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______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
        An on-line newspaper covering Burma 
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________

July 10, 2000

Issue # 1573

The BurmaNet News is viewable online at:
http://theburmanetnews.editthispage.com


*Inside Burma

AFP: EDUCATION CRISIS FORCES MYANMAR YOUTH INTO SEX, DRUGS TRADE: 
ACTIVISTS

BANGKOK POST: BURMA BANS GOODS TO FOIL KAREN REBELS

BBC: BURMA REJECTS OPPOSITION LAW SUIT

REUTERS: MYANMAR OPPOSITION TO FILE LEGAL COMPLAINT ON VOTE

KYODO: 500 KAREN REFUGEES FLEE TO THAILAND FOLLOWING MYANMAR CLASH   

ARNO NEWSLETTER MONTHLY: ROOF TAX COLLECTION

*Regional

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: JOINT PATROLS SOUGHT TO STEM DRUG FLOOD

*International

THE TIMES OF INDIA: YUGOSLAVIA, MYANMAR TO EXPAND RELATIONS 


*Economy/Business

THE NATION (PAKISTAN): MTL TO HELP MYANMAR TRACTOR INDUSTRY
			
*Opinion/Editorials

THE NATION: GOVT'S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS LAMBASTED

*Other

NCGUB: ANNUAL REPORT OF CRPP IN BURMESE AVAILABLE


__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________
	


AFP: EDUCATION CRISIS FORCES MYANMAR YOUTH INTO SEX, DRUGS TRADE: 
ACTIVISTS
 
July 10, 2000
 
Myanmar is facing a crisis among its youth who, barred from the 
education system, have been forced to leave the country or turn to 
the sex and drugs trade, an activist group said Monday. 

Myanmar's universities, which in the past have proved breeding 
grounds for anti-government unrest, have been sporadically closed 
since a popular uprising in the summer of 1988 threatened to topple 
the military regime. 

Since the new school year began in late June, only about 40 percent 
of qualified secondary school graduates have been able to take up 
their university places, the All Burma Students' Democratic Front 
said. 

Standing in their way is the economic downturn that hit Asia in 1997, 
and the junta's determination to prevent universities again becoming 
a threat to its hold on power, the group said in a statement. 

Many students have been ruled out of further education because they 
refused to guarantee that they will not be involved in political 
activity. 

More fundamentally, worsening poverty has put university out of reach 
of young people whose families are no longer able to support them, it 
said. 

About 300,000 students who left high school from 1996 onwards are now 
slipping through the education gap, said ABSDF spokesman Sonny 
Mahinder. 

"Many of them have to leave the country to try to find work to 
support their families and ensure their own survival," he said. 

The student group said transport is also a major problem now that 
campuses have been relocated to satellite towns far away form urban 
centres, under the watchful eye of military and riot police bases. 

"These reopened institutions also have insufficient accommodation, 
teaching equipment and well-trained teachers.", said the group. 

The government's efforts to exclude young civilians from the 
education system, leaving them with little to do and no hope for the 
future, was destroying their generation, the group said. 

"The crisis situation in Burma has also led to increasing numbers of 
young people to fall prey to the sex industry, alcohol abuse, drug 
abuse and consequently, HIV-AIDS."  "It is clear that this crisis 
faced by the young people in Burma is the result of the 
(government's) oppressive policies and practices aimed at young 
civilians whom they see as a threat to the regime's hold on power," 
the ABSDF said. 

Myanmar's military government claims education is a priority but 
devotes only 0.5 percent of the country's Gross National Product to 
it, compared to about 2.7 percent spent by other Southeast Asian 
countries. 


____________________________________________________


BANGKOK POST: BURMA BANS GOODS TO FOIL KAREN REBELS

July 10, 2000.

Mae Hong Son

Burma has banned imports of 17 commodities from Thailand into its 
eastern border area opposite Mae Hong Son in a bid to cut the food 
supply of ethnic minority rebels in Kayah state. 
The order, issued by Burma's eastern army commander, followed a 
series of attacks by Karenni National Progressive Party rebels on 
Burmese soldiers. 

NKPP rebels had burned down two trucks loaded with logs and arrested 
two Burmese soldiers during a raid near the Burmese border last 
week.  

The banned imports include seasoning powder, soft drinks , biscuits, 
chewing gum, cake, wafers, chocolate, canned food, liquor, beer and 
cigarettes.

____________________________________________________


BBC: BURMA REJECTS OPPOSITION LAW SUIT

10 July, 2000


Burma's military government has dismissed as "whimsical and symbolic" 
an opposition legal complaint over its failure to recognise the 
result of elections held a decade ago.  The National League for 
Democracy (NLD), which is lead by the Nobel Prize winner, Aung San 
Suu Kyi, filed the suit with the Supreme Court last week. 

The NLD emerged the overwhelming victor in nationwide elections held 
in 1990 winning over 80% of the seats. However, the military 
government has refused to relinquish power.  

It is the second time the group has filed such a complaint - a 
similar suit filed last year was rejected for lack of evidence.  

In its latest move the NLD names the head of the ruling military 
council, General Than Shwe and the chairman of Myanmar's Election 
Commission accusing them of violating electoral law and harassing NLD 
members.  

However, in a statement released on Monday, the government said the 
NLD's move was a headline making gesture.  

'Stable democracy' 

Speaking in the capital, Rangoon, spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Hla 
Min said the NLD should behave "in a more responsible and 
constructive manner with the aim of doing serious work in solving 
Myanmar's real challenges".  

He added that the government was "working hard to develop Myanmar 
[Burma] in its transition to a stable democracy".  "Realistically, 
new democracies do not automatically succeed and in fact many fail 
when they are built on fragile foundations and unrealistic 
expectations."  

The 1990 elections were held two years after the military regime 
brutally crushed a pro-democracy uprising.  

Although the NLD remains a legal party in Burma its members are often 
subject to intimidation and arbitrary arrest by the Burmese 
authorities.  

Many of its elected MPs and senior officials have been held for 
months without charge in Burmese jails. 
____________________________________________________


REUTERS: MYANMAR OPPOSITION TO FILE LEGAL COMPLAINT ON VOTE

YANGON, July 9 (Reuters) - Myanmar"s opposition National  League for 
Democracy said on the weekend it would take legal  action against the 
head of the ruling military council over its  failure to abide by 
election laws.   The NLD, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San 
Su Kyi,  won more than 80 percent of the seats in a 1990 election but 
the  military ignored the result.   

The NLD move came a few days after a new U.N. envoy to  Myanmar, 
Razali Ismail, ended his first visit to the country  during which he 
met top military officials and Suu Kyi.   

The NLD said in a statement the military"s failure to abide  by the 
election law it had enacted had caused the party  "grievances."   

The party said it would file legal action against the  chairman of 
the ruling military council, General Than Shwe.   

The NLD said it notified authorities of its intention to  file the 
legal action on July 4 but it did not elaborate on the  type of legal 
action or say where it would be filed.   
Political analysts said the NLD"s move was symbolic.  

Myanmar"s military has ruled the country, tolerating no  opposition, 
since 1962. The current military council was formed  after troops 
crushed a nationwide pro-democracy uprising in  1988.   
Last week state-run newspapers called for the NLD to be  banned, 
saying it was colluding with terrorists to undermine the  country.   

In a related development the military told leaders of the  Buddhist 
clergy to expel "undisciplined" monks from temples  nationwide, the 
state-run Kyemon newspaper reported on Sunday.   

Minister for Religious Affairs U Aung Khin told senior  Buddhist 
monks on Saturday undisciplined monks were tarnishing  the dignity of 
the clergy.    Buddhist monks have traditionally played a leading 
role in  opposing authority in Myanmar, previously known as Burma.   

Buddhist monks at times led opposition to British colonial  rule and 
were often at the forefront of democracy protests in  1988 and the 
early 1990s.    Myanmar monks exiled in Thailand have said in recent 
months  their colleagues at home would soon begin a public campaign 
to  push for dialogue between the military and the opposition.   
There are a total of 400,000 monks at more than 50,000  monasteries 
throughout the country. 

____________________________________________________


KYODO: 500 KAREN REFUGEES FLEE TO THAILAND FOLLOWING MYANMAR CLASH   

BANGKOK, July 10 (Kyodo) -- About 500 Karen refugees fled to Thailand 
on Monday following a clash between the Myanmar army and guerrillas 
of the Karen National Union (KNU), a Thai military officer said.  

About 200 to 300 Myanmar soldiers attacked a small KNU base near the 
Thai border district of Tha Song Yang in Tak Province, about 700 
kilometers northwest of Bangkok.  

Gunshots were heard on the Thai side of the border around 9:30 a.m., 
but there was no report of casualties, said Col. Chainarong Thanaron, 
commander of a special task force stationed in Mae Sot district of 
the province.  

The Thai military had deployed about 100 troops at border to prevent 
intrusions into Thai territory while the Myanmar soldiers were 
pursuing the rebels, he said.  

The 500 refugees -- believed to be family members of KNU fighters 
living in nearby areas -- have hidden in the jungle in the Thai 
border area.  

Thai authorities in Tha Song Yang district are attempting to prevent 
them from traveling deeper into the district.  

Thailand is already home to more than 100,000 Myanmar refugees, 
mostly Karens, who fled violence at home.  


____________________________________________________


ARNO NEWSLETTER MONTHLY: ROOF TAX COLLECTION

News and  Analysis   of   the  Arakan  Rohingya   National  
Organisation, Arakan  (Burma)
 May, 2000



The military SPDC has intro-duced various tax collections 
particularly in Arakan, which are very oppressive in nature 
notoriously arbitrary and unknown to any human society. The Rohingyas 
have to pay taxes for their agricultural products, cattle, goats, 
fowls, vegetables or chili, irrespective of whether or not one grows 
them with a view to exterminate the remaining Rohingya population in 
Arakan.

Recently from 26 April 2000, a new taxation has been introduced 
compelling the Rohingya villagers to pay roof tax as follows:- for 
each tin roofed house Kyats 2,500  to  5,000, for each "Dani" thatch 
palm  roofed house kyats 2,000, for each thatch palm built house 
Kyats 500.





___________________________ REGIONAL ___________________________
					

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: JOINT PATROLS SOUGHT TO STEM DRUG FLOOD

Monday, July 10, 2000

THAILAND


GRETCHEN PETERS in Bangkok 

The Government in Bangkok is pressing Burma to launch joint patrols 
of their shared 2,400km border to stem the massive flow of 
methamphetamine tablets smuggled into Thailand.  Under the plan, 
proposed by the Thai Foreign Ministry, the two armies would share 
intelligence about drug smuggling rings and co-ordinate their efforts 
to patrol the porous border.  

Thai military authorities estimate that more than one billion 
methamphetamine pills, known locally as yaba or "crazy medicine", 
will be smuggled into Thailand from Burma this year. Yaba has created 
a huge drug addiction problem in Thailand, with tens of thousands of 
new addicts every year, many of them students and young 
professionals.  

"This is something we really want to do and we hope the Burmese side 
will co-operate, because, according to their side of the story, all 
of the drugs are produced by ethnic minorities," said Thai government 
spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart.  

Burma's Wa and Kokang ethnic groups, both previously linked to opium 
and heroin smuggling, are the biggest producers of methamphetamine 
pills, which can be made in simple laboratories for less than HK20 
cents each.  

Thai security reports say there are already more than 50 factories 
making yaba along the border. It is rumoured that the Thai military 
has plans to launch air strikes to wipe out the factories, though 
that is considered a last-ditch step that will only be taken if 
Burmese authorities fail to co-operate. Burma's military rulers 
consider the border area a war zone and have insisted they are doing 
everything they can to stamp out illicit drug production in their 
impoverished nation.  

Thai officials privately say they have not had much progress in 
persuading the junta to co-operate with troops on their side of the 
border. In an interview published yesterday in the English-language 
Bangkok Post, Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said that 
Thailand's often-fraught diplomatic relationship with Burma "requires 
patience".  

Mr Surin said he believes Burmese authorities are genuinely mindful 
of Thailand's concern over the drug problem. But he complained that 
the pace of efforts to fight drug smuggling was moving too slowly. "I 
think it's a matter of necessity that we have to work together," Mr 
Surin said. "If the Government of Myanmar [Burma] says it will take 
five years to solve the drug problem then we must think about what we 
can do together during that time. And that's what we are determined 
to do."



__________________ INTERNATIONAL __________________
		


THE TIMES OF INDIA: YUGOSLAVIA, MYANMAR TO EXPAND RELATIONS 

July 10, 2000


BELGRADE: Yugoslavia and Myanmar pledged broader cooperation in trade 
and technology Sunday at the conclusion of a three-day visit by the 
Asian nation's foreign minister. 
"We will do everything we can to help each other," Myanmar's Foreign 
Minister Win Aung was quoted by the official Tanjug news agency as 
saying after his meeting with Yugoslavia's Foreign Minister Zivadin 
Jovanic and Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic. 

Win Aung was the latest foreign official to visit Belgrade, where 
President Slobodan Milosevic's government has been strengthening ties 
with Iraq, Libya, Cuba and other regimes commonly bound by the fact 
that they are outlawed by Western powers. 

Win Aung also criticized the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, 
launched to make Milosevic accept a peace deal for the ethnic 
conflict in Yugoslavia's Kosovo province. 

"I was wondering why the people of Yugoslavia had to go through all 
the horrors of war and to suffer so much, why its property had to be 
destroyed," Win Aung said, adding that he considered the Yugoslav 
people independent, and that they would not bend to pressure from 
outside. 
Myanmar, earlier Burma, has been ruled since 1962 by a military 
junta. Since then, the country has been internationally isolated for 
suppressing dissent and violating human rights. (AP) 





_______________ ECONOMY AND BUSINESS _______________
 

THE NATION (PAKISTAN): MTL TO HELP MYANMAR TRACTOR INDUSTRY  

Saturday, July 08, 2000

                               
MTL to help Myanmar tractor industry 

LAHORE- Myanmar has invited Millat Tractors Limited (MTL) a leading 
tractor manufacturer for a joint venture for the upgradation of its 
tractor. A 12 member delegation of Myanmar that toured Millat Tractor 
Limited outside Lahore was much impressed by the production 
activities at higher level. The delegates went round various 
production units of the factory and observed the manufacturing 
process at each unit. Brig Gen D.O Abel, Minister of State 
Development said that Pakistan was well a head in tractors 
manufacturing by attaining expertise, adding he is impressed by the 
technological progress made by Pakistan. Myanmar Minister appreciated 
the level of quality and standard of product which he added would 
bring two nations more closer in taking benefiting in shape of 
cooperation. 

The delegation also invited Chairman Millat Tractors and other 
professionals in this field to visit Myanmar for further exchanging 
views and seeking opportunities of cooperation. Sikandar Mustafa 
Khan, Chairman, Millat Tractors said that his company this year 
manufactured 16000 tractors against total out put of 21000. 

"We would certainly explore this opportunity... which is quite 
encouraging for us", Sikandar Mustafa Khan told The Nation. He said 
that Myanmar is not interested in importing our tractors since they 
have manufacturing facilities but they want to take benefit of our 
expertise. He said his factory has achieved 85 per cent deletion to 
manufacture Messy Ferguson tractors. 

Khan said Pakistan have great potential to export its tractors to 
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria etc. MTL Chief said 
Pakistan exported about 1,500 tractors during the last financial year.

_________________OPINION/EDITORIALS________________



THE NATION: GOVT'S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS LAMBASTED

July 10, 2000.

BY PREECHA SA-ARDSORN 

AN academic has criticised as insincere the Chuan administration's 
efforts to crack down on narcotics, especially the officially 
estimated 800 million amphetamine tablets that cut a destructive 
swath across society every year.  

The Chuan government in general -- and Foreign Minister Surin 
Pitsuwan in particular -- has never displayed courage in confronting 
Burma, which the government blames as the source of the problem, said 
ML Phansoon Ladawan, a sociology lecturer at Chiang Mai University 
and an authority on the drugs trade plaguing northern Thailand.  

Corrupt bureaucrats, law enforcement officials and politicians have 
helped perpetuate the narcotics problem, he added.  

Thailand has accused its neighbour of producing and smuggling 
amphetamines and turning Thailand into a drug den, he said, adding 
Rangoon has denied the charges, saying the raw materials used to 
produce amphetamines would need to be imported from its neighbours.  
Thai authorities have used international forums to urge Burma to 
cooperate in efforts to suppress the drug trade. But Burma has 
dismissed the calls as little more than a public relations ploy aimed 
at raising Thailand's image as a committed drug-buster, he said. 
Rangoon has understandably responded to Thailand's calls with non-
action, he added.  

Burma has questioned Thailand's ultimate motive in calling for a 
joint crusade against drugs, as it believes Thailand uses ethnic 
minorities living around the Thai-Burmese border as a buffer between 
the two historical rivals, Phansoon said. He noted relations between 
Thailand and Burma have been characterised by distrust since Thailand 
was twice sacked by powerful Burmese armies hundreds of years ago.  

Rangoon is not convinced of Thailand's willingness to get tough on 
the minorities producing drugs on Thai soil, the academic said. The 
Burmese have argued Thailand has talked about the necessity of 
cracking down for two decades and yet nothing it has done has come 
close to eradicating drugs, he said.  

Phansoon characterised the current drug situation in the north as a 
war by surrogates of the two neighbours.  

Thai authorities have for years pointed an accusing finger at Burma 
as home to amphetamine production.  

Among the big key seizures made by Thai authorities in recent times 
was the arrest of Sgt Maj Boonsung Khiaokerd last month with a woman 
companion in Chiang Mai's Fang district. Police said he was caught 
transporting from the capital more than one tonne of ephedrine, one 
of the main raw materials used for making amphetamines.  

Two weeks ago another Thai was caught in Mae Ai district shipping 
from Bangkok magnesium stearate, another material for the production 
of the drug.  




_____________________ OTHER  ______________________




NCGUB: ANNUAL REPORT OF CRPP IN BURMESE AVAILABLE


The Annual Report of Committee Representing People's Parliament in 
Burmese is available here. 

****
Contents of the book

(Unofficial translation)

Part A
- Acknowledgement by U Aung Shwe
- Acknowledgement by U Aye Thar Aung
- Acknowledgement by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
- The Statements of CRPP (1988-99)

Part B
Section 1
The report of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for 
Finance/Economic and Trade  
Section A
Introduction

Chapter A 
  (i)     The economic policies of SPDC/SLORC and its facts    
(ii)    Macro economic overview 
  (iii)   Production sectors 
  (iv)    Economic status of the Union of Burma 
  (v)     Feasibility study on establishing economically sound 
country    (vi)    (A) Related figures on Inflation (Annexe A)


Percentage changes of Three Sectors in GDP (Annexe B and C) 
Chapter B
Section (B) Indicating on Economic stability and development of the 
Union of Burma 
Section II
The report of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for FarmersÆ 
Affairs Rights and Welfare of Farmers
Part (1)
Part (2)
Part (3)

Section III
The report of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for WorkersÆ 
Affairs 
Section IV
The report of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for Education 
Burmese Children and Education
Introduction
Part (1)
Part (2)
Part (3)
Conclusion

Section V
The report of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for Health and 
Social Welfare Setting minimum criteria regarding Social Affairs: 
Government Hospital, Rural dispensaries, Maternity and Child care 
centres. 
Annexes of Chapter B
(A)     The statements of CRPP (24-4/99)
(B)     The resolutions of International Labour Organisation on Burma 
Part C
Section (1)
The report of the Committee for PeopleÆs Parliamentary Affairs The 
suggestion paper by the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for Peoples 
Parliament PeopleÆs Parliament Bill

Section (2)
The report of the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs  
International relations

Section (3) 
The Report of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for Ethnic Affairs 
The Speech delivered by U Aye Thar Aung on Union Day (1999) The 
Ethnic issue and the Affairs of future Federal Union (International 
Experiences) 
Section (4)
The report of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for Defence The 
report on establishing modern Army in democratic country 
Annexes of Chapter C
A.      The statement of CRPP (4/98)
B.      The statement of CRPP 2 (1/99)
C.      The statement of CRPP 11(2/99)
D.      The statement of CRPP 59(10/99)
E.      The statement of NLD 144(10/99)


***

You are requested to contribute (USD 5) for postage (each book) and 
send you postal address. Please transfer the postage to the account 
mentioned below: 
A/C Name: M. Tensing
A/C No: 13541
Bank of India
Vikas Puri Branch
Bodella Market
New Delhi-110018

Sincerely,
Mya Zaw
Information Officer
NCGUB-New Delhi Office

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =





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