Burma Update

SCMP - Wednesday, August 25, 2004

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE in Bangkok
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been forced to defend a proposed multi-million-dollar soft loan to Myanmar which could benefit the telecommunications empire he founded.

Thailand's military-run neighbour has sought 1.2 billion baht (HK$225.6 million) in loans to overhaul its creaky telecoms infrastructure through programmes reportedly focusing on broadband satellite, fibre-optic networks and an IT centre.

The loan request by Myanmar's Ministry of Communications, Post and Telegraph, which needs approval from the Thai Export-Import Bank, includes US$23.2 million in soft loans and grants.

"It is a normal loan of money and like other borrowers, it is up to Myanmar how it spends the money," Mr Thaksin said yesterday.

"Myanmar wants to use broadband because they want to get telephone lines into remote areas."

Mr Thaksin said the bank had checked the project and approval would be based on business viability and not political influence.

When asked if the loans obligated Myanmar to deal with specific Thai firms, Mr Thaksin shot back: "If I really wanted the deal, I could get it, no problem".

The controversy erupted on Monday in the Thai newspaper Matichon, which reported details of the proposed deal that could see Myanmar buying products and services from companies controlled by the Shinawatra family.

The daily said Myanmar's sole internet service provider, the state-affiliated Pagan Cybertech, was involved.

The company provides services via the Ipstar satellite owned by Shin Satellite which was founded by Mr Thaksin.

Shin Satellite defended the loans and the bidding process for Myanmar's telecoms projects, saying the type of loan offered "is standard practice globally".

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said Myanmar had requested that the loans be included as part of a credit line to Yangon that was proposed last November.

Pauline Puah
MalaysiaKini - Aug 16, 04 1:27pm

The Swedish government has given political asylum to a Burmese journalist in Malaysia who was abducted for 12 hours by unknown assailants two months ago.

However, Ko Minn Kyaw Minn said he plans to return to Malaysia “soon” to help the sizable Burmese community living here.

Minn Kyaw was nabbed by three men on June 1 while on his way to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to cover the one-day visit of Burmese Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt.

He claimed that his abductors, who had interrogated him on his activities in Malaysia, were from Malaysia's police Special Branch assisted by a few Burmese.

While a police report had been made, Minn Kyaw - who is editor of fortnightly magazine Burma Media Link, which supports detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi - said that there had been no progress on the investigation over his abduction.

He said he had contacted the police two weeks ago to inquire about the investigation, but was informed that there had been no new developments on his case.

Minn Kyaw, who is also the Malaysian correspondent for the Burmese news website bma-online, is nevertheless adamant that his assailants be apprehended and punished.

“I want to know who these people (kidnappers) are. How could they have violated the Malaysian law easily?” he asked.

Malaysia, second home

While Minn Kyaw is ecstatic to be given a Swedish passport, he said he would always consider Malaysia as his second home.

“Malaysia is like my own country. I have family and friends here,” he quipped

The 26 year-old journalist is married to a Malaysian wife, and they have a five-month-old daughter.

In explaining his decision to return to Malaysia in the near future, Minn Kyaw said there is a dearth of organisations in the country which looks after the welfare of the Burmese migrants living here.

“In Europe, there are many organisations to help Burmese, but in Malaysia, it’s almost nothing,” he told malaysiakini in an interview last Friday.

Minn Kyaw has estimated a whopping 500,000 Burmese, both documented and undocumented, living in Malaysia.

He also expressed concern over the working condition of the Burmese migrants, some of whom are treated like ‘slave workers’.

“They earn very little amount of money,” he lamented. There is no proper place provided for the workers to stay and they were not given potable water to drink.

Minn Kyaw also said that being in Malaysia would give him better access to information on Burma so that he could further support the democracy movement there.

“Many Burmese come and go in Malaysia, so we can get information about Burma very quickly and we can respond immediately. If I am in Europe, I can’t really get such information and be able to respond promptly.” he explained.

Immediate plans

But his immediate plan when getting to his new home later this week is to learn the Swedish language and culture.

Minn Kyaw had lived in Malaysia for eight years as a political refugee after fleeing Burma, where his life was threatened by the military junta for his pro-democracy activities.

He said he had been jailed by the junta four times.

Minn Kyaw is, at the same time, sad and happy about his new life.

“I love Malaysia but I have to leave,” he said. “I will back here very soon.”

He hoped that he would not face any problem returning to his “second home” as he had not violated the Malaysian law, and has never worked against the Malaysian government at any time.

scmp - Tuesday, August 10, 2004

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE in Yangon
Updated at 2.49pm:
The military-run regime in Myanmar has disrupted a national campaign demanding the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and accused organisers of "disturbing public peace", her party said on Tuesday.

Officials have put pressure on grassroots organisers of a national petition campaign that demands her release after being kept under house arrest for more than a year, according to the National League for Democracy (NLD).

The opposition said there had been a good response to the petition designed to pressure the junta to free her, deputy Tin Oo and to allow party offices outside of Yangon that were closed down more than a year ago.

"We have been getting reports from our townships that the government has been discouraging the general public from signing," NLD spokesman U Lwin told AFP.

"It has been made very clear that no one is being pressured to sign the petition and that one should do so at one's own free will."

A group of veteran politicians and former independence fighters signed the petition Monday at the NLD headquarters in Yangon.

The veterans have consistently called for political dialogue between the NLD, which won elections in 1990 by a landslide but has never been allowed to rule, and the military junta which seized power in 1962.

Some of the men fought alongside Aung San Suu Kyi's father General Aung San, a nationalist hero who was killed in 1947, a year before his goal of independence from Britain was secured.

In a statement issued by the veterans, they backed the petition and renewed calls for talks.

"If everyone is permitted to sign the petition freely, we are very certain that the whole nation would come forward eagerly," it said.

One of the men who came to sign the document, Aung Myint, said: "The NLD is in the forefront of fighting for democracy and we are glad and very much heartened by this movement... which is why we have come here to sign up in a show of support."

Myanmar Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt met Vietnam's leaders on Monday and was due in Cambodia Tuesday for talks over its role in October's Asia-Europe summit.

The meeting has been put at risk because of the EU's insistence that Myanmar cannot take part because of its poor human rights record.

The EU, which has put in place tough political sanctions against the military-run state, is demanding the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the start of democratic reforms