Junta News Diary - March 2003

- The United States described Burma as the region's number one producer
of amphetamines, in its major drugs strategy report.
- Reported that the SPDC has unilaterally ended the contract with
US-based PR company, DCI which was hired to ward off the international
criticisms before the agreed date.

- Urged United States to cooperate more fully with country's battle
against drugs production.
- The United Nations special human rights rapporteur on Burma, Paulo
Sergio Pinheiro, reiterated his call for the international community to
engage and not isolate military-ruled Myanmar.
- Senior Gen. Than Shwe warned that ``destructive elements'' and
neocolonialists were trying to undermine government efforts to stabilize and
develop the country in a statement marked the 41st anniversary of
Peasant's Day.
- Bangladesh and Burma decided to set up a task force to work out
details of the proposed road link between the two countries at a meeting
between Bangladesh Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan and his counterpart U
Wing Aung in Dakha.
- Second Secretary of the State Peace and Development Council
Lieutenant-General Soe Win met with visiting delegation of the Chinese
Association for International Understanding (CAIU).
- Bangladesh police found country's foreign minister, U win Aung,
trembling inside the toilet room after he was woken up by the intruder while
sleeping at the State Guest house.

- A joint Myanmar-U.S. Opium Yield Survey for Shan State ended.

- Phone Kyar Shin, a former rebel leader of the ethnic Kokang minority,
asked U.S. to inspect anti-drug efforts in northern Burma.

- The United States expressed concern over what it termed severe
violations of religious freedom in Burma, together with China, Iran, Iraq,
North Korea and Sudan.
- Announced that three jailed leaders from the ethnic Mon group are in
"good health", after an exiled Mon organisation urged the United
Nations to pressure the junta into releasing them on medical grounds.
- Health Minister Kyaw Myint stressed the impossibility of total
eradication of tuberculosis (TB) in a short time despite application of new
treatment tactics.

- The Bangladeshi government said it was investigating the
"unfortunate" intrusion of a stranger into the bedroom of Foreign Minister Win Aung
during a visit to Dhaka this week.
- The head of the World Council of Churches said that military
government has agreed to investigate complaints of discrimination and abuse
against Christians.

- The British government said it will toughen its policies toward the
military regime unless its rulers show a real commitment to reform.
- Four regional human rights groups said Democratic reform in country
is essential to protect women in the military-ruled country against
sexual violence in their letter wrote to country's human rights envoy Paulo
Sergio Pinheiro.
- Nai Shwe Kyin,91, former rebel and founder and president of the New
Mon State Party (NMSP) died peacefully at his Myaing Thar Yar residence
in the Mon State capital of Moulmein at 1.30 am.
- Japanese embassy issued a press release in which it's government has
provided grassroots grant assistance of 761,405 US dollars to the
country in the past eight months for 16 more projects.
- Demanded the withdrawal of Thai troops from the strategic mountain of
Doi Lang which is located on the northwest border with Burma near
Chiang Mai, at the meeting of the 28th Township Border Committee in Chiang
Rai.

- The statement said its inclusion on a US blacklist for abuses of
religious freedoms is unfair.
- Thailand-based Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (Altsean) said 22
of the 30 articles of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights
were being violated under the ruling State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC), in the statement released to mark International Women's Day.

- Rejected to initiate comprehensive talks with an alliance of rebel
groups and would only negotiate individual ceasefire deals with
legitimate ethnic groups.

- Vice-Senior General Maung Aye was admitted to hospital in Singapore.
- Thailand's Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn arrived in Rangoonto spend
five days on a private visit.
- Government and the International Labor Organization (ILO) drafted a
plan of action on eradication of forced labor.

- A Yangon-based International Labour Organisation (ILO) officer said
that plans by military government to end forced labour in the country
are not yet adequate or credible.

- U.N. special human rights rapporteur Paulo Sergio Pinheiro urged the
world to engage the Burma's regime, rather than isolate it.

- Senior General Than Shwe left for Vietnam on a three-day official
visit.
- Accused some Western nations of ignoring the country's anti-drug
efforts for political reasons. - Displayed over 38 million US dollars'
worth of locally-produced quality gems, jade, pearl and jewelry on sale at
its 40th annual gems emporium.

- Released 45 prisoners from various facilities around the country.

- The U.N. human rights envoy to Myanmar Paulo Sergio Pinheiro arrived
to push for independent investigations into alleged rights violations.
- Bangladesh's Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, accompanied by a 43-member
entourage, arrived in Rangoon on the start of an official three day
visit.
- The Health Ministry launched a media campaign to educate public on
the symptoms of Severe Actute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
- Trade between VietNam and Burma topped $12 million in 2002 and is
expected to reach US$30 million by 2005.
- Two countries agreed to establish road-link between Dhaka and Rangoon
for easy communication.

- The Fourth Bangladeshi Trade Fair was held at the Yangon Trade
Center, inaugurated by the visiting Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

- Myanmar Industrial Development Committee reported that over 5,600
industries or 14 percent of country's private ones are running
successfully.
- The three-day official visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
to Burma ended.

- A United Nations investigator who is assessing the human rights
situation in country interviewed political prisoners in Rangoon's main
Insein prison.
- 40th Myanma Gems Emporium fetched over US$ 18.2m.

- A United Nations human rights envoy to Myanmar complained of finding
bugging equipment in a room where he was conducting private interviews
of political prisoners.

- A visiting U.N. human rights envoy suspended his mission to Myanmar
after finding a bugging device.
- The United States rebuked the country over the incident of bugging
device in prison interview room.

- Military government denied its Role in Bugging Prison Interviews and
apologized for what happened.

- A U.N. human rights envoy accused country's military junta of making
"absurd" excuses to keep political opponents in prisons.

- A suspected bomb went off in front of a state telecommunications
office in capital, killing at least one person and injuring three.
- Senior General Than Shwe warned that persisting ethnic strife
threatens fragile national unity at at 58th Armed Forces Day parade.

- Stepped up security in the country's capital after an explosion.

- Gen. Khin Nyunt urged the people who have borrowed from crippled
banks to repay their debts quickly to alleviate the plight of depositors
and the country's economy.

- Reported to launch a second national airline named United Myanmar Air
(UMA) later this year.

- Health Ministry deployed medical personnel at airports and seaports
to identify visitors suffering from symptoms of Severe Actute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
- US says country troops use rape as a weapon in its annual human
rights report.
- United Nations Special Envoy for Burma Razali Ismail requested
permission to make his 10th visit to Rangoon next month to revive talks on
the Burmese national reconciliation process.
- Production of country's industrial sector reached over 10 billion
kyats (about 11 million US dollars) in fiscal 2002-03, which ended in
March, according to the latest official figures.