BurmaNet News, Feb 24, 2004

[editor at burmanet.org]

Feb 24, 2004 Issue # 2427

INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: KNU Attacks Burmese Troops
AP: Australia to train Myanmar officials to detect fake travel documents
AFP: Myanmar bans billboard advertising for cigarettes, alcohol
DVB: WLB views on SPDC's 'road map'
VOA: Burma: Government, Ethnic Minority Begin Second Round of Talks
DVB: ICRC won’t be allowed to see disrobed Buddhist monks in prisons

GUNS
Narinjara: A huge arms and ammunition seized from Burma-Bangladesh border

BUSINESS / MONEY
Asia Pulse: Daewoo Int'l gets approval for Myanmar gas drilling

REGIONAL
Narinjara: UNHCR seeks local integration of 20,000 Rohingya refugees
JEN: U.N. terms ASEAN peacekeeping force idea 'very exciting'
JEN: Thailand sees no need for ASEAN peacekeeping unit

OPINION / OTHER
RFA: Position for a International Broadcaster
EIP: English Teachers required


INSIDE BURMA
___________________________________

Feb 24, Irrawaddy
KNU Attacks Burmese Troops - by Kyaw Zwa Moe

Troops from the ethnic Karen rebel group attacked Burma Army soldiers
yesterday near the Mon State capital of Moulmein, where representatives of
the two sides are holding peace talks.

 It is not good that this happened while we are talking. —Bo Mya

About 70 soldiers from the army of the Karen National Union, or KNU,
attacked an outpost of the Burma Army at dawn on Monday near the village
of Duyinseik, 37 miles northwest of Moulmein, said a staff member from the
KNU general secretary’s office.

The official, who requested anonymity, added that the KNU fired upon and
set ablaze four tents and an arsenal at the outpost. Three Burmese
soldiers were killed and four wounded in the skirmish, he said, adding
that his information came from soldiers from the KNU’s Third Brigade,
which is based in the area.

The junta didn’t officially report the fighting, but informed a top KNU
leader about the events.

"The Burmese authorities told me that my soldiers attacked their outpost,"
said Gen Bo Mya, vice chairman of the KNU. "In the fight, three Burmese
soldiers were killed, seven injured and an arsenal was burnt down."

The KNU reached an informal ceasefire agreement with the Burma Army last
month after discussions between Bo Mya and Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt
in Rangoon. The KNU has fought successive Burmese governments for autonomy
for 55 years.

Karen soldiers attacked the outpost because the Burma Army has forced
Karen villagers to build a strategically-placed road near Duyinseik, said
the staff member.

Before the attack, he added, the Karen soldiers asked the Burma Army to
discontinue the road project and the use of forced labor.

Meanwhile, a 12-member KNU delegation restarted its third round of
ceasefire discussions with high-ranking officials from Burma’s military
intelligence yesterday in Moulmein.

On Sunday, the KNU released an official statement that the two sides would
discuss the resettlement of Karen internally displaced people, the
demarcation of territories and military positions and the release of Karen
political prisoners.

Bo Mya said the attack may affect the discussions.

"It is not good that this happened while we are talking," he said. "I have
already ordered them to cease fire but they did not obey me."

The order to stop fighting would be reiterated, he added. "If they do not
obey me, I will punish them."

Aung Su Shin in Mae Sot contributed to this article.
__________________________

Feb 24, Associated Press
Australia to train Myanmar officials to detect fake travel documents

Australian fraud experts will train Myanmar officials to identify fake
travel documents in an effort to prevent terrorism and cross-border crime,
the Australian Embassy said Tuesday.

The training sessions will be conducted on Wednesday and Thursday in the
capital, Yangon, by Australian experts in document fraud, an embassy
statement said.

It said the training will be "an important step in protecting Myanmar from
individuals such as international terrorists and criminals from entering
the country."

Some 120 government officials are expected to attend.

Australia suspended a program of human rights workshops for Myanmar in May
last year after the ruling junta detained pro-democracy leader Aung San
Suu Kyi.

The workshops were aimed at increasing awareness of human rights laws and
practices among Myanmar officials.

Myanmar's military government has faced intense international criticism
for its human rights record, stemming from the detention of political
prisoners, including Suu Kyi, and allegations of forced labor and
employment of child soldiers.
__________________________

Feb 24, Agence France Presse
Myanmar bans billboard advertising for cigarettes, alcohol

Myanmar will ban billboard advertising for cigarettes and alcohol next
month as part of its campaign to outlaw all advertising of the products,
the Myanmar Times said.

"Although only a few billboard advertisements for cigarettes and alcohol
can still be seen in Yangon and Mandalay, they are still quite common in
smaller cities," health ministry official Nyo Nyo Kyaing said in this
week's edition.

The billboard ban was introduced in 2002 but ad agencies with existing
contracts maintained their boards.

However, Nyo Nyo Kyaing said those deals would be terminated by the end of
March.

Tobacco, beer and liquor ads were banned from Myanmar television and
newspapers in 2000, and legislation is in the works to ban such ads from
all other print media and radio. They are currently permitted in brochures
and calendars.

"Ultimately we will be able to ban any kind of cigarette and alcohol
advertising once the legislation is enacted," Nyo Nyo Kyaing said.

In September Myanmar became the 75th country to sign the World Health
Organisation's framework convention on tobacco control.

Smoking was banned in schools and hospitals last year.
__________________________

Feb 23, Democratic Voice of Burma
WLB views on SPDC's 'road map'

A statement of the exiled Women League of Burma (WLB) says that the
military government of Burma, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)
is trying to perpetuate military dictatorship in Burma and deceive the
international community and people of Burma by ignoring the notorious
Dipeyin assault with the proposed seven point ‘roadmap’ plan.

The statement was issued at the end of a WLB meeting (18-22 February) and
it demands the SPDC to release all political prisoners including Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi, to declare a nationwide ceasefire, to withdraw all SPDC
troops from ethnic national states, to stop all human rights abuses
including the rapes of women and to hold tripartite talks.

It also urges the junta to organise a free and fair national convention in
which representatives are able to communicate among themselves and express
their opinions freely.

The secretary of WLB, Nang Hseng Noung said that Burmese ethnic national
women are still being raped by Burmese soldiers while the ceasefire talks
between the SPDC and Karen National Union (KNU) is going on.

At the same time, the SPDC troops in central Burma are bullying local
Burman population and confiscating their lands and forcing them to work in
military projects without pay.
__________________________

Feb 23, Voice of America
Burma: Government, Ethnic Minority Begin Second Round of Talks

Representatives of Burma's largest ethnic minority, the Karen, have
started a second round of talks with the military government on reaching a
formal ceasefire. But analysts expect the Karen to remain cautious despite
the government's hope of including them in a national constitutional
convention later this year. The talks between the Karen leaders and the
military government began Monday in the southern Burmese town of Moulmein.
This is the first meeting since leaders from the Karen National Union -
KNU - and the government reached what they call a "gentlemen's agreement"
last December on a ceasefire. Despite that agreement, military skirmishes
have continued in recent months. KNU leaders say they want to cement the
December agreement into a written ceasefire, to formally end government
military operations in Karen areas. The Karen live mainly along the
eastern border with Thailand. Thailand has also been pressing for an
agreement between Rangoon and the KNU, to return as many as 140 thousand
Karen in Thai refugee camps to Burma.

Aung Zaw is the editor of a Burmese newspaper, The Irrawaddy, published in
Thailand. He says a quick agreement is unlikely, especially on issues of
territorial control. "I think it will take time. I don't think a lot of
KNU leaders, they don't want to rush into making a hasty decision," he
says. "I think they will take time." Burma's government is encouraging the
KNU and other groups to participate in the national convention, as part of
a seven-point road map to democracy the government put forward last year.
The convention is to draft a new constitution as a precursor to general
elections.

It is not clear all the Karen support the ceasefire effort.

Aung Zaw says he believes the government is willing to accept KNU
representatives, even if there are still internal disagreements in the
group. "Even if [the] KNU is split and separated because of the
disagreement over ceasefire I think Rangoon is willing to accommodate and
entertain any faction that will be divided from the mainstream KNU." The
KNU is the last of the major ethnic minority guerilla groups in Burma
still fighting the government. The conflict to establish a separate Karen
state has run for more than 50 years. But the KNU suffered major setbacks
in 1995 and again in 1997 when Burma's military overran its headquarters
following divisions within the KNU ranks. The government has reached
ceasefire agreements with 17 other armed groups since 1989.
__________________________

Feb 21, Democratic Voice of Burma
ICRC won’t be allowed to see disrobed Buddhist monks in prisons

A directive from the director of Tennesserim Division prison authorities
in southern Burma says that Buddhist monks who were arrested, forcibly
disrobed and sent to the frontline areas last month must not be allowed to
meet representatives of the ICRC based in Rangoon.

The directive was sent during a visit to Tennesserim Division by a four
person strong team of the ICRC. The team was at Tavoy on 21 February and
expected to visit Taung Thonelone and Metta ‘ye phet’ police controlled
labour camps.

There are many Buddhist monks who were forcibly disrobed and sent to the
frontline areas which are to be visited by the team inside Myeik (Mergui)
and Bokpyin townships along the Thai-Burma border.

More than 300 monks were arrested and disrobed by Burma’s military
authority, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) during the so-called
religious riots last years in Mandalay and Rangoon.


GUNS
_____________________________________

Feb 24, Narinjara
A huge arms and ammunition seized from Burma-Bangladesh border

After two men from Arakan Army were arrested by Bangladesh Army last week,
the Bangladesh security forces recovered a huge arms and ammunitions from
Burma- Bangladesh border.

According to our Cox's Bazar correspondent, among the arms and ammunitions
recovered are seven 79 rifles, five guns, 12 boxes of bullets and 1 mortar
shell during the drives in different areas of Bangladesh- Burma border on
23rd February.

The recovery of M 79 rifle was first ever in the Bangladesh but the
authority has not disclosed to whom those arms belong.

The Bangladesh security force also seized an M 16 rifle with 6 bullets
from the same area before the day of this seizure.

In the operations last year from August to December by Bangladesh security
forces seized considerable amounts of arms including anti-tank mines,
anti-personnel mines, ingredients for making explosives, M 16, M 79 and
AK- 47 rifles.

These recovered arms and ammunitions are believed to be possessed by
Arakan rebel groups from Burma, said local people.

Recently arrested two people are Major U Soe and Captain Maung Maung Than
of Arakan Army lead by Kra Pru Aung, a leader of a faction deviated from
National United Party of Arakan(NUPA), it is learnt.


BUSINESS / MONEY
_____________________________________

Feb 24, Asia Pulse
Daewoo Int'l gets approval for Myanmar gas drilling

Daewoo International Corp. (KSE:047050), a South Korean trading company,
said Tuesday that it has received another official approval for exploring
gas fields from the Myanmar government.

The site, called Block A-3, off the northwestern coast of Myanmar,
measures 6,780 square kilometers. It is in the neighborhood of Block A-1,
where the company discovered gas last month.

The company is planning to begin offshore drilling in early 2006 to search
for gas fields in the area after completing technological studies there,
company officials said.

In January, Daewoo International found a gas field believed to hold 4 to 6
trillion cubic feet of gas in Block A-1 in the waters off western Myanmar.
One cubic foot equals about 28.3 liters.

The firm holds a 60 per cent stake in the gas field development project
and is expecting to make 100 billion won (US$86 million) in annual profit
from it.


REGIONAL
_____________________________________

Feb 24, Narinjara
UNHCR seeks local integration of 20,000 Rohingya refugees

The government is processing a proposal by the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) seeking local integration of about 20,000
Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh for more than a decade.

According to today The Independent, a senior official of the Ministry of
Disaster Management and Relief yesterday confirmed the developments and
said that the UN body had submitted the proposal on the ground that the
remaining Rohingya Muslim refugees, numbering about 20 thousand, were not
willing to go back to Burma.

25,00,00 Rohingya Muslims who crossed the Burma border to escape
persecution and took shelter in Bangladesh in 19911, all returned to Burma
voluntarily in 15 years except about 20 thousand who are yet to be
repatriated.

The repatriation process under the supervision of the UNHCR is now stalled
and the process began in August in 1991 following an agreement between
Bangladesh and Burma, now known as Myanmar.

The agreements on the refugee issues at different levels reached so far
between Dhaka and Rangoon demonstrated sincerity of both the signatories
to resolve the issue peacefully.

Bangladesh wants to see all the refugees go back safely and voluntarily to
their motherland, Burma.  Burma is willing to take back even the last one
of them.

The official said that the UNHCR had given the proposal in a concept paper
it had submitted to the government containing various dimensions of the
refugee problem.

The local integration of the refugees is one of the three internationally
established ways to resolve the problem. While two others are their safely
return to their homeland and their settlement in a third country.
__________________________

Feb 24, Japan Economic Newswire
U.N. terms ASEAN peacekeeping force idea 'very exciting'

The United Nations said Tuesday a proposal by Indonesia to establish an
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Peacekeeping Force by 2012
to resolve internal conflicts is 'exciting.'

'I think any kind of collaboration...of peacekeeping forces...within ASEAN
and with the U.N....is very exciting and very important,' Julia Taft, U.N.
Development Program assistant administrator and director for the Bureau of
Crisis Prevention and Recovery, told reporters.

'But the details still need to be worked out whether it will augment the
U.N. Peacekeeping Force or will separate from it,' she added.

Taft spoke to journalists on the sidelines of the two-day 4th U.N.-ASEAN
Conference to discuss conflict prevention, conflict resolution and
peace-building in Southeast Asia, which concludes Wednesday.

Indonesia proposed the establishment of the ASEAN Peacekeeping Force
during a one-day ASEAN senior officials' meeting Friday to resolve
members' internal conflicts.

The proposal was a follow-up to the Declaration of ASEAN Concord 2,
popularly known as the Bali Concord 2, signed by leaders of the 10-member
group on the Indonesian resort island Bali last October.

Under the declaration, the leaders expressed a commitment to establish an
integrated ASEAN community by 2020 comprising the concepts of an ASEAN
Security Community, an ASEAN Economic Community and an ASEAN Social and
Cultural Community.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said the proposal will be
brought to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat in Halong Bay, Vietnam,
on March 3-5 and another senior officials' meeting in the central Java
city Yogyakarta on May 14 before being adopted by ASEAN foreign ministers
in June.

The proposal, however, has received objection from Thai Foreign Minister
Surakiart Sathirathai, who says an ASEAN Peacekeeping Force is
unnecessary.

'No international conflicts are raging in the region and if such problems
arose and help from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
was needed, individual members could send their troops in to help,' the
Bangkok Post quoted Surakiart as saying.

He is apparently worried an armed force could damage one of the most
important pillars of ASEAN --noninterference in its members' internal
affairs.

In a response to the objections, Wirajuda said, 'There is no need to worry
about possible violations of the noninterference policy because the
consent of the concerned member country is key for deployment of the
peacekeeping force.'

A draft of the ASEAN Security Community Plan of Action obtained by Kyodo
News over the weekend detailed the timetable of the proposed establishment
of the peacekeeping force as well as of other political and security
activities to be taken by 2020.

The plan of action comprises six components -- political development,
shaping and sharing of norms, conflict prevention, conflict resolution,
post-conflict peace building and an implementing mechanism.

'It is essential that any conflict involving the countries of the region
shall be resolved in a peaceful way and to the satisfaction of all parties
concerned,' the draft said on conflict resolution.

'For this purpose, ASEAN shall activate and strengthen its dispute
settlement mechanism in the political and security areas, develop a
regional peacekeeping arrangement, and consider the establishment of
supporting institutions to facilitate efforts to settle conflicts,' it
says.

According to the draft, to develop a regional peacekeeping arrangement,
ASEAN member countries shall first promote technical cooperation with the
U.N. and relevant regional organizations to benefit from their expertise
and experience from 2006.

'We have a very great start and we have decided that now is the time...for
a collaboration within ASEAN and with the U.N.,' Taft said.

By 2010, it is expected that a network among peacekeeping centers will
have been set up aiming to conduct joint planning, training and sharing of
experience with a view to establishing an ASEAN Peacekeeping Center.

'By that time, we will try to harmonize the peacekeeping forces from all
member countries because currently they have different uniforms, different
training and so on,' Makarim Wibisono, director general of Asia, the
Pacific and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Then, an ASEAN Peacekeeping Force with a standby arrangement and its
deployment mechanism will hopefully be established by 2012, the draft
says.

On Friday, according to Wibisono, other ASEAN member countries supported
Indonesia's idea.

But, they said, an explicit timetable is unnecessary.

'This idea is just for efficiency and a standby mechanism so when a
conflict happens, for example in Indonesia's Aceh or in the southern
Philippines, we can quickly deploy neutral forces to the conflict areas,'
he said.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
__________________________

Feb 24, Japan Economic Newswire
Thailand sees no need for ASEAN peacekeeping unit

Thailand indicated Tuesday it sees little need for an ASEAN peacekeeping
corps, as suggested by Indonesia.

Indonesia, current chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian
Nations, proposed last week the development of a regional peacekeeping
force to resolve conflicts in the region.

'In principle, we have no objection to the Indonesian proposal on
peacekeeping forces. We only see that it should be an evolving process. It
should be proceeded on a case-by-case basis as the situation warrants,'
said Sihasak Phuangketkeow, a spokesman for the Thai Foreign Ministry.

Sihasak said the Indonesian proposal required 'thorough discussions' among
ASEAN countries, because it contains other important elements.

'The idea on setting up a peacekeeping unit was not the core element of
the proposal, but it was played up (by media) since it was the most
attractive,' Sihasak said.

ASEAN foreign ministers are to meet for informal talks March 3-5 at
Vietnam's Halong Bay and the Indonesian proposal is expected to be further
discussed there.

On Monday, the Bangkok Post quoted Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart
Sathirathai as saying a proposal to form a Southeast Asian peacekeeping
force is 'unnecessary.'

'No international conflicts are raging in the region and if such problems
arose and help from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
was needed, individual members could send their troops in to help,' the
Post quoted Surakiart as saying.

A diplomat who asked for anonymity said Tuesday it is unlikely the ASEAN
countries would agree to set up regional peacekeeping forces since such a
body would require 'supranational authority' to intervene in the internal
affairs of any country that might be in trouble.

'Peacekeeping work revolves very much on domestic affairs,' the envoy said.

In Jakarta, a United Nations representative Tuesday called the idea of an
ASEAN peacekeeping force 'exciting.'

'I think any kind of collaboration...of peacekeeping forces...within ASEAN
and with the U.N....is very exciting and very important,' Julia Taft, U.N.
Development Program assistant administrator and director for the Bureau of
Crisis Prevention and Recovery, told reporters.

'But the details still need to be worked out whether it will augment the
U.N. Peacekeeping Force or will separate from it,' she said.

Taft was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the two-day
U.N.-ASEAN Conference to discuss conflict prevention, conflict resolution
and peace-building in Southeast Asia, which concludes Wednesday.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.


OPINION / OTHER
_____________________________________

JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS

Feb 23, Radio Free Asia
JOURNALIST (International Broadcaster)

International radio service (Radio Free Asia) seeks journalist with
background and experience in East and South East Asia.  Candidates must
speak and write Burmese fluently.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.  Degree in
journalism or related field preferred. One year broadcast experience
and/or specialized journalism.

All candidates must be eligible to work in the United States and provide
proof of eligibility.

Working knowledge of English required.  Position available immediately in
Washington, DC.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for
employment without regard to race, creed, color, sex or national origin.

Send cover letter and resume to: P. O. Box 57023, Washington, DC 20036 or
fax to 202-530-7797.

Position closes 8 March, 2004.  All applications must be received by 12:00
noon EST on that day.

RFA is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity.
____________________________

Feb 24, English Immersion Program
Teach English in a Burmese Refugee Camp in Thailand!

2 Positions: English Teacher
Length of contract: 11 months
School: English Immersion Program (EIP)
Location: Umphium Mai Refugee Camp, Tak Province, Thailand (4 days a
week), Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand (1 day a week)

Responsibilities:
Teach intermediate-advanced English to 20 adult Burmese refugees 18-24 hours
per week.
Actively involve students in the learning process
Update and improve the curriculum provided
Attend monthly education meetings with Karen refugee camp leaders
Give final exams and write report cards each trimester
Live in the student dorm (inside the refugee camp) 3 nights a week.
Help manage after school activities at school such as activity nights,
cleaning duty, coking duty etc.
Help recruit a new English Teacher for the following school year

EIP is looking for 2 native English speakers who: Have a university degree
and at least 1-year teaching experience, have good essay writing skills,
are culturally sensitive and discrete, are motivated, flexible and have
international experience

Stipend and Benefits:
8,000 bhat per month (about $200 US)
Free accommodation in Mae Sot (w/air con.) and bicycle
Free visa renewals and weekly transportation to and from the refugee camp.
Breakfast and dinner provided at school.
Valuable on-site international development experience
Gain experience living and working with refugee communities from Burma
Opportunity to learn Burmese and Karen culture and language

If you are interested in teaching at EIP please send a cover letter and
resume to brooke at attglobal.net

Brooke Treadwell, EIP Coordinator