BurmaNet News, Dec 2, 2003

[editor at burmanet.org]

Dec 2, 2003 Issue # 2378


INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: Nine Given Death for Treason
Irrawadddy: Amnesty Researchers Arrive in Burma
Irrawaddy: AIDS in Burma 2003
Xinhua: ASEAN environment ministers to meet in Myanmar
Xinhua: South Korea to hold first trade fair in Myanmar

DRUGS
AFP: Thailand set to declare victory in drugs war

REGIONAL
Xinhua: Myanmar strives to expand border trade with neighbors by Duan
Tingchang

INTERNATIONAL
Burmese activists target ‘Lonely Planet’ publisher
DVB: UN General Assembly 2003: Resolution on Myanmar

OPINION / OTHER
Dallas Morning News: Burma: to go or not to go?
The Herald: The Pagan tower
Nation: “Victory” over drugs: Methods, outcome of campaign questioned
St. Paul Pioneer Press: Burmese refugees happy to have chance at American
dream

PRESS RELEASE
High street shuns Burma
India: Investigate Police Attack on Burmese Demonstrators

From the Land Of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey by Pascal Khoo Thwe
Schedule of book launch and tour in the US



INSIDE BURMA
___________________________________

Dec 2, Irrawaddy
Nine Given Death for Treason

Nine people, including the editor of a weekly sports journal, were given
death sentences on Friday after a judge found them guilty of attempting to
assassinate military leaders and provoking an uprising, a source close to
the editor in Rangoon said.

On July 17, military intelligence officers raided the office of First
Eleven and arrested Chief Editor Zaw Thet Htwe and four other staff
members.

The four were eventually released, but in July the junta arrested 12 more
people of suspected involvement in a planned coup attempt. At a press
conference on July 26, the junta accused the suspects of planning to bomb
five different sites in Rangoon. Military officials said the suspects were
also linked to several well-known groups in exile.

Last Friday, a special court sentenced Zaw Thet Htwe and eight others from
the group of 12 to death under section 122/1 of a special act for high
treason. Burma’s last execution was in 1988.

The friend of Zaw Thet Htwe told The Irrawaddy that the editor might have
had personal connections to Burmese groups in exile because he was an
activist in the late 1980s, but added he would never have taken part in
any plot against the junta.

In 1989, Zaw Thet Htwe was general secretary of the Democratic Party for a
New Society, a group banned by the junta and now operating in exile.
_________________________________

Dec 2,  Irrawaddy
Amnesty Researchers Arrive in Burma

Two researchers from the human rights group Amnesty International are
scheduled to arrive in Rangoon today. The pair will focus on political
prisoners and the justice system in Burma.
This is the London-based group’s second official visit to Burma. The
researchers hope to meet senior government officials, representatives of
various ethnic groups and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under
house arrest. The delegation will be in Burma until Dec 19.

“It is disturbing that [India] would repress people who have already been
victimized in their own country.”--Brad Adams

Debbie Stothard, a coordinator of the Alternative Asean Network on Burma,
which supports human rights and democracy in Burma, said the current visit
acts as a follow up to Amnesty’s first trip, which took place in February
2003.

"We expect Amnesty to reiterate that the situation in Burma has not really
improved and reiterate their call for release of all political prisoners,"
she said.

Another human rights group, New York-based Human Rights Watch, urged the
Indian government to investigate a police crackdown on Burmese
demonstrators in New Delhi last month, according to a statement released
today.
On Nov 12, Indian police used force to break up a protest by Burmese
asylum seekers at the New Delhi office of the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees.

"There was no need for the police to use violence to break up a
demonstration," said Brad Adams, executive director of the Asia Division
of Human Rights Watch. "It is disturbing that the world’s largest
democracy would repress people who have already been victimized in their
own country."
At least 25 of the demonstrators were injured, some severely. Protesters
suffered head and chest injuries, bruised backs and legs, and broken
bones. Over 600 demonstrators were arrested at the UNHCR office on Nov 12
and 13.
Human Rights Watch also urged India’s government to ensure that it would
not forcibly repatriate the demonstrators to Burma, where they are likely
to face persecution.

Nearly 1,000 Burmese have been granted refugee status by the New Delhi
UNHCR office since 1988. The monthly allowance provided to them was cut by
60 percent this year.
___________________________________

Dec 2, Irrawaddy
AIDS in Burma, 2003

Yesterday was World AIDS Day. The Irrawaddy looks at some of the year’s
major events in Burma’s fight against HIV/AIDS.

February 2003—A facts-for-life training course on HIV/AIDS is held for
housewives from several Rangoon townships at the Myanmar Maternal and
Child Welfare Association in South Okkalapa Township. Forty-four people
attend the one-week course.

The Myanmar Red Cross and a Swiss NGO announce a joint project to enhance
HIV/AIDS awareness among long-distance truck and bus drivers and their
assistants. The three-year project involves education programs at major
road junctions throughout the country. Sources: New Light of
Myanmar/Myanmar Times

April 2003—UNAIDS in Rangoon announces a three-year program to combat
AIDS. The program seeks to reduce the risk of transmission of HIV among
drug users and their partners and increase awareness of the disease,
particularly among young people.

The UN agency says US $51 million is needed to fund the plan over the next
three years. Britain agrees to provide $15.7 million, making it the plan’s
largest donor. Almost half of the necessary funds have already been
contributed by European donors, but Burma’s UNAIDS Representative Eamonn
Murphy says there is still a major shortfall in funding.

According to Burma’s Health Ministry, there are 180,000 people infected
with HIV/AIDS in the country. UNAIDS estimates the figure to be somewhere
between 170,000 and 420,000 people. However, researchers at Baltimore’s
Johns Hopkins School of Public say that using a "conservative approach" as
many as 832,100 individuals could be HIV positive. Sources: Associated
Press/The Irrawaddy/Xinhua

August 2003—Burma hosts a regional HIV/AIDS meeting to review measures to
fight the disease among injecting drug users. Organized by the World
Health Organization (WHO) and Burma’s Health Ministry, the summit includes
representatives from China, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Nepal,
Thailand and Vietnam.

At a separate conference in Laos, WHO spokeswoman Mangai Balasegaram says
there has been an amazing shift in Burma’s approach to AIDS. "Only three
weeks ago the word ‘condom’ was used for the first time in the national
press," she says. WHO says Burma faces a shortage of condoms. Sources: UN
Wire/Associated Press/Bangkok Post

September 2003—Thailand says it will donate one million condoms and
anti-HIV/AIDS medicines to Burma. The donation is part of a joint project
to prevent the outbreak of dangerous diseases along the Thai-Burma border.
Source: The Nation

November 2003—Rangoon hosts the country’s first anti-AIDS exhibition to
educate people about the danger of HIV/AIDS. The week-long exhibition
features 58 booths from the Health Ministry, the UN and international
NGOs. A visiting UN human rights investigator says he is impressed by the
commitment of Burma’s government to addressing HIV/AIDS. Source: Xinhua

November 2003—Burma’s first radio drama written to highlight health issues
is broadcast on the BBC Burmese Service. Tim Williams, one of the
project’s directors, says the series will raise debate about difficult and
controversial subjects like HIV/AIDS. Williams says the country’s military
junta has not been hostile to the program. Fifteen-minute episodes of the
drama will be broadcast twice a week, and producers expect the series to
reach an estimated 10 to 16 million people every week. Source: BBC

December 2003—The world marks World AIDS Day on Dec 1. In Rangoon, a
ceremony is held at the International Business Center with the key address
delivered by Burma’s Deputy Health Minister Dr Mya Oo. While Burma’s prime
minister and health minister choose not to attend, Dr Mya Oo says Burma is
seriously committed to fighting "the ‘HIV/AIDS war’ with an all-out
effort" in partnership with national, regional and international agencies.
Source: New Light of Myanmar.
__________________________________

Dec 2, Xinhua
ASEAN environment ministers to meet in Myanmar

A meeting of environment ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) will be held here on Dec. 16, a local press reported in
its latest issue.

Quoting the Myanmar National Commission for Environmental Affairs, the
Myanmar Times said the implementation of the ASEAN agreement on
trans-boundary haze pollution will top the agenda.

The agreement was signed in 2002 by the regional members and came into
force on Nov. 25 this year after being ratified by Brunei, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand.

The agreement, which is known as world's first regional one to tackle haze
problem, provides for ASEAN to set up a coordination center for haze
pollution control which will use satellite monitoring to enable quick
response to forest fire.

The agreement has been acknowledged by the United Nations Environmental
Program as a global model for tackling trans-boundary environment and
pollution issues.

Myanmar claimed that it has no serious problems with forest fire and haze
pollution. However, it said that the monitoring system to be established
under the agreement would help ensure such problems never occur.
__________________________________
Dec 2, Xinhua
Korea to hold first trade fair in Myanmar

South Korea will hold its first ever trade fair in Myanmar's capital of
Yangon from Dec. 18 to 20, according to the latest issue of a local weekly
journal.

Aimed at boosting trade between the two countries, the fair, organized by
the South Korean embassy and the Korea Trade and Investment Promotion
Agency, will display products from 45 Korean companies, the Myanmar Times
quoted the embassy as reporting.

The exhibits will cover consumer electronic and telecommunication
equipment to pharmaceuticals and fashion wares, it said.

According to official statistics, bilateral trade between Myanmar and
South Korea amounted to 170.72 million dollars in 2002, accounting for 3.2
percent of Myanmar's total foreign trade and standing as the 7th largest
trading partner of Myanmar during the year.

Meanwhile, South Korea has so far poured in the country an investment of
153.41 million US dollars in 31 projects since the country opened to
foreign investment in late 1988.


DRUGS
_____________________________________

Dec 2, AFP
Thailand set to declare victory in drugs war

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Tuesday he will declare a
victory in the "war on drugs" which sparked an international outcry when
it was at its height earlier this year.

Thaksin is to make the announcement Wednesday as a tribute to Thailand's
revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who publicly aired his concern over the
severity of the drugs problem in his December 5 birthday message last
year.

"The outcome is very impressive, with less than one year spent on the war
to tackle problems which are more than two decades old," the premier told
reporters.

In February Thaksin launched an assault against drugs, and
methamphetamines in particular, and said it had been success despite an
outcry from human rights groups.

During the intensive three-month campaign at least 2,275 people were
murdered, according to police who argued that most of the deaths were due
to turf wars among traffickers.

Thaksin said drugs had been the kingdom's most serious problem but that
they were now at a "tolerable level" after authorities had smashed most of
the narcotics trafficking networks.

He warned however that Thailand would have to stay vigilant to ensure the
traffickers did not spring back into action.

"Although we have destroyed most of the drug networks it does not mean
that the drug problem is totally wiped out. They are like germs: they'll
resurrect themselves when our body is weak," he said.

Thaksin said ecstasy was still being trafficked into the country from
Malaysia while heroin was being shipped in from Myanmar, which also makes
the methamphetamines that have caused a massive addiction crisis here.

According to figures released before the drugs war, Thailand was the
world's largest per capita consumer of methamphetamines, with five percent
of Thailand's 63 million people thought to be users.


REGIONAL
_____________________________________

Dec 2, Xinhua
Myanmar strives to expand border trade with neighbors by Duan Tingchang

In recent years, the Myanmar government has made efforts to expand its
border trade with neighboring countries and scored marked achievements.

Up to now, the country has opened up a total of 12 trade points along its
border, of which six on the border with China, four on the border with
Thailand and one each on the border with India and Bangladesh.

According to the figures released recently by the Myanmar Business
Information Group, in the first three quarters of this year, Myanmar's
border trade with neighboring countries amounted to 354 million US
dollars, a 6-percent rise from the same period of 2002.

In 1971, Myanmar signed the bilateral trade agreement with China, followed
by a border trade agreement in 1994. Official statistics show that
Myanmar-China bilateral trade reached 835 million dollars last year, of
which the border trade accounted for 330 million, making China Myanmar's
second largest trading partner only after Thailand. The Myanmar-China
bilateral trade took up 15. 93 percent of Myanmar's total foreign trade.

The figures issued by the Yunnan provincial government of China reveal
that Yunnan-Myanmar bilateral trade stood at 407 million dollars in 2002,
accounting for 47.2 percent of China's bilateral trade with Myanmar.

During the first nine months of this year, Yunnan-Myanmar bilateral trade
reached 350 million dollars, up 28 percent from the corresponding period
of 2002. Of it, a substantial portion was realized through development of
border trade. This has further demonstrated a good trend of development of
the China-Myanmar bilateral trade.

In the meantime, Myanmar also set up four trade points along its border
with Thailand, namely Tachilek, Myawaddy, kawthoung and Phaya Thonzu. In
2002, Myanmar-Thai bilateral trade went to 1,252 million dollars, taking
up 23.7 percent of Myanmar's total foreign trade with Thailand turning out
as Myanmar's largest trading partner.

In 1994, Myanmar signed the border trade agreement with India, opening a
trade point on its border with India and a plan is underway to add another
one. The two sides are projecting to increase their bilateral trade to 1
billion dollars by 2006 from 440 million in 2002.

Myanmar also endorsed the border trade agreement with Bangladesh in 1994
and has opened a trade point on its border with Bangladesh.

According to official statistics, Myanmar's foreign trade totalled 5,276
million dollars in 2002, of which the imports amounted to 2,294 million
and the exports stood at 2,982 million, striking a favorable balance of
trade of 688 million.

Observers here believed that in recent years, especially since July this
year, the sharp rise of Myanmar's border trade with its neighbors was
mainly due to the escalation of sanctions on Myanmar by western countries
led by the United States.

On July 28 this year, with the excuse of democracy and human rights, US
President George Bush signed a new bill to impose sanctions on Myanmar,
which included trade ban, freezing of the military government's various
assets in the United States and preventing the US dollar from flowing into
Myanmar. At the same time, Canada and European Union countries also
tightened their sanctions on the country.

To cope with the western nations' tough measures, Myanmar has expanded its
bilateral trade including the border trade with the neighboring countries.


INTERNATIONAL
_____________________________________

Dec 2, Malaysiakini
Burmese activists target ‘Lonely Planet’ publisher

The world's largest publisher of travel guides, the Lonely Planet
Publications, has replaced British American Tobacco (BAT) at the top of a
‘dirty’ list of companies supporting or doing business in Burma. The list
is compiled by pro-democracy activists.

Last week, BAT bowed to public pressure and announced it was selling its
Rothmans of Pall Mall Myanmar Pte Ltd subsidiary - which is in a joint
venture to manufacture cigarettes with the Burmese military regime - to a
Singapore-based investment company, Distinction Investment Holdings (DIH)
Pte Ltd.

The London-based Burma Campaign UK, which spearheaded the 12-month long
campaign to persuade BAT to withdraw from Burma and developed the ‘dirty’
list, will now concentrate its attention on Lonely Planet, which has its
headquarters in Melbourne, Australia.
___________________________________

Dec 2, Democratic Voice of Burma
UN General Assembly 2003: Resolution on Myanmar

At the Fifty-eighth Session of UN General Assembly 2003, resolution on
Myanmar is adopted by consensus on 1 December 2003.

Situation of human rights in Myanmar

The General Assembly,

Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights,1 the International Covenants on Human Rights2 and other
human rights instruments,

Reaffirming that all States Members of the United Nations have an
obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms
and to fulfil the obligations they have undertaken under the various
international instruments in the field,

Aware that Myanmar is a party to the Convention on the Rights of the
Child,3 the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women,4 the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide,5 and the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the
protection of victims of war,6 as well as the Convention concerning Forced
or Compulsory Labour, 1930 (Convention No. 29) and the Convention
concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize,
1948 (Convention No. 87), of the International Labour Organization,

__________________

1 Resolution 217 A (III).

2 Resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.

3 Resolution 44/25, annex.

4 Resolution 34/180, annex.

5 Resolution 260 A (III).

6 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, Nos. 970-973.

A/C.3/58/L.68/Rev.1

_____________________________________________________________________________

Bearing in mind Security Council resolution 1460 (2003) of 30 January 2003
on children and armed conflict, and the report of the Secretary-General
pursuant thereto,7

Recalling its previous resolutions on the subject, the most recent of
which is resolution 57/231 of 18 December 2002, those of the Commission on
Human Rights, the most recent of which is resolution 2003/12 of 16 April
2003,8 and resolution I adopted by the International Labour Conference at
its eighty-eighth session, on 14 June 2000, concerning the practice of
forced or compulsory labour in Myanmar,

Affirming that the will of the people is the basis of the authority of
government and that the will of the people of Myanmar was clearly
expressed in the elections held in 1990,

Affirming also that the establishment of a genuine democratic government
in Myanmar is essential for the realization of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms,

Recognizing that good governance, democracy, the rule of law and respect
for human rights are essential to achieving sustainable development and
economic growth,

Noting the increasing awareness of the Government of Myanmar of the need
to comprehensively address the production of opium in Myanmar,

Taking note of the road map for the transition to democracy announced by
the Prime Minister of Myanmar on 30 August 2003,

1. Welcomes:

(a) The visits to Myanmar by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General
for Myanmar during the past year, and the visits by the Special Rapporteur
of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar;

(b) The steps undertaken by the international community, including support
from countries in the region, to encourage the Government of Myanmar to
resume its efforts towards national reconciliation and dialogue, pursuant
to acknowledging the importance of strengthening democracy as a
fundamental element of regional security, as noted in the statement
adopted on 18 June 2003 at the Tenth Regional Forum of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations;

 (c) The report of the Secretary-General;9

 (d) The interim report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on
Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Myanmar;10

 (e) The agreement, in Yangon on 27 May 2003, of the Joint Government of
the Union of Myanmar-International Labour Organization Plan of Action for
the Elimination of Forced Labour Practices in Myanmar, including the
agreement on the establishment of an independent facilitator to assist
possible victims of forced

7 A/58/546-A/2003/1053.

8 To be issued in Official Records of the Economic and Social Council,
2003, Supplement No. 3

(E/2003/23), chap. II, sect. A.

9 A/58/325 and Add.1.

10 See A/58/219.

A/C.3/58/L.68/Rev.1

labour, while noting that the conditions for the implementation of the
Plan of Action do not exist at present;

(f) The continued cooperation of the Government of Myanmar with the
International Committee of the Red Cross;

2. Expresses its grave concern at:

(a) The events of 30 May 2003, the corresponding, subsequent and
continuing violations of human rights which constitute a serious setback
for the human rights situation in the country, and the apparent
involvement of the Government-affiliated Union Solidarity and Development
Association in these events;

(b) The detention and the house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the
persistent denial of her human rights and fundamental freedoms, including
freedom of movement, as well as the continued detention of other senior
leaders of the National League for Democracy;

(c) The closure of offices of the National League for Democracy throughout
the country and the increased surveillance and imprisonment of members and
supporters of the League and other political organizations as well as the
continuing detentions, inter alia, of prisoners whose sentences have
expired;

(d) The systematic and consistent harassment and intimidation of members
of the National League for Democracy by members of the Union Solidarity
and Development Association;

(e) The lack of cooperation of the Government of Myanmar with the Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human
rights in Myanmar, particularly as concerns his proposal to visit ethnic
nationality areas to investigate allegations of serious human rights
violations;

3. Expresses once again its grave concern at:

(a) The ongoing systematic violation of human rights, including civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights, of the people of Myanmar,
in particular:

(i) Extrajudicial killing; continuing use of torture; rape and other forms
of sexual violence persistently carried out by members of the armed
forces; unsatisfactory conditions of detention; forced relocation; wide
disrespect for the rule of law and lack of independence of the judiciary;
trafficking in persons; forced labour, including child labour; destruction
of livelihoods and confiscation of land by the armed forces; and
violations of the right to an adequate standard of living, including food,
medical care and education;

(ii) Denial of freedom of expression, including freedom of the media, of
association, of assembly and of movement;

(iii) Discrimination and persecution on the basis of religious or ethnic
background suffered by persons belonging to ethnic minorities, women and
children;

(b) The situation of the large number of internally displaced persons and
the flow of refugees to neighbouring countries, and recalls in this
context the obligations of Myanmar under international law;

A/C.3/58/L.68/Rev.1

4.  Calls upon the Government of Myanmar:

(a) To initiate a full and independent inquiry, with international
cooperation, into the Depayin incident of 30 May 2003;

(b) To immediately facilitate and cooperate fully with the proposed
investigation by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights
on the situation of human rights in Myanmar into charges of rape and other
abuse of civilians carried out by members of the armed forces in Shan and
other States, including unhindered access to the region, and to guarantee
the safety of those cooperating with and covered by the investigation;

(c) To immediately secure the safe and unhindered access to all parts of
Myanmar of the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations
so as to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance and to guarantee
that it reaches the most vulnerable groups of the population;

(d) To pursue through dialogue and peaceful means an immediate end to
conflict with all the remaining ethnic groups with which ceasefire
agreements have not yet been signed, and to live up to its obligations to
improve the development and human rights situation in ceasefire areas;

(e) To take all necessary steps to pursue cooperation with the
International Labour Organization, with a view to implementing fully the
recommendations of the Commission of Enquiry established to examine the
observance by Myanmar of the Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory
Labour, 1930 (Convention No. 29) of the International Labour Organization;
and to create an environment in which the Joint Government of the Union of
Myanmar-International Labour Organization Plan of Action for the
Elimination of Forced Labour Practices in Myanmar, and in particular the
facilitator mechanism that it established, may be implemented in a
credible manner;

5. Strongly urges the Government of Myanmar:

(a) To end the systematic violations of human rights in Myanmar and to
ensure full respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

(b) To immediately and unconditionally release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, other
leaders of the National League for Democracy, and members of the League
detained on or after 30 May 2003, and to allow them to play a full role in
bringing about national reconciliation and the transition towards
democracy;

(c) To immediately and unconditionally release all other political detainees;

(d) To immediately reverse all the other “temporary” measures imposed
following the 30 May 2003 incident, inter alia, by the reopening of all
the offices of the National League for Democracy throughout the country;

(e) To immediately lift all restraints on peaceful political activity, and
to fully guarantee freedom of expression, including freedom of the media,
of association and of assembly;

(f) To put an end to impunity by investigating and bringing to justice any
perpetrators of human rights violations, including members of the
military, and the

A/C.3/58/L.68/Rev.1

Union Solidarity and Development Association, and other government agents
in all circumstances;

(g) To enhance cooperation with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General
for Myanmar and the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights
on the situation of human rights in Myanmar in order that the situation
after 30 May 2003 may be assessed first-hand, to guide the country towards
a transition to civilian rule, and to ensure that both the Special Envoy
and the Special Rapporteur are granted full and free access to Myanmar and
all persons cooperating with them are not subjected to any form of
intimidation, harassment or punishment and that, while in Myanmar, they
are provided with equal access to the leaders and members of all the
country’s political parties, including the National League for Democracy;

(h) To restore democracy and respect the results of the 1990 elections and
to enter immediately into substantive and structured dialogue with Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy
directed towards democratization and national reconciliation and, at an
early stage, include other political leaders in these talks, including
representatives of the ethnic groups;

(i) To elaborate the road map for the transition to democracy, which is
still lacking in such essential elements as concrete timing and an
adequate plan for the involvement of all political groups and ethnic
nationalities, in such a way as to assure that the process is transparent
and inclusive;

6. Once again urges the Government of Myanmar, as its did in its
resolution 57/231of 18 December 2002, and as done by the Commission on
Human Rights in its resolution 2003/12 of 16 April 2003:

(a) To ensure the independence of the judiciary and due process of law;

(b) To consider as a matter of high priority becoming party to those
remaining international human rights instruments to which it is not
already party, and to comply fully with its obligations under
international human rights instruments;

(c) To put an immediate end to the recruitment and use of child soldiers,
inter alia, by some armed ethnic groups and ensure their disarmament,
demobilization and reintegration, to end systematic enforced displacement
and provide protection and assistance to internally displaced persons, to
allow safe and dignified voluntary return of refugees, and to carry out
the action appropriate to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic;

7. Requests the Secretary-General:

(a) To continue to provide his good offices and to pursue his discussions
on the situation of human rights and the restoration of democracy with the
Government and people of Myanmar including all relevant parties to the
national reconciliation process in Myanmar;

(b) To report to the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session and to
the Commission on Human Rights at its sixtieth session on the progress
made in the implementation of the present resolution;

(c) To give all necessary assistance in enabling his Special Envoy for
Myanmar to implement the present resolution and, in the context of the
facilitation

A/C.3/58/L.68/Rev.1

role, to explore any and all possibilities for discharging fully and
effectively his mandate;

(d) To continue to give all necessary assistance to the Special Rapporteur
of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar so as to enable him to discharge his mandate fully;

8. Decides to continue the consideration of this question at its
fifty-ninth session.

Adopted by consensus on December 1, 2003.


OPINION / OTHER
_____________________________________

Dec 2, Dallas Morning News
Burma: to go or not to go?

The first question that must be answered if you're considering a trip to
Burma is, should you go?

Many travelers who ordinarily would be drawn by the rare beauty of Burma
are apprehensive. They may have second thoughts about traveling to a
military dictatorship that has been slapped with sanctions by the United
States for its brutality and repression.
So, is it safe? Is it legal? More difficult still, is it moral?

The first one is easy. You will be perfectly safe in Burma so long as you
don't do foolish things such as take photos of military installations or
engage in behaviors that would get you in trouble anywhere. The country
desperately needs tourist business, so you will be courted by gracious,
solicitous people everywhere you go. It has been observed that the Burmese
are "the most charming oppressed people in the world," and it's true.

Is it legal to travel to the South East Asia country at this time? Yes,
but a little more difficult. The U.S. Congress passed stiffer sanctions
last summer after the junta dragged the leading voice for democracy Nobel
Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi back to prison. But those sanctions
primarily limit travel by Burmese citizens to the United States and not
the other way around. The main hindrance is that American credit card
companies no longer honor charges in Burma, so visitors must take cash.

That's not difficult to overcome if you travel with a reliable company
that books accommodations and transportation for you in advance. I found
the Butterfield & Robinson cycling and walking tour a fascinating way to
see the countryside with just the right blend of upscale comfort and
back-roads adventures. But other respected companies such as Abercrombie &
Kent and Caravan Tours are booking trips as well. (For information, see
www.butterfield.com, www.abercrombiekent.com or www.caravantours.com.)

Once you have seen the thousands of 12th century temples in Bagan at
sunset one of the wonders of the world you will understand why Burma has
fascinated visitors for centuries.

Yes, you will encounter minor difficulties, such as the name problem. The
country may be listed as either Burma or Myanmar in travel information.
Why two names? The ruling junta renamed the country Myanmar in the 1990s,
but the U.S. State Department and many international organizations still
prefer to use "Burma." Democracy groups consider the current regime
illegitimate because the ruling generals still refuse to recognize the
winners of the 1991 elections. Many of those winners have been imprisoned,
tortured or killed.

Which leads us to the moral question. Is it right and proper to go to
Burma at this time? Should visitors provide the hard cash that the
military junta desperately needs? Wouldn't the sanctions be more effective
if the regime were starved of revenue?

Aung San Suu Kyi says tourists should not come now. She wants to force the
regime to the negotiating table. But there are others in the international
community who believe that more good than harm comes from the trickle of
tourist revenue. The tips for hotel and restaurant workers are probably
the only income their families have. The little restaurants and shops
owned by supporters of the democracy movement would fold without
customers. Already malnutrition effects some 40 percent of the children;
more would starve without the scattering of tourist dollars for small
gifts and services.

I lean to the "go visit" side because tourism is one of the few ways that
Americans can see for themselves what is going on. Otherwise, Burma is
invisible and the repression will continue, unnoticed, off-camera. Media
coverage is so limited that most people are not even aware that more
students were killed there in protests in 1988 than at Tiananmen Square a
year later. The only way to understand what's at stake in Burma is to go
and experience the kindness of everyday people, the incredible beauty of
the unspoiled lakes, the quiet villages and ancient temples. In the end,
the only way to weigh the fate of Burma fairly is to go with eyes wide
open.

I don't think you will regret it. And I doubt you will ever forget it.
___________________________________

Dec 2, The Herald
The Pagan tower

Not a monument to followers of non-mainstream religions.

Q: What, then?

A: A 200ft viewing tower being built against the wishes of archaeologists
in the fabulous kingdom of Pagan.

Q: Which is where?

A: In central Myanmar (formerly Burma), on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

Q: What's wrong with the tower?

A: Pagan is one of Asia's greatest archaeological sites, rivalling
Cambodia's Angkor temples for the number and quality of ancient Buddhist
shrines. Critics say that building a modern tower, even in the
architectural style of Pagan's heyday, amounts to desecration.

Q: Do they have a point?

A: UNESCO, the UN agency responsible for granting or withholding world
heritage status and funding, says Myanmar's military junta is making a big
mistake. It describes the tower as an eyesore.

Q: And the junta's response?

A: A menacing silence of the sort the largely-cowed population of Myanmar
has become accustomed to.

Q: So the work will go ahead?

A: It's already started and is due for completion in 2005. The country's
tourism sector has suffered because of sanctions against and boycotts of
the junta. But it needs visitors to spend money in the country, so it also
plans an airport and a golf course near Pagan.

Q: How karmic is that?

A: Not very. The Mon would not be impressed.

Q: As in not giving two hoots?

A: As in the ethnic group of artisans, artists, architects, goldsmiths,
and wood-carvers captured by the Burmans and taken to Pagan to build a
walled city there. Mon monks and scholars taught the Burmans Buddhist
scriptures.

Q: When was this?

A: Pagan's construction probably began in 849 AD. By the time of its
conquest in 1287 by Kublai Khan's Mongol armies, it boasted as many as
4000 temples and monasteries.
__________________________________

Dec 2, Nation
“Victory” over drugs: Methods, outcome of campaign questioned

Activists say brutal crackdown failed to tackle root cause, left trail of
misery. Social activists have expressed concern and doubt about the
government’s declaration of victory in its war on drugs and its claim that
Thailand is now almost drug free.

They feel that while the crackdown bordered on disregard for the law, the
root cause of drug proliferation has not been addressed. Meanwhile,
relatives of victims of alleged extrajudicial killings are too afraid to
speak freely about the loss of their loved ones and their current
predicament.

"I don’t know what sort of measurement the government is using [to support
its declaration of victory],"said Anchalee Pholkliang, deputy director of
the Northern based Inter Mountain Peoples Education and Culture
Association (Impect).

"Drugs are not likely to be got rid of because the source is across the
border," she said, referring to Burma.

"The government may have succeeded in preventing a good number of pills
from entering the Kingdom and managed to have killed a lot of Thai people
and a number of hill tribe people without proper investigation. It has had
a lot of impact on local communities."

In one case, a child was left without parents after his father killed and
mother arrested, leaving the boy in the care of the community.

"Most of those killed were poor hill tribe people; the powerful drug
pushers were not touched. It will have long-term repercussions on people.
They should release all the information about the deaths to the public,"
she said, referring to 2,625 people killed either by the police or other
methamphetamine dealers.

When asked if any victim’s relatives would speak to The Nation, Anchalee
said she was not sure. “They’re really afraid.”

She said the root cause of the drug trade was the temptation of
consumerism. "Thais seem to want to consume more and everything is turned
into monetary terms."

Veteran slum activist Suwit Watnoo, shared this view. “Anyone with wealth,
no matter how ill gotten, will gain respect in this society. This makes
people feel it’s worth taking risks to become rich.”

His suggested remedy: Thai society must change the way it looks at the
rich. "We must realize that not all rich people are respectable or good."

Many of those killed are from urban poor communities and Suwit said he
knew 20 of them personally. “The problem is complex ... but I can assure
you that drugs are still around in Klong Toei slum.”

While calling the declaration of victory a psychological ploy, Suwit
admitted that the amount of drugs available had been reduced, but said any
method used in such a crusade should be morally justifiable.

?But the government had handed death sentences to people ... These were
smalltime dealers, some had only 20 to 30 pills with them but were
executed. Why didn’t the government let the courts decide who ought to be
jailed or executed?

“It’s partly because they fear that some of their men in the government
would be implicated if these people were alive, isn’t it?”

“And some of those killed were innocent and yet their relatives dared not
appeal to the authorities,” he said.

Director General of the Department of Rights and Liberty Protection,
Charnchao Chaiyanukij defended the government, saying that the alleged
extrajudicial killings had been hyped up. He said he didn’t think there
were many extrajudicial deaths.

"It's little exaggerated. Evidence must be collected before we say
anything. However, I can’t say that [the homicides] were ordinary crimes.
Most of them are deaths without known causes."

He added, however, that the Thai police had a problem with collection of
evidence. "I don't know if it is by nature or deliberate, but Thai
criminal justice is problematic."

Charnchao said that none of the relatives of those killed had petitioned
his department.
___________________________________

Dec 2, St. Paul Pioneer Press
Burmese refugees happy to have chance at American dream

"U.S. is freedom," says Tun Naing, a Burmese refugee. "We're happy,
because we can do everything here. If you have a choice, you can do
anything. It is up to me."

But that doesn't mean it has been easy for Naing, his wife and their two
small children since they arrived in the United States in October 2000.
They have struggled to support themselves, find work, learn English and
care for their sons, now 3 and 11/2 .

Still, life is certainly better now than it was in Burma, an
underdeveloped, agrarian country ruled by a military regime, according to
the U.S. State Department. Burma experienced major political unrest in
1988, when the military regime jailed or killed thousands of Burmese
democracy activists, reports the U.S. government. In 1990, the military
government refused to recognize the results of an election that the
opposition won overwhelmingly. Unrest and violence continue today, the
state department says.

Naing was personally familiar with that unrest. He left the city and lived
in the jungle for seven years, he says.

"We fight the government for freedom and democracy," says Naing, 35. "I
get gunshot but no food or medicine."

He escaped to a refugee camp in Thailand and, along the way, met Kyu Kyu,
who would become his wife. Their eldest son was born in that camp. They
say they feel lucky to have left the camp and immigrated to the United
States.

To get a better job here, Tun Naing is training in computer assembly. Both
the Naings are taking English classes five times a week at the Ronald M.
Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning in St. Paul. They feel they are racing
time: Most of their government benefits will be cut off in May.

They live in a two-bedroom apartment in St. Paul and are in need of the
basics: The whole family is sleeping in the one bed they own. They also
need other furniture as well as clothes and money for living expenses.

But they stay positive, and that's why Rebecca Goldade, a family advocate
with Children's Home Society & Family Services, nominated them for the
Holiday Wishes program.

"They are a good, strong family that is trying hard to better themselves,"
she says. "Tun feels the world is open to him to him here, and he is
trying hard to achieve the American dream, to support his family."

To read stories about other families profiled for this year's Holiday
Wishes program, go to
www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/living/special_pack

WHAT THE NAING FAMILY NEEDS

* Three beds (two for children)

* Dining-room table and chairs

* Living-room furniture

* Clothes and winter gear

* Toys and books for the children

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE

Your tax-deductible donations to the Holiday Wishes project, sponsored by
the Pioneer Press, Greater Twin Cities United Way and Catholic Charities,
go toward satisfying the needs of families profiled in the Express section
this holiday season. Any remaining money goes to other needy families
identified by United Way. Cash donations by check or credit card are
preferred, but furniture in good condition will be accepted.

Make checks payableto the United Way Holiday Wishes and send them to
Holiday Wishes, c/o Greater Twin Cities United Way, 404 S. Eighth St.,
Minneapolis, MN 55404-1084. (Checks made out to individuals cannot be
accepted.)

To donate using a credit card, go to www.unitedwaytwincities.org

For more information, call the United Way's Donor Information Line,
651-290-4590.
___________________________________

PRESS RELEASE

Dec 2, Burma Campaign, UK
High street shuns Burma

A new report by the Burma Campaign UK reveals most major high street
Retailers are now boycotting Burma.

The report - Coming Clean, British Clothing Retailers and Burma - names
ninety-nine major high street brands that refuse to source clothing from
Burma because of human rights concerns. Not one of the top-ten British
clothing retailers will now source from Burma. Major companies on the
clean list published in the report include M&S, Arcadia, Tesco, Bhs, Asda,
Next, H&M, Littlewoods, House of Fraser and Debenhams.

Since launching a campaign against Bhs in 1996 the Burma Campaign UK has
run a high profile campaign to persuade retailers and manufacturers to
stop sourcing from Burma.  Burma is ruled by one of the most brutal
dictatorships in the world, and clothing exports provide it with an
important source of income.

"This is a huge success," said Yvette Mahon, Director of the Burma
Campaign UK. "Retailers deserve credit for acting responsibly, even if
some may have done so more for fear of bad publicity than human rights
concerns. By boycotting Burma, retailers and manufacturers
have deprived the regime of millions of pounds."

In a welcome move, several retailers, including Adidas, Clarkes, Levi
Strauss, Littlewoods, Woolworths and Zara specifically cited human rights
concerns as the reason for boycotting Burma.

Burma appeals to manufacturers because of its very cheap labour, ban on
trade unions and lack of health and safety laws. Factory wages are as low
as 5p an hour. A factory employee working 60 hours a week could earn just
£3. This is below the United Nations definition of an extreme poverty
income.

55 retailers have ignored repeated requests for their policy on sourcing
from Burma. Today those retailers will receive a letter from the Burma
Campaign UK giving them two further weeks to come clean on their policy.
Those that refuse will be named and shamed on December 15th.

"Customers have the right to know that when they are buying clothes they
are not helping to fund the regime in Burma," says Yvette Mahon. "We can
only assume that those retailers refusing to
reveal their policy on Burma have something to hide."

In June 2003 Prime Minister Tony Blair backed calls for British companies
to boycott Burma, telling the House of Commons:  "On trade, we are making
it clear to British companies that we do not believe that trade is
appropriate when the regime continues to suppress the basic human rights
of its people."

For a copy of the report or more information Mark Farmaner, Media Officer,
on 020 7324 4713, or Yvette Mahon, Director of the Burma Campaign UK, on
020 7324 4714.

Mark Farmaner
Media and Campaigns Officer, Burma Campaign UK
28 Charles Sq, London
N1 6HT

Tel: 00 44 (0)207 324 4713, Fax: 00 44 (0)207 324 4717
E-mail mark.farmaner at burmacampaign.org.uk , www.burmacampaign.org.uk

To join our campaign network and receive the latest updates and campaign
news from the Burma Campaign UK, send a blank e-mail to
burmacampaign-subscribe at topica.com
___________________________________

Dec 2, Human Rights Watch
India: Investigate Police Attack on Burmese Demonstrators

New York: India should undertake a thorough and independent investigation
of possible police abuses against Burmese refugees and asylum seekers
during demonstrations on November 12-13 in New Delhi, Human Rights Watch
said today. The government should also ensure that none of the refugees,
including those who participated in the demonstrations, are forcibly
returned to Burma, where they would likely face persecution.

On November 12, riot police used water cannons, electric batons, and canes
to forcibly disperse a group of 500 Burmese nationals, many already
recognized as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR), who were staging a protest outside the UNHCR office.
Many had been protesting since October 20 the decision by UNHCR to cut its
allowance for refugees in India from 1,400 rupees (U.S. $30) a month by as
much as 60 percent in order to cut costs and promote "self reliance."

At least 25 of the demonstrators were injured. Many of the injuries were
severe, and included head and chest injuries, bruised backs and legs, and
broken bones.

"There was no need for the police to use violence to break up a
demonstration," said Brad Adams, executive director of the Asia Division
of Human Rights Watch. "It is disturbing that the world's largest
democracy would repress people who have already been victimized in their
own country."

On November 12, police officers detained several hundred protesters at
four different police stations. Most were released that night. Twenty-four
protesters were sent to Tihal Central Jail in New Delhi and charged with
rioting and obstructing the police.

The New Delhi police commissioner declared a 30-day curfew effective
November 12 in order to prohibit any gathering within 200 meters of the
UNHCR office. On November 13, after more than 100 protesters gathered
again in front of UNHCR, police officers arrested another 20 Burmese and
sent them to Tihal Jail. In the days following the arrests, large numbers
of protesters have continued to gather near the UNHCR office.

The UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms provides that law
enforcement officials shall, as far as possible, apply non-violent means
before resorting to the use of force, and they may do so only if other
means remain ineffective or without any promise of achieving the intended
result.

Human Rights Watch urged the Indian government to investigate and
prosecute or discipline as appropriate any police officer found to have
used or authorized excessive force.  The government must also ensure that
those protestors charged with criminal offenses have access to legal
counsel; those not charged should be released.

"India can demonstrate to these refugees that in a democracy the rule of
law prevails even for the weakest," said Adams.

Of the 42 demonstrators arrested and charged so far, two have been
released on bail. According to UNHCR, 16 of the 44 are recognized by UNHCR
as refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention, and another 14 have cases
that are pending.

UNHCR has recognized approximately 1,000 Burmese in New Delhi as refugees.
 The majority are ethnic Chin Christians from Mizoram province in
northwestern Burma, who fled to India after the unrest in Burma in the
mid-1990s. In recent years new refugee flows have been caused by arbitrary
detention, torture, forced labor and religious persecution by the Burmese
government, as well as ongoing warfare between government forces and the
Chin National Army.

For more information, please contact:

In Phnom Penh, Sara Colm: +855 12 804 755
In New York, Brad Adams: +1 212 216 1228
In London, Urmi Shah: +44 207 713 2788
In Brussels, Vanessa Saenen: +32 2 732 2009
___________________________________

From the Land Of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey by Pascal Khoo Thwe
Schedule of book launch and tour in the US

Dec 1 - 1pm-1.40pm. WNYC-AM (NPR) 'Leonard Lopate Show'. 7pm, Symphony Space

Dec 2 - 4-5pm. KOPB Radio 'Special Features'. 7.30, Barnes & Noble

Dec 4 - KBOO-FM, 7.30pm Powells's Bookstore, Beaverton OR

Dec 5 - CA. KALW Radio (12), A Clean Well Lighted Place (7pm)

Dec 6 - KALW-FM (NPR) 'West Coast Live' (9.45am-12.45pm)

Dec 7 - Winsconsin Public radio 'Here on Earth (12-1pm), 7pm, Black Oak Books

Dec 8 - 7pm. Elliot Bay Book, Seattle