BurmaNet News, September 1, 2005

[Editor]

September 1, 2005 Issue # 2794


INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: Thai Foreign Minister meets Than Shwe
AFP: Thai FM says Myanmar junta chief 'fine' despite rumours
Kaladan News: Villagers from Northern Arakan, suffer famine

ON THE BORDER
Reuters: Naga tribes demand homeland on India, Myanmar border

HEALTH / AIDS
DVB: Japan donates over US$ 50,000 to Burma

BUSINESS / FINANCE
Xinhua: Myanmar to enact intellectual property protection law

REGIONAL
Thai Press Reports: Thai government set to crack down on migrant workers
Mizzima: Over 100 Burmese workers arrested in Mahachai
SHAN: Crackdown on unregistered workers begins

INTERNATIONAL
Irrawaddy: Things get political as delegates ready for Burma meeting

OPINION / OTHER
Mizzima: Burma: Information Minister or a soothsayer

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

September 1, Irrawaddy
Thai Foreign Minister meets Than Shwe - Aung Lwin Oo

Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon met the Burmese junta’s top
leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe on Thursday, only days after he was rumored to
have been ousted in a coup, to discuss bilateral issues.

Kantathi told a press conference after the one-hour meeting the general
seemed “in good health.”  Coup rumors were fuelled by Than Shwe’s recent
disappearance from public view. But Kantathi said ruling generals were
preoccupied with making plans for 2006, which the junta described as
“crucial.”

He also met other top leaders including the junta’s number two, Deputy
Snr-Gen Maung Aye, rumored to have led the coup, and Prime Minister Gen
Soe Win. Kantathi is the second senior Thai official to visit Rangoon in
recent weeks. Deputy Prime Minister and former foreign minister Surakiart
Sathirathai made a one-day visit on July 25.

During his two-day visit, Kantathi also talked with officials about
bilateral business ties.  Thailand’s state-owned Petroleum Authority of
Thailand Exploration and Production  revealed in August its interest in
buying a 15 percent stake in a new, nearly-completed offshore oil field.
Energy-starved Thailand also signed an agreement with Rangoon on Tuesday
to help to build dams in Burmese rivers.

Other issues discussed during Kantathi’s trip included Burmese migrants in
Thailand and  joint health and development projects. The Bangkok Post also
reported on Thursday that the foreign minister planned to make a 2-million
baht donation to Burma’s University for Development of National Races.

____________________________________

September 1, Agence France Presse
Thai FM says Myanmar junta chief 'fine' despite rumours

Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said Thursday that Myanmar's
junta leader Than Shwe seemed "fine", despite rumours that he had been
deposed or was in ill health.

"I am not a doctor but during the one hour and twenty minutes' discussion,
he looked fine in my opinion," Kantathi said in a media teleconference
from the Myanmar capital Yangon where he is on a one-day visit.

Kantathi was the first foreign visitor to meet with 73-year-old Than Shwe
since various rumours emerged last week that he had been toppled in a
coup, and had been taken to Singapore for medical treatment.

The rumours were discounted by diplomats and political observers in
Yangon, and then denied on Sunday by Information Minister Kyaw Hsan, who
said Than Shwe remained fit and in charge of the country.

During his first visit to Myanmar since being appointed in March, Kantathi
also met with the regime's number-two General Maung Aye, Prime Minister
Soe Win and Foreign Minister Nyan Win.

He said he discussed Myanmar's national reconciliation process, but that
the issue of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under
house arrest, was not raised.

"Myanmar has confirmed that next year will be a very important year for
the process," Kantathi said, adding that Nyan Win told him that an ongoing
national convention to draft a new constitution will resume in November or
December.

The national convention has been criticised internationally as a sham
because the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) is not taking
part.

It declared a boycott in protest over the house arrest measures against
Aung San Suu Kyi who was taken into detention in May 2003.

The constitutional talks, touted as the first step on the junta's "road
map" to democracy, were suspended in March.

Kantathi said that Thailand and Myanmar also discussed improving
cooperation in development and energy issues.

And the two countries agreed to resume meetings of the joint boundary
committee within two months, after a one-year suspension. The committee
discusses a range of matters, including trade and displaced people.

Thailand also said it would support the construction of a second bridge
link with Myanmar and crop substitution programs to help Myanmar farmers
find alternatives to poppy cultivation, Kantathi said.

____________________________________

September 1, Kaladan News
Villagers from Northern Arakan, suffer famine

Buthidaung: Several villagers from Northern Arakan State of Burma are now
suffering from famine due to the sky-rocketing price of rice and other
essential commodities recently.

The villagers from several villages of Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships
complained about the problem to local Nasaka and army officials, asking
them to take emergency supplies to the famine victims immediately.

The concerned authorities know the crisis of rice in Northern Arakan, but,
there has been no official action to help the famine victims. Even, the
concerned authorities especially; Army and Nasaka officers, don't allow
the civilian traders to purchase rice from the Southern parts of Arakan
State, where the rice is available. Only, the army, occasionally brought
rice from Akyab (Sittwe)and sell it at Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships
of Arakan State, said a rice trader from Buthidaung, who requested not to
be named.

There have been no deaths from starvation, but, some are suffering illness
and malnutrition due to the famine, he further added.

At present, in Maungdaw Township a kg of rice is being sold at kyat 320,
while a kg of rice at Buthidaung Township is kyat 370 to 420, said another
trader from Maungdaw.

"It is a man made tragedy of rice as a kg of rice is now being sold at
Akyab ( Sittwe), the capital of Arakan State, kyat 120 to 140 only", said
elder from Maungdaw.

Most of people are now facing famine like situation in Northern Arakan,
due to no jobs and no freedom of movement, said a school teacher, who
prefers not to mention his name.

Cost of living in Arakan State of Burma has increased significantly and
soaring of rice prices in Arakan have been pushing the people into
starvation or famine like situation, he more added.

"It is very critical situation and even I have no rice in my home. I will
go to western command commander and he will be asked to supply rice to
Northern Arakan," said U Thein Maung, a former SLOC (State Law and Order
Restoration Council) member from Buthidaung Township.

When contacted Bazi, an UNHCR member from Cox's Bazar said, "I have no
knowledge about the famine like situation in Arakan State."

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

September 1, Reuters
Naga tribes demand homeland on India, Myanmar border - Biswajyoti Das

A fierce Christian hill tribe took to the streets in Nagaland on Wednesday
to raise a new demand for a homeland sliced out of areas dominated by them
in India and neighbouring Myanmar.

Thousands of tribesmen, many wearing traditional headgear made of bamboo
sticks and feathers, and women with handwoven shawls around their waists
marched through Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, carrying spears and
placards.

At a public rally, Naga leaders reiterated their demand for an expansion
of Nagaland to include Naga-dominated parts of neighbouring Indian states
in the remote northeast, and made a new call for the inclusion of parts of
northern Myanmar as well.

"No artificial boundaries can separate us, let the world know the Nagas
are one and want to live like a family," said Wangyuh Konyak, the sole
member of parliament from Nagaland at the rally in Kohima, a small town
perched on a ridge and surrounded by cloud-covered mountains.

Two million Nagas live in Nagaland, another million in neighbouring states
and roughly the same number across the border in the forested hills of
Myanmar.

Separatist Naga rebels have been fighting Indian and Myanmarese government
forces for independence for five decades, after British colonial rulers
left the sub-continent in 1947.

The conflict has left more than 20,000 dead, mostly on the Indian side,
until the most powerful Naga rebel group signed a ceasefire with the
Indian government in 1997.

Since then the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah), has
been campaigning for the unification of Naga-dominated territory into a
single "Nagalim" or Nagaland.

It is a demand fiercely opposed by other ethnic groups in the northeast
and by New Delhi.

The NSCN (IM) and their allies stepped up their campaign in June and July
by blockading roads leading to the neighbouring state of Manipur for more
than 50 days.

Tensions with the Meitei people of Manipur have risen since Nagas began
pushing for an expansion of their territory.

Observers say the issue has complicated the search for peace in India's
northeast, home to scores of separatist rebel groups.

Culturally and ethnically different from the rest of the country, Nagas
were headhunters, divided into 32 constantly warring tribes, until the
arrival of British colonial troops and American Baptist missionaries in
the 19th century.

Since then, united by common traditions and by the Christian faith, they
have forged a strong sense of nationhood.

"All Nagas want to live together as one people in a unified Naga homeland,
and that integration of all Naga areas must be the foundation of any
political settlement," Naga tribal and political leaders said in a
declaration in Kohima on Wednesday.

____________________________________
HEALTH / AIDS

August 31, Democratic Voice of Burma
Japan donates over US$ 50,000 to Burma

The Japanese government recently donated more than US$50,000 to Burma for
the fight against malaria.

The donation is for buying necessary anti-malarial medical equipments for
Okepho Township Health Department in central Burma. The action of Japan
came after the UN Global Funds to fight AIDS, TB and malaria decided to
pull out its help from the country two weeks ago due to "an impossibly
difficult environment to work in."

Japan has been a constant donor to Burma since the country was taken over
by a military junta in 1988.

_____________________________________
BUSINESS / FINANCE

September 1, Xinhua News Agency
Myanmar to enact intellectual property protection law

Myanmar is finalizing a draft intellectual property protection (IPP) law
for promulgation by next January to provide legal basis for artists in
their undertakings, legal sources said on Thursday.

The law, drafted under guidelines of the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), would cover intellectual property rights in terms of
literature, arts, trade mark, mechanical design and invention, it said.

Artists of respective fields including literature, music, drama and film
industry have expressed welcome over the move, saying that the law would
help provide protection for art creators.

Myanmar's drafting of the law began in 2004 and the country is the last
among member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to
promulgate such law, the sources added.

The move constitutes part of the implementation of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights Agreement reached in January 2000.

Myanmar became a member of the WTO and WIPO in 1995 and 2000 respectively
and was set to complete drafting of the IPP law by the end of 2005 along
with other least developing countries.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

September 1, Thai Press Reports
Thai government set to crack down on migrant workers

Illegal migrant workers in Thailand face arrest and deportation after the
expiry today (August 30, 2005) of a deadline for foreign workers to
register with the authorities.

Employment Department Director-General, Chuthatawat Indrasuksri, said that
after today there would be a crackdown on both unregistered foreign
workers and their employers.

Those migrants who failed to comply with the law would be deported. Their
employers faced a maximum of three years in jail and/or a fine of up to
60,000 baht.

There are currently around 1.2 million registered foreign workers in
Thailand. The figure includes 900,000 from Myanmar, 190,000 from Cambodia
and 160,000 from Laos. More than 800,000 of them work legally.

There are also thought to be around 300,000 unregistered immigrants.

Mr. Chuthatawat also said that the department will finish gathering
information on the total number of registered migrant workers in Thailand
on Wednesday. He said this year's figure may be down from last year, given
that some foreign workers who registered last year might have gone home.

_____________________________________

September 1, Mizzima News
Over 100 Burmese workers arrested in Mahachai - Su Mya Mya Soe

Following the expiry of the deadline for registration of labour, the Thai
police arrested over 106 Burmese workers, working in Tain Pyar food
factory of Mahachai region near Bangkok, Thailand yesterday morning.

On Wednesday morning at about 1.00 a.m. the Thai police arrested Burmese
workers who did not have labor Identity cards.

Ma Naing Naing Suu, working in the factory told Mizzima, "When we came
back from the factory at 1.00 a.m. they just arrested us. They are not
policemen from Mahachai but are Bangkok's police. They also arrested two
persons with labour cards which were photostats and tore them up."

The arrested persons are being detained in Bangkok police station and will
be sent back to Burma through Maesot at Thai-Burma border.

People with or without identity cards have begun to avoid the police. "I
had an identity card but I ran. I do not have the confidence to face them
because I am scared. If they arrest us we cannot do anything. Neither will
our boss do anything," she added.
The factory dismissed some Burmese workers who did not have registration
cards.

Last year 5,000 Burmese workers were working in the Tain Pyar factory, but
before arrests were made only 2000 workers were present given the low pay,
said a worker.

In the factory, a worker is paid Baht 170 (Thai currency) per day and has
to work 10 hours a day. On May 31, when workers struck work demanding an
increase in payments, police arrested more than 300 Burmese workers and
sent them back to Burma through Maesot.

August 31 was the last date for labour registration. The Thai Labour
Ministry has declared that those found working without labour cards have
to serve three months in jail and will be fined Baht 5,000. The owner of
the factory will be fined Baht 60,000 and can be imprisoned upto three
years.

Yesterday, some Burmese workers who did not have registration cards were
arrested in Maesot.

In Thailand, over a hundred thousand Burmese nationals work in all sorts
of jobs.

_____________________________________

September 1, Shan Herald Agency for News
Crackdown on unregistered workers begins

On 30 August, the Thai Police, immigration officials and militia started
arresting illegal workers in Mae Sod, Thai-Burma border, reported Network
Media Group.

The crackdown began on the last day of extension, from June to August, of
immigrant workers registration, issued by the Thai Labor Ministry.

Arrested workers included odd-job holders, laborers and road-workers, who
did not have work-permits from municipalities.

“Five or six of my colleagues were arrested at a junction and there are
police at crossroads,” said Ko Lin, a road-worker form Mae Tao village,
Mae Sod.

Workers who do not have work permits are sent by their employers to
Myawaddy to avoid the arrests.  Not only the workers but also employers,
if caught for employing illegal workers, will be fined and sentenced.

“Burmese workers who don’t have work permits find it difficult to get
jobs, while those who have them do not easy to renew the permits due to
insufficient funds and those who are new immigrants cannot register,” said
Ko Chet Gyi from Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association that has been helping
immigrant workers.

Although there were 0.8 million registered foreign workers last year,
there are only 0.6 million this year, reported by Network Media Group.

_____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

September 1, Irrawaddy
Things get political as delegates ready for Burma meeting - Clive Parker

The Wilton Park meeting on Burma continued to be overshadowed by disunity
over attendees and topics for discussion on Thursday, as the secret list
of delegates prepare to meet in Surrey, England on September 4.

Burma’s main opposition party National League for Democracy had already
criticized the meeting in an interview with Radio Free Asia, in which they
said they had not been invited. The British authorities insist that
Michael Ryder, a representative of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
consulted with the party during a trip to Rangoon in June.

Vicky Bowman, the British Ambassador to Burma, tried to patch up the
fallout on Monday during a meeting in which she is reported to have said
discussions would not be political. The NLD retorted by suggesting that
all discussions on Burma must begin with politics.

“The point about ‘political’ is a misunderstanding about the meaning of
political,” a British official involved in the meeting told The Irrawaddy
on Thursday. “Of course the issues being discussed are highly
‘political’,” the official said, adding there would not be any discussion
“focused on political deadlock between certain actors.”

Issues the organizers have said will be addressed in Wilton Park include
the Burmese economy and HIV/AIDS, “so the Global Fund aftermath is bound
to come up,” the official said, referring to the organization’s decision
to withdraw funding from Burma. Global Fund said on August 19 it was
ending its involvement in Burma because of increased restrictions by the
junta on humanitarian organizations working in the country.

It is thought the delegates may also discuss drug issues related to Burma,
although a spokesperson for the UN Office of Drugs and Crime who met with
Mr. Ryder in Rangoon said “this issue was not a major topic.”

Mr. Ryder was unavailable for comment on Thursday.

Organizers of the meeting have responded to criticism that the delegates
do not represent leading opposition and ethnic groups by saying they would
not be able to travel outside of Burma, as the junta would not grant them
passports.

“A number of participants are from organizations who claim to represent
their [NLD and ethnic parties’] interests, including the NCGUB [National
Coalition Government of the Union of Burma],” the British official said.
“Ethnic nationality participants have also been invited.”

Organizers say 30 people have been asked to attend the three-day meeting,
half of which are Burmese from inside and outside the country.

The list of participants has remained secret because “we do not want to
jeopardize the ability of participants from inside the country [Burma] to
attend,” the British official said.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the attendees, an unconfirmed list has
circulated on an internet forum containing the names of the former
personal assistant to Aung San Suu Kyi, Ma Thanegi, Dr Nay Win Maung of
Living Color magazine and a teacher from inside Burma. Among the
non-Burmese invitees are Guy Horton, author of the report on human rights
violations against ethnic groups in Burma titled Dying Alive, the former
British ambassador to Rangoon Martin Mollan and a representative of
Amnesty International’s London office, Donna Guest.

The meeting is part of a new initiative—Countries at Risk of
Instability—by the British prime minister’s Strategy Unit, which attempts
to form an effective government response to countries at risk from
instability from a British standpoint.

_____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

September 1, Mizzima News
Burma: Information Minister or a soothsayer

Burma happens to be the one of the worst countries in terms of news
blackout. The biggest stumbling block for Burmese journalists and foreign
journalists covering Burma/Myanmar is finding a spokesperson who will
respond and have the authority to confirm their report or get an official
response or a comment.

Recently we heard a rumour that a coup had taken place among the high
echelons of the regime and Senior General Than Shwe was hospitalized in
Singapore. The regime took four days to respond to this rumour. And then
they blamed the media for broadcasting this "fabricated" news which caused
a price hike.

There should be responsible spokesperson to respond to any news
disseminated by the media. He should be both responsive and authoritative.

Ironically, in Burma, many rumours become a reality first and headlines
later. This is the unique and typical nature of this police state. On the
August 28 press briefing in Rangoon, the Burmese Junta’s Information
Minister gave three telephone numbers for confirmation of news and
comments.

All the media persons who attended this press conference were happy with
this unprecedented development of a Burmese style glasnost. But
unfortunately all these numbers are either not attended or are those of
perennially out of station officials.

A Mizzima journalist contacted 222197, the phone number of U Nyan Lin,
Director General of Consular International Laws, Treaties and Research
Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for information on Thai
Foreign Minister’s visit to Burma. He was told that the official being
sought was out of station and would be back after five days. It was also
stated that there was no else who could answer the journalist’s queries.

The journalist then contacted the Director General of Special Branch,
Police Department at 549199 to inquire about the news related to U Tay Za,
who is allegedly accused of irregularities in his timber business.

The journalist was given a similar reply which said that the DG was not in
the office. He had gone out for lunch and the journalist was asked to call
back later. It was 11:15 a.m. Myanmar Standard Time, a little early for
lunch for a Burmese. Three subsequent calls were made to him but in vain.

Regarding the journal publishing license, Mizzima contacted the Managing
Director of News and Periodicals Corporation at 294523. The experience was
similar. The phone kept ringing, but there was no one to pick it up. Four
days after getting these numbers from the Information Minister, no news
agency has been able to contact the spokesperson so far.

Maybe the Information Minister Brig. Gen. Kyaw Hsan is emulating the
soothsayer who predicted a three-digit lottery number to his clients.

In this age where mobile phones are indispensable it is a pity that cell
phones are out of reach of our high ranking government officials. The
spokespersons should be available at these phone numbers all the time to
respond and comment on media persons’ queries. These numbers should not be
just for show.

It would be shameful for the Burmese Information Minister if this trend
continues.