News & Views from Myanmar (Vol.1 No.43)
Okkar
(Weekly Brief from MOFA, Yangon, Myanmar)
( Vol. 1 4 November No.43)
CONTENTS
------------------------------------------------
INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Implementation of Yangon City housing development projects
2. Towards total elimination of narcotic drugs menace
FOREIGN RELATIONS
3. Delegation of Border Areas Development Corporation of ROK
4. Credentials of WHO Resident Representative presented
GENERAL NEWS
5. Symposium on information technology
6. Workshop on Conservation of Hkakaborazi Mountain Ecosystem
-----------------------------------------------------------
INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Implementation of Yangon City housing development projects
Before 1988, Yangon City was crowded with squatters and
homeless people and densely populated. Yangon City, with quarters which
were not in hygienic conditions, did not possess urban characteristics.
Step-by-step measures were taken to transform Yangon City, the capital
of Myanmar, into a pleasant and beautiful town, which has urban
characteristics like cities of other countries.
As a first step, Hlaing Thaya, Shwepyitha and Dagon Myothit
(new towns) have been established, and people from densely-populated
wards and squatter quarters in the city have been moved there. During
the period of the first phase, although the Government could not
provide much, arrangements have been made for allotting plots,
building roads and supplying of water and electricity with the aim of
enabling squatters to have houses of their own and to live in hygienic
conditions. With a view to enabling government employees to have plots
and houses of their own, plots have been allotted in Dagon Myothit and
loans extended to them. New towns thus established, have now possessed
urban characteristics, and furthermore, Hlaingthaya Myothit, which has
been established as an industrial town, is thriving with industries.
As for the second phase, in cooperation with construction
entrepreneurs, hut-to-apartment schemes have been implemented in places
where the layout of squatters was not systematic and in the densely
populated areas, thereby establishing modern housing estates.
As for the third phase, with the aim of enabling the people
from the city to enjoy fresh air and recreation, arrangements have been
made for the garden city project covering Yuzana City Project and
Mingalardon City Project equipped with modern houses, markets,
hospitals, schools, sports grounds and recreation centres.
Yuzana Garden City Project in Seikkan Township of Dagon Myothit
is a mammoth housing project. Due to repercussion of financial crises
in Southeast Asian nations, the improvement of housing projects in
Myanmar have been delayed to some extent, but there was no serious
difficulty and problems. So, instructions have been given to implement
housing projects slowly but steadily, and as a result, Yuzana Garden
City Project is taking shape gradually.
2. Towards total elimination of narcotic drugs menace
The dangers of narcotic drugs abuse and illicit trafficking are
menacing the entire mankind. Today, the whole world is being
threatened by the narcotic drugs menace and it is no longer a problem
of a single society nor a specific nation. Myanmar has decided to
eliminate the drugs menace with or without assistance from abroad.
Myanmar has laid down two strategies for narcotic drugs
control. The two national strategies are to designate narcotic drugs
eradication and prevention as a national responsibility and to carry
out this responsibility with added momentum; and to gradually eliminate
poppy cultivation by raising the standard of living of the national
races in the border areas. Accordingly, three tactics namely supply
elimination, demand elimination and law enforcement are employed to
implement the above strategies.
As for the law enforcement sector, members of the Tatmadaw
(Armed Forces), Myanmar Police Force and Customs Department have taken
relentless efforts in revealing narcotic traffickers and seized various
kinds of narcotics. During September 1999, the combined forces of the
Tatmadaw, Myanmar Police Force and Customs Department seized 373
narcotic drug cases, and the seizures included 28.3394 kilos of opium
in 21 cases , 33.9443 kilos of heroin in 102 cases, 1.8958 kilos of
opium oil in six cases, 8.8022 kilos of marijuana in 82 cases, 101,190
stimulant tablets in 43 cases, 280.118 kilos of ephedrine in six cases,
35.5 kilos of solid chemicals in one case, 45 kilos of ammonium
chloride in one case, among others. Action has been taken against 497
traffickers - 404 men and 93 women- during the period.
The Government and the people of the Union of Myanmar are
determined to totally eliminate of the drug menace. Suppression will be
maintained effectively by authorities concerned against drug producers,
traffickers and abusers, and continued efforts with added momentum
will be made towards total elimination of menace of narcotic drug abuse.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
3. Delegation of Border Areas Development Corporation of ROK
Secretary -2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen
Tin Oo met a five-member delegation led by Executive Director Dr. Ro
Kun-Kil, Border Areas Development Corporation under the Ministry of
Agriculture of the Republic of Korea, and officials of Myanmar-based
Korean company Myanmar First International, Korea-Myanmar Cooperation
Organization, in the meeting room of the Ministry for Progress of
Border Areas and National Race and Development Affairs on 30 October.
Discussions focused on modern farming sector, mechanized
farming sector and regional development sector. Officials present later
held discussions on technical assistance in agriculture for development
of border areas, assistance for the transport sector in border areas
and that for rural development.
4. Credentials of WHO Resident Representative presented
Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung received Dr Agostino
Borra, the newly appointed WHO Resident Representative in the Union of
Myanmar at the Ministry 2 November 1999. Dr. Agostino Borra presented
his credentials from Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of WHO.
Dr. Agostino Borra expressed his wish to further promote
cooperation between the Union of Myanmar and WHO. WHO will support the
Government of the Union of Myanmar in the implementation of the
national health strategy adopted by the Government of the Union of
Myanmar in line with the global and regional ‘’Health for All”
strategies established collectively by the Member States of the
Organization.
GENERAL NEWS
5. Symposium on information technology
The Fourth International Symposium on Standardization of
Multilingual Information Technology (MLIT-4) and the 13th Asian Forum
for the Standardization of Information Technology (13th AFSIT)
sponsored by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Japan,
Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Centre of the
International Cooperation for Computerization and Myanmar Computer
Federation, was held at the International Business Centre on Pyay Road
on 27 October 1999.
Chairman of Computer Science Development Council Secretary-1 of
the State Peace and Development Council Lt.-Gen. Khin Nyunt in his
opening address said Myanmar had many seminars, symposiums and
conferences on Information Technology (IT) at national and bilateral
levels during last year but the current conference is the first
international conference on Information Technology in Myanmar.
Following are excerpts of his address:-
- In a rapidly changing world, information is the ultimate mean
that influences access to resources and the method and speed of
delivery enhances the efficiency of the production process, helps
improve trade and competitiveness. Information Technology has become an
indispensable tool in our daily life and it has changed our way of life.
- Myanmar is fully aware of the importance of Information
Technology in Nation building. Our national goal is to build a
peaceful, prosperous, modern and developed State. The success of
national reconsolidation efforts of the Government has resulted in the
return of peace to the country, thus paving the way for further
progress and development, Myanmar today is on the right path to
economic growth and technological advancement.
- Agriculture is the traditional strong point of Myanmar’s
economy and it is making tremendous strides in recent years. At the
same time, it is believed that industrialization is essential for
modernization. Due priority is given to diversification of the
economy, including the enhancement of the industrial capacity of the
country.
- In striving for development, the role of Information Technology
(IT) is greatly appreciated. In the initial period, Myanmar was
relatively weak in foundation of Information industry and application
of the Information Technology. But during the last couple of years,
Myanmar has undertaken a series of actions to boost the development of
Information Technology such as promulgation of Computer Science
Development Law, establishment of a separate ministry for science and
technology, increasing the number of universities dedicated to IT,
spreading IT education to regional level, founding of computer
associations and Myanmar Computer Federation and preparing for
development of IT master plan . We are establishing training centres at
states and divisions to produce IT professionals.
- Moreover, the establishment of multi-media centres in the basic
education institutions, including the primary schools, augurs well for
the future of the nation’s modernization since even very young are
being introduced to Information Technology.
- Myanmar may be a late starter and our facilities may still be
rather constrained when compared to some nations of the region, but
recent events have shown that Myanmar is completely capable of
narrowing this gap very rapidly. In our effort for development of IT,
cooperation and transfer of technology among the countries become more
important as IT plays an ever increasing role in national and
international arena. With this conference as a starting point, Myanmar
can increase bilateral and multilateral cooperation with others in IT.
6. Workshop on Conservation of Hkakaborazi Mountain Ecosystem
Hkakaborazi Mountain, the highest mountain in Myanmar, is
located in Kachin State in the northern part of the country. Its
ecosystem is endowed with unique and rich biological diversity and
covers the head-waters of Myanmar’s most important Ayeyawady River.
Recently, a Workshop on Regional Collaboration in Conservation of
Hkakaborazi Mountain Ecosystem jointly sponsored by the Forest
Development and International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD) was held in Putao, Kachin State.
Papers related to conservation of biodiversity in the Eastern
Himalayan Region, distribution of flora and fauna of Hkakaborazi, socio-
economic situation of the local community, conservation and management
of Hkakaborazi National Park were presented and discussed during the
four-day workshop, from 26 to 29 October. The recommendations on
conservation and management strategies for Hkakaborazi National Park
were adopted. During the workshop the participants visited the environs
of Putao.
- - - - - - - - - -
--
I will ever try to help and never try to harm others.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.