BurmaNet News, April 27, 2005

[Editor]

April 27, 2005 Issue # 2706


INSIDE BURMA
Reuters: Myanmar junta blames rebels for Mandalay blast
DVB via BBC: Burmese political prisoner Tin Aye transferred to Rangoon
Insein Jail
Irrawaddy: Burma border fighting hits new pitch
Kao Wao News: NMSP on Shan declaration
SHAN: Shan 'government': we're genuine stuff

ON THE BORDER
Cairns Post (Australia): Doctor causes waves with weapons claim
Bangkok Post: Keep off Thai soil, Burmese warned

ASEAN
Asia Pulse: Philippines may yet assume 2006 chairmanship of Asean

REGIONAL
Xinhua: Myanmar FM begins China visit

INTERNATIONAL
European Report: EU/Burma: ministers confirm sanctions

PRESS RELEASE
US Campaign for Burma: Human rights group calls on ChevronTexaco to end
investment with Burma's dictator

______________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

April 27, Reuters
Myanmar junta blames rebels for Mandalay blast

Yangon: Myanmar's military junta blamed ethnic rebels on Wednesday for a
bomb blast in a busy market in the central city of Mandalay which killed
two women and injured another 15 people.

Using terms usually reserved for various rebel militias, state-owned
newspapers in the former Burma said "insurgent destructive elements" were
behind the bomb, which blew up near a dustbin on the ground floor of the
market on Tuesday afternoon.

"The subversive act was committed by a group of insurgent destructive
elements who wanted to disturb and destroy stability of State, community
peace and tranquility and prevalence of law and order already in place in
the nation," the official New Light of Myanmar said.

Eight people were wounded in a similar bomb blast in the same market in
May 2001.

At the time, the military government blamed ethnic rebels in the Shan
United Revolutionary Army, also known as the Shan State Army. The rebels
denied involvement.

Hospital sources in Mandalay, Myanmar's commercial and cultural hub 690km
north of the capital Yangon, said over a dozen wounded were still being
treated from Tuesday's blast, although none of the victims were in a
critical condition.

A few small bomb blasts have hit Yangon in the last year, although nobody
has been seriously injured.

____________________________________

April 26, Democratic Voice of Burma via BBC
Burmese political prisoner Tin Aye transferred to Rangoon Insein Jail

It has been learned that Ko Tin Aye Kyu, a long-term political prisoner
also known as Poet Maung Hmaing Lwin, who had been unjustly detained since
1989, was released from Mandalay Jail this morning. Ko Tin Aye Kyu was the
general secretary of the National Political Front before he was arrested
and given 20-year jail term in 1989. His sentence was commuted to 10 years
with general amnesty in 1992. After he served his full sentence, he
remained in incarceration under section 10 (a) [of the 1975 State
Protection Law enacted to protect the nation from the danger of subversive
elements] until he was release today. Therefore, he was imprisoned for a
total of 16 years.

According to his family members, although his health is not bad, he would
need a throughout medical check-up. One of his younger brothers said Ko
Tin Aye Kyu would take time to reacquaint himself with his family and
learn about current Burmese political situation as he had been away from
the outside world for 16 years.

_____________________________________

April 27, Irrawaddy
Burma border fighting hits new pitch - Shah Paung

Fighting between United Wa State Army forces and the Shan State Army-South
reached a new pitch on Tuesday, claiming the lives of five Shan soldiers
and an unconfirmed number of Wa troops.

Thirteen other SSA-S soldiers were injured in the clashes, the most
serious since the current fighting broke out early this month, SSA-S
spokeswoman Nam Khur Hsen reported. She claimed more than 100 UWSA troops
had died and a similar number had been wounded in the fighting, but no
confirmation came from the Wa side.

Nam Khur Hsen said fighting started around dawn on Tuesday and continued
until 8 pm. UWSA troops had burnt Shan villages in their assault, and
displaced villagers were seeking refuge with the SSA-S, she said. Burma
Army units were also participating alongside the UWSA forces, she claimed.

More than 1,700 displaced Shan were now sheltering in the Burma-Thai
border area opposite Thailand’s northern Mae Hong Son province, and their
situation was deteriorating, the SSA-S spokeswoman said.

NGOs in the area were planning to visit the displaced people Wednesday,
according to Khuensai Jaiyen, editor of the Shan Herald News Agency.

In neighboring Thailand, the Bangkok Post reported that Thai Third Army
commander Lt-Gen Picharnmeth Muangmaanee had said Burmese troops would not
be allowed to use Thai territory from which to attack the SSA-S. If
Burmese troops encroached on Thai territory they would be swiftly
repulsed, he reportedly warned.

The current fighting between the UWSA and SSA-S broke out in early April
in the Mong Ton area of northern Shan State, opposite Thailand’s Mae Hong
Son province.

____________________________________

April 25, Kao Wao News
NMSP on Shan declaration

New Mon State Party issued a public statement after the Shan declared
independence one week ago.

The statement issued on April 20 says that the NMSP continues
wholeheartedly to pursue a federal union agenda based upon equal rights
and self determination and that it is committed to finding a political
resolution through a tripartite dialogue.  “The announcement by the Shan
will only hamper the process and contribute to more misunderstandings
among us all who are committed to this agenda; this is why we are unable
to support the Shan.”

According to NMSP Secretary General Nai Hongsar, the SPDC pressured all
cease fire groups to issue statement opposing the Shan declaration.

Meanwhile, Mon politicians in Thailand held a meeting at Sangkhalaburi
town yesterday on the independence issue to review its possible
consequences.

12 politicians participated in the noon day meeting.  Most of them support
the federal union as well as Shan independence.  “Secession from the
federal union is their right.  We were disappointed with the way in which
the NLD’s spokesperson U Lwin was quick to oppose the declaration,” said
Nai Lawee, a participant.

The Mon politicians argued that they (ethnic nationalities) have been
waiting for federation for nearly a half century and after years of making
concessions with the Burmese junta it appears unlikely that they will ever
see the day when they will have civil and political rights restored.

“The Shan are the biggest political force in the country, they possess a
strong political will which Burma truly needs, especially in such areas as
the media and human rights documentation of the ethnic nationalities”
another participant said.

Some overseas community including Australia based Mon National Council
support the Shan declaration.  In the statement on April 25, the MNC fully
support the Shan Independence because the Burman government has broken
promise to establish federal union.

____________________________________

April 27, Shan Herald Agency for News
Shan 'government': we're genuine stuff

A group of Shan elders that had taken Burma's politics by storm with their
declaration of independence and claim of having formed an interim
government of the Federated Shan States on 17 April met yesterday with
Shan youth active in northern Thailand.

Demanded to prove their legitimacy, Sao Hseng Set, 'Prime Minister', a
swarthy septuagenarian with a slight northern accent who had arrived only
3-days earlier, replied that the process had begun since 1996 when the
military-held National Convention to draw up a union charter came to
nothing. "We made covert soundings among the populace in each township and
came up with two results: one, that our people wish for nothing but
independence and two, a representative for each township."

'Foreign Minister' Sao Khun Hom added, "We were satisfied beyond doubt
when we were presented with the details of their work inside." 'President
and Head of State' Sao Surkhanpha then took up and challenged the
audience, "Of course, you don't have to take our words for granted."

The following are excerpts from their speeches:


      ‘The appellation 'His Royal Highness' for Sao Surkhanpha is only an
honorary title. It does not mean the country will return to
aristocracy.

      The head office is in Monghsu township (in central Shan State). But
the mobile office will be wherever we are.

      So far we have received messages from other nationalities: the Chins
coming out with an article in our defense, the Arakanese with a
letter of felicitations and the others with assurances that they
would be following suit in declaring independence.

      We have high hopes of gaining recognition from at least 5 nations
and are working hard at it.

      The armed forces of a state must be answerable to the civilian and
not otherwise.

      The statement by the SNLD (Shan Nationalities League for Democracy
on 23 April 2005 rejecting the declaration of Independence by us)
was merely a necessity to protect those who are in prison (since
February).

      We certainly cannot guarantee the safety of those people who
appeared in the photographs (of rallies organized in support of the
declaration of Independence and the interim government). We were
only complying to the people's wish to publicize them.

    The Burma Army has for so long successfully blackmailed the resistance
movements by penalizing the populace. It's time we stop playing its
game.’

The meeting, lasting one and a half hours, took place on the border of
Chiangmai. The Interim Shan Government (ISG) was represented by Sao
Surkhanpha, Sao Hseng Set, Sao Khun Hom and their 'Chief of Staff' Soi
Kham Seng.

Most of the youth were silent after leaving the meeting. Asked how they
felt, one said, "I'm definitely unconvinced". Another youth from Kengtung
said, "I always support anyone and any group that is for Independence, but
as for the ISG, it'll have to be a wait-and-see for the present."

The ISG shall be holding a press conference at Foreign Correspondents Club
of Thailand in Bangkok at 10:00 tomorrow.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

April 27, The Cairns Post (Australia)
Doctor causes waves with weapons claim - Roz Pulley

Mareeba doctor Martin Panter has caused international shockwaves with his
revelations that Burma is using chemical weapons against its own people.

The Australian-based president of human rights group Christian Solidarity
Worldwide, Dr Panter today flies to Thailand to meet two Burmese army
defectors who will verify his claims Burma is using chemicals on ethnic
Karenni rebels.

The attacks have left rebel fighters vomiting blood, unable to walk,
suffering from blisters and acute diarrhoea.

Dr Panter said he was phoned at 2am yesterday with the news that two
members of the Burmese army had defected overnight and spoken of the
chemical attacks.

"They have told the Karenni freely and gratuitously that chemical weapons
have been used and continued to be used until two days ago," Dr Panter
said. "They know they were chemical weapons because they have a skull and
crossbones on the shell and they had to use masks when they were handling
them."

He said the two defectors were in a safe location near the Thai border
town of Mae Hong Son and he would travel there today with BBC journalist
Mike Thompson.

Mr Thompson broke the news last week that Dr Panter had clinically
assessed five Karenni soldiers, attacked just inside the Burmese border on
February 15.

"They gave very strong, compelling circumstantial evidence of the use of
chemical weapons by the Burmese army," Dr Panter said.

He said the five claimed clouds of yellow vapour began pouring from shells
fired at their positions and soon after many felt sick, vomited blood and
were unable to walk.

"It seemed all the symptoms they had and the description of the device was
completely consistent with a chemical weapons device of some sort," Dr
Panter said.

He said the two defectors, aged 15 and 18, would be under enormous
pressure from the Burmese military.

Dr Panter's report on the Burmese atrocities created an international
media frenzy last week.

"I gave 15 back-to-back interviews with CNN, Dutch National Radio,
Norwegian National Radio, BBC, Voice of America and Canadian National
Broadcasting."

He said the chemical warfare claims had since been denied by Burma's
Minister for Information.

_____________________________________

April 27, Bangkok Post
Keep off Thai soil, Burmese warned - Wassana Nanuam & Subin Khuenkaew

Junta forces continue to pound Shan bases

Mae Hong Son: Burmese troops will not be allowed to use Thai territory for
a rear attack on the Shan State Army (SSA) base near the border, the Third
Army commander said yesterday.

Any intrusion by foreign troops into Thailand would be swiftly countered,
Lt-Gen Picharnmeth Muangmanee said.

The SSA stronghold on Doi Tai Laeng is under sustained attack by the
Rangoon-backed United Wa State Army (UWSA).

SSA leader Colonel Yord Serk yesterday told his fighting forces in a radio
broadcast that he was still alive and healthy, despite rumours he died on
Monday while leading his men against a UWSA onslaught.

``We will not allow Burmese troops to use Thai territory for a rear attack
on the SS base,'' Lt-Gen Picharnmeth said.

He also rejected Rangoon's allegation at last week's border meeting in
Chiang Rai that Bangkok covertly supported the SSA, allowing them to use
Thai soil to attack Burmese border troops.

``I told them if they were suspicious that we give support to the SSA,
they could come and verify this for themselves. However, we would ask for
permission to see areas where we suspect the UWSA has been using as bases
for drug production,'' said Lt-Gen Picharnmeth.

The current military offensive against the SSA stronghold at Doi Tai Laeng
was critical since Burmese troops had joined forces with the UWSA in the
attack.

``If the UWSA could take control of Doi Tai Laeng, it would definitely
worsen the drug trafficking situation along the border area,'' Lt-Gen
Picharmeth said he said.

However, he did not think that SSA base would be easily taken.

The UWSA yesterday reportedly fired thousands of 120mm mortar rounds at
Doi Kong Kha, another SSA military base straddling the border. The fall of
Doi Kong Kha would pose a serious threat to Doi Tai Laeng, only 7km to the
northwest.

``Doi Kong Kha is a gateway to Doi Tai Laeng,'' said a Thai border officer.

Thai border troops were on full alert for a possible intrusion by UWSA or
Burmese troops, he said.

Burma suffered heavy casualties in 2001 when its forces seized Thai
forward positions at Ban Pang Noon in Chiang Rai's Mae Fah Luang, and used
it as a springboard to launch attack an SSA military base at nearby Kor
One.

_____________________________________
ASEAN

April 27, Asia Pulse
Philippines may yet assume 2006 chairmanship of Asean

Singapore: The Philippines may have to assume the rotating chairmanship of
the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2006
after all in lieu of military-ruled Myanmar.

The Philippines follows Myanmar in the rotating alphabetical order of the
chairmanship and hosting of ASEAN by its 10-member countries.

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

The Singapore Straits Times here reported that Myanmar has already
indicated it may forego its turn to chair the ASEAN next year "in the
interest of solidarity" with fellow member countries of the regional
grouping.

The United States and the European Union, two of ASEAN's dialogue
partners, have threatened to boycott all ASEAN meetings and suspend all
development assistance to be region if Myanmar assumes the chairmanship of
the group without substantiating its commitments to democratization.

Both the US and the EU have described Myanmar's so-called roadmap to
democracy as a sham.

Myanmar remains under the rule of a military junta which denied the
country's National League for Democracy (NLD) party its victory in the
1990 elections.

The ruling junta has also kept NLD leader and Nobel Laureat Aung Sang Suu
Kyi under house arrest, while her other NLD colleagues languish in jail.

The Straits Times report quoted Indonesia Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty
Natalegawa as having said Yangon is expected to formally announce its
decision to skip the ASEAN chairmanship by July this year.

Reportedly, Myanmar Foreign Minister U Nyan Win told his Indonesian
counterpart, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda during their talks in the
sidelines of the concluded Asian-African Summit in Jakarta, that Yangon is
inclined to consider the collective interest of ASEAN.

Earlier in Jakarta, Thai Foreign Minister Supamongkhon said Bangkok had to
work hard on Myanmar on the ASEAN chairmanship issue to help all concerned
save face.

The face-saving diplomacy work responsibility actually fell on Thailand
since it is the ASEAN member country nearest Myanmar. The two countries
share common borders.

"We have impressed upon Myanmar the concerns of the international
community," the Times quoted Supamongkhon as having said.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers were unable to resolve the issue during their
recent consultation meeting in Cebu City, Philippines. They, however,
urged Yangon ruling military junta to confirm immediately whether it
wanted to proceed with its chairmanship claim or bow out of it gracefully.

_____________________________________
REGIONAL

April 27, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar FM begins China visit

Yangon: Myanmar Foreign Minister U Nyan Win left here Wednesday for
Beijing to begin his four-day visit to China, aimed at promoting
traditional and friendly ties between the two countries.

It is Nyan Win's first visit to China at the invitation of his Chinese
counterpart Li Zhaoxing since he became foreign minister in September last
year.

Days before Nyan Win's Beijing trip, Myanmar Chairman Senior- General Than
Shwe met with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the recent
Asian-African Summit in Jakarta. The two sides agreed to carry on the
traditional friendship and bring the bilateral relationship to a new high.

Bilateral economic and trade relations between Myanmar and China have
continued to develop in recent years.

According to Chinese official statistics, Myanmar-China bilateral trade,
including the border trade, reached 1.145 billion US dollars in 2004, up
6.3 percent over 2003. Of the total, China' s exports to Myanmar reached
938 million dollars, while its imports from Myanmar represented 207
million dollars.

China has proposed an increase of bilateral trade volume with Myanmar to
1.5 billion dollars by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, Myanmar official figures show that China's contracted
investment in Myanmar amounted to 191 million dollars in 25 projects by
the end of January this year.

_____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

April 27, European Report
EU/Burma: ministers confirm sanctions

European Union Foreign Ministers have confirmed for another year their
sanctions on the military regime in Burma/Myanmar. At their General
Affairs and External Relations Council in Luxembourg on April 26, the
Ministers confirmed their visa ban and assets freeze. This applied to
members of Burma's State Peace and Development Council, on government
ministers, senior members of the military, members of the United
Solidarity and Development Association, state-owned economic enterprises,
as well as beneficiaries of the government's economic policy and members
of their families. The sanctions also include a ban on technical
assistance, on financing and financial assistance related to military
activities, and a ban on the export of equipment that might be used for
internal repression.

The EU Common Position on Burma/Myanmar was first adopted in October 1996:
while confirming already existing sanctions - an arms embargo imposed in
1990 and the suspension of all bilateral aid other than strictly
humanitarian aid - it introduced a visa ban on the members of the military
regime. The Common position has been maintained since 1996 and was
strengthened in October 1998, by widening the visa ban to include
explicitly transit visas and to cover the tourism administration in
Burma/Myanmar. In April 2000, it was further strengthened by a ban on the
export from the EU of any equipment that might be used for internal
repression or terrorism, publishing the list of persons affected by the
visa ban, and imposing a freeze on the funds held abroad by the persons
named in the list. Two years ago, after the detention of activist Aung San
Suu Kyi, the Common Position was again strengthened by targeting more
persons linked to economic or political activities of the junta for the
visa ban and asset freeze.

____________________________________
PRESS RELEASE

April 25, US Campaign for Burma
Human rights group calls on ChevronTexaco to end investment with Burma's
dictator

For Immediate Release: Monday, 2005 Contact: Jeremy Woodrum, (202) 223-0300

Project will "completely undermine all progress on improving its
reputation and expose it to a wave of lawsuits, bad publicity, and
shareholder anger"

One week before ChevronTexaco's annual shareholder meeting in Los Angles,
the US Campaign for Burma has announced it plans to launch a campaign to
demand the company drop its soon to be acquired investment with the ruling
military dictatorship in the Southeast Asian country of Burma.

ChevronTexaco announced on April 4th that it had reached an $18.4 billion
deal to buy Unocal Corporation, thus acquiring stake in the construction
of the Yadana gas pipeline in Burma. ChevronTexaco has so far flip-flopped
on its intention of shedding the stake, leaving the company among the very
last US companies still doing business with Burma's cruel dictator, Than
Shwe.  The project is co-owned by Burma's Ministry of Oil and Gas.

According to those living in the region, the construction of the Yadana
gas pipeline has brought immeasurable suffering on the people of Burma and
substantially strengthened the ruling General Than Shwe. Human rights
organizations including Earthrights International have documented a
situation tantamount to slavery for those villagers unfortunate enough to
live in the area where the pipeline was constructed. Soldiers of the
ruling dictator also displaced hundreds of villages along the pipeline
route. Villagers faced gruesome torture, rape and extra-judicial killings.

In addition to effects on the local population, money earned from Unocal's
investment in the Yadana pipeline has aided the military regime's purchase
of weapons and has helped it to fund an increase in the the size of its
army to nearly 500,000 soldiers.  Since Burma has no external enemies, the
expansion has been carried out to assist in crushing the country's
democracy movement.  Unocal's investment in Burma has also helped to line
the pockets of Than Shwe and his cronies. Their lavish lifestyles stand in
stark contrast to the dire poverty the country's citizens find themselves
in. Than Shwe's regime spends so little on healthcare that one in ten
Burmese children die before they reach age five.

"ChevronTexaco is purchasing a nightmare for its management and
shareholders," said Aung Din, co-founder of US Campaign for Burma.  "If
they keep the pipeline, it will hang on the company's neck like a lead
weight and completely undermine all progress they have made in improving
their reputation."

Aung San Suu Kyi--the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient
and leader of Burma's democracy movement--has repeatedly called on Western
companies to not invest with Than Shwe's regime.

The efforts are modeled on the 1980s anti-apartheid movement, which
brought heavy financial losses to companies which insisted in operating in
South Africa before Nelson Mandela was released from prison.

The international movement for democracy in Burma has pressured
approximately ninety companies to cut ties with the country. Among these
companies are Pepsi, Amoco, and Premier Oil.  Massive international
boycotts, shareholder anger, and press reports of human rights violations
led to steep financial losses for those companies who tried to continue
doing business in Burma, damaging the reputation of the companies to such
an extent that withdrawal proved their only option.

Unocal had the notorious distinction of being the largest US company to
maintain a substantial investment in Burma and has faced a protracted,
seven year lawsuit over claims that villagers suffered serious human
rights abuses during the construction of the pipeline.  The case made
Unocal a vilified company and brought major objections from its
shareholders.  After spending tens of millions in its defense of dollars
over seven years, Unocal ultimately settled out of court for an
undisclosed sum.

In contrast to Unocal, Texaco decided in 1997 to end its after operation
in what was widely interpreted as a move to end nationwide protests
against the company and in response to the implementation of US economic
sanctions on Burma's military regime.  The move allowed Texaco to avoid a
raft of boycotts, lawsuits, and investor anger faced by Unocal.

Should ChevronTexaco not take the initiative in divesting from Burma, the
US Campaign for Burma has pleged to organize nationwide pressure on
ChevronTexaco businesses.

"Surely, ChevronTexaco shareholders will be disappointed to lose money
over a project that's not even essential to the company," added Aung Din.

Additionally, ChevronTexaco has opened itself up to possibility of more
lawsuits from villagers harmed during the construction of the pipeline.
Observers understand the settlement between villagers and Unocal to be
"very substantial", which is likely to lead to more villagers filing cases
against the company's new owners, ChevronTexaco.