Daily News-December-28-Thursday-2000

  • Global press watchdog condemns imprisonment of Burma journalist
  • Democracy league MP interviewed on forced labour, political issues
  • Burma orders Christians in Chin State not to celebrate Christmas
  • Junta ban on contact between army, politician
  • Burmese opposition radio says severe jail terms imposed on Chinese migrants
  • NLD members sentenced to 11 years for issuing statement
  • Indonesia's Exspan Begins Drilling in Magwe Area
  • Gunmen Attack Burma's Passenger Train, 2 Killed

    • Global press watchdog condemns imprisonment of Burma journalist

    BANGKOK, Dec 27 (AFP) - International watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) Wednesday condemned the lengthy imprisonment of Myanmar journalist Aung Myint as a major breach of press freedom.

    Aung Myint's 21-year jail term is "a heavy sentence (that) constitutes a serious violation of press freedom," the organisation said in a statement. "Imprisonment as a punishment for the peaceful expression of an opinion constitutes a serious violation of human rights," it said.

    The Yangon junta must "ensure the immediate release of a journalist who merely expressed his opinions."

    Aung Myint, also known as Phya Pon Ni Loan Oo, was one of six members of Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) sentenced on December 14 to 21-year terms.

    He had worked for a variety of Myanmar magazines and newspapers, several of which were banned by the military for their satirical content. Aung Myint since 1999 had served as an information officer for the NLD.

    Aung Myint was proven guilty of violating Myanmar's emergency laws by distributing information regarding the NLD in September, after Aung San Suu Kyi was prevented from travelling outside Yangon.

    The six had been tried in closed sessions in Yangon's Insein Prison, a dissident source told AFP.

    Recent information suggests several are in very poor health, RSF said. The military authorities have held Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior party members under house arrest since September 22, when they attempted to board a train in Mandalay.

    However, the junta lifted restrictions over six of the NLD's central executive committee members earlier this month.
    Democracy league MP interviewed on forced labour, political issues

    Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1245 gmt 19 Dec 00

    Excerpt from telephone interview by Democratic Voice of Burma correspondent Htet Aung Kyaw with U Than Tun, National League for Democracy MP and member of the Committee Representing People's Parliament; date and place not known; broadcast by Burmese opposition radio on 19 December.

    [Htet Aung Kyaw] We heard that paddy and rice prices have dropped dramatically. Can you give some explanations about that?

    [U Than Tun] Paddy prices dropped because there are no exports so the farmers are facing difficulties. The farmers are really the hardest hit by the price drop, economically speaking. We heard even the government is not buying the compulsory paddy. Because of that the farmers are facing hardships with lots of unsold paddy on their hands.

    [Htet Aung Kyaw] Another thing is about the situation of employees. We heard their wages were increased five-fold some time back. What about that?

    [U Than Tun] Well, when the employees' wages were raised, we can generally say that their situations have became a bit better. But, compared with the rising commodity prices and the true situation, we cannot say that everything is satisfactory.

    [Htet Aung Kyaw] Yes. Education is the next topic. What the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] is saying is that they are upgrading the education system. What is the real practical situation?

    [U Than Tun] Regarding the schools and colleges, some are closed some are open. They close whenever they want and open whenever they want. Well, about the exams they said they will hold the exams within a few months. As for the students, when the schools are closed, they only dream for the schools to be reopened and pursue their education.

    [Htet Aung Kyaw] The next is about the workers and labour. Recently, the International Labour Organization, ILO, said in its resolution that they will take action against Burma on the practice of forced labour. What is the NLD's view?

    [U Than Tun] The NLD feels the resolution is appropriate. But as a country we feel very sad because it is the first time in 80 years that such an action has been taken because of the labour abuses. In reality, forced labour really exists in the country and even our League [NLD] members have suffered. When I say members, I do not mean ordinary members. I mean township level executives who themselves have been forced to contribute labour. What more for ordinary people. About the border areas, we personally do not know, but we heard. So with regard to this forced labour resolution, they were warned four-five years ago. But they continued to carry on with it and we believe this is the result they get. We think this happened because what they do is not right.

    [Htet Aung Kyaw] After the ILO resolution, what practical changes do you see?

    [U Than Tun] Well, according to their Foreign Ministry's press release, they do not accept the resolution and they have distanced themselves from the ILO. By them not accepting the ILO resolution, it means they will continue to do what they want. In reality, they are still there. We hear that forced labour is still being used. The Home Ministry issued a law on paper stating that there should be no more labour contribution and what not but in the districts, in reality, they are still engaging in forced labour whenever they want anything done.
    Burma orders Christians in Chin State not to celebrate Christmas

    Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 23 December The SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] army has ordered major cities in Chin State, where over 90 per cent of the people are Christians, not to hold any grand Christmas celebrations and some villages are not even allowed to hold any celebration at all. New Delhi based DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] correspondent Thet Naing filed this report.

    The SPDC frontline troops summoned people from Haka and Thangtlang Townships in Chin State and told them they were not allowed to hold any Christmas ceremony and prayer meeting. They went from village to village and told them if they wanted to hold any ceremony they are to hold it in a simple and discrete manner at their homes.

    Although the chairmen [of the village Peace and Development Councils] and pastors argued that Christmas is a very auspicious feast for Christians and requested them to allow Christmas celebrations the column commander of the SPDC forces refused and said that if they hold any such ceremonies rebels from the Chin National Front, CNF, could infiltrate and that is the reason such ceremonies are not allowed. He continued to say if the chairmen and pastors deliberately hold any such Christmas feast in defiance of the order, the village chairmen and pastors will all be arrested and recruited as porters.

    They also threatened them that the people from southern China State will work as porters carrying things up north and people from northern Chin State will work as porters carrying stuff down south. A villager from Longlei Village in Thangtlang Township, who arrived recently in India, said that the Chin Christians are angry at the junta's threat and they are now undecided whether to hold the Christmas celebrations and also worry about what will happen to them if they are forcibly taken as porters for celebrating the feast. The SPDC has ordered only low key celebrations ward-wise in Haka, Falam, and Tiddim in Chin State.
     Junta ban on contact between army, politician

    Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1245 gmt 25 Dec 00

    The SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] War Office has issued a special internal announcement dated 23 December for its military officers.

    The announcement prohibits currently serving military officers from having any contact with veteran politicians who once fought for Burma's independence, former military officers who belong to the National League for Democracy [NLD] party, and any retired military officer who was once connected with politics one way or another. It stated any officer who violates the prohibition will be dismissed from his position and will also face severe consequences.

    The order also cited that contacts with veteran politicians and retired senior military officers could cause undesirable internal problems in the army. The order was signed by SPDC Chairman Sen Gen Than Shwe himself. The announcement also affirmed that no officer for any reason must contact the veteran politicians who participated in the struggle for Burma's independence in various capacities.

    According to reports received by DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma], the special announcement was issued because some military officers came back with different views and opinions after knowing the true historical facts following meetings with the veteran politicians.

    Regarding the military officers' meeting with veteran politicians, DVB contacted one veteran politician in Burma by telephone and this is what he said:

    [Unidentified politician] Yes. They came to us to inquire and since we actually participated in the fight [for Burma's independence] we told them. The majority that came were lieutenant colonels and there were some captains too. They remarked what you said is so true. Our minds are getting confused and we dare not listen anymore. So they did not come again. [End of recording]

    According to an unidentified police officer, this announcement was sent not only to the armed forces but also to the police, township Peace and Development Councils, and Customs and General Administration Departments. DVB has learned that current in-service civil officers are also directed not to have any contact with persons who are directly or indirectly involved with politics.
    Burmese opposition radio says severe jail terms imposed on Chinese migrants

    Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1245 gmt 25 Dec 00

    Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 25 December
    The SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] has started to impose severe jail terms beginning this month to Chinese nationals for illegal entry because of the daily increase in the influx of illegal Chinese into Burma. Chinese who illegally entered Burma before were temporarily detained and then sent back, but now they are being sentenced to severe jail terms because the SPDC fears the illegal entry problem could be blown out of proportion and could cause other unforeseen racial problems.

    Last July in commemoration of the 50th anniversary Golden Jubilee of China-Burma diplomatic relations the SPDC released detained Chinese from Burmese jails and also sent back illegal Chinese nationals to the border. An unidentified SPDC township official said lately the groups that have signed cease-fire agreements with the SPDC themselves are engaging in trafficking illegal Chinese into Burma, the directive came from the hierarchy to stem the flow of illegal Chinese entering Burma.

    On 20 December Mu-se Township Court sentenced one human trafficker and 14 Chinese, who illegally entered Burma through Kyu-Hkok Panghsai, to jail terms ranging from four to 14 years. Some North Koreans were believed to be among those illegal immigrants. An unidentified Mu-se Township SPDC official said he was not sure whether the scheme to give severe jail terms to illegal Chinese immigrants will be sustainable or not. This report was filed by DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] correspondent Kyaw Sein Aung.
    NLD members sentenced to 11 years for issuing statement

    Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1245 gmt 21 Dec 00

    Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 21 December
    NLD [National League for Democracy] members arrested during September have been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment each by Insein Jail Additional Military Tribunal on 14 December. Although the exact number of those sentenced have not been known, according to unconfirmed sources it is believed to be 11 members.

    They included U Naing Naing, NLD elected representative from Pazundaung Township in Rangoon Division; U Soe Han, Rangoon Division NLD Organization member, U Soe alias Pyapon Nyi Lone Oo, vice chairman of Dalla Township Organization committee; U Tun Myint, NLD Central Office member, U Soe Naing, and U Aye Kyu. They were sentenced to 11 years imprisonment while the remaining five were given seven years term.

    DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] has learned that they were all charged under Section 5-J of the [1950] Emergency Provisions Act and the Printing and Publishing Law. The NLD members were arrested on 13 and 14 September for issuing a statement when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD leaders were sent back from Dalla and kept under house arrest.

    The statement, issued as NLD Members' Statement, on 12 September, noted that the existence of NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi lessen the threat of a political impasse and armed conflict; enhances national unity and solidarity; and also fulfils the aspirations of farmers, workers, populace, and students. They asked for the lifting of restrictions on NLD leaders, reopening of the NLD headquarters, and to allow the NLD party to function freely as a political party.

    In connection with the arrest of NLD members, the NLD Central Committee strongly condemned the actions in its announcement on 15 September and urged the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] for the immediate release of those arrested NLD members.

    DVB has learned that no official statement has been issued by the SPDC regarding the sentencing of the NLD members and their relatives have not been officially informed.
    Indonesia's Exspan Begins Drilling in Magwe Area

    source : Burma Courier
    Issue of Dec. 17-23, 2000

    RANGOON - An Indonesian company that has a production sharing contract with Burma's national petroleum company, MOGE, has begun drilling operations east of Magwe about 500 km north of Rangoon.

    A news item published in national media on Thursday noted a visit by Energy Minister Lun Thi and officials to No.1 test-well of Exspan Myanmar located northwest of the village of Ohntwe in Magwe township and a welcome extended by Pudjo Suwarno of Exspan.

    Exspan is a subsdiary of the Exspan energy group of Indonesia, over 90% owned by Medco Energi, a publicly listed company on the Jakarta stockmarket. Medco bills itself as an integrated oil and gas company. In Indonesia where it operates more than a dozen rigs both onshore and offshore, Medco has production sharing contracts with Indonesia's state oil company, Pertamina.

    The company also operates a methanol plant on Bunyu island off the east Kalimantan coast. The production sharing contract with MOGE has been in place since 1998. This is the first report of activity in the Magwe area. The Yenangyaung field farther north has been exploited since colonial times. There has been no recent news from other concessions Exspan has in the Kyaukkyi-Mindon, and Padaukpin-Monnatkon areas. A report in June said the company had plans to drill at least two wells on its Myanmar concessions during the year.

    MOGE has also been doing some exploratory drilling in the Myingyan area of Mandalay division which the minister also included in his tour. Nationally, inland oil production is up about 10% this year, close to the 10,000 bpd level.
    Gunmen Attack Burma's Passenger Train, 2 Killed

    Source : Dow Jones / MSNBC

    Rangoon--Two persons were killed and three others injured after a passenger train in southeastern Burma hit a land mine allegedly planted by a group of ethnic Karen rebels, the state-owned newspaper Myanma Ahlin reported Thursday.

    The train was traveling from the Mon State capital of Mawlamyine - also known as Moulmein - to Ye, 130 kilometers to the south Wednesday morning, when it hit the mine planted by 10 members of the Karen National Union insurgent group, the report said. It didn't explain how the attackers were identified.

    A spokesman for Karen National Union denied responsibility.

    "We deny any responsibility for the train bomb incident; the government is trying to frame us," said Ner Dah, contacted from Bangkok, Thailand by telephone. "We are not terrorists, our policy is quite clear that we will fight the Myanmar government and its armed forces, not its people."

    The newspaper report said the attackers looted property from the passengers when the train engine overturned and two coaches derailed.

    Security personnel travelling along to guard the train opened fire on the terrorists who fled to the east together with the looted properties,'' the government-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.

    ''The terrorists' gunfire killed one policeman and one passenger and wounded three other passengers,'' it said.

    It was the first time in several years that government media reported a KNU attack against a government target.