BurmaNet News: August 19 2003

[editor at burmanet.org]

August 19 2003 Issue #2308

INSIDE BURMA
DVB: Gen Khin Nyunt meets ceasefire groups’ leaders
DVB: Ex-NLD MPs sent an open letter to General Than Shwe
DVB: Policemen were arrested for their opinions
Kao Wao: Buddhist Monks: Stay Away from Politics
Kaladan: Money Extorted From Farmers for Model Village

MONEY
Guardian: PricewaterhouseCoopers involvement in Burma

REGIONAL
DVB: Where would the new Road Map Plan lead to?

STATEMENT
SUARAM:  Burmese Asylum Seekers Arrested in Malaysia


INSIDE BURMA

Democratic Voice of Burma   August 19, 2003
Gen Khin Nyunt meets ceasefire groups’ leaders

Sr Gen Maung Aye, the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) deputy
commander in chief of the Defence Services, and party has been visiting
China, while Gen Khin Nyunt, the SPDC chief of military intelligence, met
and held talks with the leaders of the cease-fire groups in Rangoon on 18
August.

The leaders of nine ceasefire groups are being seen individually and
mainly regional development issues are being discussed, said one leader of
a ceasefire group. When asked if the general explained to him May 30
Dipeyin incident to him, the same leader said that he is unable to say the
details of the discussion.

According to earlier reports, the ethnic national leaders were summoned to
Rangoon to meet the general because seven ceasefire groups sent a letter
to the SPDC’s leader general Than Shwe on the 1st of July in concerning
with Dipeyin incident.

The seven are Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), New Mon State Party
(NMSP), Kayan New Land Party (KNLP), Karenni Nationals People Liberation
Front (KNPLF), Shan State Nationalities People’s Liberation Organisations
(SSNPLO), Palaung State Liberation Organisation (PSLO) and Shan State
Peace Council (SSPC).

According to today’s Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN), all the ceasefire
groups were met by the deputy military intelligence chief, Maj Gen Kyaw
Win on Saturday. Quoting a Shan delegate who attended the meeting, SHAN
said that the general didn’t say a word about the joint statement of the
seven groups but elaborately explained to them about the 30 May Dipeyin
incident.
_____________________

Democratic Voice of Burma   August 19, 2003
Ex-NLD MPs sent an open letter to General Than Shwe

Twenty MPs dismissed from NLD party sent open letter to SPDC Chairman Sr
Gen Than Shwe to form interim government.

The letter, dated 7 August, contained seven points and the main point is
to form an interim government as soon as possible.

The letter suggested those that should be in the interim government are
persons selected by the military government, political party
representatives from the CRPP (Committee Representing People's
Parliament), and ethnic national leaders who signed ceasefire agreements.

All political parties should be allowed to be members of the CRPP, urges
the letter.

Moreover the military and the CRPP should jointly find means to allow all
armed groups that have not signed cease-fire agreements to participate in
the interim administration, the letter suggested.

The letter also proposed that the three tasks of the interim government
should be
- to release all the political prisoners immediately
- to grant amnesty for all the atrocities committed by the military
government in the past 15 years, and
- to convene a peoples' assembly based on the results of the 1990 elections.

The letter was posted to SPDC Chairman Sr Gen Than Shwe and copies were
also sent to National League for Democracy (NLD), Shan Nationalities
League for Democracy (SNLD), National Unity Party (NUP), and the other
seven legally-standing political parties.

A representative from an ethnic national party told the DVB that it hasn’t
received the letter and it is assumed that it was confiscated by the
postal authority but the contents of the letter were informed to them by
phone.

The signatories to the letter on behalf of the expelled 20 NLD MPs :
- Daw Khin Aye Myint, the MP of Yankin Township, Rangoon Division
- U Kyi Win the MP of No.1, Mingaladon Township, Rangoon Division
- U Tin Tun Maung the MP of No.2 Mingladon Township in Rangoon
- U Than Tun, the MP of No.2, Daydayae Township in Irrawaddy Division
- U Tin Win the MP of No.2, Kyaiklat Township, Irrawaddy Division
- U Tun Shwe the MP of No.2, Moenyo Township, Pegu Division.

We have reported that a meeting was held at Daw Khin Win Myint’s house on
the 1st of August to discuss this matter, but it was not known then that
the MPs were going to send a letter thus but it was rumoured that the MPs
were having a meeting for anti-Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD activities.

The observers on Burmese politics are surprised by the MPs’ change of
tactic from being anti-Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD to anti-military
government.

The observers are at the same time puzzled by the exclusion of the demands
for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the enquiry into Dipeyin
incident.

On the other hand, they are also questioning the timing of the MPs’ action
as the letter comes out almost at the same time as that of Thailand’s road
map proposal.
______________________

Democratic Voice of Burma   August 18, 2003
Policemen were arrested for their opinions

Six policemen were dismissed and sent to one year imprisonment with hard
labour for expressing their dissatisfaction with the Tabayin incident on
30 May.

In June, some policemen from Khamaunggyi police station, Kawthaung
Township, discussed loudly and openly their opinion when they were drunk.

“Although senior police officers warned them, they talked back instead of
being quiet,” said some local residents. “As a result, they were detained
on 13 June and the police tribunal heard the final hearing on 3 August and
dismissed them from services.”

Although there have been some reports about the dissatisfaction with the
Tabayin incident on 30 May among the police and the defense services, it
is the first time that someone have been charged and punished.

Another similar accident happened on 5 August. Military intelligence
personnel arrested Ko Yu Lwin from Monywa, for participating in the 30 May
incident and his mother Phwa Tin.

Those dismissed from police services
- Thein Win (the Police Superintendent)
- Tin Tun (Sergeant, Police Corporal)
- Khin Maung Win (Police Privates)
- Zaw Zaw (Police Privates)
- Zaw Zaw Aung (Police Privates)
- Myo Zaw Oo (Police Privates)

According to our source, authorities are planning to transfer them from
Kawthaung to Mergui jail.
______________________

Kao Wao News Group   August 14, 2003,
Buddhist Monks: Stay Away from Politics
By Banya Hongsar

Bangkok—The Rangoon regime recently ordered Buddhist monks in Moulmein,
the capital of Mon State, to stay away from engaging in politics. Ministry
of Home Affair warned that Buddhist monks must remain in the temples if
there is a ‘people strike’ in towns.  Army Generals lack understanding of
Buddhist monks’ role in national reconciliation and civil society building
process.

For over ten years, the Rangoon regime has routinely killed, jailed,
mistreated, and disrobed leading Buddhist monks who support peace,
democracy, and human rights in the country. Members of the Sangkha led by
the Supreme Monk Council in Rangoon are powerless to influence the Rangoon
regime to not attack democracy activists in Burma, instead they are
preached at and threatened by Senior Generals to shut up and are
manipulated to sign documents saying they will stay away from politics.

Pro-democracy Buddhist monk communities especially in Mandalay, Rangoon,
and Moulmein and other major cities remain active in cooperating with
young students and politicians to bring about a “Regime Change”. In the
last week of July, Burmese secret agents searched for hard evidence
linking anti-Rangoon activities to the Suvannabumi Mon Temple in Thaketa
Town, a source from Rangoon said.

The Rangoon based Mon Young Monks Organization works to enhance the role
of civil society in the context of religious teaching. A few Mon monks
have published annual “Magazines” both in Mon and Burmese languages as
well as opening free “Summer Classes’” to Mon children in Rangoon and the
surrounding area. The Burmese Secret Police keep a close watch over such
activities for many years but the Monks’ community carefully conducts
teaching classes in line with Buddhist rules.

Last year, the Rangoon based Mon youth monks were restricted to publish an
“annual magazine” instead they hand copies to local New Mon State Party
members for publication and distribution. The magazine contains no
political content but the publication is aimed to encourage Mon children
who do not have enough reading material during the school holiday.

According to a media release by “Central Mon Literature and Culture
Association” on June 2002, 34 senior representatives of a language
committee has a policy to foster the teaching and learning of Mon language
with a collective effort of local Buddhist temples and community halls.

The Department of Religious Affairs never acknowledges the existing Mon
Civil Society led by senior monks in the Mon Territory. The pro-democracy
Buddhist monk community has been involved in a “People Uprising” along
with their fellow layman in all important historic events, in 1947, 1988
and 1990 democracy campaigns.

Local Buddhist monks do not seek power in Burma. Leading senior Buddhist
monks have always played a key role in shaping civil society and harmony
based on the teaching of the Buddha Gotama. The Rangoon regime led by
Senior General Than Shwe distorts the image of the Buddhist community
while he uses his thug groups to beat up people and attack leaders of the
National League for Democracy and democracy activists.  Former Dictator
General Ne Win acted like Saddam Hussein in oppressing a religious
community and anyone who criticizes his government.

Senior Buddhist monks are banned from publishing public statements of
social concern to the nation, a practice that has been part of Buddhism
for at least 2 thousand years. The Ministry of Home Affairs employs
thousands of military personnel as informers in major temples in Rangoon,
Mandalay, Moulmein and other major cities in the last ten years to keep an
active “Watch” on the activities of young monks in the temples. Informers
work as “Temple Men” in major temples including even Burma’s temples
abroad to obtain information.

The Rangoon Regime fools the public by holding its own ceremonies and
religious events while joining in the gathering in full uniform. Moreover,
Pro-Regime senior monks are offered television sets and other luxury items
for the temple as a bribe.

Some Buddhist monks have gone to great lengths and have risked their lives
in promoting national reconciliation. The role of senior monks and monk
scholars cannot be overlooked and must have a place in the future of Burma
or the transition to peace and stability may be disrupted for decades to
come. Thousands of pro-democracy monks in Mandalay, Rangoon and Moulmein
have the capacity to lead peace and promote civil society in their
respected towns and villages.

Rev Uttama, Rev Wisara and their fellow monks were against British rule
and the monks in Bangkok played a leading role in assisting the Burma
Independence Army (BIA) led by General Aung San in a Bangkok Buddhist
Temple in the 1940s to achieve independence. Senior Mon monks located at
Yannawa in Bangkok now administer the temple.

For many years, leading senior monks have distanced themselves from the
corrupt Rangoon regime but focus instead on Buddha’s teaching. However,
the Generals obsessed with their grip on power seek out those who fall
prey to “Honorary Titles.”

There was a well-recorded history of Monk’s initiatives in the Burmese
political context but its track record has been removed from the archives.
The Buddha once said: “A man without moral principles should not receive
homage of others”. However, the Rangoon Generals have forced ordinary
people to “worship” them in public events.

The Rangoon Generals treat the Buddhist monk as a religious worker and
receives no social access to government services. Educated monks have left
to other countries for further studies because they are excluded from
participating in society.
________________________

Kaladan News   August 19, 2003
Money Extorted From Farmers for Model Village

Buthidaung, August17:  The Buthidaung Township Peace and Development
Council (TPDC) Chairman had extorted Kyat 250,000/-from five farmers under
the pretext of establishing a model village for Buddhist settlers,
according to our correspondent.

On August 9, 2003, by the order of TPDC Chairman, a survey team headed by
an officer named San Mya Kyaw went to the village of Nanragoon in
Buthidaung Township of Arakan State and made a field survey of the
farmland measuring about 22 acres to establish a model village for the new
settlers, he further added.

Then the TPDC had seized a total of 22 acres of farmland belonging to five
Rohingya farmers of the village as follows: 4 acres from Mohamed Yunus,
son of Fayas, 3 acres from Mohamed Tayub, son of Golam Hussain, 4.6 acres
from Farid Ullah, son of Gulam Hussain, 6 acres from Abul Hussain, son of
Hussain and 4.4 acres from Gura Meah, son of Hussain, a villager said to
our source.

After a few days, when the five farmers approached to the Chairman of the
TPDC with request to spare their farmland from the project of the model
village, the victims had to pay a bribe of Kayats 250,000/- in demand for
the purpose, he further said.


MONEY

The Guardian (London)   August 19, 2003
City diary (excerpt)
By Richard Adams

The Burma Campaign UK is preparing its latest "dirty list", naming and
shaming those companies prepared to take filthy lucre from doing business
in Burma, home to the world's most brutal military regime. In the process
of checking its facts, the campaign wrote to those with an active
involvement in Burma for an explanation. Last week it had a reply from a
senior partner at accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers. "The UK member firm
of the PricewaterhouseCoopers network of firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, has no presence in nor any associations with any organisation in
Burma," wrote Kieran Poynter. Excellent. "Further, the
PricewaterhouseCoopers network of firms does not have a member firm in
Burma." Hats off . . . hang on, what's this? "One member of the
PricewaterhouseCoopers network does have an ownership interest in an
entity operating in Burma . . ." oops! ". . . but we understand that such
interest is in the process of being re-evaluated." To recap: PwC does not
do business in Burma - except for the part of PwC that does do business in
Burma. Simple.


REGIONAL

Democratic Voice of Burma  August 18, 2003
Where would the new Road Map Plan lead to?

The Road Map plan consists of two parts. The first one involves dialogues
within Burma and between the international communities. The plan is for
SPDC to take the advice from opposition groups inside Burma and
international communities. Then the military junta is expected to discuss
and implement those advices, according to DVB’s source.

The plan was split into two parts because SPDC said that it is unable to
accept the interference of the international community in the domestic
affairs of Burma, said a source who is close to the circle.

Also, our source told DVB that the Thai government particularly wants the
SPDC to attend an international meeting and to accept Thailand to.

In order to implement the plan, the Thai government is also planning to
organise an international conference on Burma before the upcoming ASEAN
meeting in October which would be attended by China, Japan, EU and the US.

At the moment, Thailand is persuading the SPDC to attend the meeting, said
our source.

There may also be meetings to let Burmese opposition groups to discuss the
road map informally.

Some Thai foreign officials, Burmese experts and some opposition leaders
met at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok to discuss the topics behind
closed doors.

The road map was mainly envisaged and drafted by Mr Phutrakul from the
Thai foreign ministry. He was the Thai ambassador to Burma in the early
90s and is a top Thai diplomat.

He went to Burma last weekend and discussed the road map plan with the
SPDC leaders.

According to our source, some contents of the plans concern the release of
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, rebuilding of trust, writing of a constitution,
distribution of power and to hold election.

The plan also includes reduction of international communities’ sanctions
on Burma by means of setting standards of reform and the rate of change.

Although it is not known how long it will take to restore democracy in
Burma, the purpose is ending the military rule in Burma by 2006 when Burma
will become the president of ASEAN.


STATEMENT

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)  August 19, 2003
URGENT ALERT

Today starting at 7 am, the Malaysian police arrested more than 300 asylum
seekers at the vicinity of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees Liaison Office (UNHCR).The majority of those arrested were
Acehnese but there were also other nationalities including Burmese. Of
those arrested, there are 17 women and 4 children. Currently, the arrested
persons are being detained at the Brickfield Police Station in Kuala
Lumpur.

UNHCR recently change the registering system of new asylum seekers to only
a day on Tuesday and this has resulted in the swelling of numbers of
asylum seekers converging at UNHCR. Last Tuesday saw more than 650 asylum
seekers at UNHCR. The police had previously monitored the situation with
numerous police officers and personnel filming and photographing the
asylum seekers.

UNHCR officers are currently in contact with the Malaysian authorities to
resolve the situation. They were given access to the asylum seekers at the
police station. A SUARAM coordinator was denied access to the asylum
seekers at the police station.

Please voice your concerns and protests at the arrest and continuing
detention of these asylum seekers.

Dato Seri Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad,
Prime Minister's Office,
Federal Government Administration Center,
62502 Putrajaya,
MALAYSIA
Fax: +603 8888 3444,
E-mail: ppm at smpke.jpm.my

Dato Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi,
Minister of Home Affairs & Deputy Prime Minister,
Aras 13, Blok D1, Parcel D,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,
65202 Putrajaya,
Malaysia,
Fax: + 603 8886 8014,
E-mail: tpm at smpke.jpm.my

Stanley Augustin
Deputy Public Prosecutor's office,
Timbalan Pendakwa Raya,
Jabatan Peguam Negara,
Tingkat 16, Bahagian Pendakwaan,
Bangunan Bank Rakyat,
Jalan Tangsi 50512,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
Fax 603-2698 4457

Tan Sri Gani Patail
Attorney General's office,
Peguam Negara,
Jabatan Peguam Negara,
Aras 3, Block C3,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,
62502 Putrajaya, Malaysia,
Fax 603-8888 9377

Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman
Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM)
29th Floor
Menara Tun Razak
Jalan Raja Laut
50350 Kuala Lumpur

Fax: 603-2612 5620
E-mail: humanrights at suhakam.org.my

Tan Sri Norian Mai
Chief Inspector of Police
Ibu Pejabat Polis DiRaja Malaysia
Bukit Aman
50502 Kuala Lumpur

Fax: 603- 2273 1326 / 2272 2710

OCPD Zul Hasnan
Brickfield Police Station
Kuala Lumpur

Fax: 603- 2273 0885

Released by:
Eric Paulsen
Coordinator
SUARAM