BurmaNet News, April 14, 2005

[Editor]

April 14, 2005, Issue # 2697


INSIDE BURMA
Deutsche Presse-Agentur: Shan rebels hand over arms to Myanmar military
SHAN: Wa reaches for costly victory
Christian Post: Amid widespread religious freedom violations by Burma’s
government
Kyodo: Myanmar ethnic rebels hand in weapons to government

ON THE BORDER
FINO: Salween dams make mother homeless

BUSINESS / FINANCE
FT: Market fails to see value in Unocal deal: Acquisition secures
long-term growth for ChevronTexaco, particularly in Asia Pacific region

REGIONAL
AFP: UN 'very disappointed' with Myanmar junta: Razali
AP: Press freedoms stagnant in Southeast Asia, media watchdog says
Mizzima: Burmese refugees withdraw protest against UNHCR

INTERNATIONAL
AP: Activists launch campaign to mark 60th birthday of Myanmar democracy
leader Suu Kyi

______________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

April 14, Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Shan rebels hand over arms to Myanmar military

Yangon: Former Shan rebels have handed over their weapons to Myanmar's
(Burma's) military regime in exchange for "unconditional" peace, media
reports said Thursday.

The 11th Brigade of the Shan State National Army (SSNA) on Tuesday handed
over a stockpile of mortars, rocket launchers and rifles to Lieutenant
General Aung Htwe, commander of the northern region, the Mirror newspaper
reported.

The "arms for peace" ceremony occurred in Tein-ni township of Lashio, Shan
State.

The SSNA first signed a peace agreement with Yangon in 1995 , but were
allowed to keep their weapons for a decade.

Myanmar's self-styled State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) recently
demanded that all former rebels groups hand in their weapons as part of
the regime's efforts to find a political solution to the country's
decades-old problem with ethnic and territory-based insurgences.

"This ceremony shows the firm decision of our brethren to dispell their
suspicions," said Myanmar Information Minister Major General Myint Hlaing.

About a dozen insurgent groups signed peace agreements with Myanmar's
military junta in 1995 in exchange for non-interference in their
territories, semi-autonomy and modest development aid from the central
government.

____________________________________

April 13, Shan Herald Agency for News
Wa reaches for costly victory

The United Wa State Army's Wei Hsuehkang-led 171st Military Region threw
more than a thousand missiles at the twin Shan bases across Maehongson's
Pang Mapha district yesterday but still unable to seize any vital
positions, reported Shan and Thai sources:

"The Wa appear to be enjoying unlimited access to both firepower and
manpower," observed one of the liaison officers to the Shan State Army
defenders at Loipook Hsarm-ngarm and Kawng-kha bases, opposite the Thai
village of Mailan, this morning.

Altogether, the Wa attackers had launched 1,046 82mm and 120mm mortar
shells against the Shan positions, and made several full frontal attacks
costing them 84 dead and 146 wounded, in contrast to the Shans who
sustained 5 wounded throughout the day. No confirmation on the casualty
figures however could be obtained from independent sources. "The Wa are
certain to lose more men as they were storming without cover against an
enemy behind shelter," a Maehongson-based Thai newsman who was covering
the event told S.H.A.N..

As yet the Burma Army's contribution to the ongoing hostilities is still
limited to providing rations and ammunition, said a Chiangmai-border based
liaison officer.

The attacks have resumed today at 08:20. "The whole country except here is
pouring one another with water today," a fighter was quoted as saying.
"But we are doing it here with bullets."

13 April marks the annual water festival in Burma, Thailand, Laos and
China's Yunnan province.

Elsewhere along the border, the SSA's three other principal bases: Loilam
across Chiangmai's Wiang Haeng district, Sanzu across Chiangmai's Fang
district, and Loi Kawwan across Chiangrai's Mae Fah Luang district have
been on full alert since yesterday but so far attacks from either the Wa
or the Burma Army have yet to materialize.

The Wa's last full scale war on the Thai border took place in
Doilang-Mongyawn area, opposite Mae Ai district, Chiangmai province,
1989-96, against Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army. The area was lost to the Wa
following Khun Sa's surrender to the Burma Army on 7 January 1996. "We
were never defeated on the battlefield," argued a former MTA commander who
is living in retirement in Chiangrai's Ban Hintaek, Khun Sa's former
stronghold. "But when Gunyawd mutinied in 1995, our troops deserted their
positions and the Wa were able to occupy them without a fight. The Thai
blockade of our bases along the border was also another factor. Prices of
basic commodities were so high they depleted our available funds."

______________________________________

April 8, The Christian Post
Amid widespread religious freedom violations by Burma’s government -
Kenneth Chan

Christians among the ethnic Karen, Karenni, Chin and Kachin nationalities
suffer particularly harsh persecution, according to national and
international human rights groups.

“The regime is vigorously pursuing a policy of religious persecution
against Chin Christians in order to expand the influence of Buddhism in
Chinland," stated the Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO), according to
a report released recently by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).

"The ultimate goal is to gain control of the Chin people by annihilating
their culture, religion and ethnic identity," the CHRO stated. "The
destruction of crosses, church buildings and persecution of Christian
religious leaders are evidently designed to crush the will and psychology
of Chin Christians."

CSW reports that in recent years, crosses built by Chin Christians for
public display in towns such as Tonzang, Tedim, Falam, Hakha and Thantlang
have been destroyed, and the Burma Army has often forced Christian
villagers to construct Buddhist pagodas in place of the Christian crosses.

According to UK-based CSW, the destruction of the last remaining cross on
Jan. 3, 200 5, led to protests by exiled Chin Christians in Malaysia and
India. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 164 Chin protestors were arrested in
January after demonstrating outside the Burmese Embassy. Meanwhile, Chin
Christians delivered a letter to the Burmese Ambassador demanding an end
to religious persecution in their homeland. A similar protest took place a
week later at the Burmese Embassy in New Delhi, India.

While Christians among the ethnic groups along Burma's borders face severe
persecution, Christians in the cities have more freedom, CSW reported.
According to one Burmese church leader in Rangoon, "we cannot say we are
persecuted for our faith - but there are a lot of restrictions."

Churches are restricted on who they may invite to services, what they may
say and where they can meet, but they do not face the same harassment that
churches in Chin, Karen and Karenni areas face, CSW stated.

"We did not see religious people terrorized," one Western church leader
who recently visited the country told Forum 18, a Norway-based agency
which monitors religious persecution in Communist and former Soviet
states. "People have freedom of worship but not full religious freedom."

Agencies such as Forum 18, have reported that religious persecution in
Burma is closely tied with ethnic and political conflicts, which is why
the churches in the cities, firmly under the control of the regime, face
less severe problems.

"The situation for religious groups is complicated by the internal
political situation," the Western Christian leader explained. "Many
Christians come from ethnic tribes who are opposed to the government,
which does not make things easy for either side."

However, the leader added that there have been "positive moves" towards
improving religious freedom. In February, around 80,000 Catholic
Christians gathered for the Second National Eucharistic Congress of
Myanmar, at a Marian Centre in Nyanglebin, in Rangoon diocese (the first
such gathering since 1956). A special message from the late Pope John Paul
II was read to the assembled crowd by Archbishop Charles Bo of Rangoon,
and the Papal Nuncio to Thailand and Apostolic Delegate for Myanmar,
Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, presided at Mass.

 A Karen Catholic priest confirmed the report. "This is true," the priest
told Forum 18. "All the bishops in Burma were there, and many priests and
religious men and women were also there. There were no problems at all."

The priest, who cannot be named for security reasons, added that "The
Catholic Church does not have many conflicts with the ruling society.
Because the Church inside Burma doesn't get involved in political
struggles, the Church right inside Burma is free to celebrate the feasts."

Still, according to CSW, the military government retains tight oversight
over all religious meetings, with specific permission required for any
special event or for a visitor to address a religious gathering.

Religious leaders are subject to close oversight and government spies are
believed to operate within religious communities, stated the UK-based
charity.

“Some religious literature is published within the country, though under
the authorities' watchful eye,” reported CSW. The agency added that
religious groups that try to maintain contact with fellow-believers abroad
assume that their contacts are monitored by the authorities.

____________________________________

April 14, Kyodo News
Myanmar ethnic rebels hand in weapons to government

Over 170 soldiers of an armed ethnic group surrendered their weapons to
the government this week as part of a 10-year-old cease-fire agreement,
state-run newspapers reported Thursday.

The 176-member 11th brigade of the Shan State National Army handed over
assorted weapons including machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and
ammunition in a ceremony Tuesday near the town of Thein-ni, Shan state,
750 kilometers northeast of Yangon. The military government was
represented by Northeastern Military Region commander Maj. Gen. Myint
Hlaing.

The SSNA reached the cease-fire agreement with the government and returned
to the legal fold in 1995. Tuesday's ceremony marked the first turnover of
weapons under the agreement, as the rebels had been allowed to retain
their arms for self defense.

"We are fully confident of the government's goodwill and sincerity and we
decided to exchange weapons completely for peace at this ceremony," SSNA
27th regiment commander U Pwan Wan said at the ceremony.

"We take pride in discarding the use of weapons in politics, particularly
at this time when the people are longing for democracy. We invite our
fellow cease-fire brethrens to completely change the weapons for peace
like us," he added.

The SSNA is one of 17 rebel organizations that have entered into a
cease-fire agreement with the military government.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

April 12, Factual Information News Optics (FINO)
Salween dams make mother homeless

On a hot April morning, wearing rich traditional costumes, over 160
villagers from a village called Weigyi on the Thai-Burma border, gathered
at the Salween River bank to conduct the annual traditional land
veneration ceremony.

They chose the ceremonial site opposite the point where the Thailand
electrical power organization, Electric Generating Authority of Thailand
(EGAT), plan to construct the dam wall for the Upper Salween Dam, in order
to supply electricity to Thailand and other ASEAN countries.

Whilst mumbling prayers, the community elders prayed to the land spirits
to help them protect their land and river from destruction. The
participants also believe that through praying to the land spirits, they
will be protected from harm within their community.

Lae Wah, an elder member of Salween Eyes (SEE), explained that he came to
take part in the ceremony opposite the EGAT planned dam site and pray to
the land spirits, because these spirits helped his ancestors in the past
and he has faith that they will also help him and his people now.

"Now I know that our community alone can not stop the dams being built.
Only God has the power to do this," he said.

However, most of the villagers are very aware of the potential devastating
impact that a state run dam project on the Salween river, involving
drastic changes to the local water infrastructure, will have on their
community.

Saw Maung Wah, a goods trader from Burma said, "I can not imagine what the
living conditions will be like for my family if the dam is built". He
predicted "severe starvation within the community", as the reality he
faces now is already very difficult, with both his family and other poorer
families in the community struggling for survival, often without food.
However, he added that they have been able to survive so far because of
the rich biodiversity found on the Salween River.

Maung Wah also said that the river- bank communities are mainly dependent
on dry rice farming, fisheries and basic needs trading. They work up and
down river along the Salween, struggling for their survival

Dah Mu, a head of Kyaw Shaware Der  ― a village on the bank of
Thailand said, " I am sure that rich men have enough money to build these
dams for their own profit and that they do not care about the livelihoods
of people living along the river." Dah Mu expressed feelings of
helplessness, pleading that the international community raise their voices
in the name of local people ― people who will be severely affected
by the Salween dam.

The opposition to the Salween dam plans is gaining momentum with diverse
people and groups including environmentalists, human rights activists and
advocates of ethnic groups based in Thailand and Burma, voicing concerns
about the serious impact of the dams.

Last year, the Karen River Watch produced an intensive report called
"Damming at Gun Point", which highlighted the military and psychological
warfare that the Burmese military junta has waged against ethnic minority
groups in Burma, killing, raping, and forcibly displacing ethnic people
along the border, particularly targeting Shan communities living inside
Burma.

Moreover, Human rights groups have also documented the Burmese military’s
use of forced labour as well as the destruction of people’s homes and
farmland, particularly near the Ta Sang dam in order to clear the area for
dam construction.

Although there have been many campaigns against the dam, research for its
construction and that of high way infrastructure for transportation, are
continuing everyday in Burma and Thailand. According to villagers living
on the Salween river bank, Thai researchers have been measuring the water
everyday at points where dam construction is planned, since last month.

Moreover, to make way for Wei Kyi and Dawing dams along the border, the
military government boosted troop presence in the proposed areas for dam
construction.

The Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) battalion (1) commander,
Major Maung Wah stated that about 1400 soldiers (one division) came to Kho
Kya Kho ― a military junta controlled area, which is near to the
proposed Dawing dam site.

The state military Junta, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has
proposed the building of three dams on the Salween river – which serving
the survival of the military with the combination supports from Thai Prime
minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, who declared his support for the dams after
visiting Burma in February 2003, also recently announced that the Salween
dams were an essential component of ASEAN plans to develop a power grid;
therefore stating that Burma should proceed with the dam plans despite
concerns about the possible environmental and social impacts they will
have.

Due to a lack of knowledge about modern technology, one of the local
villagers asked “how can people dam the river because the river flow is
very fast and strong”; most of the villagers are very curious as to how
the dam will be constructed.

However, they fear the loss of their property inherited from their parents
and have no aspirations to leave their lands. With strong faith, the
participants prayed to the land spirits and at the end of the ceremony
they chanted “no dam, we want no dam; dam killing us”.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / FINANCE

April 14, Financial Times
Market fails to see value in Unocal deal: Acquisition secures long-term
growth for ChevronTexaco, particularly in Asia Pacific region - Sheila
McNulty

Despite all the froth over Chinese rivalry for Unocal, the market took a
dim view of ChevronTexaco's Dollars 18bn trump last week. The 5 per cent
fall in shares reflected more than the usual technical trade exacted on an
acquirer.

Investors saw the impact of the deal as initially neutral to earnings and
diluting return on capital employed (roce). In addition, it fails to
expand Chevron's portfolio into new growth areas, such as liquefied
natural gas or oil sands. As a result, they questioned the price being
paid.

Yet Bruce Lanni, analyst at AG Edwards, says the deal could signal a
strategic shift by Chevron and the broader industry: although they have
long been driven by returns, now they are also focusing on securing
longer-term growth.

State-owned oil groups own 77 per cent of the world's proved oil and gas
resources and are reluctant to negotiate with western oil companies.
Fields open to exploitation by western oil companies are, for the most
part, in hard-to-reach or politically sensitive regions. Therefore, the
world's independent oil and gas companies are finding it increasingly
difficult to gain control over these fields to replace their own reserves.

By buying Unocal, and its string of valuable assets, Chevron has eased
immediate fears about its own growth prospects.

"We are positive on the long-term outlook of the Unocal acquisition," says
Mr Lanni. "We believe it represented a unique opportunity to acquire
resources in regions where ChevronTexaco was focusing. It also enables the
company to establish a large basket of projects for future growth; to
strengthen its position in several of the world's few remaining growth
regions, including Asia Pacific, the Caspian and the Gulf of Mexico; and
to rebalance modestly its reserve/production mix."

The result, he says, is that Chevron will now be in a more competitive
position with BP, ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch/Shell in both scope and
scale.

He considers Unocal's assets in the fast-growing Asian region the "crown
jewel". Chevron will have more reserves in the region than its peers, and
will be the second largest holder overall, behind PetroChina. It will be
the top producer in Thailand and one of the largest in Indonesia,
Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Other analysts agreed that the market was missing the significance of the
deal. Criticism based on dilution of return on capital employed and
earnings is "applying the wrong metrics to evaluate the deal", say Wood
Mackenzie, the oil consultants.

"ChevronTexaco has acquired a great portfolio of assets that addresses
both its need to boost short-term production, but also adds significant
long-term legacy assets and an enhanced exploration opportunity set to its
existing portfolio. Clearly, it has achieved this at a reasonable price."

Michael Mayer, analyst at Prudential Securities, says the equity group had
in early March estimated Unocal's net asset value at about Dollars 15.8bn,
based on oil and gas price assumptions of Dollars 30 per barrel of oil and
Dollars 5.25 per thousand cu ft of gas. Chevron is paying Dollars 2.6bn
more, Mr Mayer says, adding, however, that each Dollars 1 per barrel (or
15 cents per thousand cu ft) increase in the price assumptions would raise
Unocal's value by about Dollars 700m.

Given that oil and gas prices are both substantially above the normalised
levels in that report, he considers the price Chevron is paying to be
reasonable.

Mr Lanni says the return on capital employed is only expected to decline 3
per cent in the first two years and, even then, only if Chevron does not
divest under-performing properties, such as Unocal's onshore US assets.
And he considers the synergy target of Dollars 325m conservative.

"Similar to the Chevron/ Texaco merger, returns were initially sacrificed,
but once the divestments and cost-cutting initiatives were in place, it
resulted in a much stronger combined entity," Mr Lanni says.

Nevertheless, investors are wary after Chevron's difficulties with its
last acquisition, involving Dynegy, the US energy company caught in the
post-Enron fall-out.

"The reality is that Chevron should, in our view, highlight the asset
shape and asset value of the deal, and explain that it has been undertaken
at an aggressive oil price assumption because of the quality of the fit,"
says Paul Sankey, analyst at Deutsche Bank.

_____________________________________
REGIONAL

April 14, Agence France Presse
UN 'very disappointed' with Myanmar junta: Razali

Kuala Lumpur: The United Nations is "very disappointed" with Myanmar's
failure to implement democratic reforms and release opposition leader Aung
San Suu Kyi, UN special representative Razali Ismail said Thursday.

Razali, who has not been allowed into Myanmar for a year, told reporters
he still had not received an invitation from the country's military rulers
and there was "no indication whatsoever of when she (Aung San Suu Kyi)
will be released".

Asked whether the UN was losing hope, he replied: "The UN is very
disappointed."

Razali said, however, that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) should be given some credit for its efforts to press Myanmar's
junta to implement reforms.

"ASEAN has its ways, I'm sure they will work out something. Give some
credit to ASEAN."

At a meeting in the Philippines on Monday, ASEAN foreign ministers failed
to reach a consensus on the issue of Myanmar's chairmanship of the group
next year but told the military-ruled state to push forward with
democratic reforms.

There were "frank and open" discussions about Myanmar's alleged human
rights abuses and its continued detention of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung
San Suu Kyi, officials said.

But ASEAN ministers were reluctant to strip Myanmar of the alphabetically
rotating chairmanship because it could set a "very dangerous and bad
precedent," said Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo.

The issue of Myanmar's chairmanship has exposed divisions in the 10-member
bloc, with older members such as the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia
demanding real democratic change in the military-ruled country.

Newer members such as Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos have taken a more
supportive stand, some invoking ASEAN's long-held tradition of consensus
building and non-interference in the affairs of its members.

Razali acknowledged that whatever tactics were adopted, swaying Myanmar's
junta would not be easy.

"One thing I know of the military government of Myanmar is that once they
have made up their mind they maintain their position. It'll take a lot of
effort on anybody's part to make inroads," he said

_____________________________________

April 14, Associated Press
Press freedoms stagnant in Southeast Asia, media watchdog says - En-Lai Yeoh

Singapore: Press freedom is still restricted within the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, despite signs of democratic reforms in some
member countries, an independent media watchdog said Thursday.

"We do not see the democratic revolution we were expecting," said
Reporters Without Borders Asia-Pacific representative Vincent Brossard.
"For the last three or four years, ASEAN has been very frustrating."

The democratic political process has improved in countries such as
Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines since the late 1990s, Brossard
said.

But while restrictions on the media often ease as governments reform, that
is not apparent in this region, he said.

Brossard cited Indonesia's restrictions on reporting in the
tsunami-wracked province of Aceh, the killing of journalists in the
Philippines, and Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's quieting of
critics as examples of stagnation.

The region's worst-ranking country on RSF's 2004 press freedom index is
Myanmar, ranked 165 out of 167, just above Cuba and North Korea.

He also urged ASEAN to prevent Myanmar from assuming its chairmanship in
2006.

ASEAN is made up of Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines,
Laos, Brunei, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia.

Brossard criticized Singapore, ranked 147 of 167 on RSF's freedom
rankings, for frequent use of defamation laws to sue media outlets and
political opponents.

Singapore's ranking is by far the lowest position of any developed country
on the index.

Foreign news organizations including The Economist, The International
Herald Tribune, The Far Eastern Economic Review and The Asian Wall Street
Journal have paid large fines or had their circulation restricted in
lawsuits brought by Singapore's ruling party stalwarts.

Singapore leaders have said they sue to defend their reputations and
Information Minister Lee Boon Yang has said there were "special
circumstances" surrounding press freedom in the city-state, where local
media were more focused on nation-building.

_____________________________________

April 12, Mizzima News
Burmese refugees withdraw protest against UNHCR - Thazin

New Delhi: With a threat of arrest and partial fulfillment of demands,
Burmese refugees withdrew their protest in front of the office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) here yesterday.

The 44 Burmese refugees had been staging a sit-in demonstration in front
of the UNHCR office in Jor Bagh, Lodi Road in New Delhi, demanding
restoration of the Subsistence Allowance, which was stopped.

According to the protestors, the UNHCR officials asked them to stay at the
All Burma Refugees Committee (ABRC) office in Janakpuri, west Delhi for a
temporary period. The UN refugee agency reportedly assured them of
providing jobs through Don Bosco, a Christian Non-Government Organization.
UNHCR was also said to have promised them supply of ration till they could
get secure jobs.

The agency also reportedly promised to restore the monthly subsistence
allowances for those, who are not able to work because of failed health.
But, at the same time, it warned the agitators that they would be put
under arrest by police if they refused to accept the offer and continued
demonstration.

"We will have to wait and watch whether the UNHCR really fulfils its
promises. I personally do not believe in its promises. But even then we
had to call off the demonstration. If UNHCR does not keep its words, we
will resume our protest," said a woman demonstrator, Ngun Thein.

The refugees had started demonstration in front of Young Men's Christian
Association (YMCA), a partner NGO of UNHRC, on March 30 in protest against
withdrawal of the Subsistence Allowance. They, however, called off the
sit-in on April 1 when YMCA arranged temporary shelter and food for them.
The refugees started a fresh demonstration in front of the UNHCR office on
April 7 when YMCA failed to fulfill its promises.

_____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

April 14, Associated Press
Activists launch campaign to mark 60th birthday of Myanmar democracy
leader Suu Kyi

Bangkok: U.S.-based activists have launched a campaign to send 6,000
birthday cards to Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has
been detained by the country's military leaders for nearly two years, the
group said in a statement.

The cards, together with protests planned at Myanmar embassies around the
world, are to call attention to Suu Kyi's plight on June 19, her 60th
birthday, the U.S. Campaign for Burma said. Myanmar is also known as
Burma.

"While this would be an occasion of celebration for most people, Aung San
Suu Kyi will spend the day under house arrest, where she has been for the
majority of the past 16 years," said the statement, seen Thursday.

Suu Kyi led a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that was brutally suppressed by
the military and has been detained under house arrest for most of the time
since.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was most recently arrested in May 2003
after a clash between her supporters and a pro-junta mob in northern
Myanmar. She was detained at an unknown location for several months and
later taken to her home where she has since been held under house arrest.

The ruling junta has shown no sign of releasing Suu Kyi despite repeated
calls from Western governments and international organizations.

The U.S. Campaign for Burma, which includes American human rights
activists and exiled Myanmar dissidents, said the cards would be delivered
to the Myanmar Embassy in Washington, D.C., during a demonstration there
and at some 60 other embassies.

The group has asked people from around the world to mail it birthday cards
for Suu Kyi.

The campaign, the statement said, is similar to that launched in 1988 by
activists and politicians when the then-70-year-old Nelson Mandela was
imprisoned by South Africa's apartheid regime.