Daily News- February 20 - 2003- Thursday
  • MTV Interview with Aung San Suu Kyi
  • Myanmar Exile leader seeks Delhi's support
  • Bank unrest in Burma
  • Myanmar can learn from Malaysia, says ambassador
  • Burma rejects US scepticism of reform, sanctions threat
  • US Instructor assists less fortunate in Thailand, Burma
  • EU Declaration on Aung San Suu Kyi's travel restrictions, detention and arrests in Burma
  • Chinese and Myanmar police jointly cracked down drug trafficking
  • Media black out news of bank runs


    • MTV Interview with Aung San Suu Kyi

    Whispering Freedom : Celebrates Aung San Suu Kyi and raises the profile of the Burma campaign...

    source : MTV

    Earlier this year, MTV helped organise the Whispering Freedom Event, an evening of music and comedy launched to celebrate the release of pro-democracy leader and Nobel Prize Peace winner Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and to also raise awareness for the Burma Campaign UK.

    Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest in 1988 in Rangoon when the military regime seized power from the people, and was finally released in July 1995 after calls for her release by high profile political leaders.

    The campaign was also a reminder that the fight for democracy in Burma is still going and as Aung San Suu Kyi herself said "For all people in Burma to enjoy basic freedom – that would be the major breakthrough".

    The profile of the event was raised by performances from Faithless and Travis frontman Fran Healy, with video contributions from artists including Mary J Blige and Jamiroquai.

    MTV got to interview this remarkable woman and find out about her years in captivity and how far she feels Burma has come since her imprisonment. Check out the interview below...
    Aung San Suu Kyi interview

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    Myanmar leader seeks Delhi's support

    The Hindu, India

    By Our Special Correspondent

    CHENNAI Feb. 19. A leader of Myanmar's opposition group, the National League for Democracy (NLD), Dr. Swe, has urged the Indian Government to help in "reviving the dialogue between the Burmese military junta and the NLD" as a means of restoring democracy in that country.

    Dr. Swe, who is on a tour of south India under Amnesty International's banner, told mediapersons here on Wednesday that India needed to provide support for the dialogue process. The military regime would certainly be more comfortable with its Asian neighbour than holding talks with Western nation representatives. However, it should not stop with talking only with the generals.

    It should also hold talks with the Opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, whose NLD stood for peace and non-violence.

    India had a "constructive engagement" with Myanmar's military leaders, mainly to foster border trade and some forms of aid.

    But recently, Dr. Swe noted, he was concerned with Indian arms supplies, mainly artillery pieces, passed on through the Manipur border. "At least 80 trucks of equipment passed through the Moreh-Tamu border post in Manipur about two months back."

    Pointing to the continuing human rights violations including oppression of the people, mainly the ethnic minorities, Dr. Swe said 50 million people live in permanent fear. But, their only hope was Suu Kyi's movement, which spread its message through the radio.

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    Bank unrest in Burma

    By Kimina Lyall, Southeast Asia correspondent
    The Australian, Australia -February 20, 2003

    A RUN on private bank deposits in Burma could lead to the country's worst financial crisis since the events that sparked massive unrest in 1988, according to foreign observers and exiled politicians.

    Assurances by central bank governor Kyaw Kyaw Maung that depositors have "nothing to worry about" have failed to halt the rush of withdrawals, which began last week with long queues outside most of the privately owned banks, leading them to limit withdrawals and close doors on their customers.

    But observers believe that without further government intervention, the banks could collapse, sparking a financial crisis not seen since the 1988 demonstrations that led to the rise of Aung San Suu Kyi as national democracy leader.

    "This is the worst financial situation since 1988," said Sann Aung, a member of Burma's government in exile, based in Thailand. "The situation is now critical."

    A Burmese academic based in Bangkok, who did not want to be identified, agreed.

    "The 1988 situation began because the year before the government demonetarised the currency and people came out on the streets," he said, referring to former dictator Ne Win's disastrous decision to reissue bank notes in denominations of nine. "If you compare the two conditions, now it is much worse," he said.

    But he said it was too early to predict if the panic would spread to street protests, because people still remembered the 3000 deaths and disappearances that occurred after the military opened fire on the 1988 demonstrations.

    "Terror hangs in the sky,' he said. "But the bottom line is people have no confidence in the banking system, the economic system or the government system."

    Foreign diplomats in Rangoon also expressed concern.

    "I think the Government is very worried. They are always worried 1988 will happen again," said one diplomat, adding that the Government had been largely silent on the issue, and people's behaviour had been fuelled by rumours.

    The rush on deposits began after the ruling military junta announced that a number of non-banking financial institutions, which had attracted huge deposits with interest rates of up to 50 per cent, were illegal, leading many of them to collapse overnight.

    Following rumours that the country's 20 registered private banks would soon suffer the same fate, depositors rushed to withdraw their funds, especially from the biggest bank, the Asia Wealth Bank.

    "We were allowed to withdraw 1 million kyat last Friday, but on Monday they limited withdrawals to 500,000 kyat per week," one businessman outside the bank said on Tuesday. "This morning, we are now only allowed to withdraw 100,000 kyat per week."

    Analysts said the situation had been compounded by Burma's continuing problem with inflation, growing at a rate of 50 per cent a year, and the weakness of the currency.

    In their few public comments on the issue, government members have blamed the run on "destructive elements" spreading rumours to damage the country.

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    Myanmar can learn from Malaysia, says ambassador

    NEW STRAITS TIMES

    PETALING JAYA, Myanmar has a lot to learn from other Asian countries such as Malaysia and Japan, which it regards as among Asia's models of development, its ambassador to Malaysia, U Hla Maung said today.

    He said both Malaysia and Japan were "time-tested" friends of Myanmar and the lessons learned from them would help Myanmar to develop its country.

    He said this at a training program for 17 Myanmar diplomats and administrators organized by University Malaya's International Institute of Public Policy and Management.

    The two-week program, the third of its kind for Myanmar officials, is sponsored by the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

    The program is mainly to provide Myanmar government officials a grounding in the theory, history and practice of international politics and economics, and Asean and Japan.

    The program was opened by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok. Also present were UM vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Anuar Zaini Md Zain and the Japanese ambassador to Malaysia, Masaki Konishi.

    Dompok said such programs helped strengthen ties."In the current uncertain environment that carries with it both threats and opportunities, positive relationship between Asean officials can play an important role in over-coming problems,"said Dompok.

    He said Myanmar could learn a lot from Japan because it was the first Asian nation to transform itself into an industrialized nation, while still retaining its tradition and culture.

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    Burma rejects US scepticism of reform, sanctions threat

    Rangoon, Feb 20 (AFP) - Burma's ruling military regime on Thursday rejected US scepticism over the progress of its political reform process and slammed a warning that it may consider further sanctions against the country.

    In a statement released here, the junta said it "noted with disappointment" remarks made last week by Lorne Craner, US Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, Democracy and Labour.

    Craner had said that the US government was concerned about the "recalcitrance" of Burma's regime in implementing political change.

    "Our patience for positive change is beginning to run out and we, along with the UK and others, are considering all options, including further sanctions," he said.

    The United States currently maintains an investment ban, travel restrictions for Burmese officials and an arms embargo on Burma, among other sanctions.

    The junta responded by condemning sanctions for failing to solve the country's problems.

    "Sanctions, by definition, impede economic growth, and deprive the Myanmar people of job opportunities. Sanctions, especially against a developing country, directly hurt healthcare and education," it said in the statement.

    "Sanctions, in short, do not solve problems; they only make them worse."

    The junta instead urged the US to enter into a dialogue with it over Burma's development.

    "The government therefore invites the United States to join us in open, constructive dialogue toward humanitarian, economic and political development in Myanmar," the statement said.

    "We urge the United States to roll up its sleeves, open its heart, and join with us to bring a better life to the people."

    Washington is a staunch critic of Burma, and a strong supporter of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party won a landslide election victory in 1990, which has never been recognised by the military.

    The Nobel peace laureate -- who was released from house arrest in May -- has been engaged in UN-brokered talks with the junta since October 2000, but they are yet to progress beyond a confidence-building stage.

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    US Instructor assists less fortunate in Thailand, Burma

    Source : The University of South Florida Oracle

    While many people spent winter break at home, Henry Aruffo, a USF visiting instructor in the Department of Geography, was overseas volunteering to help the Karen people at the Thailand-Burma border.

    With a population of 7 million, Karens (pronounced Ka-rans) are the largest ethnic minority group in Burma and the second largest people group after the Burmans. They have the same ancestors as the Mongolians and have lived in Burma since 739 B.C. Soon after, they were conquered by the Burmese. For the past 43 years have been ruled by the Burmese dictatorship.

    About 300,000 Karens have fled from the military dictatorship of Burma into the jungle border area. Under the dictatorship, Karens have been raped, tortured, murdered on a massive scale and robbed of their homes and possessions. It is another example of the disturbing consequences of ethnic cleansing.

    The Karen Emergency Relief Fund ,set up clinics in the border area to provide humanitarian assistance including food, shelter, medical and health supplies, all of which they greatly lack. It also provides educational and self-help projects for the Karen people.

    Aruffo said he brought with him more than a hundred pounds of medical supplies to contribute to the fund. He also tutored young Karen children in reading and writing English. He traveled to Burma over the summer and decided to go back during the break to let other volunteers go home for Christmas.

    "They have a beautiful culture and are a very peaceful people," Aruffo said. "There are always forgotten people in the world. It's up to us to help them. "

    Aruffo explained that because the Karen people still live in Burma and Thailand, they are not officially considered as refugees. They therefore, do not receive any assistance from the United Nations or the Red Cross. "They must be helped by non-governmental organizations which have so far helped to raise $12,000 to $15,000 worth of supplies."

    Aruffo also gave a lecture at the University of Chaing Mai in Northern Thailand, in which the topic was Socially and Environmentally Responsible Tourism in Developing Nations.

    Aruffo said he believes anybody can help those in need, and people can truly make a difference by just changing the style in which they travel.

    "Anybody, while visiting another country, can bag an extra pair of clothes or even medical supplies to give to those who need them," Aruffo said. "Hopefully my style of travel has influenced others to help change theirs."

    Aruffo led many overseas studies including tours in Peru, Tahiti, Tanzania, Ecuador, Moorea, and Iceland. He has toured and inspected living conditions of Internally Displaced Persons in Myanmar, and has had conferences with members of the Karen National Union and former political prisoners/students from the 1988 democracy demonstrations in Burma. He has also met with members of the Kayinni National Progressive Party.

    "It makes you feel very lucky to live here in America," said Aruffo.

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    EU Declaration on Aung San Suu Kyi's travel restrictions, detention and arrests in Burma

    CFSP Presidency Statement: Brussels (18/2/2003) - Press:47 Nr: 6474/03

    The EU notes with serious concern that reports of restrictions on freedom of expression and political arrests and detentions in Burma/Myanmar have increased since the Presidency Declaration of 11 October 2002.

    The EU calls on the Burma/Myanmar authorities to respect their promises to release all political prisoners and to immediately hold a substantial dialogue with the national league for democracy, as well as with the other political groups, with a view to proceeding to the democratic transition of the country.

    Of particular concern is the growing pattern of harassment and attempted intimidation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by the Burma/Myanmar authorities, supported by the Union Solidarity Development Association (USDA), as demonstrated recently in Rakhine State.

    In this context, the EU notes with concern the recent political arrests in the country, in particular the arrest of the Secretary General of the Shan Nationalities' League for Democracy and a number of NLD members.

    The EU believes such actions are aimed at dissuading supporters of the National League for Democracy and the Burmese Democratic Movement from having contact with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi while, at the same time, do not facilitate the progress towards democracy announced by the Burma/Myanmar authorities.

    The EU reaffirms its commitment and support for political change in Burma/Myanmar in pursuit of national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy. The EU welcomes the current visit to Rangoon by an Amnesty International delegation and hopes this will lead to a greater understanding of and respect for human rights.

    At the same time the EU also reiterates its call on Senior General Than Shwe to enter urgently into a genuine and substantive dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy, the other political groups in the country and representatives of the ethnic nationalities.

    The EU also calls upon the Burma/Myanmar authorities to institute a programme of economic reforms with the aim of adequately addressing the economic and humanitarian needs of the people of Burma/Myanmar and to take further steps to effectively tackle the spread of HIV/AIDS.

    The EU will take the situation in Burma/Myanmar into close account in considering renewal of the European Union Common Position in April 2003. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the EFTA countries, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.

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    Chinese and Myanmar police jointly cracked down drug trafficking

    Source : Xinhua News Agency

    Yangon, Feb. 20 - Chinese and Myanmar police jointly cracked a serious drug trafficking case, which involved 12,750 grams of heroin, the Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday.

    Seven people were detained as suspected drug traffickers.

    A Chinese suspect was caught by Myanmar police in Myanmar with tips provided by Chinese police from Southwest China's Yunnan Province, which neighbours Myanmar.

    A total of 8,250 grams of heroin was found at the spot. The man confessed and another six accomplices and 4,500 grams of heroin were seized, according to local police from Yunnan.

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    Media black out news of bank runs

    Rangoon (AP) - A media blackout has been imposed on coverage of a banking crisis which has led to runs on Burma's 20 private banks, editors said Thursday.

    All three of the tightly controlled country's state-run daily newspapers and its roughly 100 private weekly journals have made no mention of the spate of panic withdrawals, which prompted the government to limit withdrawals and money transfers.

    The blackout has caused turmoil in business circles.

    The Myanmar Fisheries and Livestock Fair, scheduled to be held in Rangoon from Feb. 25 to March 1, was postponed due to the bank crisis, a Fisheries Ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

    Even the English-language Myanmar Times newspaper — which is part government-owned but allowed more publishing freedom because it serves the expatriate community — has made no mention of the bank runs.

    "We were requested by the authorities not to write about the bank crisis for fear that it could exacerbate the problem or create more rumors," an editor of a leading Myanmar-language journal told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

    On Feb. 10, Central Bank Chairman Kyaw Kyaw Maung attempted to quash rumors that several banks were heading into bankruptcy. Crowds have been gathering at banks since then, and withdrawals have risen.

    On Monday, the central bank ordered a ban on money transfers and limits on withdrawals from the 20 private banks.

    The collapse of about a dozen companies that had illegally sold shares to the public, offering greater returns than the interest given by banks, is generally believed to have sparked the crisis.

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