BurmaNet News Aug 21-23, 2004

[Editor]

August 21 – 23, 2004, Issue # 2544

INSIDE BURMA
S.H.A.N.: Mme Khin Nyunt cashes in on Thai demand for young women
BBC: Two Democracy League members sentenced to seven year jail

ON THE BORDER
Mizzima: Burma border cannot be sealed
Times of India: Bhutan type operation unlikely in Myanmar border

BUSINESS / MONEY
Dow Jones: DJ Daewoo Intl May Build $3B LNG Plant In Myanmar

OPINION / OTHER

EDITORIAL
Nation: China might come around on Burma

STATEMENT
Ethnic Nationalities Council: “The United Nations and the National
Convention in Burma”


CORRECTION
August 23, Earth Rights International
Unocal Case Not Dismissed

[ BurmaNet carried an article on Aug 18 by WMRC Daily Analysis titled “US
Court rejects human rights case against Unocal” which had been
unverifiable from other sources.  We are issuing today a clarification
received by us from Earth Rights International--Ed ]

On August 18, an article was posted on BurmaNet from WMRC Daily Analysis
suggesting that the Unocal state case was dismissed. It was not. The state
court has not yet ruled on Unocal's effort to dismiss the case. The case
is scheduled for a hearing on September 29, 2004. In the meantime, the
plaintiffs' appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit of a
federal court's dismissal in 2000 of plaintiffs' Alien Tort Statute claims
is moving forward with supplemental briefing. In addition, a new federal
case has been filed against Unocal's subsidiaries. Unocal recently tried
to dismiss that case, but the federal district court denied Unocal's
request.

Rick Herz
EarthRights International

______________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

August 23, Shan Herald Agency for News
Mme Khin Nyunt cashes in on Thai demand for young women

Demand for funds for the women federation headed by General Khin Nyunt's
wife in Burma and demand for young migrant women in Thailand have formed a
natural alliance against Bangkok's anti-human trafficking campaign,
reports Pegasus from Maesai.

In eastern Shan State, where women under 25 have been prohibited from
coming to the border without solid excuse since 2000, the Myanmar Women
Affairs Federation has made "allowance" for those who can pay 150,000 kyat
(about $ 150) for transit from Kengtung to Tachilek, a distance of 160 km
(100 miles) according to sources.

"The directive was said to have been issued by the Rangoon head office on
1 June 2004," said a 24-year old girl from Kengtung. "Buses and trucks
carrying young women also bear MWAF stickers as a signal to authorities
along the road not to make searches."

Out of 150,000 kyat, the bus drivers are paid 20,000 kyat (about $20). The
normal fare is 6,000 kyat ($ 6).

Traffickers are liable to a 3 year imprisonment plus 50,000 kyat fine,
said sources.

The cost for passage from the border to Bangkok has also rocketed. "Two
years ago, it was 5,000 baht ($125) each. Last year, it became 7,000
($175). At the start of the year, it went up to 10,000 ($250). Now, it's
15,000 ($ 375)," said a businessman.

Thailand declared war on human trafficking on 6 August, two months after
the United States put the kingdom on a human trafficking watch list.

______________________________________

August 22, BBC
Two Democracy League members sentenced to seven year jail

It has been learned that U Po Too and U Than Lone, NLD (National League
for Democracy) members from Singu Township in Mandalay Division, were
sentenced to seven years imprisonment each by a court in Mandalay jail
today. NLD members U Po Too and U Than Lone from Kokkosu Village and
Ywathitgale Village respectively in Singu Township were unjustly arrested
for throwing stones.

When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visited Singu last year, thugs hired by the
military junta threw stones at the motorcade. Instead of arresting the
thugs, the authorities illegally arrested NLD members from Singu Township
accused of allegedly throwing stones during the Tabayin incident and
handed down the prison terms. Four NLD members including township
organizing committee members U Sein Tun and U San Oo Maung were sentenced
to long prison terms while U Po Too and U Than Lone absconded.

Earlier this year, when the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council)
freed those who were illegally arrested, U Po Too and U Than Lone thought
they would not be arrested and returned home. However, family members and
local NLD members said the authorities unlawfully detained them on 5
August and sentenced them to long prison terms today.


ON THE BORDER
_____________________________________

August 23, Mizzima
Burma border cannot be sealed

Though several northeast Indian states have been demanding that the
Indo-Burma border be sealed to contain the growing insurgency perpetuated
allegedly from Burma, a complete sealing of the border is not possible.

The chief ministers of several northeastern states have already submitted
a memoranda to the Indian Home Ministry requesting the complete sealing of
the Indo-Burma border in the wake of growing cross-border terrorism. But
practically the Home Ministry has not been able to comply with the demand.
The Indo-Burma border cuts across a vast area, including undulating hills
and high-speed rivers. Moreover, the people living on both side of the
border are so closely attached that they do not allow their governments to
seal the border.

The four Indian states of the region, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and
Arunachal Pradesh, share over 600 km border with Burma. Manipur shares the
longest stretch of border extending for 332 km, Mizoram shares over 200 km
of border while Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh share very little border
area with Burma. The northeast Indian states, apart from Mizoram, have
been badly hit by militancy since 1990 and the problem is aggravated in
other states of the northeast India. Assam is of late the worst affected. 
Since 1990, 1200 people have lost their lives in militancy-related
violence according to reports of the Home Ministry.

Worried over the spurt in militancy and narco- terrorism, the Manipur
government demanded the erection of fencing along the international border
last year. Manipur Industry Minister, T. Devendra, told Mizzima
correspondent that the Manipur government had already demanded the home
ministry to seal the border in the wake of drug trafficking and other
activities. “The sealing of border would put an end to the long border
dispute among the people living on both side of the border”, he said.

The previous NDA government had conducted a survey in some border areas of
Manipur State but due to hilly terrain the complete survey could not be
carried out. Security forces guarding the international border have also
favoured the erection of fencing in a bid to contain the militant
activities. But after the killing of 14 school children in Dhemaji of
Upper Assam, several intelligence agencies in northeast India held a
meeting in Guwahati yesterday to review the law and order situation.
Highly-placed sources in Guwahati have told Mizzima correspondent that all
the intelligence agencies have decided to be more vigilant along the Burma
and Bangladesh borders to scale down the activities of the United
Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).

_____________________________________

August 20, The Times of India
Bhutan type operation unlikely in Myanmar border

IMPHAL: The success in flushout operations against North-East militant
groups having camps in the Indo-Myanmar border area has been nothing like
that carried out in Bhutan at the end of 2003, said defence sources in
Imphal.

For the success of such an operation, coordination between the security
forces in India and in Myanmar are necessary. But, the response from
Myanmar forces has not been as encouraging as the help extended by the
Royal Bhutan Army in dismantling rebel camps in the Himalayan kingdom, the
sources said.

Besides, the presence of camps of the National Socialist Council of
Nagaland (Isaac-Muivah) and NSCN (Khaplang) on the Indo-Myanmar border is
an added problem. Because of the ceasefire between the Centre and the two
rebel groups, it is not possible for the security forces to launch an
offensive against them.

As camps of other rebel groups—People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the United
National Liberation Front (UNLF) and the People’s Revolutionary Party of
Kangleipak (PREPAK)—are usually situated along the Indo-Myanmar border, it
is not viable to ask the NSCN cadres to leave the area before the launch
of an operation, without alerting the other groups.

The Army chose the second best option of sending a brigade, in April, to
the Sajik-Tompak area in the Chandel area where a number of rebel groups
had set up camps. On August 14 and 15, Assam Rifles personnel were fired
upon at Lamjao and Kairak villages with AK-47s, light machine guns and
lethodes, but the AR personnel did not fire back, to avoid hitting
villagers.

The action by security forces has not curbed the activities of the
insurgents, said senior police officials. Though killings and kidnappings
are on a low key, extortions are continuing unabated, they asserted.
"Extortion is rampant, everyone is contributing," said a police official.
"They fix a percentage of the salary as contribution. Without paying this,
no employee can attend office." On the top of this, money is also
collected from vehicles which ply on national and state highways.

Because of the proliferation of militant groups in Manipur, traders and
businessmen often have to meet the extortion demands of a number of
groups, putting them in difficulty, said senior police officials. This is
unlike other states in the North-East, where a businessman can buy peace
by paying the dominant underground group of the area.

______________________________________
BUSINESS / MONEY

August 23, Dow Jones
DJ Daewoo Intl May Build $3B LNG Plant In Myanmar

South Korea's Daewoo International Corp. (047050.SE) will build a US$3
billion liquefied natural gas plant in Myanmar if additional reserves are
found in a field off western Myanmar's coast, a newspaper reported Monday.
The company will build the LNG plant if at least eight trillion cubic feet
of new natural gas reserves are discovered in the A-1 block off western
Rakhine state, The Myanmar Times reported, quoting Dr. Yang Su-Yeong,
managing director of Daewoo's Myanmar unit. Daewoo holds a 60% stake in
the field, while India's ONGC Videsh has 20%. Korea Gas Corp. (036460.SE)
and Gail (India) Ltd. (532155.BY) have 10% each in the consortium. The
consortium would drill eight more wells in mid-October before deciding
whether to build the plant, the report said. If no additional reserves are
found, the field's existing gas will be supplied to India by pipeline, Dr.
Yang was quoted as saying. International oil consortiums have operated off
the Myanmar coast for years. Daewoo also signed a contract earlier with
Myanmar to explore for gas in block A-3, located south of block A-1.

______________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

EDITORIAL

Aug 23, The Nation
China might come around on Burma

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's recent statement on Burma is the
essential first step in our 'road map' for UN Security Council action on
Burma.

UN Security Council action is needed because the Narco-Dictatorship has
ignored a decade of UN General Assembly resolutions on Burma. The generals
insulted the United Nations by treating these UN General Assembly
resolutions like toilet paper.

China can veto UN Security Council sanctions on Burma. But the use of this
veto will cost them plenty of political capital in Washington. The Chinese
government understands the significance of the 96-1 vote in the US Senate
for American sanctions against the Burmese military government.

There is now a realistic possibility that the Chinese government will
abstain in a UN Security Council resolution on Burma.

Myint Thein Senior adviser to the Burmese resistance
______________________________________

STATEMENT

Ethnic Nationalities Council: Statement No. 3/2004
“The United Nations and the National Convention in Burma”

The Ethnic Nationalities Council warmly welcomed the 17 August 2004 
statement of the United Nations Secretary General regarding the National
Convention in Burma;

We support the modifications to the National Convention that our
compatriots from the cease-fire groups proposed on 14 May 2004, prior to
the convening of the National Convention:

1. Objective No.6 of the National Convention (military role in politics)
is not compatible with democracy. It should be discussed and revised;

2. The 104 Articles adopted by the previous National Convention that are
not compatible with democracy should be discussed and revised;

3. While the National Convention is in progress, the delegates must be 
able to freely meet and consult with all individuals and groups that have
recommendations that will benefit the Union f Burma;

4. While the National Convention is in progress, the delegates must be 
able to freely communicate, discuss and exchange ideas with their mother 
organizations;

5. All the Members of Parliament elected by the people in the 1990
elections should have the right to participate in the National Convention;

6. Only cease-fire groups that represent their people, should be
allowed to participate in the National Convention. Peace with the
non-cease-fire groups should be concluded as soon as possible so that they
 can participate in the National Convention;

7. Law No.5/96 that was enacted on 7 June 1996 to protect the 1993-96
National Convention, should be repealed.

We regret that instead of using the recommendations as positive input for
developing a mutually acceptable plan for national reconciliation and a
transition to democracy, the authorities rejected the proposals.

We also regret that the peace talks between the SPDC and the Karen
National  Union have stalled and instead SPDC troops are continuing to
terrorize the  people in Karen territory;

Given the inflexibility of the SPDC military dictatorship, and its
unwillingness to find a workable political solution, we would not blame
our  compatriots from the cease-fire groups if they were to decide not to
return  to the National Convention when it is re-convened.

The Ethnic Nationalities Council endorses the call of Secretary-General
Kofi Annan of the United Nation, for the SPDC to:

• Release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi;
• Engage the NLD and other political parties in a substantive dialogue;
-Work out an agreement with the ethnic cease-fire groups;

and - Welcome the UN Special Envoy for Burma Ambassador Razali back to
Burma as soon as possible.

The Ethnic Nationalities Council also calls on the State Peace and
Development Council to work with all groups to bring about a transition to
 democracy and rebuild Burma before it is too late.

Central Executive Committee
Ethnic Nationalities Council
Union of Burma
Date:	20-08-2004

Contact Person:
Dr. Lian H. Sakhong
General Secretary
Tel: +66 (0) 6- 185 33 25
E-mail:liansakhong at hotmail.com
______________________________________

Statement No. 4/2004
“The European Union, ASEM and Burma”

1. The Ethnic Nationalities Council calls on the European Union not
to  accept Burma as a member in the upcoming ASEM (Asia Europe) meeting in
 Hanoi in October 2004.

To do so without any political reforms by the ruling State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC), or meeting any minimum human rights standards,
would be tantamount to promoting a culture of impunity and a total
disregard for the rule of law. Democracy and human rights are the two
basic  values dear to the heart of every citizen of the European Union,
especially  eight of the ten new member nations. They themselves have only
recently  freed themselves from tyranny.

2. The Ethnic Nationalities Council also calls on the Asian partners of
ASEM to urgently work with the European Union to bring about concrete
political change in Burma.

In 1997, ASEAN welcomed Burma as a member with open arms. The reasoning
was  that as a member, the SPDC will moderate its worse tendencies. This
did not  happen. The SPDC interpreted membership as a license to
strengthen its hold  on power. Once again, ASEAN is hoping that as a
member of ASEM, the SPDC  will change. This will not happen. The SPDC will
not change because the  Burmese military believes that it has a right to
rule; because it believes  that the international community is impotent;
and because Burma under the  SPDC is fast becoming a failed state. Even
the military’s chain of command  is beginning to fail. ASEAN, China, Japan
and South Korea cannot afford to  have a failed state in its ranks. ASEM
must help the people of Burma to  prevent the country from
disintegrating..

3. The Ethnic Nationalities Council still believes that a tripartite
dialogue amongst ethnic nationalities representatives, democracy advocates
 led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the military junta is the best way to
resolve Burma’s problems.

The 25 plus million peoples of the Arakan, Chin, Kachin, Karen, Kayah
(Karenni), Mon, and Shan States of the Republic of the Union of Burma
founded in 1948, live in fear for their lives daily. They can be forced by
 the army to move from their homes at anytime. The penalty for disobeying
is  death. They can be forced to work for the military without any
compensation  at anytime. Their wives and daughters can be raped by army
personnel with  impunity at anytime. They cannot teach their own languages
in schools. They  cannot travel freely in their own homelands. They have
no access to  adequate health care. The list is endless. But in spite of
these conditions, the Ethnic Nationalities Council believes that a
political solution must be found.

Our compatriots from the cease-fire groups who attended the National
Convention in May 2004 have made positive recommendations to the SPDC but
they have been ignored. We also proposed a detailed road map in September
2003 as a recommendation to enable the SPDC to bring about a transition to
 democracy but this too was ignored. Even the ‘peace talks’ with the Karen
 National Union started in January 2004 have stalled. The SPDC will not
implement real reforms without a compelling reason to change the status
quo. ASEM now has the opportunity to provide the reason.

Central Executive Committee
Ethnic Nationalities Council
Union of Burma