BurmaNet News, December 21, 2005

[Editor]

December 21, 2005 Issue # 2869


INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: Junta chief’s tour creates speculation
Irrawaddy: Relief agency wants to go alone
Myanmar Times: Bus service begins operation at Pyinmana

ON THE BORDER
Asian Tribune: UNHCR welcomes Thai plan to educate Myanmar refugees
SHAN: Self help Shan migrant society in Chiangmai

HEALTH / AIDS
Xinhua: Myanmar continues implementing anti-AIDS program with foreign aid

BUSINESS / TRADE
Xinhua: Thai company to grow sugarcane in Myanmar

ASEAN
Deutsche Presse-Agentur: Rights groups call on ASEAN to keep pressure on
Myanmar

REGIONAL
AFP: ADB approves 25.57 million grant package for Mekong region

OPINION / OTHER
Bangkok Post: Visit of European tourist to Pyinmana

PRESS RELEASE
Khonumthung News: KNG website launched officially

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

December 21, Irrawaddy
Junta chief’s tour creates speculation - Shah Paung

Junta supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe’s recent tour of northern Burma this week,
including a stop at the new administrative center in Pyinmana, has drawn
the attention of Burma watchers.

Than Shwe, accompanied by his wife, Kyaing Kyaing, and several aides,
kicked off his trip in the second week of December. According to the
state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar, he visited townships in
Kachin State, including the capital Myitkyina, as well as Maymyo (also
called Pyin Oo Lwin) and Pagan-Nyaung U in Mandalay Division.

Sources in Burma suggest that Than Shwe will also visit the newly minted
administrative capital in Pyinmana.

“We heard that he [Than Shwe] arrived in Pyinmana yesterday evening,” said
veteran Rangoon politician Amyotheryei Win Naing.

Win Min, a Thailand-based research for Burma Fund, suggested that the
junta chief’s tour included a stop at Pyinmana so that he could check the
progress of construction on his new home.

“This morning, [we] heard helicopters fly in, and the roads in the city
[had been] cleaned,” said one resident of Pyinmana. “Some of the roads
were also blocked, but I did not see him [Than Shwe] myself.”

According to The New Light of Myanmar, Than Shwe stopped at Maymyo to
deliver the commencement speech at the Defense Services Academy and tour
local development projects. However, some have speculated that his visit
also included a tour of a rumored nuclear facility near Maymyo.

In Pagan-Nyaung U, Than Shwe and his wife visited the Nanmyint Tower (the
controversial viewing tower opened in early April 2005) and the
accompanying hotel in the Pagan Archaeological Zone. They were welcomed
there by Burmese tycoon Tay Za, chairman of the Htoo Trading Company and
long-considered a close ally of Than Shwe.

Some observers have suggested that Than Shwe’s group includes only
government aides traditionally aligned with the junta chief because of a
growing distrust of the junta’s second-in-command, Deputy Snr-Gen Maung
Aye.

Than Shwe is expected to make another stop in Maymyo before returning to
Rangoon later in the week.

____________________________________

December 21, Irrawaddy
Relief agency wants to go alone

Officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Rangoon have
called off their visit to Thayawaddy prison after the regime-backed Union
Solidarity Development Association insisted on accompanying them. The ICRC
decided to suspend the December 12 visit as it was against the agency’s
standard procedure, which requires carrying out the mission independently,
according to ICRC’s office in Rangoon.

“Nowhere in the world that ICRC visits are we accompanied by other
organizations,” Patrick Vial, head of the delegation, told The Irrawaddy
on Wednesday by phone from Rangoon. According to Vial, the ICRC has
complained to Burmese authorities, in order to ensure a similar situation
does not arise in the future. “We are confident that the misunderstanding
will be clarified,” said Vial.

The USDA was set up as a social organization in September, 1993, headed by
junta supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe. The government claims it has 21 million
members.

____________________________________

December 19-25, Myanmar Times
Bus service begins operation at Pyinmana - Yan Naing Hein

Bandoola Transportation, under the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings
Limited, launched a new bus line in Pyinmana on December 5.

The managing director of Bandoola Transportation, Colonel Myo Myint, said
the bus line, called Tawwin, operated between Pyinmana city and the
ministries established in the new administrative capital.

“There are thirty buses operating on the line under a branch office we’ve
opened in Pyinmana to supervise their operations,” he said.

Colonel Myo Myint said a fare of K50 was being charged for the trips from
Pyinmana to the stop nearest the administrative capital, a distance of
about 18 miles. He said a fare schedule would be introduced once more
stops were established.

The government began relocating ministries to Pyinmana, about 240 miles
north of Yangon, on November 6.

Colonel Myo Myint said Bandoola Transportation was also operating a
service between Yangon and Pyinmana.

He said three buses left Yangon for Pyinmana each day under the service,
known as the Shwemanthu line, which also provides services to Mandalay,
Monywa, Taunggyi, Taungoo, Magwe, Bagan, Chauk, Myingyan and Pathein.

Bandoola Transportation operates a total of 240 inter-city buses, on four
lines.
It also operates a total of 290 buses in Yangon, on the Parami line.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

 December 21, Asian Tribune
UNHCR welcomes Thai plan to educate Myanmar refugees - M Rama Rao

New Delhi: The United Nations agency for refugee aid has complimented
Thailand for its plans to provide broadbased educational facilities to
Myanmarese living in nine refugee camps.

"We are delighted", UNHCR said and described the Thai government plan as
an engightend decision. Over 140,000 refugees from Myanmar are housed in
the camps that have come up along the border on the Thai side.

The offer of educational service will make ' a real and substantial
difference' to tens of thousands of refugees who are 'desperate' to
broaden their educational opportunities, Hasim Utkan, the regional
representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said.

Under the new initiative, which followed discussions with UNHCR over the
past few months, the Thai office of the Non-formal Education Commission
will provide teachers of Thai, English and occupational skills. It will
also supply computers, textbooks, televisions and other educational
materials.

The programme is expected to start in the New Year. The present outlay is
$225,000. Another $500,000 will be needed to make the programme effective,
UNHCR estimates showed.

Until now, some 45,000 refugee children have been taught a limited
curriculum by volunteer refugee teachers and non-governmental
organizations working with very few resources in schools built out of
bamboo thatch. Schooling ended after Grade 10.

Refugee opportunities for further education without Thai language skills
were extremely limited, UNHCR explained, leaving many refugee children
without higher educational prospects and little to do in the camps.
Vocational training was also restricted to activities such as candle- and
soap-making, weaving, sewing and agricultural projects.

Currently, refugees are not allowed to work in Thailand but a relaxation
of the policy is possible with reports saying that Bangkok was
reconsidering the existing policy.

____________________________________

December 21, Shan Herald Agency for News
Self help Shan migrant society in Chiangmai

Three Shan groups in Chiangmai's Fang area, with the largest migrant
population in the north, have concluded a pact to work together, reports
Tawng Tai:

The three groups Thai Yai Society, Thai Yai Cultural Council and
Coordination Center for Migrant Workers' Education and Culture were
finally united under a single executive body and single name on 17
October. "We all agreed to adopt the name Chomrom Thai Yai (Thai Yai
Soceity)," said Boonlert Jansuwan aka Hsang Aw, 46, General Secretary of
the group, a Thai of Shan descent. (Thai Yai is the Thai appellation for
Shans, who are also known as Ngiao.)

The Society's 4-fold aim is to promote education, culture, mutual
assistance and social activities. "The Thai law requires that groups such
as ours are strictly apolitical," explained Hsang Aw, who had been trained
in legal matters.

The Society's principal activity appears to be rescuing Shan migrants
taken into custody by the local police. While a good many of those
arrested do not carry valid ID cards, those who have pink, blue, orange
and other documents issued by the government are also liable to detention
if they don't have work permits.

The Society also broadcast health and cultural programs through the local
FM radio stations.

There are an estimated 200,000 Shans in the three neighboring districts of
Chaiprakarn, Fang and Mae Ai, roughly 150 km north of Chiangmai. The
majority of them, fleeing from the Burma Army's forced relocation programs
and varied abuses, are working in the fruit orchards that stretch across
the three districts. The group boasts more than 2,000 members.

Membership is 50 baht ($1.25) each and a member is expected to pay 5 baht
each month, 60 baht ($1.5) per year.

For more details, please contact 053-415915, Jong Ork Monastery in Fang.

_____________________________________
HEALTH / AIDS

December 21, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar continues implementing anti-AIDS program with foreign aid

Yangon: Myanmar is continuing the implementation of its anti-AIDS program
with aid from other international organizations despite halt of the Global
Fund to the country three months ago, said a local news journal Wednesday.

These organizations are outlined as UNICEF (United Nations Children's
Fund), WHO (World Health Organization) and UNFPA ( United Nation
Population Fund), the Weekly Eleven News quoted the Ministry of Health as
saying.

Of them, the UNFPA has extended its aid to Myanmar for another one year up
to December 2006 following the expiration of the organization's four-year
fund program this month, the sources said.

Under the UNFPA program, Myanmar was obtaining 4 million US dollars of aid
a year and after the one-year extension period, another four-year program
will be introduced in 2007, the ministry said.

On Aug. 18 this year, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and
malaria terminated its grant aid to Myanmar for anti-disease operation,
complaining of the Myanmar's restriction over the performance of the
global fund in the country.

Concerning the move, the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) on control
of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria deplored the negative impact it has on
people in need.

Noting that investment by international community in humanitarian programs
in Myanmar is low now, the CCM has urged the Global Fund to reconsider its
decision for the termination in the light of its obligations to people
everywhere who are suffering from HIV-AIDS, TB and malaria.

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, an independent private
foundation, was formed in 2001-02 under the resolutions of G-8 Summit
comprising the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Russia,
Japan, Canada and Germany. The organization was founded to assist nations
in control of AIDS, TB and malaria.

Earlier this year, the Global Fund allocated 35 million dollars for its
Myanmar operations in 2005-06 to fight the three diseases. Of the aid, 19
million dollars are for the campaign against AIDS, 7 million for TB and 9
million for malaria, according to Myanmar official media.

Myanmar has designated AIDS, TB and malaria as three major communicable
diseases and efforts are being made to combat these diseases.

According to the figures revealed by the Myanmar Ministry of Health, a
total of 338,911 people in the country were estimated to have been
infected with HIV. The figures were part of the findings of a survey
jointly conducted by the ministry, the United Nations agencies and NGOs.

Myanmar has been implementing a three-year joint program (2003- 05) to
fight HIV/AIDS. The program, involving the three parties, has been
developed to strengthen the enabling environment and supporting capacity
for prevention and cure of the disease in the country.

_____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

December 21, Xinhua General News Service
Thai company to grow sugarcane in Myanmar

Yangon: A Thai company, the Sutech Engineering Company, will grow
sugarcane in Myanmar's Bago division under a contract farming system, the
local Weekly Eleven News reported Wednesday.

According to a memorandum of understanding between the Thai company and
the state-run Myanmar Sugarcane Enterprise (MSE) signed recently, the
plantation of 2,000 acres (810 hectares) of sugarcane in Kangyigon region
in Pyay township, 286 kilometers north of Yangon, is aimed at supplying
raw materials for the Nawaday Sugar Mill already set up. The sugar mill
could produce only 60,000 tons of the crop against the demand of 100,000
tons per year, the MSE was quoted as saying.

However, former agreement is yet to be signed for the Thai company's
100-percent investment which involves bringing in technical know-how and
agricultural experts, and creation of job opportunities for regional
people, the sources said.

Myanmar and Thailand agreed early this month to cooperate in farming under
contract system initiating some MoUs between the Myanmar Ministry of
Agriculture and Irrigation, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and Thai
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and covers cultivation of
sugarcane, one of Myanmar's designated main crops after paddy, beans and
pulses and cotton.

It is the first time for such contract farming system to be implemented in
Myanmar by a foreign country, under which Myanmar's vacant and follow land
will be allowed for reclamation and growing of crops by foreign
enterprises.

Such contract farming system was proposed at the Second Ayayawaddy-Chao
Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy ( ACMECS) Summit held in
Bangkok, Thailand early November this year, involving Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, as part of the economic cooperation strategy program, Myanmar
and Thailand have also begun detailed feasibility study on the
establishment of three combined special economic and industrial zones in
major cities of Myanmar, aimed at creating job opportunities in the
region. The study is being jointly conducted by the Myanmar Ministry of
Industry and the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand.

The three zones are proposed to be set up in Myanmar's Myawaddy and Hpa-an
in southeastern Kayin state and Mawlamyine in southern Mon state where
land areas of 384, 396 and 275 hectares are to be allotted respectively.

Under the Myanmar-Thai cooperation, Thai factories are planned to move to
the zones and both countries are expected to benefit from the
establishment economically and socially.

The ECS provides for cooperation in five strategic areas covering
agriculture, industry, trade and investment, transport, tourist and human
resources development.

_____________________________________
ASEAN

December 21, Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Rights groups call on ASEAN to keep pressure on Myanmar

Bangkok: Five rights groups, including Amnesty International, called on
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Wednesday to apply more
pressure on Myanmar (Burma) to free political prisoners and become more
democratic.

Fewer than 10 representatives from the non-governmental organizations
protested Wednesday in front of the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok while about
50 police looked on.

Nassir Achwarin, with Thai Action for Democracy in Burma, said ASEAN took
an encouraging step at their annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur earlier this
month by arranging to send a representative to Yangon (Rangoon) to assess
the political situation there.

But, he added Myanmar's ruling State of Peace and Development Council
(SPDC) government has taken no positive initiatives toward eliminating
human rights violations and opening the country to democracy and ASEAN
needs to do more.

ASEAN met mid-November and called on Myanmar to "expedite" its politcal
reform and free political prisoners. The group also comprises Thailand,
Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia and Singapore, Brunei, Laos, and
the Philippines.

Achwarin said it's important the people of ASEAN states to keep the
pressure on their governments to move Myanmar toward democracy.

Also represented at the protest were the Asian Institute for Human rights,
Human Rights Defenders of Thailand, and the Cross Cultural Foundation.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

December 21, Agence France Presse
ADB approves 25.57 million grant package for Mekong region

Manila: The Asian Development Bank said Wednesday it has approved a 25.57
million-dollar grant package to protect the environment and biodiversity
in the six countries bordering Indochina's Mekong River.

The assistance would support a core environment program to address likely
stresses on the environment from economic development in the Mekong, the
Philippines-based lender said in a statement.

"We are seeing a trend where the demand for products -- whether forestry,
fisheries, agriculture, industrialization, energy, or nature-based tourism
-- is increasing yet the natural resources to meet these demands are
depleting," said ADB natural resources specialist Javed Hussain Mir.

The Mekong flows through Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and
Vietnam.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

December 18, Bangkok Post
Visit of European tourist to Pyinmana - Maxmilian Wechsler

A European tourist who has frequently visited Burma because he is
fascinated with its people, history, and scenery - and who had no grudge
against the military regime - lost his positive impressions after a recent
trip to the country.

"After the announcement by the governing State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC) spokesman on Nov 7 that the country's administration had
begun to relocate from Rangoon to Pyinmana, I decided to go there for two
reasons," he explained.

"Firstly, I had never been there and I wanted to see the 'new' capital
with my own eyes. Secondly, after the announcement, I read many analyses
published worldwide which I didn't believe. From my past experience, some
of their conclusions were biased from what I have witnessed 'on the spot'.
Many of them have never visited Burma and merely speculated on rumours
often spread by the SPDC's opponents."

"After arrival in Rangoon, I went to buy a ticket to Pyinmana from a bus
company but when I told them the destination, its staff shouted at me:
'Why do you want to go there? What are you looking for? Are you working
for the CIA?"

The tourist was very surprised by the outburst. And when it was obvious
that they would not sell him the ticket, he went to a nearby railway
station and bought a train ticket without being questioned.

"But for the price, I was told to pay $20 (823 baht) in US currency. This
was much more than the locals had to pay. "It is really regrettable when
you are suspected to be an American spy and someone else demands their
currency," he grumbled.

"I saw some locals being randomly searched by military personnel at
Rangoon railway station but no one took any notice of me there or during
the roughly eight hours-long journey to Pyinmana. In fact, even though the
train was almost full, not even one passenger was courageous enough to
talk to me. This was in contrast to my previous visit only a few months
ago when the locals often approached me for a chat."

After arriving at Pyinmana, the tourist left the railway station on foot,
passing two soldiers who took a good look at him, to search for
accommodation. And he received a second shock when he asked for a room at
a hotel and the receptionist responded: "No foreigners can stay here."

When he asked whether he could use a toilet, he was initially refused, but
after repeated requests he was told: "Alright, but do it quickly, because
if you stay here too long the police will come and ask us why you came
here and what we were talking about. They will give us many problems
afterwards."

It was the same story in the other four hotels and guesthouses in Pyinmana
where he requested a room to rest.

"I was told everywhere 'we don't accept foreigners' or 'we are full', even
though many keys were hanging on the wall," he said.

In desperation, he hired a motorcycle taxi and the driver took him out of
town, but three guesthouses they found refused to accommodate him.
Exhausted and with darkness closing in, he asked the motorcycle rider to
take him to a monastery where he asked a monk if he could stay overnight.

"The monk wasn't very happy with my presence and told me to check-in to a
guesthouse instead. But after I told him that I had already been turned
away from every place in the area, and pleaded with him to let me stay, he
finally agreed and showed me a spot on the floor to sleep," he said.

About 20 minutes later a man who could speak fluent English and who
introduced himself as a "retired veterinarian and not a policeman" arrived
and told the tourist: "You can't stay here. No foreigners can stay in
Pyinmana. You will cause problems for the monks. They are worried about
what the abbot will say if he finds out that you slept here. The best
thing for you is to go away."

According to the tourist: "I told him to leave me alone because I wanted
to sleep and said I would leave the temple early in the morning."

The man replied that he must leave immediately, adding: "It is the
government's regulation, not my idea. I just want to keep the temple out
of trouble."

The tourist continued: "After about 30 minutes, I was woken up by seven
people wearing civilian clothes who introduced themselves as police and
immigration officers. They didn't show me any identification. Some were
holding a transceiver but I didn't see handcuffs or a weapon."

They checked his passport and each of them wrote his vital data on a piece
of paper, and then one of them declared: "No foreigners are allowed to
stay in Pyinmana because it is now a very sensitive area. We are building
the new capital here. When are you leaving?"

When the tourist said "tomorrow morning", the man replied: "No, you should
go now."

However, after some discussion with his colleagues, he said: "Alright, we
will be back at 2.30am and you will have to go away."

The tourist was asked where he planned to go next, and he said Mandalay.
The man said: "You can go there and remain as long as you wish, and do
whatever you want, but you can't stay here."

The officials didn't search him, nor did they examine his digital camera
or abuse him in any way.

One of them said in broken English: "We knew you had arrived in Pyinmana,
but we couldn't find you."

At exactly at 2.30am, three men returned and took him on a motorcycle to a
bus stop, and after breakfast put him on a bus to Meiktila without asking
him to pay the fare.

The bus was filled to its capacity but again, no one spoke to the tourist.
A man who came twice to the temple was among the passengers. It wasn't
hard to figure out that he was there for the tourist.

After arriving at Meiktila three hours later, the tourist boarded another
bus to Mandalay, and this time the 'bodyguard' wasn't there.

Two days later, the tourist returned by bus to Meiktila. In order to have
another look, he hired a motorcycle taxi and played a trick by telling the
rider that he wanted to visit the next town after Pyinmana. This cost him
$40 (1,646 baht). During the journey over bad roads, he saw dozens of
green military trucks loaded with tables, chairs and office equipment, and
some covered with canvas, heading towards Pyinmana.

In Pyinmana again, he spent about one hour riding around the town and
talking to some residents. He found nothing exciting there. No
construction, no military trucks, people merely going about their
business. And little sign of the military. He saw only five uniformed
policemen and soldiers during his short stay.

According to one resident, the new administrative centre where "everything
is going on and is heavily guarded" is located a few kilometers from the
town. The area is off-limits even for the locals, and they don't really
know what is going on behind the hills. At this point the rider told him
to leave because someone had just said that something could happen to him
and to the people who he talked with. So they left.

The tourist then photographed many empty buses in a junction about five
kilometres north of Pyinmana. One resident there told him that the buses
carried officials from Rangoon directly to the new administrative centre.

A businessman he met in a hotel told him that local people knew that the
nearby town would be the 'new' administrative capital of Burma, but
advised him - for the security of himself and others - to leave as soon as
possible. "If someone reports to the authorities that I have been talking
with you, it will be a problem for me. So, please, go away," he said.

As for Rangoon itself, the tourist said that the capital was subdued and
most of the ministries appeared 'very quiet' with only a few people
inside, indicating that many of them had left for Pyinmana.

"I was able to depart from Rangoon airport without any problems
whatsoever," he said.

Some locals in Rangoon told him they didn't know why the officials were
leaving the capital. They only knew that the government had ordered it and
that everyone had to comply or face punishment.

A businessman said the relocation must be very costly and he didn't
understand why it was going on.

"When I told him that there it was speculated abroad that the SPDC had to
move because it was concerned about being attacked by the US, he said:
"This is nonsense, but there are rumours that some high-ranking military
officers have quarrelled with each other, and that some plan to stage a
coup."


PRESS RELEASE

December 19, Khonumthung News
KNG website launched officially

The only media covering Chin state and the western regions of Burma, the
Khonumthung News Group (KNG), officially launch its website today at a
simple function in its office, in Aizawl, Mizoram, India.

The long awaited website of the KNG, which has been under preparation for
a month, was launched by the staff members at a gathering at 14:00 hours
India Standard Time (IST). The KNG website has been reportedly funded by
the Open Society Institute (OSI), an International Non-Government
Organization (NGO).

The Editor of Khonumthung said, “The launching of the media website is a
milestone marking the progress of the KNG amidst the turbulence it
underwent. I hope this will benefit the people, and provide more
information about Chin state and the people of western regions of Burma
worldwide. I hope it will be an eye opener about the people of the
region.”

The staff members of the KNG expressed their gratitude to all the people
and institutions involved in making the website successful, while
regretting the inconvenience, given that it has little experience in
maintaining a website. The KNG staff said that subscription to the website
is free and invited interest groups to visit the website.

The website is open to feedback, articles and features from interested
groups or individuals, on issues relating to the people of Chin state and
western Burma. The website of the KNG is www.khonumthung.com.

The KNG was formed in the year 2002, by the youth of Chin state in Aizawl,
Mizoram, India. The media is a non-profit independent newsgroup and a
member of the Burma News International (BNI). The online news flashed by
the media is reproduced in a monthly newsletter.