official, who said Washington is considering imposing further sanctions on
Myanmar. Addressing a conference on Myanmar in Washington on February 15,
Mr Lorne Craner, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau for Democracy, Human
Rights and Labour, said his country, along with the Britain, were
considering all options including imposing further sanctions to promote
human rights and democracy in Myanmar. "We would, of course, welcome
concrete steps by Myanmar to move toward democracy and greater respect for
human rights," said the US State Department. Mr Carner also expressed
skepticism over the pace of transition and concern over humanitarian
issues such as health and education, the Yangon statement said. "These are
complex issues, which will take much time, effort and patience to resolve.
But standing on the sidelines accomplishes nothing." The statement also
reiterated the government’s commitment of a smooth transition to democracy
and its desire to hold talks with the international community on human
rights issues. It cited the positive findings of a recent visit to Yangon
by London-based human rights organisation Amnesty International and the
government’s cooperation with the International Committee of the Red
Cross, the International Labour Organisation and the Australian government
in efforts to improve the nations’ human rights standards. According to
the statement, political figures in Myanmar are allowed to travel freely
and meet with whomever they wish. "All of these actions result from the
Government’s firm belief that knowledge, rather than rhetoric, is the
foundation for genuine change". "We believe in the power of ideas and the
open exchange of views. And we believe that cooperation rather than
confrontation is the path to progress," the statement said, adding that
the government was desirous of US’s cooperation in education, health care,
human rights and fighting narcotics. "We would welcome pragmatic, useful
advice on making the transition to a stable democracy, " the statement
said.
__________________

Narinjara News February 27 2003

Belgian Ambassador pays a visit to Rakhine State in Burma

The Belgian Ambassador to Thailand led a team of 25 high-level diplomats
to Rakhine State in Burma, according to our correspondent in Maungdaw
Town, close to Bangladesh.

HE Pierre Vasseur accompanied by invited diplomats visited various ongoing
projects in and around Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships, inquiring about
the success and likelihood of future funding made to UNHCR.  The villages
that they visited on 12 February under Maungdaw Township included
Maung-nahma, Fah-watt-chaung, Ngaing-chaung, Sapay-gung, Kring-chaung,
Aung-hseik-prung, Waik-kying, and Ngakhura besides the toll gates at the
two entrance to the town.

 At Buthidaung Township the diplomats called at the villages of
Lak-way-dak and Pyin-shay. From there they went to Buthidaung Town where
they visited the UNHCR office.  Then the high level team went to
Dah-baing-sara village, Min-gyaung bazaar, Kyi-hnouk-thee village on a
speed boat.  A large number of repatriated refugees and poor women have
been given handicrafts training and small loans for rearing domestic
animals as support for livelihood by some NGOs and the UNHCR in the area.

On February 13th, they visited the refugees’ repatriation camp at
Kanyein-chaung at Maungdaw Township.  Later they took a river cruise to
the ancient city of Mrauk-u in the northern Rakhine State.

The State Military Intelligence has been directed to ensure free passage
of the diplomatic team, not to conduct any checks or impede the trips of
the visiting dignitaries, our correspondent quoted sources in the security
forces.  The Nasaka security forces have also been strongly directed not
to answer any queries made in regards of any of the policy matters set
down by the higher Burmese junta authority.  They have been directed only
to answer that they do not know anything about the matters and only the
higher junta authorities can give the correct answers.

The team stopped for the night at Mrauk-u, the ancient capital of Rakhine,
dotted with hundreds of massive Buddhist monuments besides countless
vandalised temples and pagodas.

STATEMENTS

International Campaign to Ban Landmines February 26 2003

NAM's Kuala Lumpur Declaration: Mine Users & Producers "deplore" Mine Use

The heads of government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) have deplored
the use of antipersonnel mines in the final declaration of their 13th
Summit meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Recent mine users India, Pakistan, and Myanmar (Burma) are among the NAM
members deploring mine use, as are ten of the 14 remaining mine producers:
Cuba, Egypt, India, Iraq, Iran, Korea DPR, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan,
Singapore and Vietnam.  These governments are among twenty-eight NAM
member states that have not yet joined the 1997 treaty prohibiting the
use, production, transfer and stockpiling of antipersonnel mines (Mine Ban
Treaty).

In Paragraph 93 of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration, the Heads of State or
Government "continue to deplore the use, in contravention of international
humanitarian law, of anti-personnel mines in conflict situations aimed at
maiming, killing and terrorising innocent civilians, denying them access
to farmland, causing famine and forcing them to flee their homes
eventually leading to depopulation and preventing the return of civilians
to their place of original residence.'

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines welcomed the landmines
language in the Declaration, and congratulated Malaysia, a leader in the
movement to eradicate antipersonnel mines, on its new role as Chair of the
Non-Aligned Movement.  The ICBL, 1997 Nobel Peace Prize Co-Laureate, was
one of just a few non-governmental organizations invited to attend the
Summit.

For the first time, NAM States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty invited
those States that have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the
Mine Ban Treaty, in Paragraph 93 of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration.

Eighty-five of the 113 NAM member states have joined the 1997 Mine Ban
Treaty, of which seven have signed but not yet ratified: Brunei, Burundi,
Ethiopia, Guyana, Indonesia, Sudan, and Vanuatu.  Another NAM member
state, Palestine, is not eligible to join the treaty at this time.  The
Mine Ban Treaty currently has 146 members, including fifteen signatories.

NAM includes some heavily mine-affected states in its membership, such as
Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, and Colombia.  These governments have all
ceased mine use and are States Parties to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. 
Casualties continue, however, and more funds and assistance are required
to clear emplaced mines and destroy stockpiled mines. According to the
ICBL´s Landmine Monitor, 1,368 new mine casualties were recorded in
Afghanistan in 2001, 660 in Angola, and 813 in Cambodia.  These casualties
join thousands of existing mine survivors requiring continued medical care
and assistance, in places where such services are often inadequate, for
decades to come.

Eleven NAM members have joined the Mine Ban Treaty since the last Summit:
Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), DR
Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Liberia, Maldives, Nigeria, and Sierra
Leone.  The heads of state of 56 NAM governments are attending the Kuala
Lumpur Summit, which ended yesterday.