BURMA NEWS INTERNATIONAL


6 November 2004

 

* Fire Bombs exploded in crowd, wounding more than 20 people

* Czech foreign minister counsels dissidents to be pragmatic

* New Money Transfer Law Likely to Harm People in Burma

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Fire Bombs exploded in crowd, wounding more than 20 people

Independent Mon News Agency

November 6, 2004

 

Three hidden fire bombs exploded in a crowd of people Nov. 3 at the

Kyaikkamort pagoda festival in Kamawet village, Mudon township,

wounding more than 20 people including an actress from the Mon Oung

Sorn Drama Performance group.

 

 Because one fire bomb exploded during the stage show, some curtains

were burned and the stage show was stopped until last night.

 

The first Bomb exploded on the drama stage while actress Mi Jom Hpar

Sorn of the Mon Oung Sorn group was singing about 10 p.m., according

to eye witnesses. “Another two bombs exploded later on the crowded

road, wounding about 20 people. But no one was seriously wounded,” Nai

Jorn reported.

 

“At the moment, military authorities from Battalion No.209 have been

investigating the explosion,” he added. “Until now, military

authorities have not found the bomber, but they believe the bombs were

homemade,” he explained.

 

But military authorities took action against the leaders of the Mon

Oung Sorn group for disobeying their order, because the drama leaders

didn’t want to stop their show after the bombs exploded, according to

a performance leader.

 

The annual festival ended last night due to fear of fire bomb

explosions. There has never been a bomb exploded at the crowded pagoda

festival before. “It is the first time a bomb exploded at the

festival,” added Nai Pu, a Kamawet villager.

 

The Kyaikkamort pagoda festival, a famous winter festival in southern

Burma, was started more than 100 ago.

 

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Czech foreign minister counsels dissidents to be pragmatic

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Shan Herald Agency for News.

6 November 2004

 

Pragmatism, the art of treating things in a practical and realistic

way, is the solution to Burma’s problems, the Czech Republic’s

youthful Deputy Foreign Minister Petr Kolar urged Burma exiled

activists yesterday during an informal dinner in Chiang Mai.

 

“During the interim period that followed the Velvet Revolution (that

overthrew the Czech Communist Government in 1989), one of the old

establishment became prime minister and another defense minister," he

recalled.

 

Kolar was speaking to an ad hoc group of Burma exiles, including Teddy

Buri, president of the Members of Parliament Union; Maung Maung,

general secretary of the National Council of Burma; and Aung Naing Oo,

former student activist and a researcher for the U.S.-based Burma

Fund, among others.

 

Aung Naing Oo replied that Aung San Suu Kyi, under house arrest in

Rangoon, is ready to deal with Burma's military rulers for a give-and-

take settlement, according to his most recent information.

 

The dinner lasted from 7 to 9 p.m.

 

The dissidents have plenty of reasons to care about the Czech

Republic, according to a report:

        •   It went through an experience of authoritarian rule with

some similarities to Burma.

        •   Former Czech opposition leader and president Vaclav Havel

is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a big supporter of Aung San Suu Kyi

        •   The Czech Republic has been a member of the European Union

since May 1 and a strong advocate of Burma’s pro-democracy movement

Czech ambassador Jiri Sitler also advised the activists on the

importance of a transition plan. “The general public will stop

praising long-term activists and will want to know who has a plan for

the country," he was quoted as saying.

 

The Czech Republic was part of Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 1993, the

other part being Slovakia. The two parted, as friends, on New Year’s

Day in 1993.

 

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New Money Transfer Law Likely to Harm People in Burma

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Independent Mon News Agency

November 6, 2004

 

The Burma military government’s new law against illegal transfer of

money or goods or information is likely to kill people in Burma, says

U Xar Ni Thwe, general secretary of the Southern Thailand-based

Federation of Trade Unions ­ Burma (FTUB).

 

The new law sections act No. 35 (Kha), declared Nov. 3 and signed by

Senior Gen. Than Shwe bars illegal transfer of money and other items,

and providing information for such activity. By the law, the

government can give people transferring money a three-year sentence.

 

“How do migrant workers in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore transfer

money to their family and have contact with their families?” said U

Zar Ni Thwe. “If they cannot transfer money, people inside Burma will

be starved and all die. Most of them rely on money from family members

working in neighboribg countries as they have very little income for

survival,”

 

“If the government through their economic business can make enough

income for people it is okay to amend the law. However, the military

government cannot reform it or work widely with the exchange. The real

exchange rate in Burma is one U.S. dollar to more than 900 Kyat. But

the military government exchange rate is 6 Kyat to one U.S. dollar, U

Zar Ni Thwe added.

 

“However people cannot accept the government exchange rate. They

cannot pay eight baht to get one kyat as the government wants. The

real exchange is one baht to 22 kyat. This is why people transferred

money in an illegal way,” U Zar Ni Thwe explained.

 

After the government set up the new law, local military governments

have been trying to seize satellite phones used for transferring

money. Many local businessmen who transfer money are stopping work and

hiding their satellite and chordless phones.

 

“I have stopped transferring money in Hpa-an, Moulmein and Yem” said

Nai Myit, (not his real name). a businessman based in Three Pagoda

Pass. I told my workers to take the phones back.”

 

Many local businessmen transferring money in Southern Burma have been

stopped from doing their work and some businessmen’s phones were

seized.

 

“Three satellite phones in Kwan-hlar village, Mudon Township, that

people in the area relied on for contact with their families in

neighboring countries, were seized by local authorities,” Min Thit Swe

reported.

 

“We face the problem now. I cannot contact my home. All phones in my

village are closed,” migrant worker Win Naing told IMNA.

 

Because of the economic crisis and civil war many Burmese people go to

neighboring countries to work to support their family in Burma.

Everyday hundreds of people flee Burma to neighboring countries to

seek work. According to Thailand Migrant news in July, more than

906,000 Burmese migrants worked in Thailand.

 

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Burma News International is a network of nine exiled media groups

such as Mizzima News, Shan Herald Agency for News, Kao Wao News Group,

Khonumthung News Group, Narinjara News, Kaladan Press Network,

Independent Mon News Agency, Karenni Information

Network Group and Network Media Group.

 

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Burma News International

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