Daily News- November 23 - 2002- Saturday
  • Veteran politicans call for political dialogue to resume without delay
  • Amnesty International calls for release of all prisoners of conscience
  • No decisions on Myanmar's drug status : US officials
  • Japan hails Burma's release of 115 political prisoners
  • Burma U-23 beat Bangladesh 1-0


    • Veteran politicans call for political dialogue to resume without delay

    Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 19 Nov 02

    Veteran politicians who participated in the struggle for independence held a meeting yesterday to discuss a proposal by UN envoy Razali on holding a new National Convention. The meeting agreed on the need to start holding talks as soon as possible between the two sides (National League for Democracy, NLD and State Peace and Development Council, SPDC) without preconditions.

    Thakhin Thein Pe, who is responsible for holding the meeting, told DVB that the official announcement [of the meeting] will be issued tomorrow. Here is the interview between Thakhin Thein Pe and our DVB correspondent.

    Thakhin Thein Pe : We all think that holding talks is the most important issue although other matters were raised by Razali and others. The most important thing is to hold talks. We believe that after the talks are held, the answer will emerge. Therefore, we have called for the holding of talks without setting any conditions. The answer will come out after the talks are held. We want the talks to be held as soon as possible. The longer it takes, the more the country will suffer.

    : Do you mean to say that what Razali said about the National Convention could only be possible after holding talks? That it is first and foremost that the talks must take place?

    Thakhin Thein Pe : Yes, if the talks are to take place based on the other side not setting any condition and to hold unconditional talks.We believe that the only way to get a solution is to hold the talks. If they are thinking of conditions and suggesting holding a new National Convention, a new convention convened before holding the talks will become insignificant. We fear the discussions will take too long. The economic situation of the country is getting worse each day. The answer will come once the talks take place.

    DVB correspondent : You mentioned the economic situation in the country just now. How bad is the economic situation facing the people now?

    Thakhin Thein Pe : Oh yes, it has become worse. In particular, due to poor nutrition from inadequate food, the people have poor health. The local prices of medicines have gone up four, five times higher. A bottle of Burplex is now 600 kyats which the people find difficult to afford. We asked a farmer to find out the real situation. He said this year we are not so fortunate. Normally paddy is ready for harvesting a little before October or October when they harvest the paddy, thresh and send to the rice mills. He said the luck of the country is such that because of heavy rains the paddy was not ripe and harvesting time was late which added more difficulties to the people.

    DVB correspondent : Yes, I understand. I would like to ask something. At yesterday's USDA [Union Solidarity Development Association] meeting there was nothing significant mentioned in Sr Gen Than Shwe's speech. We had heard that there would be something significant in his speech this year. Did you also hear about that?

    Thakhin Thein Pe : What Sr Gen Than Shwe mentioned in his speech was progress of their endeavours only. He did not say a word about the National Convention Convening Commission. However, in his speech given earlier on Armed Forces Day - Resistance Day - it was quite comprehensive. He said that people have progress in a democratic country, earn more income, discuss among themselves when there are problems and solve political problems. The democratic methods are so good that they SPDC are marching towards democracy and for that reason they are giving training to the people. I still have the newspaper cutting of his speech. However, no word on democracy was included in news; just the work of the USDA was revealed. What we expected to hear was on what they discussed with Razali and our hopes on holding talks. But nothing on that was included.

    DVB correspondent : Yes, I understand. Since all the news is same and nothing was included, it seems they have no plans whatsoever.

    Thakhin Thein Pe : Yes, it seems so. People are saying that they do not hold talks because they do not want to transfer the power. In reality, it should not be this way...

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    Amnesty International calls for release of all prisoners of conscience

    source :Amnesty International- 22 November 2002

    As authorities in Myanmar announced the release of 115 political prisoners, including 50 members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), Amnesty International today called on the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to take further steps to release all prisoners of conscience.

    Amnesty International also urged the authorities to protect the right to freedom of expression, association and assembly in Myanmar.

    "Among those already released are individuals who have served six or more years for acts which would not be considered crimes under international law, such as talking to foreign journalists about torture of political prisoners," Amnesty International said.

    Reports indicate that many of the prisoners recently released may have to serve the rest of their prison terms if they are arrested again.

    "We welcome these releases but stress that they are long overdue, and must be followed by the unconditional release of other prisoners of conscience who have been suffering in Myanmar's prisons for too long," Amnesty International said. "The SPDC must ensure that these releases are unconditional, and that prisoners are not subjected to harassment after their release," the organization added.

    Among at least 1,200 political prisoners who remain detained are prisoners of conscience who have been held for all or most of the last thirteen years. These include U Win Tin, a 72 year old journalist, who has been sentenced, inter alia, for allegedly trying to send information to the United Nations about poor prison conditions, Paw U Tun, aka Min Ko Naing, a student leader whose sentence has expired, and U Win Htein, a senior NLD advisor, currently serving a sentence for arranging a press interview about torture and collecting information about a poor rice harvest.

    Amnesty International is also concerned at the recent sentencing of two students, Khin Maung Win and Thet Naung Soe, to seven and fourteen years' imprisonment respectively, for staging a peaceful demonstration outside Yangon City Hall in August this year. Amnesty International considers Khin Maung Win and Thet Naung Soe to be prisoners of conscience, and urges authorities to release them unconditionally and to stop arresting people for peaceful acts of dissent.

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    No decisions on Myanmar's drug status : US officials

    WASHINGTON, Nov 22 (AFP) - US officials said Friday that no decisions had been taken on downgrading Myanmar's status as one of the world's top drugs exporters, following a report that the military state could be taken off a US list of major narcotics producers.

    "It is under review. There has been a certain amount of progress," said a senior State Department official on condition of anonymity."Nobody has come to any conclusions about Burma and narcotics certification, but it is under review," said the official, using Myanmar's former name.

    The Washington Post reported Friday that State Department officials were close to recommending Myanmar's removal from the list of major drugs producers, a move that would need to be reviewed by the White House.

    Myanmar has made strenuous efforts in recent times to prove that it is serious about eradicating opium production in the country, sending anti-drugs czar Colonel Kyaw Thein to Washington to meet senior US officials earlier this year.

    The United Nations said in August that opium production in Myanmar, the world's biggest producer of the drug in 2001, had declined to 828 tonnes in 2002 from 1,097 tonnes in 2001.US officials have long admitted that certain members of the military regime in Yangon are sincere about the anti- drugs drive, despite their fierce criticism of the government's record on human rights, economic management and political repression.

    James Kelly, the State Department's top policymaker for East Asian and Pacific Affairs said in a major speech on Myanmar on Thursday that Yangon had continued to cooperate with the international community."Over the past year, the area under poppy cultivation has declined by 26 per cent and opium production in the country as a whole is now less than one-quarter its level in 1996," he said.But he warned that "unfortunately, methamphetamine production, which strikes worst at Burma's Southeast Asian neighbors, has likely increased."

    Any decision to remove Myanmar from the major drug producers list would open the way to possibly significant anti-drugs funding.But it would likely be resisted by supporters of the embattled opposition of Aung San Suu Kyi in the US Congress and the non-governmental organisation community.Campaigners fear that the junta would showcase its new status and portray it as international acceptance of its rule.

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    Japan hails Burma's release of 115 political prisoners

    Source : Japan Today

    TOKYO, November 23 — Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi welcomed Friday Burma's release of 115 political prisoners, including members of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), by the country's junta on Thursday.

    "Such positive movement is the result of efforts Myanmar's government and Aung San Suu Kyi have made toward reaching a settlement as well as efforts made by...the international community including our country and I highly praise this," Kawaguchi said in a written statement.

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    Burma U-23 beat Bangladesh 1-0

    Source : The Daily Star (Bangladesh)

    Bangladesh lost their first friendly match against Burma under-23 team 0-1 at the Youth training centre in Rangoon yesterday. Bangladesh conceded the goal in the 85th minute.

    According to a faxed message received here last night, Bangladesh spoiled some good opportunities in either halves.

    The visitors will meet the same opponents tomorrow in their last friendly match at the same venue.

    The two practice matches have been arranged as part of Bangladesh's build-up to the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship, starting in Dhaka from January 10.

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