Federation of Trade Unions - Burma (FTUB)

DATABASE DEPARTMENT – 23th May 2006
Myanmar drafting law on special industrial zone
Myanmar is drafting a law for running a special industrial zone with the establishment of 100- percent foreign investment, the local Voice Weekly reported Tuesday.
So far, the draft law on the Thilawa Special Industrial Zone was completed to a certain extent, and will be soon introduced once it is finalized, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) was quoted as saying.
Organizations involved in drafting the law include two ministries -- Industry-1 and Commerce as well as the UMFCCI.
According to the UMFCCI, the Thilawa zone will become the first export concentration zone in which all formalities for export of the zone's products will be handled. The law may include restriction on investment by domestic national entrepreneurs alone unless it is done with joint investment with foreign counterparts, the sources said.
However, the main aim of the law is to absorb inflow of foreign investment to promote Myanmar's industrial development, the sources added. There has been 19 industrial zones across Myanmar, of which five are situated at new satellite towns of Yangon such as Hlaingtharya, Dagon Myothit, Shwepyitha, Shwepaukkan, Mingaladon and Thanlyin-Kyauktan. Of these industrial zones in Yangon, the 453-hectare Hlaingtharya zone is regarded as the most developed one.
There are about 8,000 private industries in the 19 industrial zones in the country, according to statistics. Source: Xinhua


NEW CALLS TO RELEASE SUU KYI – 23th May 2006
A surprise meeting between Myanmar’s long-time pro-democracy detainee Aung San Suu Kyi and the UN has taken place, with the US leading renewed calls for her release.
The United States is pressing Yangon to release her this week when her house arrest expires.
The State Department said Washington was pleased that UN undersecretary for political affairs Ibrahim Gambari was able to see Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon on Saturday, but said this did not reflect progress in democratic reforms.
"The regime's decision to allow them to meet is positive, but by itself does not constitute progress," department spokesman Justin Higgins said.
"The regime can show progress by releasing Aung San Suu Kyi no later than May 27, when her detention order expires, and by engaging all political actors in a genuine dialogue that empowers Burma's people to determine their own future," Mr Higgins said.
At the United Nations, US Ambassador John Bolton meanwhile pressed for Mr Gambari, who is due back in the US later this week, to brief the Security Council on his talks with Aung San Suu Kyi.
He said his request was backed by Britain, Denmark, France, Japan and Slovakia and met no opposition.
The US envoy said he did not contemplate additional measures, such as a call for a formal council meeting on Myanmar, but said he "did not foreclose the possibility of taking additional steps" once Mr Gambari gives his briefing.
In a surprise move, Myanmar's military rulers allowed Mr Gambari to see 60-year-old Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi at a military guest house in Yangon Saturday for about one hour.
The meeting followed Mr Gambari's talks with Myanmar's reclusive leader Senior General Than Shwe at a secret jungle compound outside the central town of Pyinmana.
The junta crushed pro-democracy demonstrations in 1988 and two years later rejected the results of national elections won by the National League for Democracy, headed by Aung San Suu Kyi.
The last foreign visitor to see the opposition leader was Malaysia's Razali Ismail, the UN special envoy for Myanmar, in March 2004.
Last December, the Security Council held an unprecedented briefing on Myanmar to send a signal to its military rulers that they must stop stalling on genuine democratic reforms.
Mr Gambari then delivered the briefing at the request of the United States and other Western members of the council, focusing on reports of human rights abuses, the detention of political prisoners and Myanmar's refusal to grant access to a UN special envoy.
But several members, including Russia and China, object to putting Myanmar on the council's formal agenda.
They argue that developments in the southeast Asian country do not amount to a threat to international peace and security that would warrant formal Security Council involvement.
Last November, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution slamming Yangon's systematic violations of human rights, including extrajudicial killings, use of torture, rape, forced labour and harassment of political opponents.


New Report Details Deaths of 127 Burmese Democracy Activists in Custody:
AAPP Calls for UN Security Council Action in Burma
Bangkok, 23 May - Asiantribune.com - The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP), a watchdog group on the political prisoners of Burma languishing in the Burma’s notorious prisons, today released a 148 page report detailing the deaths of 127 democracy activists in custody in Burma.
The report, entitled “Eight Seconds of Silence: The Death of Democracy Activists behind Bars,” notes that all the deaths were result of torture or ill- treatment, and comes at a time when deaths of democracy activists behind bars have been increasing significantly. In 2005 and early 2006 alone, ten activists have died from torture and ill-treatment while in custody.
The AAPP submits this report along with “The Darkness We See: Torture in Burma’s Interrogation Centers and Prisons,” a landmark report on the use of torture in Burma released by the AAPP last December, to the newly-established UN Human Rights Council, which will convene its first meeting on June 19, 2006 in Geneva, through the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Louise Arbour.
The AAPP expects the human rights violations perpetrated by the brutal junta, and the deepening political and social crises in Burma, to be a test case for the Human Rights Council, which has replaced the much-criticized and ineffective UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR). Despite the 13 consecutive resolutions on Burma the UNHCR adopted, it was unable to make the Burmese junta comply with any of them.
Since 1988, at least 127 democracy activists have died in custody. 90 of these deaths have been in the prisons, 8 in the interrogation centers, 4 in the labor camps and 10 shortly after release. Further, 15 cases of disappearances have been documented as well.
Though the AAPP has documented 127 cases of death in custody, there are likely numerous more cases of death. Even those cases documented are not complete due to the current political situation in the country. Only when Burma is free and democratic will the full extent of the regimes crimes be known.
Thus, the AAPP is calling on the UN Security Council to adopt a binding resolution on Burma to empower the Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his efforts to facilitate national reconciliation and democratization in Burma.
"As the report shows, many courageous Burmese have been willing to risk torture and death rather than renounce their beliefs or give up their non-violent struggle" says Tom Malinowski, Washington Advocacy Director of Human Rights Watch.
"The report rightly urges the UN Security Council to become engaged on Burma...The Burmese government's policies clearly threaten the Burmese peoples; they also threaten the stability of Burma's neighbors and thus merit Security Council action"
Currently, there are 1,156 political prisoners in Burma, all of whom face potential torture and ill-treatment, and possible death.
"Nothing is more revealing about the situation of human rights in a country than the existence of political prisoners…In recognition and fulfillment of its pledge first made fifteen years ago and repeatedly since, to honor the political will of the people of Myanmar, the release of all remaining political prisoners will signal the preparedness of the Government to now rise to its outstanding responsibility.
Once freed, they could have a decisive role in Myanmar’s long-anticipated transition to democracy. The postponement of democratic reform can be justified no longer." says Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma, who has monitored the situation in Burma for six years.
Eight Seconds of Silence looks for the first time at the aftermath of democracy activists' deaths. In Burma, when a democracy activist dies behind bars, their corpse is sometimes cremated and buried with out the consent of the family. This is done in order to hide the true circumstances of the death. Family members are often offered bribes to remain silence about the deaths of their loved ones.
When a family is allowed to bury their loved ones, they still must adhere to the orders of the authorities. The authorities are known to set arbitrary funeral dates for deceased political prisoners, leaving some family members unable to attend the funeral.
Military Intelligence infiltrates many funerals, taking note of those who attend so that they can be detained and interrogated at a later time.
The cause of death for political prisoners is never truthfully recorded. The authorities pressure doctors to falsify autopsy reports, and then use these reports to explain away any accusations of torture and ill-treatment. Because families have no independent witnesses or verification of the cause of their loved one’s death, they are unable to contest the authorities' explanation.
The military regime's oppression extends even into death.
"We have released this report to expose the true circumstances of our colleague’s deaths. They are modern day martyrs in the struggle to free Burma,” says Tate Naing, Secretary of the AAPP, "Though this report exposes the brutality that has led to the deaths of democracy activists, it also shows the courage of these fallen men and women. While they did not live to see the realization of their dream, their memory is carried in the hearts of those who continue to struggle for the realization of a free Burma." Asian Tribune –


Myanmar raises electricity price
Xinhua, Yangon
Myanmar has raised the electricity charge prices beginning this month, advising the country's people to use electricity more efficiently and keep away from overuse of it, according to a latest notification of the state-run electricity supplier.
Electricity prices have gone up to 25 kyats (0.02 US dollar) per unit to be charged uniformly from previous prices which differed from 2.5 kyats to 25 kyats per 1 to 200 units, the notification issued by the Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise said.
The old system of collecting electricity charge had remained in force for seven years since May 1999 until April 2006.
The present readjustment of the electricity prices marked the end of government's subsidy for civil servants, pensioners and religious buildings ever since, observers said.
Electricity consumers viewed that the new prices were introduced in line with the sharp increase of salaries of government employees since April.



Commander to explain resignation to Army headquarters
Narinjara News - Sun 21 May 2006
The Burmese Army brass have summoned Lt Col Thu Raing Naing, commander of Light Infantry battalion LIB 263 based in Buthidaung, to explain his resignation.
On May 19 he left for Dakasa, the regional control army headquarters in Akyab, the capital of Arakan state, western Burma, after the army authorities summoned him to explain his submission of a resignation letter to army headquarters.
Lt Col Naing submitted his resignation to the Western Command and sent a copy to army headquarters in Rangoon three months ago, said a source close to Lt Col Naing.
According to sources, the higher army authorities asked Lt Col Thu Rain Naing, several questions regarding his resignation.
Moreover, the army authorities in Rangoon instructed Lt Col Thu Rain Naing to send six recommendation letters, including four letters of testimonials for his resignation from the Western Command Commander, Chief of Dakasa, Regional Control Headquarters, and Chief Commander of Military Operation Management Command 5 based in Buthidaung to the Rangoon military headquarters.
However the officers of the four-army departments have refused to issue the testimonials for Lt Col Naing's resignation.
Hence, he has been summoned by the army brass to Dakasa headquarters for interrogation regarding his resignation from the Burmese Army.
A source close to the army said that he might face punishment or a jail term if he refuses to serve in the Burmese Army.
Lt Col Thu Rain Naing was on the frontline near the Burmese and Bangladeshi border before he left for the Dakasa headquarters in Akyab.


Myanmar won't explore within Bangladesh waters
Foreign secy tells of Yangon assurance - Unb, Dhaka
(Vol. 5 Num 703 Mon. May 22, 2006 , the daily Star newspaper)
Myanmar authorities have assured Bangladesh that they would never encroach on Bangladesh's territorial waters, saying that they believe in good neighbourly relations as the two countries have agreed on a number of issues of cooperation.
The assurance was given to Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin during his visit to Yangon where he held the first formal foreign secretary-level consultations with Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Thu on May 19.
"They (Myanmar) do not believe they have made any encroachment…They assured that they will never encroach on Bangladesh's territorial waters at any point of time," Hemayet told newsmen at the foreign ministry yesterday on his return from Yangon.
Bangladesh earlier had lodged protests to both Myanmar and India against exploring hydrocarbon into Bangladesh's maritime Boundary in the Bay of Bengal.
Describing his consultation as constructive and fruitful, Hemayet said all bilateral issues, including repatriation of Rohingya refugees, border security, road connection and bilateral trade and investment, were discussed during the talks.
He said the Myanmar side have agreed to repatriate the remaining 21,172 l Rohingyas sheltered in Cox's Bazar. They expressed readiness to take back 8,000 already cleared by Myanmar authorities and then the remaining ones.
The two sides agreed to strengthen border security to stop illegal movements, particularly of drug smugglers and gunrunners. They agreed on holding frequent meetings between the border guards of the two countries to maintain a secure and peaceful border.
Hemayet said the two sides have agreed to increase the trade volume through border and coastal trade by improving the banking system and shipping lines. Myanmar expressed keen interest in importing more pharmaceutical products from Bangladesh, he added.
Two-way trade favours Myanmar as Bangladesh imported $ 32.43 million against its export of $ 4.18 million in 2004-05 fiscal year.
The Myanmar side also agreed to ease the visa regime for businessmen by extending visa for at least 15 days, the foreign secretary said.
On the construction of Bangladesh-Myanmar road, Hemayet said the two sides would soon sign a memorandum of understanding on the construction of 25 kilometres road (2 km on the Bangladesh side and 23 km on the Myanmar side) as the two subcommittees completed study on technical and financial aspects.
The proposed road could be linked with Kunming of China on consultation with the Chinese government to establish a greater connectivity in the region.


The two sides also discussed cooperation in defence in the form of training of military personnel.
On the stalled project for tri-nation gas pipeline, Hemayet said the Myanmar side raised the issue when he told them that settlement of some bilateral issues with India could make the way for the trans-border pipeline.
About the release of Bangladeshis in Myanmar prisons, Hemayet said he urged his counterpart to take humanitarian look at some Bangladeshi nationals imprisoned over there.
Some 89 Bangladeshis, mostly fishermen, are now imprisoned in Myanmar while some 500 Myanmar nationals are in Bangladeshi jails.


Senior UN official meets with Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - The UN's top political official met Saturday with detained Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who had been barred from meeting foreigners for more than two years, people close to Myanmar officials said.
The two met for about one hour at a government guesthouse where visiting UN. Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari was staying, according to the people, who demanded anonymity for fear of reprisals. Gambari arrived in Myanmar on Thursday to press the ruling military junta to restore democracy and cease human rights violations.
The visit is the first in more than two years by a high-level UN representative. The last foreigner to see Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi was UN special envoy Razali Ismail, who saw her in March 2004.
Residents near Suu Kyi's villa on Yangon's University Avenue said they saw a black vehicle with tinted windows leave the compound and soon afterward pull into the guesthouse, about five minutes from her residence. The same vehicle later returned to her villa.
Earlier Saturday, Gambari held talks with the leader of the military junta, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, on human rights and prospects for restoring democracy.
The United Nations has been one of the louder voices calling for democratic reforms in Myanmar, also called Burma, and the junta has responded by barring UN special envoys from the country. Razali resigned from his job as special envoy to Myanmar in frustration shortly after his 2004 visit.
Gambari flew to the country's new administrative capital, Naypyidaw, 400 kilometres north of Yangon, for the meeting with Than Shwe.
Other top junta leaders, including Gen. Maung Aye and Prime Minister Soe Win, were also present at the one-hour meeting, but details were not immediately available.
Gambari earlier met with other senior government officials and a representative of Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy.
The party had asked Gambari to request a meeting with Suu Kyi when he met the junta chief, stressing that Suu Kyi must be included in any dialogue process.
Suu Kyi has been detained for about 10 of the last 17 years, mostly under house arrest.
Gambari was scheduled to brief diplomats and representatives of UN agencies on Saturday evening before concluding his visit, diplomatic officials said.
© The Canadian Press, 2006


Australian opposition calls for sanctions against Burma junta
May 20, 2006 (DVB) - The Australian federal opposition party is calling on the ruling government of the country to consider imposing sanctions against Burma’s military government, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
Labor Party’s shadow attorney-general Nicola Roxon has told a crowd of protesters outside the Burmese Embassy in Canberra that it is time for action, according to a report from the Australian administrative capital.
Ms Roxon says the Australian Government has to take a more active interest in Burma.
"We need to move beyond just saying we can have constructive dialogue with the Burmese Government to looking at ways to put more pressure on them," she said. "Can we have sanctions, can we actually push this further to say that we do not approve of the military regime running the country and what they are doing to their own people?"


Gambari Meets Senior NLD Members
By Yeni - May 19, 2006
A top UN envoy met senior members of Burma’s main opposition party National League for Democracy on Friday afternoon at a government guest house.
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari talked with NLD chairman Aung Shwe and five other senior members in an hour-long discussion about how the UN can help the country move in the direction of national reconciliation.
“We are very pleased to hear the UN envoy’s commitment,” said Han Thar Myint, a spokesperson for the NLD. “We told him we believe that we can achieve true national reconciliation through compromise and dialogue.”
“We also urged him to push the government to allow a meeting with our detained leader [Suu Kyi],” added Han Thar Myint. “We strongly recommended that she is the key to the process of national reconciliation.”
The UN envoy has also asked to meet Suu Kyi, who has spent more than 10 of the last 17 years under house arrest. But whether the government will allow the meeting is still unclear and considered unlikely.
Gambari met yesterday with Foreign Minister Nyan Win and other senior government officials shortly after his arrival at the start of a three-day visit. He also reportedly met with representatives from the pro-government Union Solidarity and Development Association.
Gambari’s three-day mission is intended to determine what can be done to help the military-ruled country move “in the direction of all-inclusive democracy, sustainable development and true national reconciliation,” according to a UN statement.
But today’s state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar said that Gambari’s trip was at “the invitation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.”
However, the UN envoy is believed to be meeting with junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe at the new administrative capital Naypyidaw before his departure on Saturday, and he is expected to push for more rapid movement towards democratic reform and human rights.
“Under-Secretary-General Gambari is in Myanmar [Burma] to convey a clear message that the country’s prospects for improved relations with the international community will depend on tangible progress in restoring democratic freedoms and full respect for human rights,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said yesterday in New York.
Over the past several years, the UN and the international community have been pushing Burma’s rulers to release all political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, and allow the opposition to participate in the process of democratization.
Last year, Gambari delivered a briefing at the UN Security Council on the deteriorating situation in Burma—especially violence against ethnic groups, restrictions on aid agencies and intimidation of the opposition.