Burma Related News - Mar 08, 2004.
Tin Kyi
BURMA RELATED NEWS - March 08, 2004
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HEADLINES
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Reuters - Thai PM re-launches controversial anti-drug war
CNA - Handicapped man in Myanmar skilled in painting inside of bottle
The Nation - EDITORIAL: Conflict of interest hurts the govt
The Nation - Govt to field Surakiart as successor to Kofi Annan
American City - ASEAN nations chop through visa red tape
Indystar - Report finds girls in world's armies
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Thai PM re-launches controversial anti-drug war
By Trirat Puttajanyawong
BANGKOK, March 8 (Reuters) - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
renewed his war on drugs on Monday despite widespread criticism of last
year's campaign, in which 2,000 people were killed.
Thaksin, who declared victory after a 10-month campaign in December,
said the new 90-day crackdown would target relapsed addicts, small-scale
peddlers in Bangkok and other major cities, and wholesale traffickers
along the border.
"This operation is re-launched not because drugs are rampant again, but
it is launched when enemies are retreating," Thaksin told 300 drugs
suppression officials.
"We must reinforce our attacks before they can recover and I am
confident we will be able to contain them," he said.
Despite the government's self-proclaimed success last year, critics say
the war did not make a significant dent in demand, particularly among
young Thais.
The deaths of more than 2,000 suspected traffickers and peddlers also
caused an outcry from rights activists who accused police of acting
outside the law, a charge the government denied, and they said on Monday
they were afraid of a repetition.
"We agree with the prime minister's policy of taking on drug issues, but
we don't want the implementation to be the same as last year," Jaran
Ditapichai, a board member of the state-funded Human Rights Commission,
told Reuters.
"We don't want to see more innocent people become victims of the
operation, which is quite idealistic and unrealistic as long as police
don't understand the general rights of the people."
Experts said last year's crackdown had an impact on supply, with the
Bangkok price of a pill jumping to 300 to 400 baht from 60 to 80 baht a
year earlier.
U.S. CRITICISM
In its annual human rights report issued last month, the U.S. State
Department said Thailand's record "worsened with regard to extrajudicial
killings" and arbitrary arrests last year.
"The government failed to investigate and prosecute vigorously those who
commited such abuses, contributing to a climate of impunity," it said.
The Thai government formally protested against the report.
Thaksin shrugged off all the criticism on Monday, saying critics reserve
their sympathy for officials killed or handicapped by drug dealers.
"Critics only focus on the death toll of bad people, rather than those
officials who lost their lives for the public and the country. The
criticisms are quite imbalanced."
The most popular drugs in Thailand are methamphetamines, known as "Ya
Ba", or crazy drug, which have displaced heroin.
Metamphetamines are made for as little as 10 baht (25 cents) a pill in
jungle laboratories in neighbouring Myanmar and smuggled across the
border along remote mountainous trails.
Jaran said Thaksin's huge popularity could deteriorate if there were
many more deaths in the new campaign.
"We've received a lot of complaints about arbitrary arrests and asset
seizures of innocent people," he said.
"If these continue, his popularity, which rose very high during the last
campaign, would sink significantly," he said.
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ChannelNewsasia
Posted: 08 March 2004 1011 hrs
Handicapped man in Myanmar skilled in painting inside of bottle
By Asean News Exchange
YANGON : A man in Myanmar who is unable to use his right hand is gaining
fame for his expertise in painting the inside of a glass bottle.
But his handicap has by no means limited his ability.
It is definitely hard work - creating intricate glass paintings.
Imagine the precision needed to paint the inside of a bottle.
The first glass bottle paintings were said to have appreared in China at
the beginning of the 19th century.
And most artists painted on the outer surface.
Very few had the patience to create a masterpiece on the inside of the
bottle.
But that is exactly what Myanmar's first glass bottle artist excels in,
despite his disability.
U Nyo Lay, 65, suffered from polio ever since he was a child.
And following several unfortunate accidents throughout his life, he also
lost the use of the lower part of his body and his right hand.
But this has not stopped him from producing intricate art pieces.
In fact, he says, learning the art of glass bottle painting saved his
life.
His multiple misfortunes caused him to be depressed.
But after reading about glass bottle painting in 1964, he was so
impressed that it has since given him a reason to live.
"Bottle art depends on the subject that is to be painted. It takes at
least 15 days to finish one bottle. Unlike ordinary painting, glass
bottle painting is done in reverse style," said U Nyo Lay.
He has produced over 1, 400 pieces of bottle art and is now a
world-renowned artist. - CNA
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The Nation
EDITORIAL: Conflict of interest hurts the govt
Published on Mar 8, 2004
The close ties between politicians and big business have eroded public
confidence in the Thaksin administration
Conflict of interest arising from the business connections of Cabinet
members and their advisers or government policy is undermining public
confidence in the Thaksin administration. The current government may not
like it, but the situation is a welcome one for what it says about the
expectations and sophistication of Thai voters. How long will the
government go on avoiding this highly important matter? It has already
become something of an Achilles' heel. It has come to the point where
the prime minister can no longer hope to lead simply by asking the
people to trust him and his ministers. If having a policy-led electoral
campaign is part of the new politics, and the government's performance
is judged solely on its ability to implement stated policy, then
conflict of interest is a political issue that politicians can no longer
avoid addressing.
Evidence of the erosion of public confidence in the government's ability
to manage certain areas of public administration abounds. The latest
example comes from the public response to the government's handling of
the privatisation of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.
Of key interest in this issue, which has led to postponement of the
agency's public share offering, is the widespread scepticism over who
will be allocated the shares, which will be able to be easily sold on
the stock market for a quick overnight profit.
The share floatation of the Petroleum Authority of Thailand, another
state enterprise, serves as an illuminating example of what can happen
when it comes to allocating shares in state assets. Many politicians and
members of their families got hold of the public-offering shares at low
prices, putting them in position to reap huge returns when the stock
began trading.
Politicians may argue that they have nothing to do with how the share
allocations turned out. But this is not the point. The point is that as
politicians, who are supposed to serve the public honestly and
transparently, they should not be involved in share allocations in the
first place if they have any interest in maintaining the public trust.
There are numerous other areas where the issue of conflict of interest
is relevant: the establishment of Air Asia, a budget airline run by Shin
Corp, which was founded by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra; free-trade
pacts in which the businesses of Cabinet members are quick to lead the
field; medical policy and its links to numerous hospitals owned by
families of Cabinet members or their close associates; the iTV saga; and
last but not least the charges by a US senator that there are links
between a Thai satellite operation majority-owned by Shin Corp and
Thailand's foreign policy towards Burma.
Even the government's privatisation policy has come under scrutiny for
the way it benefits merely a handful of people, predominantly
politicians. Positive words from Government House on the stock market
tend to heighten suspicion among investors about the government's real
motives.
Conflict of interest is an issue that will not go away. The tension is
evident in the government's interference in the free press and its
needless quarrels with interest groups and academics. Thaksin would do
well to completely review his thinking, as well as his policies and the
personalities who surround him. He should ask himself why he is in
politics. He and his colleagues own gigantic businesses that they claim
have nothing to do with the conduct of the government. But this no
longer appears to be the case. The government's determination to
undermine the system of checks and balances which prevail in both the
spirit and the letter of the Constitution and that government's
interference in the parliamentary processes and committees and in
independent agencies all add up to public apprehension rather than
confidence in this administration.
And what a pity! Much was expected of this government, in terms of
policy implementation, leadership and vision. But so much of its conduct
raises suspicions of conflict of interest. This is a subject that each
individual minister, from the prime minister down, has avoided
addressing. Yet they are mistaken to think that the public will trust
them to do anything they want.
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The Nation
Govt to field Surakiart as successor to Kofi Annan
Published on Mar 8, 2004
Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai will be Thailand's candidate to
replace UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan when his term ends in December
2006, highly placed sources told The Nation.
They said that Thailand proposed Surakiart at a meeting of Asean foreign
ministers in Halong Bay, Vietnam last week. The Asean ministers agreed
on the need to reach consensus on two issues: that it was Asia's turn to
hold the top spot at the UN and that the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations should field a single candidate, the sources said. Thailand has
also notified other close allies that it will field Surakiart, the
sources said.
If Southeast Asian countries can agree on a single candidate they would
still have to convince other Asian nations like India, China and Iran to
support them. Asian members of the UN would also have to convince the UN
Security Council to recommend that it is Asia's turn to fill the top
post.
Countries and blocs of countries usually start lobbying two years before
the UN's top spot becomes vacant.
Asean could be a force to be reckoned with due to the influence it has
through powerful Asian nations like China, Japan and South Korea, which
Asean meets with annually. Asean also holds a yearly summit with India.
The sources said that Asean members have not reached a consensus on a
candidate. At the Vietnam meeting, Malaysia proposed that one of its
former foreign ministers - former deputy premier Musa Hitam - be Asean's
pick to lead the UN, they said. Asean members usually choose one
representative for international positions to avoid infighting. Other
Asian countries outside Asean, such as Sri Lanka, have their own
candidates.
Thailand has already lobbied China, which is a member of the Security
Council. China's strong support is pivotal and its leadership reacted
positively to the idea of putting Surakiart in the top post, the sources
said.
It is equally important to gain support from the other members of the
Security Council.
The Thai decision to field Surakiart startled Bangkok's diplomatic
community. Previously, the government had made no indication that it
wanted to put a Thai in the post.
Diplomatic sources said that the person who succeeds Annan must be
willing to work tirelessly to maintain peace and promote development, as
well as strengthen the UN's role and safeguard its authority. The
candidate must also be diplomatically agile, they added.
Bangkok's behaviour towards international organisations in the past
three years has been rather hostile, which might not augur well for any
candidate hailing from Thailand, they said.
However, Thailand has been active in pushing for peace and national
reconciliation in Burma, which could raise the profile of a Thai
candidate, they said. Thailand can also boast that it has helped
neighbouring countries develop their economies.
Since the establishment of the United Nations in 1946, Burma's U Thant
has been the only Asian to hold the top spot.
The UN charter describes the secretary-general as the body's "chief
administrative officer". The secretary-general is appointed by the
General Assembly upon the recommendation the Security Council.
Annan's predecessors were: Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt), who held the
office from January 1992 to December 1996; Javier Perez de Cuellar
(Peru), who served from January 1982 to December 1991; Kurt Waldheim
(Austria), who held the post from January 1972 to December 1981; U Thant
(Burma), who served from November 1961, when he was appointed acting
Secretary-General (he was formally appointed Secretary-General in
November 1962) to December 1971; Dag Hammarskjold (Sweden), who served
from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in Africa in September
1961; and Trygve Lie (Norway), who held the office from February 1946
until his resignation in November 1952.
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American City Business Journals
8:26 PM HST Sunday
ASEAN nations chop through visa red tape
ASEAN nations, members of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations, are
cutting deals with each other to waive visa restrictions for travelers
between their countries.
The latest agreement is between Vietnam and Laos, which signed their
pact Friday. It takes effect in July. A previous agreement like this
covered business travelers only; this one extends to tourists.
Vietnam now has reciprocal visa agreements with Malaysia, Singapore,
Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The only ASEAN nations with
which it doesn't yet have visa streamlining agreements are Burma
(Myanmar), Brunei and Cambodia.
At a time when the United States and other large tourism destinations
are throwing up costly and time-consuming visa requirements, smaller
nations are moving in the opposite direction to obtain an advantage for
their own hospitality industries.
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Indystar.com
Report finds girls in world's armies
Thousands have served in conflicts in 38 nations since 1990, study
concludes.
By Edith M. Lederer
Associated Press
March 7, 2004
UNITED NATIONS -- Girl soldiers have been members of fighting forces on
a larger scale than previously thought -- taking part in conflicts in 38
nations since 1990, according to a new study.
Girls have served in the armies of governments as well as rebel and
paramilitary units, the study funded by the Canadian government said.
The U.N. Children's Fund estimates that there are about 300,000 child
soldiers worldwide. "Based on our work, a conservative estimate would be
about a third are girls, and in some cases it's 50 percent," said Dyan
Mazurana, the study's co-author.
Mazurana, a research fellow at Tufts University, and co-author Susan
McKay, a nurse and professor at the University of Wyoming in Laramie,
collected data on girls in armed groups worldwide and examined their
participation in conflicts in Sierra Leone, Mozambique and northern
Uganda.
"From Sudan to Burma, from Uganda to Sri Lanka, girls are members of the
armed forces, engaged in armed conflicts," said Jean-Louis Roy,
president of Rights & Democracy, a nonpartisan human rights organization
created by Canada's Parliament, which published the study. "Their
presence is a central component of the majority of today's armed
conflicts."
The study, released Wednesday, found that girls became part of fighting
forces for reasons ranging from recruitment and abduction to making
money and escaping violence in the community or abuse at home. In Uganda
and Sierra Leone, girls averaged about 13 years old when they entered
the forces.
While girls associated with armed groups traditionally have been seen as
sexual slaves or camp followers, the authors said girls had many other
roles from combat soldiers, slave laborers, spies and informants to
messengers, cooks, porters, thieves and suicide bombers.
Mazurana said governments try to conceal the use of girls in their own
militaries and point to their presence in opposition forces. But "in
almost every conflict, those same governments are using child soldiers,"
she said.
According to the study, girls were part of fighting forces in 55
countries, involved in armed conflicts in 38 countries and served as
fighters in 34 countries.
When conflicts end, the study said, girls are almost never included in
programs to disarm, demobilize and reintegrate former combatants.
Instead, girls often return to their communities -- with babies born of
rape -- and have great difficulty being accepted.
Noeleen Heyzer, head of the U.N. Development Fund for Women, said war
has turned girls into killers and fighters, adding that some have been
forced into early motherhood.
She called on the international community to respond urgently and adopt
policies to help these girls get an education and training and become
productive citizens.
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Dear Readers,
There is the searchable archive of "Burma-related News" January
2000-August 2003 in the Online Burma Library at
http://www.burmalibrary.org/cgi-bin/TinKyi/namazu.cgi
Also, can find the archive by month is at
http://www.burmalibrary.org/TinKyi
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