BurmaNet News, November 2, 2006

[Editor]

November 2, 2006 Issue # 3079

INSIDE BURMA
AFP: Aung San Suu Kyi's doctor wants her to receive ultrasound: police
Irrawaddy: Regime accused of detaining, torturing activist’s family and
friends
AFP: Labor activist detained in Myanmar
AFP: Myanmar in talks with Red Cross on prison visits
AP: Myanmar junta alleges detained activists are linked to terrorists, but
defers charges
AFP: Myanmar threatens crackdown on democracy activists

BUSINESS / TRADE
Xinhua: Special economic zone law to be enacted in Myanmar: spokesman

REGIONAL
Mizzima: NESO reiterates support to anti-pipeline project campaign
Mizzima: Burmese rebels produced in Calcutta High Court

INTERNATIONAL
Irrawaddy: Burma questions role of UN rights Rapporteurs

OPINION / OTHER
DVB: “Meeting Point” by Mya Aye (an unofficial translation)
DVB: What the opposition think of UN Gambari’s visit to Burma

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

November 2, Agence France Presse
Aung San Suu Kyi's doctor wants her to receive ultrasound: police

Aung San Suu Kyi's doctor has requested that the detained democracy leader
be allowed to receive an ultrasound during her next medical check,
Myanmar's police chief said Thursday. "We gave permission for Aung San Suu
Kyi's personal doctor Tin Myo Win to visit her two months ago for her
general medical checkup and for an ultrasound, but he hasn't visited her
yet," Myanmar's national police chief, Brigadier General Khin Yee told
reporters.

"He will visit her within a few days, maybe on November 11 or 12," Khin
Yee added.

"Her health condition is good, as far as we know," Khin Yee said, adding
that he did not why the doctor had requested permission to do the
ultrasound.

Ultrasounds allow doctors to examine a variety of internal organs, and can
be used to diagnose heart conditions as well as gynecological problems.

Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is under house arrest in her
rambling lakeside home in Yangon, as she has been for most of the last 17
years.

Aside from her maid who lives with her, the 61-year-old is allowed no
contact with the outside world, except for visits from her doctor who
normally sees her once a month.

"We have no restrictions on his visits," Khin Yee said. "We also have
communication with her and whenever she needs her personal doctor, we
allow him to visit, not only once a month.

"The last outsider allowed to see Aung San Suu Kyi was UN under secretary
general Ibrahim Gambari, who visited her in May.

Gambari is set to return to Myanmar on November 9, but the information
minister, Brigadier General Kyaw Hsann, said he did not know if a second
visit would be allowed.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won 1990 elections, but
the military has never allowed them to govern.

Her latest period in detention began after a May 2003 attack on her convoy
by junta-backed militia in the country's central region.

She was thrown into prison after the assault but, following a
gynecological operation four months later, allowed to return home -- again
under house arrest.

She fell ill in June with stomach troubles, and her doctor was allowed to
treat her in her home.

____________________________________

November 02, Irrawaddy
Regime accused of detaining, torturing activist’s family and friends -
Khun Sam

The parents, other family members and friends of an exiled Burmese labor
rights activist, Thein Win, have been arrested and some of them tortured,
according to organizations based in London and Bangkok.

The London-based International Transport Workers’ Federation and the
Bangkok-based Federation of Trade Unions Burma said they were outraged by
the arrests and called for the immediate release of those detained.

They reported that 15 people, including the parents, three brothers and a
sister, were arrested in August on charges of maintaining unlawful
contacts with exiled organizations. One of the arrested family members,
Thein Win’s pregnant sister Chaw Su Hlaing, was tortured with electric
shocks, Naing Ko of the FTUB told The Irrawaddy.

Chaw Su Hlaing was released after hospital treatment, along with her
father, one brother and three others, he said. The other nine were being
held in Taunggoo prison in Pegu Division.

“The arrest of trade union activists’ families in retaliation for any
exercise of legitimate trade union activities is a shocking and flagrant
violation of internationally-guaranteed human rights,” said David
Cockroft, ITF General Secretary, in a letter to junta leader Snr-Gen Than
Shwe..

Naing Ko accused the authorities of “kidnapping” friends and relatives of
Thein Win and holding them because they could not apprehend him. “No
civilized society would accept this.”

The Burmese regime has accused Thein Win and other exiled activists of
masterminding terrorist acts in Burma.

Rights groups accuse the authorities of torturing Thein Win’s arrested
relatives and friends in order to extract confessions that they knew of
his illegal activities.

____________________________________

November 2, Agence France Presse
Labor activist detained in Myanmar

A Myanmar migrant workers' group said Thursday that a labor activist
deported by Thailand had been detained by Myanmar's military government
for campaigning for the release of political prisoners. Ye Kyaw Thu was
detained over his involvement in a petition drive seeking the release of
political prisoners, said Pranom Somwong, a coordinator at the MAP
Foundation.

He has been accused in Myanmar's official media of helping to collect
signatures but the foundation did not know if Ye Kyaw Thu had actually
been involved in the campaign, Pranom said.

Organizers said that more than 530,000 people signed the petition during
21 days in October, a rare sign of dissent in the military-ruled nation
formerly known as Burma.

The petition called for the government to hold talks with the political
opposition and to free the nation's estimated 1,100 prisoners of
conscience, including Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent most of the past 17
years under house arrest.

Ye Kyaw Thu, a worker leader in the Progress Ceramic factory in the border
town of Mae Sot, was arrested by Thai officials on October 17, according
to Bo Kyi, who heads the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners,
Burma.

Labor activist Moe Swe said that Ye Kyaw Thu was detained after he failed
to show proper working papers when he went to file a complaint with Thai
authorities over conditions at the factory.

____________________________________

November 2, Agence France Presse
Myanmar in talks with Red Cross on prison visits

Military-ruled Myanmar said Thursday it was still holding talks with the
International Committee of the Red Cross on resuming visits to the
nation's prisons, which were suspended last year. "We didn't mean for ICRC
not to visit prisons," the information minister, Brigadier General Kyaw
Hsann told reporters.

"We need cooperation for the convenience of both sides if they resume
their visits to prisons. We are still in negotiations," Kyaw Hsann said.

Myanmar's military rulers stopped allowing the ICRC to visit its prisons
in December 2005, when the junta asked for government-affiliated
organizations to accompany the ICRC on its prison visits.

The ICRC refused to go with the state-run groups, and so far, no agreement
has been reached.

Between 1999 and late 2005 the Geneva-based humanitarian agency made 453
visits to prisons and labor camps across Myanmar, which has been ruled by
the military since 1962.The United Nations estimates Myanmar has more than
1,100 political prisoners, including Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi
who has spent more than a decade under house arrest.

The ICRC has met with the detained democracy leader twice since 1999.

____________________________________

November 2, Associated Press
Myanmar junta alleges detained activists are linked to terrorists, but
defers charges

Myanmar's military government said Thursday that five former student
activists held without charge since late September have links with illegal
organizations and terrorist groups.

Speaking at a press briefing, police chief Maj. Gen. Khin Yi said Min Ko
Naing and four colleagues in the "88 Generation Students' Group" had been
taken in for questioning to prevent unrest and ensure national stability.
Asked if they will be charged, Khin Yi said they were taken in for
questioning in connection with matters of security and terrorist acts and
there is enough evidence to charge them, though that has not yet been done
as investigations are continuing.

Khin Yi said the 88 Generation leaders had links with exiled
anti-government groups and had been receiving financial assistance from
those dissidents and foreign organizations. Documents and charts allegedly
showing the links between the detained activists and the groups were
displayed in the hall where the press briefing was held.

He said that the 88 Generation activists, in collusion with opposition
groups inside and outside the country and foreign media, have been
vilifying the government by disseminating fabricated reports and spreading
rumors, and have been plotting to commit terrorist acts and create public
unrest.

At the same briefing, Information Minister Brig Gen. Kyaw Hsan warned
other members of the 88 Generation group, who have been campaigning for
political reconciliation and freedom for political prisoners including
their colleagues that action would be taken against them if they create
unrest.

He called on the public to expose and eliminate internal and external
destructive elements.

The ruling military tolerates little dissent, harassing or detaining
critics and political foes such as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and
keeping tight restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly.

The United Nations and human rights groups estimate that there are more
than 1,100 political prisoners in Myanmar.

____________________________________

November 2, Agence France Presse -- English
Myanmar threatens crackdown on democracy activists

Myanmar's military government threatened Thursday to crack down on
activists who have been campaigning for the release of political
prisoners.

"If their movement harms the peace and tranquility of the state and leads
towards unrest in the country, we will take action -- not only prevention,
but detention and questioning," Information Minister Brigadier General
Kyaw Hsann said at a press conference. "We have to prevent a fire hazard.
It's the duty of the government to protect the state and the people from
the danger of terrorist acts by destructive elements," Kyaw Hsann said.

More than 100 pro-democracy activists are holding a week-long prayer vigil
at Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon, calling for peace in a rare public protest.

The vigil follows a petition drive that organizers say collected 530,000
signatures, calling for the release of the nation's estimated 1,100
political prisoners, including detained democracy icon Aung San Suu
Kyi.The campaign began one month ago, after six pro-democracy activists
were arrested in late September, including five former student leaders who
participated in a pro-democracy uprising in 1988.The junta has dismissed
the petition, and accused organizers of faking the signatures.

"There are 54 million people in our country. It cannot be said that
530,000 represents the desire of all the people," national police chief
Brigadier General Khin Yee said. He said that no action had yet been taken
against the activists.

"We have been watching for the sake of peace and tranquility. But we have
to take action if non-governmental organizations (NGOs), public and
religious organizations complain to us about their movement," he said.

Myanmar's junta has accused five of the detained activists of trying to
incite unrest as the UN Security Council held discussions in late
September on trying to kick-start democratic reform in the country. Win
Ko, an activist involved in the petition and also a member of Aung San Suu
Kyi's National League for Democracy party, was jailed for three years last
month.

The authorities said he was imprisoned for possessing illegal lottery
vouchers, although fellow democracy campaigners believe it was because he
collected 480 signatures for the petition.But the police chief denied
arresting anyone over the signature campaign.

"If we want to arrest, not only Win Ko, we can arrest whoever participate
in it. But we let them go," Khin Yee said, insisting that Win Ko was
arrested over the lottery case. Activists in Thailand said a labor leader
on the border between the two countries was arrested in Myanmar after
being deported, apparently over his involvement in the campaign.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

November 2, Xinhua General News Service
Special economic zone law to be enacted in Myanmar: spokesman

Myanmar will enact a special economic zone (SEZ) law soon, aiming to
absorb inflow of more foreign investment into the country to promote its
economic development, government spokesman Brigadier-General Kyaw Hsan
told a press conference here Thursday.

Kyaw Hsan, also information minister, said that Myanmar had introduced the
Foreign Investment Law in November 1988 when the country started to open
its door to such investment.

However, due to the call for foreign sanctions against Myanmar by some
political organizations at home and abroad, and the economic sanctions
imposed by some Western countries led by the United States for its
political aim, the volume of such investment brought in was not as much as
expected, he said, adding that if it had not been the case, the investment
could have surely been more. In most recent years, contracted foreign
investment has been increasing more compared with the past, he said.

According to the latest official statistics, the investment had reached
13.84 billion U.S. dollars as of March this year since 1988. The increase
was signified by the 6.03 billion dollars injected by Thailand for a
hydropower project this year which also marked the year of absorbing the
highest annual foreign investment that the country has drawn since 1988.

It is expected that granting of special privileges to foreign investors
setting up SEZ will be contained in the law which directs at the emergence
of the exceptional Thilawa SEZ in Yangon' s Thanlyin township, the
prospective first full foreign investment SEZ in Myanmar.

According to the business circle, the Thilawa SEZ zone, about 25
kilometers (km) south of Yangon and covers an area of 12.8 square-km, will
become the first export concentration zone of its kind in the country in
which all formalities for export of the zone's products will be handled
with one-stop service. Concerning the Thilawa SEZ, a master plan for the
establishment of the zone was designed by Chinese experts for feasibility
study for the Myanmar side. Meanwhile, the establishment of three other
Thai-proposed special industrial zones, located in Myawaddy and Hpa-an in
southeastern Kayin state and Mawlamyine in southern Mon state is also
underway.

The project constitutes part of an economic cooperation strategy (ECS)
program agreed upon at a summit of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand
held in Myanmar's ancient city of Bagan in November 2003. Under the
Ayeyawaddy-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS)
agreed by the four countries, the three Thai- proposed industrial zone
projects are estimated to start in 2007. The Myawaddy zone covers an area
of 173 hectares, while the Mawlamyine zone 124 hectares and Pha-an zone
178 hectares, according to official sources.

Besides, Myanmar is also likely to establish one more special industrial
zone in Rakhine state, western part of the country, and invite foreign
investment mainly from Bangladesh for the development, local reports said.
As part of its plan of industrial development, Myanmar has established in
the early stage 19 local industrial zones across the country with a total
of 9,574 industrial enterprises in operation which include small, medium
and large businesses. Of them, the small industrial enterprises are
dominating with 57.48 percent, while the medium ones 25.24 percent and
large ones 17.28 percent, according to the Industrial authorities.

According to official statistics, Myanmar's industrial sector contributed
17.5 percent to the gross domestic product of the nation in the fiscal
year 2005-06 which ended in March and a 19- percent contribution is
targeted for 2006-07. The private sector's contribution to the industrial
sector accounts for 92.36 percent, statistics also show.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

November 2, Mizzima News
NESO reiterates support to anti-pipeline project campaign - Mungpi

November 2, 2006 - Students in India's northeastern states have reiterated
their support to the campaign against the proposed pipeline project that
will connect Burma's western coast to Kolkata for importing gas from
military-ruled Burma to India.

As a first step of the campaign, the North-East Student Organisation, the
apex student body of northeastern India, organized a seminar on the
proposed India-Burma gas pipeline project, during its four-day annual
conference, held from October 30 to November 2, 2006.

NSN Lotha, general secretary of NESO told Mizzima, "The participants are
very keen to learn about the pipeline project. And many participants heard
of the project for the first time and wish to know more about it."

Lotha said the NESO plans to promote awareness among students and the
people of northeast India about the possible impacts that the pipeline
project would have.

India, which is in a race with Thailand and China to gain the right to
import natural gas from Burma's offshore oil fields in Arakan state, has
planned to build an estimated US $1 billion pipeline project to transport
the gas from Burma.

According to the proposed project, the pipeline route would start from
Burma's western coast in Arakan state and make its way through Chin State.
On the Indian side it will pass through Mizoram, Assam to West Bengal
state.

Environmental and rights activists are concerned over the possible
environmental damage, human rights abuses, such as forced relocation of
villages along the pipeline route and forced labour.

Political activists said business deals with Burma at this juncture will
further strengthen the military dictators, which suppresses and abuses the
rights of its citizens. It urged the government of India to re-consider
the proposed business deals with the junta.

"Our campaign is to promote awareness among the people regarding the
consequences of the project
 the pipeline will have --- the social,
environmental and economic impacts," Lotha said.

____________________________________

November 2, Mizzima News
Burmese rebels produced in Calcutta High Court - Syed Ali Mujtaba

November 2, 2006- A group of 34 rebels from Burma's Arakan state arrested
by the Indian Navy in 1998 were produced in Calcutta High Court, India on
Wednesday.

Their trial was shifted to Calcutta High Court from a Port Blair court in
Andaman-Nicobar archipelago on the orders of the Supreme Court after
appeals by human rights organisations that the alleged rebels had no
consular access in Port Blair.

The rebels, who belong to the National Unity Party of Arakan (NUPA) were
brought to the city on Tuesday from Port Blair under tight security and
were produced in court.

The court remanded them to judicial custody till November 14. The rebels
were lodged in a high-security jail after their remand.

According to the Indian Army, the Arakanese were arrested in Landfall
Island in the Nicobar in February 1998, during "Operation Leech" conducted
by it.

A huge quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives were reportedly seized
from them.

However, the rebels claim they were betrayed by Indian military
intelligence after they were used by them for several years to monitor
Chinese naval activity.

The Centre had directed the CBI to inquire into the case in 2004.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

November 02, Irrawaddy
Burma questions role of UN rights Rapporteurs -  Clive Parker

A Burmese official at the UN on Wednesday questioned whether UN special
rapporteurs on human rights were necessary under the new Geneva-based
Human Rights Council, which this year replaced the much-criticized Human
Rights Commission.

Speaking at a session of the Third Committee in New York—an organ of the
UN General Assembly that addresses social, humanitarian and cultural
issues—Burmese delegate Min Mra said the special rapporteur system should
be reviewed.

“Thorough consideration should be given to the effectiveness of
maintaining country-specific Special Rapporteurs or Independent Experts,”
he said, adding that because of the system, “a heavy strain had been put
on scarce resources.”

UN special rapporteurs receive no salary, although their expenses are
covered by the UN.

Burma has not permitted entry to the UN-designated special rapporteur,
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, for nearly three years.

Pinheiro last month issued a report on the situation in Burma to the UN
Third Committee and in September presented findings to the Human Rights
Council, both of which were highly critical of the regime, prompting a
rebuttal from Burmese officials at the UN.

“Some reports had contained glaring errors, inaccuracies and wrongful
assertions, such as those of the special rapporteurs on the situation on
human rights in Myanmar [Burma],” Win Mra said on Wednesday.

The UN Human Rights Council extended the mandates of its rapporteurs in
July for a further 12 months in a bid to hold off discussions over the
future of the system as it entered a busy period of transformation,
replacing the old commission.

It is expected to reassess the role of rapporteurs before July next year,
with some countries reportedly keen to abolish the system—dissenting
governments, including the regimes in  Burma and North Korea, have argued
that a country-specific mechanism is overly politicized and that they have
been singled out for unfair criticism.

The US and other countries, mostly western democracies, say that the
current setup does not go far enough and that the worst violators of human
rights are not being pushed to reform.

Pinheiro was not available to comment on the issue on Thursday. In
May—when his mandate was being considered for renewal—he told The
Irrawaddy that he would like to see the council strengthen the rapporteurs
system. “I hope that the council will be able to be more effective in
considering the refusal of Myanmar [Burma] to receive the visit of the
special rapporteur,” he said.

Burma is one of only 13 countries assigned a country-specific
representative of the UN to assess human rights, along with such nations
as North Korea, Belarus and Sudan. The special rapporteur mandate for
Burma was first established in 1992.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

November 2, Democratic Voice of Burma
Opinion: “Meeting Point” by Mya Aye (an unofficial translation)

 “They said it was only for a short while and took him away, but he is
still not returned. I can’t sleep at night. We have been waiting in case
they return our little son. His father who is bedridden, shouts in his
sleep, my son, my son”.

The old mother’s voice recedes with sorrow. Her cheeks are flooded with
tears – her two hands are trembling. The age that is 80 years, has
separated her desire from her body.

“We are old now. We have to depend on this son. It is not convenient for
us. As our son is not here, his wife is struggling for our survival by
selling things. By pitying me, please return my son to us.”

We are all unbearably moved. I try to turn my face away while flapping my
eyelashes to control the surging tears. But it’s useless


This 90 year old man is lying on a ragtag bamboo mat. He could not open
his eyes. He could not sit up. He has stroke. They are the mother and
father of Ko Myint Aye from Kyitmyintaing Township. He is detained for
writing a letter explaining human rights regarding the detention of 88
Generation Student leaders. Here (in Burma), there is no human right. Some
people even don’t know that. Those who know have not rights to write. Ko
Aye Myint knows and writes about it. He is arrested. It is not known where
he is, up to now. It is not known what he was charged with. It is not
known how he is surviving. Those concerned (the authorities) give no
information, issue no statement. They do not have sympathies for the pains
of his old father and mother. This is one of the great social troubles in
Burma we saw with our own eyes.

After leaving the home of Ko Myint Aye, we 88 Generation Students who
offer words of comforts, all fall silent. The heaven suddenly opens and we
take refuge under a roof and get lost in our own thoughts.

Min Ko Naing – Him, me and Ko Pyone Cho---We all watch the football
(soccer) world cup. We are all for Italy
France and Italy shoot the last
penalty. Italy win. I jump with joy. Min Ko Naing shows no emotion. When I
asks him why, he answers. “I pity the French goalkeeper”. He is not
related to him and has nothing to do with him and it is not the team he
supports
and he pities him! Min Ko Naing’s attitude is, not to celebrate
unilaterally (too much) against those who are defeated, but to sympathise
them. Tenderness/gentleness is his only worshipping item.

Pyone Cho is someone who smiles. He is always someone who keeps on
smiling. Even his name is Pyone Cho (Smile Sweet or Sweet Smile).

He has the reputation of dealing people with the smile
I have never seen
Pyone Cho in an angry mood during my friendship with him for more than 18
years. He is someone who is always happy with a sweet smile


As the rains stop, we hire a car (taxi) and return. Ko Ko Gyi’s home is
our temporary refuge
When we reach the home of Ko Ko Gyi, the three cats
demand food. 88-sister feed them with a mixture of boiled rice and dried
prawns. The cats scramble for it. The three cats with no owners
Ko Ko Gyi
love cats. Once, while we are discussing some important matters, one of
the cats fall down from the veranda. It breaks (one of) its leg(s). Ko Ko
Gyi is not with us in the discussion anymore. He takes the cat to a clinic
for treatments. He rubs the cat’s feet with turmeric
As for Ko Ko Gyi’s
himself, his health is poor. He never goes to the clinic or the
hospital
He doesn’t care for himself. He is someone who loves animals


I lie down on the (floor of the) guestroom of Ko Ko Gyi, in spread-eagle
position. The phone rings. 88-sister gets up hurriedly and stumbles on my
leg. Kowtow (sorry), she says. I regret my rude behaviour while looking at
her polite behaviour.

Min Zeya is the oldest in our group. Once upon a time, we have arguments
during a discussion. I criticised him bitterly by pointing my index finger
at Ko Min Zeya. He didn’t stop his smile
Once, I forced him to pick up a
book from a bookshelf even though the book was within my reach as I was
sitting. He stands up and takes it for me, without losing his smile
I am
ashamed of myself. Ko Min Zeya is someone who deals with people patiently
– he has no arrogance – he is someone full of patience


It is dark now. I go home. If I returned home late mother would be
worried. The rains become heavy again. I hire a car and go home. Near
Tamwe traffic lights, the car (driver) suddenly hits the brakes and I am
thrown forward. Re-erect myself on the seat. A woman stands near the car –
on the one hand she holds a five year old child by the hand and grabs a
six month old baby close to her breasts. They are all dripping with
rainwater. They beg money. I give them. They go to another car and
continue to beg, in the rain – among the cars. The five year old child
even doesn’t know that he is begging and he looks happy as if he is in a
playground. The lights go green. The car departs. My thoughts are
splattering to far away places again.

Htay Kywe – his parents are rich. In fact, he could afford to do nothing
for survival. Once, I am in his car. At Hledan traffic lights, two middle
school girls wearing white and green school uniforms sell us garlands of
jasmine blossoms to be hung in the car. He buys (the flowers) from both of
them
then he gives the flowers back to them. I ask him what he’s doing. He
answers. “My friend, I can’t bear to see them (selling flowers for
survival like that)”. Htay Kywe is someone who is generous with great
understanding and sympathy


I arrive at home. Mother’s face lights up and she lets off a great sigh.
Mother is content now that I am at home. I will go upstairs and be
half-asleep and half-awake. At midnight, mother will wake up if we hear
the noise of car engine (or) shuffling sounds. And back to sleep again.
This is not the habit of my mother only, but also that of all the mothers
of our brothers and sisters from political circles. There is no night in
which our mothers could sleep soundly. There was none, in fact. The sounds
of sinister birds hooting and the knocks on the door are our mothers’
nightmares. Whatever you say, our mothers at least still possess
half-asleep, half-awake nights.

As for the mothers of political activists including five detained leaders
of 88 Generation Students, they only have nights in which they have to use
their anxieties as bamboo mats and embrace their hot tears fro company.
Labelling gentle, tender and pure/sincere people as insurgents,
terrorists, is the abandonment of truth or just reacting with fear. It
will never be a logical, fair solution. It will never be solved. Rivers
Mai Kha and Mali Kha flowed down together. One river is torrential and
wild. The other is smooth and tame. When the wild and the tame meet, they
become the great river king Irrawaddy. It becomes the valuable river king.
Nature arranges all things to have a meeting point. As the meeting point
of Mai Kha and Mali Kha is the Irrawaddy, and rivers meeting point is, the
sea, the ocean. If it is so, our meeting point is

.

Mya Aye
88 Generation Student
7 October 2006

____________________________________

October 31, Democratic Voice of Burma
What the opposition think of UN Gambari’s visit to Burma

 “As for us, the NLD believe that when it comes to the problem of what
kind of extraordinary thing going to happen is, only when the important
facts are handled, would there be some extraordinary progress.

As we think so, the NLD is making preparations in expectation of Gambari’s
visit. The CEC (Central Executive Committee) members are preparing in
advanced words which should be asked to Gambari, the facts on which we
should urge him. There would be progress if the UN could carry out the
urged facts. The NLD is also hoping that the Security Council will take
effective actions (on Burma).”

Nyan Win – spokesman of National League for Democracy (NLD)

****

“The main thing is when Gambari comes here, we want political and ethic
national groups to be included (in the meetings with him). The reason is,
ethnic national groups have something to be put forward. Another thing,
when Gambari comes to Burma, in order to consider the paths based on the
resolutions of the UN on the problems of Burma, (the UN representatives)
must not only listening to what the army government has to say but also
our strong wish to urge the UN on the working plans.”

Aye Tha Aung – spokesman of Committee Representing People’s Parliament (CRPP)

****

“As for us, the UN is an organisation heading the world family. As the
organisation’s representative is coming here, it needs to be fruitful. The
cooperation with the UN needs to be more effective. This is a duty that
needed to be followed by every country. What I want to be is – not just
someone come and depart and who come etc. – more than that I want the UN
and Burma to strengthen the cooperation, especially our country is facing
difficulties. It would be best if the UN representatives could help
overcome the stalemate in Burma. For this, it would be more effective if
the world family organisation and Burma cooperate.”

Asked if the real purpose of the detention of 88 Generation Student
leaders, Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe, Min Zeya and Pyin Cho, is to
release them after the visit of Gambari so as to gain credits for the
junta, Jimmy said:

“As for this, it would be good if they are released, whatever it is. What
I mean is, it is not good or suitable to have this kind of attitude. If
they arrested them with the intention of releasing them after Gambari is
gone, it is not good or suitable. It would not help the genuine national
reconciliation process. What we want is – whether Gambari or the UN
Secretary General or whoever comes here or not – it is more important to
have the spirit that the world family is working for the benefit of the
country and that Burma is cooperating with the world family.”

Kyaw In Yuu, a.k.a., Jimmy – 88 Generation Students