BurmaNet News, June 27, 2006

[Editor]

June 27, 2006 Issue # 2992

INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: Junta newspapers attack former student leaders
Mizzima: Burma bans Google and Gmail
Xinhua: Myanmar international express mail services to expand to 30 more
countries
Narinjara: Nasaka raids Muslim villages in Arakan

ON THE BORDER
Irrawaddy: Sickness rife in Karen refugee camp, say aid workers
Kaowao: Barriers to education for poor in gas pipeline area

BUSINESS / TRADE
AFP: China, Thailand to build billion-dollar hydro station in Myanmar
Mizzima: 70 truck drivers arrested in border trade clamp down

DRUGS
Financial Times: Myanmar, Thailand burn tons of drugs
Xinhua: 160 Burmese officials receive anti-drugs training in China

INTERNATIONAL
Irrawaddy: World parliamentarians unite for action on Burma

PRESS RELEASE
AIPMC: 503 parliamentarians from 34 countries demand Security Council
action on Burma

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

June 27, The Irrawaddy
Junta newspapers attack former student leaders - Yeni

A prominent Burmese former student leader, Min Ko Naing, complained on
Tuesday that the regime was trying to silence him and other pro-democracy
voices. He and other activists had come under increased surveillance by
government agents, he told The Irrawaddy by telephone from Rangoon.

Min Ko Naing, a student leader in the 1988 pro-democracy uprising who
served 15 years in jail, was singled out in a commentary carried on
Tuesday by several government-backed newspapers, which described him as a
“puppet” of Western capitalists. He and other pro-democracy activists were
also called neo-colonialist tools.

The commentary—carried in such newspapers as Myanmar Ahlin and
Kyaymon—said Min Ko Naing and his fellow activists, instead of “dancing to
western tunes,” should be aware of the historical fact that Burmese
students fought against colonialism to regain Burma’s independence.

The attacks on the pro-democracy activists follow criticism by state-run
newspapers of the United States and of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
A commentary on Sunday posed the question: “Can democracy be introduced to
Myanmar [Burma] only when Daw Suu Kyi is elected as head of the state?”

Min Ko Naing was released from jail in November 2004 after serving 15
years of a 20 year sentence imposed on him for his part in the 1988
uprising. Last year he won the Civil Courage Prize of the New York-based
foundation the Northcote Parkinson Fund, which supports economic and
political liberalism and honors “steadfast resistance to evil at great
personal risk.”

Min Ko Naing said that the regime was not happy with activities of
pro-democracy activists and was attempting to silence their voice. “The
authority wants to control us,” he said.

Official surveillance of the group had increased, he said. “In my sight,
in front of my house, I can see three men waiting and watching. They are
following us wherever or whenever we go.”

____________________________________

June 26, Mizzima News
Burma bans Google and gmail - Mungpi

Burmese authorities have blocked the well-known Google search engine and
its mail service gmail, according to internet users in Rangoon.

"It has been about a week that we cannot access our mails and use Google,"
a Rangoon resident said.

Users attempting to view either of the sites are confronted with a message
saying "Access Denied".

An official from Bagan Cybertech, Burma's only internet service provider,
confirmed that both Google and gmail were inaccessible but declined to
comment further.

In an effort to control the flow of information in and out of the country,
the Burmese government has banned several websites including yahoo email
and hotmail.

Amyotharye U Win Naing, a Rangoon based independent political analyst and
gmail user told Mizzima, "I think it is because of the increase in
internet users . . . Because gmail has a big storage and is easy to use so
a lot of people, even government servants, have started using it."

____________________________________

June 27, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar international express mail services to expand to 30 more countries

The state-run Myanmar International Express Mail Services (EMS) will
expand its services to 30 more countries starting July 1, the local Weekly
Eleven News reported Tuesday.

The Myanmar EMS International under the Ministry of Communications, Posts
and Telegraphs is currently rendering services to 32 countries in Asia and
North America.

The expansion would bring the total number of countries to where the EMS
International is accessible to 62.

The new destinations mostly lie in Europe, the Middle East, South America
and Saudi Arabia, while the existing destinations where the EMS
International covers are Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Britain and the United States.

The Myanmar EMS International handles prompt mailing of such parcels as
documents, business papers, samples and government- permitted goods.

Myanmar initiated the international express mail services with Singapore
in January 1995 and with Thailand in September 1996.

According to the report, the EMS international will finally substitute the
DHL Express Asia Pacific of the Netherlands when the latter pulls out of
Myanmar by the end of this year.

The decision that the DHL would not continue to promote mutually
beneficial cooperation with the country on expiry of contract with the
state-run Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications ( MPT) under the ministry
was made on the basis of a conclusion of its business undertakings in the
country, earlier reports said.

DHL has operated international mail services in the country since April
1997 in joint venture with the MPT as the foremost one of its kind.

____________________________________

June 27, Narinjara News
Nasaka raids Muslim villages in Arakan

Nasaka, the border security force, raided a number of Muslim villages in
Buthidaung Township on 24 June in order to investigate such matters as the
lists of family members, unlicensed construction of mosques, and marriage
licenses, according to reports of local residents.

The raid was led by major San Win Khaing from Nasaka area 9, based in Taun
Bazar in the north of Buthidaung Township 80 miles north of the state
capital, Akyab.

According to a source close to Nasaka officials, during the raids
authorities examined 220 Muslim families, including 803 males and 863
females, from several villages within Nasaka area 9.

Nasaka uncovered 3 mosques and one religious school which were illegally
constructed by local Muslim people in the area. The authorities also
located 2 illegally married couples and 18 families who had moved from one
village to another without permission.
According to Nasaka sources, Nasaka authorities have recently been
checking on Muslim families in the north of Arakan to investigate the
birth rate, migration of individuals to Bangladesh, illegal relocations,
illegal marriages, illegal construction of mosques and establishment of
religious schools, and individuals traveling without a testimonial from
their village authority.

A source said that Nasaka authorities are now arranging to sue those
individuals involved in the construction of mosques and religious schools
without permission from the appropriate authorities.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

June 27, The Irrawaddy
Sickness rife in Karen refugee camp, say aid workers - Phil Thornton/Mae Sot

Medical workers just returned from visiting the 900 displaced Karen
sheltering in Ei Tu Hta camp on the Burmese side of the Salween River say
the health situation there is critical.

A health specialist with an Australian aid agency told The Irrawaddy that
many of the people in Ei Tu Hta need immediate hospital care. "Many of the
diseases are complex, requiring complex treatment,” said the specialist,
identified only as Anna. “There are 18 cases of life-threatening cerebral
malaria and 80 per cent of the people are suspected of having malaria."

She said many will die if they do not have access to proper medical care.
"Many of the children have dysentery, worm infestations, chest infections
and are malnourished. The children and the elderly are already vulnerable
and at risk."

The Karen fled to the Salween retreat, protected by Karen soldiers, after
the Burmese army in a systematic campaign of harassment burnt down their
villages, stole livestock and destroyed crops in Papun District in
northern Karen State.

The Australian specialist says she is impressed by what has been achieved
at Ei Tu Hta so far. "The Karen have built houses, set up a school and
started to grow vegetables. The clinic's medics are skilled and doing a
great job with what they've got, but considering the complexities of the
illnesses they need help now to handle the massive patient load."

However, Saw Hla Henry, secretary for the Committee of Displaced Karen
People (CIDKP) told The Irrawaddy: "Another 800 people are expected to
arrive [at Ei Tu Hta] over the next few weeks. The situation is critical.
The clinic is overwhelmed, the Salween [River] has already risen by about
eight feet (2.2 meters), the heavy rains mean people can't collect leaves
to make roofs and will have to use plastic sheeting."

Hla Henry is also concerned the Burmese army might attack the camp. "The
Burmese army has three camps only two hours march from here and they have
started to bring in more soldiers. We could hear shelling and three weeks
ago Burmese soldiers tried to get into the camp, but Karen army landmines
stopped them."

Anna said that because the camp is situated in Burma it makes it difficult
for the people to get medical assistance. "These people have no money to
buy food, let alone pay for river or land transport to get them to a
hospital. If they did get across to Thailand they'd be illegal. The people
of Ei Tu Hta need the help of the international community.”

____________________________________

June 27, Kaowao News
Barriers to education for poor in gas pipeline area

Despite the support from the Total Oil Company, families are finding it
difficult to pay for their children’s education with school tuition fees
around the Yadana gas pipeline having increased.

Nai Ong from northern Yebyu reported that higher tuition fees were
introduced in the school year 2006-2007 in 13 villages around the Yadana
pipeline area in Kanbauk, Klein Aung and Yebyu Townships.

The financial burden of paying for school repairs and additional
Buildings, falls upon children and their families. The principal of Paung
Taw Joint High School, Ms. Cho Cho, collected 15,000 Kyats from each
middle school student and 17,000 Kyats (US $ 17-20.00) from high school
students. The fees will go towards a bag of cement 6,000 Kyats, 200 bricks
2,000 Kyats, chairs 4,500 Kyats, and a bookshelf 10,000 Kyats.

The principal reasoned that the school had not received enough funds from
the government for school repairs and the construction of new buildings.

The local community is faced with extremely high costs in maintaining the
running of the schools.

Many poor Tavoyans and Mon families are unable to pay these costs and
schools have turned away children who cannot pay. In addition to informal
costs, other additional fees keeping their children out of school are
books, uniforms, supplies, food and transportation.

According to local villagers, they are happy for the additional support
for community development provided by the Total Company.  Special teachers
from the YMCA and doctors are hired from Rangoon and the living standard
in these villages is reportedly higher than other rural villages.  It also
attracts other villagers to the area who bring their children to attend
school.

However, the government teachers take full advantage and are into private
tutoring to collect money on the side, charging 300,000 Kyats per year.

There are two government run high schools and two joint-high schools
(government recognized self-supported school) in the gas pipeline area.

In the Three Pagodas Pass border town on the Thai Burma border, tuition
fees have also increased from 200 to 320 baht in elementary schools and
from 330 to 550 bhat in middle schools.

In rural areas, Mon children are into basic education in
self-supported Mon national schools run by MNEC (Mon National Education
Committee).  These Mon national schools are regarded as illegal
institutions and are often shut down due to threats from the Burmese
authorities.

Although the Burmese authorities claim 90 per cent enrollment for
education in the country, UNICEF says it’s more likely 55 per cent.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

June 27, Agence France Presse
China, Thailand to build billion-dollar hydro station in Myanmar

China said Tuesday it would tie-up with Thailand to construct a
one-billion-dollar hydropower station on the Salween River in Myanmar in
the first of five such projects.

The China Sinohydro Corp. will cooperate with the Electricity Generating
Authority of Thailand to build the dam, a statement from China's
State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission said.

The plant will have an installed capacity of 600,000 kilowatts in Hutgyi,
Myanmar, near the Thai border, and will be the first on the 2,800
kilometer (1,750-miles) river, South-East Asias longest undammed waterway.

It is the first of five hydropower stations that China, Thailand and
Myanmar have previously said they plan to build on the Salween.

The projects have drawn fire from environmentalists and other opponents
who say the the dams could severely damage the river's fragile ecosystem
and destroy biodiversity, in turn affecting livelihoods.

Military-ruled Myanmar has about 30 hydro power projects either operating
or being built throughout the country that involve China in various
capacities.

____________________________________

June 27, Mizzima News
70 truck drivers arrested in border trade clamp down - Myo Gyi

Seventy truck drivers were arrested and 90 cargo trucks seized in northern
Shan State last Friday by the northeastern Burmese military command in
Lashio.

The drivers, who had been operating on the China-Burma border, were
interrogated for a prolonged period in connection with the arrests of more
than 100 border trade officials last month, a trader told Mizzima on
condition of anonymity.

A family member of one of the detained truck drivers told Mizzima,
"Officials accused the truck drivers of cheating on the load of cargo to
avoid paying duty in the month of May. And the trucks were arrested for
not having permit."

"As far as I know there are only about 24 trucks that have no permit, but
they are arresting all the 90 trucks, even those having permits."

Following the arrest, several officials from the 105 th mile zone, also
known as Muse border trade and industrial zone and several businessmen
fled to China, the trader said.

"These officials and agents fled to China both yesterday and day before
yesterday, when they got the information that the truck drivers are
imprisoned and senior officials are coming to Lashio," said the trader.

According to the China-Burma border business community, the arrests came
after a group of investigators from Nay Pyi Daw arrived in Lashio on
Friday.

Residents say business has been slow due to an increased government
presence. Authorities are monitoring several trade routes and have been
conducting random cargo searches.

Burma watchers have linked the arrest of the truck drivers and fleeing of
border officials to the arrest on Friday of Customs Department director
general colonel Khin Maung Lin and about 40 officials in Rangoon.

____________________________________
DRUGS

June 27, Financial Times
Myanmar, Thailand burn tons of drugs

Myanmar authorities yesterday burnt 1.65 tons of seized drugs at an annual
drug destruction ceremony.

Attending the 20th Annual Drug Destruction Ceremony, sponsored by the
Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control, were First Secretary of the
State Peace and Development Council Lieutenant-General Thein Sein and
foreign diplomats based in Yangon.

The drugs, which were burned to mark the International Day Against Drug
Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, include 169.7 kilograms of heroin, 690.6
kilograms of opium and 80.9 kilograms of marijuana, as well as 2.1 million
tablets of amphetamine stimulants, 5,308 tablets of ecstasy and 101.74
kilograms of ice, a crystal form of amphetamine-type stimulant.

The burned drugs had a street value of about US$148.4 million, according
to the authorities, which added the street value of drugs burnt since the
first destruction ceremony in 1990 to US$14.809 billion.

The authorities also disclosed that since the New Destiny Project was
introduced in April 2002, nearly 186 tons of poppy seeds, voluntarily
submitted by the growers, had also been destroyed on 13 occasions. Myanmar
has been implementing a 15-year total drug eradication plan (1999-2000 to
2013-14) in three phases each running for five years. It is now in the
second phase.

Myanmar successfully established two opium-free zones, one in Mongla in
1997, the other in Kokang in 2003. Also yesterday, the Thai Government
burned some 3. 5 tons of seized narcotics worth nearly 11 billion baht
(about US$285 million) in central Thai province of Ayutthaya.

Public Health Minister Pinij Jarusombat presided over the ceremony to
destroy the seized drugs, the 34th of its kind over the past years.

The drugs, including 32 million tablets of amphetamines weighing 2,800
kilograms and heroin, opium, ecstasy, cocaine, cannabis, were burned
through an internationally-standardized environmentally-friendly system.
The event was witnessed by representatives of Thai and international
agencies and organizations.

The Thai Government declared its war against drugs in 2001, according to
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where the seized drugs were stored
before being destroyed.

____________________________________

June 27, Xinhua General News Service
160 Burmese officials receive anti-drugs training in China

With the latest training class opening in Kunming on Monday, China has now
trained 160 Burmese officials in how to crack down on drug trafficking.

This training class comes after an agreement was reached between China and
Myanmar in anti-drug cooperation. Since 2002, the Yunnan Police College,
authorized by the National Narcotics Control Commission and Ministry of
Public Securities, started to train the Burmese officials.

The officials will discuss the global anti-drug situation during the
one-month course and some methods of drug testing and narcotics control
will also be shown in the class, said Yu Yanjing, president of the
college.

Yu added that the Burmese officials will also learn mandarin and Kung Fu.

"We really treasure this training opportunity in China and we will work
hard here," said captain Shwe Nyar Maung.

He said the Burmese government attaches great importance to the training
class and thinks it is crucial to promote the anti-drug cooperation
between the two nations. It hopes that more officials can receive similar
training in China.

Part of the notorious drug source "golden triangle" is located in the
north of Myanmar, which makes the anti-drug campaign in Myanmar a tough
task. It also affects the nearby Yunnan province. According to the
provincial public security department, Yunnan seized 4.1 tons of drugs
between January and May.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

June 27, The Irrawaddy
World parliamentarians unite for action on Burma - Clive Parker

Efforts to push for UN Security Council action on Burma received fresh
impetus on Monday as 503 parliamentarians from 34 countries signed a
petition calling on Council members to pass a resolution to restore
democracy there.

In what has been described as an unprecedented level of support for such
action, MPs from all shades of the world’s political spectrum put their
names to the letter, which was also sent to UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan: “We believe the increasingly unstable situation in Burma represents
a threat not only to the people of Burma, but also to international peace
and security; as a result, the United Nations Security Council has an
obligation to pass a peaceful resolution,” it said.

The petition was coordinated by the Asean Inter-parliamentary Myanmar
Caucus. Chairman Zaid Ibrahim—a member of parliament from Malaysia—who
said his organization had “been overwhelmed by the support for this
initiative,” adding that “action by the Security Council is long overdue.”

The MPs called for a non-punitive UNSC resolution on Burma which would
require the junta to work with Annan to bring about national
reconciliation, release detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and
allow unrestricted access to the UN and aid agencies.

“We, as elected representatives from all over the world, have joined
forces to support our fellow MPs in Burma who were never allowed to take
their seats,” said the AIPMC on behalf of all signatories to the letter.

Those in support included parliamentarians from five of the 10 countries
that make up Asean—the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and
Thailand. Of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, MPs from five
countries supported the petition, namely the US, UK, Denmark, France and
Slovakia.

Significantly, neither of the two UNSC permanent members opposing a
resolution on Burma—China and Russia—were represented, although Hong
Kong’s Legislative Councilor Emily Lau was a signatory.

In addition to the group petition, 44 members of the Japanese parliament,
or Diet, sent a similarly-worded letter to Council members and Annan,
bringing the total number of parliamentarians supporting the cause
publicly to 547.

“We appreciate [the] UN Secretary-General’s call for democratic transition
in Myanmar [Burma] by 2006,” said MP Tadamori Oshima on behalf of the
Japanese group, in reference to Annan’s call for reform in Burma by the
middle of this year.  “But the regime has shown no sign to respond.”

The Japanese Ambassador to the UN, Kenzo Oshima, after the second UNSC
briefing on Burma by UN Undersecretary-General Ibrahim Gambari in May,
said Tokyo would not support a resolution because it did not consider
Burma an international security threat. Japan’s position at the time was
supported by at least two other nations within the Council—China and
Russia—both of which have the power to veto any proposed resolution on
Burma as permanent members. The Irrawaddy has, however, received
unconfirmed reports that Japan may be changing its position on the issue.

The US Ambassador in New York, John Bolton, continues to draft a Burma
resolution which has reportedly been circulating for weeks among all UNSC
members—including China, Russia and Japan—prior to a formal presentation.

____________________________________
PRESS RELEASE

June 27, Asean inter-parliamentary Myanmar caucus
503 parliamentarians from 34 countries demand Security Council action on
Burma

An unprecedented 503 MPs from 34 countries have today written to members
of the United Nations Security Council, and UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan, calling for a binding resolution to address the crisis in military
ruled Burma. The letter is believed to be the largest number of MPs that
have written to the Council in this way.

The move comes as Security Council members consider holding their first
formal discussion on Burma. A draft resolution has also been circulated by
the United States.

In their letter the parliamentarians write, "There is ample precedent for
a Security Council resolution on Burma.  The Council has passed
resolutions on many countries, including Haiti, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan,
Yemen, and Liberia, when internal breakdown was underway.   In many of
these countries the Security Council failed to act swiftly, resulting in
many innocent lives being lost. This must not be allowed to continue in
Burma."

Support for a non-punitive Security Council resolution on Burma has grown
in recent months as the situation in Burma continues to deteriorate. The
ruling military junta has increased attacks on ethnic minorities in
eastern Burma, an escalation of a campaign that has driven half a million
people from their homes as internally displaced persons and over 700,000
refugees over Burma's borders into neighbouring countries. Shockingly, at
least 2,700 villages have been burned or otherwise destroyed by the junta.

The junta has also forcibly recruited more child soldiers than any other
country in the world. At the same time harassment of members of Aung San
Suu Kyi's party - the National League for Democracy - has increased and
1,100 political prisoners remain in jail, facing horrific forms of
torture.

One month ago, UN Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Gambari
Ibrahim travelled to Burma to meet with the leader of the military junta
and Aung San Suu Kyi, the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize
recipient.

Gambari raised hopes after his trip by stating that the military regime
may end attacks on ethnic minorities and release Suu Kyi and 1,100 other
political prisoners.   He proclaimed the military junta was ready to "turn
a new page" with the international community. One week later, the military
regime rebuffed his every request, even extending Aung San Suu Kyi's
detention for one year and increasing attacks on ethnic minorities.

Subsequently, the United States, UK, France, and other countries indicated
their support for what could become the first-ever UN Security Council
resolution on Burma.

In the letter, the 503 parliamentarians endorsed a proposal by Nobel Peace
Prize recipient Bishop Desmond M. Tutu and former Czech President Vaclav
Havel that calls for a non-punitive, binding UN Security Council
resolution that calls for national reconciliation in Burma. Tutu and Havel
commissioned a legal study - A Threat To The Peace - that found the
Security Council has the legal authority and an obligation to take action
on Burma.

The letter was organized by a grouping of parliamentarians from 6
Southeast Asian countries called the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar
Caucus (AIPMC). The letter is signed by elected representatives from
countries including; Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Denmark,
New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia, US, UK, Austria, Romania,
Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia,
Spain, China (Hong Kong), India, Australia, Norway, Italy, Thailand,
Canada, Sweden, Hungary, Mongolia, Germany, South Korea, and Pakistan.

"We, as elected representatives from all over the world have joined forces
to support our fellow MPs in Burma who were never allowed to take their
seats," said AIPMC members on behalf of signatories to the letter.
"They are calling for a binding resolution on Burma and we support them in
that call. It is now time for the United Nations Security Council to
intervene. It has the power to pass a binding resolution requiring the
regime to engage in genuine negotiations and begin a transition to
democracy in Burma, through a process of peaceful national
reconciliation."

Many of the signatories retain considerable power in their own countries,
including party leaders across the political spectrum.  Signatories
represent conservatives, moderates, and liberals, showing the powerful
international consensus developing around the need for UN Security Council
action in Burma.

"We have been overwhelmed by the support for this initiative," said Zaid
Ibrahim, Chair of the AIPMC and a member of parliament from Malaysia
adding, �Action by the Security Council is long overdue".

For more information contact:

AIPMC Secretariat: info at aseanmp.org or at +6012-3750974 (Roshan Jason,
AIPMC Executive Secretary). AIPMC website: www.aseanmp.org