Daily News- September 05- 2002- Saturday

  • Burmese democracy activist nominated for UNESCO prize
  • Suu Kyi urges supporters to mount "constant struggle"
  • Thai FM official to make fence-mending visit to Myanmar
  • Kyi Hla Han of Burma hoping for a repeat performance from duo in next week’s Davidoff Nations Cup


  • Burmese democracy activist nominated for UNESCO prize

    PARIS (AP)- Democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar was nominated Friday for the UNESCO Nadanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence.

    The four-member jury also recommended honorable mentions to slain U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl, nine journalists killed in Afghanistan, Nazi-hunter Simon Wisenthal, an Indian newspaper and a Canadian youth group.

    The US$100,000 top prize will be awarded in November in Paris after the recommendations are approved by Koichiro Matsuura, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The prize is awarded every two years.

    Suu Kyi won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her support of democracy in Myanmar, also known as Burma. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won 1990 elections by a landslide, but the military government refused to recognize the results.Suu Kyi was released from 19 months under house arrest in May. She began reconciliation talks with the junta in October 2000, but she is yet to hold direct talks with the generals.

    "An international symbol of peaceful resistance to oppression, she is still pursuing her non-violent struggle for democracy and tolerance in Myanmar," the jury said in a statement.The statement said that if Suu Kyi is unable to travel to Paris to receive the award, a UNESCO official should go to Myanmar to present it to her.

    The jury also said Pearl, a reporter with the Wall Street Journal, "lost his life for having attempted to denounce injustice in all its forms." Pearl was kidnapped and killed by suspected Islamic extremists in Pakistan.

    The award is funded by Singh, imprisoned during Mohandas Gandhi's non- violent movement, and a former Indian ambassador.

    The Indian newspaper nominated for honorable mention was Ramakrishna Mission, and the Canadian group is called Kids Can Free the Children.

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    Suu Kyi urges supporters to mount "constant struggle"

    YANGON, Oct 4 (AFP) - Democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi Friday urged supporters outside the Myanmar capital to mount a "constant struggle" for security and freedom in the military-run country.

    The Nobel peace laureate told a crowd of about 1,000 in Thin-gan-kyun township 10 kilometres (six miles) east of Yangon that under the current regime the nation's development was being hindered.

    "Security and freedom are the basic requirements in stepping up our struggle. Without fulfilling these basic needs we cannot work for social, economic and educational progress of the nation," she said."We have to make a constant struggle until we achieve success in these areas."

    The Nobel peace laureate arrived in the township early Friday to elect a new local Youth Committee of her National League for Democracy (NLD).It was the latest in a series of political trips she has been allowed to make since the military government released her from 19 months under house arrest in May.

    After the party business was completed, Aung San Suu Kyi greeted the large crowd of supporters waiting outside the NLD office which filled both sides of the tree-lined street.As usual her appearance was well received with the gathered crowd cheering, clapping and shouting "Long live Aung San Suu Kyi".

    In a rousing impromptu speech the diminutive opposition leader called on her supporters to strive with "unyielding spirit" to achieve their common goal which she said "depended on the power of the people"."Our struggle now is 14 years old. We have to pay a high price for things we value and cherish," she said.The crowd quickly dispersed soon after without any untoward incidents, observers said.

    During a visit to Myanmar this week, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said he had told the ruling generals that aid and investment would not return to the impoverished country until there was "real progress made on political reform"."They certainly understood my messages loud and clear," he said.

    Myanmar has been branded a pariah nation by the international community and punished with heavy economic sanctions because of its refusal to consider political reforms.

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    Thai FM official to make fence-mending visit to Myanmar

    BANGKOK, Oct 4 (AFP) - Thailand's top foreign ministry official Tej Bunnag is to visit Myanmar next week in a bid to mend relations with its military-ruled government, a ministry official said Friday.

    Tej, permanent secretary of the ministry of foreign affairs, is scheduled to meet with Myanmar officials including Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win during Monday's one-day visit, the official said."He will attend a senior officials meeting being held to restore ties between Thailand and Myanmar," he said.

    Relations between the neighbouring countries have been strained since May when deadly border clashes led to Myanmar accusing Thailand of assisting rebels fighting its troops.Myanmar unilaterally closed its border with Thailand in the wake of the dispute.

    A fence-mending visit to Yangon by Thai foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai in August, followed by a reciprocal visit by his counterpart Win Aung to Bangkok last month, have both failed to resolve the crisis.Despite the two sides saying that relations have improved, there has still been no date set for a reopening of the checkpoints whose closure has choked bilateral trade.

    Surakiart said Friday that Tej's visit was in line with plans for a 10-point agreement to resolve the issue and clear misunderstandings which was discussed with Win Aung in Bangkok."As of now 90 percent of the matter is resolved. Only 10 percent, which is mostly concerned with details, will be discussed and I expect some sort of agreement will be reached during the upcoming trip," he told reporters.

    Surakiart said he was optimistic that the agreement would prevent future border closures, although he could not say when he expected the current situation to be reversed."There will be some kind of technical agreement coming out of this trip to prevent future problems when the checkpoints are reopened," he said.

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    Kyi Hla Han of Burma hoping for a repeat performance from duo in next week’s Davidoff Nations Cupr

    Source : The Star (Malaysia)

    KUALA LUMPUR---Former Asian number one Kyi Hla Han of Burma and Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, two prolific performers in Malaysia, will lead their respective countries’ challenge in next week’s Davidoff Nations Cup, the qualifiers for the cash-rich EMC World Cup.

    Hla Han will renew his partnership with Soe Kyaw Naing and will be hoping to repeat their success of 1999 when Myanmar qualified for the World Cup in Malaysia.

    Veteran Hla Han, the Davidoff Tour Order of Merit winner in 1999, has won many titles in Malaysia, including the 1983 and 1985 Malaysian PGA Championship.

    Thaworn is also a terrific player on Malaysian soil, winning nine tournaments, including the Sabah Masters and Volvo Masters of Malaysia, both Asian PGA events, and the Malaysian PGA Championship. He will partner Chawalit Plaphol, who has one title in Asia, for Thailand.

    The Philippines have also picked a strong side, naming Danny Zarate and Marciano Pucay. Both golfers have World Cup experience.

    With Asia completing their line-up of 12 nations for the Davidoff Nations Cup, to be staged from Oct 10-13 at Palm Resort Golf and Country Club in Johor Baru, there are now a total of 24 teams in the tournament, including teams from Europe and Africa.

    The top three finishers at the Davidoff Nations Cup will qualify for the US$3 million World Cup to be staged in Mexico in December.

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