BurmaNet News, October 5, 2005

[Editor]

October 5, 2005 Issue # 2817


INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: New Rangoon journal goes to press
Xinhua: Myanmar to launch second FM radio station
Khonumthung News: A Pastor Seek Asylum in US in Fear of the Regime
DVB: Forced labour and land confiscations in southern Burma Mon State

ON THE BORDER
Mizzima: Mizoram youth group blocks roads from Burma
Thai Press Reports: Laos, Myanmar cooperate in border issues

BUSINESS / TRADE
Mizzima: Top Burmese officials linked to massive diesel import scam
World Markets Analysis: Businesses warn against further sanctions for Myanmar
AFP: Chinese buyers flock to Myanmar jade, gems auction
International Oil Daily: Daewoo Signs Myanmar Deal

ASEAN
DVB: ASEAN constructive engagement with Burma junta complicates situation

INTERNATIONAL
Mizzima: Activists to protest Burma's Shwe gas project

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

October 05, Irrawaddy
New Rangoon journal goes to press - Louis Reh

The Yangon Times, a new weekly journal based in Rangoon, launched its
first issue today, the state-run New Light of Myanmar reported today.
Chief Executive Officer Ko Ko said the journal, produced by e-Empire Media
Group, will appear each Wednesday.

Officials from the Myanmar [Burma] Writers and Journalists Association,
veteran journalists, writers, media personalities and other guests
attended a celebration on the eve of the new journal’s launch in Rangoon,
according to The New Light of Myanmar report.

The new journal was one of 18 proposed journals and magazines recently
granted approval by the military regime’s Press Scrutiny and Registration
Division.

“We already bought a domain for the website but we haven’t yet set the day
to launch,” said Saw Lynn Aung, adding that the website will also feature
an online chat room.

The Yangon Times—comprising 28 pages—will sell for 200 kyat (US $0.15) per
issue and will be distributed across Burma.

“All the media persons of Myanmar are to launch a media counter-offensive
against the media attacks of internal and external destructive elements,”
a recent article in The New Light of Myanmar stated. To this end, the
military government has started journalism training courses for members of
the government-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association, for
which junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe serves as patron.

Rumors in Rangoon suggest that deputy Snr-Gen Maung Aye’s daughter will be
involved with one of the country’s forthcoming journals, though the second
in command at the Yangon Times denies that she will play any role in the
new weekly. “Our journal doesn’t get familiar with any [regime]
authority,” Saw Lynn Aung, the second editor-in-chief of the journal, told
The Irrawaddy by phone today from Rangoon.

However, some journalists are skeptical of Saw Lynn Aung’s claim. “By and
large, most publications are in cooperation with influential officials or
associates,” a Rangoon-based editor said.

Saw Lynn Aung hopes that the new journal will meet a wide variety of
needs. “Our journal’s ambition is for both young and old people to benefit
from true information,” he said. “We will give priority to news inside the
country, and we will also translate some international news.”

The new weekly will offer regular sections on local news and feature
articles in such areas as lifestyle, fashion, health, economics, sport and
international news, and the magazine will be distributed free of charge to
Burma’s two major airlines—Myanmar Airways International and Air Bagan.

“We don’t get any donors to [provide] support for the journal, so we
distribute free to the airlines to promote our journal,” said Saw Lynn
Aung.

The Yangon Times plans to launch its website—in English and Burmese—soon,
though the exact date and the website address have not yet been
determined.

____________________________________

October 5, Xinhua
Myanmar to launch second FM radio station

Myanmar has begun work on launching a frequency modulated (FM) radio
station in the country's second largest city of Mandalay, according to the
Public Relations and Information Department Wednesday.

The Mandalay City FM radio station, specially featuring music and local
commercial advertisement, will be the second of its kind in Myanmar after
the Yangon City FM which was introduced three years ago.

The Mandalay City FM programs will be broadcast from the Mandalay City
hall and financed by the city's Development Committee, the sources said.

At present, Myanmar has one amplitude modulated (AM) radio station which
is Radio Myanmar and two TV stations -- TV Myanmar and Myawaddy TV
operated by the state and the military respectively.

So far during this year, Myanmar has opened 17 TV relay stations, bringing
the total in the country to 195 scattered in nine zones and relaying the
programs of TV Myanmar and Myawaddy TV. A plan is underway to add nine
more TV relay stations next year to enable domestic watchers in the remote
areas to get access to the government's TV programs telecast from Yangon,
the sources added.

The TV Myanmar has launched four channels including Myanmar and English
languages to telecast news, education and entertainment programs since
color television was introduced in the country in 1980.

Meanwhile, Myanmar is also making efforts to enhance its radio and TV
services in conformity with global changes and development, arranging to
upgrade its radio and TV machines and equipment by changing its TV system
to digital one.

The TV Myanmar is now making satellite news available with the cooperation
of the China Central television (CCTV), Cable Networks News (CNN) and the
Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK).

Recently, a German company, the Deutsche Welle (DW), has agreed with
Myanmar to air its satellite programs through TV Myanmar for the country's
audiences under the TV programs exchange between the two countries.

____________________________________

October 5, Khonumthung News
A Pastor Seek Asylum in US in Fear of the Regime

Rev. Aunglai 48 s/o Cang Kik, currently a Ph.D. scholar in United State of
America, was wanted by the Military Regime for his dissertation on
Inter-Cultural Studies: he seeks asylum in the State.

Rev. Aunglai informs Khonumthung, "My family informed me that the Military
Intelligent seek information on my return. Its dangerous for me and my
family advice me to seek asylum in the State."

"I'm a theology student in Mississippi doing my dissertation in Doctor of
Ministry Inter-Cultural studies, it infuriated the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) and wish to detain me." commented Rev. Aunglai.

He continues, "I wish every readers of my dissertation understand our
state in the fullest, I do not mean to hurt the feeling of the Military
regime. I honestly wrote what I notice in my research."

Rev. Aunglai wrote in his dissertation that Buddism was introduced in
Burma in 1044 A.D. The Burman reached Burma in 884 A.D. The Pyu, Htet and
Mon were the people who inherited the land before the coming of the
Burman. The Pyu and the Htet were lost tribes and Mon people still live in
Burma though. The Burman were animist traditionally though they sloganed,
"A Burman is a Buddhist: A Buddist is a Burman."

Rev. Aunglai in response to the query on the condition of his family, who
currently live in Rangoon says, "I do not know what I will do for my
family. I have no idea whether I will be able to call them in the State."

Rev. Aunglai earned Master of Divinity from the State in 1997. He set up
the Reform Theological College in Rangoon and served as its principal.

Rev. Aunglai left for the State in 2003 to write his dissertation in 2003
while leaving the college in the charge of Rev. David Khobal. The college
has thirty theological students currently.

Rev. Aunglai and his elder brother Rev. Chan Thleng found the United
Christian Church (UCC) in Matupi, Chin state in 1985. Later changed the
UCC into Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in 1987.

The CRC set up an orphanage home in Lawngvan Block of Matupi Township in
order to save the Christian orphans from the forced conversation to
Buddhism. The SPDC forced the orphans to shave their heads and taught
Buddhist teaching intending the orphans to become a novice Buddhist in the
Buddhist orphanage in 2001.

Rev. Aunglai fined donors for the orphanage in Lawngvan and the RTC in
Rangoon. Both institutions are run with the sponsorship of the donors.

____________________________________

October 4, Democratic Voice of Burma
Forced labour and land confiscations in southern Burma Mon State

In order to build a motorway from Paidawei Village, Bilin Township to
Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda Kinmoon pilgrim camp in southern Burma’s Mon State,
Burmese authorities have been subjecting the local population to forced
labour, and confiscating their lands and farms.

“They are building a road which goes through farms along Kyaikhto-Nyaung
Htaunk-Kimpoon camp,” a local resident of Bilin told DVB. “The villagers
even have to pay for fuel for bulldozers used in the construction.”

He added that one person from each household has to ‘volunteer’ in the
road building and those who could not, have to pay 2000 kyat.

“The villagers don’t know where to report it to. Even if they know that
they could report, they dare not,” he said.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

October 4, Mizzima News
Mizoram youth group blocks roads from Burma - Tin Zaw Moe

The influential Young Mizo Association (YMA), a local youth organisation
from Mizoram State in Northern India, closed all the roads into the state
from Burma on Sunday to protest illegal border trade.

YMA's Champhai branch led the campaign to block all border entry posts
from Burma in an attempt to curb the inflow of contraband goods and
migrant workers.

Police Commissioner L. Sailo from the Mizoram State Police Force said
authorities were unsure how to lift the illegally-imposed blockade.

"We are still watching and seeing how to handle and tackle this blockade
as this YMA is the biggest and the most influential NGO in Mizoram. The
State government wants to resolve the crisis at the earliest possible
date. But we have to wait and see for the moment," Sailo said.

More than 1000 members of the youth organisation have manned picket lines
at almost every entry point from Burma including at Ngur, Zote, Tlangsam,
Leisenzo, Farkawn and Baphai and on the state's northern roads and gates.

"There are a lot of contraband goods and drugs illegally imported through
these roads", the police commissioner said.

The picketers said they staged the blockade with coordination and consent
from the Mizoram - Central Young Mizo Association. The blockade has
already affected cross-border business.

"About 50 trucks were stopped at Zokhawthar and could not yet come to
Changpai", a businessman told Mizzima.

But many Thai and Chinese goods are still flowing into Mizoram on mules
and horses through unmanned small routes by traders eager to avoid paying
custom duties.

The exchange rate at the Burma border to Mizoram is Ks 25 to the Indian
Rupee. The prices of food and consumer goods are stable and have not been
adversely affected by the blockade.

____________________________________

October 5, Thai Press Reports
Laos, Myanmar cooperate in border issues

Measures to intensify cooperation in and management of border areas
between Laos and Myanmar are being discussed at the fifth meeting of the
Laos-Myanmar Border Committee held in Vientiane from Oct. 3-5.

Apart from reviewing tasks on border issues over the past years, the two
sides discussed cooperation among Lao and Myanmar authorities to
officially inaugurate the international border gate at Laos's Muongnon
village and Myanmar's Vangpung village as well as other border gates.

They also discussed the use of laisser-passer for the two countries'
border gates, traffic on the Mekong River, repair of landmarks along the
border line as well as cooperation in controlling drug trafficking and
other crimes along the border.

___________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

October 5, Mizzima News
Top Burmese officials linked to massive diesel import scam - Alison Hunter
and Sein Win

A huge network of illegal diesel importers was stumbled on by a police
officer in Rangoon this week, implicating several of the Burmese
military's top officials in the scam according to police and civilian
sources.

Family members of Burma's senior generals, the Burmese Navy, coastal
commanders and several high profile businessmen have been linked to the
scandal a source in the Burmese police force confirmed.

In particular, the sons of two high ranking officials and a Burmese
business man living in Singapore are believed to have headed the illegal
racket. More than 200 diesel retailers and traders have been arrested
since the case was blown wide open a few days ago.

Diesel imports into Burma are heavily restricted by the Burmese government
and Tayza, one of Burma's most famous government-backed tycoons and the
head of Htoo Trading Company, is the largest importer and distributor of
the fuel.

The first clue pointing to the illegal imports came when Singaporean
police arrested a Burmese trader and his family. His business partners
were also arrested on charges of illegal trading. The news of his arrest
was the first Burmese officials had heard about the escalating drama.


Police in Rangoon started investigating links to illegal traders in the
country and stumbled on a complex web of underground trade.

A spokesperson for Burma's Criminal Investigation Department confirmed
that a large amount of diesel had been confiscated by the Burmese
authorities but refused to elaborate.

A business source in Rangoon told Mizzima diesel supplies in Burma have
been running low in recent months, with supplies rarely meeting demand.
Licenses to import the fuel are rare and massive black market supplies are
required to prevent prices from skyrocketing.

Corrupt officials are believed to have rigged licenses for a few traders
and small illegal imports are tolerated especially in the fisheries
sector. But larger imports are more difficult to sneak past officials and
require the cooperation of high-ranking military officers.

A journalist in Rangoon told Mizzima the Burmese Navy and coast guards
were involved in the illegal imports.

"Actually, since several years ago, Burma navy has regular and/or
occasional dealings with Thai traders in illegal exchange with Thai boats'
stealthy fishing in [Burmese] water, for diesel," the source said.

The Defense Services Military Security division, headed by Maj. Gen. Myint
Swe, has reportedly taken over the investigation from police at the order
of top Burmese officials.

So far no high-profile players or businessmen with ties to the government
have been arrested and most of the cases made against them by the police
have been suspended.

A family member of one small trader who has been arrested over the scandal
said the important men behind the illegal trading are untouchable.

_____________________________________

October 5, World Markets Analysis
Businesses Warn Against Further Sanctions for Myanmar

The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry
yesterday (4 October 2005) warned the international community not to
pursue further sanctions against the country. Myanmar already faces
sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union (EU), but a UN
report suggests that further action is necessary. However, the country's
business leaders have opposed the move, arguing that such a strategy would
ruin the private sector and simply create further problems, such as job
losses.

The report has come about following work conducted by former Czech
president Vaclav Havel and South Africa's former archbishop Desmond Tutu.
They made a joint call last month for the UN to pass a resolution pressing
Myanmar's junta to work alongside the organisation to strengthen moves
towards democracy. The junta replied, thanking the pair for their
consideration, but arguing that such intervention was not necessary and
that the process of national reconciliation would continue without outside
assistance. However, according to AFP, the pair have argued that the
situation in Myanmar is much worse than in other nations where the UN has
taken action, notably Afghanistan and Rwanda. If, as it appears, the junta
is unwilling to accept help, then there is a push for further restrictive
action to be taken.

Significance: The question of sanctions has long divided the international
community, making the UN call somewhat surprising. The West has, with some
exceptions, generally supported tougher action, while Myanmar's neighbours
have favoured engagement, a tactic that has in itself undermined the
sanctions regime. Observers are divided over whether the means justifies
the impact that the sanctions have had on the economy and with it, the
domestic situation, which remains difficult for many of the country's
citizens. The UN's action will have renewed the debate, but the indecision
and the junta's determination not to bend to international policy remain a
constant.

____________________________________

October 5, Agence France Presse
Chinese buyers flock to Myanmar jade, gems auction

Nearly 600 Chinese buyers, both from Hong Kong and mainland China, poured
into Myanmar's twice-yearly auction of jade and gems, which the junta
hopes will earn more than 43 million dollars, officials said Wednesday.

The cash-strapped military government here plans to put more than 2,600
lots of jade, pearls and precious stones on the auction block starting
Wednesday through October 14, Thein Shwe, managing director of the Myanmar
Gem Enterprise told reporters.

The expected value of the sale is nearly twice the 23.8 million dollars
earned at the gems auction in October last year, he said.

"We expect this year's sales could be higher than last year, because we
are exhibiting better quality jade," Thein Shwe said.

Myanmar's secretive military rulers rarely release details about the
auctions, which normally are held twice a year. This year, the government
has held several additional auctions, but it has not said how much was
earned or who the buyers were.

The vast majority of the buyers -- 594 of the 700 attending -- are from
China, the Myanmar Gem Enterprise said in a statement.

Sixty buyers came from neighboring Thailand, with a handful of others from
Australia, France, India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Russia, Singapore
and the United States, it said.

Myanmar is one of the poorest and most isolated countries in Asia, but has
vast natural wealth -- including minerals and highly prized teak wood --
that often disappears into black markets.

The junta began the gems auctions in a bid to curb the smuggling of
precious stones out of Myanmar, which deprives the government of
desperately needed foreign currency.

Myanmar is under stiff EU and US sanctions imposed for human rights abuses
and failure to implement promised democratic reforms. But neighboring
giants China and India have increasingly sought to boost trade relations,
especially to satiate their ever-growing energy needs with Myanmar's
natural gas fields.

____________________________________

October 5, International Oil Daily
Daewoo Signs Myanmar Deal

South Korea's Daewoo International signed an agreement Monday with three
partners to explore Block A-3, off the northwestern coast of Myanmar.

Under the accord, Daewoo will lead the project with a 60% stake, while
Indian partners Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) and Gail will take 20%
and 10%, respectively, and state company Korea Gas Corp. will hold 10%.

With an area of 6,780 sq km, the block is estimated to contain 3-10 Tcf of
gas reserves.

Daewoo was awarded the block in February 2004, following which
negotiations were held with the other companies. This is the second gas
project for Daewoo in Myanmar. In March, it started producing gas from
test well Shwe-2 in Block A-1

____________________________________
ASEAN

October 4, Democratic Voice of Burma
ASEAN constructive engagement with Burma junta complicates situation

The Association of South East Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) so-called
constructive engagement with Burma’s military junta, State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC), is making democratic reforms in Burma more
complicated, said ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC).

The criticism came after a meeting of AIPMC members with their European
Union counterparts at Brussels to discuss the situation in Burma on 4
October.

They insisted that ASEAN’s decision to allow Burma to forgo its chance of
taking the rotating chairmanship in 2006 is only an attempt to avoid
diplomatic pressures and it would not solve the problems in Burma without
looking for new approaches.

The meeting was attended by AIPMC members from Thailand and the
Philippines led by its chairman Malaysian MP Zaid Ibrahim, EU experts on
Asia, some MEPs and Harn Yawnghwe of Euro-Burma Office.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

October 5, Mizzima News
Activists to protest Burma's Shwe gas project - Nem Davies

The embassies of South Korea and corporate offices of Daewoo located in
eight countries will be the sites of protests against the controversial
Shwe Gas Project in Burma on October 14.

Activists will stage protests against Daewoo International and the
government of South Korea for their involvement in the Shwe Gas Project
which has been criticised for destroying the environment and displacing
communities.

Protests will take place in the United States, South Korea, Japan,
Bangladesh, India, Thailand, the Netherlands and United Kingdom. Hundreds
are expected to join the protests in India.

"We have no program to have a demonstration that day but we will write
letters to the (South Korean) embassy to register our protest," said Ko
Nyi Nyi Lwin the coordinator of the Shwe Gas Campaign based in Thailand.
"I will join protesters in Korea who will come from India, Bangladesh and
Thailand.

Daewoo International, a South Korean conglomerate, in an agreement with
Burma's military regime and Indian corporations, will explore the gas
fields off Arakan State in Western Burma, said to have one of the largest
gas yields in Southeast Asia.

Daewoo recently signed an agreement with three major investment partners,
Korea Gas Corporation (KGC) and India's two state-run developers, Oil and
Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Gas Authority India Limited (GAIL) to
jointly undertake the exploration of gas fields and construction of gas
pipeline to India.

Activists say that the proposed gas project stands to benefit only the
Burmese military regime because of the income derived from it. They say it
will further entrench the military regime that eyes the gas project as its
largest single source of foreign income.

Where the pipeline is being built, communities in the minority Burmese
states of Arakan and Chin are increasingly militarised or subjected to
forced labor in the guise of infrastructure development, the Shwe Gas
campaign press release said.

Daewoo interests range from oil and gas, to grains, televisions and cars.
Daewoo Motors also has a car assembly plant that has a joint venture with
Myanmar Automobile and Diesel Industries (MADI). The latter is owned and
controlled by the Burmese military regime. Daewoo is also into timber and
clothing interests in Burma, said the UK Burma Campaign statement.

Daewoo International is expected to earn a minimum of US $100 million in
profits from the gas project annually for 20 years, from 2010 onwards.

"Foreign investments in Burma have given the military regime billions of
pounds, helping it expand the army and its cling to power," said a
statement from the Burma Campaign UK.

The October 14 demonstrations led by Burma Campaigners and Burma
Pro-Democracy activists will take place in Netherlands to protest against
Daewoo and Total investments in Burma.

In India, the protest will be held in Jantar Mantar Park where invited
guests from India's political parties will join the campaigners and
pro-democracy activists, said U Nyunt Hla, in charge of Shwe Gas Movement
Office in New Delhi.