Weekly Diary No. 155 (10-16/7/05)

THAN SHWE TO RETURN POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

Think Piece

Message to the Thai people

• We are concerned about the plight of Thai Yai(Shans) in Shan State, that their plight is like that of the Thai people after the fall of Ayuddhya
• We look up to Thailand as a model to emulate and as a friend
• We are not bent on destroying Burma, but on building a democratic nation like Thailand
• If peace and normal conditions are restored in Burma, Thailand and the Thai people will gain the most because all in Burma look up to Thailand and admire the progress Thailand has made

Chao Tzang Yawnghwe (1939-2004) PHOTO
30 March 2003

The World

CNOOC, state-owned Chinese company, is ready to increase its $18.5 billion bid to buy Unocal Corporation. US politicians are warning President Bush of grave security threats in the CNOOC's offer. (Irrawaddy)

International Relations

28 June
The new charge d’ affaires in Washington who succeeds Aung Lynn Htut, who took asylum in the States, is Yin Yin Myint, daughter of former BSPP days health minister Htun Way. She is one of Mme Than Shwe’s blue-eyed girls. (DVB)

11 July

Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, meets Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra and FM Kantathi Supamongkhol in Bangkok, where she asks them “to press the case of those who are held, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and to press the Burmese toward a more open society.” (AP)

12 July
US Campaign for Burma release statement that it has filed a case with UN over Aung Hlaing Win, NLD member who died a week after his arrest on 1 May. The local township court had declared the death was “natural”, while a doctor testified it was through injuries inflicted during interrogation. The 38 page report implicates 3 military agents: Lt-Col Min Hlaing, Captain Sai Aung Win and Captain Zaw Min Kyaw. (Irrawaddy)

13 July
Burmese exile groups stage demonstrations outside French embassies around the world in protest against investment in Burma by the French oil giant Total.(Irrawaddy)

Thai-Burma Relations

12 July
The fishing industry in tsunami-struck Ban Nam Khem in Phang-nga wants the 1,000 Burmese workers deported by Thai authorities to come back. Only a few hundred have managed to make it back. “We were glad to see them”, said Manoch Theppitak. (Bangkok Post)

15 July
Labor minister Sora-at Klinprathum is planning to bring in migrant workers from neighboring countries in the face of labor shortages in the export-oriented frozen food and textile industries, which are unpopular with Thais. He will first tap aliens already in Thailand to employ 100,000 workers, particularly those with ID but no work permits. If the number of registered aliens prove insufficient, he will bring in migrant workers legally from Burma, Cambodia and Laos. (Bangkok Post)

Politics

30 June
According to reports from former military intelligence quarters, there are 4 persons who were responsible for the 30 May 2003 Massacre:
• Gen Than Shwe
• Gen Soe Win
• Aung Thaung, Industry Minister and USDA secretary
• Regional Commander Maj-Gen Tha Aye
Khin Nyuint learned about the conspiracy only 3 days before the D-Day and had unsuccessfully tried to prevent it. (DVB)

1 July
At the ongoing war veteran’s conference, Gen Than Shwe says power will be systematically returned to the people. He does not say when and how. The fact that he discloses at the war veterans meet is significant, says observers. It may mean the power transfer will take place when Gen Than Shwe becomes a war veteran, in other words, retired. (DVB)

5 July

Teza, 42, known as Gen Than Shwe’s fair-haired boy, is set to accept transfer of Burma’s economic management from the SPDC. It includes airline, hotels and tourism, construction, GSM, timber production, arms deals and now banks. He is due to take over the Asia Wealth Bank of Aik Htun to be renamed Bagan Bank. One top government official is concerned. Teza has $10 million gambling debts, he says. Entrusting Burma’s already shaky economy to him will only hasten the junta’s downfall. (DVB)

He has been allowed to purchase GSM card phones from the Communications, Post Offices and Telegraphs Ministry at the price of $1,500 apiece. He will be able to resell them $2,100 apiece to the distributors thereby making a nice profit of $1.8 million without sweat. The market price is about $2,350. Less popular brands, CDMA and TDMA are about $2,000 and $1,700 respectively. (New Era, July)

11 July
NLD spokesman Nyan Win says Dr Win Aung and two other NLD supporters in Khin Oo township, Sagaing division, were sentenced 10 years and 3 years respectively for watching a video recording of Aung San Suu Kyi on 8 July. They were arrested two days earlier. (Irrawaddy)

12 July
Trial of former PM Khin Nyunt begins today. He has been indicted on 8 charges, including bribery, corruption and insubordination. The release of some key political prisoners just as he goes on trial has raised speculations among diplomats in Rangoon:
• whether it is an attempt to create a diversion and deflect interest in the trial
• whether it is related to one of the accusations against him that he had allowed his officers to be over zealous in their handling and imprisonment of people
• whether it is to help create the impression that many of the country’s problems were the result of Khin Nyunt and his supporters
• whether the regime has decided to press on with taking the chairmanship of the regional grouping.
(Bangkok Post)

Shans

12-13 July
Representatives from Shan State Army “North” fly to Rangoon and back on the next day. No details of their trip is disclosed. (S.H.A.N)

Economics/Business

28 June
Dollars and gold in Rangoon bounce today:
• $1 to 1,300 kyat
• Gold to 240,000 kyat from 230,000
The reason is the frantic buying of dollars by the SPDC top leader and their families. No one knows why there is such a rush. (DVB)

4 July
Traders of China and Burma sign $290 million worth of trade contracts and memo in Kunming. Under the deals, Burma will boost marine and agricultural exports to China at international prices. (Kyodo)

5 July
See Teza, Politics.

9 July
Apart from Teza of Htoo Co., and Aung Thet Mann of Ayeya Shwe Wa co., Industry 1 minister Aung Thaung’s son Nay Aung’s Aung Yin Hpyo co., also won rice export license. (RFA)

Human Rights

11 July
Aung Min who has been living in a town 20 km south of Bangkok for 13 years claims 300 migrant workers have died from AIDS.
A study by UNDP reflects how high HIV prevalence rates among migrant women are when compared to Thai women. In Samut Sakhon, there was a 4.3% HIV prevalence rate among pregnant workers tested, as opposed to 2% among Thai pregnant women. (Mizzima)

14 July
On 8 July, two days after releasing hundreds of prisoners, three opposition supporters Dr Win Aung, Khin Maung Win and Soe Win Aung, all from Shwebo, were sentenced to jail for watching video of Aung San Suu Kyi tour of northern Burma in 2003 and reading unlicensed books. The first two got ten years each and the third 3 years. (SEAPA/IFEX)

Environment

12 July
Thailand’s Department of Energy, Development and promotion held a meeting in Chiangmai on 7 July to discuss its plan to divert water through a 62 km tunnel from the Salween to the Bhumibol dam in Tak. $125,000 will be set aside to compensate affected families. The ten-year $1.335 billion project is expected to begin this year. (Bangkok Post)

Drugs

9 July
World food Program is buying 1,000 tons of rice from the “Myanmar Rice Wholesale Traders Association”. (RFA)

9-15 July
Since the transfer of drugs by post appears to be increasing, plans have been made to X-ray mails coming through Lamphun and Denchai, both of which are responsible for postal services in the 9 Northern provinces. Many drug gangs today do not carry large quantities of drugs and they implement numerous ways to transport them. (Chiangmai Mail)

11-12 July
Chemical industrialists and the military government helds a two-day working sponsored by the UNODC. Under the draft agreement reached between the two parties, Burma will establish a “national cooperative committee”
• To supervise controlled precursor chemicals
• To adept the draft on code of conduct of each chemical enterprise
• To create awareness of the important role of chemical industrialists
Burma is a signatory to the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. (Xinhua)

12 July

Thai authorities seized 3 homes owned by “Jay Daeng” Chaviporn Phakasarm, 33, one in Chiangrai yesterday and 2 in Chiangmai today. Thai police had arrested her associate Theeradej Yu-in, 29, with 6 million baht hidden in his car tires at Phawaw district, Tak province on 7 July. She however gets away. According to Khao Sod daily, she was married to Aseuma Laoyipa, who was arrested on dry charges earlier. SHAN sources however maintain she is the favorite wife of Zhou Sang, the owner of several drug factories in southern Shan State. (SHAN)

War

28 June
On 22 June, an air-to-air missile developed by the Defense Industry Factory No.18, based in Taungdwingyi, exploded at 100 ft in the air during a test launch from the ground. The initial plan was to use a Chinese-made jet fighter but the flier thought it was too risky, (DVB)

July issue
From January to May, the Police Force has been able to recruit 1,652 men. However the turnover during the period has been 1,423.
• Desertions 512
• Expulsions 303
• Retired 608
The Police Force is still short of 14,000 men to fill its quota. (New Era)