BurmaNet News: November 22-24 2002

[editor at burmanet.org]

November 22-24 2002 Issue #2127

INSIDE BURMA

AP: US: Myanmar failed to probe rapes
DVB: Aung San Suu Kyi welcomed by 50,000 people in Lashio
Radio Myanmar: [Khin Nyunt blames western media over drugs allegations]
DVB: Aung San Suu Kyi arrives in Mu-se border town, meets party member
Myanmar Times: Expanded role of ICRC in Shan state
AFP: Peddlers of knowledge

REGIONAL

Narinjara: Burma urged to expedite return of Muslim refugees

MISCELLANEOUS

Washington Post: No dialogue with thugs
DVB: DVB evening broadcasts now available through satellite


____INSIDE BURMA_______

Associated Press
November 22 2002

U.S.: Myanmar Failed to Probe Rapes


WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration says the Myanmar government has
failed to investigate charges that the country's soldiers engaged in
"extensive, systemic use of rape" in Shan province, where anti-government
forces operate.

Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly accused the government of denying
the allegations without an investigation. "The United States, in
cooperation with other concerned nations, continues to press for a
credible international investigation of these egregious human rights
abuses," Kelly said.

Kelly commented Thursday night in a speech in Washington. The State
Department released the text Friday.

On another subject, Kelly said the record of Myanmar, also known as Burma,
against illicit drug trafficking continues to improve.

"Over the past year, the area under poppy cultivation has declined by 26
per cent, and opium production in the country as a whole is now less than
one-quarter its level in 1996," he said.

However, he said, methamphetamine production, which strikes mostly at
Myanmar's Southeast Asian neighbors, has likely increased.
____

Democratic Voice of Burma
November 23 2002

Aung San Suu Kyi welcomed by 50,000 people in Lashio

It has been learned that Burma's democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and
party has arrived in Lashio today. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and entourage
departed Taunggyi on Thursday [21 November] and paid homage to renowned
Kunlong abbot.
NLD [National League for Democracy] spokesperson U Lwin told DVB
[Democratic Voice of Burma] that Daw Suu arrived Maymyo about 2300 [1630
gmt] via Lawksawk, Pangtara, and Kyaukse. She stayed overnight at Maymyo
and arrived Lashio at 1600.
U Lwin : Daw Suu and party departed Maymyo about 0800 and arrived at
Lashio via Hsipaw about 1600. She has already delivered a speech in
Lashio. About 50,000 people warmly welcomed her. It was a very memorable
moment to see such outpouring of support in Lashio, Shan State. Some say
it equals the standard of support achieved in Mandalay.
______

Radio Myanmar
November 23 2002

[Khin Nyunt blames western media over drugs allegations]

The special meeting 3/2002 of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control
CCDAC was held at the meeting hall of the administrative building of the
Drug Elimination Museum at the corner of Kyundaw Road and Hanthawaddy Road
in Yangon Rangoon at 1400 0730 gmt today. State Peace and Development
Council SPDC Secretary-1 Gen Khin Nyunt attended the meeting and delivered
an address.

SPDC Secretary-1 Gen Khin Nyunt said although Myanmar Burma has been
engaged in anti-drugs activities systematically with increased momentum,
some western media continue making allegations. Moreover, some persons and
organizations under the influence of the big western nations are
constantly making fabricated accusations on Myanmar's anti-drugs
endeavours with negative views. Myanmar's anti-drugs endeavours have
existed throughout history. Under the ancient Myanmar kings the use of
drugs were banned. When Myanmar was under servitude, the imperialists
imported poppy seeds and officially allowed cultivation and trading of
opium...

Further, U Khun Sa, formerly known as an Opium King, and party, abandoned
both opium trading and armed struggle position and returned to the legal
fold. This event stands out as a significant success in drug abuse control
tasks. Thus, marked improvements can be seen in Myanmar's narcotic drugs
abuse control tasks, when compared with the past 15 years. However, some
western media and anti-Myanmar organizations are still concocting
accusations and taking a dim view of Myanmar's anti-drugs achievements.

Regardless of the allegations, the government, with firm pledge, will
continue this campaign until narcotic drugs is entirely wiped out in
Myanmar. In this regard, the local people with positive attitude and
belief are also rendering assistance to the government in these tasks.
Under the leadership of the government, success will no doubt be achieved
in the 15-year narcotic drugs eradication plan in the designated period,
if national organizations and local people actively and unanimously take
part in implementing the plan.

As Myanmar is making constant efforts in drug abuse eradication campaigns
the international community now have a clear vision on Myanmar and are
engaged in drug eradication tasks of Myanmar. In a statement of United
Nations Information Service released on 27 July, there appeared
constructive criticism that Myanmar's endeavours to eliminate narcotic
drugs are genuine actions; however, for long-term achievement Myanmar
alone cannot carry out the tasks without international cooperation. Due to
clarifications about the implementation of the new destiny poppy
cultivation eradication project at international meetings, the project has
now won many approvals. Myanmar has gained the positive views of the UN
Office of Drugs and Crime Agency and the US. It is an encouraging sign
that Myanmar was included in the name list of seven Asian nations which
will compete in UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs to be held in 2003.

As a result of the implementation of the new goal, farmers, of their own
volition, returned poppy seeds and dried opium bulbs to the authorities
concerned. Moreover, ceremonies to burn down the poppy seeds and bulbs
were held in the respective regions. They are significant achievements of
Myanmar's endeavours to wipe out narcotic drugs. Now, poppy growers have
come to realize the dangers of narcotic drugs. Therefore, momentum needs
to be added for the long-term progress of this new goal...

Myanmar has pledged to carry out anti-drugs campaigns as a national duty
with or without assistance from other nations. Under the leadership of the
government and the unity of the national people, the drug elimination goal
will be surely achieved. Therefore, national people and departmental
officials need to cooperate in implementing the 15-year narcotic drugs
elimination plan. passage omitted on reports by CCDAC members

The meeting ended in the evening. After the meeting, SPDC Secretary-1 Gen
Khin Nyunt inspected the Drug Elimination Museum and gave necessary
instructions to responsible officials.
______

Democratic Voice of Burma
November 24 2002

Aung San Suu Kyi arrives Mu-se border town, meets party members

It has been learned that Burma's democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
NLD National League for Democracy Vice-Chairman U Tin Oo, and NLD members
have arrived at Mu-se, a China-Burma border town, today. On the way from
Lashio to Mu-se they stopped for a while at Kutkai. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
and her entourage arrived Kutkai about 1100 0430 gmt where she met and
held talks with Kutkai Township NLD members and the local people.
According to Chinese border sources, they arrived at Mu-se around 1300 and
held talks with township NLD members. Regarding Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's
trip NLD spokesperson U Lwin told the following to DVB Democratic Voice of
Burma . U Lwin - recording They Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and party departed
Lashio this morning and of course they had to pass Hsenwi and Kutkai. They
did not stop there but proceeded straight through to Mu-se. They had
already had their lunch at Mu-se. They are resting and would leave in the
afternoon. They would come back to Lashio and would stay the night there.
End of recording

Although Daw Aung San Suu Kyi met only with the township NLD members in
Kutkai and Mu-se, she delivered an address to the multitude of people that
warmly welcomed her in Lashio. Since the youth cordially greeted Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi, she pegged her speech to the education of the youth. U Lwin
explained Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's speech in Lashio targeted towards the
youth.

U Lwin - recording She said she came to meet the people and remarked that
she would only know the true situation when she sees them. She said it is
time for all the national races to be united. She said since she saw the
youth she wanted to talk a little about youth education. It is definite
the youth must pursue education but when you talk about education it must
be of high standard, it must be widespread among the people, and it should
be affordable. The economy will become high grade only when education is
of a high standard. Politics means the people should know about their
country. Not other countries but your own country. Only when you know the
condition of your country then only you can shape its future. She said in
such a case you should have courage and you need to have courage. Fear
means your own mind is frightening you. End of recording

According to unconfirmed reports, prior to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and
party's arrival Kutkai Township NLD members erected a welcoming banner and
the NLD township office signboard. Since the authorities ordered them to
take down the banner and signboard, they had to take them down before Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi's arrival. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and party will arrived
back at Lashio tonight and will proceed to Hsipaw tomorrow. They will stay
overnight at Maymyo on their return from Hsipaw. The following morning,
Tuesday 26 November , Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will go to Mandalay and she is
expected to pay homage to renowned journalist Ludu Daw Ahmar.
____

Myanmar Times
November 16-24 2002

Expanded role for ICRC in Shan state
By Thet Khaing

THE International Committee of the Red Cross says it plans an expanded
role in Shan State following the outcome of a field trip there earlier
this month. The visit by a team led by the ICRC’s head of mission in
Yangon, Mr Michel Ducraux, had paved the way for expanded protection and
assistance activities in southern and eastern Shan State, the organisation
said in a media statement. The trip had enabled the ICRC to become more
acquainted with the situation in the region and make itself better known
to the local people, the deputy head of its delegation in Yangon, Mr
Alfredo Mallet, told Myanmar Times in an exclusive interview last Friday.
Mr Mallet said the expanded ICRC activities in Shan State would include
providing more equipment for hospitals and improving water supply and
sanitation facilities. The area met the criteria for assistance from the
ICRC, he said.  He said the team had received satisfactory cooperation
from the authorities during the visit, from November 2 to 8. Mr Mallet
said the visit by the team to seven townships, including Taunggyi,
Tachileik, Kyaington and Mong Sat, followed a broader dialogue between the
ICRC and local authorities.
"It (the ICRC) has engaged in a constructive dialogue designed to develop
a relationship of trust with the authorities, and it is seeking to expand
its activities to include other target groups," Mr Mallet said. In line
with ICRC policy, future assessments of the situation in Myanmar would be
reported confidentially to the government "with a view to working out
appropriate measures to ensure the protection and security of the civilian
population," he said Since the establishment of its permanent mission in
Myanmar in 1998, the ICRC has opened five offices through the country,
including one in Kyaington, to carry out health care activities and as
bases for its inspection visits to detention facilities.
______

Agence France-Presse
November 24 2002

Peddlers of knowledge
By Son Moe Wai

Myanmar's once-revered teachers have lost their stature

TEACHERS in Myanmar who were once accorded great respect are seeing their
reputations plummet due to a combination of economic desperation, a purge
in ranks and pressure by the ruling military.

A generation ago, Myanmar's citizens equated their schoolteachers with the
most senior religious scholars, with monks and parents, and in rare
instances placed them on par with Buddha himself. Trust in them was
absolute.

But teachers from Yangon to Mandalay and beyond are finding their
cherished role as keeper of the moral faith has eroded into that of the
huckster, a peddler of knowledge whose price is beyond the means of most
families, say exiles monitoring the country's creaking education system.

"The image of teachers is getting worse now, ever since the regime took
power after a bloody military crackdown on the student-led pro-democracy
movement of 1988," Myanmar teacher Cherry Lulu says.

A former senior faculty member at Yangon's Teacher Training College who
fled to Thailand in the mid-90s, Lulu points to a raft of events and
conditions which have led to a crumbling of respect.

The ruling military junta has blamed teachers for the nationwide crisis of
1988, in which student demonstrations were violently suppressed, leading
to many deaths.

In the aftermath the junta sacked hundreds and perhaps thousands of
teachers who refused to inform on their students' activities, Lulu adds.

Those who admitted under interrogation to supporting pro-democracy leader
Aung San Suu Kyi or a multi-party system were transferred upcountry, or to
areas near the front line of armed ethnic insurgency.

To avoid such fates, several of the more than 200,000 faculty members in
Myanmar are kowtowing to the often rigorous and exploitative demands of
the junta, which are said to include excessive public displays of homage
and large bribes for even the most basic teaching posts.

"I knew the life of Myanmar teachers very well," Lulu says. "Now their
lives are difficult, and salaries are low, and they are teaching privately
to make money."

Official salaries have plummeted in real terms, teachers say.

The headmaster at a standard government high school earns 12,000 kyat per
month -about RM38 on today's widely used black market. Teachers earn just
4,500 kyat (RM14).

"How can they survive on that amount?" Lulu asked.

They can't, and so teachers are forced onto the slippery slope of private
tutoring, a practice illegal in Myanmar but common in virtually every
school district, particularly in Yangon and Mandalay, teachers say.

Newly exiled teacher Wyne Win said students from poor families were the
ultimate losers. Teachers have taken to leaving out key parts of
curricula, only to teach them later in private tutorials that cost
anywhere from 3,000 to 20,000 kyat (RM9.50 to RM63) per month.

Briberies for good examination marks are de riguer. Competition for the
few thousand annual spots in Myanmar's frequently shuttered universities
leads to further exploitation.

"Their efforts to afford the skyrocketing commodity prices while
maintaining good relations with their military rulers are damaging the
integrity of teachers," said Wyne Win, who left Myanmar two months ago.

Another problem tarnishing the image of educators is a requirement that
they pay homage in public to members of the junta and officials in
military attire.

In the past teachers were the recipients of such gestures, usually a bow
and a clasping together of hands at the chest, by all segments of society.

But the tables have turned at the order of the junta, and "now teachers
pay respect to military leaders," Wyne Win said.

Relations between the government and the education system have been
strained for decades in Myanmar.

The All Burma Students Union emerged in the 1930s to oppose British rule,
and spawned the country's modern-day figurehead, General Aung San, and
other national heroes.

Its student union building, where teachers and students gathered to
discuss political issues, was destroyed by Ne Win's military government in
July 1962, and the union was outlawed.

___REGIONAL______

Narinjara News
November 24 2002

Burma Urged to Expedite Return of Muslim Refugees
Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan has called upon the Burma authorities to
expedite the process of repatriation of remaining Muslim Rohingya refugees
languishing in Bangladesh, according to yesterday's the independent
quoting to UNB.
He made the call when he paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of the State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Senior General Than Shwe in Rangoon
Thursday, said a handout.
The foreign Minister said Bangladesh greatly valued its relationship its
Burma and considered that two countries could work as abridge between
ASEAN and SAARC.
"As one of the immediate neighbors, Bangladesh wanted to promote relation
with Burma to its fullest extent," he said.
The foreign Minister categorically said Bangladesh would not allow it soil
for any unlawful activities against its neighbours.
The Burma Military leader assured the Bangladesh Minister of all possible
assistance in maintaining good neighbourly relations.
Earlier in the day, Morshed Khan also met with the Burma Foreign Minister
U Win Aung, the handout added.

___MISCELLANEOUS_______

Washington Post
November 22 2002

No Dialogue With Thugs


FOR THE UNITED STATES to increase its cooperation with the thuggish rulers
of Burma, on the grounds of mutual interest in fighting illegal drugs,
would reflect a surprising gullibility and lack of judgment. This is a
regime, after all, that shelters drug lords and reaps uncounted millions
in the shadow of the drug trade. For Bush administration officials to
consider such a move now, just as Burma's dictators are ratcheting up
their defiance of U.N. mediators, would be almost unthinkable. And yet,
according to The Post's Glenn Kessler, such an upgrading of relations is
being promoted by midlevel State Department officials. Surely the White
House will know better.
Burma is a Southeast Asian nation, rich in resources and natural beauty,
that has been run into the ground by a corrupt and brutal military regime.
Its generals fired on pro-democracy demonstrators in 1988, killing
thousands. It annulled a 1990 election in which the National League for
Democracy won 82 percent of parliamentary seats. It has kept the league's
leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, under house arrest for eight of the past 14
years. Its army has doubled in size since 1988 and includes more child
soldiers than any other fighting force in the world. It uses rape as a
weapon against ethnic minorities. It has been repeatedly condemned by the
United Nations for countenancing forced labor.
It's a regime that would fit comfortably on the axis of evil (and, not
surprisingly, that maintains warm relations with Saddam Hussein). Last
spring, responding to international pressure, the regime freed Ms. Suu
Kyi, the daughter of Burma's independence hero, from house arrest and
promised to begin a dialogue with her aiming toward establishing
democracy. But after that initial gesture, the generals have gone nowhere.
They are not talking to the democrats. They are not permitting her to
publish any kind of newspaper. They are in fact locking up more
pro-democracy activists. The U.N. mediator who brokered her release
recently talked about throwing in the towel.
America's international anti-drug bureaucrats no doubt would welcome a
chance to expand their playing field. They are willing to be persuaded by
a few crop burnings staged for maximum effect. But officials with a wider
horizon should know that the only hope for progress in combating the drug
trade in Burma, as in fighting AIDS and promoting prosperity, is to
bolster Aung San Suu Kyi, not to undermine her.
______

Democratic Voice of Burma
November 23 2002

DVB evening broadcasts now available through satellite

The Democratic Voice of Burma [DVB] is pleased to announce that the DVB
evening programmes could now be received through the satellite TV.
The programme is broadcast through Asia Sat II. You can listen to crisp
and clear DVB programmes from the satellite TV by choosing any one of the
available six European channels and setting the audio bit to 2133, left
channel.
The DVB evening programmes could now be received by either short-wave
radio or satellite TV channel.