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[theburmanetnews] BurmaNet News: Ju
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Subject: [theburmanetnews] BurmaNet News: July 24, 2000
______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
An on-line newspaper covering Burma
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________
July 24, 2000
Issue # 1582
The BurmaNet News is viewable online at:
http://theburmanetnews.editthispage.com
*Inside Burma
THE WASHINGTON TIMES: FORGOTTEN WAR, FORGOTTEN COUNTRY
KYODO: BURMA NOT TO PRESS FOR INCLUSION IN EU-ASEAN PACT
AFP: MYANMAR SAYS DRUG PRODUCTION RISING, CALLS FOR THE WORLD TO HELP
AFP: GOVERNMENT DONOR GETS 20-YEAR SENTENCE FOLLOWING BROTHEL RAID
ROHINGYA SOLIDARITY ORGANIZATION (RSO): ROHINGYAS KILLED WHILE
PROVIDING SLAVE LABOUR
*Regional
AP: MYANMAR'S SUU KYI SAYS ASEAN NATIONS INTERDEPENDENT
THE NATION: FROM THE EDGE: A MAJOR SECURITY THREAT CALLED 'YA BAA'
THE TIMES OF INDIA: BID TO CHECK SMUGGLING ON BURMA BORDER
AFP: MYANMAR NOT WORRIED ABOUT BEING LEFT OUT OF EU AGREEMENT:
MINISTER
AP: ASEAN GRAPPLES WITH ISSUES OF OPENNESS
THE NATION: ASEAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MULLED
BANGKOK POST: BURMA THREE NABBED AFTER SEA GUNFIGHT
SAILORS DENY POLICE CHARGES OF PIRACY
BANGKOK POST: FORUM URGED TO ADDRESS BURMA ISSUES
NON-INTERFERENCE SEEN AS IMPEDIMENT
THE NATION: FRESH IMPETUS FOR THAI-BURMA ANTI-DRUG EFFORT
BANGKOK POST: THAI-BURMA DRUG-BUSTING PLEDGE AS MEETING OPENS.
WIN AUNG: ONUS NOT ON RANGOON ALONE
AFP: ONCE A TABOO, HUMAN RIGHTS MAKES IT ONTO AGENDA OF ASEAN MEET
AFP: CHILD SOLDIERS USED AS CANNON-FODDER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: RIGHTS
GROUP
*International
THE NATION: EU OFFICIAL HIGHLIGHTS BURMA'S ISOLATION
BANGKOK POST: EU CONSIDERS BOOST IN HUMANITARIAN AID
WAYS SOUGHT OUTSIDE SCOPE OF FORMAL PACT
BANGKOK POST: EU IN QUANDARY OVER BURMA
WANTS TO HELP PEOPLE BUT RETAIN SANCTIONS
*Opinion/Editorials
THE NATION: CLARIFYING POINTS ABOUT GOD'S ARMY
THE INDEPENDENT BANGLADESH:: STATELESS BURMESE REFUGEES?
THE NATION: EDITORIAL--TIME FOR ASEAN TO OPEN ITS EARS
NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR NEWS: BROTHEL OWNER GETS 26 YEARS IN JAIL
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________
THE WASHINGTON TIMES: FORGOTTEN WAR, FORGOTTEN COUNTRY
July 23, 2000
Doug Bandow
>From a distance the jungle looks peaceful. Dense, green plant growth
covers hills that march endlessly onward. Primitive villages emerge
in simple clearings: wood and bamboo buildings, covered by thatched
roofs, sitting on stilts, and open to rain, animals and mosquitoes.
War is everywhere. Two million ethnic minorities have been displaced
by 50 years of conflict: 243 of them lived in Law Thi Hta, located
just across the Moi River from Mae Sot, Thailand.
Underrepresented in ethnic Karen villages are young males. Many of
them are serving in the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA).
War consumes their lives. One 22-year-old told me he had been
fighting "for many years," perhaps 10. But Gen. Bo Mya, who also
serves as vice president of the Karen National Union (KNU), joined
the Karen revolution when it started in 1949. Gen. Saw Htey Maung,
the 70-year-old commander of the 7th Brigade, described how he
started with the Karen Rifles, then part of the British Army, in 1946.
Gen. Ne Win seized power in Burma, now officially Myanmar, in 1962.
Mass democracy protests in 1988 were crushed with martial law backed
by bullets. The ruling junta foolishly called elections two years
later, which were won by the National League for Democracy, headed by
Aung San Suu Kyi. The self-styled State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC) annulled the election, put Suu Kyi under house arrest, and
arrested many of her followers.
Although international attention has focused on Suu Kyi, the more
serious threat to the ruling junta comes from the Karen and other
ethnic groups, which have been fighting for autonomy since Burma won
independence. During the last decade several of them have come to
terms with Rangoon. In areas like that populated by the Shan, the
government seems to have traded acquiescence in a booming narcotics
trade for a cease-fire. But the Karen, who are resolutely anti-drug,
and several other ethnic groups fight on.
In response, the SPDC has expanded its military to some 400,000.
Conscripts are simply dragged off the streets. Two years ago 13-year-
old Yei Shweh took a bus to Rangoon to see the big city: He was
arrested by the army when he arrived. Pay is irregular, training
sparse and morale low. Yei Schweh, who has defected to the KNLA, says
the military "never told us why we were fighting." In fact, he says,
most Burmese soldiers favor the democracy movement, but brutality and
fear keep them in the ranks.
Rangoon maintains numerous bases in eastern Burma and periodically
strikes at villages suspected of harboring rebels. SPDC forces
impress civilians, women as well as men, as porters for months at a
time. Hungry soldiers take villagers' crops and livestock. Refugees
also report frequent beatings, rapes, and murder, stories confirmed
by Yei Shweh and other defectors.
As a result, the Karen fight desperately. One 38-year-old guerrilla,
whose long brown hair made him look more like a Bohemian resident of
Greenwich Village than a dedicated defender of Burmese villages,
figures he has killed some 200 SPDC soldiers.
The battle remains sadly uneven, however. The KNLA fields 4,000 to
5,000 ill-equipped guerrillas. The troops I met tended to run from
teens to 30s. They mix fatigues and boots with ethnic Karen
wraparound skirts, flip-flops, and American-language shorts, T-shirts
and baseball caps. Soldiers carry a motley assemblage of arms,
ranging from antiquated M1 carbines to captured Ma rifles to AK-47s
to home-made teak landmines.
The KNLA usually inflict far more casualties than they suffer ?they
claim a 20-to-1 kill ratio. But they can rarely stop a determined
SPDC offensive. The Karen lost their capital of Manerplaw ("victory
field") four years ago and are increasingly pressed against the Thai
border.
The dry season is known as the "killing season" because steep jungle
trails dry out and rushing streams run low. Military action typically
ends midyear, but SPDC troops arrived at Law Thi Hta before the rain.
Just six weeks after my visit earlier this year, Burmese forces
advanced, burning the village, including a small hospital constructed
by Christian Freedom International (CFI), a relief group based in
Front Royal, Va. A second clinic to the north, along with an entire
refugee camp housing 4,000 people, also was destroyed. "This happens
every year," observes CFI head Jim Jacobson, but this is one of the
worst years."
Gen. Htey offers a positive spin: Since the Karen rely on "guerrilla
tactics, hit-and-run," it looks "to the outside world that we are
losing. But every month we can see that the casualties of the SPDC
are more than before."
In fact, the Burmese government's victories are usually costly and
often temporary. The SPDC cannot garrison the rugged and isolated
jungles. But it doesn't have to. All it has to do is terrorize and
displace the Karen. As Gen. Htey acknowledges, "the SPDC try to fight
the grass roots, our backbone, the villages," so the people "don't
have the morale to support us with food or anything else."
The plight of the Karen is only likely to worsen. Thailand recently
announced that with the help of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees it hopes to move 100,000 refugees back into Burma within
three years. Khachadpai Burusapatana, secretary general of the Thai
National Security Council, claims "the current situation in Myanmar
is favorable for repatriation."
Yet fighting continues to rage. Karen National Union (KNU) President
Saw Ba Thin says "only a political settlement can make peace last."
Karen representatives have met with the central government several
times, most recently in 1996. But "on all of these occasions it told
the KNU to lay down its arms instead of trying to reach an
understanding through political discussion."
Earlier this year Rangoon rejected an offer from the KNU to
negotiate at neutral location outside of Burma transmitted by Jim
Jacobson to Tin Winn, Burma's ambassador to the U.S. Mr. Winn
suggested instead the KNU send representatives to Rangoon. But there
is no evidence the SPDC is prepared to end its murderous
depredations, let alone offer the autonomy for which the Karen have
been fighting for a half-century.
Which leaves Suu Kyi and the Karen alike hoping for outside support.
In a video smuggled out of Burma earlier this year, Suu Kyi called
for greater international. Gen. Htey says "If we had a chance we
would request that the American people help us to get our freedom
state."
But what can be done about a repressive and isolated regime like the
SPDC? It is supported by China, which covets naval access to Burma's
long coastline and began arming and financing Rangoon in 1990. U.S.
and European Union sanctions inconvenience the SPDC, but have not
shaken its hold on power. Unfortunately, though, warns Robert Manning
of the Council on Foreign Relations, as a result of sanctions
Rangoon "has drifted toward Beijing." Economic restrictions also
impoverish those who languish under SPDC jackboots.
KNU President Saw Ba Thin says "we'd like to see the U.S. government
increase pressure like trade sanctions and diplomatic sanctions, and
other pressures." But most countries believe sanctions have failed
and are moving in the opposite direction. At meetings in Seoul
earlier this year Asian, European and U.S. officials met to consider
new approaches to Burma.
Some Karen pine for Western military intervention. Last year a top
KNU official told Rich Miniter, a journalist colleague of mine: "Do
like you did in Kosovo." Saw Ba Thin concurs: "If the American
government could do it, it would be helpful." Similarly, Gen. Htey
says "You are from the U.S. You can come and help us." However,
America's interest in the Karen's struggle is humanitarian, not
strategic, and does not justify risking U.S. lives.
A better alternative to current policy is probably a mix of
diplomatic pressure, which can most effectively be applied by Japan,
India and the ASEAN states, and economic engagement, primarily by
private individuals and organizations. Over time, broader contact
with the West might strengthen internal democratic forces. But this
will be an uncertain and long-term process at best.
The West's most important role may be to help the Karen and other
ethnic peoples cope with the SPDC's brutality. That largely means
private assistance, such as that provided by CFI, since neither the
U.N. nor Western governments will work in Burma against Rangoon's
express wishes.
Scores of wars dot the globe. Occasionally one captures newspaper
headlines ?EKosovo last year, for instance. Most languish in
obscurity, like Burma.
"Remember the Karen people. Don't abandon us like the British did,"
Saw Ba Thin pleads. But most of the world doesn't know enough about
the Karen to abandon them. The Karen's only hope seems to lie in
groups like CFI, which are helping oppressed peoples survive until
the so far illusive political solution is found.
Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former
special assistant to President Reagan. This column was adapted from a
recent article in the American Spectator..
____________________________________________________
KYODO: BURMA NOT TO PRESS FOR INCLUSION IN EU-ASEAN PACT
July 23, 2000
BANGKOK (Kyodo)- Burma will not press to be allowed to join a
cooperation agreement between the European Union (EU) and the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the time being,
Burmese Foreign Minister Win Aung said Sunday.
Due to accusations of human rights violations against Burmese
military junta, Rangoon will be the sole member of ASEAN left out of
the 1980 EU-ASEAN agreement -- which mainly aims to boost economic
activities -- after Laos and Cambodia join July 26, coinciding with a
series of meetings among ASEAN ministers in Bangkok this week.
____________________________________________________
AFP: MYANMAR SAYS DRUG PRODUCTION RISING, CALLS FOR THE WORLD TO HELP
July 23, 2000
BANGKOK - Myanmar's foreign minister admitted Sunday that
amphetamines production within its borders had risen this year, and
said the international community must do more to help it combat the
deadly trade.
Speaking to reporters on his arrival in Bangkok for the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers' meeting which
opens here Monday, Myanmar's Win Aung said the amphetamine scourge
was worsening.
"The production of amphetamine tablets has increased. More than 17
million tablets have been seized so far this year," he said after a
meeting with his Thai counterpart Surin Pitsuwan.
"We need to tackle this cooperatively. Nobody should put the
responsibility on only one government, on only one country. It is the
responsibility of many, many countries too."
The Thai army estimates that 600 million amphetamine tablets --
known as "ya baa" or "crazy drug" here due to their catastrophic
effects -- flooded over the porous border with Thailand last year.
Heroin trafficking is now yesterday's problem, and amphetamines have
been named Thailand's number one national security threat. The United
States has also said it is extremely concerned about the spread of
the new drug.
Surin said that cooperation with Myanmar on dealing with the
trafficking problem would be substantially stepped up.
"There are mechanisms already existing between the two countries. We
have agreed that we will accelerate the meetings, exchanges and
cooperation," he said.
Myanmar is widely accused of turning a blind eye to the ethnic
armies who churn out heroin, amphetamines and ecstasy from refineries
inside the border with Thailand.
In return, critics of the junta say, the the rebel armies have
agreed to fragile ceasefires with the military government.
The United States and many other Western states have imposed
economic and political sanctions on Myanmar because of its military
rule and alleged human rights violations and tolerance of the drug
trade.
The head of the US drugs control office Barry McCaffrey said here
last month that his country was determined not to give Myanmar money
to fight drugs.
"There are goals of democracy, rule of law and human rights that
constrain us in what we can do to work with the current military
regime," he said.
But Win Aung put the blame back in his neighbours' court Sunday,
saying that the Myanmar drug trade did not exist in isolation.
"For instance, chemicals. Without chemicals how can you produce
amphetamine tablets," he said, adding that without the flow of raw
materials into its territory the trade would dry up.
"These are complex questions," he said. "Most important is the will
to tackle this problem, and we have the will."
____________________________________________________
AFP: GOVERNMENT DONOR GETS 20-YEAR SENTENCE FOLLOWING BROTHEL RAID
July 23, 2000
YANGON - A well-known Myanmar brothel run by a man who gave sizeable
donations to the government has been shut down and its owner
sentenced to 20 years, state media said.
Police raided "a well-known brothel, the 'Nine Angel Inn'" in a
suburb of Yangon and arrested its owner, the state-owned New Light of
Myanmar said.
Owner Tin Nwe and five of his accomplices were charged under the
prostitution suppression act and sentenced to twenty years in prison,
it said.
Sources told AFP that the brothel was tacitly condoned by a number
of police and local councillors, who were then fired in the wake of
the raid, which took place in June.
The sources also said that Tin Nwe had donated sizable sums of money
to the government's religious affairs department.
A huge photograph of Tin Nwe and Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt,
first secretary of the ruling junta, took pride of place there they
said.
In recent months, there have been several reports by the foreign
media that Myanmar is developing into one of Southeast Asia's major
centers for prostitution.
In the Nine Angel Inn raid police found foreign currencies
suggesting that the brothel serviced both local and foreign clients.
____________________________________________________
ROHINGYA SOLIDARITY ORGANIZATION (RSO): ROHINGYAS KILLED WHILE
PROVIDING SLAVE LABOUR
July 17, 2000
On 25th June, Burmese security forces in north Arakan killed a young
Rohingya while rounding up 50 men to be used as slave labour.
According to a witness at the scene, the Burmese Na Sa Ka (border
security forces) posted at Maungdaw township of Arakan state has
bayoneted one Rohingya slave labourer. The victim was one of the 50
labourers conscripted by the No. 10 unit of Command Area No. 4 of Na
Sa Ka from Dumbai village at north Maungdaw of
Arakan State.
It was reported that 3 Burmese soldiers of Kying Chaung village out-
post, while taking away 50 Rohingya slave labourers by boat, were
mercilessly beating and abusing the labourers on the way and at one
stage bayoneted one Rashid Alam son of Abdul Mubin, 23years of Dumbai
village. The victim fell into the creek but the SPDC forces prevented
the others from rescuing him and the victim later succumbed to
injuries.
In another incident, 4 slave labourers were killed at a work site at
Buthidaung Township on 20th June according to a relative of a victim.
It is reported that the Burmese army had engaged about 120 Rohingya
Muslims from surrounding villages of Buthidaung township to construct
barracks for newly established LIB-566 Regiment.
On the fateful day, 4 Rohingya forced labourers namely Ezhar Meah son
of Sayed Ahmad 52 years, Kalu son of Basa Meah 48 years, Mahbub Karim
son of Mohammed
Akbar, 50 years and Mohammad Nasim son of Sayed Omar 47, fell down
from the mountain top while they were carrying timber under the heavy
rain.
The commander supervising the construction did not allow to rescue
the victims and instead shouted at the labourers to continue their
work. Due to on rush of flash flood, the people could not trace the
body and the victims died.
The ILO Convention in the last month condemned the Burmese regime for
practising slave labour throughout Burma. The Burmese junta promptly
denied the accusations.
___________________________ REGIONAL ___________________________
AP: MYANMAR'S SUU KYI SAYS ASEAN NATIONS INTERDEPENDENT
July 22, 2000
BANGKOK, Thailand. Myanmar's pro-democracy movement agrees with
Southeast Asian leaders who believe that the problems of one country
can hurt others and should be tackled together, opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi said.
In a videotaped message prepared for members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, she calls for a return to stability and the
rule of law in Myanmar, ``Not only that our country may progress and
our people may be happy, but that that we may be able to contribute
towards stability and progress in our region.''
ASEAN members will hold a series of meetings this week in Bangkok
among themselves and with major dialogue partners such as the United
States and Japan.
Copies of Suu Kyi's message were to be distributed by her
sympathizers Monday, when ASEAN foreign ministers begin formal talks.
ASEAN is Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, also known as
Burma, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
ASEAN members have traditionally sought to avoid criticism of, or
involvement in, each others' domestic affairs.
But Myanmar has become increasingly ostracized by much of the world,
especially Western nations taking its military government to task for
human rights abuses and failure to turn over power to a
democratically elected government
Fellow ASEAN member and neighbor Thailand has become increasingly
wary of the junta, in large part for its failure to curb the flow of
illegal drugs into Thailand.
Thai officials are pushing for a new ASEAN attitude that would allow
more involvement in each others' affairs.
Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, says her National
League for Democracy and other forces working for democracy in Burma
have always understood that the struggle is mainly their own.
``It is our duty to do what we can to bring about necessary changes
in our country,'' she says in a text of her statement distributed to
the media ahead of the meeting.
Noting, however, that Myanmar's problems have spilled over its
borders in the form of refugees in Bangladesh and Thailand, she says,
``The days have passed when we can say that the troubles of one
country can be isolated and that the internal affairs of one country
are no concern of its neighbors.''
___________________________________________________
THE NATION: FROM THE EDGE: A MAJOR SECURITY THREAT CALLED 'YA BAA'
July 22, 2000
Thailand is suddenly awakening to a nightmare - a real nightmare. Its
much acclaimed success in the war against opium and heroin pales when
compared with the fight against the new drug threat of ya baa, or met
amphetamines.
When the first ya baa laboratory was discovered and raided in 1986 in
the Nakhon Pathom-Ratchaburi area, anti-narcotics agencies were
alerted to a potential explosion of a new cheap drug in the country.
They were taken aback when the problem became aggravated over the
decade as drug pushers began to target non-traditional users and
innocent victims. Until then, ya baa pills were traditionally
consumed by truck drivers and agricultural and factory workers to
help enhance their performance during long hours of work.
The discovery that the pills were being consumed by youths and school
children as young as kindergarten kids startled not only the
authorities and politicians but also parents who for the first time
were alarmed by a potential threat that could hit their families.
They also learned another sad reality: that many of those young
consumers were out there selling the pills themselves.
The government's serious campaign to close down urban laboratories
drove producers to move their bases in 1992-1993 to provinces along
the Burmese border.
As Burma's Wa rebel group in the Shan State began to experiment in
met amphetamine production in 1995, many of the Thai producers and
traffickers found a new powerful ally across the porous frontier,
which is inaccessible not only to Thai authorities but also to
Burmese officials.
As part of its 1989 cease-fire deal with the Burmese junta, the
United Wa State Army (UWSA) was allowed to continue its drug trade to
finance over 20,000 combat soldiers under its aegis.
Last November when the UWSA started to resettle its highland
population - Wa, Akha, Lahu as well as Chinese - from the Sino-
Burmese border down to the southern Shan State next to Thailand, Thai
security and drug officers were still very much in the dark about the
move and its motives. The international community was alarmed only
when foreign journalists were taken to visit resettlement sites which
Rangoon claimed were part of a campaign to wipe out opium cultivation
in the Wa State by 2005.
As the situation prevails, the impact of the Wa relocation is now
beyond Thailand's initial imagination. While the UWSA has introduced
cash crop cultivation and engaged in other economic activities such
as bus transportation, trading and banking, it has not totally
abandoned the drug industry.
On the contrary, the Wa insurgency has intensified met amphetamine
production and exploited its other economic networks to support the
drug business. In partnership with Thai collaborators, the armed
group has been successful in penetrating Thailand, which serves as a
source of equipment and chemicals, a consumption base and a transit
point to the world market.
Privately, senior policy and drugs officials have admitted that
Thailand is losing in its unilateral war against met amphetamine
production, trade and abuse. The problems affronting the country are
so grave that even US Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey "was shocked" when
given a drug briefing while visiting Thailand late last month.
Although met amphetamines, along with other cocktail drugs, abound in
the US, they are still less popular when compared with cocaine and
heroin. But the new pattern of consumption in Thailand through smoke
inhalation has quickened the drug's effect to less than 10 seconds
when compared with about half an hour through pill intake. An
undisclosed scientific study discovered that met amphetamines destroy
brain cells several times faster than other drugs including heroin.
Thai drug agencies are at a dead end on how to combat the inflow of
ya baa and how to prevent its abuse among the youth. The frustration
and desperation were evident when top Thai army officers came out to
openly attack the UWSA and particularly its mentor, the Burmese
junta, for overlooking this serious threat to Thai national security.
In recent months, it has become increasingly evident that Rangoon has
no desire whatsoever to discourage or stop the Wa leaders from
relying on the drug business. Burmese generals' visits to the Wa
resettlement area, permission for Wa territorial expansion along the
Thai border and new business concessions to Wa ringleaders only
confirmed the fear Thailand has had all along that the two are
partners in this crime against humanity.
The Wa allegiance has allowed the Burmese regime to exploit its
military strength and presence near Thailand as a proxy against other
anti-Rangoon ethnic rebel groups and against Thailand in case of
border conflicts.
"The Burmese regime has actually exported its own problems [how to
handle the Wa force] to Thailand which now has to face a totally new
and powerful enemy," noted one frustrated senior official.
For its part, what Thailand can do best for the moment is to
intensify the control of production equipment and major chemicals
such as caffeine which are crucial ingredients for the met
amphetamine pills. But control itself has also proven futile as the
measure only drives the trafficking of those substances underground.
Although some Thai agencies support continued dialogue with Rangoon
as a measure to help combat ya baa from inside Burma, others are
talking of tough measures including such outdated Cold War methods as
training and arming border villagers as Thailand's proxy.
"We haven't ruled out any options but they are to be
implemented in an incremental manner accordingly to the seriousness
of the problems," said one official. "Even hot-pursuit or military
strike on those Wa groups has come under consideration. We did it
before with [opium warlord] Khun Sa, and we might do it again."
BY YINDEE LERTCHAROENCHOK
____________________________________________________
THE TIMES OF INDIA: BID TO CHECK SMUGGLING ON BURMA BORDER
July 22, 2000
MOREH, Manipur: A high-powered central team on Friday said there
should be a few "composite check posts" along the Moreh-Imphal
national highway number 39 to prevent smuggling through this border
town in Chandel district.
Expressing concern over the inflow of contraband goods from Burma,
team chairman Madhav Godbole said at a meeting with district
officials that there were many check posts along the highway now.
Instead of having so many check posts manned by various agencies,
there should be a few composite check posts of various departments
along the highway to prevent smuggling from across the border, a
senior official who attended the meeting said.
The team will submit a detailed report to the Centre on problems at
border areas in the north eastern region.
____________________________________________________
AFP: MYANMAR NOT WORRIED ABOUT BEING LEFT OUT OF EU AGREEMENT:
MINISTER
July 23, 2000
BANGKOK. Myanmar Sunday shrugged off its exclusion from a
cooperation agreement with the European Union (EU) which its
neighbours will sign this week, and which would clear the way for
more aid funding.
The EU is to sign cooperation agreements with Cambodia and Laos here
next week but has ruled out extending the same ties with Myanmar in
the immediate future.
The three are the newest members of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN), which holds its annual meeting of foreign
ministers here from Monday. The other members are already signatories
to the agreement.
"We don't think we are being left out," Myanmar's Foreign Minister
Win Aung told reporters on his arrival into the Thai capital.
"If this is not the time to join yet, maybe this is not the time.
For us, there's no complaint," he said after meeting with his Thai
counterpart, Surin Pitsuwan, in one of a flurry of bilateral talks
held Sunday.
The agreements with Laos and Cambodia will be signed next week
during a post-ministerial conference between ASEAN and its so-called
dialogue partners who include the United States, Japan, China and the
EU.
ASEAN also groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
On Friday, EU official Thierry Rommel said the bloc was working out
how, outside the cooperation agreement, it could boost humanitarian
aid to Myanmar without compromising its strong stand against the
country's military regime.
"The Commission has been invited by the member states to see what
the EU can do in terms of increasing humanitarian assistance," said
Rommel.
"So it is a package where we are aiming at focussing on the positive
measures of the regime but at the same time we really take note of
the terrible conditions in all respects of the Burmese population."
An EU delegation is to arrive here for a meeting of the ASEAN
Regional Forum (ARF), an annual dialogue between ASEAN and its major
security allies, which starts Thursday.
EU representatives will hold meetings with all ASEAN ministers
including Myanmar's.
Ties between Yangon and the EU have been frosty for several years
since ASEAN admitted Myanmar as a member despite loud protests from
European nations who accuse the Yangon regime of extensive human
rights abuses.
French ambassador Christian Prettre, representing the EU presidency,
said last week that steps were being taken to re-open the dialogue in
the hope it would encourage the junta to make progress towards
democracy.
"We were very eager not to allow the Myanmar issue to be a blocking
factor in the ASEAN-EU relationship," he said.
"Keeping Myanmar in a ghetto is probably not a solution, but at the
same time we cannot close our eyes to the situation there."
____________________________________________________
AP: ASEAN GRAPPLES WITH ISSUES OF OPENNESS
July 23, 2000
BANGKOK, Thailand. North Korea's attendance at a regional security
forum here this week, a major step toward breaking decades of
isolation, will likely grab the headlines, but its hosts will also be
grappling with their own issues of cooperation and openness.
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations will be holding
its annual round of ministerial meetings, including the ASEAN
Regional Forum on security issues in the Asia-Pacific region
beginning Monday.
For the first time, North Korea will participate in the forum, which
is already attended by representatives of global powers such as the
United States, European Union and Japan.
But while the focus may be on Pyongyang's high-level bilateral
contacts at the meeting and its sidelines, ASEAN will be considering
measures which could for the first time open up the problems of each
member-state to the scrutiny of the others.
The prospect is not appreciated by ASEAN's more closed societies,
who look upon it as interference in domestic affairs.
Thailand, the outgoing chair of ASEAN, has for the past two years
been advocating revamping the grouping toward further openness after
it failed to effectively respond to its biggest test in a decade,
Asia's 1997 economic crisis and the social upheaval that followed.
It is seeking to allow member states to poke their noses into each
other's problems, when those problems spill across borders.
At Thailand's bidding, ASEAN ministers will consider the idea of
establishing a ministerial ``troika,'' a three-country diplomatic
squad to deal with regional crises, such as forest fires that spread
haze across frontiers and last year's violence in East Timor after it
voted for independence from Indonesia.
At the same time, transnational crime, including trafficking in
drugs, arms and human beings, will for the first time be discussed at
the ASEAN Regional Forum.
Both measures begin to breach a founding principle of ASEAN, set up
with five members 33 years ago as a Cold War bulwark against
communism: that a country's internal affairs, particularly its
politics, are its own affair.
ASEAN now comprises liberal democracies like Thailand and the
Philippines, and one-party regimes such as Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.
Other members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and
Singapore.
``The time has come for us to enhance our interaction to make ASEAN
relevant for the new globalized world,'' Thai Foreign Minister Surin
Pitsuwan said at a press conference last week.
Yet efforts to broaden cooperation beyond traditional areas like
trade and investment _ for example, into cross-border concerns like
drugs and terrorism _ could run into opposition.
Raising the issue of drugs is unlikely to be welcomed by military-
run Myanmar, admitted to ASEAN in 1997 despite the opposition of
Western nations who abhor its poor human rights record.
Thailand, furious over the millions of methamphetamine tablets made
in Myanmar and smuggled in over their long common border, has vowed
to take up the matter, which has been roiling Thai-Myanmar relations.
Myanmar, which is also the world's second largest producer of heroin
after Afghanistan, says it is doing all it can to combat the drug
menace.
Meanwhile, the Thai proposal to institute a troika system _ modeled
on the European Union's practice of having a three-nation ad hoc
group consult on urgent issues _ could be shot down.
``Personally, I think that the troika is a good idea but don't think
it will go through easily,'' said Eric Teo, honorary secretary of the
Singapore Institute of International Affairs Council, an independent
think-tank. ``Unlike the EU, ASEAN may not be quite ready for it.''
The difficulties in expanding ASEAN's role underscore the political
differences among its members, which in some cases have widened in
the wake of the economic crisis.
Democracy has come to what had been ASEAN's biggest dictatorship,
Indonesia. But in countries like Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, unelected
regimes responded to the perceived threat to their political hegemony
by only tightening their grip on power.
The ideological gulf was plain when Thailand's Surin declared that
this is an age of ``globalization and democratization.''
It is not a question of outside interference, he said in an address
to an academic audience on the eve of the ASEAN meeting.
``It's whether you want to prepare for the tsunami of globalization
or you want to fall back into the cocoons of comfort that we used to
be in 20 or 30 years ago.''
__________________________________________________
THE NATION: ASEAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MULLED
July 23, 2000
AN Asean human rights commission is likely to be created, but it will
take time, the Foreign Ministry's permanent secretary said yesterday.
Nitya Pibulsonggram said he does not "envisage the establishment [of
a human rights commission] at any time in the near future", even
though some Asean members have already made progress toward the goal
by setting up national human rights bodies.
Nitya had earlier chaired a meeting with senior Asean officials and
representatives of a regional working group on human rights. At the
meeting, the working group submitted a draft agreement on the
establishment of an Asean human rights commission.
Several Asean officials said the proposed agreement will not be
discussed at the ministerial meeting, adding that Asean countries
need time to study it in detail and hold more talks with the
proponents of the draft.
The draft document came as a surprise to several Asean members,
especially those tending to view human rights concerns as an excuse
for the West to interfere in their domestic affairs.
Asean countries had earlier stated that the establishment of a
national human rights commission in each Asean country would be a
prerequisite to the creation of a regional one.
Nitya said the Asean grouping has since 1993 expressed its political
will to form a regional human rights commission. But the creation of
national human rights bodies, he said, is "an internal matter" of the
member countries that depends on their "level of comfort"
and "readiness".
So far only Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia have national
human rights bodies in place, while Thailand is in the process of
creating one. The remaining countries in the 10-member grouping are
either opposed to the idea or have not made it a priority.
There is some concern that Asean will not be able to reach a
consensus on the draft agreement, as some Asean members may
ultimately oppose the idea of creating a regional human rights
mechanism.
"There is the potential for delay" if countries like Burma, which has
been the target of intense international criticism for widespread
human rights abuses, are opposed to the document, said Wigberto
Tanada, a member of the working group.
But Somchai Homla-or, secretary-general of Forum Asia and also a
working group member, said his group has suggested that Asean's 'x
minus y' formula be applied to the draft document. Under the formula,
signing and ratification by only three Asean members would enable the
agreement to go into effect. Other countries could sign on to the
agreement at a later date.
Asean has applied the formula with several of its documents,
including the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and the Treaty on
the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone. Somchai said the working
group will raise the issue when they meet this afternoon with Thai
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan, the host of the Asean Ministerial
Meeting.
During the talks yesterday, the human rights advocates urged Asean
foreign ministers to mention the draft agreement in the Asean joint
communiqu?Ewhich will be issued after the ministerial meeting.
BY YINDEE LERTCHAROENCHOK
____________________________________________________
BANGKOK POST: BURMA THREE NABBED AFTER SEA GUNFIGHT
SAILORS DENY POLICE CHARGES OF PIRACY
July 23, 2000
Three Burmese were arrested yesterday morning on board an
unidentified vessel off the Ranong coast, following an exchange of
gunfire with Thai authorities.
Border patrol police said the suspects surrendered after a brief
exchange of gunfire while the occupants of another vessel fled into
Burmese waters.
Thai officers encountered the two vessels during a morning patrol
close to Koh Sinhai. When they asked for a search, the crew members
resisted and opened fire, officers said.
The police returned fire and shooting ensued for 20 minutes. Two of
the suspects were wounded.
The trio, two of whom were soldiers, are being held at 415th Border
Patrol Police division for questioning. A number of firearms were
also seized.
The suspects denied police charges of extorting money from Thai
fishing trawlers, and claimed they had entered Thai waters to pick up
a passenger.
Police earlier received complaints that suspected pirates were
preying on Thai fishing trawlers northwest of Koh Sinhai and west of
Koh Lam.
____________________________________________________
BANGKOK POST: FORUM URGED TO ADDRESS BURMA ISSUES
NON-INTERFERENCE SEEN AS IMPEDIMENT
July 23, 2000
Saritdet Marukatat
Drug problems in Burma should be discussed at the Asean Regional
Forum which is trying to set a new direction by focusing on security
issues affecting citizens, a Singaporean analyst said yesterday.
Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International
Affairs, said Asean's non-interference principle impeded the 23-
member forum from addressing sensitive and controversial issues, such
as violations of human rights and democracy in Burma.
He said the illicit narcotics trade from Burma was having an
increasingly adverse impact on regional states.
Like the illegal cross border movements of people, it was neither an
internal problem nor a conflict between states but a trans-boundary
concern.
The ARF should take up all three issues as it looks for a new
direction, he told a regional conference organised by the Asean-ISIS
and the Institute of Security and International Studies in Thailand.
Talks on drug trafficking issues "might be brought between Burma and
the affected border states, with China and Asean as interested and
potentially helpful countries," he said.
Twenty-three ministers of the ARF will meet on Thursday to discuss
human-related aspects of security.
Analysts showed frustration at the slow evolution of the forum, which
was set up six years ago, but was still talking about building
confidence among participants. Several analysts blamed it on the non-
interference policy of the Asean.
Tha Ngoc Ha, an analyst at the Institute of International Relations
in Vietnam, cautioned against a quicker pace for the forum, saying it
remained at an early stage of confidence and trust-building among
members.
____________________________________________________
THE NATION: FRESH IMPETUS FOR THAI-BURMA ANTI-DRUG EFFORT
July 23, 2000
THAILAND and Burma have agreed to step up cooperation on the
suppression of illicit drug production along their common border,
following months of strained relations caused by a hostage incident
at the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok last October.
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan, speaking to reporters after a
meeting with his Burmese counterpart U Win Aung, said existing
mechanisms between the two countries to deal with drug trafficking
would be bolstered so that all forms of co-operation could be
accelerated.
"You will see from now on that there will be movements (that are)
quicker," said Surin, adding that it was in the interest of both
countries to make their 2,400-plus-kilometre common border area a
peaceful and prosperous one.
The meeting between the two countries' top envoys was an attempt to
revive the promises their leaders had made at talks in Chiang Rai in
March last year, a Thai source said.
At that meeting, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and his Burmese
counterpart, General Than Shwe, agreed to work closely to eliminate
drug trafficking and production along their border.
Impressed with Thailand's crop-substitution programmes for the
country's hilltribe ethnic groups, Burma requested assistance from
the Royal Project to help it implement a similar initiative.
But the cooperation, as well as overall bilateral ties between the
two countries, nose dived when a group of armed dissidents stormed
the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok last October, holding diplomats and
civilians at gunpoint and demanding the junta release all political
prisoners.
Rangoon was upset at the Thai authorities' handling of the incident,
accusing them of using "kid gloves" to deal with the dissidents, whom
they called "terrorists".
The Thai source said that as a result of yesterday's meeting, the
Regional Border Committees, one of the bilateral mechanisms chaired
by the area's Army commander, would meet more often.
In recent years, millions of metamphetamines produced along the Thai-
Burmese border by drug armies and warlords have flooded into
Thailand.
Thai narcotics officials have said privately that Rangoon is not
serious about the problem, pointing to its lack of action against the
20,000-strong United Wa State Army (UWSA) and its illegal operations
along the border.
Win Aung said Burma should not be singled out over the problem,
adding that neighbouring countries, including Thailand, need to do
more to curb the flow of pre-cursor chemicals needed to make these
illicit drugs. More than 70 million metamphetamine pills were seized
by the Rangoon government in this past year, he said.
"We have already agreed that nobody should put this thing (drug
production) as the responsibility of one government," Win Aung
said. "For example, chemicals, how can you produce amphetamines
without them?"
In a separate meeting with representatives from the regional working
group on human rights, Surin said he is positive about the "x-minus-
y" formula as a good alternative approach. Under the 'x-minus-y'
formula, member countries will be allowed to join the proposed Asean
human rights commission at their own pace and the ratification of the
agreement to establish the commission by three countries will put the
body into effect.
He was also quoted by Prapan Hutasingh, who heads the working group,
as saying that he would try his best to include the setting up of the
commission in the foreign ministers' joint communique.
"We hope the word 'commission' appears in the joint communique not
just 'mechanism'," said Chulalongkorn University law professor Vitit
Muntarbhorn. Such mention would be groundbreaking and represent a
concrete step towards its establishment.
According to Vitit, the body once set up must be independent and play
a supplementary role when national remedy did not function. The
commission will consist of seven members elected from signatory
states who "shall" consult with other non-state parties prior to
decisions.
____________________________________________________
BANGKOK POST: THAI-BURMA DRUG-BUSTING PLEDGE AS MEETING OPENS.
WIN AUNG: ONUS NOT ON RANGOON ALONE
July 24, 2000
Saritdet Marukatat and hanravee Tansubhapol
Thailand and Burma pledged to step up co-operation against drug
trafficking yesterday as Asean foreign ministers braced to review
regional efforts at their annual meeting opening today.
The issue was prominent in talks between Foreign Minister Surin
Pitsuwan and his Burmese counterpart Win Aung on the eve of the 33rd
Asean Ministerial Meeting.
Mr Surin said the two sides agreed to activate all existing
mechanisms to end drug trafficking and other cross-border problems,
and to accelerate exchanges.
"From now on there will be quicker movement to resolve existing
common problems between our countries," he said after the 40-minute
meeting.
Thai-Burmese relations have been strained since Burmese dissidents
stormed the Burmese embassy in Bangkok in October, and raided a
hospital in Ratchaburi in January.
Mr Win Aung stressed that Burma alone should not be blamed for the
drug problems and emphasised the need to tackle them "co-
operatively". He noted that chemicals, equipment and know-how came
from an unnamed "other country" but quickly added that this included
all countries bordering Burma.
He also claimed that his government seized 17 million methamphetamine
pills this year.
Mr Surin referred to the pledge made in April last year by the two
prime ministers, Chuan Leekpai and Than Shwe, for closer co-operation
against drugs along their 2,400km border.
Besides drugs, Mr Surin and his Burmese counterpart also discussed
illegal Burmese workers, refugees, and the suspension of Thai fishery
concessions in Burma, sources added.
Mr Surin said drug problems would be discussed at the ministerial
meeting today and tomorrow as well as at the Asean Regional Forum on
Thursday.
The Asean ministers are due to review progress on the ground since
their agreement in Manila in 1998 to establish the region as a drug-
free zone by the year 2020, sources said.
Mr Surin is also under urging from a regional human rights working
group, which he received yesterday, to raise at the ministerial
meeting discussion of their draft for the establishment of an Asean
Human Rights Commission.
Somchai Homla-or, a Thai member of the working group, said the
minister agreed to do so. But Mr Surin said the ministers would have
to be briefed by their senior officials first.
Thailand, he stressed, had supported the idea of setting up a
regional human rights mechanism since the Asean Ministerial Meeting
in Singapore in 1993 gave the greenlight for it.
The working group has asked Asean to set up a "study group" and to
organise a region-wide forum of discussion on the question.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations groups Brunei, Burma,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam.
High on the agenda of their ministerial meeting is Thailand's
proposal for a troika system of timely troubleshooting that was
spurred by Asean's failure to react effectively to the financial
crisis and East Timor.
The member states have so far agreed on the composition of past,
present and future Asean chairmen. But some, including Cambodia, have
questioned the troika's mandate out of concern that it might go
against the grouping's non-interference principle.
The Burmese foreign minister said his country supported the idea but
he stressed the need for ministers to work out details. The troika
would not be a decision-making body, he added.
____________________________________________________
AFP: ONCE A TABOO, HUMAN RIGHTS MAKES IT ONTO AGENDA OF ASEAN MEET
July 24, 2000
BANGKOK - Human rights has finally made it onto the agenda of
Southeast Asia's leading political and security forum, in another
strike against the long-held taboo on commenting on members' internal
affairs.
Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) held discussions Sunday evening on a draft agreement
presented by a coalition of rights groups for the creation of an
ASEAN human rights mechanism.
The function, format and status of the mechanism -- which might take
the form of a tribunal or a commission -- are still under discussion.
Proponents said it could include a declaration of principles and is
likely to cover not only issues like torture but also embrace the
treatment of women, children and other vulnerable groups.
"The commission could have monitoring, promotional and/or
recommendatory functions, or receive complaints from states and/or
individuals," they said.
While ASEAN made a commitment to set up such a commission in 1993,
the pledge gathered dust until Sunday when the ministers discussed a
draft agreement presented by the Working Group for an ASEAN Human
Rights Mechanism.
"To me it's significant that the foreign ministers revisited the
1993 commitment," a senior ASEAN diplomat who attended the
discussions said.
He also noted that Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan and
Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon publicly referred to the
human rights agenda in their speeches at the opening of the two-day
meeting Monday.
"It's the first time that the human rights agenda is mentioned
publicly in the speeches," he added.
In his speech, Surin said he was "pleased to note that the
consultation process between our senior officials and the working
group for an ASEAN human rights mechanism has continued."
"This year, the working group has presented some valuable ideas on
the establishment of the human rights mechanism for our
consideration."
Siazon urged other ASEAN members "to study the various proposals"
advanced by the working group.
Diplomats here admitted that the establishment of such a mechanism
was still far off, but stressed that none of the ministers had voiced
strong objections during the discussions.
The fact that it is being discussed openly also reflects how ASEAN
has eased up on its cardinal principle of non-interference in
members' internal affairs, especially on issues that impinge on the
entire region, they said.
"We are the only region that has no human rights commission," said
Philippine Congressman Wigberto Tanada, a member of the human rights
working group.
In another development that may further chip away at the non-
intervention convention, ASEAN ministers are expected this week to
hammer out the details of a "troika" system that will allow the group
to mediate regional disputes.
There is expected to be strong support from the members who include
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Thailand's Surin said earlier this week that issues such as the
forest fires which have cast a haze over much of Southeast Asia, drug
dealing, piracy and the trafficking of women and children were among
the issues that the troika could deal with without being construed as
interference.
Human rights has been a thorny topic between some ASEAN countries
such as Myanmar and Western nations who have tied development aid to
respect for human rights and good government.
The Indonesian and Philippine military have been accused of rights
abuses against separatist rebels.
Under the 1993 commitment, ASEAN members pledged to establish
national human rights commissions in preparation for the setting up
of a regional body.
The Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia have already formed rights
commissions, while Thailand and Malaysia are in the process of
establishing their own.
The ASEAN ministers are to meet later this week with the foreign
ministers of key security and political allies like the United
States, Japan, Australia, Canada, China and Russia.
____________________________________________________
AFP: CHILD SOLDIERS USED AS CANNON-FODDER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: RIGHTS
GROUP
July 24, 2000
BANGKOK - Southeast Asian militaries and insurgent groups are using
young boys and girls as cannon-fodder and the region should declare
itself a "child soldier-free zone", a rights group said Monday.
"Tens of thousands of children have been recruited, sometimes
forcibly, into governmental armed forces, paramilitaries and
nongovernmental armed groups across the region," said the Coalition
to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers.
On the opening day of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) foreign ministers meeting here, coordinator Rory Mungoven
said the regional grouping had a shameful record on the issue.
"The worst affected countries in Southeast Asia have been Myanmar
and Cambodia, but there are clear warning signs of escalating
problems in Indonesia, the Philippines and Laos," he said.
Mungoven cited Myanmar as one of the world's single largest users of
child soliders, noting that ethnic insurgent groups and the military
regime together employed thousands of children as fighters, porters
and sex slaves.
In Cambodia, the government is currently facing the difficult task
of reintegrating young former Khmer Rouge guerillas into society.
In Indonesia, "there have been alarming signs of the recruitment of
children by armed groups, both aligned and opposed to the government,
in regions of conflict such as Aceh," Mungoven said.
In the Philippines, "children have been recruited as fighters by
armed groups including the Moro Islamic Front and the Abu Sayyaf," he
said.
Countries where child soldiers are employed face the possibility of
creating a brutalized generation of killers, Mungoven previously
said.
The coalition -- made up of several leading rights groups including
Amnesty and the Save the Children Alliance -- defines child soldiers
as those under the age of eighteen.
It estimates more than 300,000 are currently being used in conflicts
worldwide.
The coalition demanded ASEAN foreign ministers act on the issue.
"Preventing the use of child soldiers, ensuring their
demobilisation, rehabilitation and reintegration into society must be
an integral part of regional peacebuilding efforts," Mungoven said.
The coalition has frequently praised Thailand for taking the lead in
cutting down the use of child warriors in Asia.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
__________________ INTERNATIONAL __________________
THE NATION: EU OFFICIAL HIGHLIGHTS BURMA'S ISOLATION
July 22, 2000
LAOS and Cambodia's signing of the European Union-Asean Agreement
should send a "clear signal" to Burma, the only Asean member that has
still to sign the document, French ambassador to Thailand Christian
Prettre said yesterday.
The EU is hoping to see a positive sign from the Burmese regime in
terms of promoting democracy, respect for human rights and the
cessation of forced labour, Prettre said at a press briefing.
"I do not think that keeping Myanmar [Burma] in a ghetto is the best
solution," Prettre said. The ambassador was speaking to mark France's
assumption of the EU presidency. Its term runs from July 1 to
December 31.
"At the same time it is obvious that we cannot close our eyes to the
situation there, and we have to be very cautious to see how the
Myanmar government reacts to the signal that has been sent," the
envoy said.
Laos and Cambodia will next week sign an agreement with the EU during
the 33rd Asean Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, enabling the two
countries to receive EU economic and humanitarian assistance.
Burma, which has been criticised by the EU and Western countries of
being a dictatorship and of violating human rights, will then be the
only Asean member not to have signed the agreement. EU countries are
strong opponents of the Burmese regime and have imposed a
comprehensive visa ban on Burmese government officials.
The ambassador said it was still too early to integrate Burma into
the EU, and "consideration will begin only after Myanmar's military
junta shows positive developments towards democracy".
A Swedish representative at the briefing said that Laos, although a
communist country, was not in the same category as Burma because it
has never been accused of engaging in forced labour.
Thierry Rommel, charge d'affairs of the European Commission, said the
next move was up to Burma.
"Now the ball is on Myanmar's side. We expect to see a sign of
goodwill from the country on various issues such as respect for basic
human rights," Rommel said.
The EU's strong opposition to Burma delayed the holding of the Asean-
EU ministerial Meeting in 1997, as the EU refused to allow Burma to
attend. Asean, however insisted that Burma, as an Asean member, had
the right to participate in the forum.
The French ambassador said the EU would take a new stance at the
Asean Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok next week by agreeing to include
Burma in discussions with Asean countries.
Rommel said the EU would also have a chance to join Asean Regional
Forum meetings in which regional and international security issues
would be raised.
He said the EU had also agreed to meet Burmese officials during the
Asean-EU Ministerial Meeting at the end of the year in Laos.
Rommel added that the EU was willing to extend humanitarian
assistance to Burma to help reduce the suffering caused by its
economic problems.
The EU plans to send a mission to Burma to ascertain how the EU can
assist ordinary Burmese people. A date has not yet been fixed for the
visit.
"We will try to identify some scope of assistance ?Eto help the
Burmese people out of their terrible economic and social condition,"
Rommel said.
BY MARISA CHIMPRABHA and NARANART PHUANGKANOK
____________________________________________________
BANGKOK POST: EU CONSIDERS BOOST IN HUMANITARIAN AID
WAYS SOUGHT OUTSIDE SCOPE OF FORMAL PACT
July 22, 2000
Post Reporters
The European Union is seeking ways to enhance humanitarian assistance
to Burmese people outside a formal Asean-EU agreement that still
excludes Burma, a senior European official said yesterday.
Thierry Rommel, charge d'affaires of the European Commission in
Bangkok, refused to elaborate, saying only " the signal is clear".
But he affirmed this was part of a package sanctioned by EU foreign
ministers in April that called for punitive measures against the
Rangoon regime and more attention to the "terrible conditions" of
Burmese people.
"So we are trying to identify how outside the scope of this co-
operation agreement we can enhance humanitarian assistance for the
Burmese population directly, " Mr Rommel said.
French ambassador Christian Prettre, speaking for the French
presidency of the EU, said: "Keeping Myanmar in a ghetto is probably
not the best possible solution.
" But at the same time, it is obvious we cannot close our eyes to the
situation.. we have to be very cautious in our demarches and see how
the Myanmar authorities react," he said.
Current EU assistance to Burma is largely confined to support for the
repatriation of Muslim Rohingyas from Bangladesh spearheaded by the
UNHCR, sources said.
Laos and Cambodia are due to accede to the 1980 Asean-EU co-operation
agreement on July 28, leaving Burma as the only Asean member state
outside the framework.
The French ambassador said domestic developments in Burma would be
important to any future consideration of its accession to the
agreement.
Asked to identify the differences between Burma and Laos, the
ambassador said Burma used forced labour while Laos was not accused
of such resort. But the EU also was "not indifferent to the evolution
of the regime in Laos and has made it clear", he said.
For Swedish ambassador Jan Axel Nordlander, representing the future
presidency of the EU, the main difference between the two countries
was that Burma had an elected government which is "not allowed to
exercise powers".
EU and Asean foreign ministers will hold their first ministerial
level dialogue with Asean in three years in Vientiane in October. The
dialogue was disrupted after Asean's controversial admittance of
Burma in July 1997. But the EU troika have met Burmese and other
Asean foreign ministers as part of Asean's Post-Ministerial
Conference since then, and will do so again next week.
____________________________________________________
BANGKOK POST: EU IN QUANDARY OVER BURMA
WANTS TO HELP PEOPLE BUT RETAIN SANCTIONS
July 22, 2000
The European Union's Bangkok-based regional office has been told to
find ways of boosting humanitarian assistance to the people of Burma,
while maintaining sanctions against its ruling military regime,
diplomats said yesterday.
By next week, Burma will become the only member of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to be exclude from EU economic and
humanitarian assistance to the region.
On July 28, both Laos and Cambodia will accede to the EU-Asean
cooperation agreement at a signing ceremony in Bangkok.
EU commissioner for external affairs, Chris Patten, and commissioner
for security affairs, Javier Solana, are scheduled to be in Bangkok
next week to attend the 33rd Asean foreign ministers meeting and post-
ministerial meeting on July 24-28.
The accession of Laos and Cambodia to the EU-Asean agreement will
allow the two nations to attend all EU-Asean ministerial meetings in
the future and to benefit from EU development programmes.
Burma, however, is still excluded.
"It is not envisioned for the time being to allow Myanmar to accede
to this agreement," said Thierry Rommel, charge d' affaires of the EU
regional office in Bangkok.
Burma, deemed a pariah aamong most Western democracies for its poor
human rights record, widespread use of forced labour and failure to
allow political transition to democracy, has proved a major hindrance
to EU-Asean relations since Rangoon's junta was given the green light
to join the Southeast Asian grouping in 1997.
Southeast Asians should be told the truth about the region's wobbly
recovery from the 1997 financial crisis, which is often glossed over
in official statistics, a leading social activist said yesterday.
Walden Bello, co-ordinator of the anti-globalisation movement Focus
on the Global South, said the recovery remains fragile because it is
being powered mainly by higher government spending.
"This is not really an investment-driven growth," he told a symposium
in Bangkok ahead of a ministerial meeting of Asean.
In many Asean countries, financial systems are still unsound and non-
performing loans are high, he said. Heavier goverment spending, which
has led to severe budget deficits, spurred the growth.
"Let me just say that this so-called Asian recovery should be put
into perspective," Mr Bello said. "Unless you have banking systems
that are healthy, any sort of recovery that you have will be fiagile
and that is exactly what you have at this time," he said.
The US economy is being "deliberately slowed down," and Japan's
economy remains sluggish, he said. "The external stimulus is going to
be disappearing very soon ... but the problems remain."
_________________OPINION/EDITORIALS________________
THE NATION: CLARIFYING POINTS ABOUT GOD'S ARMY
July 22, 2000
Calvin Li (THAILAND)
Relating to my article concerning God's Army (The Nation, 20 July),
while I realise that a certain amount of diting is necessary, I
believe that a few main points were deleted or not made clear enough:
1) that the original God's Army is now being taken advantage of by
those supposedly "helping" them. Furthermore, many are attempting to
use God's Army for their own political or witch hunt (or commercial)
purposes. 2) that villagers of the Tennaserim do not have any
contention with Thailand and likely were not involved in the
Ratchaburi Hospital incident. 3) that there is a current military
effort to exterminate these communities of a unique Karen culture
from a large, beautiful geographic area. 4) that the associated
propaganda against and suspicion of the Karen in general is
insulting. 5) since the Burma Army's objective is to steal from those
fighting for their homes, it is a sad irony that it will likely take
huge destruction to corner and defeat them.
____________________________________________________
THE INDEPENDENT BANGLADESH:: STATELESS BURMESE REFUGEES?
July 22, 2000
by Zakir Hussain
For an accurate understanding of the problem of influx of Burmese
refugees into its neighbouring countries, one must look at the root
causes of the problem, namely, the status of the minorities in Burma,
and the oppressive policies they suffer there.Since independence,
Burma has been destabilised by civil wars involving various ethnic
groups, a legacy, in part, of the divide-and-rule policies of the
British colonial administration. This instability led to a military
coup in 1962. Since then, the country has been ruled by a military
junta which has implemented ruthless policies to quell any dissent.
In the 1990 election, the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi won an overwhelming victory, but so far the
military has refused to hand over power to the elected
representatives. As a result of four decades of military rule, Burma
has been ravaged by economic mismanagement; insurgency problems
remain unsolved, and border areas are left underdeveloped. A wide
range of human rights abuses, such as forced labour, arbitrary
arrests and summary executions, are prevalent throughout the country.
It is unnecessary to recall the appalling human rights record of the
military regime. Since 1991 the UN General Assembly, most recently in
November 1999, has adopted annual resolutions expressing concern over
the deteriorating human rights situation in Burma. The UN Special
Rapporteur on Myanmar, Rajsoomer Lallah, in his reports to the Human
Rights Commission and the General Assembly has repeatedly issued
strong conclusions and recommendations to the same effect. In June
1999 the ILO decided to exclude Burma from its programmes and
activities because of the pervasive use of forced labour.As a
consequence of the disastrous economic situation, forced labour and
harassment by the military, migration and human trafficking from
Burma to neighbouring countries have flourished. In Thailand, in
addition to over 120,000 refugees living in camps established along
the border, up to one million Burmese migrants, most of them
undocumented, are seeking a better means of livelihood. The Rohingyas
are a minority group mostly living in the northern part of Arakan
State in Burma, bordering Bangladesh. They have generally embraced a
conservative form of Islam. Ethnically they are related to Bengalis
sharing similar traditions, customs and religion. In Burma, they
express a distinct identity, and have resisted assimilation into
mainstream Burmese Buddhist culture. The majorities of Rohingya
people live in abject poverty, and suffer from severe lack of
education and health care. Arakan was an independent kingdom until
1784, encompassing at times the southern part of today's Bangladesh.
Rohingya Muslims and Rakhine Buddhists have co-existed in the region
for centuries. Until World War II, the two communities did not show
any sign of strong animosity. But in 1942 the evacuation of the
British created a political vacuum which gave room for accumulated
ethnic tensions to explode. Communal riots broke out in Arakan
between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims. After independence,
some Rohingya leaders formed a Mujahid movement and demanded
autonomy. But the situation of the Rohingya people only started
deteriorating seriously at the time of the military take-over in
1962. Since then they have become targets for harsh treatments by the
state authorities. The first wave of migration out of Burma to
Pakistan started in the years following the military coup. In 1978,
the Burmese government launched an operation called "Nagamin"
("Dragon King") aimed at curtailing illegal infiltration into Burma.
It degenerated into abusive attacks on Rohingyas both by the army and
local Rakhines. This unleashed a mass exodus of Rohingya refugees to
Bangladesh. In 1982, following the subsequent repatriation to Burma,
the military junta amended the Citizenship Law. This amendment
clearly targeted the Rohingyas, making it almost impossible for them
to be recognised as citizens. Again in 1991-92, the Rohingya people
became the scapegoats of the military regime. A ruthless campaign of
gross human rights abuses, and excessive forced labour, forced once
again 250,000 people to take shelter in refugee camps in Bangladesh.
>From 1994 onwards, UNHCR became involved in the camps in Bangladesh
and gained access to the Arakan side of the border. As a result, a
repatriation programme was initiated by UNHCR, but its involuntary
character was denounced by NGOs. The repatriation has not been
completed yet, and is presently stalled. Since its implementation,
new refugees and many returnees have continued to trickle back into
Bangladesh, but these have not been allowed to settle in the camps
and have to survive in extreme poverty in jungle areas or in the
slums around Cox's Bazar, facing deportation by the Bangladesh
authorities. Currently, an outflow -although less significant, of
Rohingyas fleeing military harassment and economic oppression in
Arakan is still ongoing, and trafficking to Pakistan continues
unabated.UNHCR has identified some areas of major concerns that
constitute a push-factor for the outflow of Rohingyas to Bangladesh.
There is a direct correlation between the lack of citizenship and the
root causes for displacement. Lt-Gen. Khin Nyunt, Secretary No. 1 of
the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), stated that "Suffice
it to say that the issue is essentially one of migration, of people
seeking greener pastures. These people are not originally from
Myanmar but have illegally migrated to Myanmar because of population
pressures in their own country. They are racially, ethnically,
culturally different from the other national races in our country."
However, an historical analysis of the settlement pattern of the
Rohingya people in Northern Arakan considers that nationality rights
are for most of them a legitimate aspiration. Following amendments in
the Citizenship Act in 1982, they found themselves deprived of the
rights inherent to citizenship. The analysis concludes that their
present legal status amounts, in international law, to de facto
statelessness.
____________________________________________________
THE NATION: EDITORIAL--TIME FOR ASEAN TO OPEN ITS EARS
July 23, 2000
The time has come for Asean to accept input from non-governmental
organizations, civil society advocates and think tanks.
For the past 33 years, Asean officials have been mainly responsible
for solving issues confronting the grouping. They formulated their
ideas based on their national experiences. From time to time, outside
help was sought to tackle such sensitive issues as the free trade
area and the restructuring of Asean organizations.
However, with the new political and economic landscape, Asean needs
fresh ideas from people of all backgrounds because these people's
lives, more than ever before, are at stake.
It makes sense to seek their ideas on how to solve their problems if
Asean is genuinely to adhere to its principle of building a caring
society by putting people first. The Asean Vision 2020 has set forth
the goal of creating a community of caring societies. But how can the
Asean societies be caring - let alone understand the plight of the
poor - if ordinary people are prevented from sharing their views and
solutions?
So far, Asean has put money first. In fact, money has become so
important that it will become the major thrust of renewed Asean
cooperation. One cannot deny the importance of fixing the financially
related problems that brought about the economic crisis three years
ago, but the citizens must come first.
It is imperative that Asean takes up human security as its top
priority and does away with all euphemisms because common folk do not
understand "Asean-speak". They should be able to take part in broader
discussions with Asean officials on issues of their concern.
Within this context, Thailand should continue to push for its
longstanding idea of establishing a people's council so that the
Asean citizens, non-governmental organizations, parliamentarians and
academics can contribute their thoughts. Asean affairs are too
important to be left to the Asean elite. Five years ago, a similar
proposal to the Thai one was shot down because it was deemed too
farfetched.
However, in the wake of the region's economic crash and the calamity
wreaked on ordinary people, the time is ripe to seek their
participation.
Many Asean members might not be happy with this idea because their
citizens do not have freedom of expression. Well, leave them alone.
For the like-minded Asean countries, they can proceed with the
council's idea and hold a meeting informally. Its recommendations
could then be advanced to relevant senior Asean officials. In fact,
there have been some useful recommendations coming from NGOs and
civil society organizations on how to make Asean a better
organization. But no Asean officials seem to care.
Interestingly, Asean officials also fail to utilise the brain
resources in their member countries. The Asean network of strategic
think tanks, known as Asean-ISIS, can be a useful forum to tackle
difficult and sensitive issues that the governments find difficult to
deal with. Asean-ISIS has existed for 16 years and the organization
has contributed greatly in providing answers to many Asean questions.
But the problem is that Asean has not taken full advantage of the
Asean think tanks.
Over the past several years, as a token of their appreciation, the
Asean senior officials would meet for one hour with the Asean-ISIS
delegation on the sidelines of their annual gatherings. Both sides
need more time to exchange views and think through important issues.
They deserve a long hearing. Every time they meet, the officials are
in a hurry because they must attend other meetings.
A caring Asean can only be achieved through input from Asean
citizens. Otherwise, where's the caring?
____________________________________________________
NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR NEWS: BROTHEL OWNER GETS 26 YEARS IN JAIL
The Brothel owner Tin Nwe is one of the victims of the corrupt
society inBurma. If his jail terms are fair enough, we need to
consider the other gangs who are as guilty as charged as poor Tin
Ngwe. Many Burmese, Karen,Shan, Tavoyans women, are forced to work as
prostitutes in Thai-Burmaxborder towns because of forced relocation,
forced labor, and the lack of law inside Burma. These women are the
victims under SLORC/SPDC rule. If Tin Ngwe is guilty, SLORC/SPDC is
the most responsible for poor Burmese women in foreign countries who
have no chance to find a secure and healthy life. Who is responsible
for the Burmese prostitutes in foreign countries and inside Burma?
The answer is SLORC/SPDC regime. It is the most responsible on this
matter. Who own most of the nightclubs in Rangoon and border towns?
SPDC and its relatives own it. What is the outcome of the
nightclubs? Nightclubs encourage young women to become prostitutes.
Under military rule the country economy declined sharply
because of their mismanagement and corruption. Young women could not
find jobs for their survival and the only job available for them is
prostitution. Opening the nightclubs and attracting the tourists
encourage the new business called "prostitution".
The Burmese generals have limited knowledge about other
countries because they are also the victims of BSPP rule. Burmese
people, including the recent generals (in the past they were regional
commanders or deputies not promoted as generals) are locked in the so-
called socialist state country.
They have no experience with other countries not even neighboring
countries. A chance to go to visit foreign countries such as
Thailand,Singapore, or Malaysia was like a winning a lotto for every
body inside Burma because when they come back they have chances to
buy used cars, televisions, videos and etc, etc. Those items are very
expensive in Burma and when they resold the items they bought from
abroad, they collected the big amount of money that they could not
save from their own salary for more than ten years.
When SLORC/SPDC emerged, the generals are free to observe the
outside world (mostly neighboring countries including Thailand, China
and Singapore). They looked at the Thai model for economic
development and Indonesian model for controlling the political
power. Thailand tourist industry has tremendous success and gains
billions of dollars every year.
The generals think that it is a promising business so they decided to
promote tourism by building hotels and motels in Burma. But tourism
in Thailand is deeply connected with nightclubs and prostitution.
The generals know the situation and outcome but because of their
desire of wealth they do not look at prostitution as a threat for
Burmese communities. Even though, prostitution is illegal in Burma,
it hassurvived and is growing year by year under SLORC/SPDC rule.
Who is to blame? Who is guilty? Who is the most responsible for this
issue?
Owning a fax machine is still a crime in Burma. When people in other
countries enjoy with fax/phone and Internet, the Burmese have been
blind folded by their so-called nationalist military generals because
they are afraid that people will find out the truth through internet.
Any commentand discussion on this matter is welcome.
Regards
Htun Aung Gyaw
____________________________________________________
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