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News and Views from Myanmar Vol .1
- Subject: News and Views from Myanmar Vol .1
- From: OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 08:18:00
Subject: News and Views from Myanmar Vol .1 No.30
News and Views from Myanmar
Vol .1
No.30
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INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
1 Secretary - 1 urges athletes to compete fairly and represent Myanmar
2 MPF: a reserve force for national defence
3 Fire Brigade as reserve force for National Peace and Stability
FOREIGN RELATIONS
1 Minister U Win Aung arrives back from Singapore after attending 32nd
ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM)
2 Thai Deputy Premier arrives on goodwill visit
ECONOMIC NEWS
1 Irrigation and Agricultural Projects
2 Oil and gas
GENERAL NEWS
1 Multi - Media CD-ROM on life of Buddha successfully launched
2 Entrepreneurs invited for 2nd Myanmar Tourism Fair
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INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Secretary - 1 urges athletes to compete fairly and represent Myanmar
Chairman of Myanmar National Olympic Council Secretary-1 of the State
Peace and Development Council Lt. Gen Khin Nyunt met with athletes who will
participate in the 20th SEA Games and handed over the flag representing the
Union of Myanmar to the leader of the team.
In his address, the Secretary-1 said that significant and profound
national objectives related to sports calls for "Myanmar sports- the world to
conquer", and the entire national people are making efforts to improve the
standard of Myanmar sports. The improvement of sports standard reflects the
honour and dignity of the state and the people, cultural standard and
development of the nation; the athletes must bear in mind that success in
sports events is tantamount to bringing honour to the nation- the entire
national people are expecting the victories of Myanmar sports contigents at
international meets.
It is heartening to note that the entire national people are giving
encourgement for the improvement of sports standards with a national outlook.
Every nation has come to accept the fact that the achievement of victories in
international sports events enhances its own image, and is therefore making
all-out efforts to achieve success in sports.
Secretary-1 called on Myanmar athletes to respect the traditions, to
obey the rules and regulations of the host nation and to live up to Myanmar
traditions and culture.
The Myanmar sports team comprising athletes, managers and coaches
totalling 245 will be taking part in track and field events, billiards,
snooker, bowling, boxing, soccer, golf, karatedo, rowing, sepak takraw,
swimming, taekwondo and martial arts.
MPF: a reserve force for national defence
The Committee for Reforming Management System of MPF: Myanmar Police
Force held the ninth coordination meeting on 1 August attended by its
chairman Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt. Gen Khin
Nyunt.
At the first quarterly meeting of MPF in 1999, Head of State Senior
General Than Shwe said that the first duty of MPF is to strive to ensure
community peace and tranquility and rule of law so that the people can make a
living peacefully under the protection of law; the second is to discharge
national defence and security duty in time of urgency. Another duty the
Senior General mentioned on 8 June at the Ministry of Home Affairs is to
carry out public welfare work.
With regard to these duties, efforts are made to enable MPF members to be
endowed with the five qualities such as morale, discipline, loyalty, unity
and capability. Authorities concerned discussed ways and means to provide
them training designed to enhance efficiency.
The Secretary-1 praised the MPF's efforts in successfully hosting the
Fouth International Heroin Conference in cooperation with Interpol and the
Ministry of Home Affairs' supervision, and the Second Ministrial Meeting on
Transnational Crime with success.
In conclusion, he urged all to build an able MPF which is to be on a
par with international police forces, to be endowed with four qualities, to
win the love of the people, to be reliable and to endeavour for the interest
of the State and the people as a reserve force for peace and tranquility of
the State. He also stressed the need to mature MPF- to become a national
defence reserve force on stand-by; to carry out public weflare work and
expose destructive elements who, relying on external elements, are attempting
to disrupt the peace and stability of the State and to panic the people.
Fire Brigade as reserve force for National Peace and Stability
Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council met with officials
of the Fire Services Department and gave guidance on 29 July. At a time of
making efforts for the progress of the nation, the outbreak of fires will
destroy everything in a very short time. Therefore, the government is
rendering assistance to Fire Services Department to become a qualified and
firm national force to take fire preventive measures as a national task.
Nowadays, the scope of duties of Fire Services Department personnel is
becoming broader and more extensive as they now engage not only in fighting
fires and giving assistance to fire-victims but also take part in
safeguarding the people from the danger of destructive elements in
maintaining national peace and stability. Thus the fire brigade law was
enacted in accord with the developing and changing national situation and
the Central Fire Services Training School was opened in Pyin-Oo-Lwin.
The Fire Services Department now has a strength of 3,403 Fire Brigade
members and 131,765 Auxiliary Fire Brigade members. There are now 217 Fire
stations and 328 auxiliary fire stations in the entire nation. But Myanmar
still needs to enhance the number of auxiliary fire brigade members and
stations. Myanmar people has a tradition of donating fire engines and fire
fighting equipment to Fire Services Department.
The government has expressed its reliance on Fire Services Department by
making arrangements to enable Fire Services Dipartment to participate in
Armed Forces Day Parades together with other reserve forces of the nation
such as Myanmar Police Force and Myanmar Red Cross Society.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Minister U Win Aung arrives back from Singapore after attending 32nd ASEAN
Ministerial Meeting (AMM)
Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung arrived back from Singapore after
attending the 32nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), the ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF) and the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) which were held from 23
to 28 July in Singapore.
At the opening ceremony of the 32nd AMM on 23 July, U Win Aung delivered
an address and participated as a lead discussant at the PMC deliberating on
drug trafficking. In his speech at the ASEAN - Japan Dialogue Meeting on 27
July, U Win Aung assured that Myanmar would try her utmost to promote ASEAN -
Japan Cooperation when she takes over the country coordinatorship from
Vietnam starting from July, 2000.
While in Singapore, U Win Aung, together with other ASEAN foreign
Ministers, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong of the
Republic of Singapore. He also held bilateral meetings with his ASEAN
counterparts and foreign ministers from ASEAN Dialogue Partners - New
Zealand, Australia, India and the Russian Federation. H.E. U Win Aung also
met with the leader of the EU delegation to the PMC, and also with the
Foreign Minister of Finland, which holds the present EU presidency.
The significance of the AMM meeting this year was marked by the first AMM
where ASEAN foreign ministers discussed frankly, cordially and candidly on
the future of ASEAN, ARF and PMC. Two important initiatives were made at this
year's AMM - they were the ASEAN Road Show Project proposed by Singapore to
jointly promote foreign investments in ASEAN countries and the establishment
of the ASEAN Human Resources Development Fund and intensification of
cooperation in Human Resources Departments among ASEAN member countries
proposed by Thailand.
Thai Deputy Premier arrives on goodwill visit
At the invitation of Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development
Council Lt. Gen Khin Nyunt, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand
Mr. Bhichai Rattakul arrived Yangon on a goodwill visit on 29 July.
While in Myanmar, the Thai Deputy Prime Minister called on the Chairman
of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in- Chief of the Defence
Services Senior General Than Shwe and Secretary-1 of the State Peace and
Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt on 30 July. Thai Deputy Premier also
met with Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin.
In Yangon, the Thai Deputy Prme Minister Mr. Bhichai Rattakul visited the
Shwedagon Pagoda, the National Museum and tha Myanmar Gems Museum. Mr.
Bhichai Rattakul and party also toured Mandalay and Bagan-Nyaung Oo. The Thai
Deputy Premier and delegation concluded their goodwill visit on 1 August and
left by air.
ECONOMIC NEWS
Irrigation and Agricultural Projects
The State Peace and Development Council is building new dams and
reservoirs throughout the country for keeping the regions green and lush and
promoting the socio-economic life of the farmers and developing agriculture
which is the base of the national economy.
Magway Division is an arid zone where water is scarce due to very few
rainfall. The majority of farmers had to rely on natural rain for obtaining
water, for household needs and cultivation. In years with good rainfall, they
could earn considerably. However, in years with very little rain, their crops
met failure and they suffered severely.
Hence, there was a slogan that they need no gold but water. Nowadays, the
combined force of the State, the people and the Tatmadaw is building dams and
reservoirs for sufficient supply of water.
In Magway Division, numerous dams and reservoirs have been built. They
are Natmauk Dam, Kinmun Dam, Bangon Dam, Hsaddan Dam, Yanpe Dam, Bwetgyi Dam,
Pede Dam, Soon Creek Dam, Palin Dam, Daungthay diversion weirs, Pinn Creek
Reservoir and diversion dams, Mann Creek Reservoir, Mone Creek Multi-purpose
Reservoir, Salin Reservoir, South Yamar Reservoir and Yaw Creek diversion
dams, etc.
Recently on 18-7-99, the Ngamin Reservoir which can irrigate over 4,000
acres was opened with ceremony in Taungdwingyi Township.
The dams and reservoirs including the Ngamin Reservoir in Magway Division
contribute not only to the agriculture sector but also to keeping the region
green and lush. In addition to the dams and reservoirs built by the State,
there are also self-reliance ones on small scales, numbering over 800.
Today in Magway Division, nine private enterprises are reclaiming about
230,000 acres of virgin and fallow land and striving to cultivate appropriate
crops on a commercial scale with no loss effect to the local farmers. In
fact, local farmers will have job opportunities at the reclaimed lands.
Conventional method is substituted with modern scientific method in
cultivation. Pedigree seeds and modern farm machinery and implements are also
used.
Since the time of the ancient Myanmar kings till 1962, there were 69 dams
and reservoirs in the country. Within 26 years from 1962 to 1988, 69 more
dams and reservoirs were built. In more than 10 years from 1988 to 1999,
altogether 99 dams and reservoirs including the Ngamin Reservoir have been
built. Measures are being taken to build more dams and reservoirs.
The Ngamin Reservoir built on Ngamin Creek is an earthen one. It is 126
feet high and 1180 feet long. Its water storage capacity is 7750 acre-ft. It
was built at a cost of over 420 million kyats to irrigate over 4,000 acres.
Mone Creek Reservoir Project in Sedoktara Township, Magway Division, is
being implemented to irrigate the area. It is 6490 feet long and 200 feet
high. It can generate 330 kilowatt hours annually and irrigate 108,000 acres.
Oil and gas
It is reported that Kyaukhwet-Letpando oil field in Pauk Township, Magway
Division, was sighted gushing oil out of the well. This is an old oil well
which in 1974 produced 845 barrels of crude oil and 1,158 million cubic feet
of natural gas per day. Production continued until 1976 and due to less
profit, the well was closed.
On 21 July 1999, after more than twenty years, oil and gas was gushing
out of the same dormant well up to 100 feet high. Now, it is estimated that
oil between 200 and 300 barrels and natural gas 2-3 million cubic feet per
day may be obtained.
GENERAL NEWS
Multi - Media CD-ROM on life of Buddha successfully launched
The Life of the Buddha Multi-media CD-ROM produced by Myanmar Inforithm
Ltd. with the supervision of the Ministry of Religious Affairs was officially
launched.
Since March 1998, Tri Pitaka (Myanmar translation) was put in CD-ROM and
computer soft-ware technicians from Myanmar Inforithm since then had tried to
put an illustrated Buddhology book published by YMBA into CD-ROM. The book
was written by Amarapura Maha Gandhayon Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Ashin
Janakabhivamsa with illustrated pictures by famous artist U Ba Kyi. The
CD-ROM includes the life of Buddha with 36 chapters contributing to better
assessment and understanding of Buddhism. The Buddhology Multi-media CD-ROM
is arranged in Myanmar - English - Japanese - and Chinese for easy learning.
Entrepreneurs invited for 2nd Myanmar Tourism Fair
Under the supervision of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, the 2nd
Myanmar Tourism Fair will be held in the last week of September in Bangkok,
Thailand. Entreperneurs wishing to participate may register at the Tourism
Promotion Division of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism, by 6 August
latest.
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