Daily News-September 15 - 2001- Saturday

  • DVB : Col Tin Hlaing says Thailand backs ethnic armed groups
  • Myanmar to allow citizens to receive satellite TV
  • Singapore investors check out Myanmar fish for profit
  • Burma: To Go or Not to Go
  • SEA : Games: Myanmar Beat Indonesia In Women's Football For Bronze Medal

    • DVB : Col Tin Hlaing says Thailand backs ethnic armed groups

    BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 14, 2001
    Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 12 September

    Before commenting on the present Thai government, [Burmese] Home Minister Col Tin Hlaing made a comparison with the former Chuan Leekpai government. He said: the current Thai government is an economic government and is formed with businessmen. Furthermore, the leaders of that government are friendly with the leaders of our government.

    The present Thai government is engaging in development activities with a view that if their country is to develop further its neighbours need to be developed as well. There is no problem between our two governments but some military leaders from the Thai army, the Thai political opposition led by Chuan Leekpai and anti-Burmese groups have been attempting to sever ties between the two governments.

    With intent to cause political instability at the Burma-Thai border, those with hard-line views are posted at the border region. The former Chuan Leekpai government deliberately created problems as the two current governments are working towards improved relations. As for us, we will adhere to the policy - if you are good then I will be good but if your are not good than I cannot be good - and will not tolerate any infringement on our land and any violation of our national sovereignty.

    All General Administration Department [GAD] officials should be aware that the government has to practice patience in its relation with neighbours. Col Tin Hlaing continued to say Burma-Thai relations were restored because Thai Prime Minister Thaksin [Shinawatra] himself came and apologized. He said: Burma's relations with its neighbours are very good except for Thailand. Everyone knows that Thailand is being manipulated by the CIA and has been attempting to destabilize our country by various means. Finally, as the Thai prime minister himself came to Burma and apologized for their mistake and sought to step up bilateral cooperation,Burma has to change its policy to accommodate the change. Border posts were reopened and programmes were drawn up for cooperation in the fight against narcotic drugs and in other fields as well.

    He alleged Thailand is using the ethnic armed groups at the border areas as a buffer zone and is still providing them support. He said: Thailand is accusing us of involvement in narcotic drugs so we need to give priority to handle the narcotic drugs problems at the Burma-Thai border region. Since the narcotic drugs issue is a political as well as an administrative one, GAD officials should not get personally involved in the trade and they should cooperate with other responsible organizations to solve the production and transportation of narcotics drugs. In reality, Thailand has harboured the ethnic armed groups at the border areas and has used them as a buffer zone while blatantly aiding and abetting with the SURA [Shan United Revolutionary Army] drug bandits. That is why, Burma-Thai bilateral relations should be closely monitored.

    Furthermore, Thailand is conniving with the USA and supporting the ethnic rebels at the border regions and the matter needs to be viewed with an international outlook. He said: Thailand held joint military exercises with the USA at our border and US military experts have been known to provide military training to the ethnic rebels especially the Mons at the border areas and from Thailand to fight together with remnants of the New Mon State Party; to organize the Arakanese nationals and send them back as recruits to join the Arakanese armed groups; to recruit Karen nationals and send them to join the KNU [Karen National Union]; and to supply weapons and ammunition. I have always mentioned about the four outlooks - political, economic, administrative and security, but now it is also essential to have an international outlook. So from now on you should always view things with the five outlooks.

    Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 12 Sep 01
    Myanmar to allow citizens to receive satellite TV

    By Aung Hla Tun

    YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government said on Friday it would issue licences for all satellite television receivers, a move seen as a fresh sign of political thaw in the reclusive country.

    Myanmar has not issued any licences since 1993, and only around 2,000 satellite dishes, mainly belonging to hotels and government offices, have licenses. But tens of thousands of Myanmar citizens have installed unlicensed receivers.

    Official newspapers said owners of satellite dishes would have to pay an initial licence fee of 12,000 kyat (about $20), plus 1,200 kyat per television set if the receiver was connected to more than one television.The paper said unlicensed dish owners who failed to pay the fee within 100 days would face legal action.

    "Last February, we warned all owners of unlicensed receivers to apply for a license or face legal action," a senior official from the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications told Reuters."We then received more than 20,000 applications from owners throughout the country, but I'm sure the actual number of unlicensed receiver owners is far higher than this," he said."We've now decided to issue licences to everyone who applies."

    Myanmar has three television channels, all mouthpieces for the ruling military. Many citizens rely on alternative sources of information, such as foreign radio and satellite television transmissions.Many Myanmar citizens welcomed the news, and said they hoped the government would also ease its strict controls over use of the internet.

    Only 11 private users in Myanmar, all of them local computer technology companies, are licensed to access the Internet, and only 3,100 users have permission to use e-mail.

    Myanmar has been ruled in recent decades by a succession of military regimes that have tried to minimise outside influences on the country and stifle internal dissent.

    The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) ignored the result of elections in 1990, won in a landslide by the opposition National League For Democracy (NLD), and has harassed and imprisoned opposition politicians.The NLD's leader, Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, has been held in de facto house arrest for a year.But following the start of confidential talks between the government and Suu Kyi, there have been signs of an easing of the military's iron grip. More than 150 political prisoners have been released and restrictions on top NLD members have been partially lifted.
    Singapore investors check out Myanmar fish for profit

    source : The Star

    SINGAPORE (AP) - Myanmar's waters are full of fish, and a group of Singaporean seafood companies will try to import more of them to sell to the United States and other countries, the government said Friday.

    A team of 13 seafood companies from Singapore plans to travel to Myanmar on Sept. 16 to explore trade options with the country, which has a developing but largely untapped fishing industry, Singapore's Trade Development Board said in a statement.

    Myanmar exported dlrs 218.3 million worth of fish in 2000, a 19 percent jump over the previous year, the statement said. The board said Myanmar could export 1.1 million tons of fish per year, but only 10 percent of that figure was being exploited for export.

    Singapore imported 3,000 tons of fish from Myanmar last year, which represented just 2 percent of the city-state's total fish import. The wealthy Southeast Asian city-state is one of Myanmar's biggest investors, with links to the country's transport and tourism sectors. Singapore has no natural resources and is totally dependent on trade.
    Burma: To Go or Not to Go

    source : IHT
    Derek Tonkin, Worplesdon, England:

    Thomas Crampton put the dilemma over tourism to Burma very fairly     in his article about Rangoon (Sept. 7). On balance, the arguments in favor of going there seem to me to outweigh those against.

    As the director of a company that invested in the mid-1990s in top-class tourist facilities throughout Burma, I know that the return on investment to date has been virtually zero.

    Last year, the World Tourism Organization reported that Burma had earned some $50 million from tourism. Most of this was used to meet hotel expenses, including servicing of overseas debt. Just for most international class hotels to break even, the level of tourism would need to increase from the current 200,000 visitors a year (of whom only about 120,000 are "proper" visitors rather than day-trippers from across the borders) to well more than 1 million.

    This is not going to happen for a long time. Even if peace and democracy were to break out in Burma tomorrow, the infrastructure simply isn't there. The argument about tourist receipts being used to fight ethnic insurgents and suppress democracy in Burma has no real substance. Foreign investors need to be paid first, and they are still waiting. So are their Burmese partners.

    Julie Gaw, managing editor, Holiday Asia, Hong Kong:

    In his city guide to Rangoon, Thomas Crampton fails to note one important point about mobile phones. Any traveler bringing a mobile phone into Burma must surrender it at customs; the phone is then returned upon departure. For anyone not willing to leave a mobile phone in the hands of the government, the smartest move is to leave it at home.

    As for Internet access, dialing up to a server in Bangkok becomes less attractive when one realizes the tariff is about $2.36 a minute -chargeable after three rings, whether the line is connected or not.

    Major hotels do have e-mail, which can be routed through the business center, but this assumes you'll be staying the whole time at the same hotel. Try faxes - or better yet, enjoy being "out of touch" with the world.
    SEA : Games: Myanmar Beat Indonesia In Women's Football For Bronze Medal

    KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Myanmar won the bronze medal after beating Indonesia 3-0 at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, here Friday to decide the third and fourth placings in women's football at the 21st SEA games. Myanmar had to be contented with the bronze after they were edged by Vietnam 7-6 on penalties after extra time in the semifinals.

    Myanmmar were in control of the game right from the first whistle and had launched relentless attacks to keep the Indonesian defence busy. My Nilar Htwe opened accounts for Myanmar in the 14th minute while Hla Hla Than provided the second goal in the 29th minute.

    Indonesia had a close call in the 55th minute when Yakomina Swabra dribbled past the Myanmar defenders only to have her attempt at goal thwarted by one of the Myanmar players. Myanmar's top scorer Mar Lar Win scored her fourth personal goal in the 54th minute sealing the game 3-0 for Myanmar.

    Volleyball (M) (Roundup)-Myanmar Collect Volleyball Bronze Despite Losing To Indonesia

    By Mohsin Taib

    KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Myanmar took the men's volleyball bronze medal in the SEA Games despite losing their last match to Indonesia 3-2 at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium Thursday night. With the completion of the preliminary round, Myanmar, Indonesia and Vietnam have each won one match but Myanmar were placed third based on points difference.

    While Indonesia won tonight's match, Myanmar scored a 3-0 win over Vietnam who in turn defeated Indonesia 3-0. Myanmar lost to Malaysia 3-1 and Thailand 3-2, compared with Indonesia's 3-2 defeat to Malaysia and 3-0 loss to the Thais. Vietnam lost 3-0 to Malaysia and 3-1 to Thailand.

    Myanmar booked the bronze medal after taking a set from Indonesia in tonight's match. Indonesia won the first set 25-16 but Myanmar fought back to take the second set 25-16. Indonesia regained their lead in the third set in a deuce, 27-25 but Myanmar levelled the match by taking the fourth set 25-18. With the bronze medal in hand, Myanmar played the fifth set without much worry and eventually lost 15-11.

    Myanmar coach U Soe Thein was satisfied with his team's performance although they lost three matches out of four. He said that all the teams who competed in this SEA Games had not played to their capabilities as compared to the 1997 Games in Jakarta. Volleyball was dropped from the 1999 Games in Brunei.

    The second men's match tonight was just a formality for both Malaysia and Thailand who have confirmed their places in the final on Sunday. Malaysia went down 3-0 to the Thais, 28-30, 25-19 and 25-23. Malaysian team manager Hanif Basree Abdul Rahman was not worried by the loss, saying the match was just a preparation for the final. "We are trying different strategies in this game to find the best setting to defeat the Thais on Sunday," he said.