BurmaNet News, July 15-17, 2006

[Editor]

July 15-17, 2006 Issue # 3005

INSIDE BURMA
Mizzima: Rangoon University students forced to sign anti-political agreements
DVB: Paper money: Burmese civil servants still facing hardship despite
salary hike
Xinhua: Myanmar leader stresses national reconsolidation
Xinhua: Myanmar steps up combating human trafficking
DVB: Ex-Burmese army sergeant stages solo protest in Rangoon

ON THE BORDER
Irrawaddy: KNU leader meets Burmese intelligence official
Irrawaddy: New Thai-Burmese border road planned
Mizzima: Indian security forces interrogate traders over shooting

DRUGS
Xinhua: Myanmar police official praises Sino-Myanmar anti-drug cooperation
AFP: Myanmar destroys drugs worth 47 mln dlrs

ASEAN
Malaysia General News: Myanmar issue undermines Asean credibility - Asean
Sec-Gen

INTERNATIONAL
DVB: US Rice will concentrate on Burma during ASEAN summit

OPINION / OTHER
NLM: Entire people totally oppose plot of destructive group to destroy
country through unrest

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

July 17, Mizzima News
Rangoon University students forced to sign anti-political agreements

Burmese authorities have reportedly forced students from Rangoon
University to sign agreements saying they will not become involved in
politics or try to instigate political unrest.

Students at the university told Mizzima the authorities forced them to
sign the agreements on July 14 and threatened them with not being able to
sit their exams if they did not.
A student at the Dagon branch of the university said, “We don't like
[having to sign the agreement] but we have to accept it, because [the
authorities] will not allow us to appear for examination”.

Since the popular uprising in 1988, which was largely led by students, the
Burmese military has significantly changed Burma’s higher education system
to make it harder for students to gather in large groups.

Many university departments have been shifted to the outskirts of cities
in an attempt by authorities to keep the students separated and away from
downtown areas.

Students have played a significant role in Burma’s political history,
including in the country’s independence movement against British rule.

____________________________________

July 17, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar leader stresses national reconsolidation

Myanmar leader Lieutenant-General Thein Sein Monday urged the country's
people to attach importance to strengthening the national reconsolidation
to jointly enhance the development of ethnic minority areas and the
nation.

Thein Sein, First Secretary of the Myanmar State Peace and Development
Council, made the call at the inaugural ceremony of a new building of the
Government Technological College in Taunggyi, capital of the Shan state.

Thein Sein underlined that the two other ceremonies held earlier on Sunday
in Laikha in the same state, one dealing with the returning to the legal
fold of 848 group members of the anti- government Shan State Army-South
(SSA-S) and the other concerning with a narcotic drug destruction, have
witnessed the national reconsolidation and the regional development.

He noted that, in the past, there was no peace prevailing in some areas of
Shan state with various armed groups operating and the areas lagged behind
in development.

After the government implemented a policy of national reconciliation, many
armed groups have returned to the legal fold, he said, citing some
achievements made in the regional development in Shan state.

He pointed out that some other groups have not yet followed suit but
believed that peace would be obtained in Shan state and even the whole
country in the near future.

On Sunday, a formal ceremony for the 848 members of SSA-S splinter group,
led by Vice Chief of Staff of the Army and Commander of Brigade-758 Mein
Sin, to return to the legal fold was held in Laikha and the event was
attended by Thein Sein and government ministers as well as foreign
diplomats and newsmen based in Myanmar.

At the ceremony, the SSA-S group handed over their weapons to Eastern
Commander Brigadier-General Thaung Aye who gave back immediately the
weapons in return to the group. The Shan ethnic group was resettled in two
villages in the state to earn their living.

At a press conference given at Laikha on Sunday, Information Minister
Brigadier-General Kyaw Hsan clarified that the commander' s giving back
the handed-over weapons shows that the group, who is still threatened by
the Ywet-Sit-led SSA-S, is allowed to continue to hold on the weapons
legally for their self-defense.

Kyaw Hsan noted that since late 1988, 17 main anti-government ethnic armed
groups have returned to the legal fold, reaching ceasefire agreements with
the government, adding that many other small groups also followed suit
with some of them totally abandoning their weapons.

He particularly emphasized that all armed groups, which have returned to
the legal fold, agreed that they would give up their weapons without
retaining under the law once a new state constitution is introduced in the
future.

This was the first time that the government openly made such clear
attitude in the public towards the issue of retaining weapons after armed
groups made peace with the government.

Kyaw Hsan reiterated that the government's door for peace is still open to
all remaining armed groups.

There are still three main armed groups, which have not yet returned to
the legal fold.

____________________________________

July 16, Democratic Voice of Burma
Paper money: Burmese civil servants still facing hardship despite salary hike

Although Burma’s military government increased the salaries of civil
servants in April, it also cut off the subsidies they enjoyed in the past
and the commodity price is rising uncontrollably, still making it hard for
the civil servants to make ends meet.

The majority of civil servants in Rangoon are finding it hard to survive
as the subsidies they enjoyed in the past such as free bus pass were
withdrawn from them.

Moreover, many civil servants are feeling aggrieved by the way the
authorities try to take away one-thirds of their salaries with the excuse
of saving or investing money for them. Staff from No.1, Industry Ministry
protested against the underhanded action of the authorities in June and
they were eventually given full salary.

Among the civil servants, teachers are said to be those who are facing the
worst hardship as they were forced not to give private tuition classes, by
means of signing pledges, which bring in ‘outside’ income for them to help
them survive.

____________________________________

July 16, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar steps up combating human trafficking

Myanmar is stepping up combating human trafficking, planning to add nine
more special police units in seven states and divisions later this year to
effectively handle human trafficking cases, said Monday's report of the
Myanmar Times pre-published Sunday.

The nine special police units will be formed in Myitkyina in Kachin state,
Lashio, Kenghtung and Taunggyi in Shan state, Sittway in Rakhine state,
Meiktila in Mandalay division, Dawei in Tanintharyi division, Magway and
Bago, the Ministry of Home Affairs was quoted as saying.

The addition of the new special police units will bring the total number
of such units across the country to 18.

The prior nine other units, established in 2004, were in Muse and Tachilek
in Shan state, Myawaddy and Kawkareik in Kayin state, Ka-le and Tamu in
Sagaing division, Bhamo in Kachin state and Yangon and Mandalay.

Myanmar passed an anti-trafficking in persons law in September 2005 that
covers sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, servitude and debt
bondage. During the year, the government prosecuted 426 traffickers in 203
cases under the new law and identified 844 victims, according to the
ministry.

Meanwhile, in March this year, Myanmar formed the Central Committee for
Anti-Trafficking in Persons to step up cracking down on such crime. With
Minister of Home Affairs Major-General Maung Oo as chairman, the central
committee also formed three work committees for anti-trafficking and
protecting of victims, for legal affairs and trial, and for reception,
organization and rehabilitation respectively.

Besides, the central committee also formed committees at all level to
accelerate the implementation of tasks for anti- trafficking in persons.

As part of its anti-human trafficking activities, Myanmar held a national
seminar on the aspects to disseminate knowledge about the 2005 law to the
public and officials and effective implementation of it.

In April 2004, Myanmar enacted the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters
Law to serve as a legal basis for the country's international cooperation
in crime suppression including human trafficking.

In the international cooperation, Myanmar has signed an memorandum of
understanding with Australia and Thailand, acceding to the Convention
Against Transnational Organized Crime and to its protocols to prevent,
suppress and punish trafficking in persons and to smuggling of migrants.

Besides, Myanmar hosted the meeting for the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial
Initiative Against Trafficking in Yangon in 2004, joining with five other
countries of the GMS in signing the first ever memorandum of understanding
on suppression of such crime in the Asia-Pacific region.

____________________________________

July 16, Democratic Voice of Burma
Ex-Burmese army sergeant stages solo protest in Rangoon

An ex-Burmese army sergeant staged a solo protest in front of Rangoon City
Hall on 1 July because the government didn’t increase the pension of war
veterans despite the recent five-fold salary hike for civil servants.

36-year-old Naing Oo from Aung Mingala Road, Hlegu Township Rangoon
Division staged the protest by carrying posters which say ‘Increase our
pension’ and ‘Daw Release Aung San Suu Kyi’ on his neck, according to
sources from political circles in Rangoon.

When DVB contacted Kyauktada Police Station near the City Hall by phone, a
police officer on duty named Thaung Aye said that Naing Oo was taken away
by Special Branch (SB) police agents.

Currently, it is neither known where about Naing Oo is being detained nor
how he is going to be dealt with.

Although many civil servants are reportedly feeling aggrieved by the
salary hike and the accompanying rampant inflation, Naing Oo is the first
person to have expressed his dissent openly thus. But almost 10 people who
demand political change in Burma had staged protests outside the City Hall
in recent years.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

July 17, Irrawaddy
KNU leader meets Burmese intelligence official - Shah Paung

Ailing Karen National Union leader Gen Bo Mya met Burmese intelligence
official Col Myat Htun Oo yesterday, according to sources along the
Thai-Burmese border.

The meeting is said to have been arranged by Col Ner Dah Mya, son of Bo
Mya, and lasted only a few minutes.

Bo Mya, 79, who suffers from severe diabetes is said to have been
compelled to attend the meeting with Myat Htun Oo by his son, according to
sources along the border. Ner Dah Mya was unavailable for comment on
Monday.

KNU Executive Committee members and other group leaders were unaware of
Sunday’s meeting, said David Taw, head of KNU’s foreign affairs
department.

Ner Dah Mya met Burmese government officials at the Burmese embassy in
Bangkok on June 28 and is said to have received 300,000 baht (about US
$8,000) to pay for travel by Bo Mya to Rangoon, where he has been offered
medical treatment.

Junta officials also sent a medical team, led by Dr Simon Thar—a
Rangoon-based physician—to prepare Bo Mya for travel. However, the offer
was subsequently refused.

Sources along the border say that junta overtures to Bo Mya began the
delivery of a letter from the KNU suggesting that the armed ethnic
opposition group may be willing to surrender to Rangoon. KNU leaders claim
no knowledge of such a letter, according to David Taw, and will attempt to
determine who might have sent it.

In 2004, a delegation from the KNU—led by Bo Mya—visited Rangoon for
ceasefire talks. No formal ceasefire was reached, but both sides confirmed
a gentleman’s agreement to end hostilities. The Burmese military, however,
has continued to target Karen villages in contravention of the agreement.

____________________________________

July 17, Irrawaddy
New Thai-Burmese border road planned - Sai Silp

The Thai government is planning to build a Burmese road which would cut
through Karen State. The idea is not only to cut travel time in the area
but to benefit Karen contract farmers, provide employment and stem Karen
migration to Thailand.

The 140-million baht (US $3.66 million) plan is to be proposed to the
Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, where the
Burmese government will be asked to cooperate.

The planned road would start south of the border town of Mae Sot, in Tak
province, at Valley village in Pob Phra and then travel 28 kilometres
cutting through Karen State to Nong Loung village in Umphang district,
also in Tak. It would mean using two fords across a loop in the narrow
Moei River.

“We expect that the new road will shorten traveling time from Mae Sot to
Umphang by four hours, to take only two hours,” Watchara Taengcham,
director of Tak’s provincial road construction centre, told The Irrawaddy.

The road would also support more than 32,000 hectares of contract farming
land. This, Watchara said, could provide jobs “and stop worker migration
to Thailand.”

The original plan was to route the road through Umphang Wild Life
Sanctuary, which also crosses into Karen State. But this was opposed by
environmentalists and local villagers, as the sanctuary is a World
Heritage site.

Meanwhile, the Karen National Union insurgent group is complaining about
plans to extend a new crossing from Mae Sot to Myawaddy to carry on to
Kawkareik, in Karen State, because it veers from the current route and
allegedly would threaten the security and environment of Karen people
living in the area.

____________________________________

July 17, Mizzima News
Indian security forces interrogate traders over shooting - Nava Thakuria

Trade across the India-Burma border remained at a standstill today as the
Assam Rifles carried out aggressive searches and interrogations in Moreh
following the fatal shooting of a member of the security group last week.

Moreh residents told Mizzima the Assam Rifles and the Manipuri police had
questioned traders over the shooting of junior officer Subedar TB Pun by a
member of the United National Liberation Front on July 13 and had
vandalised local markets.

“The Assam Rifles personnel with Manipur police arrived in Moreh market
and started questioning some traders. During interrogation, the uniformed
men physically assaulted other people also,” an eyewitness said.

The Assam Rifles have also declared the area a ‘no media zone’ and have
turned away reporters travelling to Moreh to cover the shooting, according
to the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union.

Several Moreh-based correspondents have vowed to boycott Assam Rifles
events in retaliation.

____________________________________
DRUGS

July 17, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar police official praises Sino-Myanmar anti-drug cooperation

Myanmar Police Chief Brigadier- General Khin Yi on Monday spoke highly of
the anti-drug cooperation between Myanmar and China, saying that the two
countries' cooperation in the sector is very smooth and successful.

Khin Yi made the remarks in Taunggyi, capital of the country's Shan state,
in an interview with Xinhua with regard to the progress made in the
cooperation.

In May this year, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control of Myanmar
and the National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC) of China signed
agreements on joint surveys on poppy cultivation and alternative
development programs in Wa and Kokang special regions in Myanmar.

Through its cooperative efforts, the two countries' cooperation would
score greater achievements in the future, Khin Yi told Xinhua.

Khin Yi also specially reiterated at Sunday's drug destruction ceremony
held in Laikha, southern part of Shan state, that Myanmar is trying to
eradicate poppy cultivation by the year 2014 and will strive from all
sectors to achieve this end.

"Myanmar in future will further augment efforts to wipe out the menace of
drugs in friendly and close cooperation with international organizations,
neighboring countries and with countries within the region," he pledged.

The ceremony put 47 million US dollars worth of drugs on fire seized in a
series of anti-drug operations early this year in Shan state.

It burned over 1.4-ton narcotic drugs including 0.05 kilograms (kg) of
heroin and 229.28 kg of opium, 47,286 amphetamine-type stimulant tablets,
and 29,519 kg of opium seeds, while destroying 2,991 liters of liquid-form
drugs.

Earlier this year, Myanmar had burned confiscated drugs for two occasions.
In April, Myanmar burned up a large amount of narcotic drugs including 54
kg of heroin, 74 kg of opium and 1,000 kg of brown opium in the border
town of Kyaing Tong in Shan state in the presence of anti-drug officials
from other member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) which
also include China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam as well as
foreign diplomats.

On June 26, the Myanmar authorities also put 1.65 tons of seized narcotic
drugs on fire at an annual drug destruction ceremony in Yangon. The burned
drugs, worth of a street value of about 148.4 million US dollars, included
169.7 kilograms (kg) of heroin, 690.6 kg of opium and 80.9 kg of marijuana
as well as 2.1 million tablets of amphetamine stimulants, 5,308 tablets of
ecstasy and 101.74 kg of ice, a crystal form of amphetamine-type stimulant

In its law enforcement efforts, the Myanmar authorities exposed a total of
4,218 narcotic-related cases in nearly one and a half years from January
2005 up to May 2006 with altogether 6,574 drug offenders including 1,236
women being charged.

Seizure by drug enforcement agencies during the period included 940.54
kilograms (kg) of heroin, 1,250 kg of opium, 1,228.3 kg of ephedrine and
141.52 kg of marijuana as well as 18.92 million tablets of amphetamine
stimulant, statistics show.

Besides, 11 heroin refineries in northern and southern Shan state were
overrun during the period and 4,151.18 hectares of poppy cultivation were
destroyed during 2005-06 poppy growing season, 165.86 hectares more than
2004-05.

Myanmar has been implementing a 15-year plan (1999-2000 to 2013- 14) to
totally eradicate poppy in three phases each running for five years and it
is now in the second phase.

____________________________________

July 16, Agence France Presse
Myanmar destroys drugs worth 47 million dollars

Myanmar, the world's second-largest producer of opium after Afghanistan,
burned narcotics said to be worth some 47 million dollars on Sunday in its
latest efforts to crack down on drugs.

The military government torched hundreds of kilograms of drugs, including
230 kg of opium at Lecha in Shan state 400 miles (640 miles) north of
Yangon, said Myanmar's police chief Major General Khin Yi, who gave the
figure for the value of the drugs.

"We are making efforts to eradicate drugs and also cooperating with
neighboring countries to crack down on drugs," Khin Yi told reporters and
diplomats, referring to Myanmar's neighbors China and Thailand.

Despite a fall in Myanmar's opium production, its amphetamine output has
skyrocketed.

The United States, a vocal critic of Myanmar, has said several hundred
million amphetamine tablets are produced in Myanmar and distributed by
drug gangs that operate freely along its borders with China and Thailand.

Myanmar is among the world's largest producers and traffickers of
amphetamine-type stimulants. The military-run government has said it will
eradicate production of opium poppies by 2014.

____________________________________
ASEAN


July 16, Malaysia General News
Myanmar issue undermines Asean credibility

Asean foreign ministers are expected to come up with a "position" on
Myanmar when they meet in Kuala Lumpur for the 39th Asean Ministerial
Meeting (AMM) end of this month.

Asean secretary-general Ong Keng Yong said that the "position" would be
reflective of Asean's concern on how the issue in the junta-ruled country
has affected the grouping's credibility and image in the eyes of the
international community.

"Whether it will help the situation in Myanmar, we do not know, but
definitely the interest of the Asean foreign ministers is to make sure
that the issue of Myanmar will not continue to undermine the standing of
Asean," he told Bernama after witnessing the launching of the Asean
Disability Sailing Federation here last night.

Malaysia, the current chair of Asean, will host the 39th AMM from July 24
to 28 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will also be in
Kuala Lumpur to attend the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) which is being held
in conjunction with the AMM.

This will be Rice's debut at the ARF.

Last year, she astounded the grouping when she announced that she would
not attend the 38th AMM in Vientiane, Laos -- the first time in about two
decades that a US secretary of state was not present in the meeting.

Many speculated that the situation in Myanmar was the reason for her
skipping last year's AMM.

This time however, Rice has confirmed her Kuala Lumpur date and is
reported to be also seeking regional support during her five-nation Asian
tour -- Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam -- from July 24 to
29, to push for democracy and national reconciliation in Myanmar.

Tackling issues such as Myanmar's would not be easy, said Ong, as there
were "hard positions on both sides of the table".

"So we'll try to manage this difficult situation and see how it goes," Ong
said.

Myanmar had been bothering Asean for years for the slow progress towards
democracy and for ignoring international pressure to release pro-democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is under house arrest.

Ong said: "We know that we should not interfere in another member
country's internal affairs but at the same time, the Myanmar issue no
longer has an internal dimension. This issue affects Asean's credibility
and image."

He said that although Asean was also preoccupied with many other issues,
it could not run away from discussing Myanmar.

"I think I will let the ministers decide how to go about it. We can't run
away... we expect the ministers from Asean as well as from non-Asean
countries to talk about all this intiernational issues and there must be
some statement of one kind or another," he said.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

July 15, Democratic Voice of Burma
US Rice will concentrate on Burma during ASEAN summit

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will concentrate on the lack of
progress toward real democracy and national reconciliation in Burma as one
of the main priorities at the 13th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting July
28 in Kuala Lumpur.

A statement issued by the State Department said that Rice will travel to
Asia July 24-29, visiting Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia
and Vietnam. She will discuss with senior government officials on
bilateral, regional, and global issues of concern including North Korea,
Iraq and Iran; and to participate in ASEAN-related meetings in Kuala
Lumpur on July 27-28.

“She will work to strengthen cooperation on nonproliferation of WMD,
counterterrorism, and maritime security, and to further the international
response to North Korea’s missile launches and pursuit of nuclear weapons,
Iran's nuclear programs, and the lack of progress toward real democracy
and national reconciliation in Burma,” says the statement.

It is part of the efforts of the US government which has always used
strong words against Burma’s military junta, the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) which is planning to take pragmatic action on
the junta at UN Security Council.

But the Burmese military government denounced the latest action of the US
dismissing it as interference of domestic affairs of Burma in the name of
democracy, in an article featured in a state-run newspaper. Interestingly,
the article is not by a Burmese author but the translation of an article
featured in a state-run newspaper in China. The article also warns that
the US government could face more opposition from developing countries
because of its ‘transformational diplomacy’.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

July 12, New Light of Myanmar
Entire people totally oppose plot of destructive group to destroy country
through unrest

They are to safeguard peace and tranquility and better results for
development built for many years.

The government, the people and the Tatmadaw of the Union of Myanmar are
endeavoring for emergence of a peaceful, modern developed and
discipline-flourishing democratic nation in accord with the desire of the
entire people. Now peace and tranquility and better foundations for
development and better conditions for democratization have achieved.
The government on its correct path of development is marching towards the
national goal in accord with the seven-step Road Map. At the same time
external and internal destructive elements who want to seize State power
through shortcut gathered in a neighboring country and held a meeting to
create a commotion in the country and commit terrorist acts. Information
is received in advance that destructive groups and saboteurs are
attempting to destabilize the country and destroy lives and property of
the people making contact with groups at home and abroad. This has been
made public.

Those who took part in the 88 unrest and members of a political party in
the country and its followers are plotting to destabilize the country by
distributing agitative leaflets and through demonstrations in collusion
with destructive groups sent by terrorists, destructive elements and
saboteurs and expatriates using Martyrs Day which falls on 19 July as a
tool.

At the same time other armed groups who witnessed stability and
development and efforts of the government, the people and the Tatmadaw
gave up their armed struggle line and returned to the legal fold. Local
people are very glad to see peace and progress in the respective regions.
Moreover, the entire people are also pleased to see better prospects for
development and the fact that some regions where there was no peace and
stability have now enjoyed peace and tranquility.

The people who want to earn their living in peace and who do not want the
already-achieved peace and tranquility and better conditions for
development to be ruined due to the attempts of external and internal
destructive elements bent on seizing State power in shortcut way are
making arrangements to guard against the acts of saboteurs and destructive
elements, in cooperation with organizations representing the people.