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ARCHIVES	Wednesday, 5 July 2006	THE MYANMAR TIMES

NAY PYI TAW, 5 July— Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr Hugo Chavez Frias, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which falls on 5 July 2006.

NAY PYI TAW, 4 July — Chairman of Sagaing Division Peace and Development Council Commander of North-West Command Maj-Gen Tha Aye together with departmental heads attended the opening ceremony of Sakhangyi model village in Kalay on 24 June.

First, Chairman of Kalay District PDC Lt-Col Aung Myo Myint and departmental officials formally opened the ceremony and the commander unveiled the signboard of the village.

Next, the commander inspected village affiliated Basic Education High School and the office of the village PDC and health care services carried out by specialists at rural health centre in Kalay.

Afterwards, the commander attended the opening ceremony of rural hall of Sakhangyi model village and gave instructions on striving for rural development tasks and presented a set of TV, a VCD and a cassette, exercise books, school uniforms, publications and sports gear for the village.

Next, the com-mander paid homage to the Thukhitayon monastery presiding Sayadaw and donated offertories to the Sayadaw. And the commander observed collective growing of physic nut plants in Kyaukka village and looked into construction tasks of Government Technological College in Kalay.

Afterwards, the commander attended the ceremony to collectively grow physic nut plants in Kalay/Kyekon Station near Seta village of Kalay District Physic Nut Plant Special Zone-2 and grew a physic nut plant and cordially conversed those who were growing physic nut plants.

Later, the commander went on an inspection tour of Toungkhinyan village paddy husk-fired power station, rice mill, oil mill and Toungkhinyan plantation and attended the ceremony of inter-department growing of physic nut plants in Gangaw Township .

Next, the com-mander attended the ceremony to collectively grow physic nut plants at Htinzin village and Taloak village in Khanpet, grew a physic nut plant and gave encouragement to those who were growing physic nut plants.

Despite sanctions and political pressure, Government striving for stability, unity and development of State Yangon Division WAO celebrates Myanmar Women’s Day

YANGON, 4 July — Yangon Division Women’s Affairs Organization held Myanmar Women’s Day yesterday at No 2 Basic Education High School in Sangyoung Township. In her opening address, Chairperson of Yangon Division WAO Daw Khin Myo Thu pledged to continue the division’s women’s affairs organization efforts for the protection of the rights of women in the division within the law and for the security and development of their lives.

Using the UN Security Council and International Labour Organization as stepping-stones, one of the western countries have made false accusations against Myanmar to tarnish the image of the country so that it can install the puppet government in Myanmar . Especially, the big country has used media as a weapon to provoke labours, students, monks and people into acts of violence and has managed to manipulate the exile groups into terrorist acts.

In accordance with the quotation of Myanmar wisdom which goes “the strength of the nation lies within”, social organizations, governmental employees and people are to work together for the perpetuation of the sovereignty and security of the State, for the preservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage and national prestige and for development of the national economy joining hands with the Tatmadaw Government, she said.

Despite sanctions and political pressure on the country, the Government has striven for the stability, unity and development of the State; and we are now witnessing the fruitful results even in remote areas, she said.

Due to the economic sanctions placed by one of the western countries, 160 garments factories had to be closed and 40 factories had to reduce the labours. The closure left about 80,000 people including over 70,000 women jobless. While struggling for living, some women fell victim to human trafficking.

In response to the accusation that there is no freedom of religion in Myanmar , she said a church, a mosque and a Hindu temple are adjacent to a pagoda downtown Yangon . Second Secretary of UN Secretary General Ibrahim A Gambarli, an Islamist, visited Myanmar on 18 May and worshipped at a mosque near Sule Pagoda during his visit. He witnessed a church, a mosque, a Hindu temple and a pagoda located closely at the centre of Yangon . Therefore, it is a false accusation that there is no freedom of religion in Myanmar . The accusations of opposition groups at home and abroad calling for UN to take actions against Myanmar proved false, she said.

Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation, a non-governmental organization was founded on 20 December 2003 with the aim of promoting women’s sector in Myanmar and safeguarding women.

At the ceremony, officials presented prizes to winners of article and essay contests to mark Myanmar Women’s Day which falls on 3 July and outstanding members of the organization.

After the ceremony, wellwishers donated cash to Yangon Division WAO amounting to K 2.2 million.

MWAF conducting educative talks, teaching classes, reading sessions, donating books to libraries Myanmar Women’s Day observed in Mandalay

YANGON, 4 July — Myanmar Women’s Day sponsored by Mandalay Division Women’s Affairs Organization was marked at the National Theatre in Aung-myethazan Township yesterday.

Chairperson of Mandalay Division Women’s Affairs Organization Daw Kyemon Oo delivered an address. She said there are 7.5 million people in Mandalay Division. Of them, 3.82 million are women. There are 450,000 members in Mandalay Division WAO. In 2005-2006 WAO participated in community welfare services such as construction of roads and bridges, school enrolment, provision of stipend, stationery and school uniforms to needy children, opening of 33 evening schools for girls who are unable to attend school in 31 townships, provision of cash to girls who cannot receive higher education, presenting prizes to outstanding students, conducting three Rs courses and reading courses and efforts to improve education sector.

In health sector, women’s affairs organizations provided health care services, medicine and food to pregnant women, children and elderly people and gave talks on health education. They donated K 10 million for sinking tube wells in eight villages. Renovation of wells and lakes were also carried out for supply of safe water.

Altogether 138 acres of physic nut were grown and integrated agricultural and livestock breeding farms on manageable scale were undertaken for increase of family income.

Over K 119.32 million have been spent on renovation and construction of 778 primary, middle and high schools from 2001 to date under the arrangements of Mandalay Division Peace and Development Council, departments, Maternal and Child Welfare Association and Women’s Affairs Organizations.

Over K 29.66 million were spent on renovation of six station hospitals, 52 rural health care centres and 137 rural health care branches, over K 256.91 million on sinking of 363 tube wells in water-scarce villages in 2005-2006, K 203.80 million on construction of gravel and earth roads and K 21.28 million on 12 bridges for rural region development. Altogether 89 villages get electricity after construction of bio gas power stations with the assistance of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Arrangements were made for micro economic enterprises in order to increase income of the rural people. Over K 57.6 million were provided for breeding of cattle in 23 villages and K 7.4 million for cultivation of 127 acres of sugarcane, pepper and cotton in seven villages. Mandalay Division has developed in all sectors under the leadership of the government and cooperation of NGOs and local people.

With the development in economy, education, health and transport the standard of living has also improved. The goal of the State is to build a peaceful developed discipline-flourishing democratic nation. To realize the goal, the government laid down 12 political, economic and social objectives and seven-step Road Map and is implementing them phase by phase.

At a time when the government is endeavouring for all-round development of the State, those who do not cherish the nation, want to seize State power in short-cut and who rely on external elements are disrupting the nation through the media. Anti-government organi-zations led by some powerful nations made over 100 accusations in their attempts to take actions against Myanmar through the UN Security Council. Internal and external destructive elements are tarnishing the image of Myanmar .

A political party in the country and its followers made various announce-ments on significant days such as National Day, Union Day and Independence Day.

On such days the government laid down objectives for national interest. She said that she felt that the political party and its followers dishonoured the days of historical significance. She also felt as if they stuff the youths with wrong thoughts and ideas due to the announcements and demands. Mandalay Division Women’s Organization would like to urge them not to mislead Myanmar youths into believing wrong conceptions by making baseless accusations and issuing various announcements.

Now, NLD members could no longer tolerate the acts of the NLD that is implementing its scheme for utter devastation. Up to now 19 NLD representatives-elect, 327 township organizers, and 55,982 members have already resigned from the NLD. But, there is a widespread rumour that their resignation is due to the pressure put by the government. We have learnt that staff of embassies of the two big nations made inquires in Mandalay Division in person to know the reason of the resignation of the NLD members.

It is impossible that the government has been able to put pressure to make that many members leave their party. In reality, they did so with the aims that they would join hands with the people in the nation-building tasks.

And there have been allegations that Myanmar is committing human rights violations such as detaining and arresting some persons and extending house arrest, calling for the UN to intervene in the internal affairs.

It is not reasonable that giving detention against rule violators to protect the people from any dangers is not regarded as human rights violation. Measures are being taken to expand the scope of the public knowledge to enhance the reasoning power of the people in addition to detaining rules violators under religious teachings firstly, and under law enforcement second to ensure peace and stability. So far, Mandalay Division has been served with 5,767 libraries in rural areas in Mandalay Division.

MWAF is conducting educative talks, teaching classes and reading sessions and donating books to libraries to improve the knowledge of the people including the mass of women. In addition, in cooperation with social organizations, the federation is giving assistance to those who are in jail for their violation of rules and laws by giving words of consolation, rendering social help with the framework of law and donating knowledgeable periodicals. To rebut the accusations of rape in the country, Myanmar has always been taking action against those who violate the rules and laws. According to the Buddha’s teachings, Myanmar people have been religious and polite. Few cases of crime have been found in the country compared with other global nations.

There is also very few cases of violence against women. So it is clear that the accusation that there are rape cases in the country is totally wrong.

Again, the government has placed emphasis on the elimination of narcotic drugs as a national duty in collaboration with the neighbouring countries and UN agencies. As regards the accusation that narcotics are being smuggled into China , Thailand and India , Myanmar is cooperating with Thailand , China , Vietnam , Cambodia and Laos in narcotic drug control.

It has also signed agreements on narcotic drug control with India , Bangladesh , Russian Federation , Vietnam , Laos , the Philippines , China and Thailand . As a result, the percentage of drug cases has been reduced by 89 per cent.

Myanmar

is also faced with accusations that it is the country with the highest rate of AIDS. These accusations are aimed at tarnishing the image of the country. Mandalay Division WAO is going down to wards and villages to give public educative talks on prevention against HIV/AIDS and distribute bulletins, photos and pamphlets. Under the supervision of MWAF, a workshop on prevention against HIV/AIDS was held in Mandalay on 10 and 11 November 2005. Multiplier workshops were also held in the eight districts, 31 townships and two towns in the division. According to data, it is found that there are 5.1 million people who are infected with HIV in India and 5.7 million in Thailand . In addition, the rate of HIV virus infection found in adolescents in Thailand is 1.9 per cent. But Myanmar has only 1.3 per cent. Therefore, the accusations are totally wrong.

Next, prizes were given to 53 outstanding women. Mandalay , PyinOoLwin, Kyaukse, Meiktila, Myingyan, Yamethin, Pyinmana and NyaungU District Women’s Affairs Organizations presented entertainment programmes. Chairperson Daw Kyemon Oo also presented a flower basket and K 100,000 to troupes of the districts and Fine Arts Department.

Slanderous accusations on destruction of villages, forced resettlement of villages in Shan State (North) groundless Myanmar Women’s Day marked in Lashio

YANGON, 4 July—A ceremony to mark Myanmar Women’s Day sponsored by Shan State (North) Women’s Affairs Organization was held at the City Hall in Lashio, Shan State (North) yesterday morning.

In her address, member of Shan State Women’s Affairs Organization Daw Mya May Win, on behalf of the Chairperson of Shan State (North) Women’s Affairs Organization, said that Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation representing the entire mass of Myanmar women was systematically formed and there are altogether 2.56 million members and new members are joining it on a monthly basis. Accordingly, Shan State (North) WAO has 77,068 members out of 682,746 women residing in Shan State (North) and the number of its new members has been on the increase monthly.

The Shan State (North) WAO is cooperating with the government and social organizations in its efforts to ensure im-provement of education, health and economic and cultural sectors and prevention of violence against women, and nurture and rehabilitation of women.

At present, the government is making all-out efforts for the emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed nation. At such a time, the five rural development tasks has been laid down and is being implemented to bring about equitable development in different parts of the nation.

In Shan State (North), there are 167 dams and reservoirs from 1988 up to date and those irrigation facilities are now contributing a lot to the agricultural sector of the region. In the health sector, there are 49 station and township hospitals, 64 rural health care centres and one 200-bed hospital in Shan State (North),In the basic education sector, there are 1,603 basic education schools in Shan State (North). In the higher education sector, there are one degree college, one government technological college and one government computer college in Shan State (North).

In cooperation with NGOs, members of Shan State (North) WAO has been actively participating in the drive for the school enrollment. In the health sector, they are sponsoring health educative talks and providing those undergoing medical treatment with necessary assistance and taking care of those infected with HIV.

In the agricultural sector, they are taking part in poppy-substitute cultivation and are striving for development of agriculture sector. And as a result, Shan State (North) has seen 120.02 per cent food sufficiency.

However, internal and external destructive elements, turning a blind eye to such development, are making an attempt to jeopardize Shan State . They are manufacturing fabricated news to the effect that the government is launching an ethnic cleansing and forcefully removing of villages and lacking in control of narcotic drugs. They are also making fabricated news that there are a series of violence against women and sexual harassment in Shan State to make the world community misunderstand the government.

The SWAN group is making an accusation through its book titled License to Rape that Shan women are being raped. With her false documents, Nan Chan Tong met with the president and the secretary of State of a particular nation that manipulates her and attempted to lead the international community to misunderstanding.

Her accusations included rapes committed to Shan women and forced labour cases in Shan State .

Actually, there were no such incidents in Shan State . With the help of members of Shan State (North) WAO, the authorities concerned made an investigation into the cases up to grassroots level in response to the accusations. Upon interrogation, of 137 cases accused, 135 were fabricated and only two were true. Those involved in the two cases had already been sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment.

Nan Chan Tong doesn’t represent the mass of women in Shan State (North). The SWAN doesn’t represent the mass of women in Shan State (North) either and it is dancing to the tune of some western nations. We would like to call upon the government to announce the SWAN an unlawful association and take action against it.

There has also been an accusation on narcotic drugs made by PWO (Palaung Women Association). The government is making all-out efforts in the fight against drugs after laying down tactics and strategies. There was a Palaung Liberation Army in 17 armed groups that exchanged arms for peace with the government. The government has been taking severe action against those involved in drug trafficking and those armed groups were no exception. As a result, the government was able to announce Mongla, Kokang and Wa regions as drug free zones in 1997, 2003 and 2005 respectively.

Moreover, UNODC and the Global Illicit Crop Monitoring Programme made a ground survey on poppy cultivation and production. According to a report of UNODC, there has been a sharp drop in poppy cultivation and production in Shan State .

The released data is almost free of errs as it was based on satellite photos that were confirmed by UNODC experts and officials. The accusations against Palaung State Liberation Army con-cerning poppy cultivation and opium production are groundless. The government’s 15-year narcotic elimination plan covers New Destiny Project, alternative crop cultivation, poppy seed destruction, establishment of major 26 treatment and rehabilitation centres and other 40 treatment centres. The government and the CCDAC are launching educational and other anti-drug programmes in the whole Palaung Region that faced the evil consequences of narcotics.

The UNODC and Wa region alternative crops project are conducting demand reduction and treatments programmes in northern Shan State . Hence the slanders of the so-called Palaung women’s association are baseless.

Realizing the sincere goodwill of the government, six armed groups unconditionally exchanged arms for peace in the state. About 60 insurgents led by Khun Sao Kyaw (a) Than Gyoung of SURA entered northern Shan State from the south. Because of the attack of the Tatmadaw columns, all the 60 men including Than Gyoung were captured by the Tatmadaw, or surrendered or returned to the legal fold. Although the Tatmadaw cut off all supply lines to the insurgents during the attack, it welcomed them with magnanimity and provided them with accommodation and food as they also were national brethren. A press conference with the participation of military attaches of foreign missions and journalists to explain the event internationally was also held.

The press conference proved that the accusation against the Tatmadaw concerning the ethnic cleansing is totally wrong. There are no destruction of or forced resettlement of villages for construction of dams including Kaukkwe Dam. The MWAF has been welcoming back young women who arrived in other countries for certain reasons and are facing sufferings, and sending them back to their families.

Ignoring the national developments, some Western powers are exaggerating Myanmar ’s internal affairs into international and regional problems, using national traitors and expatriate organizations for their cause. One of the government’s objectives is the national reconsolidation. Central Committee for Development of Border Areas and National Races and the Ministry for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs have been set up to realize the goal on a wider scale and speedier pace. Of the over 1,000 delegates to the National Convention, 663 are national races.

In addition to its endeavours to ensure peace and stability in the whole nation, the government has been laying down and implementing development plans all over the nation. The slanderous accusations concerning the destruction of villages, forced resettlement of villages are nothing but groundless.

Since 1985, 43 groups have been conducting anti-HIV AIDS activities in all states and divisions. The anti-HIV AIDS project covers 181 townships. HIV infection rates are 1.9 per cent in Thailand , 2.6 per cent in Cambodia and only 1.3 per cent in Myanmar . The report which said that Myanmar has the worst AIDS infection rate in the world is totally wrong.

In northern Shan State the government has been implementing special anti-AIDS projects in addition to 10 national tasks.

America

’s rating of Myanmar as the weakest nation in curbing human trafficking is only a slander. The Work Committee of the MWAF formed anti-human trafficking work group in 2002, and curbing the crimes in cooperation with Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, and social organizations including UNIAP , SC - UK and World Vision. During the period from 2002 to 2005, Myanmar took action against 677 human trafficking cases, saved 1,824 male and 1,649 female victims and arrested 742 male and 623 female traffickers.

Myanmar

also signed the Convention on Transnational Organized Crime and protocols. It has also held officials meeting with China and Thailand concerning the matter, and formed respective bodies to save people from being victimized by human trafficking.

Under the banner of the MWAF, Shan State Organization for Women’s Affairs has been cooperating with the government, the respective departments, local and foreign NGOs and the people to launch anti-human trafficking, anti-narcotics and anti-HIV AIDS programmes as a national force. It will strive for the emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed discipline-flourishing democratic state which is the national goal.

YANGON, 4 July — Mr Isao Ishii of Minzoku Forum of

Japan

donated a fire engine and an ambulance to Fire Services Department of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement at the meeting hall of FSD this afternoon.

Present on the occasion were Deputy Minister for SWRR Brig-Gen Kyaw Myint, Director-General of FSD U Myint Tun and responsible personnel, Mr Tesuro Amano, Minister Counsellor of Japanese Embassy and staff.

First, on behalf of the wellwisher U Myint Maung presented documents of the fire engine and the ambulance to Director-General of FSD U Myint Tun and explained the purpose of the donations. Next, the director-general presented certificates of honour to the wellwisher.

After the donation, the deputy minister inspected the fire engine and the ambulance.

NAY PYI TAW, 4 July — Minister for Industry-2 Maj-Gen Saw Lwin together with responsible personnel arrived at No 1 Automobile Manufacturing Industry (Yangon) of Myanma Automobile and Diesel Engine Industries in Mayangon Township on 2 July.

At the briefing hall, Factory Manager U Hlaing Thein reported to the minister on manufacturing of automobile, purchase of raw materials, expenditure of the industry and income ratio.

In connection with the reports, the minister gave instructions on striving for manufacturing of automobile to meet the target, management for increased production of machine parts, purchase of raw materials, machine security and training of skilled staff.

Next, the minister and party inspected manufacturing of TE trucks. Managing Director of MADEI U Soe Thein and the factory manager conducted the minister round the factory. Afterwards, the minister gave instructions on measures to be taken for running of the factory at full capacity.

Similarly, the minister and party arrived at No 2 Machine Tool Manufacturing Factory ( Yangon ) of Myanma Machine Tool and Electrical Industries on 3 July. Factory Manager U Ko Ko Gyi reported to the minister on items manufactured by the factory, test-production of new items, production of items ordered by the ministries and parts of stove run by physic nut oil.

Regarding the reports, the minister gave instructions on systematic storage of finished products, speedy distribution of products to the markets and extended production of new items and running of factory at full capacity.

NAY PYI TAW, 5 July— U Nyan Win, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr Ali Rodriguez, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which falls on 5 July 2006.

NAY PYI TAW, 4 July — A ceremony to open Basic e-Government Administrator Course and Government Personnel Management System (GPMS) Administrator Course conducted by Myanma Posts and Telecommunications of the Ministry of Communications, Posts and Telegraphs was held at Communications and Postal Training Centre yesterday.

Present on the occasion were Minister for CPT Brig-Gen Thein Zaw, the ministers, responsible personnel, course instructors and 82 trainees. First, the minister made an opening speech on the occasion.

Basic E-Government Administrator Course will give lessons to administrative officers to systematically manage departmental functions by the use of computer while Government Personnel Management System Administrator Course will give lectures on management of service personnel affairs.

After opening of the courses, the minister and guests viewed e-Library in support of the courses conducted by the ministry.

YANGON, 4 July — Organized by the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and WIPO, advanced course on Copyright and Related rights (DL-201) and E-commerce and Intellectual Property (DL-202) will be conducted at UMFCCI Training Centre of No 74/86 on Bo Sun Pat Street in Pabedan Township from 30 July to 30 October 2006 on Sundays. Any graduate may attend the courses.

Application forms are available at UMFCCI of No 61, Maha Bandoola Park Street, Kyauktada Township (Ph: 246495, 243151 and 381285) and those applications are to be submitted not later than 14 July.