BurmaNet News: June 17 2003

[editor at burmanet.org]

June 17 2003 Issue #2262

INSIDE BURMA

DVB: Eyewitness accounts of Black Friday
Narinjara: Consultants of foreign NGOs come calling at western Burma

INTERNATIONAL

Malaysiakini: Suu Kyi being held under ISA-like law, says UN envoy
Irrawaddy: EU renews sanctions on Burma
Reuters: Red Cross to get access to Myanmar detainees, says official

REGIONAL

AP: ASEAN formally urges Myanmar to free Suu Kyi
Australian: Downer to seek Suu Kyi’s release
AFP: Japan threatens to cut off aid to Myanmar if Suu Kyi not released
AFP: No one in ASEAN believes Yangon over Aung San Suu Kyi: East Timor
Nation: Philippines demurs as ASEAN backs Burma
Kyodo: ASEAN urge early release of Myanmar’s Suu Kyi

STATEMENTS

US State Department: Press briefing en route to Phnom Penh (Sec. Powell)
US State Department: Daily Press briefing
NYT: Asia finds its voice on Myanmar
AWSJ: Sanction Burma
IHT: US needs a serious Burma policy
CHRO: Letter to Hon. Stanley Peter Dromisky
EU: Burma/Myanmar council conclusions

INSIDE BURMA

Democratic Voice of Burma June 14 2003

Eyewitness accounts of Black Friday
According to news from military circles, more than 46 people detained in
the incident at the Dipeyin on the 30th of May were handed back to their
parents. But according to the latest news from another source, those
released are not the people who were ambushed at Dipeyin but students who
were arrested between Monywa and Dipeyin. According to yet another source,
the people who were attacked at Depeyin are still being detained at the
Northwest Military Command at Monywa. Most of them are believed to be
seriously wounded and those who were slightly injured were sent to Insein
Prison via Mandalay Prison, according to news from people close to prison
authorities.

At the same time, the NCGUB has issued a list of the exact names and
addresses 115 people from Mandalay and Sagaing Divisions who are still
missing from the Dipeyin incident. To sum up the list, members of Mandalay
Division NLD organising committee, U Tin Aung Aung, Dr Hla Soe Nyunt, U
Paw Khin, Daw Win Myat Myat and other four people. Eight members from
Mandalay Southeast Township including U Htway and U Chit Yin.

18 people from Northwest including Daw Nyunt Nyunt, Daw Khin Aye Myint,
Daw Thandar Sann. 19 people from Northwest Township including Ko Zaw Zaw
Aung, Daw Khin Myat Win, Daw Kyi Kyi Myint. 21 people from Northeast
including Ma Win Ipphyu and Ma Yi Yi Linn. Two people from Amarapura
Township, 3 people from Tub Don Thit Township, 2 people from Democratic
Party for New Society, 14 drivers and 20 people from Sagaing. These are
the names of the people who came from Mandalay and Sagaing Division. The
names of local people from Monywa, Butalin and Dipeyin are not yet
included. If their names are included, it is estimated that there could be
more than 200 people missing. Although the local people are saying that
about 70 people could be dead, nobody could confirm the figure yet.

Meanwhile, the website of the NLD (Liberated Area, Australia) is featuring
an interview with Ko Zaw Zaw Aung, the chief organiser of Mandalay NLD
youth organisation. Ko Zaw Zaw Aung accompanied Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
during her trip and he was the first eyewitness to be contacted
 According
to Ko Zaw Zaw Aung, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her team left Butalin at 5pm
and arrived at Kyi Village at 8pm. 3000 people welcomed her and she
delivered a speech to them


Ko Zaw Zaw Aung : But when the team was about 100-200 yards from the
village to depart, 2 (fake) monks and 3 people stopped the car of Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi and told her to leave after delivering another speech. The
villagers were still there. Those people didn’t come to hear her speech
while other people were doing so. They could have done so. They kept on
waiting in front of the car and forced her to deliver a speech. It was
quite dark and we had to go to Dipeyin. ‘Dear reverends, it is quite dark.
We have no time. Please allow us to go,’ we begged them. But the monks
would not budge. ‘My men are coming from the back. Listen to a monk like
me. Try to deliver a speech’, said a monk with his eyes wandering and he
would not let us go. During that time seven lorries and DYNA pickups full
of unknown passengers turned up. The passengers alighted the vehicles and
beat up the villagers without warning while glaring lights shone on them.


After beating up the villagers, those fake monks started to attack Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi’s convoy repeatedly, continued Ko Zaw Zaw Aung:


Ko Zaw Zaw Aung : We had no weapons. Our leaders didn’t allow us to defend
or react when we are attacked by the other side. To say all, we were told
to endure the beating. The severity of the beatings became so bad that
they would beat anyone that moved after the beating. ‘This person is not
dead yet, keep on beating,’ they shouted. ‘I am afraid. Please spare me,’
if someone shouted like that they would keep beating the person. They
would also beat up people who were walking by. ‘We build roads and bridges
and we don’t include you. What has your Aung San Suu Kyi done for the
country? She is the wife of an Indian who obeys his order,’ said the thugs
and they kept on beating people who were already limp and lifeless.

The thugs not only swore at Daw Aung San Suu Kyi with such xenophobic
words, they also did unmentionable things to NLD women members who were
wearing traditional Burmese clothing. The assaults lasted nearly 2 hours
and four cars including the one ridden by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi were able
to drive away from the assaults. After they left, gunshots were heard from
Dipeyin, the direction where her car was heading to, according to Ko Zaw
Zaw Aung who is still hiding for his life inside Burma.
________

Narinjara News June 17 2003

Consultants of Foreign NGOs come calling at western Burma

Maungdaw, 17th June 03:  Two country directors from Aide Medical
International (international medical aid), came calling at Maungdaw, the
western Burmese town in Rakhine State, according to our correspondent.

The two NGO officials came to the town on the Bangladesh  Burma border to
check the feasibility of opening up a new branch of the NGO in the border
township where recently the repatriation of Muslim Rohingya refugees from
Bangladesh has been stepped up.  AMI is a French NGO working in Rangoon
and the Thai-Burma border, giving medical assistance to the returning
refugees.

Yves, the country director of AMI came on an exploratory trip as the NGO
is trying to take over the health programme presently carried out by the
UNHCR in the area.

Between 10th and 13th June 03 they visited the state hospitals at
Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships, called at the local UNHCR, ACF (Action
Contre le Faim), AZG (Dutch Medicine Sans Frontiers) branches at Maungdaw.
 They also visited the local branches of the Myanmar Mother and Child
Welfare Association, the Burmese Red Cross, and CARE.

They also met health workers involved in basic healthcare training, water
and biogas exploration, and traditional midwife training programmes.

Commenting on the flurry of NGO activities limited to the two border
townships of Maungdaw and Buthidaung, a prominent politician in the
township said that though the entire Rakhine State is devoid of any
attention from either the ruling military regime or any international
bodies, the concentration of NGO activities only in the bordering areas is
simply very sad.

INTERNATIONAL

Malaysiakini June 17 2003

Suu Kyi being held under ISA-like law, says UN envoy
By Yap Mun Ching

Burmese pro-democarcy activist Aung San Suu Kyi says she is being held
under a security law, similar to Malaysia’s Internal Security Act (ISA),
which allows for indefinite detention without trial.
UN special envoy Razali Ismail said she told him this during his meeting
with her last Tuesday just before he concluded his five-day mission to
Rangoon.
He said Suu Kyi had expected to see him although she had not been informed
of the identity of her visitor.
"When I went in, she said, ‘I knew it was going to be you, Raz. I had the
feeling that it was going to be you’
I asked if she was hurt, she said
’No’. I asked if she was interrogated, she said ‘No’," Razali told
malaysiakini in an interview, the first part of which was posted
yesterday.
"She told me that they are keeping her under Section 10a (of the 1975
State Protection Act). She asked me what the charge against her was...that
she did nothing wrong and it was the (government-sponsored groups) who
attacked her.
____________

Irrawaddy June 17 2003

EU Renews Sanctions on Rangoon

June 17, 2003—The European Union (EU) increased pressure on Burma
yesterday, extending a visa ban to restrict the families of ministers, as
well as deputy ministers, ex-ministers and senior military officers from
coming to Europe. The EU also reinstated a freeze on the European-based
assets of the Burmese regime, but there are still no bans on trade or
investment.
European foreign ministers planned to delay the implementation of tougher
sanctions, hoping that the threat of pressure would drive the junta into
talks with the opposition. But the clash in Upper Burma on May 30 and
detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi forced the EU to act now.
Yesterday, the EU called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean), Japan and China to lean on Burma as well, saying there has been
"a serious deterioration of the situation."
Pro-democracy campaigners in Europe say the new sanctions are weak and
argue that the measures will not change the situation in Burma. They
expressed disappointment that Europe did not follow the US and impose a
ban on new investments.
"In effect their response to the crackdown is to stop a few of the
regime’s cronies holidaying in the EU," said John Jackson of the
London-based Burma Campaign UK. He says some European nations would like
to see a tougher line imposed on Burma, but are being held back by other
EU partners like Germany.
Because of evidence of forced labor in the country, the EU does not extend
trade privileges to Burma. But with no restrictions on investment,
European companies like France’s Total, can continue to operate freely.
Total Chief Executive Thierry Desmarest admitted to reporters that the
reconciliation process in Burma is not proceeding as he’d hoped, but
rejected calls for sanctions on trade and investment. "We don’t think
embargoes will solve the problems of the country but rather the policy of
constructive engagement," he said.
The Burma Campaign says the UK government needs to take up the Burma issue
with the UN Security Council, but Washington may beat London to it. US
Secretary of State Colin Powell already hinted that he plans to discuss
Burma’s clampdown on democracy with other members of the Security Council,
the UN’s highest decision-making body.
__________

Retuers June 17 2003

Red Cross to get access to Myanmar detainees, says official

YANGON, June 17 (Reuters) The International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) will be allowed to visit Myanmar's detained opposition members
rounded up last month along with pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, a
junta official said today.

Suu Kyi and some two dozen top members of her opposition party were
detained on May 30 following clashes between pro-junta groups and her
supporters.

The official did not say if the permission included access to Suu Kyi, who
was visited by a top UN envoy last week. ICRC officials in Yangon could
not be reached for immediate comment.



REGIONAL

Associated Press June 17 2003

ASEAN formally urges Myanmar to free Suu Kyi
By JIM GOMEZ

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP)-- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
urged Myanmar's military rulers Tuesday to free pro-democracy leader Aung
San Suu Kyi in a landmark rebuke to a member that reflects strong
international pressure for her release.

Japan's Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi hinted on Tuesday that Tokyo
will suspend millions of dollars worth of aid to Myanmar if it does not
release Suu Kyi "immediately'' and allow democratic reforms.

Japan, though not an ASEAN member, is Myanmar's leading foreign aid donor.

Meeting in Cambodia's capital, the 10-nation ASEAN said it would consider
sending a delegation to Myanmar to meet with Suu Kyi, the 1991 winner of
the Nobel Peace Prize.

In a joint statement issued at the end of their two-day meeting, the ASEAN
foreign ministers said they "looked forward to the early lifting of
restrictions placed on ... Aung San Suu Kyi.''

The action was unprecedented for a group that has considered
noninterference in member affairs a founding principle. ASEAN adopted the
statement unanimously, even though Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung said
he was unhappy with the outcome.

"This is the first time that ASEAN has commented on the internal affairs
of its members, but for the sake of ASEAN solidarity, I had to agree.
ASEAN unity is very important,'' Win Aung said.

Myanmar detained Suu Kyi on May 30 after a clash between her supporters
and government backers. The facts of the incident are in dispute, with the
junta saying four people died and the opposition claiming that up to 70
people died.

World leaders, including President Bush, have urged Myanmar to release Suu
Kyi.

"We want to see Aung San Suu Kyi released as soon as possible and allowed
to participate in the political process in Burma in a democratic way,''
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on the way to the ASEAN summit.
"We thought there had been movement in that regard in recent months but
all of that has now been blocked by the government and they are going
backwards.''

Officials at the ASEAN summit said the statement reflected that pressure
and changes in the organization.

"It's a step forward,'' Singapore Foreign Minister Shanmugan Jayakumar
said. "The kind of discussions we have had ... I don't think we could have
had 10 years ago.''

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar hailed the organization for
tackling issues long considered taboo. "ASEAN has reached a stage of
maturity,'' he said.

During the meeting, the ministers accepted an Indonesian proposal to send
a delegation to see how they can help the ruling junta hasten democratic
reforms, Philippine Foreign Minister Blas Ople told reporters.

Such a delegation would still require Myanmar's approval.

Also Tuesday, foreign ministers from Japan and Australia, which are not
ASEAN members, sought to maintain pressure on Myanmar until Suu Kyi's
release.

"Whatever they say publicly, we hope that they will continue to apply
pressure privately right now,'' Australian Foreign Minister Alexander
Downer said.

The Myanmar government says she won't be freed until tensions subside. Win
Aung told the media on Sunday that she is in detention to protect her from
a possible assassination attempt.

Myanmar's junta, which came to power in 1988, refused to step down after
Suu Kyi's party won national elections in 1990.
__________
The Australian June 17 2003

Downer to seek Suu Kyi's release
By Kimina Lyall, John Kerin

AUSTRALIA is to directly lobby Burma for the release of detained
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi when the two countries meet for talks
in Phnom Penh tomorrow.

The bilateral talks between Mr Downer and Burma's Foreign Minister, Win
Aung, will take place on the sidelines of the ASEAN regional forum
meeting.

Mr Downer is to personally add Australia's outrage to the worldwide
backlash over the detention since May 30 of Ms Suu Kyi -- a move Burma's
military rulers insisted was taken to protect her from an assassination
attempt.

Australia has already suspended controversial human rights workshops it
conducts for Burmese officials but has stopped short of setting Ms Suu
Kyi's release from detention as a condition of their resumption. It has
declined to impose trade or economic sanctions on Burma.

ASEAN remains at odds with wider world opinion on Burma's treatment of Ms
Suu Kyi, with regional foreign ministers capitulating yesterday to their
Burmese counterpart's assurances the present crisis is "temporary".

The ASEAN ministers made a great point of discussing the Burma issue for
two hours in their joint "retreat" on Monday, but failed to impose any
restrictions, sanctions or consequences on the member country if its
assurances proved incorrect.

Instead, the joint communique, released at the annual meeting of regional
foreign ministers yesterday, "noted the efforts of the government to
promote peace and development".

"We welcome the assurances given by Myanmar (Burma) that the measures
taken following the incident were temporary and looked forward to the
early lifting of restrictions placed on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the
(National League for Democracy) leaders," it said.

The announcement came as Rangoon granted permission for the International
Committee of the Red Cross to visit the Nobel peace laureate and her
colleagues, who have been held in army guest houses, jails and under house
arrest since a violent clash on May 31.

The Red Cross has argued vigorously for access to the prisoners.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, with Mr Downer, will attend today's
ASEAN Region Forum grouping of 20 nations.

Terrorism and North Korea's nuclear weapons capability are expected to
dominate the agenda.
_____

Agence France Presse June 17 2003

Japan threatens to cut off aid to Myanmar if Suu Kyi not released

PHNOM PENH, June 17 (AFP) - Japan's Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi has
threatened to cut off tens of millions of dollars in aid to Myanmar if it
does
not release detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a spokesman said
Tuesday.

Hatsuhisa Takashima, a press secretary for the Japanese foreign ministry,
said Kawaguchi had written to the Myanmar government urging Myanmar to
release
the popular leader detained late last month.

He said Kawaguchi on Tuesday reiterated her request in a policy speech she
gave in Phnom Penh on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN-sponsored regional
meetings.

Japan is Myanmar's biggest donor country.

"On this topic, I would like to call on the Myanmar government to rectify
the current situation and initiate genuine efforts toward national
reconciliation and democracy and to take steps in becoming a responsible and
respected member of the international community," she said.

Takashima said the foreign minister made it very clear that "if the current
situation continues, it will be very difficult for us to continue our aid
policy."

Kawaguchi is expected to raise the issue again at a meeting with her
Myanmar counterpart Tuesday afternoon.

Takashima said Japan provided 69.9 million dollars in aid, in the form of
grants and technical assistance, to Myanmar in 2001.

-------------------------------

Agence France Press June 17 2003

No one in ASEAN believes Yangon over Aung San Suu Kyi: East Timor

PHNOM PENH, June 17 (AFP) - Not one foreign minister in ASEAN believed
Yangon's claim that Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was detained for
her
own protection, East Timorese Foreign Minister Ramos Horta said Tuesday.

He said he had held intense discussions with the ministers in regards to
obtaining her release and when asked how many ministers believed there was a
plot to assassinate Myanmar's opposition leader, Horta said: "None."

Aung San Suu Kyi has been held under what the junta has termed "protective
custody" in a military camp outside Yangon since a pro-junta mob attacked her
supporters on May 30.

"The story is totally unbelievable," Horta said in regards to the junta's
claim. "The fact is they (ASEAN ministers) are all demanding her release."

Foreign ministers from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
earlier made an historic departure from a long-standing policy of
non-interference in members' internal affairs and called for Aung San Suu
Kyi's release.

Horta said his country, attending the ASEAN meeting here as a guest and
potential future member, always intended to speak out and publicly challenge
Myanmar over the detention but this prospect had caused sleepless nights.

"I thought I'd be the odd man out in speaking out on Myanmar and I was
weighing up the costs and benefits in speaking out. I am relieved that I am
not alone and that ASEAN countries are breaking the taboo," he said.

Horta praised Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda for breaking the
taboo of non-interference and said ASEAN was acutely aware of Myanmar's
pariah
status and that it is scheduled to chair the 10-member bloc in 2006.

"On this basis, this summit is ground breaking. It was unthinkable a year
ago," he said in regards to speaking out on the conduct of a member state.

"They are serious that no later than 2006 Myanmar has to get out of the
pariah status otherwise it will be severely embarrassing for everyone. It's
already very embarrassing. ASEAN foreign ministers have been deeply upset by
the setbacks in Myanmar," Horta said.

__________

Nation June 17 2003

Philippines demurs as Asean backs Burma
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee, Rungrawee C Pinyorat

A majority of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) yesterday moved to protect Burma from mounting international
pressure following the arrest and detention of opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi.

Asean members were assured by Burma that national conciliation would not
be derailed by the detention of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

However, there were also calls for an immediate release of the opposition
leader and key members of her National League for Democracy, Asean sources
said.

Burma's political troubles following the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi
were the foremost issue when 10 Asean foreign ministers came together in
the Cambodian capital for the first day of their annual meeting.

The ministers discussed the situation in Burma amid concerns that
"domestic political tension" there would affect the group's image because
democratic champions from Western partners would put pressure on their
Asean counterparts.

The meeting's chairman, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong, said
Asean ministers expressed appreciation for the information given to them
about the latest developments in Burma from Burmese Foreign Minister Win
Aung.

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said the re-arrest of Suu Kyi
after a bloody clash last month would not spoil the process of national
reconciliation since her detention was "a temporary measure" aimed at
providing safety for the opposition leader.

"We hope Aung San Suu Kyi would be released soon," he told reporters
without elaboration.

"Asean has reached another stage of maturity where we can discuss the
domestic issues of one country which have ramifications on our region," he
added.

However, Asean failed to arrive at a consensus on the Burma situation, as
the Philippines urged the group to express more concern and called for
clear action about the arrest in its joint communique, due to be
officially released after the meeting today, an informed source said.

A draft of the communique seen by The Nation yesterday said "We [Asean]
expressed appreciation for the information provided by Myanmar [Burma] on
the latest development in the country. We recognised the efforts of the
Government of Myanmar to promote peace and development. We also noted its
endeavours for national reconciliation and the transition to democracy."

The Philippines did not agree that it appreciated the information and
called for concrete action to release Suu Kyi, the source said.

"Other members are begging the Philippines to soften its stance in favour
of Burma, which is also in the same family," said the source.

Philippine Foreign Minister Blas Ople said his government wanted to see
the release from detention of Suu Kyi and other NLD members. "We want them
to speed up the completion of the new constitution, which is the key to
the future stability of Burma. This is the position of my government," he
said.

Manila did not see its position as an interference with Burma's internal
affairs, he said. Since Burma joined Asean, the country shared in
accountability to the international community. "So we have a legitimate
interest in what is going on in the country, including anything that could
affect the image of Asean before the world," he said.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who arrived yesterday in Phnom Penh,
said that he would exert pressure on Burma when he meets Asean
representatives in the Asean Regional Forum tomorrow.

The European Union, which is also a dialogue partner of Asean, was
expected to press the group over Burma at a series of meetings this week.
_________

Kyodo News June 17 2003

ASEAN urges early release of Myanmar's Suu Kyi
By Takehiko Kajita and Varunee Torsricharoen

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
urged Myanmar's junta Tuesday to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu
Kyi who has been detained since late May following a clash between her
supporters and pro-junta demonstrators.

''We welcomed the assurances given by Myanmar that the measures taken
following the incident were temporary and looked forward to the early
lifting of restrictions placed on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD
(National League for Democracy) members,'' the ministers said in a joint
communique.

The communique also urged the junta to ''resume its efforts of national
reconciliation and dialogue among all parties concerned leading to a
peaceful transition to democracy.''

The junta arrested Suu Kyi and many senior NLD members following what the
junta claims were ''clashes'' May 30 between NLD supporters and pro-junta
demonstrators in northern Myanmar.

The arrests triggered international outrage, with U.S. Secretary of State
Colin Powell calling Myanmar's ruling generals ''thugs'' and vowing to
push the other ASEAN countries to confront Myanmar during a meeting of the
security-focused ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Phnom Penh on Wednesday.

The foreign ministers' reference to Myanmar is unusually strong language
for ASEAN, which has traditionally maintained a policy of
non-intervention.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told a news conference the
discussions on situation in Myanmar were ''constructive'' and that ASEAN
''did not depart'' from its non-interference policy.

Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung said, ''It doesn't matter if we are
happy (with the language), we have to take into account that the
solidarity of ASEAN is very important.''

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai told reporters it was ''a
major step ASEAN has achieved in reinvigorating the image of ASEAN that we
no longer sweep problems under the carpet, but we can confront all the
problems.''

Surakiart said the Myanmar foreign minister was receptive to all comments
and suggestions made by each ASEAN minister. ''He said he would take all
the proposals to consult with the three (junta) leaders.''

Myanmar's junta, called the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), is
headed by Senior Gen. Than Shwe, who serves as chairman of the council.
Maung Aye serves as vice chairman of the junta while Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt
is first secretary.

The ASEAN ministers also discussed issues such as the nuclear standoff on
the Korean Peninsula, the fight against global terrorism and the proposed
creation of an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

''We reaffirmed our conviction that a nuclear weapons-free Korea and a
peaceful resolution of the current tensions through dialogue and
negotiations would be a viable contribution to the prospects for peace and
stability in East Asia,'' the communique said.

They reiterated their call for the settlement to the North Korean nuclear
issue and hailed talks among North Korea, the United States and China and
the cabinet-level meeting between North and South Korea, both in April.

''We reaffirmed our support for the process of dialogue and consultation
among the parties directly concerned,'' the communique said.

The ministers also reiterated that ''the ARF could be a useful venue for
facilitating dialogue on the Korean Peninsula.''

ASEAN, which has long insisted on steering the ARF, also announced in the
communique, ''We agreed to lift the moratorium, and to consider the
application of new participants of the ARF on a case-by-case basis.''

''We agreed to accept Pakistan as a new participant in the ARF. In this
regard, we decided to communicate our consensus to non-ASEAN ARF
participants,'' it said.

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart said India, as an ARF member, might
express reservations about Pakistani participation, but ''ASEAN can
explain to India that Pakistan should not be left out. Even South Korea
and North Korea can participate in the same forum, India and Pakistan
should be at the table to discuss the tensions in the region.''

Pakistan's participation in the ARF could be as early as next year in
Indonesia, according to Surakiart.

On the economic front, the ministers renewed their determination to set up
an AEC by 2020, a project that would turn ASEAN into a single market free
of tariffs and restrictions on the movement of goods among the 10 member
states.

The ministers ''recognized that deepening ASEAN economic integration and
establishing an ASEAN Economic Community would have profound implications
for ASEAN's institutions and practices,'' the communique said.

The Thai foreign minister, however, said, ''The AEC needs neither to aim
at a common market nor a customs union. It could be only a community that
pools all kinds of economic cooperation together.''

Surakiart said it could mean only an expansion of free trade, reduction of
nontariff barriers, freer movement of professionals and an impartial body
functioning as a dispute-settlement mechanism.

Under the 1992 ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, six economically advanced ASEAN
members -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and
Thailand -- have reduced tariffs on almost all goods traded in the region
to 0-5% since Jan. 1 this year.

Other ASEAN members are Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

The ARF consists of the 10 ASEAN states along with Australia, Canada,
China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, South
Korea, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Russia and the U.S.

STATEMENTS

U.S. Department of State
 Press Briefing En Route Phnom Penh

  Secretary Colin L. Powell
  On Board Plane
  June 17, 2003

  Excerpt:

  SECRETARY POWELL: Thanks for joining us on this longest of all trips. I
think
  we ve been in the air for about three days, as best I can figure it out.
But it
  is an important meeting, to have the opportunity to, for a day and a
half, sit
  and talk with some 20 Asian Pacific nations. ...............

  Out of ASEAN today, I don t have a complete report of all the
statements, but I
  believe they put out a good statement on Burma. We ll pick that up in
  interventions tomorrow in the ARF meeting. Coming out of the ARF
meeting, I m
  expecting several things:
   ...............
  So here in ARF we will talk about trade, we will talk about
infrastructure development,
  we talk about counterterrorism, and then we will take note of the two
initiatives I just
  mentioned and how that helps the region, and then we ll shift to some
regional
  issues of concern in ARF and among those will be North Korea. I will
make an
  intervention on North Korea, I will also make an intervention on Burma,
and I
  will make an intervention --

  QUESTION: Could you give us a more specific sense of what you plan to
say, both
  about Burma and about North Korea?

  SECRETARY POWELL: Things that will be familiar to you on Burma. If you
ve been
  following what we have been saying, and if you noticed my op-ed in the Wall
  Street Journal, we want to see Aung San Suu Kyi released as soon as
possible,
  and allowed to participate in the political process in Burma in a
democratic
  way, and we thought that there had been movement in that regard in recent
  months but that all of that has now been blocked by the government and
they re
  going backwards. ..........

  QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, can I go back to Burma for one question, and
that is
  you say that you want to see Aung San Suu Kyi released as soon as
possible, but
  really it s too late, isn t it? Even if they do release her right now,
at least
  from the United States  point of view, you re still going to go ahead
with this
  new policy to punish them, or to put more pressure on them, is that
correct?

  The second thing I wanted to ask is about the host country. Senator
McConnell s
  other big issue with you and foreign policy issue has been Cambodia,
aside from
  Burma. You told him about two months ago that you d be bringing up the
  elections as well as the Khmer Rouge trials with them   what are you
going to
  say about that?

  SECRETARY POWELL: I think it s necessary for us to take a harder line with
  Burma, as you see coming from the Hill as well as statements coming out
of the
  Administration and what I ve been saying. Let s see whether the Burmese
react
  or not, and we ll determine after their reaction not just for the
release of
  Aung San Suu Kyi but also what will they allow her to do or what will they
  allow her party to do, and that will determine what our policy will be.
____________

U.S. Department of State June 16 2003

Daily Press Briefing
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
Excerpt:

BURMA
 15-16   International Community s Discussion on Release of Aung San Suu Kyi

QUESTION: Can you discuss a bit of what the Secretary intends to try to
achieve
  in Phnom Pen, particularly vis-à-vis Burma?

  MR. BOUCHER: The Secretary, when he goes to the ASEAN meetings, the ASEAN
  Regional Forum and the Post-Ministerial Conferences, will be looking to
take up
  the issue, to get some focus on the issue. I think you've all seen the news
  this morning that ASEAN, indeed, has had a discussion already of Burma
and is
  looking to Burma to release Aung San Suu Kyi. As long as that detention
  continues, I think you'll find that'll be the -- an area of specific
focus from
  the international community.

  But it's not just her. There are other supporters of the National League
for
  Democracy who remain in detention. And the whole process that Ambassador
Razali
  was trying to move forward of steps towards democracy seems to have failed
  because of the actions of the government there, the regime there.

  So the more that the ASEAN countries are able to make clear that their
neighbor
  and fellow member has been moving this in the wrong direction, thwarting
the
  efforts of a Malaysian diplomat working for the United Nations, then I
think
  the better. But I expect the primary focus at this point will be on her
release
  and the release of others who were detained.

  Sir.

  QUESTION: The ASEAN countries have said that they typically don't want to
  interfere in other members' affairs, but the junta in Rangoon is saying
that
  the reason for the protection of Aung San Suu Kyi is that -- it's so she
  doesn't get assassinated. Is that just sheer stupidity on their part or --

  MR. BOUCHER: Oh, it's very tempting. I would just say it's kind of a
ridiculous
  explanation. The threats to her have come from the regime and not from
anybody
  else. She's -- she and her party won an election. She's been jailed
repeatedly
  for speaking out and others have been jailed for merely expressing their
views.
  All the threats to her seem to come from the regime, and not from anywhere
  else.

  Okay? All right, thank you.

  [End]
__________

New York Times June 17 2003

Asia Finds Its Voice on Myanmar
After arresting the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a
violent attack on her supporters late last month, Myanmar's military junta
has finally reaped the broad international opprobrium it has long
deserved. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations yesterday broke with
its dubious tradition of not criticizing member governments and urged
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, to release Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi.
Freeing her is an urgent necessity. But Asean should demand more. When
Secretary of State Colin Powell meets the group's foreign ministers
Wednesday in Cambodia, he should encourage them to keep up the pressure.
As Asean's unusual outspokenness indicates, the barbaric cruelties of
Myanmar's junta, which seized power 15 years ago after crushing a
democracy movement, truly set it apart. Washington recently corroborated
accusations that Myanmar's army has carried out mass punitive rapes of
women and girls, targeting ethnic minorities. The Bush administration has
also complained about forced labor and relocation of civilians. The State
Department has cited Myanmar for failing to effectively combat opium and
methamphetamine exports that have ravaged its neighbors, including other
Asean members. The junta has ignored the results of democratic elections
in 1990 that were overwhelmingly won by Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the
National League for Democracy.
These actions have been as well known to the other Asean countries and to
China, Myanmar's other important neighbor, as they have been to
Washington. The economic and diplomatic support these countries have given
Myanmar's rulers up to now has diluted the effectiveness of sanctions
imposed by the United States and Europe. If Asean is now ready to stop
coddling the junta, better days for Myanmar's long-suffering people may at
last be in sight.
________

Asia Wall Street Journal June 16 2003

Sanction Burma
By Mitch McConnell

Despite its rich culture and fertile lands, today Burma is synonymous with
repression, rape and poverty. Under an abusive military junta,
misleadingly named the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the
country is in economic and social ruin. Endemic corruption and
mismanagement of the economy by the junta makes it difficult for the
average Burmese to scrape together even the most basic living wage.

The SPDC invests little in the country's youth, spending 1.2% of its gross
domestic product on education -- only slightly higher than Sierra Leone.
It does not provide adequate health care for even the most routine
ailments, let alone an exploding HIV/AIDS infection rate that ravages the
young and old alike in Burma. By some estimates, the junta spent only
$40,000 on HIV/AIDS programs last year. They spent over 10 times that
amount on Washington lobbyists this year. Worse, the SPDC razes entire
villages, murders ethnic minorities, and uses rape as a weapon of war.
Children are pressed into the military, and civilians forced into labor.
The junta has laid out the welcome mat for major drug dealers and their
money, who find haven and friendship in Rangoon. To be a citizen of
Myanmar -- as the generals call the mess they created -- is to be
oppressed and disadvantaged. But amidst all the bleakness are rays of
hope. For over a decade, Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the
National League for Democracy (NLD) have been struggling for freedom and
the rule of law. In 1990, Ms. Suu Kyi led the NLD to an overwhelming
electoral victory that the junta refuses to respect to this day. Instead,
they placed Ms. Suu Kyi under house arrest and detained, tortured, and
murdered NLD supporters. Released from a second time under house arrest
only last year, Ms. Suu Kyi was traveling in the countryside on May 30
when her convoy was ambushed by SPDC goons. They murdered at least four of
her supporters, and injured scores of others. An undetermined number of
democrats, including Ms. Suu Kyi, were arrested by the junta and continue
to be held in undisclosed locations. The outcry in Washington and other
foreign capitals was immediate and forceful. In addition to firm words,
the United States expanded its visa ban and sent its diplomats in the
region to foreign ministries to marshal support for democracy in Burma.
Secretary of State Colin Powell wrote in a recent op-ed for The Asian Wall
Street Journal that "the time has come to turn up the pressure on the
SPDC." The U.S. Senate considered and passed legislation on Burma by a
vote of 97-1 that did just that. The vote was an overwhelming and
unprecedented expression of support for Burma's democrats. The Burmese
Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 imposes an import ban on Burma, expands
the visa ban, freezes assets of the SPDC in the United States and provides
additional support to democrats struggling for freedom in that country.
Sanctions can be an effective modifier of repressive behavior in Burma,
and we already know that the junta responds to outside pressure and
condemnation. In response to being branded a pariah state by America and
Europe, the SPDC released Ms. Suu Kyi from house arrest last year and
permitted her to travel throughout the country. Seeking a more favorable
public image, the generals in Rangoon made much noise, but absolutely no
progress, in dialogue with Ms. Suu Kyi and NLD. More recently, following
the crackdown on democracy, U.N. Special Envoy Razali Ismail was given a
15-minute meeting with Ms. Suu Kyi that confirmed to an outraged world
that she was alive. If the SPDC was truly immune to world public opinion,
Mr. Razali would have left Burma empty-handed. Just like apartheid in
South Africa, SPDC injustices are morally reprehensible and quickly spark
global condemnation. Like communism in Poland, the junta's policies are a
yoke of oppression instilling fear instead of loyalty among the masses.
And like Vaclav Havel in Czechoslovakia, Ms. Suu Kyi offers hope to
millions of Burmese yearning to be free. For sanctions to bite in Burma,
the resolve for political change must be secured from Burma's trading
partners, particularly those in the region. The junta's relationship with
China, India, Japan and Thailand pose challenges in creating a united
front against the SPDC. America must engage these countries on Burma -- as
U.S. President George W. Bush did during Thai Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra's recent visit to Washington. Burma must remain on the U.S.
State Department's agenda well beyond the meeting of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations in Cambodia this week. America's mission -- along
with its European and regional allies -- should be to forcefully engage
those who do business with the SPDC in order that they better understand
the value of a free Burma to the entire region. Burma's most potent
exports to the region are undesirable: HIV/AIDS to China, drugs to
Thailand and refugees to India. Economic engagement sustains lawlessness
in Rangoon. It is time to treat the disease in Burma rather than its
symptoms. Sanctions may be a bitter pill for many Asean nations to
swallow, but the alternative is to prolong the misery of the Burmese
people and havoc beyond Burma's borders. America's leadership is essential
to bring about the necessary conditions for political change, namely:
pressure, persistence and patience. Absent the political will of free
nations to hold the SPDC accountable for its action, the regime in Rangoon
will literally get away with murder. There are some who worry that
sanctions will hurt the very people they are supposed to help. In Burma,
sanctions will not rape ethnic girls and women or murder their brothers,
husbands and sons. They will not profit from an illicit narcotics trade
that wreaks havoc among the region's youth, nor will they attack peaceful
supporters of Ms. Suu Kyi and the NLD. A ban on imports to the United
States will impact a negligible percentage of Burma's population. It will,
however, deny the junta the ability to export some $350 million to $470
million worth of goods to the U.S. A ban will hit the SPDC where it hurts
most -- in the pocketbook and its public image. Finally, some are worried
that the SPDC may challenge sanctions in the World Trade Organization
(WTO). We should expect and welcome such action. The SPDC is not known for
its respect of the rule of law, and in the process of a challenge it might
learn a thing or two. Further, a WTO platform will further highlight the
many abuses of the junta against the people of Burma. To know the SPDC is
to despise them. As long as Ms. Suu Kyi and the NLD and all the people of
Burma have the courage to continue the struggle for democracy in Burma,
the world must have the political will to help them win it.
---
Senator McConnell is the majority whip in the U.S. Senate and chairman of
the Foreign Operations Appropriation Subcommittee
__________

International Herald Tribune June 17 2003

U.S. needs a serious Burma policy ;
Don't wait for crises
By David I. Steinberg

The United States pays attention to Burma only when the Southeast Asian
country is in crisis. Yet sustained attention is needed. As Secretary of
State Colin Powell prepares to meet senior Asia-Pacific officials in Phnom
Penh on Wednesday for the annual ministerial meeting of the ASEAN Regional
Forum on security, a thorough review of America's Burma policy is urgently
required.

The recent violence in central Burma between groups backed by the military
government and supporters of the democratic opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi is a serious setback to internal conciliation. It shows the inherent
tensions in the country. It also shows that only trauma in Burma seems to
catch the attention of U.S. policymakers. After a military takeover in
1962, Burma went into self-imposed isolation. A popular uprising in 1988
was ruthlessly crushed and ended with another military coup. Elections in
1990 sanctioned by the military were overwhelmingly won by Aung San Suu
Kyi's National League for Democracy, but the results were ignored by the
junta.

With Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest, the United States in 1997
imposed sanctions against new U.S. investments in Burma. Having taken the
moral high ground, however, America then largely ignored Burma until Aung
San Suu Kyi was released a little more than a year ago. The international
media were invited in, and extensive reporting occurred. Political
negotiations between Aung San Suu Kyi and the military were supposed to
begin. There was even talk of possible power-sharing. Yet little progress
was made despite high international expectations about possible
compromises and concessions.

When the recent clash occurred, mutual recriminations were increasing. The
opposition was frustrated that dialogue had not advanced while the
military was alarmed to see Aung San Suu Kyi greeted by large,
enthusiastic crowds so long after the 1990 elections.

Following the clash and the military's decision to place Aung San Suu Kyi
in indefinite "protective" custody, the Bush administration extended the
number of Burmese officials banned from entering the United States, froze
some Burmese assets and prohibited money transfers from the United States
to Burma.

The U.S. Congress is expected impose additional sanctions against imports
of garments and textiles from Burma. The factories that make them employ
several hundred thousands workers, mostly women. Advocates of sanctions
charge that only the military benefits from such exports, but this is
patently false.

Again, the moral high ground will have been attained and indignation
satisfied, but the failure of earlier U.S. sanctions to oust the military
has been ignored. New sanctions, imposed unilaterally, are unlikely to be
any more effective.

To date, U.S. policy has been focused on human rights and governance, with
Washington calling on the junta in Rangoon to honor the May 1990 election
results and allow the opposition to govern. But a review of policy toward
Burma should examine all aspects of U.S. interests, present and potential.

There are many questions to answer. Is Burma's strategic position on the
flank of America's treaty ally, Thailand, important? Burma is strategic to
both China and India, so how does the United States regard Chinese-Indian
rivalry in view of extensive Chinese penetration of Burma with military
arms sales, infrastructure support, training, economic assistance and
access to the Bay of Bengal?

What would a Chinese presence mean at the western end of the Strait of
Malacca? This key waterway is a shipping link for America to the joint
British-U.S. base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. How does U.S.
policy toward Burma affect relations with ASEAN, the Association of South
East Asian Nations, of which Burma is a member? Powell said recently that
ASEAN must end its habit of silence and put more pressure on Burma.
Clearly the U.S. has major policy disagreements with ASEAN on Burma.

What are the U.S. interests in controlling Burma's opium production, and
the distribution of methamphetamine stimulants? What effect, if any, could
international business have in influencing government policies in Burma,
and if so, over what period of time?

What concerns should the United States have about the minorities who
comprise a third of Burma's population and have ethnic kin in India, China
and Thailand? Grievous political, economic and security conditions in
Burma have led more than a million Burmese of all ethnic groups to flee to
neighboring states. An educated elite has also fled, reducing the capacity
of the state to function competently.

ASEAN, which eschews interference in the internal affairs of its member
states, should recognize that there are clear regional implications of
Burmese internal strife. Meanwhile, the United States must develop a
proactive policy on Burma, not wait for the inevitable crisis.

The writer is director of Asian studies in the School of Foreign Service,
Georgetown University, Washington.

_________

Chin Human Rights Organization June 16 2003

Date: 16 June 2003

Stanley Peter Dromisky
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Dear Honorable Mr. Dromisky,

We, the undersigned residents of Thunder Bay, who have come to settle to
the city from the Southeastern Asian country of Burma, are writing this
letter to bring to your attention our deep concern over the ongoing
political crackdown in Burma. We have learnt that the military junta
ruling Burma is mounting a massive violent campaign against pro-democracy
opponents in the country, resulting in scores of arrest, death and
disappearance of democracy activists.

On May 30, 2003, the military regime orchestrated a violent assault on the
convoy of Burma’s democracy leader, and Noble Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi
and her supporters who were touring the county’s northern region. The
incident left at least 70 dead, scores disappeared and injured. Of
particular concern is the fate of Aung San Suu KYi who is being detained
incommunicado in an unspecified military camp outside of the capital
Rangoon.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy won the
country’s last democratic elections in 1990 with an overwhelming majority
of 82 percent of the legislative seats. But the military regime, which
came to power after slaughtering thousands of peaceful pro-democracy
demonstrators, refused to recognize the election results, and has since
embarked on a campaign of terror against dissidents. Aung San Suu Kyi has
spent most of the last 15 years under house arrest, and her release in
late 2002 had given new hopes for the country’s return to democracy from
nearly 50 years of military rule.

The re-arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the latest violent crackdown on
democracy movement is a clear indication that the military junta ruling
Burma, which calls itself the State Peace and Development Council is
neither interested in political reform nor has any intention to return
power to the people of Burma. Further, the regime has been waging a brutal
genocidal war against the country’s ethnic minorities resulting in the
deaths of hundreds of thousands and the displacement of millions of
civilian populations.


Virtually all governments, including Canada and the United States, have
denounced the latest crackdown in Burma. In the United States, the Senate
has already overwhelmingly approved a bill that would ban all imports from
Burma, freeze the assets of junta officials within the United States, and
impose a visa ban on all senior officials of the regime as well as leaders
of organizations and persons associated with the junta. The European Union
is also contemplating on implementing similar measures against the regime.

We believe that Canada with its unique position in the world, and as a
nation with the tradition of peace and humanitarian commitments in the
world, has tremendous leverage in affecting real political change in
Burma. It is also in the interest of Canada to take a leading role in
ending five decades of brutality and violence the people of Burma have
been suffering at the hands of the military junta. According to the RCMP,
more than half narcotic imports in Canada originated in Burma. Various
credible international organizations have also revealed the close links
between the Burmese military officials and international narco-smuggling
rings that operate inside Burma.

Canada has previously led efforts to bring an end to repressions and
inhumanities in South Africa, Haiti, Yugoslavia and elsewhere in the
world. The ongoing crackdown on freedom and democracy in Burma is a clear
indication that current measures in place against the regime in Burma are
ineffective.

As members of your constituency, we therefore, strongly appeal to you to
take leadership in getting the government of Canada initiate urgent
measures to help end repression and human rights violations in Burma. We
also strongly request that efforts towards these measures embody the
followings:

An immediate action to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, and other
detainees, as well as all political prisoners in Burma

Implementation of strong economic sanctions in the forms of import and
investment bans and others


The continuance of existing diplomatic and political pressures on Burma
with the view to forcing the regime to enter into political dialogue with
the NLD and representatives of ethnic nationalities that would lead to a
return of genuine democracy, peace and human rights in Burma

Finding appropriate means to get the United Nations Security Council
address the Burmese situation in order to put to a stop the ongoing
genocide, religious persecution, and systematic human rights abuse against
various ethnic groups in the country. (In this regard, his honorable
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham, in his policy speech at a UN
reform conference in New York, has recently made it clear Canada’s
commitment to supporting the UN in taking punitive measures against member
states which have failed to live up to their Charter obligations, measures
that would include membership suspension and expulsion)


Through appropriate diplomatic channels, putting effective pressure on
Burma’s neighboring countries to stop supporting and engaging the military
regime

Additionally, we’ve learnt that Canada will be represented at this week
ASEAN Regional Forum meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We implore your
immediate personal communication to the Foreign Minister asking him to get
concerned regional parties involve in helping to secure the immediate
release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners in Burma. This
will send a strong message to the Burmese military junta that their brutal
policies and trickery will not stand uncounted by the international
community.

Sincerely,

(Individual names omitted*)

(*More than 40 individuals, mostly of Karen and Chin, residing in Thunder
Bay, Ontario, Canada, signed the above letter)
__________

European Union June 16 2003

BURMA/MYANMAR - Council Conclusions


The Council discussed the recent developments in Burma/Myanmar and
expressed its continued grave concern over the events of 30 May 2003 and
the deteriorating overall situation. The Council urged the Burmese
authorities to immediately release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as well as other
members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), and to re-open NLD
offices and universities throughout the country.

The Council called on the Burmese authorities to ensure that those
responsible for the attacks on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her colleagues at
Saging during which a number of deaths occurred are held to account.

In order to re-launch a process of national reconciliation and transition
to democracy in Burma/Myanmar, the Council urged the authorities to enter
into a substantial and meaningful political dialogue with the NLD as well
as other political groups. The Council reiterated its call to Burma to
respect its promises to release all political prisoners and expressed its
deep concern over the noted increase of politically motivated arrests.

The Council expressed its support for the ongoing efforts of the UNSG
Special Representative to Burma/Myanmar, Ambassador Razali, and reiterated
its support for the UN™s vital role in bringing about political progress
in Burma/Myanmar.

Moreover, the Council encouraged the ASEAN countries and their key
partners, in particular China, India and Japan, to use their influence to
actively promote the necessary political change in Burma/Myanmar.

In accordance with its commitment to react proportionately to developments
in Burma/Myanmar and in light of the serious deterioration of the
situation in the country, especially over the last weeks, the Council
decided to implement without delay the strengthened sanctions originally
envisaged to enter into force by October 2003. The Council also decided to
monitor closely the further evolution of the situation in Burma/Myanmar,
and reaffirmed its readiness to react proportionately to future
developments.

The Council further decided to postpone the Troika visit on a political
level previously scheduled to take place before the end of October 2003."