BurmaNet News: September 17, 2001

[strider@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

______________ THE BURMANET NEWS ______________
        An on-line newspaper covering Burma 
           September 17, 2001   Issue # 1884
______________ www.burmanet.org _______________


NOTED IN PASSING:  "We have always used porters when we go on operations 
 ... why make such a fuss now?"

A front line officer in the Burma Army complaining to an AFP reporter 
about the International Labour Organization?s forced labor enquiry.  See 
Agence France Presse:  ILO mission to verify junta's promises on forced 
labour in Myanmar 

INSIDE BURMA _______
*Kyodo: Myanmar's NLD marks 3rd anniversary of 'people's parliament'
*Agence France Presse: Myanmar's democratic opposition deplores US 
attacks, junta 
*BBC: Burmese forced labour in the spotlight
*Agence France Presse:  ILO mission to verify junta's promises on forced 
labour in Myanmar 
*Reuters: Myanmar to allow citizens to receive satellite TV
*Irrawaddy: Is "Power Sharing" Really Coming Soon? 

MONEY _______
*Bangkok Post: Bank urged to push for long-delayed border plans 
*South China Morning Post: Eyes on Myanmar fisheries

GUNS______
*DVB : Burmese home minister says  Thailand backs ethnic armed groups 
Burmese home minister says Thailand backs ethnic armed groups 
*Kyodo: 7 suspected illegal workers shot dead after entering Thailand 
*Bangkok Post: Status quo in tension areas
*Burma Courier: Armies on Both Sides of Thai-burma Line Still "On Guard"

DRUGS ______
*Burma Courier: UWSA Business Empire Expands to Electronics Products

REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL _______
*Burma Courier: First Edition of ABD News Published in Vancouver

EDITORIALS/OPINION/PROPAGANDA________
*National League for Democracy [Statement condemning attack on US 
(unofficial translation)]

OTHER______
*FBC: Free Burma Conference Postponed


					
__________________ INSIDE BURMA ____________________




Kyodo: Myanmar's NLD marks 3rd anniversary of 'people's parliament'


YANGON, Sept. 16, Kyodo 


 Myanmar's main pro-democracy movement, the National League for 
Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi, held its third anniversary 
Sunday of its ''people's parliament'' at a working lunch at the party's 
headquarters. 

The NLD formed a 10-member panel known as the Committee Representing the 
People's Parliament on Sept. 16, 1998, to function as the parliament. 

Myanmar's junta refused to convene the legislature after the 1990 
general elections, in which the NLP won more than 80% of seats. 

At the lunch meeting, NLD Chairman Aung Shwe, in a speech read by NLD 
Vice Chairman Tin Oo, said, ''Cooperation of the people's 
parliament...is necessary to shape the future of the country.'' 

The speech, devoid of the usual reproachful remarks on the junta, noted 
only that the people's parliament will exist as long as is necessary. 

Asked by reporters on the progress of dialogue between the junta and Suu 
Kyi, Tin Oo said, ''It is still at the confidence-building stage, it is 
not the dialogue yet.'' 

The lunch meeting was attended by more than 200 party adherents and 
ethnic group representatives. 

The second anniversary meeting last year resolved to draft the state 
constitution under supervision of Aung Shwe and Suu Kyi. 

Drafting of the constitution by anyone but the official National 
Convention is illegal under a 1996 law. 



___________________________________________________





Agence France Presse : Myanmar's democratic opposition deplores US 
attacks, junta 

YANGON, Sept 16 


Myanmar's democratic opposition Sunday condemned the terrorist attacks 
on the United States as "inhuman and cowardly", while the military 
regime maintained its silence on the disaster. 

"We share the misery of the American people and strongly condemn this 
dastardly act perpetrated during peace time by cowardly terrorists on 
innocent and defenceless people, both American as well as others," the 
National League for Democracy said in a statement. The party, led by 
Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi who has been under house arrest 
for the last year, said the attacks on New York and Washington were 
"totally inhuman and cowardly". 

Myanmar's junta, which is deeply resentful of the United States' role in 
international sanctions placed on the regime for its appalling human 
rights record, has made no comment on the attacks. 

However, it has significantly stepped up security around the US and 
Israeli embassies in Yangon in the wake of Tuesday's catastrophe, 
deploying riot police and military personnel at the buildings. 

Barbed-wire barricades were placed along the street fronting the US 
embassy although traffic was not blocked off. 

"I noticed that the commander of Yangon's fourth military region was 
there in person quietly checking things out," a witness told AFP. 



___________________________________________________






BBC: Burmese forced labour in the spotlight


Sunday, 16 September, 2001, 11:51 GMT 12:51 UK 

By regional analyst Larry Jagan in Bangkok 
 
A high-level ILO delegation is due to arrive in Burma for a three-week 
investigative mission into the use of forced labour.  

It has taken months of negotiations between the ILO's Director-General, 
Juan Somavia, and the country's military leaders.  

It is the first chance the international community has had to examine 
the situation of forced labour in Burma first-hand. Privately ILO 
officials are convinced that this is the first step in an on-going 
process of monitoring Burma¿s respect for labour rights.  

The Burmese Government says its supports the mission and will co-operate 
fully with it.  
The mission will report back to the ILO in November at its major annual 
session, a year after the organisation stepped up the pressure on Burma 
by demanding that its members review their policy towards Burma and 
consider implementing what analysts saw as an international economic 
boycott.  

The Burmese Government hopes that the findings will be in its favour.  

Impressive team 
 
Members of the mission will not be hoodwinked by the military 
authorities, says the Mr Somavia.  

They are very experienced and used to dealing with repressive regimes. 
The quality of the four members of the mission, he says will guarantee 
its success.  

"They know their business, they know what to look at and they know what 
to ask," Juan Somavia told the BBC.  

The calibre of the team is in fact very impressive: 

Sir Ninian Stephen, is a former governor-general and chief justice of 
Australia, and chairman of a UN expert group on Cambodia.  

Ms Nieves Roldan-Confessor is a former Philippines Secretary of Labour 
and Employment in the Philippines and advisor to the ILO's governing 
body,  

Kutatilaka Asrthanayake Parinda Ranasinghe is a former Chief Justice of 
Sri Lanka  
Jerzy Makarczyk is the chief of the European court of human rights and a 
former deputy foreign minister of Poland.  Sources at the ILO told the 
BBC that the composition of the mission was chosen very carefully to 
avoid any representatives from the US or Europe being included.  
Free access 
 
The ILO says there was an agreement with the Burmese generals that the 
mission would be allowed to go anywhere.  

In fact, officials of the ILO says the Burmese Government hasn't been 
told most of the destinations that the team wants to visit in the next 
three weeks, and they will only be told later.  
"Some destinations haven't been chosen yet," an ILO official said. "And 
many of these will depend on the testimony and research gathered by the 
mission while they are in the country."  
In the past few weeks, Burma¿s military commanders have been touring the 
areas that might be on the mission¿s itinerary telling villagers what to 
say.  

In some areas, especially in Mon state, the local military commanders 
have been making villagers sign petitions saying there is no forced 
labour in their area.  

This is not the sort of evidence that will give great credibility by the 
visiting judges. They will want to talk to villagers in private.  

Protection offer 
 
Anyone who wants protection will have it, says Mr Somavia. "This was 
part of our understanding with the Burmese authorities," he told the 
BBC.  

"One always has to be extremely careful in these situations of what 
happens to those who do want to meet with the mission and stay there," 
he said.  

Juan Somavia is convinced of two things: that dialogue is the most 
effective way to bring change to authoritarian regimes - he says he has 
the experience Chile to support his approach; and secondly, he says his 
main purpose is to lessen the use of forced labour in any country and in 
the end wants to eradicate it all together.  

This will still take some doing in Burma. Human rights groups like 
AsiaWatch say that forced labour is still used extensively, particularly 
in border areas where the army uses them for porters. Burma¿s generals 
insist that only voluntary labour is used for portering and government 
infrastructural projects.  

In Mon state, members of the New Mon State Party say that although it 
wasn't as bad as it used to be, forced labour is still a major problem 
in the area, despite the ceasefire agreement signed with Burmese 
military government.  

The ILO says this mission is part of an on-going process. In private, 
senior officials admit that establishing a permanent presence in Rangoon 
is the only way to ensure the elimination of forced labour and 
prosecution and punishment of those found to be using force labour.  

"The ILO, " says Mr Somavia ¿won't be satisfied with something that 
doesn't appear to be real progress. It is progress for a mission to be 
there, but progress has to continue. 




___________________________________________________



  
Agence France Presse:  ILO mission to verify junta's promises on forced 
labour in Myanmar 


September 16, 2001 Sunday 7:01 AM Eastern Time 



SARAH STEWART 

BANGKOK, Sept 16 


An International Labour Organisation (ILO) team arrives in Myanmar 
Monday to determine whether the military regime has kept its promise to 
eradicate the brutal practice of forced labour. 

The three-week mission by a team of eminent jurists follows the ILO's 
unprecedented condemnation of Myanmar last year for its failure to clamp 
down on forced labour, a form of slavery condemned by international 
rights groups. 

Stung into action by threats that the ILO's members could increase the 
sanctions load on Myanmar, which has already brought the economy to its 
knees, the ruling junta has promised to give the mission every 
assistance. 

"The team will be given freedom of movement and we will not accompany 
them except to take care of their security," Deputy Labour Minister 
Brigadier-General Win Sein told the Myanmar Times. The Geneva-based ILO 
said it had been guaranteed the team will have "full discretion to 
establish a program of such contacts and visits as it considers 
appropriate across the country." 

In a bid to fend off the ILO censure, the junta last November made 
forced labour illegal for the first time and said its directive had been 
"circulated right down to the village level and posted in every police 
station." 

But it remains unclear how the ban is being enforced, and how effective 
it has been against military personnel fighting border insurgencies, who 
for decades have enlisted villagers to work as porters and guides. 

"The junta says: 'It is impossible for us to say there is no forced 
labour in Myanmar' and that it takes time to eliminate," said one 
diplomat in Yangon. 


"I know that forced labour is ongoing, but I don't think it is as 
widespread as before," he said. "The only way to clarify is to have an 
ILO mission." 

One front-line officer in Myanmar's cash-strapped forces told AFP 
recently that the army continued to need porters to carry supplies and 
weapons across rugged areas where not even elephants or mules can travel 
safely. 

"We have always used porters when we go on operations ... why make such 
a fuss now," he said. "We always treat them like fellow human beings ... 
not like animals ... because they are an essential part of our 
operations." 

However, rights groups say nearly a million Myanmar people have suffered 
from the practice, which has helped build roads, ports and tourist 
resorts as well as assisting in military manoeuvres on the unstable 
borders. 

A 1998 ILO committee of inquiry found the practice was "widespread and 
systematic" and targeted at ethnic minorities living in border regions. 

Refugees who escape into Thailand tell of military raids on villages, 
where even the old and infirm are rounded up and put to work for long 
hours with no pay and insufficient food, while their abandoned crops and 
livestock perish. 

In the worst cases those who are unable to keep up are beaten or killed. 


The ILO said its team will assess "the practical implementation and 
actual impact" of various government initiatives to wipe out forced 
labor, "with a view to determining whether these measures have been 
effective." 

Observers in Yangon say the military regime, which has spent most of the 
last year in landmark talks with the democratic opposition, is taking 
the mission very seriously and has prepared thoroughly for its arrival. 

The team will be led by Sir Ninian Stephen, a former governor-general of 
Australia and former judge at the International war crimes tribunals for 
Rwanda and ex-Yugoslavia. 

The other members are Jerzy Makarczyk, a European Court of Human Rights 
judge and former Polish foreign secretary; former Sri Lankan chief 
justice Kulatilaka Ranasinghe; and Nieves Roldan-Confesor, a former 
Philippines labour secretary. 

The mission's findings are due to be examined by the ILO's governing 
body in November. 



___________________________________________________





Reuters: Myanmar to allow citizens to receive satellite TV

Friday September 14, 9:36 PM



By Aung Hla Tun 

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government said on Friday it would 
issue licences for all satellite television receivers, a move seen as a 
fresh sign of political thaw in the reclusive country.  

Myanmar has not issued any licences since 1993, and only around 2,000 
satellite dishes, mainly belonging to hotels and government offices, 
have licenses. But tens of thousands of Myanmar citizens have installed 
unlicensed receivers.  

Official newspapers said owners of satellite dishes would have to pay an 
initial licence fee of 12,000 kyat (about $20), plus 1,200 kyat per 
television set if the receiver was connected to more than one 
television.  

The paper said unlicensed dish owners who failed to pay the fee within 
100 days would face legal action.  

"Last February, we warned all owners of unlicensed receivers to apply 
for a license or face legal action," a senior official from the Ministry 
of Post and Telecommunications told Reuters.  

"We then received more than 20,000 applications from owners throughout 
the country, but I'm sure the actual number of unlicensed receiver 
owners is far higher than this," he said.  

"We've now decided to issue licences to everyone who applies."  

Myanmar has three television channels, all mouthpieces for the ruling 
military. Many citizens rely on alternative sources of information, such 
as foreign radio and satellite television transmissions.  

Many Myanmar citizens welcomed the news, and said they hoped the 
government would also ease its strict controls over use of the internet. 
 

Only 11 private users in Myanmar, all of them local computer technology 
companies, are licensed to access the Internet, and only 3,100 users 
have permission to use e-mail.  
Myanmar has been ruled in recent decades by a succession of military 
regimes that have tried to minimise outside influences on the country 
and stifle internal dissent.  
The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) ignored the result 
of elections in 1990, won in a landslide by the opposition National 
League For Democracy (NLD), and has harassed and imprisoned opposition 
politicians.  
The NLD's leader, Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, has been 
held in de facto house arrest for a year.
  
But following the start of confidential talks between the government and 
Suu Kyi, there have been signs of an easing of the military's iron grip. 
More than 150 political prisoners have been released and restrictions on 
top NLD members have been partially lifted.


___________________________________________________



Irrawaddy: Is "Power Sharing" Really Coming Soon? 

By Aung Zaw

Optimistic reports regarding the political situation in Burma have been 
met with deep skepticism among Burma-watchers. 
Full Story: http://www.irrawaddy.org/news/#is


Is "Power Sharing" Really Coming Soon?

By Aung Zaw

September 07, 2001-- If one were to base one?s suppositions about how 
Burma?s alleged transition to democracy is coming along from some of the 
more recent reports appearing in the Thai papers, one could be forgiven 
for thinking that a new era is at hand. 

"Everything is fine, there will be good news coming soon," according to 
a high-ranking Thai official, following a meeting with Burma?s 
third-in-command, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, during his recent visit to Bangkok. 


Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt said his government has already proposed a 
power-sharing arrangement in his discussions with opposition leader Aung 
San Suu Kyi. Thailand?s Defense Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, after 
speaking to the Burmese general, said, "There has been talk on sharing 
(power) and we hope to hear good news soon if the other side accepts the 
proposal." <http://www.irrawaddy.org/news/Images/kn.gif>
Lt Gen Khin Nyunt [left] with Defense Minsiter Chavalit in Bangkok 

Khin Nyunt also told his Thai counterparts that he meets with Aung San 
Suu Kyi every two weeks to discuss these purported arrangements. One 
might think they are merely hammering out the final details as they 
prepare for the historic day when the army finally relinquishes power 
and returns democracy to Burma?a day Khin Nyunt would like you to think 
is just around the corner. 

However, a senior opposition leader in Rangoon who meets with Suu Kyi on 
a weekly basis said he had no knowledge of this power-sharing 
arrangement that the ruling junta continues to refer to. U Lwin, 
secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD), told The 
Irrawaddy, "I don?t know anything about this." He added: "Since the 
release of U Tin Oo and U Aung Shwe two weeks ago we have been meeting 
with Suu Kyi three times a week and we have not heard of anything 
resembling a power-sharing arrangement." 
U Lwin was the only senior NLD leader able to meet with Suu Kyi while 
fellow NLD leaders U Tin Oo and U Aung Shwe were under detention. 

"I have met her more than 100 times already. But I don?t have any 
knowledge about this power-sharing proposal," U Lwin reiterated. "I hope 
you can understand our situation." 

An NLD lawyer in Rangoon commented that even though the mood in Bangkok 
is optimistic regarding Burma?s political situation, things in Rangoon 
are quiet, with no signs pointing to the military government loosening 
its grip on power. The NLD headquarters in Bahan Township has been under 
constant watch by military intelligence officers, according to sources 
in Rangoon. Hardly the atmosphere envisioned after listening to Lt-Gen 
Khin Nyunt and his credulous friends in the Thai government. 

Speaking to the BBC, U Lwin went so far as to say that there is "in fact 
no dialogue process going on at present." He also denied Chavalit?s 
claim that Suu Kyi and Khin Nyunt were meeting every other week. "That?s 
not the case," he told the BBC. "He hasn?t seen her for several months." 


The Thai government has made no attempt to hide its desire to improve 
relations with the Burmese junta at any cost, leaving analysts to 
question the motives of officials. Some Burma-watchers feel that by 
helping the regime to soften its image, Thailand could end up making 
Burma?s popular opposition party seem rigid and uncompromising if the 
current talks fail. During the past few years, Burmese Foreign Minister 
Win Aung has repeatedly told the international press that the NLD has 
declined to participate in a dialogue with the junta. 

Meanwhile, a writer in Rangoon said that people inside Burma are trying 
to cope with the rising prices of oil and rice and are not interested in 
the talks. "People have low expectations," he said. "Some Burmese 
intellectuals are hopeful that there may be some political breakthrough 
in the future, but no one is convinced that a political settlement is 
coming in the near future." 

Concerning Thailand?s optimism, a Western diplomat based in Rangoon 
remarked: "If you were here, you would get a totally different 
impression. They (the junta) are here to stay." 





______________________MONEY________________________





Bangkok Post: Bank urged to push for long-delayed border plans 


Sep 16, 2001.

Projects would fix illegal labour hassle 

Supamart Kasem 
 
Local administrative bodies called on the Asia Development Bank to push 
for long-delayed border development projects which might solve the 
problem of illegal Burmese labourers. 

The call was made during a visit early last week in Mae Sot of an ADB 
delegation and people from the National Economic and Social Development 
Board. 

ADB's Graham Jackson and Koichi Tamaki met people from the local 
administrative organisations, trade, tourism and industry sectors to 
discuss support for economic development in the area. 

Therdkiat Chinsoranant, Mae Sot mayor, said projects along the Burmese 
border were part of a strategic development plan for the North and a 
plan to link Thailand with Vietnam, Laos and Burma. 

Included was development of the Mae Sot-Myawaddy-Kawkareik-Pa-an-Rangoon 
route, which is about 420 kilometres long. 

It takes at least 15 hours to travel the single-lane, 3m-wide route. 

Also proposed is development of Mae Sot as a twin town of Burma's 
Myawaddy. 

``However, there is not much progress.

``The plan is stuck with the Industry Ministry. So the ADB should push 
the project,'' he said. 
Mr Therdkiat said people on both sides of the border would benefit from 
the schemes, should they get the green light. 

Currently, about 50,000 Burmese nationals live secretly in municipal 
areas and exploit resources at the expense of local authorities. 

``If the projects were under way, a large number of jobs would be 
created. 

``It would encourage Burmese people to stay in their own country,'' he 
said. 

Suchart Triratwattana, vice-president of Tak's Chamber of Commerce, said 
the private sector would transfer investments to Burma if the schemes 
materialised. 

The investments would create tens of thousands of jobs for the Burmese, 
which would help solve illegal labour problems, he said. 

Mr Jackson backed the schemes, but said it was up to the Thai government 
to make a move. 

He said there were certain problems in Burma which limited the ADB's 
support, such as human rights violations and narcotics problems. 

___________________________________________________





South China Morning Post: Eyes on Myanmar fisheries

September 15, 2001 



The island state, already Myanmar's leading trade partner, is trying to 
boost its business links with the military-run state by exploiting the 
resource-rich waters off the country's 2,800-kilometre coastline. 

A delegation of 13 Singapore seafood companies backed by the Trade 
Development Board (TDB) arrives in Myanmar tomorrow to explore 
opportunities in the country's under-developed fishing industry. 


The objectives of the mission are to enable Singapore seafood companies 
to identify and assess new sourcing alternatives and to explore possible 
trading and investment opportunities in fisheries-related businesses, an 
official from the TDB said. 

The mission also aims to increase Singapore's percentage of fisheries 
imported from Myanmar over the next two years, and where possible invest 
in processing plants where we can value-add and export high-value 
products. 

Fish and fish products are already a key source of revenue for the 
Myanmar Government and the country's businesses. 

Last year, exports were valued at US$218.3 million, according to data 
supplied by the Myanmar authorities quoted by the TDB. The sector 
accounted for almost 12 per cent of export revenues of US$1.82 billion, 
according to figures compiled by the Asian Development Bank. 

Singapore was Myanmar's third-most important export market last year and 
its lead source of imports. Trade between the two was worth US$582 
million. 

Singapore's drive is founded on projections that suggest global demand 
for fish could rise by a quarter over the coming three decades. 
Per-capita consumption could rise to 20 kilograms from 16 kg by 2030, 
putting worldwide consumption at 160 million tonnes, the TDB said. 

Describing the fellow Southeast Asian country as a largely untapped 
market in the fisheries industry, the Singapore agency estimated that 
the maximum sustainable yield for Myanmar's marine fishing was 1.1 
million tonnes. Of that haul, less than 10 per cent was being exported, 
it said. 

Last year, Singapore imported 150,000 tonnes of fish, the bulk from 
Oceania, Malaysia and Thailand. Imports from Myanmar amounted to 3,000 
tonnes, 2 per cent of its total. 

Recently, the Yangon administration announced plans to boost fish and 
shrimp farming. It said the area devoted to prawn culture would be 
doubled to 48,600 hectares by 2003, while the land set aside for fish 
farming would rise by a third to 26,325 hectares. 





_______________________GUNS________________________





DVB : Burmese home minister says  Thailand backs ethnic armed groups 
Burmese home minister says Thailand backs ethnic armed groups 



Before commenting on the present Thai government, [Burmese] Home 
Minister Col Tin Hlaing made a comparison with the former Chuan Leekpai 
government.  

He said: the current Thai government is an economic government and is 
formed with usinessmen. Furthermore, the leaders of that government are 
friendly with the leaders of our government. The present Thai government 
is engaging in development activities with a view that if their country 
is to develop further its neighbours need to be developed as well.  

There is no problem between our two governments but some military 
leaders from the Thai army, the Thai political opposition led by Chuan 
Leekpai and anti-Burmese groups have been attempting to sever ties 
between the two governments. With intent to cause political instability 
at the Burma-Thai border, those with hard-line views are posted at the 
border region. The former Chuan Leekpai government deliberately created 
problems as the two current governments are working towards improved 
relations. As for us, we will adhere to the policy - if you are good 
then I will be good but if your are not good than I cannot be good - and 
will not tolerate any infringement on our land and any violation of our 
national sovereignty. All General Administration Department [GAD] 
officials should be aware that the government has to practice patience 
in its relation with neighbours.  	

Col Tin Hlaing continued to say Burma-Thai relations were restored 
because Thai Prime Minister Thaksin [Shinawatra] himself came and 
apologized. He said: Burma's relations with its neighbours are very good 
except for Thailand. Everyone knows that Thailand is being manipulated 
by the CIA and has been attempting to destabilize our country by various 
means. Finally, as the Thai prime minister himself came to Burma and 
apologized for their mistake and sought to step up bilateral 
cooperation, Burma has to change its policy to accommodate the change. 
Border posts were reopened and programmes were drawn up for cooperation 
in the fight against narcotic drugs and in other fields as well.  

He alleged Thailand is using the ethnic armed groups at the border areas 
as a buffer zone and is still providing them support. He said: Thailand 
is accusing us of involvement in narcotic drugs so we need to give 
priority to handle the narcotic drugs problems at the Burma-Thai border 
region. Since the narcotic drugs issue is a political as well as an 
administrative one, GAD officials should not get personally involved in 
the trade and they should cooperate with other responsible organizations 
to solve the production and transportation of narcotics drugs. In 
reality, Thailand has harboured the ethnic armed groups at the border 
areas and has used them as a buffer zone while blatantly aiding and 
abetting with the SURA [Shan United Revolutionary Army] drug bandits. 
That is why, Burma-Thai bilateral relations should be closely monitored. 
 

Furthermore, Thailand is conniving with the USA and supporting the 
ethnic rebels at the border regions and the matter needs to be viewed 
with an international outlook. He said: Thailand held joint military 
exercises with the USA at our border and US military experts have been 
known to provide military training to the ethnic rebels especially the 
Mons at the border areas and from Thailand to fight together with 
remnants of the New Mon State Party; to organize the Arakanese nationals 
and send them back as recruits to join the Arakanese armed groups; to 
recruit Karen nationals and send them to join the KNU [Karen National 
Union]; and to supply weapons and ammunition. I have always mentioned 
about the four outlooks - political, economic, administrative and 
security, but now it is also essential to have an international outlook. 
So from now on you should always view things with the five outlooks.  

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 12 Sep 01  




___________________________________________________




Kyodo: 7 suspected illegal workers shot dead after entering Thailand 

MAE SOT, Sept. 15, Kyodo -

    Seven Burmese citizens were killed Friday near Thailand's border 
with Burma after apparently entering Thailand to work illegally, a Thai 
military source said Saturday. The victims were shot by an unidentified 
armed group in a jungle area of Tak Province, some 600 kilometers north 
of Bangkok, the source said. 

Hundreds of Burmese citizens are believed to illegally enter Thailand 
every day across two countries' long and porous border. 

The influx of the foreign workers became more intense after the Thai 
government last month decided to allow employers to register their alien 
workers and extended the working period for them another year. 

There are more than one million alien workers in Thailand. 


___________________________________________________




Bangkok Post: Status quo in tension areas

 Saturday 15 September 2001


Wassana Nanuam

Thailand and Burma have agreed to keep their troops in disputed areas on 
Doi Lang in Chiang Mai and Kuteng Nayong in Chiang Rai at the current 
level. 

A military source said it was agreed at the recent 19th Regional Border 
Committee meeting in Pattaya that there would be neither reinforcement 
nor moving of Thai and Burmese soldiers at Doi Lang in Mae Ai district 
and Kuteng Nayong in Mae Sai district. 

The Township Border Committee will, from now on, meet monthly.  The 20th 
RBC meeting will be held in Moulmein in March.

According to the Joint Operation Command, the BP1 temporary border 
checkpoint at Kiew Pha Wok in Mae Ai has been closed on the order of 
Burmese authorities wanting to clear problems with Shan State Army 
rebels. 

Thailand and Burma will also exchange information on drug production 
bases and smuggling routes in their countries as part of their fight 
against methamphetamines. 

Meanwhile, Internal Security Operations Command spokesman Col Burapa 
Tahwichai said 89.6 million methamphetamine pills, 461.6 kilogrammes of 
heroin and 52,000 ecstasy pills were seized by the Third Army and the 
Isoc Region 3 during October 2000-August 2001. 

A total of 179,251 migrant workers from neighbouring countries were 
arrested for illegal entry during the same period. Of these, 17,592 were 
arrested last month. 




__________________________________________________



Burma Courier: Armies on Both Sides of Thai-burma Line Still "On Guard"

Based on news from S.H.A.N. and FEER:  Updated to September 14, 2001 

CHIANG MAI - The recent flurry of visits at the top level between 
Thailand and Burma has not lessened military preparedness on either side 
of the border, news periodicals in close contact with the border 
situation report. 

"Most of the units brought up {by the Burma Army} in February are still 
around," a source from inside Shan state told the Shan Herald recently. 
"For example, LID (Light Infantry Division) 88 coming up from Magwe, LIB 
(Light Infantry Battalion) 450 and LIB 481 (from Mergui) are still in 
Kengtung." 

He added that the army groups appeared to be settling in on a permanent 
basis. "They have been busy dragooning free labour, roofing materials, 
timber and bamboo from the local people," he said.  Apart from that he 
also saw 8 howitzers and 40 tanks arriving in eastern Shan State during 
the height of the border conflict and was sure they had not gone back 
across the Salween river. 

He also mentioned the recruitment program that began in May. "They do 
not trust Shans and lowland Lahu," he said. "Highland Lahu are much more 
preferred.  Instead of taking recruits from Shan villages they demanded 
money so they could find personnel they needed elsewhere." 

Triangle Regional Command of Maj-Gen Thein Sein has been ordered to 
raise up to 5,000 new recruits, reported LNDO, a Lahu information group. 


A similar wariness about the new era of peace and friendship between the 
countries announced by Thailand's General Chavalit and the Burmese 
junta's Gen Khin Nyunt appears to exist among many at the top of the 
Thai military. 

The intelligence column of the current edition of the Far Eastern 
Economic Review reports that that Thai army commander Gen. Surayud 
Chulanont had stressed during a recent interview that not one Burmese 
soldier or any other armed fighter would be allowed to cross the border 
into Thailand. 

In related news, leaders from border resistance armies are waiting for 
the commander of Thailand's 3rd Army, General Watanachai to clarify a 
proposal he said he had received from the Burmese military to mediate 
between the resistance groups and the Burma army. 

The proposal came to light after meetings last week of a joint border 
committee composed of top army commanders from both and Thailand and 
Burma. A news story issued under the byline of AP writer Sutin 
Wannabovorn quoted spokespersons for both the Karen and Shan armies as 
putting conditions on any meetings, while a Bangkok Post story, citing 
other spokespersons, suggested a favourable response to the meeting 
proposal. 

Sources in contact with Shan State Army commander Col Yordserk report 
that he is open to the idea of talks and waiting to receive details from 
General Watanachai. 





________________________ DRUGS ________________________
				


Burma Courier: UWSA Business Empire Expands to Electronics Products


Based on news from NLM and S.H.A.N.:  September 12, 2001

SAGAING - The Wa cease-fire army, known as the UWSA, has opened another 
of a growing string of factories in the Sagaing industrial zone with the 
commissioning of a plant that will produce cables for electronic 
products. 

The cable factory joins several others operating under the name of Hong 
Pang Electronic Industries where over 700 persons will eventually be 
employed making various kinds of wires and cables, fluorescent lamps, 
frames for lamps, chokes, fans, switches and electrical parts.  Another 
small plant opened in May by Hong Pang is making CDs and DVDs, said to 
be for the local market.   Burma is rapidly becoming a centre the 
manufacture of pirated material CDs and DVDs which are making their way 
through China and India to the world market. 

A gas lighter factory owned by Hong Pang in the same industrial park is 
producing three million lighters a month and has plans to double the 
output. Another factory is processing agricultural produce while yet 
another is making brooms and sanitation equipment for the foreign 
market.   Hong Pang also has a textile mill and a garment factory 
employing about 300 workers in the industrial park. 

On hand for the opening ceremonies on Tuesday was the ubiquitous 
Secretary No. 1, Gen Khin Nyunt, who told an assembled throng that there 
are "lots of opportunities for the private sector" in military-run 
Burma.   Afterwards he and U Pauk Yu Chan of the UWSA and other SPDC and 
UWSA brass hats headed off to Paleik where Hong Pang Construction, 
another branch of the UWSA "group of companies", is to begin work on the 
construction of a 94-mile stretch of highway between Mandalay and 
Meiktila.  The UWSA's highway construction outfit already has several 
road contracts in Shan state. 

The Wa cease-fire army is also into mining .  A smithsonite mine in 
northeastern Shan state operated under the name Wa Development General 
Trading Co produces over 13,000 tonnes of ore a year and the cease-fire 
army has concessions in the ruby mines at Mogok and Mong Hsu, as well as 
a gem cutting business. 

Other recent reports have the Wa army taking up a controlling interest 
in the Mayflower Bank, financing the development of an industrial park 
in Tachilek, and taking over the management of the privately-owned 
Yangon Airways. 

The backbone of the Wa financial empire is still its investment in 
corporate farming and the agro-industrial sector.  Hong Pan has 
orchards, vineyards, and livestock breeding on estates in Patheingyi, 
Hsipaw, Nawnghkio, Lashio, Nyaung-U, Pyin-U-Lwin and Tachilek townships. 

But the most profitable branch of the Wa on the agro side continues to 
be the processing of poppy extract to produce heroin and the manufacture 
of the synthetic stimulant pills known as methamphetamines.  This side 
of the UWSA business empire would appear to be under some pressure from 
Thailand's counter-narcotics drive along the southern border of Shan 
state.  Recent news from various sources has suggested that some of the 
drug factories have been relocated to Laos. 

Other heroin and methamphetamine labs would appear to have been 
relocated from the Thai border since the fence-mending visit of Thai PM 
Thaksin Shinawatra to Rangoon last June to the Khongkong (Big bend) area 
along the Mekong about 60 miles north of Tachilek.  Sources told the 
Shan Herald news agency that 200 Wa fighters from the UWSA had been 
brought to Khongkong from bases in southern Shan state to beef up the 
security patrols of local militia units, villagers and SPDC troops in 
the area since the five labs, two for heroin and three for 'yaba' 
methamphetamines opened for business. 

One could also argue that the 25,000-strong Wa "army" represents a 
substantial investment in the rapidly expanding security services 
sector. 




___________________ REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL___________________
				


Burma Courier: First Edition of ABD News Published in Vancouver


Courier News Service:  September 11, 2001

VANCOUVER - The growing community of Burmese speaking people in western 
Canada is the target population of a monthly publication whose first 
edition was published in Vancouver this week. 

The All Burma Democratic News will give coverage to local and regional 
as well as international news, editor Soe Kyaw Thu told the Burma 
Courier.  "We want to revive the '88 spirit among the Burma exiles who 
have come to Canada and to instill it in those who didn't have the 
chance to participate then," he said. 

Joining the editor at the news desk is Kyi Lwin, who recently came to 
the Vancouver area from Japan, where he was active in the publication of 
the Voice of Burma.   ABD news is also looking for correspondents in 
Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg to provide coverage of events 
in the Burma communities in these cities, as well as in the Lower 
Mainland area of British Columbia. 

The first edition of ABD News featuring a fighting peacock on its 
masthead contained 18 pages of news and views provided by Burmese radio 
news services such as the BBC, VOA, RFA and DVB as well as the print 
edition of Japan's Voice of Burma. Local interest news from the 
Vancouver area was also covered. 

For the moment, ABD News is available only in hardcopy.  Editorial and 
circulation offices are located at #31B - 621, East 7th Ave., Vancouver, 
BC, Canada  V5T 1N9.  Tel/Fax 604-873-1804.  Email 
abdnvancouver@xxxxxxxxxx 






___________EDITORIALS/OPINION/PROPAGANDA__________



National League for Democracy [Statement condemning attack on US 
(unofficial translation)]

National League for Democracy
No: (97/B), West Shwegondine Road
Bahan township, Rangoon 

Statement No: 3 (9/01)


Thousands of innocent lives (American and others) were lost because of 
the ruthless and cowardly terrorist operations launched against two 
towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in 
Washington on 11 September. 

The American people together with people from other countries suffered 
such great loss in such a short space of time because of this detestable 
assault at a time when the nation is at peace and unprepared (no war was 
declared). Our hearts go out to them with great sympathy. 

Such terrorist activities have no justification whatsoever.  We 
unequivocally condemn this despicable and incomparable evil crime. 

Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

Rangoon,
13 September 2001.




______________________OTHER______________________



FBC: Free Burma Conference Postponed

September 15

<jeremy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Dear Free Burma friends and colleagues,

Thanks so much for agreeing to participate in "Our Cause", the Fifth 
Annual  Working Conference of the Free Burma Coalition.  Unfortunately, 
due to the  recent terrorist attacks and based on feedback from members, 
FBC has  decided to postpone the conference. We are looking to schedule 
the  conference for the weekend of October 27th-28th, but of course it 
is  tentative at this point and depends on what else is going on. 

The Washington, DC office of FBC also wants to let everyone know that we 
 have for the time being decided to forgo both public demonstrations and 
our  Congressional work and we advise that all FBC members do the same. 

We'd also like to say a general "thanks" to all the Burmese 
pro-democracy  forces from around the world who have been so generous in 
their words and  actions over the past few days.  The office has 
received many many messages  of both sympathy and encouragement.  At a 
time when many Americans and  others are piecing together an 
understanding of what has happened, it has  been so encouraging to 
receive these kind words.

Finally, we want to note that our work is far from finished.  The 
Burmese  people are still under attack, many of them quite literally.  
Our email and  fax campaigns will continue and we will never stop 
working for freedom and  democracy as long as Burma suffers.  We must be 
vigilant and sure that  Burma's regime doesn't attempt to exploit 
America's suffering. 
Jeremy Woodrum
Free Burma Coalition
1101 Pennsylvania Ave SE, #204
Washington, DC 20003
202-547-5985
202-544-6118 fax
jeremy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.freeburmacoalition.org 








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