(1) Ways sought for further progress of Rakhine State
YANGON, 5 Mar - A meeting was held at the Ministry for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs this afternoon to coordinate means for development of Rakhine State, with an address by Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo.
The Secretary-2 said the meeting was held to coordinate means in realizing the guidance given by Head of State Senior General Than Shwe. The government was endeavouring to narrow the development gap between States and Divisions and to ensure proportionate progress among them, he noted.
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(2) 7,094.46 acres of illicit poppy plantations destroyed Nov 98 to 10 Feb 99
YANGON, 5 Mar - The State Peace and Development Council is resolved to eradicate narcotic drugs as national duty. and the combined teams comprising members of Tatmadaw columns. Local intelligence units, Myanmar Police Force and local people under the leadership of the respective military commands have been destroying the poppy plantations illegally grown in the remote areas of Shan State since November 1998.
In February 1999, a total of 912.80 acres of poppy plantations-53 acres in Hsenwi Township, Shan State (North), 617.80 acres in Tangyang Township, 60.50 acres in Hopang Township, 96.50 acres in Kutkai Township, 60 acres in Namtu Township, five acres in Lashio Township and 20 acres in Lahe Township in Sagaing Division was destroyed.
Acreage of illicit poppy plantations destroyed from November 1998 to 10
February 1999 were as follows:
(a) Monkoe
region
959.00 acres
(b) Muse
Township
647.25 acres
(c) Namkham
Township
109.00 acres
(d) Kutkai
Township
168.50 acres
(e) Hsenwi
Township
451.00 acres
(f) Kunlong
Township
230.75 acres
(g) Tangyang
Township
1,815.50 acres
(h) Laukkai
Township
749.90 acres
(i) Namtu
Township
60.00 acres
(j) Lashio
Township
5.00 acres
(k) Hsipaw
Township
13.00 acres
(l) Hopang
Township
108.00 acres
(m) Pinlaung
Township
182.95 acres
(n) Phekhon
Township
1,267.31 acres
(o) Talay
Township
80.00 acres
(p) Kengtung
Township
11.00 acres
(q) Waingmaw
Township
55.00 acres
(r) Moebye
Township
160.80 acres
(s) Lahe
Township
20.00 acres
A total of 7,094.46 acres to poppy plantations illegally grown in Shan State (North), Shan State (South), Shan State (East), Kayah and Kachin States and Sagaing Division has been destroyed in 1998/99 poppy cultivation season, and efforts are continuing to each and destroy the illegal poppy plantations.
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(3) Medicine, medical equipment for Ministry of Health
YANGON, 5 Mar - A ceremony to donate a microscope set, medicine and medical equipment to Ministry of Health was held at Medical Research Department on Ziwaka Street this afternoon, attended by Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo.
Also present on the occasion were Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Lt-Gen Tin Ngwe, Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo, Vice-adjutant-General Brig-Gen Maung Nyo, Director of Medical Services Brig-Gen Mya Thein Han, senior Tatmadaw officers, directors-general and officials of the ministry, guests and well-wishers.
Well-wishers Professor Tom Prvulovic Simon of University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey, United States of America and Chairman of CVC Central Group Co Ltd Mr Xiao Yu Hang explained about the donation.
Professor Tom Prvulovic Simon presented a microscope set valued at US $ 2,500 and Mr Xiao Yu Hang medicine and medical equipment worth K 1.2 million to Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein who presented certificates of honour to them.
Minister Maj-Gen Ket Sein spoke words of thanks.
Then, Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo and officials inspected the equipment.
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(4) 2,147 members resign from Thazi Township NLD
YANGON, 5 Mar - Members of Thazi Township National League for Democracy held ceremonies to resign from membership in Hlinetat, Wantha, Yinmabin and Hanza Village-tracts, Thazi Township, as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
A ceremony to present letters of resignation of NLD membership from Hlinetat Village-tract, Thazi Township, was held at Hlinetat Village on 22 February. Former township executive committee member of NLD U Tin Win and member U Aye explained the reasons and presented letters of resignation to Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission.
Similar ceremonies were held at Wantha Village-tract, Yinmabin Village-tract and Hanza Village-tract on 24, 25 and 27 February 1999 respectively.
So far, a total of 2,147 members of Thazi Township NLD have resigned from membership of NLD.
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(5) Press Release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today
US speaks of human rights but ignores the right of other nations to shape their own destinies without interference or pressure; Speaks of democracy but tries to dictate how a country should be run or even who should run the nation; Myanmar categorically rejects one-sided assessment of US of US on human rights situation in Myanmar; US report based on unfolded facts, and politically motivated document aimed interfering in internal affairs of Myanmar.
YANGON, 5 Mar - The following is the text of a Press Release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.
Recently, the United States issued the so-called 1998 Report on the Human Rights Situation in the world. It also includes references to the Union of Myanmar. As in the previous reports, the 1998 Human Rights Report neglects the positive developments taking place in the country and does not reflect the true situation, of Myanmar. It ignores the fact that Myanmar is enjoying unprecedented peace and stability and that the people are happily engaged in the pursuit of better standard of living and decent quality of life without fear and anxiety. Indeed, the State Department of the United States of America had once again focused on accusations and allegations based on unfounded facts and information from unscrupulous sources.
It is generally recognized that any government, institution or individual seeking to promote human rights should bear in mind the significance of national and regional peculiarities as well as historical, cultural and religious backgrounds together with the stage of economic development. However, it seems that the United States has turned a blind eye to these facts and is using the pretext of human rights and democracy to interfere in the internal affairs of other nations.
The United States speaks of human rights but ignores the right of other sovereign and independent nations to lead their own lives and to shape their own destinies without interference or pressure. It appears to have forgotten that according to the United Nations Charter and the norms of international law, all countries, large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, have the right to choose their own political system, road to development and social values. The United States speaks of democracy but tries to dictate how a country should be run or even who should run the nation without paying heed to the actual-situation in that country or its challenges and potentials.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar, therefore, categorically rejects the one-sided assessment of the United States on the human rights situations in Myanmar since it is based on unfounded facts and is nothing more than a politically motivated document aimed at interfering in the internal affairs of Myanmar.
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(6) Transport Minister inspects preparations for Armed Forces Day Exhibition
YANGON, 5 Mar - Minister for Transport Maj-Gen Hla Myint Swe inspected preparations for the 54th Anniversary Armed Forces Day Exhibition to be held at Defence Services Museum this afternoon.
Accompanied by Deputy Ministers Brig-Gen Kyaw Myint and U Pe Than and heads of departments, the minister arrived at the museum.
He inspected display and decoration work at Ministry of Transport Exhibition, 12 National Objectives Exhibition and Nation-Building Endeavours Exhibition there and gave instructions.
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(7) 208 members resign from Kawkareik Township NLD
YANGON, 5 Mar - Two hundred and eight members resigned from the National League for Democracy of Kawkareik Township, Kayin State.
Two hundred and eight members of Kawkareik Township NLD, Kayin State, of their own volition, resigned by sending letters of resignation to Kawkareik Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission Office and the party concerned on 22 February 1999 as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
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(8) 147 members resign from Ngazun Township NLD
YANGON, 5 Mar - One hundred and forty-seven members resigned from the National League for Democracy of Ngazun Township, Sagaing Division.
One hundred and forty-seven members of Ngazun Township NLD, Sagaing Division, of their own volition, resigned by sending letters of resignation to Ngazun Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission Office and the party concerned on 29 December 1998 as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
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YANGON, 5 Mar - Member of State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Vicara (Pakokku Sayadaw) left here this morning by air for the United States of America via Bangkok, on a religious tour, at the invitation of disciples from San Francisco, USA.
The Sayadaw was seen off at Yangon International Airport by Director-General U Sann Lwin of Department for Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana and officials of Religious Affairs Department.
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(10) Japan Relief Clothing Centre donates garments and equipment for students of Monastic Education Schools
YANGON, 5 Mar - Secretaries of Japan Relief Clothing Centre of Osaka in Japan donated garments and equipment for the students of Monastic Education Schools in Myanmar at the Office of Minister for Religious Affairs on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road this afternoon.
Present on the occasion were Minister for Religious Affairs Maj-Gen Sein Htwa, Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs U Aung Khin, Director-General of Department for Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana U Sann Lwin, Officer on Special Duty U Thzet Shi, Deputy Director-General of Religious Affairs Department Dr Myo Myint, Pro-Rector of International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University Dr Hla Pe, Head of Office U Maung Maung Myint and well-wishers.
Well-wishers Secretaries of Japan Relief Clothing Centre Mr Tomio Togawa and Mr Yusuke Toyoda presented garments and equipment to Minister Maj-Gen Sein Htwa who presented certificates of honour to them.
Then, Minister Maj-Gen Sein Htwa also presented three Pitaka treatises to the donors.
The minister also presented a certificate of honour to U Tin Lat (a) U Tin Maung Latt-Daw Khin Cho Aye who assisted the donors.
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(11) Heroin seized in Monghsu, Hsenwi Townships
YANGON, 4 Mar - Tatmadaw members of the local battalion, lay in wait on 21 February at Yaypusan Camp, Hsenwi, Shan State (North) and on suspicion stopped a van (Ah/ 5234) driver by Aung Myaing. they arrested Ma Khan Hsai passenger, 27, daughter of U Khan Sin of No 30, Myoma Ward 4, Kyukok (Pang Sai),who was in the car, together with two blocks of heroin weighing 0 52 kilo.
Similarly, a combined team comprising members of local intelligence unit and Myanmar Police Force, acting on information, on 24 February, searched the house of Ma Aye Nan, 28, daughter of U Nyi San of Konmyintha Ward, Mong-hsu Gems Land, Monghsu, Shan State (South) and arrested Ma Yei Nan, 18, daughter of U Nyi Phine and Ma Aye Nui, 24, daughter of U Aik Khwan of Mongmaw, who were in the house, together with five packets of heroin weighing 0.019 kilo.
Action is being taken against the three under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law.
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(12) Commander inspects digging of earth for planting trees in Lashio
YANGON, 5 Mar - Chairman of Shan State (North) Peace and Development Council Commander of North-East Command Maj-Gen Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo inspected digging of earth for planting trees in monsoon in Lashio, northern Shan State.
The commander was accompanied by Tactical Operations Commander Col Soe Yi, Secretary of Shan State (North) Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Win Han and officials.
Deputy Director of Shan State Forest Department U Tin Cho reported to the commander on the plan to plant 223,000 trees in monsoon.
The commander gave instructions on planting of nursery for the project
Later, he inspected facilities of water supply system of the town.