News and Views From Myanmar Vol.1,

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

Subject: News and Views From Myanmar Vol.1, No.6

burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx, burma-open-forum-list@xxxxxxx, knightkyle@xxxxxxxxxxx
X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by igc7.igc.org id DAA08427
X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 4.0
X-Sender: strider@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

                           News and Views From Myanmar

                  (Weekly brief from MOFA, Yangon, Myanmar)

                            Vol.1   10 February 1999    No.6

Contents

Internal Development
1. Accomplishments in education sector
2. Combating the drug menace

Foreign Relations
3. Japan Times interviewed Brig-Gen. Kyaw Win
4. Myanmar to host ASEAN Labour Ministers' Meeting
5. Implementation of projects with assistance of  UN Agencies in Myanmar

General News
6. New modern terminal of Kawthaung Airport commissioned into service
7. Opening of flights kitchen unit for aircraft catering service
----------------------------------------

                                       Internal Developments

Accomplishments in education sector

	The Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council, Lt.Gen. Khin
Nyunt disclosed the accomplishments in Myanmar's education sector in his
address at the opening ceremony of the Special Refresher Course No.35 for
Basic Education Teachers on 5 February 1999.

	Here are the excerpts from Secretary-1's address:
· The Government is paying special attention to promotion of the education
system.
· From 1988 to 1998, the number of primary schools in the country increased
from 31,329 to 35,833; that of middle schools from 1,696 to 2,115, and that of
high schools from 722 to 936.
· From 1988 to 1998, over 5,000 new schools were opened. Among those, 4,504
new primary schools were opened, 419 primary schools were upgraded to middle-
school level, while 214 middle schools were upgraded to high-school level.
· Included in those schools are 353 primary schools, 51 middle schools and 20
high schools opened in remote border areas of the country.
· There were 68 universities, degree colleges and colleges at the end of 1998,
up from 32 which existed in 1998, in the higher education sector. Now, there
are universities or colleges in all the states and divisions throughout the
country.
· Educational expenditure in 1988-99 stood at K 8,559.39 million up from K
1,190.54 million in 1988-89, registering an 800 percent increase.
· A total of 1,814 computers and 678 printers have been installed at 690 high
schools, 449 computers and 120 printers at 309 middle schools totaling 2,263
computers and 798 printers in 999 schools in the entire nation.

· Multi-media classrooms are being set up enabling students to use advanced
equipment. Seven high schools in Yangon now have multi-media classrooms and 13
more are ready to open such classrooms soon.
· Some school boards of trustees have provided modern teaching aid systems and
equipment in schools such as language labs, overhead projectors, projection
screens, fax machines, computers, printers, E-mail and other modern
facilities.
· Some multi-media classrooms are installed with Internet local area networks
for schools.
· Arrangements are under way to open multi-media classrooms in all high
schools.
· Despite perpetrations from both inside and outside, the nation's  education
will be met without fail as the Government laid down the education promotion
programme which benefits and suits the nation best. The Government in
endeavoring for the success of education programmes with the participation of
teachers, students, parents and well-wishers.

Combating the drug menace

	Myanmar assumes the drug menace as a national concern. All out efforts are
made in Myanmar to eliminate the danger of drug abuse, which is threatening
not merely a specific nation but the entire global people. 

	The first of the two national strategies already laid down is to designate
narcotic drug eradication and prevention as a national responsibility and to
carry out this responsibility with added momentum.

	In the latest development in combating the drug menace, the combined teams of
members of the Tatmadaw columns, regional intelligence units, Myanmar Police
Force and local people with the leadership of lo0cal commands are incessantly
destroying the poppy plantation illegally grown in remote areas of Shan,
Kachin and Kayah States.

	In January 1999, altogether 2,909.35 acres of poppy plantations in those
three States were destroyed. Altogether 6,181.66 acres of poppy plantations
illegally grown in the same States have been destroyed during the period from
November 1998 to 31 January 1999, and efforts are still going on to search and
destroy the illegal poppy plantations.

	In the law enforcement sector, news of seizures made by combined teams appear
every day in the papers. A significant seizure has been made recently in the
Tachilek township on the border. The drugs and paraphernalia seized were quite
sizable 145 cakes of heroin weighing 53.42 kilos, a machine used for
production of stimulant tablets, stimulant powder and tablets and ephedrine
tablets among others.

	A Tatmadaw column of North-East Command also seized an ether factory in
Hsenwi Township in Shan State on 27 January 1999. Seized drugs include 36
drums of spirit 1,656 gallons, 21 containers of hydrochloric acid 105 gallons,
3 containers of sulfuric acid 9 gallons.

	The first national strategy for drug abuse control measures is to gradually
eliminate poppy cultivation by raising the living standard of the
nationalities in border areas. In fact, narcotic drugs issue is related with
socio-economic development. Since 1989, the Government has spent more than 10
billion kyats in promoting the socio-economic lives of the nationalities. In
the past, the people living in border areas had relied on poppy cultivation

for livelihood since the British colonial period. As destroying of poppy
plantations is not sufficient in regard of drugs control, substitution crops
have been successfully cultivated in place of poppy. With the cooperation of
leaders of peace groups in the border areas, the authorities and the local
people are making efforts towards more areas opium-free. As a result, the
border areas have now become peaceful and achieved development and prosperity.

	Myanmar is committed to eradication of narcotic drugs as a national duty.
Time and time again, it has lived up to its word in deed, and success being
achieved in the fight against drug abuse in the country is truly notable
although they have been deliberately ignored or may have fallen on deaf ears
in some quarters.

                                    Foreign Relations

Japan Times interviewed Brig-Gen. Kyaw Win
	
	The Japanese Government invited a high-ranking official delegation from the
Office of Strategic Studies of the Union of Myanmar in order to give them an
opportunity to hear various opinions in Japan. Deputy Chief of OSS Brig-Gen.
Kyaw Win and his assistant Lt.-Col. Hla Min paid a goodwill visit to Japan in
late January to enhance a friendly relationship. There, they met a lot of
people from various circles, listened to their suggestion and viewpoints. At
the same time they gave their views and explained the current situation in
Myanmar. Brig-Gen. Kyaw Win stated that it was a very fruitful exchange of
views.

	During his interview with Hisare Masak of Japan Times, Brig.-Gen. Kyaw Win
pointed out that policy of sanctions is impractical, unrealistic and failed to
sway Myanmar, while praising the Japanese policy of constructive engagement.

	He expressed his belief that sanctions, boycotts and embargos, in reality, do
not help Myanmar's transition to a democracy. He consistently argued that the
Myanmar government was so much willing to have dialogue with NLD and that it
was NLD who rejected an invitation. For Mrs. Suu Kyi's involvement in those
meetings, he pointed out that she is an unelected private citizen and that's
why it was inappropriate to involve her in such official meetings. He further
stated that she was barred from running for office not by SPDC government's
prohibition but by the original 1948 Constitution written by her own father
Gen. Aung San.

He also gave some comments on ILO report, narcotics problems and relations
with ASEAN countries and with China.

Myanmar to host ASEAN labour Ministers' Meeting

	Myanmar has been actively participating in all areas of ASEAN cooperation to
ensure that the Association's strength is enhanced and reinforced with her
contribution since it became a member of ASEAN in July 1997. In keeping with
the active and independent foreign policy, Myanmar has been taking part in
ASEAN meetings and activities such as ministerial meetings, senior official
meetings and others including ASEAN Summits.

	Meetings of the ASEAN are being held in the member countries in turn. The
13th ASEAN Labour Meeting will be the first ASEAN ministerial-level meeting to
be held in Myanmar. By hosting the meeting successfully, Myanmar could

highlight her cooperative participation in ASEAN activities as a member state
while showing her hospitality.

	Due to application of pressures based on fabrications floated by certain
foreign news agencies and false information created by some big Western
countries, the true conditions of Myanmar are still unknown. Even people of
some Asian nations including some ASEAN countries who have never visited
Myanmar are thinking that those fabrications are true.

	By hosting international meetings including ASEAN meetings, Myanmar's true
conditions can be shown, thus uplifting her political dignity and opening up
economic opportunities.

Implementation of projects with assistance of UN Agencies in Myanmar

	A number of projects are being implemented with the assistance of UN Agencies
such as UNDP, UNIDEF, FAO, IAEA, UNESCO, WHO, UNDCP and UNHCR in Myanmar.

	With a view to effectively and successfully implementing those projects a
coordination meeting was held on 4 February 1999. Speaking on the occasion,
Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt.-Gen. Khin Nyunt
pointed out that due to disparaging accusations and blockades imposed by some
western nations, appropriate amount of the assistance of UN Agencies had not
been received and some assistance did not reach the targeted amount.

	He stressed that the assistance provided for Myanmar by the UN Agencies
should be effectively used in the interest of the State and the national
people.

	Officials of ministries and departments concerned reported on projects being
implemented in cooperation with UN agencies and expenditure of financial
assistance.

	It was highlighted in discussion that a close supervision should be given to
make sure that projects being implemented bear fruit and, cooperation among
ministries concerned should be entranced with a view to using financial
assistance of the UN agencies.

                                       General News

New modern terminal of Kawthaung Airport commissioned into services

	The new modern terminal building of Kawthaung Airport at Kawthaung,
Tanintharyi Division, was put into service on 6 February 1999. The original
Airport was just a small one used for military purposes during World War II.
It was subsequently reconstructed and upgraded in the following chronological
order:

· Built in 1959, it originally had a 4200 feet long and 50 feet wide runway.
Reconstruction work finished in 1963, and new runway good for safe landing of
28,000 pound aircraft was put into services.
· Reconstruction of the runway began in 1970. The runway had been good for
safe landing of 45,000 - pound Foker F-27 aircraft since 1975.
· Work on the construction of the present runway, which is 6000 feet-long and
150 feet-wide, was started in 1992; it was put into service in 1995
facilitating safe landing of 150,000 pound Boeing 737 aircraft.
· A single-story terminal building 90-feet-long and 53 feet-wide, was built in
1992.
· A new modern terminal was built for convenience of the increasing number of
passengers.
· The new terminal is a 300-feet-by-80-feet reinforced concrete building that
can be used by 250 incoming and 250 outgoing passengers simultaneously.


Opining of flights kitchen unit for aircraft catering service

	A flight kitchen unit for aircraft catering service was opened at Yangon
International Airport premises on 9 February 1999. The Build, Operate and
Transfer Catering Service was established together by the Department of Civil
Aviation Under Ministry of Transport and LSG Lufthansa Service with the aim to
provide airlines and other customers with premium quality products to ISO 9000
standards.

	Myanmar has experienced rapid and substantial development in various sectors
of trade and tourism since the introduction of market economic system.
Increasing numbers of international travelers are visiting the country to
participate in promising business activities as well as to observe the
beautiful country which rich cultural and historical heritage.

	In an effort to promote tourism, the government has taken several measures to
improve the services of the whole industry. Steps have also been taken to
enhance the services at major airports in the country. The opening of Myanmar
LSG Lufthansa Catering Service will surely contribute to the development of
facilities and services at Yangon International Airport as it will fulfil the
needs of the airlines and of the other consumers as well.

***********