Information Sheet No.B-1184 (I)

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

                   MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE
                                       YANGON
                                  Information Sheet
                     No.B-1184 (I)        16th December 1999

(1) Ramong Bridge on Yangon-Sittway Highway in Rakhine
State Commissioned into service

    Ramong Bridge on Yangon-Sittway Highway in Minbya
Township, Rakhine State, was commissioned into service
on 15 December at the pandal near the bridge. The
total length of roads in Rakhine State at the end of
1998-99 is over 810 miles up 360 miles from only 440
miles in 1988-89. A network of roads and bridges is
being built in the entire nation; and over 100 major
bridges including bridges on Ayeyawady, Thanlwin and
Chindwin rivers have been built for development of the
Union. Completion of Yangon-Sittway Highway,
Yangon-Taungup-Thandwe Road and Minbu-An Tattaung Road
and extension of Taungup-Maei-An-Tattaung Road,
Thandwe-Gwa-Ngathaingchaung Road and
Kyauktaw-Buthidaung Road has made road transport
possible in almost every part of Rakhine State and
opened on-land gateways to Bago, Magway and Ayeyawady
Divisions. Road construction is a much difficult task
in Rakhine State which is a coastal area crisscrossed
by rivers and streams; hundreds of bridges have to be
built on the roads. Over 800 small bridges and 10
major bridges were built on Yangon-Sittway Highway
alone.
 
    Over K 3.75 billion have already been spent in
building 15 major bridges of over 300 feet in length
including 1,100- foot long Yaw Creek Bridge, 990-foot
long Dalet Creek Bridge, 740-foot long Myaungbway
Bridge, 700-foot long Kyeintali Bridge and the Ramong
Bridge. The 2,513-foot long Kissapanadi Bridge, the
2,003-foot long Minchaung Bridge and 940-foot long
Maeichaung Bridge will be commissioned into service
soon. In addition to Kaingche and Hsetthwa bridges,
two over 400-foot long bridges in Taungup Township six
in Kyaukphyu Township will be built. Of them, Wunphaik
Creek Bridge will be over 1,100 feet long. Located on
Minbya-MraukU-Kyauktaw section of Yangon Sittway
Highway, Ramong Bridge, 1,300 feet long, was built at
a cost of US $2.3 million and over K 1,584 billion. It
is included in the special projects of the State.
Taungup in Rakhine State is now accessible directly
from Yangon via Bago Division and through Nawade
Bridge. 

    At present, construction of Yangon-Kyaukphyu Road is
under way; at the time, all the bridges on
Yangon-Sittway Highway is completed, people from
Sittway can travel to Yangon directly by road and to
all parts of Myanmar through An Mountain Pass.
Completion of Ayeyawady River Bridge will enable
people of Rakhine State to travel by road to Shan
State and Kayah via Minbu, Magway, Taungdwingyi,
Pyinmana and Pinlaung. Similarly, the state will have
direct access to Myanmar-China border by passing
through Mandalay, Kachin State and Shan State by
motorways after completion of Anawrahta Bridge on
Ayeyawady River in Chauk Township. The existing
Sagaing bridge and the Ayeyawady Bridge (Mandalay)
which will be built soon, will serve as main links in
extending direct road connection between Rakhine State
and Myanmar-India border via Chin State. At the time
all these projects were completed, Rakhine State in
addition to its border trade with Bangladesh will be
able to extend other border trades with China and
India. Sea fishing, fish and prawn breeding and marine
enterprises are flourishing in Rakhine State which is
a coastal region. Prospects are bright to build a
deep-sea port to extend foreign trade and to enhance
tourism in the region which has beaches and many
ancient pagodas.

(2) Myanmar Two Millennia Conference Begins

    Myanmar Two Millennia Conference, sponsored by the
Universities Historical Research Department (UHRD),
began at International Business Centre on 15 December.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Education  said
Myanmar and international scholars will exchange views
and hold discussions on invaluable cultural heritage
of Myanmar history and traditions and culture,
valuable lessons to face and overcome the new
challenges of the new millennium. While facing the new
challenges such as over population growth,
technological developments, international relations,
spiritual problems, peace and security in the new
century, efforts for revitalization of the cultural
image will continue to flourish. Recently, fossils of
Amphipithecus and Pondaungia, the source of human
beings were found in Pondaung and Ponnya regions and
Bronze Age tools in Nyaunggan region. The works to
recover the valuable records of the past should
continue. Finding of fossils and ancient tools is the
result of development in new excavation techniques and
equipment. It is hoped that the new means found by
Myanmar and international scholars at the paper
reading session will help solve the problems and
overcome the challenges of the new century. 

    Director-General of UHRD in presenting the paper on
Myanmar's past 2,000 years, journey, said Myanmar's
political and cultural situations which had passed
through the past 2000 years still reflect the nation's
present situation. Fourteen papers were read on the
first day session. Resource persons of Myanmar,
Australia, Bangladesh, the People's Republic of China,
Japan, India, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the United
States, Britain, France and Germany will read 44
papers at the conference which continues till 17
December.

(3) MAs from Malaysia Visit Myanmar

    A study group comprising foreign military attaches to
Malaysia led by Dean of Military Attaches, Military
Attache of Republic of Korea to Malaysia Col. Yoo
Young Guen and their families visited the Myanma Gems
Museum, Defence Services Museum and visited the
Shwedagon Pagoda on 15 December.

    The study group left Yangon by Tatmadaw flight on13
December morning for Bagan-NyaungU and visited
Archaeological  Museum and  famous pagodas in Bagan.
Then they left for Mandalay by flight and they also
visited Myanansankyaw golden palace, cultural museum, 
gold and embroidery works. Then they  visited Maha
Muni Buddha image in Mandalay and left for Heho by
flight.
 
    Later,they visited Innlay Lake in Nyaungshwe  and
watched demonstration of Innlay traditional boat race,
Innlay traditional weaving and silk industries and
visited the PhaungdawU Pagoda.  They made a donation
for the pagoda's fund  and left for Taunggyi and 
sightseeing. They arrived back Yangon by flight  on 15
December. 
                          
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