Daily News- February 03 - 2002- Sunday

  • U.S. Presidential Memorandum on Burma
  • U20 : Thais, Burmese to slug it out
  • 14 Karen bodies found in stream
  • Japan recognizes only 26 of 353 applicants as refugees
  • Chinese-Built Shipyard Delivered for Service in Myanmar

    • U.S. Presidential Memorandum on Burma

    February 1, 2002 :The White House

    MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

    SUBJECT: Report to the Congress Regarding Conditions in Burma and U.S. Policy Toward Burma

    Pursuant to the requirements set forth under the heading "Policy Toward Burma" in section 570(d) of the Fiscal Year 1997 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act, as contained in the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 104-208), a report is required every 6 months following enactment concerning:

    1) progress toward democratization in Burma;

    2) progress on improving the quality of life of the Burmese people, including progress on market reforms, living standards, labor standards, use of forced labor in the tourism industry, and environmental quality; and

    3) progress made in developing a comprehensive, multilateral strategy to bring democracy to and improve human rights practices and the quality of life in Burma, including the development of a dialogue between the State Peace and Development Council and democratic opposition groups in Burma.

    You are hereby authorized and directed to transmit the attached report fulfilling these requirements to the appropriate committees of the Congress and to arrange for publication of this memorandum in the Federal Register.

    GEORGE W. BUSH

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    U20 : Thais, Burmese to slug it out

    The Bangkokpost
    Tor Chittinand

    Yan Paing a threat, says coach Charnwit

    Thailand and Burma will battle it out in the final of the 1st Asean Youth Under-20 Championship at the Thai-Japanese Stadium today (live telecast on Channel 7 at 4pm).The teams entered the tournament as the two fancied sides and in the round-robin stage they drew 1-1.

    Charnwit Polcheewin, Thailand's head coach, said: ``We will use the same squad as in Friday's semi-final against Vietnam which we won 3-2.``I have told the players that we must watch carefully Burma's star player, Yan Paing, who scored their only goal against Laos in the semi-final. ``We must not let him play freely and our defenders must not make any errors at all. ``I am confident that we will win but it is very important to make sure they don't score in the first 15 minutes.''

    Charnwit added that striker Teerathep ``Leesaw'' Winothai, who scored one goal against Vietnam in the semi-final as a substitute, will again be on the bench and is likely to come on after half-time.

    Burmese coach U Khin Maung Tint said: ``I am confident that we can beat Thailand and bring back the title to our country.'' The third-place playoff will be between Laos and Vietnam and will kick off at 2pm.

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    14 Karen bodies found in stream

    The Bangkokpost

    The bodies of 14 Karen workers were found with their throats cut in a stream near the border in Mae Ramat district yesterday.Border police yesterday morning examined the corpses of seven men and seven women aged 14-45 afloat near the banks of Huay Mae Lamao stream in tambon Mae Jarao.

    An autopsy found they were murdered more than 10 days ago, some from stab wounds to the body. The killer cut their throats later.Police believe the victims were Burmese Karen who worked on farms near the border. The motive for the mass murder was not known.

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    Japan recognizes only 26 of 353 applicants as refugees

    TOKYO (Kyodo News)— Japan recognized as refugees only 26 of 353 applicants for refugee status in 2001, the Justice Ministry's Immigration Bureau said Friday.

    The bureau said it recognized 13 people from Myanmar, eight from Iran and three from Afghanistan, among others. The number of applicants for refugee status in 2001 reached 353, up 137 from 2000, topping the 300 mark for the first time in 19 years, the bureau said.

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    Chinese-Built Shipyard Delivered for Service in Myanmar

    YANGON, February 2 (Xinhuanet) -- A shipyard, the Thilawa, contracted and built by the China National Constructional and Agricultural Machinery Import and Export Co (CAMC), was formally delivered to Myanmar for service on Saturday after completion of its first phase of construction in three years.

    The first phase of the Thilawa shipyard project, located 25 kilometers south of Yangon, covers a land of 300,000 square-meters.The Chinese side was responsible for the project design, supply of equipment, installation, technical supervision and training, while the Myanmar side only undertook the civil construction.

    The project is the biggest and most comprehensive one in Myanmar contracted and built by China. The first phase of the Thilawa shipyard project possesses a production capacity of manufacturing five and repairing 50 ships ayear.

    With advanced technological process and complete accessory, theshipyard's technological standard and degree of modernization ranked first in Myanmar. The formal delivery of the project for service will greatly enhance Myanmar's ship repairing and building capabilities.

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