Bangkok post(1,2,3) &The Nation(4)

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Subject: Bangkok post(1,2,3) &The Nation(4) 26-8-99


NARCOTICS
Wa militia is main foe, says army
Shan state township built on drug money

Wassana Nanuam
The Wa militia in Burma is the major obstacle in the fight against drugs, the
army chief-of-staff said yesterday.
Rangoon's approval for the United Wa State Army to develop Mong Yawn in Shan
state over the next five years would lead to greater drugs problems in
Thailand, Gen Charn Boonprasert told a seminar on the military's role in drug
suppression.
"Development of Mong Yawn will require a lot of money and the Burmese
government is not giving financial support for the task," he said. "The Wa
army
will have to raise the funds by itself, mainly through narcotics."Gen Charn is
the first high-ranking army officer to go on the record identifying the United
Wa State Army as a major source of illegal drugs in Thailand.
His remark contradicts the UWSA's past claim its income was generated mainly
from precious stones.
He said the army wanted the closure of drug production bases in Burma, but
this
could not be done without Rangoon's consent.
Gen Charn said the army lacks personnel to seal the border, of which 1,600km
are susceptible to drug gangs.
He said 200 million methamphetamine pills could be smuggled into Thailand this
year, and he suggested the government promote 853 villages along the western
border as drug-free areas. Before this can be tackled, the army has to solve
its own drug problems.
"More than 40% of conscripts were drug addicts, and we have to set an example
or villagers may not co-operate with us," Gen Charn said.
Kitti Limchaikit, deputy secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics
Control Board, told the seminar that state officials, especially police
interrogators, were involved in trafficking.
"In the past, they wrote interrogation reports that were too weak to be
processed in court," he said. "Now, they take kickbacks from from arrested
suspects and put their drugs back on the market." 
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Rangoon agrees to talks on migrants
Post Reporters 
Burma has agreed to high level talks on the future of its refugees and illegal
immigrants in Thailand, as part of a joint effort to solve outstanding
problems
between the two countries.
Approval had come from Gen Than Shwe, the chairman of the ruling State Peace
and Development Council, during talks with Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan,
ministry spokesman Don Pramudwinai said.
He gave no date for the talks or any indication who would be involved.
Thailand is home to several hundred thousand Burmese immigrants, most of whom
are working illegally. Due to continuing demand for their cheap labour, an Aug
4 deadline to restrict their employment has not been fully enforced.
Mr Surin was in Rangoon for the fifth Thailand-Burma Joint Commission meeting,
which agreed to revitalise joint patrols to combat illegal activities along
the
border, including the smuggling of cars, gems and artifacts.
Lt Gen Khin-Nyunt, the SPDC first secretary-general, had affirmed Burma's
determination to curb the drug trade, in line with Gen Than Shwe's pledge to
Prime minister Chuan Leekpai during a visit to Chiang Mai last March, the
spokesman said.
Burma also called for more investment from Thailand in the tourism sector, and
agreed in principle to a Thai proposal for a second bridge, between Thachilek,
in Burma's Keng Tung province, and Mae Sai district, in Chiang Rai, the
spokesman said. An oldbridge already exists at the proposed site.
The Myawaddy-Mae Sot bridge, opened two years ago, will be maintained by a
joint committee to be set up as soon as possible.
Operation of this bridge has been less than smooth. Burma has closed its
border
checkpoint there on a number of occasions for economic and security reasons.
Burma agreed to a Thai proposal to set up a township border committee at
Chiangdao, Chiang Mai province, in addition to coordinating bodies in Ranong
and Mae Hong Son, the spokesman said.
Burma last week closed the checkpoint opposite Chiangdao point after Thailand
closed San Ton Du further north to prevent an influx of amphetamines.
Thailand expressed concern about the social effects of gambling dens operating
along the border, Mr Don said.
The two sides pledged to reduce trade barriers. Trade in the first half of
this
year totalled US$267.9 million, a 27% increase over the same period last year.
The two foreign ministers signed an agreement on visa exemptions for official
and diplomatic passports and on cultural cooperation
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Suu Kyi pans Australian rights effort 

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has hit out at Australia's approach
to improving, human rights inside her military-ruled country. 
Earlier this month the head of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Chris
Sidoti, travelled to Burma to discuss setting up a human fights body. 
Mrs Aung San Suu Kyi said the visit did not help. 
"it is a little ironic that anybody imagines that they will be able to
cooperate with the junta to improve the human rights situation in Burma;
it's a
bit like asking the fox to lookafter the chicken," she said. 
 . The junta is accused throughout the world of gross human rights abuses
including rape and torture. 
, The Nobel peace laureate said the junta had attempted to use Mr Sidoti's
visit to improve its international image. 
"Of course the junta is quite eager to present a civilised front so they have
come out receiving these delegations," she said on Monday. 
1Mrs Suu Kyi supports the use of economic sanctions and isolation to force the
junta to hand over power to a democratic government. 
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Monday defended Mr Sidoti's
visit as a means to engage the junta in serious dialogue on protecting human
rights. 
"We owe it to the Burmese people to find creative ways to encourage reform and
reconciliation in their country," he said. 
* Burma's military rulers yesterday denied a report that they were persecuting
members of a Christian minority, forcing them to flee to India. 
The government said a report last week by a foreign news agency on the Naga
minority was "part and parcel of the ongoing smear campaign dissemi nated by
anti-government forces"
The agency report quoted the Nagaland Baptist Church as saying 1,000
members of
the tribe in north- western Burma had fled to India in the past month after
attempts by the military and Buddhist clergy to force them to renounce their
faith. 

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Suu Kyi worried over future of Burma youth 

RANGOON - Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has acknowledged that any
future civilian government would face major obstacles meeting the expectations
of the country's young people. 
With universities closed since 1996, the Nobel peace laureate said providing
young people with adequate educational opportunities would take years of hard
work. 
We will have to work very hard to make up for all the lost years,' Aung San
Suu
Kyi said during an interview late on Monday. 
'The dictatorship didn't really care to educate the people because they prefer
to keep the people ignorant and subdued,' she added. 
Universities have traditionally been hotbeds of political opposition to
military rule and students have been at the foreftont of the democracy
movement
for decades. 
Only selected faculties at certain universifies have been allowed to reopen
since 1996 unrest, and they are closely scrutinised for any signs of political
activity. 
Aung San Suu Kyi said a democratically-elected government would need to ensure
young people understand that there will be no quick fixes to the coun try's
educational, economic and social problems. 
'A democratic government will have to make the people understand that certain
measures are necessary ... measures that may not have brilliant short- term
results but in the long run will give solid benefits,' she said. 
Aung San Suu Kyi said meeting the expectations of the people of Burma,
particularly the young, 'would not be a fairy- tale'. 
The leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) said television
advertisements for luxury goods had created unrealistic expectations, and the
public would need to adopt a frugal or "Buddhist" approach to rebuilding the
country.