(1) State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to Syria
YANGON, 17 Apr - 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 Hafez Al-Assad, President of the Syrian Arab Republic, on the occasion of the National Day of the Syrian Arab Republic which fall on 17 April 1999.
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(2) Senior General Than Shwe inspects dam projects, reclamation of land for agricultural purpose
YANGON, 16 Apr - Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe inspected dam projects and reclamation of vacant and fallow lands for agricultural purposes in Magway Division today.
He was accompanied by Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint, members s of the State Peace and Development Council, Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin, ministers and officials.
They left Bagan-NyaungU to Salin Dam Project in Salin Township by helicopter this morning.
At the project briefing hall, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin reported to the Senior General and entourage on progress of work on Salin Dam Project.
The Senior General said dams and diversion weirs are being built in Magway Division to be able to cultivate crops for local sufficiency of rice and stressed the need for improvement of irrigation systems and completion of Salin Dam Project as scheduled.
Afterwards the Senior General and entourage inspected the project works.
The dam is being built near Shwedwintu Village 22 miles upstream from Linzin Diversion Weir. Construction work began in October 1998 and it is aimed at expansion of irrigated acreage to 33,000 acres including 28,431 acres irrigated by Linzin Diversion Weir, which was built in 1933.
On completion, the earth Salin Dam will be 220 feet high and 2,220 feet long.
The Senior General and entourage proceeded to Mone Creek Multi-Purpose Dam Project in Sedoktara Township.
First they inspected the project works being carried out with the help of heavy machines, and construction of diversion tunnel outlet conduit and spillway. At the project meeting hall, the project personal families welcome them with dousing of Thingyan water.
Minister Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin, Director-General U Myo Myint of Irrigation Department and Director U Myint Than of Construction Division-8 reported to them on the work so far completed, and Minister for Electric Power Maj-Gen Tin Htut on generating hydro-electric power.
The Senior General Than Shwe guidance on completion of the project and presented fruit baskets to the Japanese experts and technicians.
The dam is being built between Aukpon Village and Thayankai Village two miles north of Sedoktara Township, Minbu District, Magway Division, for irrigation and generating electric power.
The Senior General and entourage next proceeded to the project for reclamation of virgin and vacant lands being carried out by Yuzana Co Ltd at Kyikan region in Minbu Township. Chairman of Yuzana Co Ltd U Htay Myint reported to them on the plan to reclaim 12,500 acres at Kyikan region in Minbu Township, cultivation of sesamum pedisein on the reclaimed 3,246 acres, preparations made for cultivation of cotton, sesamum, beans, sunflower and corn on 3,000 acres, investment and requirements. Minister Maj-Gen Tin Htut also reported on power supply, Minister Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin on irrigation and Chairman of Magway Division Peace and Development Council Col Thein Zaw on communication, security and management matters in the reclamation of virgin and vacant lands.
The Senior General gave guidance and fulfilled the requirements.
Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein and Deputy Minister Dr Mya Oo visited to NyaungU District People's Hospital and inspected construction of a new 100-bed hospital building and Jivitadana Sangha Hospital.
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(3) Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing pay homage at Mann Shwesettaw Pagoda
YANGON, 16 Apr - Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and family and party paid homage at Mann Shwesettaw Pagoda in Minbu (Saku) Township today.
Senior General Than Shwe, wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and family and party paid obeisance to Auksettawya of Mann Shwesettaw Pagoda at 11.15 am today and offered Shwethingan to Auksettawya(Lower Footprint).
Senior General Than Shwe, wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and family and party presented donations towards the pagoda funds.
Then, Senior General Than Shwe and party proceeded to Ahtetsettawya (Upper Footprint) and inspected arrangements for greening of its environs.
Afterwards, Senior General Than Shwe, with Daw Kyaing Kyaing and family and party paid obeisance to Ahtetsettawya of Mann Shwesettaw Pagoda.
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(4) Casting of gold replica pagoda, Seinphudaw, Hngetmyatnadaw for Shwebontha Muni inspected
YANGON, 16 Apr - Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt inspected Seinphudaw and Hngetmyatnadaw to be kept at Shwebontha Muni Pagoda in Padaung Township.
Then, Secretary-1 Lt Gen Khin Nyunt inspected casting of gold replica pagoda of Shwedagon Pagoda which is 45 inches high to be kept at Shwedagon Pagoda.
Officials reported to Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt on progress of work, arrangements to hoist the Htidaw and Hngetmyatnadaw at the gold replica pagoda and studding of jewellery on the gold replica pagoda.
The Secretary-1 gave instructions to officials and left there in the morning.
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(5) Secretary-1 inspects arrangements for construction of pagoda with Shwedagon Pagoda Htidaw
YANGON, 16 Apr - Patron of the Committee for All-round Perpetual Renovation of the Shwedagon Pagoda Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, accompanied by Chairman of Work Committee for All-round Perpetual Renovation of the Shwedagon Pagoda Deputy Commander of Yangon Command Brig-Gen Hsan Hsint, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, arrived at Southern Stairway of the Pagoda at 9.30 am today.
At the Old Museum Tazaung, Chairman of Work Committee Brig-Gen Hsan Hsint reported to the Secretary-1 on arrangements for construction of a pagoda with Shwedagon Pagoda Htidaw design, offering of gold plates and gold foils to the pagoda, arrangements to remove the scaffolding, consecration of the pagoda and merits sharing ceremonies to mark the success of Htidaw hoisting ceremony of Shwedagon pagoda.
Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt fulfilled the requirements and inspected the renovation work of the Tazaung where Jade Buddha image will be kept.
Then, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and party paid obeisance to Hsutaungpyi Padamya Myetshin Buddha image on the upper terrace of the pagoda.
Afterwards, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and party inspected the arrangements to build the pagoda of Shwedagon Pagoda Htidaw design and left there in the morning.
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(6) Lao PDR Dy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs and wife visit Shwedagon Pagoda
YANGON 16 Apr - Visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lao People's Democratic Republic Mr Somsavat Lengsavad and Madame Bounkhongmany Lengsavad, accompanied by Ambassador of the Union of Myanmar to Lao PDR U Sein Win Aung and wife, Director General of Protocol Department Thura U Aung Htet and wife, Ambassador of Lao PDR Mr Ly Bounkham and officials, paid obeisance to Shwedagon Pagoda this evening.
The visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR Mr Somsavat Lengsavad and Madame Bounkhongmany Lengsavad, accompanied by officials, arrived at Western Stairway of the pagoda at 3 pm today. The members of the Board of Trustees and officials welcomed them.
Then, the visiting Lao PDR Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and wife and members paid obeisance to the pagoda.
They offered flowers and lights to Kawnagon Pagoda in Southern Ayonkhan Tazaung. Afterwards, they signed in the visitors' book of the pagoda and donated cash toward the pagoda funds.
Members of Board of Trustees accepted the donations and presented a certificate of honour to them.
The visiting Lao PDR Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and wife and members visited the religious buildings at the pagoda.
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(7) Lao PDR Deputy Prime Minister plays goodwill golf
YANGON, 16 Apr - The visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Mr Somsaarat Lengsavad played the goodwill golf at Yangon City Golf Resort this mooning.
The visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lao together with Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung, Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt, Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee Mayor U Ko Lay, Myanmar Ambassador to Lao PDR U Sein Win Aung, Lao PDR Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Ly Bounkham and officials played the goodwill golf.
After playing the goodwill golf, Minister Col Thein Nyunt hosted lunch in honour of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Mr Somsavat Lengsavad and party at Yangon Golf Resort in the afternoon.
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(8) Lao Deputy Prime Minister and wife leave for home
YANGON, 16 Apr - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Mr Somsavat Lengsavad and wife Madame Bounkhongmany Lengsavad left here by air this evening after participating in Myanmar New Year Thingyan Water Festival at the invitation of Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar U Win Aung.
The guests were seen off at Yangon International Airport by Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung and wife, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win, Myanmar Ambassador to U Lao PDR U Sein Win Aung and wife, responsible officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lao PDR Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Ly Bounkham and wife and embassy staff.
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(9) City, pandals crowded with revelers on final day of Maha Thingan Festival
YANGON, 16 Apr - Roads and streets in townships of Yangon were packed with crowds of motorized revelers and Thingyan pandals today, being the Maha Thingyan Atet Day.
As the weather was fine, streets and junctions in the city were crowded with those who gathered at Thangyan pandals to enjoy revelry of others and motorized revelers cheering, and shouting in the happy mood the whole day.
Water-throwers at the pandals used small and big buckets and pipes to douse water on the revelers. There was no one who used water-filled balloons to throw during this year's Maha Thingyan. The number of quarrel s between revelers and car accidents decreased compared with that in the previous year. Yangon Mayor's Thingyan Pandal, Thingyan Pandal of Families of Ministry of Home Affairs held closing ceremonies today. There were temporary traffic jams on some main roads and at some junctions due to the of motorized revelers.
The cultural troupes of national races, currently here at the invitation of Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, entertained the revelers with dances at Mayor's Thingyan Pandal, the Thingyan Pandal of Families of Ministry of Home Affairs and some pandals.
When the young and not so-young were enjoying revelry during the festival, the elders were at pagodas and monasteries, keeping Sabbath and doing meritorious deeds.
In accordance with Myanmar tradition, the people also fed the revelers traditional foods such as Monlon-yaybaw or floating dough-balls in respective wards of the city.
The Yangon Mayor's Thingyan Pandal were specially packed with motorized revelers and the people who enjoyed entertainment programmes of film artists and vocalists and yein dance troupes.
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(10) Yangon Mayor's Maha Thingyan Pandal presents prizes
YANGON, 16 Apr - The prize presentation ceremony of 1360 ML Yangon Mayor's Maha Thingyan Pandal was held at the venue this evening.
Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee Mayor U Ko Lay, Vice-Chairman of YCDC Vice-Mayor Col Maung Pa and Committee member are presented the prizes to the winners.
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(11) Myanmar delegation leave for Vietnam
YANGON, 16 Apr - Deputy Director-General U Khin Maung Tin of Cultural Institute Department, and Director Daw Nanda Hmun of Library, Museum and Research Division left here this morning by air for Vietnam to attend review meeting on ASEAN-Japan mufti-national mission works to be held from 17 to 18 April in Vietnam.
They were seen off at Yangon International Airport by director-general of the department and officials and their families.
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(12) Voters of five townships in Ayeyawady Division submit petitions of no confidence in five representatives-elect of NLD
YANGON, 16 Apr - Voters totaling 280,329 of five townships in Ayeyawady Division submitted signed petitions expressing no confidence in five elected Pyithu Hluttaw representatives of National League for Democracy on 19 March. Ceremonies to submit signed petitions expressing no confidence in elected NLD Pyithu Hluttaw representatives of Mawlamyinegyun Township constituency U Hla Pe, of Kangyidaunk Township Constituency-2 U Hla Kyi, of Myanaung Township Constituency-2 U Myint Thein, of Pantanaw Township Constituency-l Dr Tin Min Htut and of Kyaiklat Township Constituency-l U Tin Win were held simultaneously at 12 venues of the five townships.
Mawlamyinegyun
In Mawlamyinegyun Township, 66,799 voters or 92.24 per cent of eligible voters submit signed petitions expressing no confidence in U Hla Pe of NLD at Kyaikpi and Katkho villages. U Hla Pe was elected as Pyithu Hluttaw representative at the 1990 Multiparty Democracy General Election from Mawlamyinekyun Township Constituency-1 with only 24,960 votes or 34.47 per cent of the eligible voters who totaled 72,418.
Farmer U Soe Thein of Mayeohnbinsu village, on behalf of the voters, presented the signed petitions to a member of Township Multiparty Democracy general Election Commission.
Over 40,071 voters of 166 villages attended the ceremony.
Eighty-three NLD members of Manonseuk Village also resigned from the party by presenting letters of resignation.
At Katkho village, Farmer U Than Myint of Hsinchaung village, on behalf of the voters, submitted the signed documents in the presence of 26,728 voters of 155 villages.
Sixty-five members of NLD of the village also resigned from the party by presenting letters of resignation to a member of Township Commission.
Kangyidaunt
In Kangyidaunt Township, 47,672 voters or 98.48 per cent of eligible voters submitted signed petitions expressing no confidence in U Hla Kyi of NLD at Kyaiklat and Kan villages.
U Hla Kyi was elected as Pyithu Hluttaw representative at the 1990 Multiparty Democracy General Election from Kangyidaunt Township Constituency-2 with only 19,293 votes or 39.85 per cent of the eligible voters who totaled 48,409.
U Mya Win of Kyaiklat village, on behalf of the voters, presented the signed petitions to a member of Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission.
Voters totaling 27,785 of 112 villages attended the ceremony.
At Kan village, U Mya Than, on behalf of the voters, presented the signed petitions to an official of Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission in the presence of 19,887 voters.
Myanaung
In Myanaung Township, 63,807 voters or 88.73 per cent of eligible voters submitted signed petitions expressing no confidence in. U Myint Thein of NLD at Nyaungmyintkhwe, Innbin and Letpandwin villages. U Myint Thein was elected as Pyithu Hluttaw representative at the 1990 Multiparty Democracy General Election from Mawlamyinekyun Township Constituency-2 with 31,160 votes or 43.33 per cent of the eligible voters totaling 7 1 ,909. U Kyi Than, on behalf of voters, presented the signed documents to a member of the Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission in the presence of 21,819 voters of 95 villages at Nyaungmyintkhwe, U Kyaw Lwin, on behalf of voters, in the presence of 24,675 voters of 144 villages at Innbin village and U Kyaw Win on behalf of voters in the presence of 17,313 voters of 72 villages at Letpandwin village.
Pantanaw
In Pantanaw Township, 59,681 voters or 99.30 per cent of eligible voters submitted signed petitions expressing no confidence in Dr Tin Min Htut of NLD at Kyondongale village.
Dr Tin Min Htut was elected as Pyithu Hluttaw representative at the 1990 Multiparty Democracy General Election from Pantanaw Township Constituency-l with 21,160 votes or 35.21 per cent of the eligible voters totaling 60,099. Farmer U Thaung Tun, on behalf of voters, submitted the signed documents to a member of Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission. Voters totaling 17,716 of 89 villages were present.
Kyaiklat
In Kyaiklat Township, 42,370 voter or 92.06 per cent of eligible voters submitted signed petitions expressing no confidence in U Tin Win of NLD at Htingwin and Yondaunk villages.
U Tin Win was Pyithu Hluttaw representative at the 1990 Multiparty Democracy General Election from Pantanaw Township Constituency-2 with 24,351 voters for 52.91 percent of the eligible voters totaling 46,025.
The signed documents were presented at Htingwin village in the presence of 21,036 voters of 87 villages and at Yondaunk village in the presence of 21,334 voters of 177 village.
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(13) 46 members resign from Mawlamyinegyun Township NLD
YANGON, 16 Apr - Forty-six members resign from National League for Democracy of Mawlamyinegyun Township, Ayeyawady Division.
Forty-six members of Mawlamyinegyun Township NLD, Ayeyawady Division, of their own volition resigned by sending letters of resignation to Mawlamyinegyun Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission and the party concerned on 19 March 1999 as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
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(14) 62 members resign from Myaung Township NLD
YANGON, 16 Apr - Sixty-two members resigned from National League for Democracy of Myaung Townships Sagaing Division.
Sixty-two members of Myaung Township NLD Sagaing Division, of their own
volition, resigned by sending letters of resignation to Myaung Township
Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission and the party concerned on 7
December 1998 as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.