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REGIONAL NEWS & SPECIAL REPORTS
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 05/III/Feb/2006
Burma?s military government may be planning to implement further debilitating restrictions on humanitarian agencies in Burma, according to a recently distributed document? despite the official presentation of softer guidelines to representatives of the international humanitarian community in Rangoon on Tuesday.
UN and other international aid workers left Tuesday?s briefing on the new formalized rules for UN and NGO offices ?optimistic? that a new government proposal to hold frequent dialogues?every one or two months?with aid workers might represent an opportunity to resolve recent problems.
?It is the first-ever guidelines [that have] come out officially?which is a positive step,? Bhim Udas, chief representative of the World Food Program, said after the session.
However, the existence of a similar but more detailed document drawn up by the Burmese Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, following a meeting between Prime Minister Gen Soe Win and concerned ministers on January 5, suggests the government may be about to impose constraints on international humanitarian offices, which aid workers deem unacceptable.
These guidelines?which the UN received unofficially, and indirectly, and then distributed to its various offices a week ago?say that all aid workers would have to be accompanied by a representative of one of several junta-affiliated groups, including the Union Solidarity and Development Association.
The International Committee of the Red Cross recently suspended prison inspections throughout Burma after local-level USDA members insisted they supervise meetings with detainees.
Patrick Vial, the ICRC?s chief representative in Burma, has said the impasse was likely the result of a misunderstanding at the regional level. But this recent insight into the junta?s plans suggests the policy of supervising humanitarian programs generally has been rubber-stamped by the prime minister. The ICRC has said it hopes to resolve the matter in ongoing discussions with the government. Vial was unavailable for comment today.
If the policy were to be formally introduced, the UN and other aid agencies would almost certainly feel unable to continue normal operations in Burma.
The text that we were given [at Tuesday?s meeting] was actually far less restrictive than the text that was circulating underground
Other points of concern include the provision that international aid offices would only be able to recruit Burmese staff from a list drawn up by the government, a condition imposed in only a handful of countries including North Korea and formerly in Vietnam.
The document also states that all funds would have to be deposited in the government-owned Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank, and withdrawn in foreign exchange certificates. The worry is that each FEC would then have to be exchanged at the official rate of 450 kyat. The street rate is nearer 1,100 kyat, which in turn is roughly equal to one US dollar. If such a measure were to be imposed, the junta would effectively be making huge profits on international aid money through manipulation of the exchange rate, sources say.
Adding further confusion to the situation, guidelines jointly distributed on Tuesday by Foreign Minister Nyan Win, Minister of National Planning and Economic Development Soe Tha and Minister of Home Affairs Maj-Gen Maung Oo make no mention of these conditions.
?The text that we were given [at Tuesday?s meeting] was actually far less restrictive than the text that was circulating underground,? a humanitarian worker told The Irrawaddy.
Although these guidelines list objectives including the protection of ?national interests? and prevention of moves that may ?jeopardize state sovereignty??as in the case of the original document?it does not mention the USDA or restrictions on recruiting local staff. Tuesday?s guidelines also make no mention of how funds would have to be deposited in Burma.
The main change to the existing situation?which is outlined in both documents?means that the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development would take over from the Ministry of Home Affairs as the junta?s main liaison with the UN and NGOs. The move means that Soe Tha would become chairman of a new coordination committee, with Nyan Win as vice-chairman and a host of other ministers, including Maj-Gen Maung Oo, as members.
The chief UN Coordinator in Burma, Charles Petrie, in responding to the briefing told the three ministers that the humanitarian community in Burma welcomed the opportunity to hold frank dialogue with the government, also highlighting the three humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality and neutrality.
Petrie will now meet other UN heads in the next few days in order to receive feedback on how to proceed in what remains an unclear situation. Meanwhile, humanitarian workers in Rangoon are left wondering what was the motivation behind the government?s decision to suddenly address the issue.
While most aid workers expressed relief at the outcome of Tuesday?s session, one high-level aid worker said both sets of guidelines point to more problems in the future: ?I fear we?re going to see [the situation] slide further,? he told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.
The WFP?s Udas insisted that recent developments would not affect his agency?s operations: ?It?s business as usual,? he said.
International aid workers in Burma say they will use the opportunity to communicate with the government to press for fewer restrictions, as they enter a critical 12 months with more pressing humanitarian needs in Burma. The UN and NGOs are currently preparing to begin programs to address the threat of bird flu, further compensate for the loss of Global Fund money to tackle HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and launch a far-reaching measles campaign at the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Burma?s humanitarian community will wait to see which of the two sets of guidelines the government will eventually follow.
By: Clive Parker and Yeni
The Irrawaddy February 8, 2006
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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REGIONAL NEWS & SPECIAL REPORTS
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 05/III/Feb/2006
Former religious affairs minister Said Agil Hussein Al Munawar and his official responsible for haj affairs received jail terms and fines Tuesday for embezzling Rp 652 billion (US$70.7 million) from the Haj Trust Fund over a four-year period.
The Central Jakarta District Court handed down a verdict of five years to Said Agil in a morning session and a four-year sentence to Taufiq Kamil, former director general for Islamic guidance and haj affairs during Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration, later in the day.
"Said Agil Husin Al Munawar is found guilty of illegally spending funds entrusted to the religious affairs ministry by Muslims wanting to perform the haj pilgrimage," presiding judge Cicut Sutiarso said in his closing statement.
Both sentence terms were half of the demands of the prosecutors, led by Ranu Mihardja.
The court also fined both men Rp 200 million each, or they would face an additional three months each in jail.
Said Agil was ordered to pay Rp 2 billion from the embezzled funds and Taufiq Rp 1 billion within a month. If they do not, another month will be added on to their jail term.
Prosecutors had demanded Said Agil repay Rp 4.5 billion and Taufiq Rp 2.9 billion respectively.
They were found guilty of not reporting to the government and the legislature a total of eight bank accounts in the name of the Religious Affairs Ministry. The Rp 652 billion in funds were collected from haj pilgrims from 2001 to 2004.
After the announcement of the verdicts in both trials, relatives and friends of the men burst into tears, while cries of "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) rang out from others in attendance.
Both men vowed to appeal.
"I cannot accept this unfair verdict because I feel I am not guilty," Said Agil said after the hearing. "I will appeal."
His lawyers claimed Said Agil was merely carrying out state policies, and that the president should be held responsible.
The corruption case underlined the pervasive nature of graft in Indonesia, and is seen as a test of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's stated campaign to stamp out the rampant stealing of state funds.
The religious affairs ministry -- long regarded as one of the country's most corrupt government agencies -- has a near-monopoly in the lucrative business of transporting about 200,000 pilgrims annually to Saudi Arabia for the haj, The Associated Press reported.
The crackdown on corruption so far has netted several high-profile suspects, including a former provincial governor, several district heads and regional and national lawmakers. Critics say that it has not gone far enough.
The Jakarta Post February 8, 2006
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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REGIONAL NEWS & SPECIAL REPORTS
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 05/III/Feb/2006
`GOLDEN WEEK': Visits to scenic spots, resorts and theme parks surged more than 20 percent this year as private-sector employees got a slightly longer holiday
Domestic tourism operators received a big red envelope after the Lunar New Year break, as the nation's scenic spots and theme parks recorded almost 11 million visits during this period, the Tourism Bureau's statistics showed.
Thanks to flexible arrangements, employees of most private-sector companies were entitled to a longer break of nine days this year, from Lunar New Year's Eve on Jan. 28 to Feb. 5. Those employed by government organizations had to go back to work on Feb. 3.
In a report submitted to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday, the bureau said that between Jan. 29 and Feb. 5, tourists made 10.95 million visits to tourism spots nationwide, including theme parks, national scenic resorts and exhibition areas. This represents a surge of 20.9 percent from the six-day Lunar New Year holiday last year.
Tourism operators were jubilant about the bonanza and hope the tourism boom will continue for the rest of the year.
"The number of tourists visiting our park increased by 30 percent to top 100,000, compared with the same period last year. This has set a new record high," Michael Chu, marketing manager of Window On China Theme Park in Taoyuan County, said yesterday.
This would mean more than 10,000 tourists per day, compared with about 3,000 to 4,000 people on normal weekends, he added.
Chu said that huge crowds tend to swarm toward central and southern Taiwan during the Lunar New Year holidays, as the north is normally plagued by bad weather.
But this year, fair weather in the north, coupled with the week-long break, contributed to rosy performances. Some even described the period as Taiwan's "golden week."
Liu Jui-tsung, director-general of the Taichung Hotel Association, also reported better-than-expected business during the holiday period.
"The supply [of hotel rooms] could not meet the strong demand, and traffic jams almost became a normal thing here," he said.
Liu expects the domestic tourism market to continue to expand this year.
"If the government allows more Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan soon, the tourism market will experience an even bigger boom," he said.
Local tourism operators have been preparing to host more tourists by the middle of the year, when restrictions on Chinese tourists are expected to be relaxed. But President Chen Shui-bian's New Year's Day speech touting an approach of "active management, effective opening" has put a damper on their spirits, Liu said.
"Now it seems that such an opening-up policy will not be implemented until the end of the year," Liu added.
Lai Cheng-i, head of the Taichung-based Shining Group, which owns the upscale resort The Lalu at Sun Moon Lake, is more optimistic about the policy change.
He expects the policy to be put into practice by the end of next month, boosting the TAIEX to 8,000 points, he said last month.
By: Jackie Lin
The Taipei Times February 7, 2006
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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REGIONAL NEWS & SPECIAL REPORTS
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 05/III/Feb/2006
 Samsung Group executives including vice chairman Lee Hak-soo, third from left, bow during a press conference Tuesday to announce the donation of 800 million won to social groups and charities. /Yonhap
Civic groups reacted cautiously to the decision by the Samsung Group to contribute 800 billion won ($825 million) to society, questioning whether the move will influence the probe by prosecutors into the group?s financial irregularities.
The People?s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), one the country?s largest corruption watchdogs, released a statement criticizing Samsung for failing to reveal specifically how it will improve the transparency of its corporate structure when announcing their plans for the donations.
``The announcement by Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, apologizing for past wrongdoings and promising changes for the future, should be taken as meaningful progress. However, we believe that the group is still avoiding the core of the problem,? said the PSPD, which has been a frequent critic of Samsung?s corporate management in the past years.
?In an attempt to handover chairman Lee?s reign of the group to his children, the group?s management has been unlawfully transferring the conglomerate?s wealth to the founding family,? the group said.
``It bears further watching whether today?s announcement will be marked as a start for changes or merely a gesture to ease public criticism against them,? the PSPD said.
Citizen?s Action Network also released a similar statement, urging that Samsung?s latest announcement should not influence the prosecution?s probe into the group.
Samsung, the country?s largest conglomerate, has been facing increasing public pressure in recent months.
Prosecutors have been tracing the group?s financial records to confirm allegations that the conglomerate?s wealth was unlawfully transferred to the founding family.
The Seoul District Prosecutors? Office said it has obtained evidence showing that the group?s corporate restructuring office was directly involved in selling convertible bonds of Samsung Everland from group chairman Lee to his only son Jae-yong, vice president of Samsung Electronics, and his three daughters at below-market prices in 1996.
Samsung Everland is Korea?s biggest amusement park operator and the de facto holding company of Samsung Group.
Prosecutors are considering summoning group chairman Lee sometime during the next month.
By: Kim Tong-hyung
Korea Times February 7, 2006
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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