Daily News- November 26- 2002- Tuesday

Shan rebels dismiss reports of threatened Myanmar junta offensive

NLD Member Arrested for Making a Democracy Symbol

New PR Zaw Moe now wants S'pore citizenship

Shan rebels dismiss reports of threatened Myanmar junta offensive

CHIANG MAI, Thailand, Nov 25 (AFP) - Ethnic Shan rebels Monday dismissed reports the Myanmar junta was preparing a major offensive against its forces in the next few months.

"Myanmar soldiers are moving regularly but there are no indications of preparing a major assault in the near future," said Shan State Army (SSA) spokeswoman Nam Khur Hsen."However, we are always prepared and ready to defend our positions," she told AFP by telephone from a base camp near Thai border.

The Bangkok Post on Sunday quoted Thai army task force commander Major-General Nakorn Sripetchphand as saying a massive buildup of troops and heavy weapons had begun, with the dry-season assault expected to go ahead in December or January.Nakorn reportedly expressed concern that a new round of fighting with the SSA, which Myanmar accuses Thailand of supporting, could intensify border tensions.

"Any cross-border operation would be dealt with in accordance with the army's rules of engagement," he told the daily, stressing that border incursions would not be tolerated.

Nam Khur Hsen said hundreds of Myanmar troops were currently deployed in Shan state, but that most were assigned as security to road-repairing projects after damage caused during the rainy season.However, 10 days ago, government soldiers attacked an SSA frontline position located opposite Thailand's Chiang Mai province, she said."It was minor; I think just psychological warfare from Yangon."

Relations between Thailand and Myanmar sank to a new low earlier this year when a Myanmar offensive against the SSA -- one of the few rebel groups still fighting Yangon's rule -- resulted in stray shells landing in Thailand.

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NLD Member Arrested for Making a Democracy Symbol

By Aung Su Shin/ Mae Sot
The Irrawaddy

November 25, 2002-An opposition party member was arrested for making a symbolic gold-coated copper hat earlier this month, Mandalay residents said.

Known as kha mauk (hat worn by Burmese farmers), the hat is a recognized symbol of the opposition National League for Democracy and was gold-coated as a gift for NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

U Shwe Maung, who made the hat with other party members in Htun Done, a satellite town outside Mandalay, was arrested on Nov 7.

"The reason we made kha mauk was to show our confidence and support for Aung San Suu Kyi," U Shwe Maung said in a tape-recorded message for reporters outside Burma. "We wanted to warn the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] not to ignore the results of the elections [in 1990], to stop their foolish actions and to transfer power to the elected party."

According to Mandalay residents who came to Mae Sot on the Thai-Burma border, many people in Htun Done are suffering in poverty and can only eat boiled rice every day. They say local people in Htun Done want a change of politics to help end their hunger. Party members called on the SPDC to hold meaningful dialogue and transfer power to the elected party.

Par Par Lay, a famous comedian who spent five-and-a-half years in prison and was released in July last year, also helped produce the hat. "Kha mauk gives shade. It means we are able to provide shade for the people of Burma. We believe kha mauk will stand up for the people of Burma," Par Par Lay said.

Par Par Lay plans to take the hat to Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon on Friday this week. "We will leave Mandalay for Rangoon by car. Those who are interested are welcome to join us on the way," Par Par Lay said on the tape-recorded message.

Merchants from Mandalay said people on the Mandalay-Rangoon highway are excitedly waiting to welcome kha muak.

With a radius of more than 50 centimeters, the hat is on a throne-like pedestal rounded by three dancing peacocks, symbolic of those who fought with Gen Aung San for Burma’s independence in the 1940s. It features two fighting peacocks on the side, a symbol associated with pro-democracy students in Burma, as well as a big star on the top of the hat which represents Burma.

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Crime cases in Myanmar increase

YANGON, Nov 25, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The number of crime cases in Myanmar, especially the international-organized ones, has increased, said the local weekly Myanmar Times Monday.Quoting a high- ranking Myanmar police officer, the report said the Myanmar authorities exposed 84 human trafficking cases, involving 248 women and 23 children, from 1999 to the end of October this year. These cases had brought about the conviction of 120 traffickers receiving prison terms of ranging from three years to the maximum penalty of 14 years.

According to the report, there was a sharp rise in human trafficking cases from eight in 1999 to 37 in the first ten months of this year. The report added that there were many more unexposed cases involving job seekers who were being exploited in neighboring countries.

According to the police sources, 5,722 Myanmar illegal workers including 2,156 women had returned from Thailand in the nine months to the end of October this year.

In February this year, Myanmar formed a leading committee, headed by the first secretary of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council, General Khin Nyunt, on receiving illegal Myanmar workers in Thailand. It opened a reception camp in its border town of Myawaddy then for the returnees.It was reported that there are 140,000 Myanmar refugees and more than 400,000 Myanmar illegal immigrants in Thailand.

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Burma rejects US "tongue-lashing"

WASHINGTON, Nov 25 (AFP) - Burma's military rulers on Monday rejected a "tongue-lashing" meted out last week by a senior US official, but seized on signs that the United States attaches increasing credibility to its anti-narcotics drive.

Junta spokesman Colonel Hla Min also said in a statement, released through the junta's Washington-based lobbying firm, that Burma would stand with the United States in its anti-terror campaign and would continue to release political dissidents.

His remarks referred to a speech by Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly last week, the most detailed accounting yet of Bush administration Burma policy.

Kelly told Rangoon's rulers they should "hang their heads in shame" over their buckled economy and criticised the slow pace of a rapprochement dialogue with the opposition, but did note that Burma's campaign against drugs production had progressed.

"We fully accept the fair credit, and regret the 'tongue-lashing' we received in the Assistant Secretary's remarks," said Hla Min.

"In either case we recommit ourselves to the serious work of narcotics control and cooperation in the war on terror as it is not only threatening our two nations but the entire world community as well."

In the statement, which played up the few uncritical sections on Kelly's remarks, Burma drug czar Kyaw Thein said "we very much appreciate this recognition of our serious effort to cut opium production.

"We are making progress and aim to reduce the total opium crop by another 50 percent next year," he said in remarks similar to those released earlier on Monday in Rangoon.

The Washington Post last week reported that some mid-level US officials were considering removing Burma from a list of "major" drugs producers -- a key goal of the military government in Rangoon.

Human rights activists are dismayed by the idea as they say the regime would use the decision to claim wider legitimacy, despite being pilloried for political repression.

Hla Min also said that Burma's release of dissidents would "not be affected by the Assistant Secretary's dismissal of the largest-ever release of political detainees" announced last week.

Amnesty International has already criticised the scope of the release, saying many dissidents had served long jail-terms for political offenses not recognised under international law.

Kelly said in a speech to a forum of Burma experts last week that the releases were "welcome, but highly incomplete and inadequate".

The United States is a fierce critic of Burma's military regime, and its treatment of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), which won an overwhelming 1990 election victory that was never recognized by the junta.

Burma, treated as a pariah state by Washington and some of its Western allies, has recently made attempts to improve its standing in the US capital, hiring a lobbying firm and making major policy announcements to the media here, before releasing information in Bangkok or Rangoon.

When democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was freed from house arrest in May, the ruling generals promised people would be allowed to go about their political business unfettered by authorities.

Later, in a statement issued here in July, the junta claimed it was victim of a vicious "smear" campaign designed to frustrate its goal of improving poisoned relations with the United States.

The tirade followed allegations that Burmese troops had systematically raped women and girls in Shan state.

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Burma PM to visit Bangladesh on Dec 17

Source : The Independent (Bangladesh)

Burma's Prime Minister Senior General Than Shwe will pay an official visit to Bangladesh on December 17-18 at the invitation of Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, foreign office sources said yesterday.

The date of Than Shwe’s visit was finalised during the just-concluded official tour of Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan to Burma.

The Foreign Minister visited Rangoon on November 20-22 and held talks with his Burmese counterpart U Win Aung.

A coordination meeting, held at the foreign office yesterday, discussed the programme and preparation of the forthcoming visit of the Myanmar head of the government.

According to tentative programme, Senior General Than Shwe will arrive in Dhaka December 17 morning leading a high-level delegation of his government.

Official talks between the heads of the government of Bangladesh and Burma will be held on the same day. Whole gamut of bilateral relations including economic cooperation between the two countries will dominate the talks, sources said.

Than Shwe will call on President Iajuddin Ahmed and meet the leaders of FBCCI before leaving for home on December 18 afternoon.

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New PR Zaw Moe now wants S'pore citizenship

Source : The Straits Times

AFTER three attempts, Burma's professional golfer Zaw Moe has been granted Singapore permanent residency.

The 35-year-old Laguna National Golf and Country Club touring pro said: 'Maybe they were testing if I really wanted to stay here.'

There is no question of that. In fact, the golfer, who made his first application in 1999, is keen on the next step: citizenship.

Singapore is already 'home', a place where he cannot wait to return to after his overseas tournaments, which are mainly in Japan.

And he is keen to don the Republic's colours in international events such as the World Cup.

He has settled in Singapore since 1994 with his wife, and owns an apartment near the Botanic Gardens. Their four-year-old son, Aung Thura Zaw, was born here too.

Said Zaw: 'I was told I have to wait for five years before I can get citizenship. I wish it could be faster.'

The Japan Tour pro would be an asset to Singapore golf.

Said Peter Goh, Laguna's general manager: 'He would be great here. He's not only a role model but also a good team player.

'Whenever he can, he will help out with our junior programme and also give some of our members tips on how to improve their game.'

The golfer is the second playing pro to obtain Singapore PR this year. Australian Unho Park received his in April.

Zaw, who won the 1997 Singapore Open, finished 10th at last week's US$1.65-million (S$2.9-million) Dunlop Phoenix Open.

He was second after two rounds, four strokes behind leader Kaname Yokoo, and four ahead of world No 1 Tiger Woods.

He edged closer to the leader after the third round, but a final-round 74 saw him drop to 10th, two strokes and two places behind Woods.

That earned him about 5 million yen (S$72,000).

Said Zaw: 'My driver was not working on the last day. I was hitting the ball everywhere. If I can string four good rounds together, a Japan Tour event is within grasp.'

He has spent nine years on the Japan Tour and has two second-place finishes.

One of them came last month at the Georgia Tokai Classic, which gave him his biggest career pay cheque of 10 million.

With three top-10 finishes this year, Zaw is 34th on the Tour money list with 27 million.

He has an apartment in Narita, Japan, but still prefers Singapore.

He said: 'The language is a problem in Japan. I find it difficult to set up home there.

'I like Singapore's education system and want my son to grow up here. I feel more Singaporean than Myanmarese now.

'Besides, I just love chicken rice.'

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