BurmaNet News, January 12, 2006

[Editor]

January 12, 2006 Issue # 2878


INSIDE BURMA
Mizzima: KIO holds public meeting to discuss Burmese military shootings
DVB: ICRC might be allowed to inspect Burmese prisons freely again
Narinjara: Burmese junta sends navy ship to join Milan 2006

ON THE BORDER
Mizzima: Burmese groups on India border deny bombing involvement

HEALTH / AIDS
Irrawaddy: Report addresses reproductive health issues among Burmese migrants

BUSINESS / TRADE
Mizzima: Pipeline future uncertain after Burma reneges on gas deal with India
Korea Herald: Daewoo spots new gas field in Myanmar

ASEAN
AFP: Southeast Asian summit to be held in central Philippines: Arroyo

INTERNATIONAL
Reuters: World raises volume on Myanmar, but does junta care?

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

January 12, Mizzima News
KIO holds public meeting to discuss Burmese military shootings - Myo Gyi

Kachin Independence Organisation officials have held a public meeting to
quell community anger over the Burmese military's shooting of five KIO
members and a civilian last week.

The six were killed at the KIO-controlled Nam Ngu office in northern Shan
State on January 2 by the military's 68th infantry battalion who said they
mistook the group for Shan State Army-South rebels.

KIO military commander Gen. N Ban La attended the meeting where officials
from the group told the public discussions were being held with the SPDC
to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.

"We are discussing this with the SPDC. If a similar case happens again, we
will take revenge," said a member of the group who attended the
conference.

But he said the meeting did little to reassure the public.

"People do not look happy. They seem unsatisfied with the KIO's response."

A public relations officer for the group told Mizzima there was tension
among Kachin people after the incident and said, "Yes, our people angry
with [the military's] insult but our president himself is in Rangoon to
discuss the matter".

KIO's general secretary Dr Tu Ja and two other senior members of the group
who are attending the junta's National Convention are meeting with Rangoon
military commander and chief of military intelligence Lt. Gen. Myint Swe
to discuss the incident.

The KIO signed a ceasefire agreement with the military in February, 1994.

____________________________________

January 10, Democratic Voice of Burma
ICRC might be allowed to inspect Burmese prisons freely again

An official of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) based
in Rangoon told DVB that the organisation might be allowed to inspect
Burmese prisons and meet with prisoners freely again at the end of January
as negotiations with Burmese officials concerned are still ongoing.

The official’s comment followed the decision of the ICRC not to inspect
the prisons at the end of 2005 when members of military junta-sponsored
Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) insisted that they
accompany the ICRC officials during their inspecting trip to a notorious
prison at Tharawaddy near Rangoon.

The official also insisted that ICRC officials will be visiting prisons
and hard labour camps, meeting all political prisoners including former
military intelligence service (MIS) officers who have been detained since
the ouster of their chief General Khin Nyunt in October 2004.

But the general secretary of Thailand-based Assistant Association for
Political Prisoners – Burma (AAPP), Teit Naing is not very optimistic.

“All along in 2005, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) used
many means to hamper these people so that they could not inspect the
prisons. In 2006, I believe that similar conditions, bans, interferences
will be occuring again.”

____________________________________

January 12, Narinjara News
Burmese junta sends navy ship to join Milan 2006

The Burmese military junta has sent a navy ship to participate in the
five-day 'Milan 2006' joint naval exercise from 9-14 January on the
Andaman Sea.

Seven Asian countries are participating in total, including Thailand,
India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

The navy ship, the "Anawratha", is led by Lt Col Ko Ko Kyaw, while an
accompanying naval delegation is led by Brigadier General Myo Min Thant.

The exercise, boasting the motto "Friendships Across the Seas", is aimed
at developing friendships and solidarity between diverse Asian nations as
well as providing an opportunity for professional interaction and exposure
to different cultures and traditions.

Delegations from Australia and other Southeast Asian countries are also
participating in the exercise.

It is the first time in 40 years a Burmese naval ship has travelled beyond
Burmese territorial waters.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

January 12, Mizzima News
Burmese groups on India border deny bombing involvement - Tin Zaw Moe

Burmese democracy activists based on the India-Burma border today denied
responsibility for a recent series of fatal bomb blasts in Tamu.

Burma's military regime blamed the blasts, which killed two people, on the
All Burma Students and Democratic Front and the Federation of Trade Unions
of Burma and asked Indian authorities to take action against the groups.

Dr Thura of ABSDF said it is not clear who was responsible.

"No one knows who the real culprits are and the SPDC have never exposed
the real culprits behind any bomb blasts in Burma," he said.

Dr Thura said he thought the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development
Organisation were to blame.

"We had heard USDA instructions to act violently. It is clear they want to
show the country is unstable," he said.

FTUB were quoted as denying involvement in the bombings by the locally run
English newspaper The Sangai Express.

"They want the host country to grip on our neck. So that they accuse the
democratic organisations. And they want to use as scapegoat to tighten
security," said Bala from FTUB.

Two bombs exploded just hours one after each other near a restaurant and a
tea shop at the Nantpharlon market in Tamu on January 8.

Although Burma's state-run newspaper the New Light of Myanmar reported two
people were injured in blasts, local residents told Mizzima the owners of
restaurant and tea shop were killed.

____________________________________
HEALTH / AIDS

December 12, Irrawaddy
Report addresses reproductive health issues among Burmese migrants - Shah
Paung

A recent report shows Burmese female migrants are at risk of reproductive
health problems.

The Mae Tao clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand, and an Australian university have
jointly published the report—Working Our Way Back Home: Fertility and
Pregnancy Loss on the Thai-Burma Border—on the increase of unsafe
abortions and pregnancy loss among female Burmese migrant workers along
the Thai-Burma border and the impact on their long-term reproductive
health.

The report was written by Dr Cynthia Maung, head of the Mae Tao clinic,
and Dr Suzanne Belton, of Charles Darwin University’s Institute of
Advanced Studies in Australia.

Released in late December 2005, it evaluates hundreds of women who
received treatment at the Mae Tao clinic—and a local Thai hospital—for
post-abortion and pregnancy loss complications.

“At least one third of these women have ended their own pregnancy, and two
thirds have had miscarriages,” the report states.

A press statement announcing the release of the study cites numerous
factors contributing to an increase in unsafe abortions among migrant
workers.

“The authors identify a lack of reproductive health rights, a desire to
space and limit the number of children, poor quality family planning and
post-abortion care, lack of access to reliable and safe healthcare,
violence, fear of arrest and worker exploitation as factors contributing
to the high levels of unsafe abortion,” the statement reads.

“Working conditions are not supportive of traditional community and family
mechanisms and behaviors,” Cynthia Maung writes in the report. “It becomes
difficult for women to address their domestic problems effectively.”

Mae Tao clinic records show that about 231 women sought post-abortion
treatment in 2001. Another 185 received out-patient care for
post-abortion, of which 34 were referred to a local Thai hospital.

During the same period, 360 women were treated at a local Thai hospital
for post-abortion complications, some of which had been referred from
refugee camps located in four provinces along the border.

“I hope that the report can inspire health works, teachers, politicians,
policy makers, and Thai and Burmese community leaders to consider how they
could use this information to benefit the lives of people who look to them
for leadership,” said Dr Suzanne Belton in the report.

There are an estimated 80,000 women of reproductive age in the Burmese
migrant community along the Thai-Burma border. The report is the first of
its kind to target the female migrant community.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

January 12, Mizzima News
Pipeline future uncertain after Burma reneges on gas deal with India -
Siddique Islam

The fate of the proposed tri-nation pipeline to carry natural gas from
Burma through Bangladesh to India has become uncertain after Burma backed
away from a deal to supply India with the fuel.

The Burmese Ministry of Energy instead signed a memorandum of
understanding with China's PetroChina on December 7 for the sale of 6.5
trillion cubic feet of gas from Burma's A-1 block in the next 30 years.

The deal between Burma and China has is a severe blow to India's efforts
to import gas from Burma through the proposed tri-nation gas pipeline
project, which was also due to carry gas from the A-1 block.

"The future of the gas pipeline project has become uncertain as the
Burmese authorities concerned signed this MoU with a Chinese company," an
oil-industry expert told Mizzima in Dhaka.

The pipeline project, to carry natural gas from Burma through Bangladesh
into India, was initiated by Mohona Holdings Limited in 1997.

But after beating Indian firms in overseas oil field acquisitions three
times in the past five months, Hong Kong-listed PetroChina has bagged an
agreement to buy gas from the block explored and operated by Daewoo, ONGCL
Videsh Ltd (OVL), KOGAS and GAIL.

Quoting an industry official, the Indian media reported that Ajay Tyagi,
joint secretary for gas in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas cut
short his trip to Burma after military authorities said they had sealed a
deal with China.

Sources said the vice chairman of PetroChina and Burma's energy minister
signed the agreement to sell 6.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas from
the A-1 block in the next 30 years. The gas will be transported via a
pipeline to Kunming.

Commercial production from the A-1 block, home to the Shwe field alone has
been assessed by Houston-based consulting firm Ryder Scott Co as
containing between 2.88 trillion cubic feet and 3.56 trillion cubic feet
and is expected to commence by 2009.

New Delhi had also planned to use the $1.0 billion, 290km pipeline to
bring stranded gas in the northeast to major consumption centres.

____________________________________

January 12, The Korea Herald
Daewoo spots new gas field in Myanmar - Ko Kyoung-tae

Daewoo International Corp., one of the nation's leading trading companies,
announced yesterday it discovered a large gas reserve in Myanmar near the
company's other secured gas fields.

The gas field covers 6,780 square kilometers, with a 65-percent gas
saturation rate, the company said.

"Since there are other prospective gas reserves in the A-3 mining field,
we plan to expand our explorations further in the future," Daewoo said in
an official statement.

Holding a 60 percent stake in the gas field, the gas developer has been
spearheading the project jointly with Korea Gas Corp. and two Indian oil
companies.

Responding to the announcement, the company's stock soared nearly 15
percent yesterday, the daily limit under the current regulation of the
local bourse.

The company is a former trading unit of now-defunct Daewoo Group, which
collapsed under massive debt in the wake of the 1997-98 Asian economic
crisis.

Korea Asset Management Corp., the state-invested rescue financing company,
currently holds the largest stake at 35.5 percent in the bailed out firm.
It is seeking divestiture this year.


____________________________________
ASEAN

January 12, Agence France Presse
Southeast Asian summit to be held in central Philippines: Arroyo

Manila: The annual ASEAN leaders' summit is to be held in the central
Philippines in December, President Gloria Arroyo announced Thursday.

The Philippines was supposed to take helm of the alphabetically rotating
ASEAN chairmanship next year, but Myanmar said it would forego its chance
to host the summit later this year amid pressure over the continued
detention of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Philippines will take over the ASEAN chairmanship from Malaysia.

The summit will gather leaders from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and
will tackle various issues affecting the region from terrorism to avian
flu, officials said.

"The ASEAN summit will be held in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and
Lapu-Lapu," Arroyo said in a speech during a visit to Cebu, a major
tourist destination.

She said the summit is tentatively scheduled from December 11-14, which
would be declared public holidays.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

January 12, Reuters
World raises volume on Myanmar, but does junta care? - Ed Cropley

Bangkok: If you listen to exile groups and anti-junta lobbyists, Myanmar's
generals are on their last legs.

Hemmed in by U.S. sanctions, riven by internal feuding, in line for a
ticking off from the U.N. Security Council and with an ever-shrinking
circle of friends, the junta is falling apart.

However, throughout 44 years of unbroken army rule in the former Burma,
optimistic forecasters of impending change, coalescing around opposition
leader and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, have had a habit of being
wrong and disappointed.

There is little to suggest they will be any less wrong or less
disappointed this time around, analysts say.

"The exile community gets excited when they think the West is finally
going to do something," said Robert Taylor, a researcher at Singapore's
Institute of South East Asian Studies.

"It's human nature. You've got a group of very frustrated people who think
they've got a winning cause and who can't understand why it doesn't win.
They get optimistic when they hear all this noise from the outside."

It is true that the volume of the international anti-Myanmar chorus has
grown over the last two years, led by the United States, which has
tightened sanctions against Yangon and branded it an "outpost of tyranny"
for its house arrest of Suu Kyi.

Myanmar's normally acquiescent partners in the Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) are also getting fed up with the generals'
intransigence and last year forced them to forgo their scheduled
chairmanship of the 10-member group in 2006.

In addition, a report signed off by former Czech president Vaclav Havel
and South African archbishop Desmond Tutu has pushed Myanmar and its
myriad problems, which range from narcotics to HIV to civil wars, toward
the United Nations Security Council.

An informal Council meeting on the issue in December raised hopes that the
international community was finally serious about tackling the junta,
which lost 1990 elections by a landslide but refused to hand over power.

"People are starting to believe this regime is going to come down and
maybe it won't be too long now," said Mark Farmaner of the Burma Campaign
UK, a pro-democracy group.

"We see the regime as a raw egg: hard on the outside but soft on the
inside -- and the first cracks are starting to show."

GLORIOUS ISOLATION

For all the external rumblings, there are few signs the generals, who are
busy moving the capital to a half-built complex in the middle of the
jungle, are that bothered.

Last week, they blew off a planned ASEAN visit to assess the junta's own
"roadmap to democracy," saying they were too preoccupied with the move.

For the last 23 months, they denied a visa to the UN's special envoy to
Myanmar, Malaysian diplomat Razali Ismail, causing him to quit this month
at the end of his contract.

They also know that formal Security Council scrutiny or major resolutions
remain doubtful, given that veto-wielding members Russia and China do not
take such a dim view of Yangon's failure to embrace meaningful democratic
reform.

Among possible options available to the Security Council, a visa ban for
junta members and hangers-on could be the most significant, said Dominic
Faulder, a Bangkok-based journalist who has covered Myanmar for 25 years.

"If you start making it difficult for the wives of hugely corrupt generals
to get visas for shopping trips to Singapore, they could get seriously
annoyed," Faulder said.

"But will it bring results? I just don't know. With this sort of
situation, you just have to keep adding straws to the camel's back -- and
hope."

Finally, and probably most important, there is Myanmar's strategic
location between China and India and its plentiful reserves of oil and
natural gas -- a cash lifeline for the junta even as its policies have
crippled the economy.

"Do you think the Chinese and the Thais are going to stop buying natural
gas from Myanmar just because there's a U.N. resolution?" Taylor asked.