From other papers

From other papers

More freedom of the press in Burma now? 

The following are some extracts from Living Color, a business magazine reportedly owned by Gen Khin Nyunt's son,

Dr Ye Naing Win. 

Odds on finance companies

It was disclosed in June that authorities concerned were making arrangements to license the establishment of finance companies in order to ease the adverse effects caused by the recent promulgation of Law to Control Money and Property Obtained by Illegal Means (on 17 June). 

Big firms such as Yuzana have already applied for licenses to at the Central Bank set up the said finance companies.

Meeting with members of Japanese mission (14 June 2002)

Living Color met Japanese Embassy's Mr Kiyoshi Koinuma and Mr Akira Matsunaga. During the interview, one of the officials, in response to the question why there were few Japanese investments in Burma, replied: 

"At present, Burma's economic policy is still lacks sufficient stability. If there are too many changes and fluctuations, it is hard to gain confidence from the investors. The red tape also requires some relaxation. 

The main complaint appears to be the frequent changes of regulations without prior notice." 

Catering battalion survives by stealing

New Era Journal reported on 15 August that Supply and Transport Battalion #936, stationed in Kokang area, northern Shan State, received too low pay and provisions that its rank and files were practically living off the land. 

Ordinary soldiers and their families in Kokang's Laukai area were reported by the local people as spending time poaching on their farm produce, livestock and cash. 

An army deserter from light-Infantry Battalion 322 of Laukai, with the rank of lance corporal, said units under the Northeastern Command (Lashio) was unable to stock the soldiers' welfare shops adequately or assist in their agricultural and livestock projects. Assistance for those who had families was almost nonexistent. To each who had a new born baby, the army could give only 500 kyat (5 baht). The soldier in the rear received 5 kyat each day for fresh provisions while those in the frontline received a mere 10 kyat. 

These are the reasons for the soldiers' general misconduct, he said. 

Chinese preferred to Burmese in Wa schools

The New Era also reported that so few students in Shan State's # 2 Special Region, better known as the Wa domain, wished to learn Burmese that a compromise had to be reached in order to teach Burma's official language alongside Chinese. 

For instance, the town of Mong Ma (Mongmai) in Hopang Township, used to have two schools, one teaching Burmese and the other teaching Chinese, together. However, there were so few enrollments in the Burmese school that beginning 1999, the two schools were merged together so the students could learn both languages. 
Moreover, annual school holidays, normally from March to May, had to be changed to July-August like in China, following an official demand made by the United Wa State Army. 

It was however not reported whether or not the Wa's mother tongue was also taught at their schools.

Trust thy neighbor but sharpen thy sword

The latest issue of Freedom News, Shan State Army's newsletter, writes Thailand's leaders had played themselves into Rangoon's hands following the battle of Pang Maisoong (20 May-20 June): 

Beginning July, news began to circulate that Rangoon was launching a "daring the monsoons" military exercise on 12 August that coincided with Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's birthday, thereby galvanizing the Thai army to go on full alert throughout the entire border with Burma. 

Later, it was made known to the Thai leaders the exercises had been called off which, not unexpectedly, resulted in the slackering of the Thai vigil. "The Burmese military then began hauling men and arms en masse to the tran-Salween areas," says the writer, Mwe Kao Noad. "All along the SSA's operational areas from Homong (opposite Maehongson) up to Monghsat (opposite Chiangrai), 4 heavy weapons battalions have arrived. Since then, at least 11 missile launching pads have been established." 

The weapons range from 76 mm, 120 mms, 106 mms and 105 mms up to a number of 122 mm antiaircraft guns, according to the paper. "That's the proof of how much confidence and trust the Burmese military has placed in Thailand's friendship", jibes the author. 

Recently, news men asked Gen Yutthasak Sasriprapha, Deputy Minister of Defense, why Burma was keeping up its war of rhetoric against "Yodaya" if relations between the two countries had truly returned to normal. To which the minister replied, "Their attacks are aimed at the Thai media but surely not against the Thai government." 

Had the Thai media been following the developments along the border closely, they would have asked whether Burma's unprecedented array of troops and armaments along the border would be zeroing in on the defenseless journalists and not the Thai government, cracked a Shan rebel officer.