BurmaNet News: February 7, 2001

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______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
        An on-line newspaper covering Burma 
         February 7, 2001   Issue # 1729
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________

INSIDE BURMA _______
*The Nation: Burmese Rebel Leaders Warn of Over-optimism 
*Irrawaddy: The (Martial) Art of Writing
*Bangkok Post: Elephants Forced to Seek Work in Burma

REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL _______
*AP: Brazilian appointed to report on Myanmar rights situation  
*AFP: UN envoy encouraged by political thaw in Myanmar 
*DVB : Thai border police arrest five Burmese soldiers near border
*Bangkok Post: Army Worried over Influx of Shan
*Mizzima: Jaswant Singh to visit Burma next week
*Bangkok Post : Police Arrest 33 Burmese Girls on Prostitution Charges
*The Nation: Leader Misquoted on Burma Trip, Says Party

OPINION/EDITORIALS_______
*Asia Times: Window of opportunity in Burma
*Rohingya Students Development Movement: Anti-Rohingya campaign 
*National United Party of Arakan: on the Racial Clashes in Sittwe, 
Arakan

OTHER______
*AFP: Kang set for Myanmar Open debut 
		


__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________



The Nation: Burmese Rebel Leaders Warn of Over-optimism 

Tuesday, February 06, 2001



DON PATHAN

LOI TAILENG- Rebel leaders fighting the military government of Burma for 
autonomy caution against being over-optimistic about the dialogue taking 
place between pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the junta, 
saying talk of reconciliation in the needs the minority groups. 

Speaking to reporters over the weekend at his camp in southern Shan 
State opposite Mae Hong province, Colonel Yawd Serk, keader of the Shan 
State Army (SSA), said peace in Burma was still a long way off-even if 
Suu Kyi and the junta do manage to achieve a breakthrough. 


Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition Nation League for Democracy (NLD), 
has been holding talks with Lt General Khin Nyunt, Burma's security 
chief and third-highest ranking State Peace Development Council (SPDC) 
officer.  

The dialogue is the most significant between the two sides in a decade. 
Rebel leaders, meanwhile, said Suu Kyi risked alienating minority groups 
if she cut a deal while overlooking their demands and the needs of 
minority groups. "The NLD wants political reforms but the ethnic groups 
- the Shan, the Karen and the Karenni - all want independence," Yawd 
Serk said. "We support her struggle for democracy but our aim is 
sovereignty, not just political reform."

In an interview with The Nation at his border camp, secretary-general of 
the Karenni National Progressive Party, Rimond Htoo, said the mistrust 
between the Burmese and the ethnic groups was so strong that it could 
not be removed overnight. Even if there is an agreement between the NLD 
and the SPDC, the question of the ethnic groups still has to be 
addressed, he said.  

Manh Shan, secretary-general of the Karen National Union, the largest 
armed ethnic group fighting he junta, said in a telephone interview that 
the KNU saw the dialogue between Suu Kyi and Khin Nyunt as a positive 
development. "The NLD and the SPDC have a number of things to overcome 
just between the two of them." 

Manh Sha said that in the final analysis, "Burma needs to solve its 
political problems through political means." He added that the KNU would 
like to see a tripartite dialogue made up of the junta, the opposition 
and the minority groups, with the United Nations acting as mediator. 
Like other armed ethnic groups fighting for autonomy, the KNU has in 
recent years suffered a string of setbacks to government troops. Since 
losing its stronghold Manerplaw in 1994, the KNU has been carrying out a 
hit-and-run campaign against government positions. 

The SSA, in an attempt to clear its name from an ugly past, is also 
finding it hard to obtain international support, in spite of its 
self-proclaimed anti-drugs campaign. 



___________________________________________________


Irrawaddy: The (Martial) Art of Writing

Vol 9. No. 1, January 2001 


Burmese writers and publishers have become masters of journalistic kung 
fu, using subtle means to defend their work against the lethal attacks 
of military censors.



by Aung Zaw



With retirement looking increasingly likely for Burma?s top military 
leader, there may soon be more time for him to indulge in one of his 
more passionate pastimes: reading Chinese martial arts novels translated 
into Burmese. 

Sr-Gen Than Shwe, the aging and reportedly ailing chairman of the ruling 
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), is also known to be a big 
fan of Chinese soap operas, which have become familiar fare on state-run 
Burmese television over the past decade. 

But despite this vogue for all things Chinese, there is one subject 
related to China that few publishers dare to touch: Beijing?s relations 
with the Burmese junta. Like all other subjects that touch upon how the 
regime maintains its ruthless hold on power, writing about China?s role 
as the SPDC?s major arms supplier is strictly taboo. 

"It is true that we cannot write about China," said one Rangoon-based 
writer recently. "If we did, it would never get past the censorship 
board."

Worse still, the offending article could land both the writer and his 
publisher in jail for up to five years, and force the magazine or 
newspaper to shut down?temporarily or forever. 

Less sensitive are articles that deal with anti-Chinese sentiment in 
Burma. With large numbers of illegal Chinese immigrants flooding into 
the country in recent years, social tensions between them and local 
people, particularly in Upper Burma, have become a growing problem. But 
much of the resentment towards these settlers is based upon the 
perception that they are beneficiaries of an arrangement between China 
and the regime in Rangoon. "We do write about Chinese influence in 
Burma, but in a very subtle way so that the censorship board won?t 
notice it," remarked the writer in Rangoon
In a country that has been kept in the dark for decades by successive 
military regimes, writers and publishers have become adept at indirectly 
shedding light on sensitive subjects. But even masters of the fine art 
of journalistic shadow boxing will occasionally fail to duck a punch 
from their faceless sparring partners in the Press Scrutiny Board (PSB) 
until it?s too late. 

Often, ironically, it is the more innocuous-seeming subject matter that 
incurs the strongest response from the censors. By now, most writers in 
Burma have learned to think twice before reporting on international 
sporting events involving Burmese teams. In 1998, for instance, writing 
about the Burmese national football team was banned for almost a year 
after Sr-Gen Than Shwe, disappointed by the team?s loss in an important 
match in Brunei, told his aides that he didn?t want to hear another word 
about it. 

Following another poor showing at the Tiger Cup tournament in Chiang 
Mai, Thailand late last year, the team was once again consigned to media 
obscurity. In one striking instance of play-by-play censorship, a 
decisive goal by an Indonesian striker against the Burmese team caused 
the state-run TV Myanmar to go off the air for several minutes. 

But the censors? responses are not always so predictable. According to 
writer Tin Maung Than, there are no policies or guidelines telling 
publishers what they can or cannot put into print. Citing his own 
experience as editor of Thintbawa magazine, Tin Maung Than describes the 
time he was forced to pull a story on the growing popularity of t-shirts 
and jeans among Burmese youths. The report, based on a survey, happened 
to coincide with a speech given by a top general on the importance of 
preserving Burmese culture, and the evils of Western ways. "It?s 
shameful for our country that we cannot even write about t-shirts," said 
the writer, who recently fled from Burma to escape persecution.

But Tin Maung Than can also commiserate with the people who have long 
been the bane of his profession. "You cannot blame the PSB officials. 
They also have to look at their superiors," he said sympathetically.

There was a time, indeed, when censors were well-read individuals who 
established personal relations with writers and publishers. Until the 
1980s, many PSB officials were retired army officials or bureaucrats 
with a mature appreciation of the value of the stories that crossed 
their desks. Under the current regime, however, most censors are young 
military intelligence officers who have no familiarity with or interest 
in the work of writers. "They don't have a clue about the subjects of 
our stories," complained one writer who edits a well-known journal in 
Rangoon. "They don?t understand what we are writing about, so they are 
always suspicious of our work," he added.

Despite the dearth of qualified "critics" in the PSB, however, the 
number of publications in Burma has grown considerably in recent years. 
While this may be seen as a relaxation of restrictions on the press, few 
writers believe that they enjoy any greater freedom now than they did in 
the past. "They will never tolerate it if we write about politics," 
remarked Tin Maung Than. "I don?t think there is any relaxation."

A recent decision to allow a Time magazine report on the HIV/Aids 
situation in Burma to enter the country uncensored has also been seen by 
some as a sign that the regime has relaxed its guard against criticism. 
Even foreign magazines, which have a very limited readership inside 
Burma, are normally subjected to stringent censorship. 

But the decision to let the Time article pass is not so remarkable, 
considering that in 1995, Tin Maung Than?s Thintbawa ran a cover story 
on HIV/Aids without running into trouble with the authorities, even 
though it pointed out some inaccuracies in official figures on the 
disease. Official ambivalence about this subject appears to have created 
a gray zone into which more intrepid writers may occasionally stray. 
Considering the risks, however, it?s not surprising that many prefer to 
stick to writing kung fu novels.

 


___________________________________________________





Bangkok Post: Elephants Forced to Seek Work in Burma

Wednesday, February 7, 2001



Phrae-More than 10 elephants have been forced to haul logs in Burma 
because of the lack of forestry or tourism work in Thailand.

Bancha Wivattanapakdi, a village chief from Long district, said mahouts 
were forced to take their elephants to Burma because there were few log 
hauling opportunities in Phrae forests.

Efforts to create jobs in eco-tourism also failed, he said, adding that 
such tours attracted few tourists anyway.

"There are 24 elephants in our village and 10 have worked in Burmese 
forests.  Others work in tourist spots in Chiang Mai and other northern 
provinces." 
Elephants which work in Burma also run the risk of losing their lives to 
landmines. One elephant had to be treated in hospital in Phrae after it 
stepped on a landmine while hauling logs along the
border.


___________________ REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL___________________
				


AP: Brazilian appointed to report on Myanmar rights situation  


Feb. 7, 2001

GENEVA (AP) _ Brazilian politics professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro on 
Tuesday was appointed as the United Nations special expert on the human 
rights situation in Myanmar.   Pinheiro lectures at the university of 
Sao Paolo and is currently a member of the U.N. Subcommission on the 
Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. He was formerly the expert on 
human rights in Burundi and a member of the international commission on 
Togo.   Pinheiro said he had already made contact with the authorities 
of Myanmar, also known as Burma, in Geneva.   ``I am very encouraged by 
recent positive and constructive developments in Myanmar, especially 
with regard to the progress in the field of national reconciliation,'' 
he said in a statement.   Pinheiro replaces Rajsoomer Lallah, who 
resigned in November claiming he did not have the resources to carry out 
his task. 

He had replaced Japanese Yozo Yokota, who resigned in 1996 giving 
similar reasons.   U.N. rights experts do not receive salaries, but the 
United Nations pays for expenses and provides help with translation and 
preparing reports.   In a report to the U.N. General Assembly in 
October, Lallah said that the human rights situation in Myanmar 
continues to deteriorate with the military government suppressing all 
opposition political activity and engaging in ``inhuman treatment'' of 
opposition members and ethnic minorities.   

Myanmar never allowed Lallah to visit the country.



___________________________________________________



AFP: UN envoy encouraged by political thaw in Myanmar 


GENEVA, Feb 6 (AFP) - The newly appointed United Nations special 
rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar said Tuesday he was encouraged by 
the recent political thaw there, in a statement issued by the UN in 
Geneva.   "I am very encouraged by recent positive and constructive 
developments in Myanmar, especially with regard to the progress in the 
field of national reconciliation," said Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro. 
  There have been signs recently of a thaw in relations between the 
military authorities there and and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.   
A European Union delegation that completed a three-day visit to the 
country last week was cautiously optimistic about the new contacts 
between the military and Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. 
  

And UN Secretary General Kofi Anna welcomed the release of Tin Oo, Aung 
San Suu Kyi's deputy in the National League for Democracy (NLD).   That 
came soon after a visit from his own special envoy, Malaysia's Razali 
Ismail.   Pinheiro, a Brazilian, succeeds Rajsoomer Lallah of Mauritius, 
who resigned last November after four years in the post.   

Lallah had complained that the UN Commission for Human Rights had not 
given him the logistic and administrative back-up that he had expected. 
Authorities in Yangon never allowed him into the country.   Pinheiro was 
appointed by the chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, Ambassador 
Shambhu Ram Simkhada, of Nepal.   The special rapporteurs are 
independent experts who submit regular reports on the human rights 
situation to the Commission on the countries for which they are 
responsible. 


___________________________________________________


DVB : Thai border police arrest five Burmese soldiers near border

5 February 2001

The Thai Border Patrol Police [BPP] yesterday arrested five Burmese 
soldiers who crossed over into Thailand. It is not definitely known 
whether the Thai army will deport them back to Burma or continue 
detaining them in Thailand. DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] 
correspondent Htet Aung Kyaw filed this detailed report.

[Htet Aung Kyaw] The Thai BPP yesterday arrested five SPDC [State Peace 
and Development Council] soldiers from First Column of No 104 Battalion 
stationed at Bawdi Village near the Burma-Thai border on the 
Kanchanaburi-Tavoy road project. Col Somkiat Taphatchanant, a Thai 
military spokesperson, told DVB that the arrest of five Burmese soldiers 
were true and that they were arrested in the vicinity of Bawdi at about 
1000 [local time] on 4 February. They are now being interrogated.

According to the statements of the five Burmese soldiers, the colonel 
said, they were searching for food due to lack of rations at the 
battalion and were subsequently arrested by the Thai BPP. They are not 
sure whether the Burmese soldiers were deserters from the army or sent 
deliberately inside Thailand to gather intelligence. At present they are 
being interrogated at the 9th Army headquarters in Kanchanaburi.

The SPDC authorities have not issued anything official so far regarding 
the incident, but in similar cases the SPDC authorities normally seek 
the return of their soldiers but deserters are usually shot and killed 
immediately. The questions still remain: Under the present 
circumstances, will the SPDC seek the return of their soldiers or how 
will the Thai government react? Since there is going to be a change of 
Thai government in the next few days, will Mr Thaksin's new government, 
which wants to be in the good books of the SPDC military junta, act as 
an intermediary and help solve the problem.

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1245 gmt 5 Feb 01 



___________________________________________________



Bangkok Post: Army Worried over Influx of Shan

 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2001



300,000 already in and more to follow
Subin Khuenkaew

The Third Army has voiced grave concern over the unchecked migration of 
Shan people to the northern border provinces.

A senior army officer, who asked not to be named, said yesterday the 
Third Army had been watching the influx of Shan civilians into the 
country. 
As many as 300,000 have crossed into Thailand and about 120,000 more are 
expected to arrive this year.

"We can only sit and watch them very closely because we are not directly 
in charge of this matter," the officer said. Army chief Gen Surayud 
Chulanont and the Third Army chief have been informed of the situation 
and initial talks were recently held with the United Nations High 
Commissioner for Refugees, he said.

"It may take time as we are undergoing a power transition," he said. 
The officer said there had been talks with the Interior Ministry about 
setting up camps to accommodate the Shan refugees.


"This is the Interior Ministry's problem. The army's job is to supervise 
security matters," the source said.

The migration has reportedly been intensified by the forced relocation 
of Wa people from the North to Mong Hsat opposite Fang and Mae Ai 
districts by the Burmese government. 

Col Yodsuek, chairman of the Revolution Council of Shan State, yesterday 
pleaded with the Thai government to help the Shan refugees. 

He said the relocation of the Wa population is not being done in good 
faith. 
"If the Shan are put together in refugee camps it will be great. If the 
situation gets better, I am willing to take them home," said Col 
Yodsuek. 

Some Thai nationals of Shan ethnic origin and non-governmental 
organisations have decided to take the matter into their own hands in 
solving the problem.

A source close to the groups said yesterday they were drafting their own 
measures for submission to authorities to propel the government into 
action. While the move is prompted by humanitarian concerns, the groups 
would also take into consideration the nation's security, the source 
said. 
According to one recent report, the migration of Shan into Thailand has 
been going on for several years.

They have sought jobs in agriculture and other economic sectors and have 
been exploited by employers.

"Some were even killed just because they asked for their wages. Some of 
the Shan women were forced into the sex trade in Bangkok. Police records 
can prove that," the source said.

A group of Burmese military officers from the Golden Triangle yesterday 
met the armed forces chief-of-staff during their brief visit to Chiang 
Rai. 

The Burmese delegate was greeted by Gen Sommai Vichavorn and Chiang Rai 
governor Samrueng Punyopakorn at the provincial airport. They met for 
more than an hour in the airport's VIP lounge before leaving for a round 
of golf. 

The Burmese team included Maj-Gen Thein Sein, who is in charge of the 
Golden Triangle area, Brig Than Aung, strategic commander in Tachilek 
and Payak, and Tachilek governor Col Thet Naing Win. Thai authorities 
visited Burma last October in a bid to improve ties between the two 
countries. 

A source said the Burmese authorities suggested the Chiang Rai chamber 
of commerce meet with its counterpart in Tachilek to discuss the 
possibility of setting up a system to boost border trading.



___________________________________________________



Mizzima: Jaswant Singh to visit Burma next week


New Delhi, February 7, 2001 
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com) 

Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh will visit Burma next week and 
will inaugurate the 160 km-long Tamu-Kalaymyo road.  

During his four-day visit, Mr. Singh is to inaugurate the India-built 
Tamu-Kalaymyo road connecting northern Burma border to India?s national 
highway 39, which terminates at Moreh in Manipur State of India. Besides 
meeting with the high-level Burmese officials, Mr. Singh is expected to 
meet General Than Shwe, who is the head of State Peace and Development 
Council (SPDC).  

Jaswant SinghÆs visit is seen here as another sign of growing cordial 
relationship between the two neighboring countries, which share a 
1,643-kilometer border. The two countries have in recent years forged a 
security and business relationship.  

The Tamu-Kalaymyo road, built by India?s Border Road Organization for 
three years, has been awaiting for official inauguration for some time. 
It was initially to be inaugurated in late December last year or early 
January this year but put off for unknown reasons.  

The Tamu-Kalaymyo road is expected to eventually boost the border trade, 
which officially started in April 1995.  

Office of the External Affairs Minister in New Delhi today confirmed 
that Mr. Singh will visit Burma from 12th to 15th February. However, 
details of his visit are not yet available.    


___________________________________________________



Bangkok Post : Police Arrest 33 Burmese Girls on Prostitution Charges

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2001



Police raided a house in Phya Thai yesterday morning and arrested 33 
teenage girls on charges of prostitution.

A team from the Metropolitan Patrol and Special Operations Division 
raided a two-storey house on Phahon Yothin Soi 9 and found the girls, 
aged 15-17. 

Only 12 had identification cards. Four confessed they were Burmese. 

House owner Sudsai Sawatchooto was not on the premises during the raid. 
Housekeeper Panna-orn Yaemma, 54, denied any knowledge about the flesh 
trade, and police charged her with sheltering aliens. Police said the 
girls were sent to massage parlours. One said half her earnings went to 
the parlour and she paid Mrs Panna-orn 350 baht per client.

Also arrested was Sgt Wisit Chanbaek, of the Territorial Defence 
Department, who said he was hired to drive the girls around at 200 baht 
a trip. Police said the sergeant usually picked up 10 girls per trip at 
about 11.30am and drove them home at 1.30am.

The raid on the house followed a complaint from two Shan women that they 
had been lured into prostitution


___________________________________________________




The Nation: Leader Misquoted on Burma Trip, Says Party


Wednesday, February 7, 2001



The nation-A THAI Rak Thai Party spokesman yesterday said that Thaksin 
Shinawatra never said that Burma would be the first country he would 
visit after taking office as prime minister.

Local newspapers last week quoted Thaksin as saying he would visit Burma 
after taking office later this month. His planned visit drew flak from 
several critics, including the Senate Foreign Relations Committee 
chairman Kraisak Choonhavan, who warned Thaksin not to visit Burma 
without a clear foreign policy, given the complexity of the problems.

But a party spokesperson, Suranan Vejjajiva, said that what Thaksin 
actually said during a recent luncheon with reporters was that Burma 
would be one among a group of countries he would first visit.

"Of course, Burma is an Asean country, but when we look around we still 
need to consider which country would be ready to accept us," Suranan 
said.  

New Asean leaders have a tradition of visiting member states soon after 
taking office.

While Suranan declared that the party paid considerable attention to 
problems with Burma, including border trade and drug trafficking issues, 
he said that in order to visit the country Thaksin would need to 
consider several appropriate factors.

"We need to first consolidate our policy [with Burma] and take into 
account previous policies, including principles of non-interference and 
flexible engagement," he said.

Diplomatic circles are suspicious that the Thai Rak Thai's 
businessoriented approach to foreign policy would only benefit 
interested sectors of the community, rather than the nation as a whole.

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai took a tool approach to Rangoon to 
demonstrate Thailand's support for political reform in Burma, a country 
that has been under military rule for decades. During his years in 
office, Chuan visited every Asean country except Burma.


_______________ OPINION/EDITORIALS________________



Asia Times: Window of opportunity in Burma

February 6, 2001.

Over 10 years of economic and other sanctions imposed on Burma by 
Western nations and Japan have done nothing to dislodge or even 
significantly threaten the country's ruling military junta. They have 
done as little to bring closer the day when the 1990 election winner, 
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy 
(NLD), might take the reins of government. They HAVE done a great deal 
in assuring that the vast majority of Burmese 50 million people continue 
to live in abject poverty with few prospects for change as most of the 
country's international economic relations remain cut and no incentives 
for improved economic management are forthcoming.  

Since last October, members of the the ruling State Peace and 
Development Council, notably military intelligence chief General Khin 
Nyunt, have conducted secret negotiations with Suu Kyi. The talks have 
led to an easing of tension and the release from detention in late 
January of 84 NLD activists. (Most were imprisoned after Suu Kyi tried 
to travel with aides to do party work outside Rangoon on September 21). 
Advocates of sanctions have been quick to claim that - albeit at long 
last - this proves the efficacy of such measures.  

And that's utter nonsense. What it DOES prove is that the opposite, the 
patient 
confidence-building "constructive engagement" policy of the Association 
of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which admitted Burma to the 
association in 1997, is beginning to yield results. What it proves as 
well is that such cooperative policies have a much enhanced chance for 
success if they occur in a changing strategic environment more conducive 
to a positive outcome.  
Last year, China, a long-time supporter of the SPDC (formerly the State 
Law and Order Council or Slorc) and provider of military and economic 
aid to Burma, decided to assign highest priority to the economic 
development of its western regions. During the summer meetings of the 
Beijing leadership at the Beidaihe seaside resort, it was further 
decided that China would engage in a charm offensive to improve 
political and economic relations with Southeast Asia and India. Now take 
a look at the map. Geographically, China's landlocked western regions 
have closest access to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean through 
Burma. And politically, China's overweening influence in Burma never sat 
well with key members of the Asean group. What better way to serve both 
national development and regional strategic objectives than encouraging 
processes that would lead Burma out of its international isolation?  

Similarly, India - which, like China, shares a 1,500-kilometer border 
with Burma - has sought to improve relations with Burma, and again for 
both domestic and foreign policy reasons. Separatists and terrorists in 
the East Indian states bordering on Burma have frequently sought refuge 
there. Pacification of those states is a prime national policy 
objective. Moreover, after the hiatus of the Asian crisis India is 
looking East again and seeks improved economic relations with Southeast 
Asia. Signalling its intentions to put relations with Burma on a 
friendlier footing, India gave a warm welcome to Burma Foreign Minister 
Win Aung last November.  

In this context, a key role in the rapprochement between the SPDC and 
Suu Kyi has been played by special UN envoy Razali Ismail, a retired 
Malaysian diplomat with close ties to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. 
Razali was in Burma in July and October 2000 and again in January, has 
been in touch with Beijing, and sees his role as honest broker helping 
facilitate government-opposition negotiations. Mahathir himself spent 
several days in Rangoon in early January, no doubt in support of 
Razali's efforts, and later told the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun 
that he had met Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of the ruling SPDC, 
and had talked about elections and other matters in a general way: "He 
[Than Shwe] is willing to hold elections eventually," Mahathir was 
quoted by Mainichi as saying. "The election will not be held this year 
or next. It should be held in a few years."  

The window of opportunity for progress in Burma opened by regional 
strategic constellations and Asean and UN efforts was opened a bit wider 
yet when new US Secretary of State Colin Powell told the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee in mid-January: "I would encourage the Congress to 
stop for a while. I mean stop, look and listen before you impose a 
sanction ... I mean, they just keep coming, and I think I've seen about 
half a dozen new ones ... in the last couple of weeks ... I would 
encourage self-discipline on the part of the Congress; that when you're 
mad about something, or when there is a particular constituent interest, 
please stop, count to 10, call me, let me come up, let's talk about it 
before you slap another bureaucratic process on me." Powell has said he 
plans a review of all current sanctions to determine whether they should 
be removed. Hopefully, he'll take a close look at Burma in the process.  


Lastly, the third country sharing an approximately 1,500-km border with 
Burma, Thailand, is ready to talk with the SPDC to ease bilateral 
tensions while at the same time positioning itself to benefit as Burma 
opens up - and opens up Thai access to southwestern China. New Prime 
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said last Thursday that his first foreign 
trip would likely take him to Rangoon.  

The opportunities to effect reconciliation in Burma and bring the 
country back into the world are better now than they have been in over a 
decade. Even the sanction-happy EU, which sent a delegation to Rangoon 
in January, appears to be realizing that something is up and doesn't 
want to be left out. The sanction-mongers should butt out, most notably 
the ILO and the ICFTU which have been attempting to strengthen sanctions 
while others of a more level-headed mindset have been trying to make 
peace. 


___________________________________________________




Rohingya Students Development Movement: Anti-Rohingya campaign 

 It has been very much shocking and painfully surprising to read the 
news in most of the daily newspapers of Bangladesh that published the 
concocted information regarding the activities of Rohingya armed group 
for some days. It is worth mentioning that the peace loving and law 
abiding people of Arakanese Muslim (Rohingya) never been anti- 
Bangladesh. The alleged accusation by some reporters that the Rohingya 
movement viz Arakan Rohingya National Organization having direct 
connection to create instability and terrorism with political 
 groups of Bangladesh is totally baseless. Moreover their alleged 
involvement as claimed by some quarters in arms and drugs smuggling is 
cheer nonsense. In fact, the Rohingya movement operated in no-man land 
between Bangladesh and Myanmar border is solely established to 
emancipate and unshackle the hapless people of Arakan 

 from the hands of ruthless and oppressive military junta but not to 
make divisions in Bangladesh. This type of make-believe information 
clearly shows that the reportersÆ lack of impartiality and seriousness 
and not surprisingly, hidden agenda by certain groups to 
 tarnish the brotherly ties between Bangladesh and Rohingya community. 
Moreover, it may result unhealthy and hostile relationship between the 
two longtime brotherly people of Bengal and Rohingya unless checked. The 
displaced Rohingya community is in direly need of humanitarian and moral 
support not abhorrence from the local authorities and the people of 
Bangladesh far more than ever. 

 Abdur Rauf 
 Ex. Secretary General 
 Rohingya Students Development Movement 


___________________________________________________





National United Party of Arakan: on the Racial Clashes in Sittwe, Arakan

Feb. 7, 2001



We are deeply concerned over the racial clashes that took place as a  
sequel to an untoward   incident in a teashop in Sittwe on the fourth 
February 2001.  According to the report, the Buddhists and the Muslims 
in the area got locked up in racial riots and the ruling SPDC junta 
imposed curfew to diffuse the tension.  As a result to the incident, 
there was losses of lives, destruction of property and a deep sense of 
animosity prevailed upon the two brotherly peoples, the Buddhists and 
the Muslims.  

NUPA being a secular organization believes in the peaceful coexistence 
of all the nationals living in Arakan, as Arakan has always been a 
secular free nation under the Arakanese kings before the Burmans came to 
the land as foreign aggressors.The row that took place in a teashop was 
insignificant.  But the outcome of the episode was beyond what the 
average citizen can ever imagine of.  We want to make it known that, the 
average Arakanese people are peace-loving  but the SPDC junta which is 
overtly Burman-dominated has like its  predecessors, the SLORC and BSPP, 
got down to stir up communal agitation so that the two brotherly 
communities could be divided. The SPDC who has the full authority in 
Burma can squarely be put to  blame for the sad event in Sittwe.  While 
the NUPA has been engaged in the restoration of amity among all the 
people of Arakan, transcending the barriers of religion, race, caste or 
creed, the SPDC junta has  deliberately created discord and tension by 
constructing a dam on the Naaf, and in this particular incident, flared 
up racial tension and animosity,  in order to sidetrack the 
deteriorating law and order situation, economy  and the worsening 
political crisis in Burma, as it has done in previous occasions, as in 
the racial riots that were stirred up by the military junta in Mandalay, 
Taungyi and Prome (Pyi). 

The SPDC without controlling the situation before it could end up in  
racial tension, should have stopped the flare-up.  For this the SPDC is 
to be squarely blamed for stirring up the riot.As peace-loving 
Arakanese, the Buddhists, the Muslims and the Christions and  all other 
minorities must be aware of the evil design of the Burman  junta, and 
repel any attempt to disorganize and break up the racial harmony 
prevailing in Arakan.  The above event though controllable went beyond 
control and ended up in the loss of valuable human lives and property, 
which is insensible. So long as we, the Arakanese, live under the 
colonial yoke of the xenophobic Burmans, we can never solve the racial 
problems among the Arakanese brotherly peoples.  

We want to make it clear that, the refugee problem that causes a lot of 
trouble to the neighbouring countries like Thailand, India and 
Bangladesh are the direct result of the Burman racist rule.To all the 
sensible people at home and abroad, we want to urge that, there is no 
racial problem in Arakan, rather the SPDC junta creates such sad 
unwanted events to fish in the troubled waters.Until and unless the 
independence of Arakan is achieved there can never be good governance 
and peace and prosperity of the citizens enjoying the fruits of 
democracy, human rights, and secularism. 

To the international community at large, our appeal is to give moral and 
material support to the national liberation movement of Arakan so that 
the long-cherished independence of Arakan could be realized and rule of 
law could be established..

Central Committee
National United Party of Arakan
7-2-2001



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AFP: Kang set for Myanmar Open debut 

YANGON, Feb 7 (AFP) - Korea's Kang Wook-soon has taken the short flight 
from Bangkok to Yangon to make his first appearance in the 200,000 
dollar Myanmar Open, starting Thursday at Yangon Golf Club.   In 1998 
Kang became the first player to win back-to-back titles on the Asian PGA 
Tour and after his victory in the Thailand Masters last Sunday is 
looking to become the first golfer to do a double twice.   "My putting 
is very good right now. That's always so important. When you're putting 
well then it takes a lot of pressure off you. That's why I scored so 
well last week," said Kang, who finished 24 under par in Thailand.   

Winning again this week would be yet another feather in the cap for the 
impressive Korean golfer. His win in Thailand was his seventh Asian PGA 
title, two more than the Tour's other top winner, American Gerry 
Norquist.   His title haul has helped him to two Order of Merit title in 
1996 and 1998 and after a winning start to this season he is focused on 
claiming a third Merit list crown.   

Kang won the Thailand Masters by five shots from Thailand's Thongchai 
Jaidee, who has also made the trip to Myanmar.   "I played well last 
week but Kang was too good. He's so strong, has no weaknesses and always 
seems so cool," said Thongchai, who finished fifth in Myanmar two years 
ago as a rookie.   Defending champion James Kingston was flying in from 
his native South Africa and will no doubt be hoping to repeat his 
runaway performance of 12 months ago.   Kingston triumphed by 10 strokes 
last year after leading the tournament from start to finish.   str/pw 







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