BurmaNet News: December 17 2002

[editor at burmanet.org]

December 17 2002 Issue #2141

INSIDE BURMA

SCMP: Ne Win: Myanmar’s strongman began with a method to his madness
AP:  Bangladesh: Myanmar Ruler Vows Democracy
Xinhua: Myanmar makes efforts to improve irrigation

GUNS

Asian Tribune: Myanmar gets low-calibre Indian artillery

DRUGS

AFP: US denies Myanmar drug status upgrade: junta
AFP: Thai army kills five suspected traffickers on Myanmar border
Xinhua: Myanmar pledges to continue drug eradication efforts
Myanmar Times: US envoy congratulates govt on narcotics control work

MONEY

AFP: Myanmar, Bangladesh agree on road, cooperation on ASEAN

REGIONAL

AP:  Thai high court rules Myanmar gas pipeline legal

STATEMENTS/OTHER

J School: Accepting Applications for Journalism School
IFJ:  Extension of call for entries for IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize

INSIDE BURMA

South China Morning Post December 17 2002

Myanmar's strongman began with a method to his madness
By William Barnes

The death of Myanmar's former strongman, Ne Win, this month was an
opportunity widely taken to flay his dismal record as a national leader
and eccentric character.

But for all his much-trumpeted quirks, Ne Win's journey to power was less
mad and more organised than is generally recognised. After all, he did
take definitive control of the chaotic country after his coup in 1962.

During the civil war that followed independence in 1948, the ethnic Karen
forces fought Ne Win's army on the outskirts of Yangon. It was Ne Win's
finest hour. The experience of surviving provided the military with a
vital esprit de corps, a feeling that anything was possible with enough
determination. Many histories, certainly contemporary reviews, credit the
success of the coup largely to Ne Win's charisma and the respect of his
troops. This may have been important but it overlooks a perhaps more
important point.

In the years immediately after 1948, army commanders in the field had an
unusual degree of freedom. Desperately short of resources, they did deals
with local rebels, made money by taxing smugglers, traded in weapons and
generally behaved like little warlords.

Yet during the 1950s, when the country was partaking of its brief, chaotic
experiment with democracy, the military underwent vigorous reform.

Analyst Mary Callahan wrote a few years ago: "There is a tendency even
today to hold up Ne Win as the residual cause for whatever curious
politics or reforms come out of the country.

"No amount of charisma could have pulled off either the coup of 1962 or
the radical reforms that followed if the military planning staff . . . had
not laid the framework," she said.

In other words, a decade was spent creating an institution which, by the
standards of the time and place, worked unusually well. That the army
embarked after its coup on a radical restructuring of the economy was no
whim of Ne Win's. Army officers had studied the foreign domination of the
economy for years. A psychological warfare section had devoted itself to
winning the hearts and minds of a bemused population.

It was an unfortunate accident of history that the nation-building forces
in Myanmar found their strongest, plainest expression not in any political
party but in the military. This again was no Ne Win conspiracy.

The ruling civilian coalition was a mess that might have developed into
something under the independence hero Aung San. But this powerful
personality was assassinated by a rival almost on the eve of independence,
leaving an organisation that had little power to implement policy outside
the capital.

The ruling coalition was riven with tensions that hindered the development
of workable policy, thwarted the ambitions of enterprising men and failed
to provide a satisfactory outlet even for venting political differences.

The country ended up with the irascible Ne Win - an intelligent man who
spent many of his formative years in the company of friends-cum-rivals
such as Aung San and U Nu, who later became prime minister. What Ne Win
had that his former friends did not was both an organisation and a plan.

It was probably not a very good plan even by the post-colonial standards
of many newly free countries of the time, but it was a plan for all that.

Ne Win was fond of saying in the early years after the coup that "cardinal
virtues such as mutual trust, magnanimity and the spirit of co-operation
are almost non-existent". Could it not be argued that that situation
exists today? For all his faults, Ne Win set himself achievable targets.
Who has a plan for Myanmar now? The military's goal is mere survival. The
opposition's goal is to get the military out - but then what? If the past
half-century has taught potential leaders of Myanmar anything, it is that
nothing can be done without a strong platform and a clearly defined end.
Too many of the military's opponents define themselves by their opposition
to the regime - not by their ambition. William Barnes is the Post's
correspondent based in Bangkok
________

Associated Press December 17, 2002

Bangladesh: Myanmar Ruler Vows Democracy

Myanmar's military ruler has promised a return to democracy, the country's
leader was quoted as saying by the Bangladeshi government Tuesday. But
there was no indication of when the ruling junta might allow elections or
a new constitution.

"The military establishment has no intention to deny democracy to the
Myanmar people, and state power ultimately belongs to the people. The
present set up is a transitional arrangement," Bangladesh Foreign
Secretary Shamser Mobin Chowdhury quoted Myanmar's Senior Gen. Than Shwe
as telling the Bangladeshi prime minister on Tuesday.

Apart from the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and some
political detainees, Myanmar's military junta has made no other
concessions or given any indication that it is getting ready to give up
its grip on power.

The Myanmar side did not hold any news briefing after the meetings in
Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital.

The Myanmar leader arrived Tuesday in Dhaka on a two-day visit, aiming to
promote trade, communication links and cultural exchanges.
________

Xinhua News Agency December 17 2002

Myanmar makes efforts to improve irrigation

Myanmar, as an agro-based country, the government places much emphasis on
the construction of land irrigation facilities and encouraging 
achievements have been made in the past 14 years.

According to the latest figures of the Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture and
Irrigation, during the past 14 years since 1988, the government has
injected 58 billion Kyats (about 193 million US dollars) in the
construction of irrigation facilities, building a total of 140 dams and
reservoirs and irrigating 810,000 hectares of farmland. In addition, 36
more such facilities are under implementation.

The figures also show that 265 river water pumping projects have been
implemented to benefit 114,210 hectares of farmland. Besides, 26 more such
projects are under implementation to irrigate 68,040 hectares.

Moreover, 103 river water pumping projects are designated to be
implemented for irrigating 106,515 hectares more farmland.

Despite certain achievements made by Myanmar in land irrigation facilities
construction, the completed ones are far from meeting the country's
demand.

Up to now, Myanmar's irrigated area accounts for only 13.16 percent of its
cultivated area. Out of 1,073.87 billion cubic-meters of water flowing in
the country's rivers and creeks, only 37 billion cubic-meters or 3.4
percent has been put on use.

Out of 18.225 million hectares of Myanmar's cultivable land, 10. 12
million hectares have been put under crops with 8.1 million hectares of
vacant land remaining to be reclaimed.

This year, Myanmar's paddy cultivated area was 6.63 million hectares and
the output was about 22.78 million tons.

During the first eight months of this year, Myanmar exported 740,000 tons
of rice, earning 90 million dollars.

Myanmar's agricultural output value accounts for 42 percent of its gross
domestic product.
_________

GUNS

Asian Tribune  December 17, 2002

Myanmar gets low-calibre Indian artillery

New Delhi: In line with its new policy of doing business with the military
junta in Myanmar, India has begun shipping low-calibre artillery pieces,
ammunition and pyrotechnic signalling devices to Yangon.

The first consignment of these artillery pieces, drawn from ordnance
stores at Jabalpur and Panagarh, was shipped last month. The Army's
Eastern Command will also be sending the second consignment, comprising
ammunition for the artillery, mortar pieces and signal hardware.

Once the shipment is completed, an Army delegation will travel to Myanmar
to familiarise their counterparts with the equipment.

The cargo for Yangon includes:

* 40,000 rounds of high-explosive (HE) ammunition for the 75/24 mm howitzer

* 5000 rounds of smoke ammunition for the 120-mm mortar and 20,000 rounds
of HE mortar ammunition

* 25,000 rounds for the 40 mm L-70 AD gun

* Pyrotechnic signalling devices, 25,000 rounds each of red, green and white

* 5000 rounds for the Carl Gustav rocket launchers

The military export follows the visit to India in February this year by
Maj Gen Thura Shwe Mann of the SPDC - the junta functions as the State
Peace and Development Council - which evinced interest in Indian ordnance
equipment.

Sources at Army headquarters said the Myanmarese fancied the 105-mm
artillery gun but the request was turned down. Artillery pieces of lower
calibre were instead shipped across with the promise to "familiarise and
train" them.

In February 2001, India signalled the start of a new phase in relations
with its eastern neighbour when the then External Affairs Minister,
Jaswant Singh, flew to Myanmar to open the strategic
Kalay-Kalewa-Kyigon-Tamu road constructed by the Indian Border Roads
Organisation. This stretch will form part of the designated Asian Highway
from Singapore to Istanbul.

New Delhi considers Yangon as the gateway to the ASEAN though it is aware
of the growing Chinese influence in Myanmar. India is also discussing
measures to check North-East insurgents operating out of bases in Myanmar.

DRUGS

Agence France-Presse December 17 2002

US denies Myanmar drug status upgrade: junta

The United States has told Myanmar it has failed to take enough steps to
combat drugs production for it to be certified as cooperating in the fight
against narcotics, the country's junta said in a statement released here.

"The Government of Myanmar has been informed that its attempt to come into
compliance with the US State Department's anti-narcotics program, and thus
be certified by the Bush Administration for meeting certain basic
anti-narcotics achievements, has been denied," the statement said.

"The denial comes after a massive effort by Myanmar to achieve a series of
drug-eradication accomplishments including significant decreases in opium
production and cooperation with U.S. law enforcement authorities."
________-

Agence France-Presse December 17 2002

Thai army kills five suspected traffickers on Myanmar border

Five suspected drug traffickers have been killed in a fierce gunbattle
with Thai soldiers near the Myanmar border that also netted a haul of
weapons and cash, the army said Tuesday.

A group of about 15 armed men engaged in a 10-minute firefight with Thai
troops Sunday in Chiang Mai province, about six kilometres (four miles)
from the frontier, the army said in a statement. Three AK-47 assault
rifles, two hand grenades and 370,000 baht (8,500 dollars) in cash was
left at the scene when the rest of the gunmen fled, it said, adding that
they were believed to be from the Myanmar-allied ethnic Wa militia.

Third Army Commander Major General Udomchai Ongkasing said the group was
ferrying money earned in the drugs trade.

"They were armed drug traffickers who were carrying money back to their
base because they don't want to deposit it in Thai banks any more," he
said, adding that the government had been confiscating suspect cash.

Since October there have been four clashes between Thai troops and drugs
traffickers which have left 10 gunmen dead and 15 arrested.

The Thais accuse the United Wa State Army, a group which has signed a
ceasefire deal with Myanmar's military government, of controlling the
trade in opium and methamphetamines.

______

Xinhua News Agency December 17 2002

Myanmar pledges to continue drug eradication efforts

Myanmar pledged on Tuesday to continue its drug eradication efforts
despite the United States' declination to certify Myanmar for
anti-narcotics cooperation.

The pledge came after the Myanmar government was informed that its attempt
to come into compliance with the US State Department's anti-narcotics
program, and thus be certified by the Bush administration for meeting
certain basic anti-narcotics achievements, has been denied.

"Our struggle to become a drug-free society will continue on track with or
without American recognition for our efforts," Myanmar government
spokesman Hla Min said in a statement released here Tuesday night. Hla Min
blamed that the US denial came after a massive efforts by Myanmar to
achieve a series of drug-eradication accomplishments including significant
decrease in opium production and cooperation with US law enforcement
authorities.

Hla Min claimed that Myanmar has been able to cut its opium production to
a record low and will reduce the production by half again next year from
800 tons to 400 tons, working with ethnic tribes in the Golden Triangle
region.

He also pledged that under limited resources and no outside assistance,
Myanmar will continue to fight the proliferation of methamphetamine labs
which operate in remote jungles, using precursor chemicals smuggled in
from Thailand and elsewhere outside of Myanmar.

Hla Min said that huge reduction in opium production has been made even
though the certification process fell victim into US politics, saying that
it was an overwhelming landslide of media and political pressure to deny
Myanmar's progress by connecting politics to narcotics law enforcement.

He pointed out that the international community clearly realizes that lack
of participation, interest or will of the consumer nations or the demand
side will make the task of drug eradication almost impossible and unfair.

He maintained that despite this major handicap, Myanmar will continue its
efforts, not for the sake of the United States, but for the sake of
Myanmar's youth of today and future generations as well.
_____

Myanmar Times December 9-15 2002

US envoy congratulates govt on narcotics control work
By Kimberly Fielding and Thet Khaing

The United States charge d’ affaires, Ms Carmen Martinez, has
congratulated the government for its efforts to cut drug production and
reiterated Washington’s support for a home-grown political settlement in
Myanmar. In an exclusive interview with Myanmar Times last Tuesday, Ms
Martinez said the decline in opium production in Myanmar and increasing
international cooperation in the fight against drugs were welcome
developments. "The government has done a good job on counter narcotics
efforts," said the envoy, who took up her appointment in August. Ms
Martinez said the US was aware that the drug control work undertaken by
the government was "really difficult, given the resources." She encouraged
the government to continue its efforts to combat illegal drugs. Narcotics
could destabilise societies through both addiction and the use of funds
from the drug trade for other illegal activities, she said. The interview
came ahead of a decision by US President George Bush this week on
Myanmar’s cooperation in narcotics control. While declining to comment on
Myanmar’s prospects in this year’s classification process, Ms Martinez
said many considerations, including the arrest of traffickers and action
against money laundering offences, would be taken into account in Mr
Bush’s decision. Ms Martinez said a visit to Washington last May by a
senior anti-narcotics official, Brigadier-General Kyaw Thein, for talks
with senior Bush Administration officials on bilateral cooperation in the
fight against drugs was a "very important step." They were the highest
level talks on narcotics issues between the two sides in more than a
decade. Ms Martinez, a career diplomat who described her Yangon posting as
"interesting and tough," said Washington was in favour of a dialogue on
humanitarian issues with the government and civil society in Myanmar. "We
continue our support for democracy in the largest, broadest, most general
sense," she said, adding that the people of Myanmar have to find a
solution in "their style of government".  "We are not trying to impose our
style on this country or on the people. "We can understand how it is
difficult to have a democracy in a multi-racial and multi-religious
society; [it] is a difficult test," Ms Martinez said. "There are
similarities between our country and this country; we have diverse ethnic
groups, diversity of religions," she said. "We wish that foreign
journalists could be permitted to visit the country, because there are
positive things going on [and] there are changes going on, and the story
of this country will be written by the press," Ms Martinez said. Despite
political differences, the Myanmar authorities had been sympathetic
towards the needs of the US mission in Yangon. Ms Martinez said the
government had cooperated in a plan to move the American embassy from
Merchant Road to a new site, though the location and a date for the
relocation were yet to be decided. "Disagreements on policies and
political theory are very deep rooted, we have great differences there,
but on the basis of how you are treated as a diplomat, I think it has been
good," Ms Martinez said. She also expressed her appreciation of the
government’s pledge to support US operations to recover the remains of an
estimated 600 American servicemen thought to have died in plane crashes in
northern Myanmar during World War Two. As part of a familiarisation
program for the operation, three members of the Myanmar army had travelled
to Hawaii last month to visit a US army laboratory that specialises in
identifying human remains, Ms Martinez said. "It is a really important
issue for the US and I think the people of the US will be very grateful to
the people of this country," she said.

MONEY

Agence France-Presse December 17 2002

Myanmar, Bangladesh agree on road, cooperation on Asean
By Nadeem Qadir

Myanmar and Bangladesh on Tuesday agreed to boost bilateral ties with
linking their two capitals by road "at the earliest," a foreign ministry
spokesman said.

"Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe responded positively to (Bangladesh)
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's proposal for linking Dhaka and Yangon by road
at the earliest," Foreign Secretary Shamser Mobin Chowdhury told
reporters.

He added:"Task forces on studying technical and economic feasibility study
on the road link will be set up at the earliest." Chowdhury said Than
Shwe, in reply to Zia's request on backing Bangladesh's eagerness to join
the Asian Regional Forum (ARF), responded by saying "we will not only help
Bangladesh, but will also talk with other ASEAN members to support
Bangladesh."

Joining ARF is the first step in becoming a dialogue partner of the
Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Dhaka is seeking it as
part of its efforts to develop ties with its eastern neighbours who have
made great economic strides.

Zia termed the visit as a "historical one" and hoped it has opened "a new
era of bilateral ties."

Zia told reporters "the talks have been very fruitful."

Foreign affairs analysts here said a road link between the two capitals
would open wider links to ASEAN member countries.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Earlier on the day, Than Shwe arrived on his maiden visit to neighbouring
Bangladesh and held official talks with Zia.

Than Shwe, Myanmar's military commander-in-chief, prime minister and
defence minister, was greeted by Zia and cabinet members as he arrived at
the colourfully decorated Zia International Airport in Dhaka.

Four Bangladesh Air Force fighter aircraft had escorted his plane as it
landed and a 21 gun-salute heralded his arrival.

The leader reviewed an armed forces honour guard before driving to the
nearby National Martyrs' Memorial, dedicated to those who died in
Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence.

Myanmar, formerly Burma, was among the first countries to recognise
Bangladesh after it won independence from Pakistan in 1971.

Than Shwe, whose planned trip last year was cancelled due to illness, is
the first leader of Myanmar's junta to visit Bangladesh. In 1986 the then
president Yu San Wu came to Dhaka.

He is accompanied on his two-day visit by a 38-member delegation,
including his wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and two daughters.

The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding and agreement.

Among the delegation are Foreign Minister Win Aung, Commerce Minister
Brigadier General Pyi Sone and Industry Minister Aung Thaung.

He will also meet President Iajuddin Ahmed on Wednesday.

Current trade between Bangladesh and Mynamar is very small.

Relations between the neighbours were strained in the early 1990s when
around 250,000 Rohingya Muslims flooded into Bangladesh from Myanmar,
claiming atrocities by the junta.

Ties have improved since then, with the repatriation of most of the
refugees under a United Nations agreement, but more than 20,000 still live
in camps in Bangladesh.

The spokesman said Than Shwe also assured of repatriating the remaining
Rohingyas through proper process.

REGIONAL

Associated Press - Tuesday, December 17, 2002

Thai high court rules Myanmar gas pipeline legal

Dismissing objections from social and environmental activists, Thailand's
Constitutional Court ruled Tuesday that construction of a gas pipeline
from Myanmar to Thailand was legal.

Prominent social critic Sulak Sivaraksa had petitioned the court to rule
the pipeline illegal, arguing that it violated the Thai constitution by
damaging the environment and private property.

The 238-kilometer (148-mile) pipeline was built between 1996 and 1998. It
carries natural gas from Myanmar across the border to an electrical power
plant in Thailand's Ratchaburi province, 95 kilometers (60 miles) west of
Bangkok. The plant has been operating since Oct. 2000.

The court ruled by a vote of 12 to 1 that the state-controlled Petroleum
Authority of Thailand, or PTT, did not violate the law by building the
pipeline. Two judges who had originally voted not to accept Sulak's
petition did not vote.

"The majority of judges ruled that PTT has the legal right to lay the
pipeline through the jungles and cut down trees if necessary. It is not
against the constitution. But if the agency caused damage to public or
private property, PTT will have to pay compensation,'' Judge Jul Adirek
said at a news conference.

Thai environmentalists say the pipeline's construction damaged rain
forests and displaced wildlife.

Social and political activists charge that the project profits fund
Myanmar's military regime, which has a poor human rights record and
refuses to hand over power to a democratically elected government.

They also charge that Myanmar's military junta used forced labor to build
pipeline infrastructure on its side of the border.

A U.S. federal appeals court in September reinstated a lawsuit on behalf
of Myanmar farmers, alleging that Unocal Corp. _ part of the consortium
that built the pipeline _ was legally responsible for the alleged human
rights violations.

The allegations against the El Segundo, California-based Unocal include
complicity in slavery, murder and rape, which the farmers say were carried
out by the Southeast Asian nation's military. The military provided the
company with security and other help in the pipeline venture with the
Myanmar government.

Unocal has repeatedly denied the accusation.

STATEMENTS/OTHER

J School December 17 2002

Accepting Applications for Journalism School:

The J School will offer a full-time, residential program to teach
journalism to people from border and migrant communities starting next May
2003. The program will run for 10 months of classes followed by 3-month
internships at news organisations in the region or elsewhere.

The school’s main goal will be to increase the pool of independent and
skilled reporters and editors working for all ethnic communities. The
school will give16 young people intensive training in independent
journalism, concentrating on print media skills, with classes on adapting
those skills to radio. By the end of the program, students will have the
skills and knowledge to start their own media projects or to work with
existing news groups along the border.

The training approach will be practical and interactive. The first 3
months will concentrate on English lessons to prepare students for the
7-month journalism course, which will be taught in English. World affairs,
learning skills, computer skills and Thai will also be taught.

Applicants must meet the following qualifications:
-  Have a strong interest in media and the news and be interested in
learning news reporting skills.
-  Want to have a career in journalism.
-  Be able to speak, read and write English at an intermediate level.
-  Be able to commit to working along the border as a journalist or on
media issues for 2 years.  -  Be available to move full-time to the school
by the time class starts on May 5, 2003
-  Have sent their application to the J School on or before February 7, 2003.

If you are interested in applying or would like more information, please
email the J School at:  jschool at pobox.com

______

International Federation of Journalists December 17 2002

Extension of call for entries for IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has extended the
deadline for entries for the IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize until 21
January 2003.

The IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize, promoting tolerance, combating
racism and discrimination, will be awarded to journalists in five regions
of the world: Latin America; Central and Western Africa; Eastern and
Southern Africa; South Asia; and South East Asia.

In each region three prizes of Euro1,000 each will be awarded: one each
for entries from print/on-line, radio and television.

The Prize, supported by the European Union, has been launched at a time
when cultural, religious and ethnic differences are increasingly
contributing to instability and unrest in many regions of the world.

Entries should be submitted directly to the IFJ Journalism for Tolerance
Prize office in the relevant region (a list of offices is attached to this
release) and must be submitted in accordance with the rules of the
competition.

PLEASE NOTE:

- Entry forms are available from the IFJ, journalists' organisations in
each region or online http://www.ifj.org
- Entry is free and will close on 21 JANUARY 2003
- Three separate categories: television, radio and print/on-line
- Entries must have been published/broadcast between 1 JANUARY 2002 and 31
DECEMBER 2002

For more information visit: http://www.ifj.org

Or contact:

Emma Walters
IFJ Asia-Pacific Project Office
C/- Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance,
245 Chalmers St,
Redfern Sydney NSW 2016
AUSTRALIA
Tel: + 612 9333 0999 or 612 9333 0950
Fax:  + 612 9333 0933
Email:  federal at alliance.org.au or emma.walters at alliance.org.au

WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD OF DEVELOPMENT

IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize South East Asia office:
C/O THE ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS (AJI)
JL. LAN NO.12 A PEJOMPONGAN,
JAKARTA 10210
INDONESIA
TELEPHONE +62 21 5711044
FAX. +62 21 5711063
E-MAIL: ajioffice at aji-indonesia.or.id

ALL ENTRIES SHOULD BE CLEARLY MARKED
IFJ JOURNALISM FOR TOLERANCE PRIZE