N980412

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
( Sunday, 5 December 1999)

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(1) Secretary-1 and wife attend reception to mark Birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand
YANGON, 4 Dec-Secretary-l of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and wife Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe attended the reception to mark the Birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand at Hotel Equatorial on Alanpya Phaya Road at 6.30 pm today.
Also present on the occasion were the ministers, the deputy ministers, senior military officers, departmental heads and their wives, Ambassadors and Charger d’ Affaires ai of the embassies and their wives and guests.

(2)Secretary-1 attends ceremony to donate gold plates to Shwedagon Pagoda
YANGON, 4 Dec-Patron of Perpetual All-Round Renovation of Shwedagon Pagoda Secretary- 1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, accompanied by officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, arrived at southern archway of Shwedagon Pagoda this morning. The Secretary-l paid obeisance to Seinphudaw, Hngetmyatnadaw to be hoisted atop Shwedagon Htidaw Pagoda and relics to be enshrined at the old museum tazaung on the pagoda platform. Next, well-wishers donated gold plates for Shwedagon Pagoda. Retired Ambassador U Khin Nyein and wife presented gold plates weighing three ounces, Police Lt-Col Than Nwe and Daw Kyin Than a three-tical gold plate, Major Yan Aung and Daw Phyu Win Maw a three-tical gold plate, U San Yon-Daw Mya Mya Than of Taunggyi and U Bo Than Aung-Daw Tin Tin Ohn Myaing of Yangon a three-tical gold plate and U Thein Soe-Daw Aye Aye Kyin a three-tical gold plate to the Secretary-l. Chairman of Work Committee Deputy Commander of Yangon Command Brig-Gen Hsan Hsint reported on donation of gold plates, arrangements for gilding gold plate by well- wishers themselves. The Secretary-l then gave instructions on finishing works at the open season on priority basis, systematic publication of record book of Wonderful Shwedagon, perpetuation of the pagoda, measures to be undertaken properly by Work Committee and Pagoda Board of Trustees. The Secretary- 1and party inspected arrangements for renovation of encircling pagodas at the upper terrace. Next, they paid obeisance to Padamya Myetshin Buddha image. The Secretary-l and party inspected construction of Htidaw design Pagoda and renovation of religious buildings on the pagoda platform.

(3) K 21.2m donated for ancient Pauk Mahadatu Pagoda in Inlay region
YANGON, 4 Dec-Shwe-phayakyaung Sayadaw Venerable Shi Fazhao of Singapore and disciples donated K 21.2 million for restoration of ancient Pauk Mahadatu Pagoda in Nam-pan Village, Inlay region, Nyaungshwe Township, Shan State, at the Yadana-hline Kyaung of Pitakat-thonbon Nikaya Sarthintaik on Pale Yadana Street in Ward 26, Dagon Myothit (South) Township, this afternoon.
Secretary-l of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt attended the cash donation ceremony and accepted the donations.Venerable Shi Fazhao first explained the purpose of the donation.The Secretary- 1 accepted the donations and then handed them to Pa-O national race leader U Aung Kham Hti and party of Shan State (South) Special Region 6.

(4)Over K 18m presented for construction of Thatbyinnyu Pagoda in Mayangon
YANGON, 4 Dec-The 9th donation ceremony for construction of Thatbyinnyu Pagoda was held at the site for construction of Thatbyinnyu Pagoda in Ward 5, Mayangon Township this afternoon, attended by Secretary-l of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt. Chairman of Construction Sub-Committee Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Brig-Gen Khin Maung reported on progress of work and Chairman of Finance Sub-Committee Deputy Minister for Rail Transportation Thura U Thaung Lwin on donations and expenditure.
The Secretary-l then gave instructions. Well-wishers presented K 18,058,916 including K 10 million by Yangon City Development Committee; a plot of land measuring 100x60 feet by Col Khin Maung Myint-Daw Aye Aye Than,K 1,010,416 by well-wishers in Mon State; K 500,000 by Ministry of Transport; K 500,000 by Ministry of Industry-2; K 800,000 for 1,000 bags of cement by U Thein Win-Daw Ni (Shwethanlwin) Co; K 350,000 by Lt-Gen Tin Tun and wife Daw Tin Tin Sein; K 350,000 by Lt-Gen Min Thein and family; K 350,000 by Maj-Gen Thura Saw Pru (Retd) and wife Daw Sein Sein; K 350,000 by Ministry of Health; K 350,000 by Brig-Gen Than Tun and wife Daw Win Win Daung and daughter Ma Myat Thanda Tun, K 350,000 by Vice-Mayor Col Maung Pa; K 350,000 by well-wishers of Mongshu Gemland; K 350,000 by Joint Secretary of YCDC U Kyi Win; K 350,000 by Daw Tin Tin Aye; K 300,000 by U Htay Oo-Daw Kyu Kyu Min (Shwechantha Daungmin Geha Trading); K 250,000 by Daw Ma Ma Kyi; K 100,000 by Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement; K 100,000 by Ministry of Commerce; K 100,000 by Ministry of Energy; K 100,000 by Ministry of Mines; K 100,000 by Ministry of Science and Technology; K 100,000 by Myanma Jute Industries; K 100,000 by Myanmar Edible Oil Merchants and Deaiers Association.
Next, the Secretary -1 and party inspected progress of work of Thatbyinnyu Pagoda.Manijotadhara Title Recipient U Than Naing-Daw Kyi Kyi Swe of Thamada Thintaik, U Aung Mon-Daw Hla Hla Maw of Mya Khwa Nyo Housing, Secretary of Taninthayi Express Passenger Transport Service U Aung &. U Yan Naing-Daw Yi Yi Thein of Sayagyi Co, U Tin Aung-Daw Hla Hla Nwe of Winyadana Transport Service, U Myo Aung-Daw Khin Yi Mon of Sun Myanmar International Impat Co, Sandhi Traditional Medicines family, Township departmental concerned, Township Union Solidarity and Development Association and well-wishers. Well-wishers and departmental officials presented over K 100,000 to officials. Director of People’s Militia and Frontier Forces Col Than Maung supplicated on the purpose of donation.

(5)Provisions donated to Wayluwun Sarthintaik in Sangyoung
YANGON, 4 Dec - Tatmadaw families (Army, Navy and Air) and well-wishers donated rice to Wayluwun Sarthintaik ‘in Sangyoung Township at 8.45 am today, attended by Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Chief of Bureau of Special Operations and Chief of Staff (Army) Lt-Gen Tin Oo. Wayluwun Sarthintaik Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Indavamsabhivamsa administered the Five Precepts. Then, Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo and party presented offertories to Sayadaws. Chief of Staff (Air) Brig-Gen Myint Swe, Deputy Adjutant-General Col Ye Tun and General Staff Officer (Navy) Comdr. Tin Oo presented rice donated by Tatmadaw families to Naya-ka Sayadaw.
Provisions-34 bags of rice, 10 viss of edible oil, 100 viss of iodized salt, 25 packets of soft salt for tooth’ brushing, 550 bottles of assorted traditional medicines and a set of robes- were donated by Yangon City Development Committee, Yangon Division, Yangon West District and Sangyoung Township Peace and Development Councils, Nyeinchanyay Bus Line Control Committee, Myanmar Salt and Marine Chemicals Enterprise, Director-General of Traditional Medicine Department Professor Dr Kyaw Myint Tun and family, service personnel, proprietors of traditional medicine halls, Hmancho and Tunshwewa medical halls, Myanmar Edible Oil Merchants and Dealers Association, Myanmar Rice Wholesalers Association, Myanmar Fisheries Federation, Yangon Division Fisheries Association.Will-wishers and departmental officials presented over k100,00 to officials. Director of People’s Militia and Frontier Forces Col Than Maung supplicated on the purpose of donation.

(6)Singapore Shwephayakyaung Sayadaw donates K 2 million for Thameikdawdaya Thukhitayama Daw Nyanasari Myanaung Nunnery
YANGON, 4 Dec - Shwephayakyaung Sayadaw of Singapore Venerable Shi Fazhao made donations for Thameikdawdaya Thukhitayama Daw Nyanasari Myanaung Nunnery in Sangyoung Township at the nunnery at 9.15 am today. Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo accepted the donations.
Also present on the occasion were Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maj-Gen Sein Htwa. Officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, departmental officials and guests.
Then, Shwephayakyaung Sayadaw of Singapore Venerable Shi Fazhao presented K 2 million for the nunnery to Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo. Sri Asia Tourism Company presented K 50,000 for the nunnery to Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo Then, Shwephayakyaung Sayadaw of Singapore Venerable Shi Fazhao presented a painting to Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo.

(7)Commander inspects paddy, edible oil crops in Hlegu Township
YANGON, 4 Dec-Member of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than inspected regional development works in Hlegu Township, Yangon North District, this morning. Commander Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than met with township-level departmental officials in the meeting hall of Township Peace and Development Council Office.

(8)Minister meets Sayadaw of Singapore
YANGON, 4 Dec-Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maj-Gen Sein Htwa met Golden Temple Sayadaw of Singapore who called at his office yesterday evening. Also present at the call were Director-General U Sit Myaing of Social Welfare Department, Director-General U Myint Tun of Fire Services Department, Director-General U Than Oo of Relief and Resettlement Department and Head of Office U Maung Pi.

(9)12th Governing Council Meeting of ClRDAP held in Bagan-NyaungU
YANGON, 4 Dec- The 12th Governing Council Meeting of the Centre of Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) was held at the Bagan Hotel in Bagan NyaungU, Mandalay Division, yesterday. Present on the occasion were Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation .Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin ,Deputy Minister U Ohn Myint,heads of department, representatives of CIRDAP member countries-Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam-and guests. Minister Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin was elected as chairman of the meeting.Director-General of CIRDAP Dr AVS Reddy presented a report on functions of CIRDAP, and the participants took part in discussions about implementation of the minutes of the previous meeting. They then reviewed functions of the technical committee and discussed plans to be made by the 20th meeting of the executive committee and ClRDAP’s future tasks.

(10)Surgeons from Singapore and Myanmar perform kidney transplant
YANGON, 4 Dec- A team led by Dr Lye Wai Chong and renal specialists Dr E C Tan and Dr Abu Rauff of Mt Elizabeth Hospital of Singapore performed kidney transplant at Defence Services General Hospital in Mingaladon on 2 December in cooperation with a medical team of Myanma Tatmadaw under the supervision of Directorate of Medical Services and with the permission of the Adjutant-General’s Office of the Ministry of Defence.

(11)Study of Bahinia Pondaungensis gives support to hypothesis of Asian origin of anthropoids
YANGON, 4 Dec -With the leadership of the Office of Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Defence, geologists of the Ministry of Education have conducted the study and collection of fossils of primates and other creatures in Pondaung region beginning March 1997. It can be asserted that anthropoid primates the origin of man, were born in the Pondaung area and resided there. Beginning 1998, fossil exploration has been conducted with the cooperation of scholars from France, and this year, field study and researches were also conducted; as a result of collaborative efforts, fossil research work has become successful and fossils have been discovered.
A team of French scholars comprising Professor Dr Jean Jacques Jaeger, Dr Stephane Ducrocq, Dr Muoloud Benammi and Dr Yaowalak Chairman arrived here on 2 November 1999, and in cooperation with Myanmar Pondaung Fossil Exploration team, conducted the field study and collection of fossils in the areas of Bahin and Makyeekan Villages, Myaing Township, Magway Division, and in the areas of Moegaung and Wetkya Villages, Pale Township, Sagaing Division, from 3 to 24 November. The French scholars left here for Thailand by air on 30 November morning. Together with the French scholars, Col Than Tun of the Office of Strategic Studies, Maj Khin Maung Win, Maj Kyaw Kyaw, Captain Kyaw Zin Thet, Lieutenant Than Tun Oo, Lecturer of the Ministry of Education Dr Aye Ko Aung and demonstrators U Aung Naing Soe and U Kyaw Htin Khaing participated in the fossil exploration work.
Paleontologists from France led by Professor; Jean Jacques Jaeger had been to Myanmar from l to 18 April 1998 for the first time and from 15 November to 8 December 1998 for the second time, and conducted researches in the Pondaung area in cooperation with Myanmar scholars; this is the third time they came here.
An incisor of Amphipithecus primate was found in Yashe Kyitchaung about two miles north-west of Bahin Village, and a canine tooth in Paukkhaung Kyitchaung about three miles north-west of Bahin Village; a lower jawbone fragment bearing premolar No-4 and molar No-1 of Rodent, the origin of ancestor rats, squirrels and rabbits, a lower jawbone fragment bearing molar No-2 and No-3 of a mammalian species, molars, canine teeth and a mandible fragment of Creodont, a carnivorous species which is probably related to Mesonychids, teeth and fossilized remains of ancestor pigs and rhinoceros and fossils of snakes, carnivorous chameleons, crocodiles, fish and turtles could be collected. These fossilized remains are those of creatures which evolved together with primates in the Pondaung formation about 40 million years ago.
A lower jawbone fragment bearing premolar No4 and molar No-l of Rodent, the ancestor of rats, squirrels and rabbits, was discovered at Sabapondaung Kyitchaung about four miles north-west of Bahin Village. This fossil is of the same kind as Hystricognatous included in the family of Baluchimyinae found in the Karabi region of Thailand and the Bagati region of Pakistan; it is also the ancestor of African Phiomyids found together with Fayum anthropoid primates of Egypt. These Hystricognatous fossils together with anthropoid primates have been found in Asia and Africa. In view of sufficient evidence, scholars have already accepted that Rodent was born in the Asia region. A hypothesis can be formed that anthropoid primates discovered together with Rodent were born in the Asia region, and migrated to Africa in the early part of Eocene. In Sabapondaung Kyitchaung locality, the mandible fragment bearing molar No-2 and No-3 of a mammalian species which had never been discovered before, were found while Pondaung region fossil exploration was conducted. It is learnt that the French scholars have taken special interest in these fossils and will continue to study them in detail. Moreover, molars, canines and bones of carnivores, which probably belong to Mesonychids, discovered in Kyaukmakyee Kyitchaung locality near Moegaung Village and Kyawdaw Kyitchaung locality near Wetkya Village are very interesting and can be of great benefit to research work. The significant success of Myanmar-France Pondaung Region Fossil Exploration Team is that the upper jawbone and the right mandible fragment of Bahinia Pondaungensis, a new genus and species of anthropoid primate, were discovered in Yashe Kyitchaung locality about two miles north-west of Bahin Village on 22 November 1998. Bahinia Pondaungensis can be described as the early origin of anthropoids because it is morphologically related to fully-developed anthropoids and the early origin of anthropoids; the genus name was given Bahinia after Bahin Village because the primate fossil was found near Bahin Village; Bahinia is larger and is more morphologically primitive than Eosimias found in China; Bahinia is more morphologically primitive and geologically older than Siamopithecus and Wailekia, anthropoid primates founding Thailand; it is more morpho logically primitive and geologically older than Siamopithecus and Wailekia, anthropoid primates found in Thailand; it is more morphologically primitive and about seven million years older than Apidium, Qatrania and Catopithecus, anthropoid primates found in Fayum formation of Egypt; these facts give support to the hypothesis of the fact that anthropoid primates, the origin of man, were born in the Pondaung region of Myanmar in Asia and migrated to Africa.
Myanmar and French scholars sent an article titled A New Primate from the Middle Eocene of Myanmar and the Asian Early Origin of Anthropoids to American Science Magazine dated 15 October 1999, and the article appeared on Pages 528, 529 and 530, Volume 286 of that magazine.

(12)Singapore Golden Temple Sayadaw donates T-shirts for children of day-care centres
YANGON, 4 Dec-Golden Temple Sayadaw Venerable Shi Fazao and disciples of Singapore presented Power Ranger T-shirts worth US $ 8,000 for the children of daycare schools established by Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association at MMCWA building at the corner of Thanthuma and Parami Roads in South Okkalapa Township this afternoon. Present on the occasion were Golden Temple Sayadaw Venerable Shi Fazao and disciples, Chairperson of MMCWA Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe, Vice-Chairperson Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe and Central Executive Committee members. First, Sayadaw Ven Shi Fazao explained the purpose of the donations.Then, the Sayadaw presented donations to Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe.Afterwards, Chairperson Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe supplicated on words of thanks.

(13)142 members resign from Letpadan Township NLD
YANGON, 4 Dec-One hundred and forty-two members resigned from National League for Democracy of Letpadan Township, Bago Division. One hundred and forty-two members of Letpadan Township NLD, Bago Division, of their own volition, resigned by sending letters of resignation to Letpadan Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission and the party concerned on 8 October 1999 as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
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