BurmaNet News, June 6, 2006

[Editor]

June 6, 2006 Issue # 2977

INSIDE BURMA
DVB: Burma NLD asks UN to act as negotiator for national reconciliation
Irrawaddy: Burmese female rights defender released
Irrawaddy: NLD to appeal against extension of Suu Kyi’s detention
DVB: Burmese civil servants forced to save 10% of their salary
DVB: Children forcibly recruited as soldiers in Rangoon
Mizzima: Education ministry clamps down on postgrad Burma research
Kantarawaddy: Pregnant women tortured in jails

BUSINESS / TRADE
Xinhua: Myanmar grants formation of more public fishery companies
Narinjara: Government pepper project fails in Arakan
Khonumthung: Lower profit for traders due to heavy taxation

DRUGS
SHAN: More on drug massacre

REGIONAL
Xinhua: Myanmar, South Korea to establish direct air link

INTERNATIONAL
Irrawaddy: US State Department accuses Burma of human trafficking - Shah
Paung

OPINION / OTHER
The Nation: Japan's lacklustre policy on Burma

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

June 4, Democratic Voice of Burma
Burma NLD asks UN to act as negotiator for national reconciliation

Burma’s election-winning National League for Democracy (NLD) party has
written a letter to UN headquarters requesting a UN special envoy to open
an office in Rangoon to bring about a dialogue between the NLD and the de
facto military government for national reconciliation in Burma.

The letter was a result of discussion on national reconciliation talks
between the NLD and the UN under secretary general for political affairs,
Ibrahim Gambari during his recent visit to Rangoon. When DVB asked Myint
Thein, one of the NLD spokespersons, to explain about the contents of the
letter which the people should know, he answered as follows:

“Well, the letter is about the relevant developments that took place after
Mr Gambari's visit which the NLD feel should be reported. I do not think I
am in a position to provide all the details at this point because it
concerns NLD's policies. As far as I can say, the letter contains NLD's
suggestions about the programmes that should be carried out by the UN
concerning national reconciliation in Burma.”

When asked whether it was an attempt to upgrade the UN special envoy's
role from a facilitator, like Mr Razali, to a negotiator status or to
appoint someone who has the mandate of the UN Security Council to act as
UN special envoy, Myint Thein answered:

“Yes, that is correct. The UN has participated in Burma's affairs in
various capacities in many ways. Because of that, there were many
resolutions passed at the UN General Assembly which the Burmese government
should adopt. Unfortunately, the resolutions did not materialize. Another
point is, the UN with its mandate appointed facilitators to facilitate
national reconciliation in Burma. That did not work either. That is why,
in brief, we can say that a negotiator, especially appointed by the UN
secretary general with the UN Security Council's mandate, should be
appointed to work with increased momentum for the success of national
reconciliation.”

____________________________________

June 6, The Irrawaddy
Burmese female rights defender released - Aung Lwin Oo

Burmese female rights activist and political prisoner Su Su Nway was freed
from jail in Rangoon on Tuesday after a chorus of calls for her release by
the international community.

Su Su Nway, a 35-year-old youth leader of the opposition National League
for Democracy, had served nearly seven months of her 18 month-sentence in
Rangoon’s Insein Prison. She was jailed in October 2005 for allegedly
threatening and swearing at local authorities.

She had earlier launched a successful lawsuit against local
officials—including the headman of her Htan Manaing village, Rangoon
Division—for practicing forced labor.

“I’m very pleased to be released so unexpectedly,” Su Su Nway told The
Irrawaddy following her release. “But there are many still struggling for
justice, who remain in detention.”

During a three-day visit to Burma, UN Under Secretary-General Ibrahim
Gambari reportedly sought for the release of Su Su Nway and a meeting with
her.

The release came after the International Labour Organisation held a
special sitting on Burma during its annual conference in Geneva on
Saturday, during which the Burmese military government was urged to
release preferably by next week those imprisoned for lodging forced labor
complaints.

The ILO, particularly, has also sought the release of a Burmese lawyer,
Aye Myint, who was also imprisoned after lodging complaints of forced
labor. Aye Myint, was sentenced to death, but this was later commuted to
seven years imprisonment. He remains in jail, according to Nyan Win, a
legal expert from the NLD.

Su Su Nyway said that during her detention she encountered other people
punished by the authorities for lodging complaints of forced labor.

“If she has been released, that is indeed very good news and we will
carefully consider its implications in the workers’ group of her release
on the discussions [on Burma],” said Janek Kuczkiewicz, of the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

“It would be better if her release is for the sake of national
reconciliation, which is much needed in our country,” said Min Ko Naing, a
former political prisoner and student leader.

The Hong Kong-based advocacy group Asian Human Rights Commission had
started a campaign for her release early this year by launching a
bilingual webpage, in English and Burmese, containing links to appeals,
statements, press releases, and other information relating to her case.

____________________________________

June 6, The Irrawaddy
NLD to appeal against extension of Suu Kyi’s detention - Khun Sam

Burma’s opposition National League for Democracy announced on Tuesday it
is to launch an appeal against the one-year extension of the house arrest
of the party’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

NLD spokesman Nyan Win told The Irrawaddy the party had given the Ministry
of Home Affairs 10 days to produce the legal document ordering Suu Kyi’s
continued detention. At the end of that time, he said, the NLD would
initiate an official appeal against the order.

Suu Kyi, Burma’s democracy icon and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has spent
more than 10 of the past 17 years in detention. In late April the junta
extended her fourth term by a further 12 months, despite international
appeals for her release.

Nyan Win said there was no legal justification for detaining Suu Kyi. “It
is unfair,” he declared.

Suu Kyi was initially detained after a pro-government mob attacked her
motorcade in Depayin in May 2003. There have been constant calls for her
release, including a direct appeal to the government recently by UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The latest appeal came on Monday, from Australian Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer. “I am concerned and disappointed that the Burmese
government has yet again decided to extend the detention of Aung San Suu
Kyi,” he told a press conference, calling on the Burmese junta to
“immediately and unconditionally” release her and all political prisoners.

____________________________________

June 6, Democratic Voice of Burma
Burmese civil servants forced to save 10% of their salary

Civil servants of Burma’s military junta, the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC), have been told to ‘save’ 10% of their monthly salary from
the end of May.

Some civil servants found out that their departmental officials had
already made 10% cut off their salary when they collected their wages at
the end of May, with the excuse that the money is being saved on their
behalf at the bank. Although the money is said to be being saved on their
behalf, the civil servants are not allowed to keep the savings books,
which are being kept in the hand of the officials.

“At Danyinggone brick factory, they had already taken (10%) out of the
salary for May,” a civil servant told DVB. “At Gyok-gone BPI
pharmaceutical production factory, they had to return the money after the
civil servants made loud noises when the cut was made.”

The same civil servant said that the 10% cut is a very dishonest action
from the part of the authorities.

“They had just increased our civil servant salary recently. On the other
hand, cutting off 10% of the salary with the excuse of saving it at the
bank is like ‘frying carp in its own fat’”.

He insisted that it is also an attempt to control the civil servant in the
long-term.

____________________________________

June 6, Democratic Voice of Burma
Children forcibly recruited as soldiers in Rangoon

Burmese youth and under-aged children have been stopped and detained at
Rangoon’s main railway station, and forced to join the army by soldiers
from recruiting units.

“At Rangoon main railway station, they are carrying out soldier recruiting
(activities) every day. They are stopping and interrogating many youth,”
an eyewitness from Rangoon Mingala-taung-nyunt Township told DVB. “They
asked them; do you have identity card, letter of support/recommendation
and the like. So the children came (to Rangoon) to work. They said they
haven’t got them. Then, they told them, will you join the army or will you
get arrested by the police; they threatened them thus forcibly. They are
forcing the kids to join the army thus everyday. I saw it with my own
eyes; 3-4-5 people are taken away this way everyday. It happens around the
time the trains arrive.

“As a member of the public and a parent, I am feeling saddened by these
daily bullying and arrests. I feel for them, for the sake of the children.
This is pure bullying; these illegal arrests and conscription, I mean.”

A former Burmese soldier and a member of exiled Patriotic War Veterans of
Burma, Zeya said that the army has always been kidnapping homeless
children and orphans.

“In order to expand the army, they have always been recruiting people as
much as they could. For example, there are some orphans surviving on the
streets. Sometimes, there are those who ran away from home. They are
(arrested under) the loitering act (?Police Act 35b). They are at the
stations, on the streets selling things. They are arrested by the
municipal (officials) for illegal trading activities and transferred to
the army.”

According to New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW), out of half a
million Burmese soldiers, more than 20% are child soldiers.

____________________________________

June 5, Mizzima News
Education ministry clamps down on postgrad Burma research - Nem Davies

The Ministry of Education has released an order requesting postgraduate
Burmese students studying overseas to obtain permission for any
Burma-related research.

The order, which was obtained by Mizzima, called on state-sponsored
students to register their research topics with the Ministry for Education
before commencing their work.

"All Burmese studying in overseas countries should submit the head lines
of the Burma-related research to the Ministry of Education to get approval
. . .," the order said.

The document, dated March 31, also told Burmese embassies in other
countries to inform students of the rule.

Staff from the International Association of University Presidents said the
order restricted the education of Burmese students and would hinder their
abilities.

"State authorities usually exclude many educated people and high profile
leaders . . .," the joint general secretary of the association said.

____________________________________

June 5, Kantarawaddy Times
Pregnant women tortured in jails

Pregnant women are being tortured in a jail under the Burmese military
junta’s Regional Control Command in Loikaw, Karenni (Kayah) State,
according to a pregnant who was beaten up by Burmese troops.

Burmese troops have been arresting, jailing, questioning and beating up
pregnant women and abandoned wives because they find it difficult to catch
the family’s men (since early this year) suspected to have contacts with
Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP).

“They [Burmese troops] hit me two or three times on my head with a stick.
They hit me again when I recovered after becoming unconscious,” said
Berresel, a woman into her eight month of pregnancy.

A jail officer and two soldiers on duty summoned pregnant women one after
another, tortured them with a stick, and questioned them in a closed cell,
she added.

“There was a woman seven months into pregnancy beside my cell. She was
beaten unconscious like I was,” Berresel said.

Burmese troops belonging to Infantry Battalion 250 have been looking for
Berresel’s husband after being told by Karenni Nationalities People's
Liberation Front (KNPLF) that he contacted the KNPP. The troops came to
the family’s house for the husband but took away Berresel and her
three-year-old son with them because her husband was not at home.

However, the husband Ku Htar said, “I don’t have any contact with Karenni
soldiers. They [KNPLF] were dissatisfied when Karenni villagers refused to
help them attack the Karenni [KNPP].

There have been more oppression, persecution and human rights violations
on innocent villagers in Loikaw, Demoso, Hpruso and Shadaw townships
because of accusations by some ceasefire groups and KNPP’ splinter
organizations in the area.

Berresel was released after she was tortured in a jail under the Regional
Control Command for 15 days. After her release, she bore her child in
Kayan Thayar village, Loikaw Township. She has now fled to the Thai-Burma
border to escape persecution.

She told Kantarawaddy Times that there are at least five pregnant women,
an unknown number of other women and several children under the age of 10
remaining in the jail, when she was released.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

June 6, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar grants formation of more public fishery companies

Myanmar has granted the formation of two more public fishery companies in
a bid to promote the development of the country's fishery sector,
especially in the sector's border trade with neighboring countries,
fishery industry sources said on Tuesday.

"Such new public establishments in the sector was the first since two
years ago", the sources said.

The Asian Prosperity Export and Import Co Ltd, one of the two established
by the Myanmar Fishery Products Processors Association, will mainly render
services for trading between Myanmar and Chinese businessmen, according to
the association.

The company will start selling shares to the public once the bylaws and
regulations covering operation is drafted, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Tuesday's official newspaper New Light of Myanmar urged in its
editorial exporting of quality fishery products to the international fish
and prawn market.

According to the paper, there are more than 162,000 hectares of fish and
prawn farms across Myanmar. In the 2005-06 fiscal year which ended in
March, the country's fish and prawn production earned over 840 billion
Kyats (about 700 million U.S. dollars) and meat production more than 600
billion Kyats.

Other official statistics show that Myanmar exported over 255, 000 tons of
fishery products in 2004-05 fiscal year, up 50,000 tons from the previous
one. During the fiscal year, the fishery exports through normal trade
earned over 200 million dollars, while that through border trade fetched
about 141 million dollars totaling 341 million dollars.

Half of the country's fishery products were exported through border trade,
mainly to China and Thailand, the figures show.

Myanmar's fishery sector remains as the third largest contributor to the
gross domestic product (GDP), taking up about 8 percent of the GDP.

With a long coastline of over 2,800 km and a total area of 500, 000
hectares of swamps along the coast, the country has an estimated
sustainable yield of marine products at over one million tons a year.

____________________________________

June 6, Narinjara News
Government pepper project fails in Arakan

The military government’s pet pepper cultivation project in Arakan State
has come a cropper. The target date for cultivation by June this year has
passed, said an official report.

"It was a three year project but has been unsuccessful with the target
date having passed," said an official from the Agriculture Department in
Buthidaung.

The government started the pepper cultivation project in Arakan spanning
2002, 2003, and 2004, as a state agricultural project. The three years
from June 2004 to June 2006 were planned to be the productive years for
the pepper project.

However, the plan has failed to get off the ground over the last three
years and the government has not gained from the pepper project, said the
official.

The military regime ordered army battalions in Arakan to nurture 100,000
pepper plantations a year over the last three years. The Burmese Army
battalions stationed in Arakan, since the orders were handed down,
undertook most pepper projects in the state. With the project failing, the
military government has suffered humiliation and disgrace in the eyes of
the public. The authority had propagated the idea of pepper cultivation
among the Burmese people and said that it would provide an opportunity for
them to earn more income from their farmlands.

According to a source close to the army, the higher authorities have again
instructed all battalions based in Arakan to cultivate pepper, despite
recently receiving word that the current pepper projects have failed in
the state.

According to government orders, army battalions in Arakan State will have
to cultivate 9000 pepper plants per acre, with 10 acres to be cultivated
by an individual battalion during monsoons this year.

____________________________________

June 3, Khonumthung News
Lower profit for traders due to heavy taxation

Traders supplying pigs to Mizoram are earning lower profits given the
heavy taxation in Southern Chin state.

According to reports the authorities of southern Chin and Arakan states
have been taxing exporters of swine at nine check points. The authorities
charge Kyat 1,000 per swine in Sittwe, Arakan state and Paletwa Township,
Chin state.

Traders have to pay taxes to the Police, Forest, Military Intelligence,
Transportation, Immigration, Seaport Security, Municipality and the
Butcher license issuing departments. The Police and Army tax traders in
Thura Aing Village of Paletwa Township.

A trader told Khonumthung, “The tax was levied by the police department on
behalf of various departments of the military government. There is no
profit even when business is successfully done in Mizoram. We have to pay
from our pockets to meet all the expenses.”

The export of pigs from Chin state is on the decline due to the heavy
taxation. The outflow of swine from Paletwa Township, Chin state to
Lawngtlai in Mizoram state has gone down from 30-40 to 15-20 per week.

Meanwhile, there is taxation in Mizoram too. The traders pay Rs. 100 per
swine to the police in Bungtlang village in Mizoram state, India. Adding
to their woes, some the traders are apprehended by the police in Lawngtlai
and have to pay Rs. 300 to 500 as bail charges.

“The entry of swine from Paletwa has gone down drastically. Stocks in
Lawngtlai have also decreased. The price of pork may rise as few traders
are bringing pigs from Burma, says a trader in Lawngtlai.

The price of swine varies with the size and the range is between Kyat
40,000 to 80,000 in Sittwe, Arakan state and Paletwa Township, Chin state.
The swine are sold to the Lawngtlai butchers and the selling price is
between Rs. 3,000 to 6,000.

The animals meant for export to Mizoram are taxed by the military and
police authorities without setting down a proper rate. Some traders have
been reportedly arrested and imprisoned.

____________________________________
DRUGS

June 6, Shan Herald Agency for News
More on drug massacre

17 people had been killed during the mass killing that took place across
Maehongson on 31 May, when the United Wa State Army's 171st Military
Region troops stormed the refinery of two Lisu traders, reported Chiangmai
News yesterday.

One among the 17 was a Thai citizen who had been working as an informant
for the Thai authorities, it said.

The two, Japao and Pawli, who were captured alive were reportedly accused
of transferring 200 blocks of heroin across the border to Pakluei village,
Tambon Mawnpin, Fang district, 160 km north of Chiangmai last month
without paying due taxes.

S.H.A.N. source on the border adds that the price of heroin on the border
is 250,000 baht ($6,250) per kg and tax is 10,000 baht ($250).

____________________________________
REGIONAL

June 6, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar, South Korea to establish direct air link

Myanmar and South Korea will establish direct air link beginning October
this year with the state-run Myanmar Airways to fly between Yangon and
Seoul, according to air industry sources Tuesday.

Prior to the planned formal link, the Korean Air has started chartered
flights between the two destinations since May 24 as part of the mutual
cooperation promotion program between the two airlines.

The 257-seat air bus A 300-600R undertaking the inaugural chartered flight
brought 175 passengers from Seoul to Yangon.

The Korean Air is operating twice a week on every Wednesday and Sunday
until October for the time being, the airline said.

There has been three Myanmar-foreign JV airlines flying on international
routes, namely the Myanmar Airways International ( AMI), the United
Myanmar Airlines (AMA) and the Air Myanmar.

Other foreign airlines that link Yangon includes Air China, Malaysian
Airlines, Thai Airways International, Silk Air, Biman ( Bangladesh),
Indian Airlines, Lauda Air (Austria), Phuket Airlines (Thailand), Bangkok
Airways and Qatar Airways (Middle-East).

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

June 6, The Irrawaddy
US State Department accuses Burma of human trafficking - Shah Paung

Burma is making “minimal progress” in prosecuting human traffickers,
despite enacting an anti-trafficking law last year, according to a US
State Department report.

The document—titled “Trafficking in Persons Report” and released on
Monday—describes Burma as a “source country for women and men trafficked
for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation.” Burmese
citizens were trafficked to Thailand, China, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Korea
and Macau for sexual exploitation, domestic service and forced labor, the
report says.

At the same time, Burma serves as a country of transit for people being
trafficked from Bangladesh to Malaysia and from China to Thailand.

Blame for the problem is placed by the report on “the military junta’s
economic mismanagement, human rights abuses and its policy of using forced
labor.”

The report notes that the Burmese government passed an anti-trafficking
law in September 2005, carrying penalties of imprisonment of 10 years to
life. “This law is not used effectively, however, because the Burmese
judiciary is corrupt and lacks resources and independence,” the report
adds.

The Burmese government claimed that in 2005 it prosecuted 426 traffickers
in 203 cases under the new law and identified 844 victims. “The government
did not take action, however, against military or civilian officials who
engaged in forced labor,” the report maintains.

“Although local and regional officials, primarily along the borders, were
suspected of complicity in trafficking, the government reported no
prosecutions of corrupt officials related to trafficking. The Burmese
military continued to carry out forced labor, including forced portering.”

Apart from Burma, the State Department report names Venezuela, Sudan,
North Korea, Sudan and Cuba as countries involved in human trafficking.

“Trafficking in persons is a form of modern-day slavery, and we strive for
its total abolition,” says US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a
foreword to the report. “Future generations will not excuse those who turn
a blind eye to it.”

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

June 3, The Nation
Japan's lacklustre policy on Burma

Tokyo's coddling of the pariah regime is incompatible with its aspirations
to a greater role on the world stage

In a rare development at the UN Security Council, Japan is united with
China and Russia to provide a protective shield for Burma. It's a shame
really. Japan could do more to help foster democracy and end the human
suffering in Burma. But instead Tokyo perpetuates the agony of the
long-oppressed people inside that pariah state. As the country's biggest
donor of humanitarian aid, Japan should bring greater pressure to bear on
the Rangoon junta leaders to loosen their grip for the betterment of the
population.

The argument that Burma does not need outside help because it is a
self-reliant country, and therefore international sanctions would have
limited effect, fails to hold water.

The recent briefing by Ibrahim Gambari, the UN under-secretary-general for
political affairs, referred to the worsening economic situation inside the
country. The international community should stand firm and act together in
a concerted effort to bring about positive change there.

Japan has been rather inconsistent, even erratic, when it comes to its
foreign policy in Southeast Asia. In areas one would expect Japan to
behave like a respectable member of the international community, such as
in Burma, Tokyo simply fails to deliver. The Japanese foreign ministry
naively believes that the only way to crack Burma while maintaining its
influence is to continue humanitarian and development aid at all costs
while lecturing its leaders on the merits of sound economic management.

Japan seems to fear that what little influence it does exert on Burma
would disappear altogether if it were too assertive. China and India have
both gained strong footholds there - two Asian giants guarding a rogue
regime. Japan is entrenched in the country and seems willing to comply
with the junta leaders, at least to maintain its minuscule influence. The
junta leaders have thus far played their cards very effectively, pitting
one power against another.

As current president of the Security Council, Japan has an important role
to play in pushing this issue forward. But the views expressed by the
Japanese envoy to the UN, Kenzo Oshima, do not sound at all optimistic.
The council must involve itself more with the situation in Burma, because
that country is increasingly becoming a threat to international peace and
stability.

Thailand knows this threat very well. But Bangkok has so far kept its own
mouth shut, because the current caretaker government backs the regime via
Thaksin Shinawatra's tangled web of businesses. With China, India and
Thailand all colluding with Burma, the real issues are being obscured and
international pressure on Burma undermined.

In more ways than one, Japan wants to be perceived as having a moderate
policy towards Burma, rather than identifying itself with most Asean
members or the West. So far, the junta has exploited Japan's historical
guilt (as other countries have done with Japan) over its occupation of
Burma during World War II. The legacy of Japan's wartime record continues
to have a strong bearing on Japanese foreign policy today. A lack of
domestic pressure groups for Burmese issues in Japan allows government
policy to proceed unchallenged. Australia, which used to be similarly soft
towards Burma, is toughening its position. Canberra's past efforts to
raise awareness on rights have never panned out.

Indeed, Japan is missing a great opportunity to demonstrate its diplomatic
finesse by aligning its own position with Asean's, or at least identifying
itself with Asean's ongoing efforts to pressure Burma into reforming and
opening up. It is very odd indeed to see Japan sharing the same vision of
Burma with China, because Japan is a great democratic country with
ambitions of playing a greater international role.

Indeed, Tokyo's position could never score many points with Burma, anyway.
After all, Burma prefers China to Japan, probably because they speak the
same language when it comes to dealing with their people. In the short
run, Japan's accommodation of Rangoon could put it in the awkward position
of opposing Asean, as the group ratchets up its pressure on Burma.