BurmaNet News Jan 30 - Feb 2, 2004

[editor at burmanet.org]

Jan 30-Feb 2, 2004 Issue # 2415


INSIDE BURMA
BBC Monitor: Burmese ethnic rebels reshuffle following internal coup attempt
BBC Monitor: Burmese PM says local, global support vital for success of
road map
AFP: Myanmar junta, Karen rebels to meet again next week
Reuters: Myanmar rebels see long road to peace deal
AP: Myanmar says democracy will be a "distant reality" if there's
interference

BUSINESS / MONEY
Xinhua: Myanmar to allow import of mining equipment with earnings from
gemsale
Economic Times: Myanmar oils ties with Delhi

REGIONAL
BBC Monitor: ASEAN, US officials discuss Burma road map during dialogue
Kaladan: Forgotten people: Burmese Rohingyas’ Uncertain Destiny In
Bangladesh Prison

INTERNATIONAL
Nation: US official cool on progress in Burma's democracy road map
IFI Burma: Japan to resume some small-scale aid to Myanmar

OPINION / OTHER
IFI Burma: Call for endorsements: Letter to China on Salween dam plans
Asian Wall Street: "Dialogue with Burma's Thuggish Leaders"


INSIDE BURMA
___________________________________

Feb 2, BBC Monitor
Burmese ethnic rebels reshuffle following internal coup attempt

Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 30 January - Democratic
Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 30 Jan 04

It has been learned that a public meeting was held today at the Laiza City
Hall in Kachin State to explain the situations surrounding the internal
coup attempt within the KIO Kachin Independence Organization hierarchy
earlier in the month. Local residents at Laiza told DVB Democratic Voice
of Burma that KIO Chief of Staff Gen N'ban La and General Secretary Dr Tu
Ja led the explanations at the ceremony which began at 1100 local time .
They claimed that the coup attempt was not because of differences of
opinion regarding the State Peace and Development Council's National
Convention but because of the instigation by exiled Kachin National
Organization, KNO.

Maj Khun Mau, former KIO Third Brigade commander who was elected as the
new KIO secretary-2, said similar meetings will be continuously held at
the various brigade headquarters in KIO-controlled areas and added that
conditions have returned to normal.

The leaders of the newly-reformed KIO have been chosen as follows:

U Lamon Tu Jai as chairman,

Col Gawru Zau Seng as vice-chairman-1

Dr Tu Ja as vice-chairman-2

Col Zan Shaung as secretary-1, and

Maj Khun Mau as secretary-2

As for the responsibilities in the KIO war office, Maj-Gen N'ban La was
chosen as chief of staff and Col Lazum Bauk as vice-chief of staff. Those
who were dismissed from the KIO were Col Lazaung Awangwa, KIO Intelligence
and National Security Council chief and the main person accused of
planning the coup, Maj Kan Aung, deputy-chief of KIO Intelligence and
National Security Council, and Kachin National Council Vice-Chairman U San
Myaing. It has been learned that Col Lazaung Awangwa is absconding while
the other two have been detained. Local residents said another person
arrested in connection with the case was N Hkun Dwela, a Christian pastor
from Laiza.
____________________________

Feb 1, BBC Monitor
Burmese PM says local, global support vital for success of road map

ceremony to mark the closing of Special Refresher Course No 4 for
University and College Teachers was held at the Nawarat Hall of the
Central Institute of Civil Service (CICS) (Paunggyi) in Hlegu Township,
Yangon (Rangoon) Division, at 0900 today. Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt,
who is also the chairman of the Myanmar (Burma) Education Committee,
delivered a speech.

Also present on the occasion were ministers, the chief justice, the
attorney-general, the auditor-general, the chairman of Civil Service
Selection and Training Board, the Yangon mayor, deputy ministers, members
of the Civil Service Selection and Training Board, director general of the
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Office, heads of departments,
rectors, including the rector of CICS, school principals, CICS heads of
departments and tutors, and trainees.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt said: If we look
at the international situation, it can be seen that every country in the
world is striving hard to be competitive so as to further its own national
interest. There are countries that rely on their own national resources to
develop their own national economic life and are sincerely cooperating
with other nations for mutual benefit. Likewise, it is quite evident there
are also countries that only look at and promote their own national
interests by manipulating and interfering in the affairs of other
countries without any regard for the principles of equality and mutual
respect which are the norms of international relations.

Some countries which focus on their self-interests only try to interfere
and manipulate other countries in order to protect their own interests. As
a result, we can see that many forms of conflicts based on ideology, human
rights, democracy, religion and race are taking place all over the world.
There are many instances in the world today where countries are using
political objectives as pretexts to exert pressure on and interfere in the
affairs of developing countries. We have seen that internal instability,
external instigation, and hastily changing to a new political system
without proper preparation can bring anarchy and drag nations to the verge
of being destroyed. Under such conditions, it is of utmost importance for
a developing country like Myanmar, which is striving to stand as an
independent and sovereign nation internationally without harming its
people and national interests, to strongly build up efficient and
qualified national resources that the country can rely on.

In order to strengthen and safeguard the Union of Myanmar as an
independent and sovereign nation, efforts are being made domestically to
strengthen its national resources. At the same time, in the international
sphere, the country is working in friendship and cooperation with other
countries in order to achieve equality, peace, prosperity and progress.
The nation has strictly adhered to its independent and active foreign
policy and is constructively cooperating with all world nations,
particularly its neighbours. Myanmar's relations with the neighbours and
regional countries are developing very well.

As international relations improved, exchanges of goodwill visits have
increased between the leaders of Myanmar and other nations. Last year,
SPDC Chairman Senior General Than Shwe paid goodwill visits to the
People's Republic of China, Laos, and Vietnam and attended the ASEAN
summit conference on SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) held in
Thailand's Bangkok. Similarly, as the prime minister, I attended the Ninth
ASEAN Summit held in Bali, Indonesia, and the ASEAN-Japan Summit held in
Tokyo. Reciprocally, Thai Princess Sirindhorn, Thai Prime Minister Dr
Thaksin, Vice President of India Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime
Minister of Bangladesh Madame Khaleda Zia, and Vice Premier Mr Li Lanqing
of the People's Republic of China visited Myanmar.

As a result of flourishing bilateral friendship with its neighbours and
efforts to further promote ties with neighbouring and regional countries,
Myanmar has been able to win the friendship, understanding, sympathy, and
goodwill of these countries. It is for these reasons that despite the
pressure from the western countries, ASEAN nations had decisively stood on
the side of Myanmar. At the Bali Summit, ASEAN nations had openly declared
their support for the democracy process of Myanmar, stating that sanctions
will not contribute to the emergence of democracy in Myanmar. Similarly,
Japan had also said that it would render assistance to the democracy
process of Myanmar.

Since Myanmar is geographically located in a key region that links
Southeast Asia with South Asia, both Myanmar and the regional countries
will benefit greatly from Myanmar developing its relations and cooperation
with these countries.

ASEAN laid down a future plan for the region in 1997 - ASEAN Vision 2020 -
and adopted the Hanoi Plan of Action in 1998 to realize that vision. Again
in October 2003, The Ninth ASEAN Summit in Bali laid down ASEAN's vision
and tasks for future - the Bali Concord II.

The Bali Concord II is based on three pillars - the security community,
the economic community, and the social and cultural community - and was
drafted for the future of the ASEAN. Once the pillars of the Bali Concord
II are constructed correctly and strongly, the ASEAN family will become a
secure, economically strong, and socially and culturally rich community of
nations. Hence, Myanmar will have to systematically make the necessary
arrangements in order to do fulfil its obligations.

The Summit Meeting on Economic Cooperation Strategy between Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar and Thailand was held successfully in Pagan in November. The
meeting envisioned increasing competitiveness and generating growth at the
borders of the four nations; facilitating the relocation of agricultural
and manufacturing industries to areas with comparative advantage; creating
employment opportunities and reduce income disparity among the four
countries; and enhancing peace, stability, and shared prosperity for all
in a sustainable manner.

The seven sectors targeted for cooperation by the four nations are trade
and investment, agriculture, industrial, transport, road transportation,
tourism, and human resources development, and cooperation can involved all
four nations or bilateral. According to the economic cooperation strategy,
multilateral cooperation is expected to grow among Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar, and Thailand.

Myanmar has been stepping up relations not only with the members of the
ASEAN family but also with what is called ASEAN Plus Three (People's
Republic of China, Japan, and Republic of Korea). In addition, a new
chapter, known as ASEAN Plus India, has also been opened so as to further
extend the relations.

As a member of ASEAN and BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka,
and Sri Lanka Economic Cooperation), Myanmar is stepping up economic,
trade, social, and cultural cooperation with these member countries. In
particular, efforts must be made to the promotion of road transportation,
economic, and trade cooperation with BIMST-EC and ASEAN members as Myanmar
occupies the strategic location in the two regions.

It is encouraging to see the fruits of success being borne from Myanmar's
constructive relations and cooperation for mutual benefit with the
international community and the neighbouring and regional countries.

But, some big western countries are continuing their pressure on Myanmar
under various pretexts. Previously, they hurled accusations against
Myanmar for violating democratic and human rights and over narcotic drugs
and forced labour and tried to seek new ways to exert pressure. Today,
they have opened a new front against Myanmar by making accusations in
connection with the issue of child soldiers.

Myanmar is trying to systematically rebut their sham accusations by
providing accurate data. In order to give a factual report about Burma's
political and human rights situation, Myanmar received the UN
Secretary-General's Special Envoy Mr Razali Ismail and Professor Pinheiro,
who prepared a special report on human rights in Myanmar, and explained
the true situation in Myanmar and the actual position of the Government to
them and also permitted them to study the situation freely.

As the Union of Myanmar has been able to constructively engage with the
international community, it has been treated with mutual respect and
understanding by, and won the cooperation of neighbouring as well as
regional countries. Since Myanmar has been able to maintain friendly
relations and has practiced the norms of international relations in
relating with world nations, including those who do not see eye to eye
with it, observe and Myanmar has been able to stand tall as a sovereign
state in the international arena. In order to create good conditions that
would enable Myanmar to stand with pride as a sovereign nation amidst the
international community on a long-term basis, Myanmar has adopted the
seven-point future political programme and has publicly declared it to the
world.

Myanmar has already started initiating tasks that need to be undertaken
for its clear and precise seven-point political programme, which is
supported by the United Nations, the ASEAN, and neighbouring and regional
countries. All ethnic nationality organizations in Myanmar have welcomed,
cooperated, and supported that political programme and the State has also
formed and assigned duties to all the committees needed for the
reconvening of the National Convention, which is the first phase of the
political programme. Active participation by the entire national people in
every phase of the seven-point future political programme and the
encouragement and support of the international community are a requisite
for the successful realization of that programme.

Any attempt to hinder or destroy a process of that political programme
will make the national goal - the emergence of a peaceful, modern,
developed and disciplined democracy - be a distant reality. Therefore,
university and college teachers are to do their bit by lending themselves
to the drive to implement the seven-point roadmap to be able to march
towards the goal of the entire national people smoothly.

Following the speech, certificates were presented to the trainees.
(Passage omitted)

Source: TV Myanmar, Rangoon, in Burmese 1330 gmt 30 Jan 04
____________________________

Jan 31, Agence France Presse
Myanmar junta, Karen rebels to meet again next week: Official

Myanmar's military rulers and ethnic Karen rebels will hold a new round of
peace talks in the coming week after calling a halt to five decades of
fighting, a junta official said Saturday.

Brigadier General Kyaw Thein, who has been closely involved in peace talks
with the Karen National Union (KNU), confirmed the upcoming meeting but
declined to provide its exact date or location.

"Things are coming along fine and we will be meeting again next week for
the next round of talks," Kyaw Thein, from the Office of the Chief of
Military Intelligence, told AFP.

The junta announced on January 23 that it had reached a ceasefire
agreement with the KNU to halt more than five decades of conflict with the
ethnic insurgent group.

A broader peace arrangement is being sought to conclusively end one of the
world's longest-running insurgencies and bring the KNU an element of
political legitimacy.

A delegation led by the commander of the rebel group's military wing,
General Bo Mya, made a historic trip to Yangon this month and held a
two-hour meeting with the reclusive country's leader, Senior General Than
Shwe.

Although the informal ceasefire fell short of a written settlement sought
by the Karen at the six-day talks in Yangon, the red-carpet treatment
extended to the delegation was proof of a warming relationship.

The KNU is the largest of the handful of rebel groups still fighting
against Yangon's rule. The junta estimates there are 7,000 rebels in the
insurgent group which took up arms 53 years ago.

Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt has been courting the insurgents as he
works to have all rebel ethnic groups attend a national convention for
this year to draft a new constitution.

The inclusion of the ethnic groups is key to the credibility of the
convention, which is the first step in a seven-point "roadmap" for
democracy announced last year which the junta hopes will mute
international criticism over its failure to embark on reforms.

The premier said meanwhile that preparations for the implementation of the
roadmap were coming along apace, but warned against internal or
international efforts to disrupt the political process.

"Any attempts to hinder the working process will make the national goal
(of) the emergence of a peaceful, modern, developed and
discipline-flourishing democracy ... a distant reality," Khin Nyunt was
quoted as saying in the official New Light of Myanmar.
____________________________

Jan 31, Reuters
Myanmar rebels see long road to peace deal

Mae Sot, Thailand - Peace talks between Myanmar's biggest rebel group and
its military rulers could drag on for up to a year before a deal is
signed, a senior rebel leader said on Saturday.

"It will take six months to a year before talks with the government can be
concluded," General Bo Mya, vice chairman of the Karen National Union
(KNU), told reporters in Mhi Aye Pue on the Thai-Myanmar border.

The ageing guerrilla leader was speaking during a ceremony to mark the
55th anniversary of the Karen rebellion.

The KNU -- which has battled Yangon in pursuit of autonomy for the Karen
people since 1949, a year after what was then called Burma became
independent of Britain -- agreed to stop fighting in December but never
signed a ceasefire deal.

Bo Mya, who led the KNU into landmark peace talks in Yangon this month,
said last week that his meeting with Prime Minister Khin Nyunt and other
junta officials laid a "good foundation" for further negotiations.

He said on Saturday the two sides had to work out the plight of tens of
thousands of Karen refugees displaced by the conflict, and designate an
area along the Thai-Myanmar border to be placed under some form of KNU
control.

Bo Mya also said he had sent a letter to the leader of the Democratic
Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) seeking to heal old wounds dating back to the
DKBA's  split from the KNU in 1994.

He did not give details of the letter.

The Myanmar government has signed peace and cooperation deals with 17
rebel groups since 1989. But six rounds of talks with the KNU ended in
failure, the last in 1996 when the two sides blamed each other for the
collapse.

Yangon, under international pressure to move towards democracy, has
courted ethnic groups to join its "road map to democracy", which would
reconvene a constitution-drafting national convention suspended in 1996.

The KNU has not decided whether to join the process, which critics say has
no timetable and has so far excluded pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi
and her National League for Democracy (NLD).

"Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD have to be part of national dialogue or a
national assembly," James Kelly, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for
East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told the Nation newspaper during a visit
to Bangkok on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government has decided to resume some new aid to
Myanmar due to what it said were signs of progress toward democracy in the
country.

But Japan would continue to refrain from large-scale aid to Myanmar, a
foreign ministry official said on Friday.

Japan cut off new aid to Myanmar after it detained Aung San Suu Kyi
following clashes on May 30 between Suu Kyi's supporters and government
backers.

Suu Kyi was kept at a secret location until September, when she went to
hospital for an operation and then was allowed to go home under house
arrest.
____________________________

Jan 31, Associated Press
Myanmar says democracy will be a "distant reality" if there's interference

Myanmar's prime minister has warned that democracy will become a "distant
reality" if the government meets with interference, apparently from
Western nations, in following a roadmap toward a democratic state.

The Myanmar leader, Gen. Khin Nyunt, said in a speech Friday that the
military-run nation has been able to forge good relations with other Asian
countries and international organizations such as the United Nations.

But he said Western countries were putting pressure on Myanmar, accusing
it of violating human rights, employing forced labor and enlisting child
soldiers in its armed forces.

"Any attempt to hinder the working process will make the national goal -
the emergence of a peaceful, modern, developed and disciplined democracy -
be a distant reality," Khin Nyunt told a meeting of university teachers.
His remarks were carried by the government-controlled media Saturday.

He said the support of the international community was vital in carrying
out a seven-step roadmap toward democracy which was announced in August.
The first step requires the drafting of a new constitution and the roadmap
eventually is to lead to national elections and a new government.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962,
with the current crop of leaders taking over in 1988 after the bloody
crushing of a pro-democracy uprising.

Western nations, including the United States, have accused Myanmar of
widespread human rights violations and are suspicious of claims that the
country is on the road to democratic rule. Pressure on the junta
intensified after pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was taken into
custody after a confrontation between her followers and a pro-junta mob
last May.

She remains under house arrest.


BUSINESS / MONEY
_____________________________________

Feb 2, Xinhua
Myanmar to allow import of mining equipment with earnings from gemsale

Myanmar is to allow import of fuel, dynamites and other related equipment
to be used in gem mining with export earnings from the sale of gems and
jewelry at the country's upcoming gems show.

The measure was outlined in the state-run Myanma Gems Enterprise (MGE)'s
Monday announcement of holding its 41st annual gems emporium from March 13
to 21 to put on sale its domestically produced quality gems, jade, pearl
and jewelry through competitive bidding and at fixed prices.

Myanmar started to hold annual gem show in 1964, introducing mid-year ones
in addition since 1992 to boost the country's dollar earning.

Since 1964, Myanmar has earned a total of 431.98 million dollars from such
events, according to the MGE statistics.

Myanmar, a well-known producer of gems in the world, is in possession of
nine gems -- ruby, diamond, cat's eye, emerald, topaz, pearl, sapphire,
coral and a variety of garnet tinged with yellow.

There are three famous gem lands in Myanmar -- Mogok in Mandalay division,
Mongshu in Shan state and Phakant in Kachin state.

To develop gem mining industry, Myanmar enacted the New Gemstone Law in
September 1995, allowing national entrepreneurs to mine, produce,
transport and sell finished gemstone and manufactured jewelry at home and
abroad.

Since April 2000, the government has started mining of gems and jade in
joint venture with 10 private companies under profit sharing basis.
____________________________

Jan 31, Economic Times
Myanmar oils ties with Delhi

Oil has kept the diplomatic wheel spinning smoothly between India and
Myanmar despite the odd noises made by defence minister George Fernandes
over the military junta in Yangon.

And it is paying off, with Myanmarese energy minister Lun Thi offering to
Indian oil companies a $ 116-million refinery revamp contract, a gas field
and diesel purchase orders.

On its part, New Delhi is pushing for a pipeline - either underwater or
onland through Bangladesh - to wheel the huge gas deposits found last
month by an Indian-Korean consortium.

The promised gas field, A-3, lies on the southern edge of Block A-1 in the
Bay of Bengal where four to six trillion cubic feet of gas reserves was
discovered earlier this month. Block A-3 has both oil and gas.

"We're exploring if gas from Block A-1 can be brought to India," oil
minister Naik said after meeting the visiting minister.

Petroleum secretary B K Chaturvedi said gas utility GAIL will carry out a
feasibility study of a pipeline.

Both the options of an undersea link connecting the Mynamar gas fields to
the east coast and an onland line through Bangladesh into the North-East
or West Bengal will be studied. The feasibility report will be ready by
June.

India also offered exporting surplus diesel from Numaligarh Refinery in
Assam to Myanmar. Myanmar needs five million tonnes of diesel every year.

A product pipeline from Numaligarh to Yangon could be also be built.
Diesel exports could begin in truck-tankers as early as June-July.

Gas production from Block A-1 could be 1.5 billion cubic feet per day. Gas
could be available commercially by 2008. The production capacity of the
field can be much more than 500 million cubic feet per day.


REGIONAL
____________________________

Feb 1, 2004
ASEAN, US officials discuss Burma road map during dialogue

A senior US official yesterday poured cold water on Thailand's optimism
about the democratization of Burma, saying a comprehensive approach was
still lacking.

"We haven't seen the time line on the road map, although I admit there
does seem to be some movement," said James Kelly, US assistant secretary
of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.

Burma's military junta in August announced a seven-point road map towards
national reconciliation and democratization, which promised to include
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) and ethnic
minorities.

During the 17th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-US Dialogue
Meeting this week, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra discussed current
developments with Kelly, and the Foreign Ministry gave the US official a
run-down on dialogue between the junta and the Karen National Union (KNU).

The KNU, Burma's largest armed group, last week entered a cease-fire
agreement with the junta.

"Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD have to be part of national dialogue or a
national assembly, when it begins in Rangoon," Kelly said on the sidelines
of the meeting.

"It's good to hear upbeat requests, but nobody I know has seen her. And so
there is a sense that this picture is not quite complete. I don't know if
the Thais will agree with that," Kelly said.

Thaung Tun, director-general of the Burmese Foreign Ministry's Political
Affairs Department, said dialogue was progressing between the government
and Suu Kyi. He suggested Washington take a "fresh look" at its relations
with Rangoon.

"Burma has been cooperating with the US and ASEAN on narcotics prevention,
but the US is not very forthcoming," he said at a briefing with US
delegates on narcotics efforts in the region.

He said the Thai-Burmese crop-substitution project in Yong Ka was a "good
example" of cooperation on drug prevention.

"This should be supported by ASEAN friends and partners like the US," he
said.

In May the US, Japan and the European Union stepped up sanctions against
Burma following a bloody attack on Suu Kyi's supporters.

Thaung Tun said many young men and women had lost their jobs because of
the sanctions. Walter Lohman, executive director of the US-ASEAN Business
Council, said his organization had never been supportive of sanctions in
Burma or anywhere else.

There have been concerns that ASEAN will be embarrassed if the junta does
not bring about political change before Burma assumes the chairmanship of
the grouping in 2007.

Ong Keng Yong, ASEAN'S secretary-general said: "Other ASEAN members have
been under military rule, even Thailand." In his discussions with ASEAN
Kelly suggested that the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) have a secretariat and
the role of the chair be enhanced.

The ARF should be organized in the same way as the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, he said, which has over 1,000 staff at
its Paris office.

Source: The Nation web site, Bangkok, in English 1 Feb 04

____________________________

Jan 31, Kaladan
Forgotten People: Burmese Rohingyas’ Uncertain Destiny In Bangladesh Prison

Chitagong: Some Burmese Rohingyas are being blocked with an uncertain
destiny in Bangladesh prisons for many years after the expiry of their
prison terms.

There are seventy-four Burmese prisoners have already spent 5 to 12 years
after the expiry of their prison terms in Bandarband Jail, a district jail
of southern Chittagong Hill Tracts, said a prison clerk of the jail, named
Dipok Sharker.

A total of 230 prisoners are lingering in a Bandarban jail, of them 74
prisoners are Burmese citizens. Two of them are Burman from Rangoon
capital, who were caught while fishing illegally in the Bangladesh waters
with Thai fishing Boat and the rest 72 are Burmese Rohingya from Arakan
State, Burma. They were also caught while taking shelter in Bangladesh
after crossing Burma-Bangladesh border and some were caught, fishing in
Bangladesh waters, he further said.

Among the Rohingya prisoners, there are two families, consisting of whole
family members, numbering five and six, where the first family consists of
3 sons and parents and the latter consists of parents together with two
daughters, 10 and 12 and two sons, 6 and 9. They were arrested in 1997
while crossing Burma-Bangladesh Border hailing from Buthidaung Township in
Arakan State. All these children seem to be paralyzed as inadequate of
nutrition and permanent locked in a ward of the jail, said Rashid, a
prisoner who was recently released.

The rest Burmese prisoners are from Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Kyauktaw,
Rathedaung, Minbya and Sittwe(Akyab) Townships of Arakan State, while the
only one Burmese refugee was released on December 7, 2003, by the
intervention of the UNHCR, a protection staff in Cox’s Bazar named Miss.
Joinab. He was overstayed his prison term by as many as eight years and
hailed from Naribil village of Maungdaw Township, he further described.

Though the Bangladesh authorities have repeatedly tried to repatriate all
the Burmese prisoners to Burma during these years, but the Burmese
military junta has denied accepting them as their own citizens, while some
Rakhaings were taken back to their home, said another prisoner who
declined to identify.

“We only knew that the prison authorities have tried many times to pursue
the attention of the Burmese regime through the Burmese embassy in Dhaka,
but in vain.  The Burmese military regime has all along been unwilling
either to identify us their genuine citizens or simply ignored our
appeals, on grounds only known to them”, he further said.

The jail authorities have sent several letters to the concerned
authorities but the respective government has never answered them. The
non-cooperation on part of the neighboring country, in this regard has not
only belated the release of the prisoners but also put more pressure on
the capacity of the jail authorities to keep them in prison, according to
BSS.

The future of these Burmese prisoners is still uncertain though the
bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries have ‘improved
significantly”, according to Narinjara, referring to a head of a local NGO
dealing in human rights.

There are about 500 to 700 Burmese Rohingya prisoners still passing their
lives in various jails of Bangladesh. Now, they are suffering from many
kinds of diseases such as - malaria, cough, asthma, skin diseases and etc.
for insufficient of medical treatments and shortage of medicines. They
have been forced to work in the farms by jail authorities and are also
being fed inadequate food, according to the prisoner who was recently
released.

For further information, please contact: Mobile: (+880) 11 227 138,
E-mail: kaladanpress at yahoo.com, www.geocities.com/kaladanpress


INTERNATIONAL
____________________________

Jan 31, The Nation
US official cool on progress in Burma's democracy road map

A senior US official yesterday poured cold water on Thailand's optimism
about the democratisation of Burma, saying a comprehensive approach was
still lacking.

"We haven't seen the time line on the road map, although I admit there
does seem to be some movement," said James Kelly, US assistant secretary
of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Burma's military junta in August announced a seven-point road map towards
national reconciliation and democratisation, which promised to include
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) and ethnic
minorities.

During the 17th Asean-US Dialogue Meeting this week, Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra discussed current developments with Kelly, and the
Foreign Ministry gave the US official a run-down on dialogue between the
junta and the Karen National Union.

The KNU, Burma's largest armed group, last week entered a cease-fire
agreement with the junta.

"Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD have to be part of national dialogue or a
national assembly, when it begins in Rangoon," Kelly said on the sidelines
of the meeting.

"It's good to hear upbeat requests, but nobody I know has seen her. And so
there is a sense that this picture is not quite complete. I don't know if
the Thais will agree with that," Kelly said.

Thaung Tun, director-general of the Burmese Foreign Ministry's Political
Affairs Department, said dialogue was progressing between the government
and Suu Kyi. He suggested Washington take a "fresh look" at its relations
with Rangoon.

"Burma has been cooperating with the US and Asean on narcotics prevention,
but the US is not very forthcoming," he said at a briefing with US
delegates on narcotics efforts in the region.

He said the Thai-Burmese crop-substitution project in Yong Ka was a "good
example" of cooperation on drug prevention.

"This should be supported by Asean friends and partners like the US," he
said.

In May the US, Japan and the European Union stepped up sanctions against
Burma following a bloody attack on Suu Kyi's supporters.

Thaung Tun said many young men and women had lost their jobs because of
the sanctions.

Walter Lohman, executive director of the US-Asean Business Council, said
his organisation had never been supportive of sanctions in Burma or
anywhere else.

There have been concerns that Asean will be embarrassed if the junta does
not bring about political change before Burma assumes the chairmanship of
the grouping in 2007.

Ong Keng Yong, Asean's secretary-general said: "Other Asean members have
been under military rule, even Thailand." In his discussions with Asean
Kelly suggested that the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) have a secretariat and
 the role of the chair be enhanced.

The ARF should be organised in the same way as the Organisation for 
Security and Cooperation in Europe, he said, which has over 1,000 staff at
its Paris office.

Don Pathan. Rungrawee C Pinyorat
____________________________

Jan 30, IFI Burma, Alert News
Japan to resume some small-scale aid to Myanmar
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/T320615.htm

Compiler's note:

A Kyodo article (in Japanese) dated January 31 reports that the decision
to resume aid was made "last week" on the basis that "Aung San Suu Kyi was
moved to her house in September, and SPDC is making progress on reaching
settlements with ethnic minorities in order to implement the Roadmap."

Earlier this month, the SPDC and the Karen National Union agreed
toestablish a ceasefire.

Also according to the Kyodo article, it is expected that the resumed aid
will be used for the following: (1) development of human resources for
democratization and economic structural reforms; and (2) economic
cooperation with ASEAN as a whole as well as with the developing countries
within ASEAN.

TOKYO, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The Japanese government has decided to resume
some new aid to Myanmar due to signs of progress toward democratization in
the country, a Foreign Ministry official said on Friday.

But the new aid to be resumed will be limited in size, the official said,
adding that Japan would continue to refrain from large-scale aid to
Myanmar.

Japan cut off new aid to Myanmar after it detained Myanmar opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi following clashes on May 30 between Suu Kyi's
supporters and government backers, although Tokyo has since decided to
conduct some humanitarian assistance.

Suu Kyi was kept at a secret location until September, when she went to
hospital for an operation and then was allowed to go home under house
arrest.

The latest decision, made in December, to resume more types of new
small-scale aid was prompted by that change in Suu Kyi's situation, as
well as the unveiling of a "road map to democracy" by Myanmar last August,
the Japanese official said.

"Such moves are not sufficient to completely resolve the situation...But
they can be viewed as a certain degree of change headed toward
democratisation," he said.

Japan decided to resume new aid to Myanmar that either helps cultivate
people who can promote democracy and economic structural reforms, or
involves economic assistance to the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations, of which Myanmar is a member.

Japan stopped large-scale loans and economic assistance to Myanmar after
the current military government took power in 1988, although it continued
small-scale humanitarian and other economic assistance.

It extended a total of 8.37 billion yen ($79.05 million) in aid grants in
the five years ending in March 2003, as well as technological assistance
worth 6.75 billion yen for the four-year period to March 2002, according
to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.


OPINION / OTHER
_____________________________________

February 2, IFI Burma
Call for endorsements: Letter to China on Salween dam plans

Three items on the sign-on letter regarding the damming of the Salween
River (Nujiang) in China:

1. Introduction by Kevin Li
2. Call for endorsements from the International Rivers Network (IRN)
3. Text of the sign-on letter

* Endorsements should be sent to Doris Shen (IRN) at: doris at irn.org

**********

1. Introduction by Kevin Li (Jan. 31, 2004)

As you may know, Salween River, or known as Nu-jiang for its China
section, is home to millions of people from over 20 ethnic minorities in
China's Yunnan Province, Thailand and Burma.

China is planning to build 13 dams on Nujiang, without proper consultation
with the neighbouring countries and affected communities and thorough
information disclosure. We believe this is a great opportunity for the
international civil society to address the transboundary environmental
problems concerning China and Burma for the following reason:

The heated debate, among environmental experts, government officials,
power companies and concerned academics, over dam projects in China has
surfaced on the domestic mass media since last July. It has not yet ceased
to stop, because, we believe, a proper, legal framework for participatory,
environment-friendly decision-making has yet to be installed. Such a
framework should include a proper, internationally recognised EIA
mechanism and a proper consultation with all the stakeholders.

So far, this is the most proper way to address the transboundary
environmental problems. We believe that politicised debate do not help the
people, in the case of China. However, it is more likely to address the
issue using a framework with de-politicised managerial outlook, which, by
virtue, can encourage participation from neighbouring countries and
international community, to participate in China-related affairs.

So we can find the major arguments inside the letter as below:

1. Emphasise the importance of the "Three Parallel Rivers" in terms of
biodiversity and nature scenery. It was listed as UNESCO World Heritage
Site last July. Chinese people highly emphasise their links to the world,
and do not want to lose face if they fail to protect a
world-recognised national treasure;

2. Possible impacts on both upstream and downstream communities;

3. Emphasise the importance of comprehensive environmental and social
impact assessments. We can then align with the like-minded academics and
environmentalists in China, in pursuing a well-established decision-making
framework prior to any infrastructure projects like dams.

This is probably the first time we join hands with the Chinese
environmental groups to fight for environmental justice.  So please join
us, and spread the word to those who are concerned about the environment
in China and Burma.  Thanks very much for your attention!

For relevant information:
83 Thai/Burma groups endorsed a letter concerning the dam plan:
http://www.rwesa.org/statement/statement20031216sw.html
http://www.rwesa.org

Related news report: (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3402389.stm

Best wishes,
Kevin

**********
2. Call for endorsements from the International Rivers Network
(www.irn.org) (Jan. 30, 2004)

Dear Friends,

Greetings and best wishes to you in the Lunar New Year-

Please find below, for your consideration, a sign-on letter to the
government of China regarding its plans for Upper Salween dams.

If you would like to endorse this letter on behalf of your organization,
please send your name and organization affiliation on to me by
email:doris at irn.org.  We would like to send the letter out by next Friday,
February 6th.

If you should have any comments, questions, or suggestions for edits,
please send them on to the same address.

Please send the letter on to groups whom you think would be interested in
signing-on to the letter as well.

Best regards,
Doris

**********

President of China
His Excellency Mr. Hu Jintao
State Council Secretariat
Zhongnanhai
Beijing, People's Republic of China

January 30, 2004

Your Excellency,

We, the undersigned organizations, are writing to express our concerns
about the plans to develop up to thirteen large hydropower projects on the
Nujiang / Upper Salween River in China. We have learned that officials
from the local prefecture on the Nujiang in China plan to approve the
construction of a major dam at Liuku in Yunnan province and that Huadian
Group is seeking construction contracts. We are deeply concerned that this
decision is being made without consultation with downstream countries and
communities, and that the additional twelve dams will be approved in a
similar manner.

The Nujiang / Salween, the last free-flowing international river in the
region, is shared by China, Thailand, and Burma. The Nu River in the Three
Parallel Rivers area is the epicentre of Chinese biodiversity.  Recognized
by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the Three Parallel Rivers area is
known to be one of the richest temperate regions of the world.  The area
contains over 6000 different plant species and is believed to support over
50% of China's animal species. Forests and wetlands along the river are
home to many diverse species of flora and fauna and contain areas of HIGH
ecological value. Nine of the thirteen dams proposed will be in the World
Heritage site. These projects will drastically impact the Nujiang's
riverine ecosystem, threaten the ecological integrity of the Three
Parallel Rivers area, and jeopardize its World Heritage status.

Millions of people of over twenty ethnicities depend on the
Nujiang/Salween River watershed for their livelihoods. Along the river,
fisheries are a major source of dietary protein. Nutrients carried down by
the river also sustain vegetable gardens in the dry season and fertilize
large areas of farmland. Dam projects risk drastic impacts to all of these
resources.

We respectfully ask that the Chinese government suspend the project plans
immediately and abandon all plans to build hydropower projects in the
World Heritage Area.  As one of the last free-flowing rivers in China, and
as an area of high ecological integrity, the Three Parallel Rivers area
should be protected for future generations.

If dam projects are to go ahead on the Nujiang / Salween River outside of
the World Heritage area, we request that comprehensive environmental and
social impact studies are completed before construction and implemention,
to determine whether the projects are economically, socially, and
environmentally acceptable. Proper consultation with riparian neighbors
and all affected communities should be conducted according to
international standards.  Reports and assessments should be publicly
disclosed in regional languages.

We look forward to joint cooperation and protection of this important river.

Sincerely yours,

This letter is endorsed by the following representatives and organizations:

Cc: Mr. Li Zhaoxing, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, Waijiaobu, 2
Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Beijingshi, 100701, People's Republic of China
____________________________

Jan 30, Asian Wall Street
"Dialogue with Burma's Thuggish Leaders" - By Benedict Rogers

[This is a longer version of the article that appeared in the Asian Wall
Street Journal from Jan 30, 2004 – Ed]

Dialogue is always preferable to war, and the outcome can never be known
for certain until it is tried. Sitting around a table with people who have
raped, tortured and slaughtered your people for decades may be a
distasteful experience, but it is right to try. However, talking about a
ceasefire with your oppressor at the very moment that they are
intensifying their stranglehold on your people must be an especially
galling experience. That is the situation in Burma today.

Over the past year, the human rights situation in Burma has worsened.
Amnesty International recently made their second ever visit to Burma, and
concluded that the situation had "deteriorated significantly" since its
first visit early last year. A year ago, Burma's pro-democracy leader,
Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, was at least free, able to move around
the country and meet supporters. All that changed on May 30th last year,
when the illegal military junta known as the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC) but described by US Secretary of State Colin Powell as "a
gang of thugs", launched a barely concealed assassination attempt on her.
She survived, but hundreds of her supporters were beaten, arrested,
imprisoned and tortured, and scores died. She was detained, initially in
an undisclosed location and then under house-arrest in her home in
Rangoon, where she remains today. Indeed, little has been heard from her
in recent months, which begs the question: how is she? We do not know how
her health is and, unusually, she has not sent out any message about how
she feels about the political developments. Why is she virtually
incommunicado?

International condemnation of the May 30th attack was swift, at least in
rhetoric.  But while the United States introduced tough new sanctions last
summer, and the European Union extended and tightened its existing
measures, little else happened and Burma slipped from the agenda. The EU
has rejected further sanctions. The United Nations has once again failed
to act. Hopes that the Security Council would consider a specific
resolution on Burma have come to nothing, and UN Special Envoy Razali
Ismail, a Malaysian businessman with a commercial stake in Burma, has
proven to be a serious disappointment. There was a flicker of hope last
week when the Security Council debated imposing sanctions on countries
that recruit and use child soldiers (Burma is the worst offender, with
70,000 child soldiers in the Burma Army), and to everyone's surprise
France and Germany were the main proponents of action. Germany even wanted
to broaden the resolution, to include systematic rape as a weapon of war,
a category for which Burma is also well-qualified.  But it remains to be
seen how far they will go.

In the past few weeks, superficial progress has been made. The SPDC has
talked about re-convening a National Convention to draft a new
constitution for the country.  Foreign Minister U Win Aung promised a
transition process that would be conducted in an "all-inclusive manner",
involving all groups. And last week, the SPDC engaged in historic
ceasefire talks with the largest armed ethnic resistance group, the Karen
National Union (KNU). Karen leader General Bo Mya himself led a 21-member
delegation to Rangoon, his first visit to the capital since the armed
conflict began over a half century ago.

But these steps are at this stage purely superficial - and deceptive.
While the door should not be slammed in the junta's face, it is too early
to welcome, as UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan unfortunately did, the
National Convention. Annan was perceived by Burmese exiles as having given
tacit approval to the regime's "roadmap", and rightly criticised. It is
too early to 'welcome' anything, until there is substance. A National
Convention held while thousands of political prisoners remain behind bars
is a farce. A National Convention that is not accepted by Aung San Suu Kyi
and the National League for Democracy (NLD) is dead in the water, and any
transition process that is not based on tripartite talks between the
regime, the NLD and the ethnic nationalities is meaningless. Furthermore,
the terms - and realities - of any permanent ceasefire agreement reached
with the Karen need to be carefully examined. If there is an agreement to
cease military hostilities between the SPDC forces and the Karen
guerrillas, but SPDC troops remain in Karen territory, continuing to rape,
pillage and loot, burning Karen villages, destroying crops, taking people
for forced labour and using human minesweepers, what is the value of a
ceasefire? If the SPDC stops shooting at Karen soldiers but continues to
lay landmines around Karen villages, what has changed? The situation will
have deteriorated further, because the Karen civilians will be without the
protection of the armed resistance forces. They will be defenceless. A
ceasefire that does not either require the complete withdrawal of SPDC
troops and their militia, or the introduction of international monitors to
the conflict zones, will not be worth the paper it is written on.

It is too early to pre-judge the outcome of these talks, but it is
difficult not to be cynical. Why is the SPDC talking to the Karen, but not
the other armed groups, the Shan, Karenni or Chin for example? It looks
suspiciously like a deliberate divide-and-rule strategy, agreeing
piecemeal deals with different groups, setting them against one another.

There are very good reasons to be sceptical. Last week, as the KNU
delegation was in Rangoon, reports emerged from the jungles of eastern
Burma of an estimated 3,500 newly displaced Karen and Karenni civilians.
According to the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian relief team operating
deep inside the conflict zones beyond the Thai-Burmese border, the SPDC
has launched a campaign to clear all villages in southern Karenni state.
Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) Deputy Commander, Major-General
Aung Mya, said that six villages and 40 rice barns have been burned down.
Villagers north and south of the Mawchi-Toungoo road have been forcibly
relocated, and are being used for forced labour.

On January 11, the Free Burma Rangers claimed that 1,673 people were
hiding together in one jungle location. "Rice is running out and although
there is a relief team providing emergency medical assistance, medicine
will run out in two weeks if there is no resupply," they reported. A new
road is being constructed using forced labour, to serve a new Wolfram
mine, and the Karenni claim that 1,000 new SPDC troops have arrived in
Karenni state from Karen state. On January 17 and 18, as the KNU was in
Rangoon for talks, three SPDC battalions attacked Karen villagers with
mortars, grenade launchers and machine guns. The Free Burma Rangers
conclude that "this is a humanitarian crisis. These people urgently need
food, shelter and protection. They would also like to be able to return
home and not face the oppression of the [SPDC]."

Unless the SPDC immediately ceases these gross violations of human rights,
it will be difficult to believe it is serious about meaningful reform. The
Karen have little choice over whether to talk - they are under intense
pressure from Thailand's prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is
desperate to ingratiate himself to Burma's junta because of his
telecommunications business in Burma. Since over 100,000 Karen refugees
are in camps in Thailand, and many KNU leaders live on the Thai-Burmese
border, the Karen are beholden to the Thais. However, if the current
humanitarian crisis in Karen and Karenni areas continues, and if the
ceasefire talks yield no
meaningful progress, Thaksin will find it hard to justify his alliance
with the SPDC. If the situation does not change, and Thaksin does not
distance himself from the junta, international boycotts of Thaksin's Shin
Corporation and its partners should be considered.

The problem in Thailand is that a handful of Thai officials, spearheaded
by Thaksin, and his deputy, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, are so committed to
commercial interests in Burma that they put relations with the SPDC higher
than humanitarian concerns. What they fail to see is that their deepening
alliance with the junta will, if they are not careful, damage their own,
and Thailand's, economic and political interests. By aligning itself with
drug-running murderous thugs, Thailand risks its own international
reputation. Many Thais, including Government officials, soldiers and
Senators, are supportive of the Karen and the NLD, but are not at this
stage in a position to change Thai policy. If progress does not come
however, pressure on Thaksin from within Thailand should be encouraged.

To encourage the SPDC in its 'road-map' to democracy, UN Special Envoy
Razali Ismail should be replaced. An Asian politician who understands how
to work with brutal regimes but who is also uncompromising in support of
democracy should be appointed.  Two potential candidates for the job would
be East Timor's Foreign Minister José Ramos Horta and former Mongolian
prime minister Elbegdorj Tsakhia. Horta has the experience of fighting
East Timor's struggle against Indonesian occupation, but has become a
skilful diplomat in ASEAN circles. He would be trusted by the democrats in
Burma, but may also be able to win the respect of the regime. Tsakhia,
described as Mongolia's "Thomas Jefferson", was instrumental in bringing
about a constitutional convention and a peaceful transition to democracy
in his own country, and is committed to human rights. He also has an
affinity with the Karen, who are descended from Mongolia.

This year Burma merits greater attention from the international community.
The US and Great Britain must take the lead in moving the UN and the EU
towards stronger measures. To investigate the catalogue of crimes against
humanity alleged by numerous human rights groups - rape, forced labour,
extrajudicial killings, the destruction of crops and villages, the use of
human minesweepers and child soldiers - the US should send its Ambassador
for war crimes to the Thai-Burmese border areas.  International
politicians should go cross-border into Karen areas to see the situation
for themselves. The EU, which according to Commissioner for Development
and Humanitarian Aid Poul Nielson has a "firm commitment to help alleviate
the most pressing humanitarian needs in and around Burma", should provide
emergency relief to the displaced inside Burma. And the regime needs to
know in no uncertain terms that if it continues to fail to make progress,
if the National Convention and the ceasefire talks are simply
window-dressing, then there will be international consequences.

'Engagement' and 'dialogue' are concepts often sneered at by human rights
activists, and understandably so. But it is not engagement and dialogue
that are themselves wrong, it is the way they are conducted. It should
never be a matter of either sanctions or dialogue  - the two must run in
tandem. Pandering to dictators, compromising, is never acceptable. But
sitting around a table with a gang of thugs, looking them in the eye, and
saying 'we know what you are doing, it is wrong, how can we help you
change your behaviour and transition power peacefully to a democratically
elected government?' is the mark of a bigger man. And it's worth trying.

Benedict Rogers is a journalist and human rights campaigner, currently
working with Christian Solidarity Worldwide. He is the author of A Land
Without Evil: Stopping the Genocide of Burma's Karen People (Monarch
Books, 2004).
____________________________