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Subject: [theburmanetnews] The BurmaNet News: July 18, 2000
______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
An on-line newspaper covering Burma
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________
July 18, 2000
Issue # 1578
The BurmaNet News is viewable online at:
http://theburmanetnews.editthispage.com
*Inside Burma
REPORTERS SANS FRONTIERES (RSF): BURMA--NINE CONTRIBUTORS TO
OPPOSITION MONTHLY DETAINED
SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS: SSA DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN ARMS SMUGGLING
AND KHUN SA CONNECTION
SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS:SHANS BEING HARASSED MOST IN FANG
*Regional
AP: CHINA, FACING HEROIN THREAT, CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
THE PEOPLE DAILY: CHINA, MYANMAR SIGN COOPERATION ACCORDS
THE PEOPLE DAILY:CHINESE, MYANMAR LEADERS HOLD TALKS
BANGKOK POST: HUMAN SMUGGLING--TWO NABBED WITH A TRUCK FULL OF ALIEN
*International
AFP: FRANCE VOWS TO BOOST EUROPE-ASIA TIES DURING EU PRESIDENCY
*Opinion/Editorials
THE NATION: BURMA HUMAN RIGHTS BODY IS NOT ALL THAT IS NEEDED
THE PEOPLE DAILY: OPINION ROUNDUP--FREQUENT VISITS RENDER KINDRED
SINO-MYANMAR TIES CLOSER
*Other
SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS: SHANS IN THAILAND TO SET UP A CULTURAL
FOUNDATION
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________
REPORTERS SANS FRONTIERES (RSF): BURMA--NINE CONTRIBUTORS TO
OPPOSITION MONTHLY DETAINED
July 18, 2000
In a letter to the First Secretary of the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC, the ruling military junta), Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt,
Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) asked for an explanation for the
imprisonment of nine contributors to the opposition newspaper MoJo
(Lightning), which is published in Thailand and banned in Burma. The
organisation called for the immediate release of the nine if their
arrest was connected with their work for the newspaper. "At least
twelve journalists are currently being held in Burmese jails", Robert
Ménard, the general secretary of the organisation, recalled.
According to the information collected by RSF, nine contributors to
the opposition monthly MoJo are currently imprisoned in Burma. Three
of them were arrested in May 2000. They are believed to be accused by
the authorities of collecting dissident news and secretly
distributing copies of MoJo, which is linked to the National League
for Democracy (NLD, led by Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu
Kyi). The nine, who face jail sentences of up to ten years, are: Mg
Hla Soe, arrested in August 1999 in MyaWaDee (Karen state), Ko Win
Naing, arrested in September 1999 in Pegu (east of Rangoon), Mg Kyaw
Wae Soe, arrested in September 1999 in Tha-Ka-Ta (near Rangoon),
Joseph, arrested in September 1999 in Pha-an (Karen state), Aung
Pwint (pen name: Awaylu), arrested in December 1999 in Basein
(western Burma), Nyen Thit (pen name: Hmine Set Aung), arrested in
December 1999 in Mandalay (central Burma), Tint Wae, arrested in May
2000 in KaMarYut (near Rangoon), Ko Myo and Ma Htay Htay, both
arrested in May 2000 in Belinn (Mon state).
At a press conference in Rangoon on 17 May Colonel Than Htun, an
officer of the junta's Military Intelligence Service (MIS), accused
MoJo of trying to destabilise the country.
____________________________________________________
SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS: SSA DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN ARMS SMUGGLING
AND KHUN SA CONNECTION
July 17, 2000
The SSA Supreme Command has released a statement regarding the
Bangkok Post's editorial, " Weapons case is a top priority" on 12
July 2000.
According to the statement, the SSA categorically denied the Bangkok
Post accusations of involvement in arms smuggling, drug trafficking
and connection with Khun Sa as its recent leader.
The statement pointed out that " These accusations stand without
evidence, they are historically incorrect, and are therefore
unjustified. In fact, they contradict the whole policy of the Shan
leadership".
It maintained that "The SSA has never at any point had any contact or
business with the main suspect, Mr. Payungsak Yodbangtoey. Neither do
we have any knowledge of this man and his business. The SSA strongly
denounces the accusations that we are involved with this man".
It also refuted the term "rebels" used by the Bangkok Post. "To call
the Shan soldiers "rebels" is a very degrading description of brave
Shan men protecting and restoring what is rightfully theirs", said
the statement.
Regarding the connection with Khun Sa, the statement said: "When Khun
Sa was leading the Mong Tai Army, he was also the head of most of the
drug traffickers in Asia. However, he surrendered to the Burmese
military junta in 1996, and is now working for them under their
protection. Now Ne Win, Khun Sa and Lo Hsing Han are the barons of
the drug trade.There has been no contact between Khun Sa and the
present SSA at any time, as he is on our enemy's side".
Since 1998, the Shan State Army has been controlling an area inside
Shan State along the Thai border. Its objectives are promoting unity
among the ethnic groups, restoration and protection of freedom and
independence, restoration of democracy, promoting welfare of the
people, eradication of narcotic drugs, and achievement of peace.
The statement said that it acknowledged the problems of narcotics to
be global and favoured the United Nations' and United States' plans
of drugs eradication. It also hope that the Thai government and
international community would render help in this undertaking.
The statement, in addition, pointed out that "Since the setting up of
our objectives, we have been successful in eradicating drugs and
refineries to the maximum of our capacity. In many cases, the drugs
have been handed over to Thai Authorities and officers within the
Government. We believe that our drug eradicating policy has
contributed help and advantage to mutual cooperation between our
countries".
____________________________________________________
SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS:SHANS BEING HARASSED MOST IN FANG
18 July 2000
No: 7-8
Shans in Fang District of Chiangmai are bearing the worst brunt of
harassment by the Thai police there, Reported Maihoong yesterday.
He said in the past those who carried pink cards (for displaced
persons) and green survey cards (for highlanders) were left alone
unless they ventured out of the district area, but since June, even
those that carried blue cards, who could normally travel inside
Chiangmai province, were not spared. Many without a citizenship card
were being stooped and their hard-earned money being pocketed by the
police.
An abbot told local Thai village headmen of Shan descent, "Can't you
do anything to help them at all? Now our people cannot go out into
the streets even to buy food."
Village headmen told S.H.A.N police harsh measures also hurt the Thai
populace.
"Shopkeepers can't sell anything. Fruit orchard owners can't hire
anybody to tend their gardens. Tax drivers couldn't get passengers
for fear of persecution. The damage is general."
A source said it started after village headmen refused to collect a
monthly protection fee of B.150 per family to the police.
Fang and the neighboring districts of Mae-ai and Chaiprakarn are
known in the north for their fruit plantations. They rely heavily on
cheap labor from the Shans who have been felling into Thailand since
the 1996 forced relocations campaigns launched by Rangoon.
"These people have to work to earn their living, because they don't
have refugee camps like the "Karens," said an embittered Thai
villager. "The government doesn't allow them to set up camps, because
it is afraid of the Burmese."
The Thai government has already issued a directive empowering
district chiefs to grant citizenships to various card holders. But it
has yet to take any effect on the Shans.
___________________________ REGIONAL______________________
AP: CHINA, FACING HEROIN THREAT, CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
July 18, 2000
BEIJING (AP) _ Awash in heroin from Southeast Asia and threatened by
newer drugs, China appealed Tuesday for stronger global cooperation
in fighting narcotics trafficking.
The appeal, made in speeches and papers at a conference of the
Interpol international police organization, marked China's latest
call for help in fighting drug abuse and underscored its frustration
in fending off the peril.
``As anti-drug law enforcers, we soberly know that cultivation,
production and consumption of drugs is ceaselessly spreading and
developing around the world,'' Public Security Minister Jia Chunwang
said opening the Interpol anti-heroin conference.
Jia said China's biggest threat came from heroin made in the Golden
Triangle, the notorious drug-producing region in Burma, Laos and
other parts of Southeast Asia on China's southwest rim. But he said
China was increasingly concerned about opium and heroin from
Afghanistan.
New types of drugs, especially the methamphetamine known as ``ice,''
were also making inroads, Jia's deputies warned in papers to be given
during the four-day conference and released Tuesday.
Jia and Yang Fengrui, a top anti-narcotics officer, called for
better cooperation among law enforcement agencies worldwide, better
training for officers and more programs to give drug cultivators
other crops to grow.
China has become the preferred shipment route for heroin and ice
that, as of last year, was being produced in 74 factories in Burma
and Laos, said Chen Cunyi, of the Public Security Ministry.
Chinese police confiscated 5.3 tons (5.8 U.S. tons) of heroin last
year and cracked 187 cases involving smuggling of ice, mostly from
the Golden Triangle, Chen said.
On China's northwestern frontier with Central Asia, traffickers were
bringing in opium, heroin and marijuana and taking out chemicals used
to make drugs, said Wang Qianrong. On April 7, officers near Kashgar
discovered two Afghani and Pakistani businessmen and two Chinese
partners trying to smuggle 210 canisters of acetic acid concealed
inside carpets. The chemical is used in the making of heroin.
On both borders, traffickers often have common ethnic, linguistic
and religious ties that differ from China's dominant Han Chinese,
making policing more difficult, they said.
China's willingness to seek international cooperation marks a
turnaround. After largely eliminating opium addiction in the first
decades of communist rule, China saw drug use surge as economic
reforms loosened border and social controls in the 1980s. But China
largely spurned outside assistance until a few years ago.
____________________________________________________
THE PEOPLE DAILY: CHINA, MYANMAR SIGN COOPERATION ACCORDS
July 17, 2000
The Chinese and Myanmar governments signed Sunday three agreements on
bilateral cooperation in the economic, scientific-technological and
tourism spheres.
The documents were signed by Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wang
Guangya and Deputy Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Minister
Chen Xinhua, and by Myanmar Deputy National Planning and Economic
Development Minister Zaw Tun and other Myanmar high- ranking
officials.
Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao, who arrived here earlier Sunday for
a three-day official visit, and Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and
Development Council of Myanmar Maung Aye took part in the signing
ceremony.
Soon after his arrival, Hu held one-hour talks with Maung Aye. The
two leaders expressed their willingness to further consolidate and
develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation
between the two countries.
____________________________________________________
THE PEOPLE DAILY:CHINESE, MYANMAR LEADERS HOLD TALKS
July 17, 2000
Vice-President Hu Jintao who is paying an official visit to Myanmar
Sunday held talks with Vice-Chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) General Maung Aye.
The two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional and
international issues which both sides are concerned, obtaining an
extensive consensus.
Vice-President Hu said China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors and
the two peoples have had exchanges of visits since ancient times and
lived on good terms, calling each other "paukphaw" ( fraternal).
For half a century, despite major changes in international and each
other's domestic situation, the Sino-Myanmar neighborly and friendly
relations have been maintained and developed steadily, he noted,
adding that the friendship between the two peoples has been
consolidated day after day.
He pointed out that this was due primarily to the fact that
governments and leaders of the two countries have highly valued the
developing Sino-Myanmar ties.
Secondly, he went on to say, Sino-Myanmar friendship has won firm
support from peoples of the two countries, stressing that this
friendship not only conforms to the desire of the two peoples but
also to the basic interests of the two countries and nations.
Thirdly, he continued to say, China and Myanmar have always mutually
extended sympathy and support in striving for independence and
liberation, safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and
territorial integrity as well as in the process of each other's
national construction.
In conclusion, he added, "Sino-Myanmar ties have firm foundation. We
have full confidence over the sustainable and steady development of
the two countries' relations in the new century."
During the talks, Vice-Chairman Maung Aye expressed welcome to Vice-
President Hu Jintao and his entourage for their visit to Myanmar,
recalling that Myanmar-China ties were established through joint
efforts by leaders of the elder generations in accordance with the
Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and because of this there are
broad prospects for further development.
He noted that at present leaders of the new generation of the two
countries are responsible to further push ahead the bilateral
friendly cooperation, pointing out that there have been good
developments of bilateral cooperation in the fields of politics,
economy, science and technology and culture.
"This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between Myanmar and China and Vice-President Hu
Jintao's visit to Myanmar on such occasion will further deepen the
paukphaw friendship between the two countries and will also bring
about firmer foundation of cooperation," he said.
He expressed Myanmar's belief that China is Myanmar's closest and
friendliest neighbor.
During the talks, both sides hoped to fully display each other' s
advantages and make major advances in economic cooperation in various
forms to bring about wealth to the two peoples.
Both sides also unanimously expressed wishes to strengthen the
cooperation in international and regional affairs for pushing forward
peace and development in Asia as well as in the world. After the
talks, the two sides signed three agreements on bilateral cooperation
in the economic, scientific-technological and tourism spheres.
In the evening, Vice-Chairman Maung Aye and his wife gave a grand
reception at the Pyithuluttaw (parliament) Hall in honor of Vice-
President Hu Jintao and his wife.
__________________________________________________
BANGKOK POST: HUMAN SMUGGLING--TWO NABBED WITH A TRUCK FULL OF ALIENS
July 17, 2000.
Two Thai men were arrested yesterday and charged with attempting to
smuggle 36 Burmese workers to Bangkok.
The arrests were made when police stopped and searched a six-wheel
truck carrying vegetables at the Ban Nong Bua checkpoint on the Mae
Sot-Tak highway in Mae Sot district.
Authorities found 20 Burmese men and 16 women hiding under the
vegetables.
Somporn Srisawat, 30, the truck driver, and Somwang Chaitaweep, 31,
both of Kamphaeng Phet province, were charged with trying to smuggle
illegal immigrants into the country. The Burmese were charged with
illegal entry.
The two men were transporting vegetables from Phop Phra district to
markets in Bangkok.
They said they were hired for 20,000 baht to take the Burmese to an
employer in Bangkok.
To ensure public safety in Mae Sot, district officer Samart Loyfa has
announced a night curfew, from 8pm to 6am on aliens.
He also said owners of rented houses would be required to keep
arecord of lessees and report these to authorities.
The announcement was made after illegal immigrants, most of them
Burmese, were found to have been involved in the smuggling of cars
and motorcycles to Burma.
__________________ INTERNATIONAL __________________
AFP: FRANCE VOWS TO BOOST EUROPE-ASIA TIES DURING EU PRESIDENCY
July 17, 2000
MANILA,Fresh from taking over the European Unionpresidency, France
has pledged to strengthen links between Europe and Asia even as it
maintains a firm stand on issues like human rights.
France will use the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and ASEAN forums to
bring the continents closer during its six-month term as head of the
EU, the country's foreign minister, Hubert Vedrine, said in an
interview here with AFP.
France took over the rotating presidency from Portugal on July 1.
"The main difference is going to be the intensity of the
relationship," Vedrine said when asked how France's approach will
differ from other EU nations which have held the presidency in
stepping up ties with Asia.
Speaking during a stopover in Manila after attending a Group of
Eightmeeting in Tokyo, Vedrine said a series of high-level Asia-EU
political and economic meetings during France's leadership would ease
the task of forging greater cooperation.
The French presidency will be marked by three landmark summits -- the
EU-Japan summit in Tokyo on Wednesday, the ASEM summit in Seoul on
October 19-20 and the EU-China summit in Beijing on October 23.
France will also be in the driving seat of the European body when its
foreign ministers meet their Association of Southeast Asian
Nationscounterparts in Bangkok as part of the Southeast Asian
grouping's dialogue with top trading partners later this month.
Around the same time, European nations will also be key participants
in Asia's premier security talks, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF),
which will be significant with the admission of North Korea.
At these meetings, Vedrine said France would push for greater Asia-
Europe trade and investment, security and political cooperation,
which he stressed should not be sidetracked by discussions on human
rights and other issues regarded as sensitive in Asia.
"We can reconcile all this if you involve yourself in a whole
process, where no one thinks that they have a perfect democracy or
even a perfect market economy," Vedrine said.
The EU has been a strong critic of China and Myanmar for alleged
human rights abuses, but Vedrine said France believed the issue could
be resolved through dialogues, not confrontation.
He said that, for example: "We haven't changed our opinion on the
Burmese (Myanmar) regime but we have found a compromise so that the
dialogue with ASEAN as a whole would not suffer from it."
There are also plans to resume at the end of this year ministerial
meetings between the EU and ASEAN which have been suspended since
1997, when the Southeast Asian group accepted Myanmar as a member
against the EU's strong objections.
Apart from Myanmar, ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia,
Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
French diplomats said a second EU "troika" mission would be sent to
Myanmar in September or October for a dialogue with the military
junta. A similar mission last year spent several days in the country
but was tight-lipped about its aims.
Beijing and the EU are also currently engaged in a dialogue on
China's human rights record, which Amnesty International has called
worse than ever.
Vedrine said that as president of the EU, France would strive to give
more meaning to the political dialogue among the 15 European and 10
Asian nations atttending the upcoming ASEM summit.
France also wants to seek common ground on multilateral trade issues
at the summit and support an initiative to put financial regulations
and financial crime on its agenda, officials said.
Asia will be represented at the third ASEM summit by Brunei, China,
Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam.
Apart from France, the European participants are Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Britain.
_________________OPINION/EDITORIALS________________
THE NATION: BURMA HUMAN RIGHTS BODY IS NOT ALL THAT IS NEEDED
July 18, 2000
The Rangoon junta's move to form a commission on human rights is a
joke given that the military refuses to enforce current laws and is
the perpetrator of gross violations, writes Khin Maung Win in a
special report for The Nation.
The Australian government has decided to cooperate with the Burmese
junta in providing human rights training courses for government
officials. The decision was in response to the ruling State Peace and
Development Council's indication that it intends to establish a
national human rights commission. Canberra's underlying philosophy is
that engagement with the Burmese regime will help improve the human
rights situation in Burma.
At the moment, the creation of a national human rights commission in
Burma is an ethical issue. It is also an irony that the initiative
would come from no other than the regime which has no legitimacy
whatsoever to rule in the first place. Worse is that the SPDC is the
culprit and perpetrator of human rights abuses which have been
recorded annually by the United Nations.
One could argue that an improvement to human rights takes priority
over the issue of political legitimacy. No one will reject the noble
idea if it is the real beginning to help improve the human rights
situation in Burma. But, there are other urgencies which need
immediate attention than the tactical move to create a national human
rights watchdog.
Rule of law
Firstly, lack of rule of law encourages the many violations of human
rights currently happening in Burma. Obvious examples of authorities'
abuse of power outside the due process of law include ignorance of
electoral law that the junta itself promulgated; jailing political
dissidents and human rights advocates under the so-called Emergency
Provision Act 5 (j); and imposing restrictions upon the movement of
elected representatives and the NLD members. Abuses of power by the
army and the authorities extend to the innocent civilian population.
Forced labour, forced relocation, rape, torture and murder take place
on a large scale on a daily basis. All these violations exist because
there is no due process of law.
Massive removal of Supreme Court judges, who were known as
professional judges in 1998, clearly demonstrates the readiness of
the junta to interfere and use judicial appointment as a manoeuvre to
influence the judges at all levels. No case involving military human
rights violation can be independently tried. There is no doubt that
Burma's judiciary is totally influenced by the junta.
If the principles of rule of law and due process of law prevail in
Burma, a high number of cases of human rights violations would not
have happened. There is no guarantee yet that the to-be-set up human
rights commission would help to improve the principles of rule of law
and due process of law ahead.
What Burma needs to ease present human rights violations is not to
introduce any new human rights mechanism, but to reinforce the due
process of law because Burma's legal system is adapted from the
British common law system, which fairly guarantees the rights of
people.
Military attitude
The second issue to address is that the junta, which is entirely
composed of military generals, must change its attitude towards
people. The SPDC and all its subordinates are busy with attempts to
divide the society and create disunity among the diverse peoples of
Burma. Giving some people special privileges in return for them not
criticising the government or any junta officials is a commonly used
tactic by the junta. While all universities are closed to ordinary
students, military universities and colleges are kept open for the
military's children. Accordingly, Burmese society has been divided
into pro-military and ordinary people.
Discrimination that comes from aspects of religion, race, ethnicity
and political belief reflects the attitude of the military junta
towards the people. The practice of discrimination intensifies as the
SPDC is attempting to conceptualise Burman, a major ethnic group to
which most generals belong, as nationalism based on Buddhism which
most generals practice.
While most forced relocation of non-Burman ethnic villages is based
on ethnicity, creating hostilities among Buddhist and non-Buddhist
societies is due to discrimination on the grounds of religion.
Rights, such as the right to obtain a passport, of those whose
relatives are involved in the democracy movement are denied. Even
worse, the SPDC views as enemies anyone considered to have the
potential to challenge the SPDC's power.
As long as this military attitude towards people is unchanged, human
rights cannot be realised in the long run. To realise human rights in
the long run, what Burma needs is to make the military change its
attitude towards its own people.
Basic fundamental freedoms
The third matter to consider is the urgent need for basic fundamental
freedoms. Discussion on, and dissemination of, human rights
information must be a freedom. The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights has never been translated into Burmese and disseminated among
Burmese people officially. Those who disseminate unauthorised
information and publications, including human rights information, may
be punished under the 1962 Printers and Publishers Act. Discussions
of a bill of rights, which is part of the national constitution in
most countries, is a crime under Law No 5/96 that bans all citizens
from discussions about constitutional matters. Any citizen who
searches for information, including human rights information, on the
Internet can be punished under the SPDC's Computer Law.
Lack of basic fundamental freedom not only weakens Burmese people's
ability to protect their rights, but also encourages on-going human
rights violations. What Burma needs to sustain human rights is to
reinstall basic fundamental freedoms.
Improving human rights in Burma does not depend on the creation of a
national human rights commission. Unless the plan for setting up a
national human rights commission is undertaken in conjunction with
moves to improve at least the above three areas, improving human
rights of Burmese people will be merely a dream. So, a future human
rights commission can form part of a solution but, on its own, it is
not the solution.
KHIN MAUNG Win is a graduate student of human rights studies and an
executive committee member of the exiled Burma Lawyers' Council. This
article reflects his personal opinions.
____________________________________________________
THE PEOPLE DAILY: OPINION ROUNDUP--FREQUENT VISITS RENDER KINDRED
SINO-MYANMAR TIES CLOSER
July 17, 2000
"At the top of a river lies the home of me/At the other end, that of
thee/Infinite feeling we harbor for each other/As from the same river
we fetch drinking water/The river water flows incessantly/Drinking
together in delight/So long as it does not cease/We are neighbors
since yore/ Maintaining friendship/Keeping it lush and green like a
mountain range/Not growing old, never like the water that flows
on...."
This is a poem composed by late Chinese Marshal Chen Yi on December
14, 1957 in praise of Sino-Myanmar friendship when he visited Myanmar
and is still widely recited by the peoples of the two countries.
It is a true portrayal of the Sino-Myanmar phaukphaw (fraternal)
friendship.
At the invitation of Vice-Chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) General Maung Aye, Vice-President of China
Hu Jintao pays a three-day official visit to Myanmar from July 16 to
18.
This visit will provide new opportunities for enhancing mutual
understanding, extending common views and strengthening friendly
cooperation between the two countries.
It will also compose a new chapter for the development of friendly
Sino-Myanmar ties in the 21st century.
China and Myanmar, linked by mountains and rivers, share a common
border of over 2,000 kilometers and enjoy a long-standing, time-
tested friendship.
The earliest exchange between China and Myanmar dates back to the 4th
century BC. Since ancient times, Myanmar people have called Chinese
people "paukphaw" which means "full brothers."
The two countries established diplomatic relations on June 8, 1950.
For half a century since then, their cooperation in politics,
economy, culture, education and other fields has been developing
steadily, based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence
jointly advocated by both sides despite the great changes that have
taken place in the international arena.
Both the two Asian neighbors belong to the developing world. They
share an extensive common view on many major issues such as
safeguarding of national sovereignty and opposition to hegemonism and
power politics, and have been closely cooperative partners in
international affairs.
The mutual trust and support in politics have become an important
cornerstone of the two countries' friendly ties.
For the past half-century, China has always respected Myanmar's
independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Myanmar, on its
part, has stuck to the "One China" policy, supporting China's
reunification cause and recognizing the government of the People's
Republic of China as China's sole legitimate government and that
Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.
Since the two countries forged ties, there have been frequent
exchange of high-level visits between the two countries. The late
Premier Zhou Enlai of China made nine visits to Myanmar, while former
Myanmar leader U Ne Win went to China for 12 occasions.
In recent years, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference National Committee Li Ruihuan, State
Councilor Luo Gan, Vice-Premier Wu Bangguo and State Councilor Ismail
Amat successively visited Myanmar, while Chairman of the Myanmar
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and Prime Minister Senior-
General Than Shwe, SPDC Vice-Chairman General Maung Aye, SPDC First
Secretary Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, Deputy Prime Minister
Lieutenant-General Tin Hla and Foreign Minister U Win Aung toured
China. The exchange of high level visits has given impetus to the
development of the two countries' friendly ties.
Meanwhile, great achievements have also been made in the economic and
trade ties between China and Myanmar during the 50 years, with the
two countries successively endorsing three agreements on economic and
technical cooperation.
China has aided Myanmar with dozens of construction projects
involving sugar, paper, textile, plywood, thermal power, rice
processing industries and including a national theater, a national
stadium and a highway and railway combined bridge.
Still more projects are under implementation.
In addition to economic assistance, the two countries have also
launched various forms of economic cooperation, based on the
principles of equity, mutual benefit and mutual supplement of
superiorities.
Chinese companies have initiated a number of contracted projects in
Myanmar, with some in the form of wholly Chinese investment or joint
venture. More than 10 Chinese enterprises have already been set up in
Myanmar.
China has been one of the main sources of consumers goods, machinery
and electrical goods for Myanmar. In 1999, their bilateral trade
amounted to over 500 million US dollars.
The cultural exchange between China and Myanmar has also contributed
a great deal to the development of the two countries' relations.
Since 1990, the cultural exchange programs between the two countries
numbered over 20 annually. These exchange programs involve arts,
literature, painting, movies, education, news, sports, religion and
other aspects.
Further consolidation and development of friendly relations between
China and Myanmar not only conforms to the basic interests of the two
countries and the two peoples, but is also beneficial to peace,
stability and development in the region.
Vice-President Hu Jintao's Myanmar visit is bound to make the Sino-
Myanmar phaukphaw friendship blossom even more luxuriantly.
_____________________ OTHER ______________________
SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS: SHANS IN THAILAND TO SET UP A CULTURAL
FOUNDATION
18 July 2000
No: 7-7
A meeting in Chiangmai of respected monks and laymen yesterday took
the decision to apply for registration of a cultural foundation to be
formed soon after.
The meeting, held at Mae-ai Luang Temple, and chaired by Sunanda
Jonglaeng, a Thai of Shan descent well known in the Shan cultural
communities, resolved that 5 persons selected at the previous meeting
on 16 April would set out to apply for registration of the Khru Maw
Tai Foundation, a non-political organization dedicated to cultural,
literature and humanitarian activities.
It was participated by representatives of Shan literature and culture
groups from Maesai, Mai-ai, Fang, Chaiprakarn, Chiangdao, Chiangmai,
Maehongson, Wianghaeng and Bangkok. Khanit Wanakamol, a Shan lecturer
form Chiangmai's Teachers' college and Renu wichasilp from Chiangmai
University, both of whom are esteemed academics in Thailand, also
attended.
The meeting, in addition, resolved two linguistic hazards.
One was the selection of the words "Khru Maw" to represent the Shan
sages to whom the foundation would be dedicated. However, to the
Thais, the words simply mean "teachers (and) doctors" and could
therefore be mistaken as a foundation for teachers and doctors.
Nevertheless, the meeting, with the assistance from the participating
scholars, decided to adopt "Khru Maw" as the words derived
from 'Guru", a Pali word meaning a pundit of great standing.
Sao Karngsurh, (1787-1881), one of the nine scholars Traditionally
honored by the Shans, is regarded as the greatest. He wrote more than
a hundred treatises during his lifetime.
Another hurdle was the word "Tai". While most Shans call themselves
Tai, a word that embraces the whole ethnic and linguistic grouping
that include Thais, "Tai" written in Thai without a y-postfix(yaw-
yak), can also mean
"kidney".
"So when we say (Khru Maw Tai), many people may think our foundation
has to do with kidney specialists," Khanit said bringing out
uproarious laughs from the participants.
To this, Ms. Renu pointed out that in the Thai scholastic
circles, 'Tai' without a y-postfix had been adopted, and her
suggestion was approved by
the meeting.
N.B A sum of Baht 200,000 bank deposit, not to be touched thereof, is
a prerequisite for the application. And another sum of Baht 100,000
has been designated for the Foundation's activities that shall
include the annual
Khru Maw Tai Festival to be held in February 2001. The founding
committee has already collected B. 200,000 and readers, especially
Shans, are requested to fill up the balance by sending their
remittances to the
following bank account:
Kawngthun Chao Khrumaw Tai
Bangkok Bank, Mae-ai Branch,
Chiangmai 50280
A/C: 510 0188423
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