BurmaNet News: October 24. 2003

[editor at burmanet.org]

October 24, 2003 Issue #2354

INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: Junta Pushes Sarong Story
Narinjara: Rakhine State Chairman launches statewide campaign in support
of the Road Map
AP: Suu Kyi party urges Myanmar junta to allow reopening of offices
Xinhua: Myanmar leader stresses UN role
DVB: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi demands an enquiry commission on Dipeyin incident

GUNS
SHAN: Troops from Shan State march to Karen front
DVB: KNU denies defeat in latest Burmese military offensive

REGIONAL
AFP: Thai PM to attend regional summit in Myanmar next month


----INSIDE BURMA----

The Irrawaddy   October 24, 2003
Junta Pushes Sarong Story
By Kyaw Zwa Moe

Burma’s government censor board has ordered journals and magazines to run
a story accusing dissidents of smuggling women’s sarongs printed with
Buddhist symbols into the country, journalists in Rangoon say.

Sarongs bearing religious symbols are offensive and sacrilegious in
Buddhist-dominated Burma. Several Burmese-language journals reported that
exiled Burmese groups were responsible for sending the sarongs from the
Thai border town of Mae Sot.

"The Press Scrutiny Board sent media groups the whole story either on
paper or on a disk," an editor of a well-known journal in Rangoon said
today. "We didn’t write the story ourselves."

The regime’s Press Scrutiny Board subjects all media produced in Burma to
harsh scrutiny and has the power to revoke publishing licenses.

Another journalist in the capital said all magazines and journals to be
published in the next month have been ordered to run the story. He said
the news first appeared in military intelligence mouthpieces like Wun Tha
Nu ("Patriot") and Shwe Naing Gan ("Golden Nation").

On Oct 7, Wun Tha Nu reported that the exiled National League for
Democracy (Liberated Area) and the Federation of Trade Unions-Burma sent
the sarongs to democracy supporters in Mandalay through merchants in Mae
Sot.

Bo Thaung, vice chairman of the National League for Democracy (Liberated
Area) dismissed the accusation. "We will never use religion for our
political gain," he said from the Thai-Burma border.

Religious tensions are on the rise inside Burma. In a separate incident, a
riot broke out between Buddhists and Muslims on Oct 19 in the town of
Kyaukse, near Mandalay. Two mosques and several houses were reportedly set
on fire, and almost a dozen people were killed.

According to Burmese language radio broadcasts from abroad, the violence
broke out after three Muslim men cut the head of a Buddha image in the
town. There is no link to the reports of the sarongs and the riots in
Kyaukse.   ###


Narinjara News   October 24, 2003
Rakhine State Chairman Brig. General Maung U launches statewide campaign
in support of the Road Map

Sittwe:  The Rakhine State SPDC Chairman Maung U, who is also the
Commander of Western Military Division is in his state wide tour
campaigning for the public support of General Khin Nyunt’s Road Map
towards democracy, according to news coming from Sittwe.

Brig. General Maung U arrived at Pauktaw on 28th September held a meeting
at the City Hall, and explaining 7-point programs of the political Road
Map towards democracy.

The government officers and some 50 leading citizens of Pauktaw were
invited and present in the meeting. He emphasized that the General Khin
Nyunt’s 7-point program is the most relevant and the best for Myanmar.
Therefore, the people of Pauktaw Township must render solid support, he
said.

According to a Puaktaw citizen who attended the meeting Maung U also
pointed out that the people should try to understand the genuine good will
of the SPDC government in the light of the undergoing government
development projects in the township.

Further he reveals that on the day Aung San Suu Kyi comes into power great
civil war would break out in the country. Upon gaining power she will give
self-determination to various Myanmar racial groups splitting the Union
that was built by the blood of our parents, grand parents and ancestors. 
If the self-determination is grant to the racial groups their insurgent
armed forces will also come into existence in parallel with Tatmadaw.
There is a Myanmar saying that says two lions cannot dwell in one cave.
“As such I cannot accept such a condition”, he declared. “We shall keep
her away from the power even if that may demand sacrifice of our lives”,
he called upon the people.

“Will you vote for me if I stand as a Pauktaw constituency candidate in
the forth coming People’s Assembly election that will be held by our
government according to the Union Constitution as adopted and approved by
the on-going National Convention?” he asked the audience in the meeting.

It is reported that Statewide rallies and discussion meeting are being
organized by the township SPDCs on all over the Rakhine State and the
biggest rally took place on 9th October in Sittwe, the Rakhine State
capital.    ###


Associated Press Worldstream   October 24, 2003
Suu Kyi party urges Myanmar junta to allow reopening of offices

The opposition National League for Democracy has urged Myanmar's military
junta to let it reopen its offices, closed after the detention of party
leader Aung San Suu Kyi nearly five months ago.

Branch office chiefs are sending petitions to the Election Commission,
said Myint Aye, chairman of Kyimyindine township branch, the first to send
a letter on Wednesday.

Chairmen of other branches will send letters separately, he told The
Associated Press Friday.

"We strongly believe that due to the prevailing political situation it is
time NLD offices should be reopened to carry out political activities,"
Myint Aye said.

Authorities closed NLD offices across the country a day after Suu Kyi was
detained following a clash between her supporters and pro-junta mob on May
30 in northern Myanmar during a political tour.

The government has not said when the offices will reopen.

Suu Kyi was held at an undisclosed location for nearly four months until
she underwent a major gynecological surgery last month and was moved to
her home, only to be kept under house arrest.

The Nobel Peace laureate's detention and the crackdown on her party has
provoked international outrage and trade sanctions by the United States.

The junta says it is preparing a road map to restore democracy but its
promise, which offers no timeframe, has been met with skepticism in the
West although its Southeast Asian neighbors have hailed the move as a
positive development.

The current junta came to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy
movement. It called elections in 1990 but refused to hand over power when
the NLD won.

"We are a legal political party that won overwhelmingly in the 1990
elections. We, as a political party, have the right to carry out our
political activities," said Thet Wai, chairman of Sanchaung township's NLD
office.

Suu Kyi's detention has brought to a standstill the sputtering national
reconciliation process, started by a U.N. envoy in October 2000 to restore
democracy in the country that has been ruled by the military since 1962.  
###


Xinhua General News Service   October 24, 2003
Myanmar leader stresses UN role

YANGON:  Myanmar leader Lieutenant-General Soe Win stressed on Friday that
as a key international forum, the role of the United Nations remains as
important as ever.

Soe Win made the remarks here marking the 58th anniversary of the UN Day.

In over half a century, the organization has faced many challenges and
seized many opportunities for the good of humankind, he noted, pointing
out that the world nowadays is profoundly different and complex compared
to 1945.

Noting that the IT revolution has brought about profound globalization, he
stressed that the opportunities and challenges of globalized village make
the central role of the United Nations even more important.

He expressed Myanmar's firm belief that the organization plays a pivotal
role in the close link between peace and development, maintaining that
peace and security in the world can only be secured by economic
development of the whole human family.

He reiterated that cooperation with the United Nations is a corner stone
of Myanmar's foreign policy, believing that the organization remains the
principle forum through which the world nations can create a stable new
world order.

He expressed Myanmar's hope that the United Nations and its agencies will
continue to support the country's efforts for the well-being and
development of its people.   ###


Democratic Voice of Burma   October 23, 2003
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi demands an enquiry commission on Dipeyin incident

A reliable source told DVB that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi demanded the
formation of an enquiry commission on Dipeyin incident during her meeting
with the UN special envoy to Burma, Mr. Razali Ismail.

Mr. Razali met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the 1 October and had discussion
with her for nearly 90 minutes. During that meeting, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
demanded the formation of an enquiry commission and the releases of
detained NLD leaders within a month.

On the same day of the meeting, Mr. Razali met General Khin Nyunt, the
‘Prime Minister’ of the Burmese military regime, the SPDC and the envoy
also met the chairman of the regime, General Than Shwe on the next day.

Mr. Razali requested General Khin Nyunt to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
but the general told him that he could not make the decision on his own.
When Mr. Razali met General Than Shwe, he was told by the general that the
regime has ‘to think for 50 million people in stead of one person’. The
general also told him that there are many things to be done before the
transition is to happen in Burma. He also insisted that the people of
Burma are ‘supporting’ the regime’s roadmap plan by pointing out at some
of the forced rallies around the country.

Mr. Razali received no concrete assurance from the SPDC in his previous
trip to Burma, according to a western diplomat who has the in-depth
knowledge of the trip. The diplomat also said that there is no likely
possibility to work with Than Shwe in the future. According to other
diplomats in Rangoon, Than Shwe is a hardliner and he even ordered people
not to mention Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s name in front of him.

Another diplomat said that ASEAN leaders are gradually beginning to
understand that it is impossible to work with General Than Shwe and that
leaves only General Khin Nyunt for them to deal with and they are keeping
their faith in him. Therefore, ASEAN leaders insisted on giving General
Khin Nyunt more time and supporting his roadmap plan during the previous
top ASEAN regional meeting, added the diplomat. The neighbouring countries
are supporting Khin Nyunt with the purpose of making him more powerful in
the regime as if they were putting all their money in one horse in a bet.
But the action is quite dangerous, commented the same western diplomat in
Bangkok.

Mr. Razali is said to be have lost hope to work with Than Shwe and he
seems to believe that the SPDC could still be in control without any
opposition inside Burma. Therefore, Mr. Razali is willing to work along
the line of the SPDC’s roadmap plan with some adaptations, according to a
source from the UN.

An exiled Burmese opposition leader who doesn’t want to be identified said
that Mr. Razali should tell the world the real situation of Burma and the
obstinacy of the generals instead of finding ‘new ways’. ‘I don’t blame
him for not able to bring the SPDC to the table for the dialogue, but he
should admit his failure,’ he insisted.


----GUNS----

Shan Herald Agency for News   October 24, 2003
War: Troops from Shan State march to Karen front

More than a thousand troops assembled in Mongton, opposite Chiangmai, on
Monday (20 October 2003) before departing for Karen State on the next day,
reported a local source this morning.

"A friendly officer told us that each battalion was required to contribute
one company for the war efforts in the Karen State," said a shopkeeper.

There are 5 battalions in Mongton: Infantry battalions 65, 225 and 277 and
light infantry battalions 519 and 133. Troops from Monghsat, 50 miles in
the northeast, arrived at Mongton on Monday evening and left together the
following day, said the source who was unable to furnish more details.

"I believe all units in the Triangle Region (Headquarters: Kengtung) have
to go", he added, "but I'm not sure."

There are more than 40 infantry battalions and light infantry battalions
in eastern Shan State.

According to the Burma Army's structure, there are five companies in each
battalion: 1,2,3,4 and headquarters company.

Burma Army troops attacking the Karen National Liberation Army's 7th
Brigade since 5 August was reported to have retired on 20 October, after
suffering heavy losses. (Junta troops call off, S.H.A.N., 21 October 2003)
  ###


Democratic Voice of Burma   October 24, 2003
KNU denies defeat in latest Burmese military offensive

The KNU retreated on 16 October because of the ferocity of the attacks by
the SPDC (State Peace and Development) Army and the DKBA (Democratic Karen
Buddhist Army) troops.

DVB correspondent Khine Thazin filed this report:

Khine Thazin : SPDC forces started waging an intense campaign against the
KNU beginning from 5 August and because of the fierce attacks, the KNU
retreated on 16 October. SPDC troops, now reported to be about 3 km away
from the KNU's Seventh Brigade headquarters, however, have not been able
to take over the headquarters yet.

In connection with the latest battle situation, Lt-Col Phaw Doh, commander
of the KNU 101st Special Battalion under the Seventh Brigade, said the
retreat did not mean that the KNU had lost its territory.

Lt-Col Phaw Doh : We retreated, but that does not mean we lost our land.
Our force is weaker than theirs, so we avoided a head-on confrontation.
No, we were not defeated. To be defeated in a battle means we would be
left in disarray. Even though we moved our Seventh Brigade headquarters
out, the enemy has not come in to take over the base. This is because we
have used mines to defend ourselves. To come into our base means they will
have to face danger.

That was 101st Special Battalion Commander Lt-Col Phaw Doh.

During the two-month battle between the KNU and the SPDC, more than 100
villagers from Mae Palet region were able to flee to the Burmese-Thai
border last month. However, following the tough security measures imposed
by the Thai authorities to close the border, refugees have not been able
to come to the border.

The Karen Refugee Committee, KRC, said the more than 100 villagers who
fled to the border last month had been sent to the refugee camps along the
Burmese-Thai border


----REGIONAL----

Agence France Presse   October 24, 2003
Thai PM to attend regional summit in Myanmar next month

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will attend a summit of leaders
from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar in Myanmar next month to discuss a
regional economic strategy, officials said Friday.

Thaksin will travel to Yangon on November 10, pay a courtesy call on
Myanmar leader Senior General Than Shwe the following day and then attend
the November 12 meeting in the ancient Myanmar capital of Bagan,
government officials said.

The summit follows an August meeting of the four countries' foreign
ministers in the Thai capital, during which they agreed to work on a
strategy to boost their economic cooperation.

Thailand pledged to take a lead role in the strategy, which it said aimed
to increase competitiveness, generate economic growth in border areas,
create jobs and reduce regional income disparities.

Thaksin initially proposed the idea of creating an economic quadrangle in
April, in a bid to increase overall regional income.

He said then that if the four countries could coordinate to boost their
agricultural production, Thailand's perenniel problem with illegal workers
would be reduced as they would be able to find employment at home.