BurmaNet News, July 13, 2006

[Editor]

July 13, 2006 Issue # 3003


INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: Junta accuses opposition of plotting unrest
AFP: Myanmar's new city to become national capital
DVB: Burmese farmers prepare to report land grabbing to ILO
Xinhua: Myanmar to install tsunami monitoring system very soon
Khonumthung: Village headman killed, two forcibly recruited as soldiers
Kaladan: Nasaka to bring more new comers from Burma proper

ON THE BORDER
Khonumthung: Suspected bank robbers apprehended
AP: Thailand expresses grave concern over Myanmar shooting Thai helicopter

DRUGS
Thai Press: Thailand northern army chief wants more help from Myanmar in
drug war

ASEAN
AFP: No mechanism to boot Myanmar out of ASEAN: Malaysian

REGIONAL
AFP: Thai Air Asia to launch Bangkok-Yangon flight in August

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

July 13, The Irrawaddy
Junta accuses opposition of plotting unrest

Burma’s military government accused opposition groups of creating unrest
ahead of the country’s Martyrs’ Day celebration set for next week,
state-run media reported on Thursday. “Those who took part in the 88
unrest and members of a political party in the country and its followers
are plotting to destabilize the country,” according to a story in Myanma
Ahlin. It added that opposition activists were distributing leaflets and
planning demonstrations with the assistance of exiled Burmese
organizations.

Martyrs’ Day commemorates the anniversary of the assassination of Burma’s
independence hero Gen Aung San—father of detained opposition leader Aung
San Suu Kyi—and several of his comrades on July 19, 1947. Suu Kyi’s party,
the National League for Democracy, will mark the occasion at their
headquarters in Rangoon. Official media reported that government officials
have taken steps to prevent unrest and warned that the Pyithu Swan Arr
Shin—a paramilitary group thought to have been involved in the attack on
Suu Kyi’s entourage in Sagaing Division in 2003—will counter any move by
opposition group members to stir up anti-government sentiment.

____________________________________

July 13, Agence France Presse
Myanmar's new city to become national capital

Myanmar's recently built administrative centre will officially become the
nation's capital under the long-awaited new constitution, official media
reported Thursday.

General Thura Shwe Mann, the military regime's third in command, said Nay
Pyi Taw, or 'Seat of the Kings' which lies in the country's central
jungles, will take over from Yangon.

"In accordance with the new constitution to be adopted, Nay Pyi Taw will
become the nation's capital," he said in the New Light of Myanmar
newspaper.

Thura Shwe Mann said that the Lewe region, where Nay Pyi Taw is situated,
would become the hub and administrative centre of the nation.

The secretive regime surprised the world last November by abruptly
announcing it was moving the government to the former compound outside
Pyinmana, a mountainous logging town in central Myanmar.

Analysts have said that the relocation of the capital could mean the
regime is further isolating itself in the face of growing calls for
democracy.

But Nay Pyi Taw may have to wait to become the capital, with years of work
on a new constitution making little tangible progress so far.

The basic law is supposed to be the first step on the junta's
self-proclaimed "road map" to democracy in Myanmar, formerly known as
Burma.

But the process has been condemned internationally for failing to include
the opposition National League for Democracy led by detained Nobel
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

____________________________________

July 12, Democratic Voice of Burma
Burmese farmers prepare to report land grabbing to ILO

Nearly 200 farmers from Hmawbi Township in Ragoon Division are preparing
to report the confiscation of more than 2000 acres of their farmlands to
the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

1700 acres of paddy fields in Myaungtaka, Kankalay and Kalakone Hamlets in
Hmawbi Township were started to be confiscated by Qtr Master Maj-Gen Tin
Hla from September 19, according to the farmers who received no
compensations.

Tin Hla confiscated the lands with the excuse of building No.2, Steel
Factory and the factory manager Col Aung Moe told the farmers that they
have to pay 5 ‘tins’ (bushels?) of paddy (un-husked rice) per acre. The
farmers who had nothing else to make a living with continued to work on
their farms and paid the extortion money to the army every year.

Then, Aung Moe sold off more than 200 acres of the lands for 700m Kyat
recently. In stead of addressing the grievances of the farmers, the local
authorities and the factory officials confiscated another 500 acres of
paddy fields from the farmers early this year and sold them off to
property developers leaving the farmers jobless and homeless.

The farmers were feeling helpless until they heard the news of the recent
release of lawyer Aye Myint from Pegu who was sentenced to seven years in
jail for reporting the plights of the farmers to the ILO, and the farmers
recovered the courage to report their plights to the organisation again.

____________________________________

July 13, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar to install tsunami monitoring system very soon

Myanmar will install a national tsunami monitoring system in the country's
western coastal region very soon with the help of international
organizations to receive flash data from the regional system installed in
the Indian Ocean, the local Yangon Times reported Thursday.

Under the arrangement of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Government Ocenal
Graphic Commission (IOC), an expert is due to arrive Myanmar in a couple
of days for the move, the Meteorology and Hydrology Department (MHD) was
quoted as saying.

As part of the installation program of the IOC, the tsunami wave build-up
national monitoring system will be installed in Sittway or Kyaikhami in
the coastal Rakhine state which lies near the Indian Ocean, it said.

Tsunami data from the regional early warning center already set up in the
Indian Ocean will be received by Myanmar's early warning center through
global telecommunications system, it added.

In early 2005, in a bid to strengthen its tsunami warning system, Myanmar
also set up a national committee for natural disaster prevention and
resettlement that involves many ministries.

Although Myanmar was not much affected by Dec. 26, 2004 tsunami that
smashed across the Indian Ocean compared with other South and Southeast
Asian nations, officially reported death tolls stood at 64 with 56 injured
in coastal areas. The tidal wave destroyed over 600 houses in 29 villages,
leaving 3,460 people homeless in some of the regions in six divisions and
states -- Tanintharyi, Yangon, Bago, Ayeyawaddy, Rakhine and Shan (South).

In the post-tsunami period, Myanmar has been undertaking a coastal storm
and tidal surge forecast project for improved weather prediction services.
The project, being implemented with the assistance of the Honolulu-based
PACON International (the Pacific Congress on Marine Science Technology),
involves the utilization of numerical prediction method to provide advance
warning of storm and tidal surge.

Besides, the MHD is also strengthening its public information work about
natural disaster and climate change by planning to produce a series of
documentaries to raise public awareness against such unpredictable mishap
to help manage disaster.

____________________________________

July 13, Khonumthung News Group
Village headman killed, two forcibly recruited as soldiers

A village headman in southern Chin state, Burma was killed in June by
Burmese soldiers for his failure to report the presence of an armed group
in the area.

The headman of King Kang Kung village, Lawng Zaw Kung tract, Paletwa
Township, Chin state, Andry (40), was kidnapped and killed by Burmese
soldiers in the last week of June. He was abducted and killed by the
Burmese Army’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 140 for failing to report
the presence of the Chin National Army (CNA) in the area to the
authorities, said sources.

Village headmen of King Kang Kung, Pin Kung, Sa Khi Ha and Lawng Zaw Kung
villages were arrested and taken to Matupi town, for interrogation
regarding the movement of the CNA in the region. Andry was killed on the
way to Matupi town. The exact date and reason for his murder could not be
established.

Andry was murdered in cold blood in Kaisi Mountain, near Matupi town. The
other headmen cannot be contacted because they are in army custody, said a
source. The commander of LIB 140, Captain Aung Kyaw had apprehended Mr.
Nga Vang (36) the headman of Khua Hung village and Mr. Maung Hlah (25) the
secretary of Khua Hung, who was sent to deliver a message to the headman
of La Lui village, in the second week of June. The duo has been taken to
Pakkoku by the troops.

The Burmese Army has threatened to imprison those detained. They have,
however, been given the option of joining the army. The apprehended
village authorities of Khua Hung. Mr. Nga Vang and Mr. Maung Hlah
reportedly chose to join the army to avoid a long prison term.

A Matupi villager told Khonumthung, “The Burmese Army has never taken such
excessive action against the people in previous years. This has happened
due to the movement of the CNA in the region. It could have been revenge
for the Matupi Football Match Tragedy by the Tactical II Commander,
Colonel San Aung.”

Various headmen were arrested by the Burmese Army after the presence of
the CNA in the region was reported in the last week of May. The Burmese
authorities reportedly accused the people of supporting the CNA in their
movement for the restoration of democracy in Burma. The headmen were
apprehended for not reporting the presence of CNA.

The Burmese Army had killed the headman of Tiphul village in May in
connection with the presence of CNA in Hakha Township. -KNG

____________________________________

July 13, Kaladan Press
Nasaka to bring more new comers from Burma proper

Maungdaw, Burma: Nasaka, Burma’s border security force in Maungdaw
Township, Arakan State is gearing up to settle more new comers from Burma
proper in Arakan, reports our correspondent.

The Nasaka (Burma’s Border Security Force) officers of area No. 2 and 7
were recently ordered by higher authorities to send lists of residents of
Natala villagers (model villagers) immediately.

According to Nasaka officials, there are 509 people including (260 males
and 249females) from 176families in Tharay Koonbaung Natala village.
Besides, there are 380 persons including males (195) and females (185)
from 55 families in Kyine Gyi Natala village and 105 people, including
males (58) and females (47) from 25 families in Duchay Radan Natala
village. These Natala villages are from the Nasaka area No. 7 in Maungdaw
Township.

Moreover, there are 384 persons, males (191) and females (293) from 86
families in Ran Aung Byin Natala village and 152 people including males
(80) and females (72) from 86 families in Myawaddy  Natala village of
Nasaka area No. 2 in Maungdaw Township.

The Nasaka authorities are looking for suitable places for settling new
comers from Burma proper.  New comers will come to Arakan state soon, said
a man close to Nasaka authorities.

Some of the Natala villages have new comers from Burma proper and some
have none. Some Natala villages have only Rakhines and some tribal people
invited from Bangladesh and within in Arakan State.

For the Natala villages, Rohingya villagers have to provide forced labor,
material for construction and even rations. Rohingya villagers have also
lost their arable farms, lawns and cattle, a farmer in the area said on
condition of anonymity.

When contacted a village elder said, “The present ruling junta wants to
reduce the Rohingya population by inviting outsiders to our place and
making us landless and jobless and compel us to flee to Bangladesh.”

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

July 13, Khonumthung News Group
Suspected bank robbers apprehended

Two suspected bank robbers were handed over to the authorities in Falam by
villagers on the Indo-Burma border in early July.

Hmangaihzama (15) and Lalbiakdika (20) of Champhai, Mizoram State, India
were captured by villagers on the Indo-Burma border on July 7 in Leilet
village, Falam Township, Chin state for allegedly collecting taxes. The
duo was handed over to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

A villager told Khonumthung, "They confessed that they were ordered to
collect taxes from the people by Mr. Ngun Uk Lian, the President of Chin
Integrated Army (CIA)."

The authorities gave no official statement on the amount seized from them.
They are detained in Rih, a sub township of Falam Township. Negotiations
between Mizoram and Chin state authorities are on for their repatriation,
a source said.

Hmangaihzama and Lalbiakdika were suspected to be involved in an attempted
robbery in Falam bank, which failed in the first week of July.

Two unidentified miscreants overpowered the Falam bank guard, and shot at
another guard but missed. The two fled as the guard was helped by police
personnel. No casualty was reported. Hmangaihzama and Lalbiakdika were
suspected to be the unidentified duo who attempted to rob the Falam bank.
-KNG
____________________________________

July 13, Associated Press
Thailand expresses grave concern over Myanmar shooting Thai helicopter

Thailand expressed "grave concern" Thursday over Myanmar's shooting of a
Thai helicopter near the two countries' border earlier this week.

The helicopter was delivering food Sunday to army rangers in Thailand's
northern Mae Hong Son province near a military base in Myanmar when it was
shot at three to five times, Thailand's foreign ministry said in a
statement.

The statement said "Myanmar" fired the shots, but did not say specifically
who might have done it or why.

The rounds pierced the aircraft's underbelly and left several holes in it,
the ministry said. No one was injured, and the engine was not damaged.

Anuson Chinawanno, director of the East Asia division at the Foreign
Ministry, sent a letter to Myanmar's ambassador in Bangkok expressing
Thailand's "grave concern," and urging closer cooperation along the border
"to prevent misunderstandings and such incidents from happening in the
future."

Myanmar officials did not immediately respond to the statement.

Thailand and Myanmar have a history of tensions, many of them focusing on
Myanmar ethnic rebel groups who operate along the border.

____________________________________
DRUGS

July 13, Thai Press Reports
Thailand northern army chief wants more help from Myanmar in drug war

Thailand's northern Army region chief on Wednesday expressed overall
satisfaction with ongoing drug suppression along the Myanmar border, but
said it could be much easier to successfully suppress drug smuggling in
the area with more cooperation from Myanmar.

Lt. Gen. Saprang Kalayanamitr, commander of the 3rd Army Area Command,
said drug smuggling in Thailand's north is still endemic, and only with
better collaboration from its neighbour to the west, could the problem be
solved at its core.

''If we have more cooperation from our neighbour, I believe we would be
able to destroy the production resources and ease the problem,'' he said.

The regional army chief spoke at a meeting with army officers from the
military narcotics suppression centre to evaluate the ongoing effort to
suppress drug smuggling along the northern mutual border with Myanmar.

He lauded officials working in varied aspects of drug suppression for
their hard work but said the smugglers have still not given up despite
harsh suppression.

Officials arrested 342 smugglers from March through June and seized nearly
500,000 amphetamine tablets, 2.5 kilogrammes of opium, 275 grammes of
marijuana, 1.45 grammes of heroin, some 6 kilogrammes of Ya Ice, Bt
125,794 baht in cash, 18 vehicles, and 54 motorcycles.

____________________________________
ASEAN

July 13, Agence France Presse
No mechanism to boot Myanmar out of ASEAN: Malaysian

ASEAN will continue to try and persuade Myanmar to introduce political
reforms, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Thursday, but
the grouping would not expel Yangon.

"By engaging them, we can try to persuade or influence them, although
without much success at present," he was quoted as saying by Bernama news
agency.

Syed Hamid, who was picked as envoy by the 10-member Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) last December to visit Myanmar said that
ASEAN did not have any mechanism to suspend or expel a member.

"At present, once you become a member of ASEAN, generally it is a
membership for life.

"There is no procedure or mechanism for dismissing or asking a member
country to be suspended or expelled from the organistion," he said.

Malaysia which currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), will host the group's annual security forum in late July which US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will attend.

Syed Hamid said it was difficult for ASEAN to continuously defend Myanmar,
if its leaders were not cooperative.

"We can only inform them (Myanmar) on what they should do as part of
ASEAN," he said. Myanmar joined ASEAN in 1997.

Syed Hamid travelled to Yangon in March as an ASEAN envoy to check for any
progress towards democracy, but was denied access to the detained
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Regional leaders were "frustrated and disillusioned" with Myanmar, he said
afterwards.

The junta crushed pro-democracy demonstrations in 1988 and two years later
rejected the results of national elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi's
National League for Democracy.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner has spent 10 of the past 17 years in detention.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

July 13, Agence France Presse
Thai Air Asia to launch Bangkok-Yangon flight in August

The Thai subsidiary of AirAsia, the region's largest budget airline, said
Thursday it will launch a new daily flight from Bangkok to Yangon,
Myanmar, next month.

The flight will begin on August 16, becoming the ninth international
destination served by Thai AirAsia from Bangkok, a company spokeswoman
said.

The airline will use a Boeing 737 with a capacity for 148 passengers to
fly to the military-ruled country.

Myanmar has a small but growing tourism industry. More than 660,000
foreigners visited the country last year, up 59 percent from five years
ago, according to official statistics.

That increase came despite calls by the country's detained pro-democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi for a tourism boycott to pressure the ruling junta
to make democratic reforms.

Thai AirAsia is a joint venture between Malaysia's AirAsia and Thai
telecommunications giant Shin Corp., which Thai Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra's family sold to Singapore state investment arm Temasek
Holdings earlier this year.