Palestinians pass through the destroyed border wall into Egypt near the Rafah border crossing on 28 Jan, 2008.

Train derails in N Thailand,no casualties,Military helicopter crashes in C Philippine village

Train derails in N Thailand, no casualties

BANGKOK, 29 Jan—A train running from Bangkok to the North on Sunday morning derailed in central province of Nakhon Sawan Province, forcing all the services along the line to have been halted. According to website of the Bangkok Post, the train, bounding for northern city of Tapan Hin, was derailed in Nakhon Sawan’s Chumsaeng Station on Sunday morning. Several trains have had to terminate their services at Chumsaeng station since it is the only railway line connecting the North and Bangkok. There is no report of casualties. But all northern bound services had to be suspended until further notice. — MNA/

Military helicopter crashes in C Philippine village

MANILA, 29 Janu— A Philippine Air Force Huey helicopter has crash-landed on a personnel pick-up mission in the central Philippines, the military said Monday. According to an initial Air Force report, all nine people on board survived the crash but at least five of them sustained minor injuries. The military said the UH-1H chopper was on way from Iloilo to Cebu’s Mactan Air Base when it hit coconut trees and soon plunged on a grassy land in Balamban of the central Cebu Province Saturday afternoon. The main and tail rotor blades of the chopper were torn from their assembly while the elevator,skid and cargo doors were damaged, the report said.

Committee for Prevention against Recruiting Minors into Army holds seventh meeting

The committee allowed ambassadors and military attaches working in Myanmar including personnel of UN agencies such as UNICEF and UNDP to visit recruiting units and basic military training depots in Yangon and Mandalay. Arrangements were made for interview with raw recruits for seven times.

27 die in clashes in western Kenya Army deployed for first time since vote

NAIROBI, 27 Jan—Three days of attacks and counterattacks among rival tribal gangs have killed at least 27 people in the previously calm city of Nakuru in western Kenya, prompting the deployment of the Kenyan Army for the first time since the disputed presidential election last month unraveled this East African nation. People have been hacked with machetes, shot with poison arrows, stoned, bludgeoned and burned to death in street fighting mostly in the poorest neighbourhoods of the city, residents, local media and aid groups said Saturday. Gangs of young men from President Mwai Kibaki’s Kikuyu tribe are battling Kalenjins and Luos loyal to opposition leader Raila Odinga, who has accused Kibaki of stealing the 27 December election.

US soldier dies in non-combat related incident

BAGHDAD, 28 Jan— An American soldier died in a non-combat related incident in Iraq, the US military said on Saturday. A soldier assigned to Multi-National Division — Centre (MND-C) died on Friday, a brief military statement said, without specifying the location of the incident. The incident is under investigation, it said. MND-C, also known as Task Force Marne, is responsible for security in areas located along the southern edge of Baghdad and stretch to the border of Saudi Arabia in the west and to the Iranian border in the east. The latest death brings the number of US soldiers who have been killed in Iraq to more than 3,930 since the outbreak of the US-led war on Iraq in 2003, according to media account based on Pentagon figures.

Chavez suggests creating military force against US

CARACAS, 28 Jan— Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez suggested creating a joint military force for the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) member nations to see off any possible United States military aggression. Speaking during his Sunday show “Alo Presidente” alongside special guest Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega,he said “we are going to commission a working paper. We need a joint ALBA defence strategy”. Ortega backed the idea, adding that the United States was working via Colombia to threaten “not only Venezuela but also the whole of Latin America”. “If they mess with one of us, then they will be dealing with al of us,” Ortega said. “Touching Venezuela would mean setting the region alight. Messing with Venezuela is messing with all of Latin America.” Chavez added that Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio da Silva had recently agreed with the idea of creating a South American defence council, and that using the same logic not only a defence council but dedicated Armed Forces could be created.

Over 18,000 police officers protest in UK

25 Jan — Thousands of British police officers marchedthrough central London on Wednesday in protest overannual pay rise.The PoliceFederation, which represents rank and filepolice officers, claimedsome 18,500 officers participated in the biggestpolice protest since 1919,Sky news reported. The police, out oftheir uniform, areexpected to march throughthe Home Office and theHouses of Parliament tovoice their anger.Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is the targetas she decided not tobackdate the agreed 2.5 per cent pay rise forofficers to September butinstead implement it in December.She argued thatkeeping public sector payawards below 2 percent isnecessary to keep inflationunder control.Police officersbelieve the governmentshowed a breach of trustby deciding to ignore therecommen- dation of anindependent PoliceArbitration Tribunal.Nonetheless, it wasannouncedrecently thatteachers are getting 2.45per cent rise in pay,

ndthe civilianstaff who workin police stations are alsogetting more than theircolleaguesin uniform.The Police Federationhas applied for judicialreview

of the HomeSecretary’s decision.

Great writers like Kipling and Orwell were captivated by Myanmar's exceptional beauty.

Great writers like Kipling and Orwell were captivated by Myanmar's exceptional beauty.

Bomb in Iraq’s Mosul kills seven, wounds 70, US military deaths in Iraq at 3,931

Protesters display anti-US posters while marching towards the US embassy in Manila on 23 Jan, 2008 to demand an end to the presence of US troops in southern Philippines and to the RP-US Balikatan, the annual joint military

Bomb in Iraq’s Mosul kills seven, wounds 70
The Sunni Islamist militant group is blamed forBAGHDAD,23 Jan —A bomb attack on a residential building in Iraq’s northern city of Mosul on Wednesday killed at least seven people and wounded more than 70, police said. Witnesses said it was one of the biggest explosions they had ever heard in Mosul, part of a region where al Qaeda in Iraq militants have regrouped after being pushed out of Baghdad and western Anbar Province. most major bombings in Iraq. Women and children were among the victims, police said, adding that the death toll was expected to rise.

US military deaths in Iraq at 3,931

WASHINGTON, 23 Jan—As of Tuesday, 22 Jan, 2008, at least 3,931 members of the US military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes eight military civilians. At least 3,197 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military’s numbers. The AP count is two higher than the Defence Department’s tally, last updated Tuesday at 10 am EST. The British military has reported 174 deaths; Italy, 33; Ukraine, 18; Poland, 21; Bulgaria, 13; Spain, 11; Denmark, seven; El Salvador, five; Slovakia, four; Latvia, three; Estonia, Netherlands, Thailand, Romania, two each; and Australia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, South Korea, one death each.

National Development and the Role of Health Sector—II

respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Avian Influenza (AI) are stationed at the port of entries to Myanmar health care situations. plans for highly infectious diseases occurring worldwide. Rapid response teams for severe acuteWhile the health authorities are combating normally occurring disease it has made contingency to check and to respond if found. Health personnel and facilities are at ready to face the emergency While the government is undertaking the health resources development it also conducts and emphasizes on health promotion and diseases prevention and control in parallel.
Prevention and control of diseases To the basic health care services, concept of prevention is better than cure, the Ministry of Health has been carrying out preventive measures as a focal in
health care delivery. Myanmar is still facing the health problem of Malaria which is the most prevalent disease locally. Malaria control is carried out by using the strategies and techniques of health education, distribution of impregnated bed-nets, personal hygiene, vector (mosquito) control, early diagnosis and effective treatment, capacity building, prevention of epidemics and collaboration with related organizations and communities. The effective application of these strategies resulted in declining of malaria mortality rate since 1990. Incidence rate dropped from (2400) per 100,000 in 1988 to (900) per 100,000 in 2005. At the same period Mortality rate also dropped from (10) to (3) per 100,000. Impregnated bed-nets were introduced in 2000 to far flung malaria endemic areas and distributed 50,000 nets yearly. It also made available moquitocides for net impregnation to villages amounting to 3-400,000 yearly. Starting from 2000, microscopic confirmation of malaria can be done in (700) rural health centres whereas only at the Township hospitals available in 1988. According to the new treatment regimen rapid
diagnosis test kits and artemesinin based combination therapy were made available to all rural health centres in 2006. Tuberculosis is also one of the major health problems in Myanmar. It is estimated that there are 120,000 TB patients in Myanmar and about half of them are transmittable sputum positive cases. Since 1997, Myanmar started introducing WHO recommended DOTS programme to townships and gradually increasing coverage so that it covered all 325 townships at the end of 2003.
Myanmar had constructed 5 years national strategic plan for TB control according to the guidelines of new stop TB initiative and International Standard for TB care. The success of this can be seen by the falling rate of case detecting rate (32%) and cured rate (78%) in 1994 to (86%) and (85%) respectively in 2006.
Tuberculosis is also one of the major health problems in Myanmar. It is estimated that there are
120,000 TB patients in Myanmar and about half of them are transmittable sputum positive cases. Since 1997, Myanmar started introducing WHO recommended DOTS programme to townships and gradually increasing coverage so that it covered all 325 townships at the end of 2003. Myanmar had constructed 5 national strategic plan for TB control according to the guidelines of new stop TB initiative and International Standard for TB care. The success of this can be seen by the falling rate of case detecting rate (32%) and cured rate (78%) in 1994 to (86%) and (85%) respectively in 2006.
The objectives of AIDS control programme are to reduce HIV transmission, socio-economic consequences and burdens and the morbidity and mortality rates. To fulfill these objectives, AIDS control programs and basic health staff has been carrying out the following 10activities.
(i) counseling
(ii) health education for prevention and control
(iii) reducing sexually transmitted HIV
(iv) reducing HIV transmission among IVDU
(v) reducing HIV transmission from mother to
child.
(vi) safe blood availability
(vii) medical care to AIDS patients.
(viii) multi-sectoral partnership.
(ix) special programme and projects
(x) work review and evaluation
Using the advance statistical methods of UNAIDS it is estimated in August 2007 that adult infectivity rate of HIV has fallen from (0.95%) in 2000 to (0.67%) in 2007. According to this estimation Myanmar has 240,000 HIV positive cases including AIDS patients and among them 14,000 are newly infected cases.
National level HIV/AIDS prevention and control exhibitions, one of its own kind in the region, were held in Yangon and Mandalay in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Since 2004, blood safety programme of the blood banks and hospitals covered the whole country and 200,000 blood bottles were screened yearly for HIV infection. According to “access for ace” policy, counseling of AIDS patients and their families, treating with ART and domiciliary care have been implemented.
In 2006, 6500 AIDS patients have received drug therapy that control HIV. Ministry of health, in
collaboration with other related ministries, national and international organizations, social organizations have been implementing the community based effective domiciliary care of chronic diseases including HIV and TB. Community based National Social Organizations such as Union Solidarity and Development Association, Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation, Myanmar
Maternal and Child Welfare Association, Myanmar Red Cross Society, Myanmar Medical Asociation, Myanmar Nurses Association, Myanmar Health Assistants Association and other societies are collaborating and actively participating in this programme.
In Myanmar, Leprosy has been an infectious disease for years. Among the consequences of leprosy, deformities and disabilities are the cause of socioeconomic burdens for the families. Therefore the government is taking a great effort to lessen these burdens by treating the patients with multidrug regimen MDT resulting in great reduction of the new case detection rate from 54.4 per 100,000 in 1987 to (1.40) per 100,000 in 2004 and further reduction to (0.48) in 2005 and (0.47) in 2006. It can be assumed that Leprosy is removed from the list of immediate health problems. At present, the WHO had recognized Myanmar for eradicating the Leprosy since 2003.
In developing countries, there are high rates of child mortalities due to infectious diseases most of which are preventable with immunization. To prevent the infections, the government laid down the expended programme of immunization making all children to take Diphtheria, Chickenpox, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis vaccinations covering all townships of the country.
For polio eradication, the ministry of health hosted national polio immunization days (8) times, regional polio eradication days (4) times since 1996. There was no reporting of new polio cases between 2000 and early 2006 and thus Myanmar is free from polio during that period and WHO recognizes Myanmar as polio free country. But there were isolated cases of polio in 2006 May at Pyin-Oo-Lwin and in 2007 May at Kayan, Hpaan and Pyu townships resulting from mutated strains of polio vaccine virus. Observing these situation and to control the spread of diseases and to promote immunity, national immunization days (additional) was observed in 2007 to vaccinate new born and to fortify the under 5 children.
One of the commonest causes of under 5 children mortality is due to diarrhoeal infections resulting from contaminated food, unclean drinking water, poor environmental sanitation and poor personal hygiene. To prevent this it will be effective only if there is participation by the community. Starting from 1998 the national sanitation week was held yearly on every month of May. From this activity the community realizes the importance of environmental sanitation
and the health personnel were able to impart the technique of constructing fly proof latrines with the locally available materials.
Diseases can occur not only from infection of the pathogenic organisms but also due to nutritional deficiencies. These deficiency diseases are prevented by fortifications of the deficient nutrients in food such as by legislation of the compulsory iodination of household common salt for Iodine deficient goitre and low IQ condition, Vitamin A administration at National immunization days for prevention of Vitamin A deficient night blindness and acute respiratory tract infections. “These measures resulted in dropping of visible goitre rate from 14.5% in 1990 to 1% in 2007, night blindness from (0.6%) to (0.03%) and significant reduction of acute respiratory tract infections.
While the health authorities are combating normally occurring disease it has made contingency plans for highly infectious diseases occurring worldwide. Rapid response teams for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Avian Influenza (AI) are stationed at the port of entries to Myanmar to check and to respond if found. Health personnel and facilities are at ready to face the emergency health care situations.

US urged to end hostile policy toward DPRK

PYONGYANG, 14 Jan — The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula can only be settled if the United States has the will to seek peaceful coexistence with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the country’s leading official newspaper Rodong Sinmun said on Saturday. “The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is no more than a product of the deeprooted hostile US policy toward the DPRK,” the paper said.

The paper said the United States had created the main obstacle to inter-Korean relations, and that both Korean peoples had made strong efforts to build peace, prosperity and reunification on the Korean Peninsula.

“The extremely hostile policy pursued by the US conservative hard-liners toward the DPRK has pushed the situation to the brink of war,” the paper added.

“At present, talks on the nuclear issue are going on between the DPRK and the United States,” it said. “Both sides will benefit from the establishment of mutual trust and normalization of bilateral relations.”

Bomb kills eight in southern Thailand And Two bomb attacks rock Baghdad

BANGKOK, 14 Jan—A powerful bomb exploded in Thailand’s restive south Monday morning, killing at least eight soldiers, the army spokesman said. The blast occurred in the Chanae district of Narathiwat province at about 9 am, said the spokesman, Col Akara Thiprote. More than 2,700 people have been killed in Thailand's Muslim-majority southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, and some parts of neighbouring Songkhla, since a long-simmering Islamic separatist insurgency flared in January 2004.—

BAGGHDAD, 14 Jan—Two roadside bomb attacks, including one targeting US troops, rocked the eastern part of the Iraqi capital on Sunday, wounding two people, a well-informed police sources said. Two roadside bombs went off in the afternoon in a quick succession in the crowde Beirut Square in Palestine Street, wounding two people and damaging several nearby civilian cars, the source told Xinhua on condiyion of anonymity. In a separate incident, a roadside detonated near a US patrol in the Mudhafar Square, at the entrance of Sadr City neighbourhood, the source said.—

El Baradei says atom security needed in Pakistan

VIENNA, 13 Jan—The chief of the UN nuclear watchdog sees a need to improve nuclear security in Pakistan and wherever there is atomic activity, an aide said on Thursday. Pakistan rejected on Wednesday published remarks by International Atomic Energy Agency Director Mohamed El Baradei that its nucleararsenal could fall into the hands of Islamist militants. It called the comments unwarranted and irresponsible. In a statement, IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said the Vienna-based agency’s core mission was to monitor closely situations that could undermine nuclear safety and security.

“Dr ElBaradei’s expression of concern aboutthe possible ramifications of political violence and extremism in the Middle East region and nuclear security in Pakistan is intended to call attention

to the need to bolster nuclear safety and security measures not only in Pakistan but also everywhere in the world where nuclear materials or facilities exist,” she said.—

Road accidents kill 369 in Thailand during New Year

BANGKOK, 4 Jan — Road accidents in the past six of seven most dangerous days during the New Year holiday have killed 369 people and injured 4,514 throughout Thailand, according to the Interior Ministry on Thursday. Bangkok has had the most casualties of all provinces, followed by Khon Kaen and Nakhon Pathom Provinces. Twenty people were killed in the capital.

According to Interior Ministry, drunk driving caused 42 per cent of the incidents. Speeding,reckless driving and motorcyclist not wearing helmets were blamed for the rest.

December 30, 2007 saw the highest rate of deaths with 85 people killed. Last year, more than 5,000 road accidents were monitored across the country. The death toll was at 480 and the number of injured victims was at 4,900 during the period. — MNA/Xinhua

Explosion in Istanbul garbage bin wounds three

ISTANBUL, 4 Jan — An explosion in a garbage bin in Istanbul wounded three people on Wednesday, private broadcaster CNN Turk reported on its website. State news agency Anatolian said two people had been injured in the explosion in Istanbul’s Kucukcekmece District, the same district where a bomb blast killed a woman last week. That bomb attack had come just a day after a 25-year-old man carrying a backpack filled with explosives was arrested outside an underground station in central Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city. Authorities have stepped up security in the main cities around the Eid holiday and New Year’s celebrations, and tensions are running especially high because Turkey has been carrying out cross-border military strikes in northern Iraq aimed at the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Minister inspects No 1 Automobile Factory

YANGON, 8 Jan—Minister for Industry-2 Maj-Gen Saw Lwin together with Director-General U Khin Maung of the Directorate of Myanma Industrial Planning and departmental officials visited No 1 Automobile Factory on Inya Lake Hotel Road in Mayangon Township, here yesterday afternoon.

At the workshop, the minister inspected productionof frames and bodies of 6.5-ton TE trucks and TE water tankers, assembling process of vehicles and assembled ones. On arrival at the forging shop, he looked into the production of body for Mazda Jeeps.

The minister was conducted round the factory by Managing Director of Myanma Automobile and Diesel Engine Industries U Hla Myint Thein and Factory General Manager U Hlaing Thein.

The minister called for efforts to meet the targeted number of automobiles, quality control, meeting the set standards, minimizing the costs, and operation of the machines at full capacity.

Maintain justice and independence

Myanmar became a sovereign nation again after regaining independence from colonialists on 4 January 1948.
Actually,Myanmar was an independent and sovereign nation with its own monarchs since third Century BC with the establishment of such city states as Beikthano,Hanlin,Thuwunna Bommi,Tagaung,Vesali,Srikestra,etc.
History has it that Myanmar was able to stand tall among the world nations as the first Myanmar under the leadership of King Anawratha(1044-1077) in Bagan Period,as the second Myanmar under the leadership of King Bayintnaung in Bagan Period,as the second Myanmar under the leader ship of King Bayintnaung(1551-1581)in Toungoo period and as the third Myanmar under the leadership of King Alaungphayar (1752-1761)in Konbaubg Period.

In the course of history all the national brethren were able to solve and surmount any crisis and difficulty occurred in the nation at the risk of their lives through unity and cooperation,sharing joy and sorrow.They were able to do so in the face of dangers at home and abroad.
Although Myanmar is situated between the two most populous nations namely India and China that enjoy high civilizations,it has been able to preserve and safeguard its own tradition,customs and national character in successive eras.
In the 19th Century the colonialists occupied the Indian region,then waged three aggressive wars on Myanmar and occupied it.Another intention of colonialists who occupied Myanmar was to enter China through Myanmar from the rear of the former.
At that time,European colonialist traders were eager to occupy Myanmar so that they could use it as their market .History shows the British colonialists had the intention to enter China through Myanmar making better use of Ayeyarwady River and then land route,for they had to take time if they passed Malacca Straits and South China Sea.
It can be found that during the WWII the US and its allied forces constructed Ledo Highway linking India,Myanmar and China in a desperate manner.The 1,726km long road originated from Ledo of Assam State of India and ended in Kunming of Yunnan Provience of the People's Republic of China passing through Myitkyina of Kachin State of Myanmar.It was a main transport and communication route for the US and its allied troops during the war.
It can be assessed that the geographical condition of Myanmar made her to be politically strategic. Myanmar is situated in the Asian Contient and is contiguous with inner regions of the contient in the north-west and north.In the east of the nation,there lie South-east Asia and East Asia.In the west and south,lie the Bay of Bengal,Mottama Gulf and the Andman Sea.

In the north,there are China with a population of about 1,300 million,India with a population of about 1,100 million and Bangladesh with a population of over 140 million.In the east,lies Laos and in the south-east,lies Thailand with a population of over 65 million.

The boundary of the nation is about 5200 miles long,of them over 3,800 miles are shared with the neighbouring countries-1,357 miles with PRC,857 miles with India,152 miles with Bangladesh,128 miles with Laos and 1,314 miles with Thailand.

Being strategically located close to the big nations,the most important national interest for Myanmar is to ensure the perpetual existence of independence and sovereignty.Likewise,each and every nation is to be well aware of giving top priority to the national interest.

The lifeblood of a nation is sovereignty.Legislative power,executive power and judical power which are the sovereignty must be in the hands of the people of the particular nation.If the three branches of power fall into the hands of a certain foreign nation directly or indirectly the nation concerned is meant to be initiated into slavery indirectly under neo-colonialism.

A glance at the time of Myanmar's regaining independence will reveal that shortly after the end of the WWII(1945)the cold war broke out as a result of rivalry of isms between the East Bloc and the West Bloc.At that time,Myanmar practised the independent and active foreign policity in order that it would be able to stay away from any international crisis but to stand by the truth.

During the cold war period there was no world war.However,the Korea war that broke out in the 1950-1951 brought the world community to the brink of war.During that period,the CIA provided the remnant Chinese nationalists with arms and enabled them to take stronghold in Myanmar with the aim of attacking the Chinese Communist Party that established the PRC.The Myanma Tatmadaw had to ward off the incursion of the Chinese nationalists and lodged a complaint with the United Nations in that regard.The Tatmadaw had to drive the Chinese nationalists out of the nation up to 1961.Consequently,Myanmar still has to face internal insurgency and dangers of narcotic drugs as evil legacy of the nationalist Chinese.

Under these circumstances,Myanmar,China and India signed the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence in June 1954.The Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence are;

1.Mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty

2.Non-aggression

3.Non-interference in one another's internal affairs

4.Equality and mutual benefit

5.Peaceful co-existence

At that time,the South East Asian Treaty Organization-SEATO signed by the US,Britain,France,Australia,New Zealand,Pakistan,Thailand and the Philippines emerged.Myanmar is sticking to the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence.The five principles are the fundamental principles of 118 nonaligned countries today.The Non-Aligned Movement was born out of Afro-Asian conference that was held in Bandung of Indonesia in 1955.Myanmar was a founder of the NAM.

The localized wars that broke out in South-East Asia region spread to Vietnam in the early 1960s.During that period,the nation saw a series of activities in which certain groups tried to secede from the Union and join the SEATO.

However,Myanmar had been able to solve its internal problems with internal forces.Myanmar without accepting any external interference had also been able to address any matters caused by the instigation of external elements in accord with the wishes of the people.This reflects the perpetuation of sovereignty of the nation.
Myanmar paid serious attention to perpetuation of sovereignty since 1971,shifting from the practice of independent and non-aligned foreign policy to the practice of independent and active foreign policy. The Tatmadaw government which assumed the State responsibilities on 18 September 1988 continued practising the independent and active foreign policy and has been dealing with neighbouring countries,countries of the region and the international community with a sense of good neighbourliness and friendship.
Myanmar became a member of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in July 1997.In December 1997,it became a member of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation(BIMSTEC).This has enabled Myanmar to become politically and economically strategic between South-East Asian region and South Asian region.
Further strengthening friendly ties between the PRC and India will contribute much to economic development and the process of transition to democracy in Myanmar.As regards the policy of India towards Myanmar,the Indian Minister of External Affairs said that having close geography,culture,tradition and national character in common,Myanmar and India were able to pave the way for cooperation in various sectors.
Similarly,the PRC gave a helping hand to Myanmar for the economic development and the process of transition to democracy taking a stand not interfering in the Myanmar's internal affairs.
In the meantime,the PRC and India are further strengthening cooperation in various sectors in the interest of 2,400 million peoples of theirs as well as those of Asia and the world,thereby surely bringing peace,stability and development to Myanmar.
The re-emergence of the Ledo Highway linking India,Myanmar and PRC built during the WWII for military purpose has contributed to development of economic and social sectors of the three countries that unanimously signed the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existecce.
In 2007,a ceremony to open the 176 km long road section linking Yunnan Province of PRC and Myitkyina of Kachin State of Myanmar was held at Kanpaikti bordering PRC and Myanmar.The Chinese government disbursed RMB 1.23 billion on loan to Myanmar and two-thirda of the loan will be used in construction of the road section in Myanmar.Likewise,the road section linking India and Myanmar is now reconstructed.
All in all,as Myanmar is imbued with a sense of good neighbourliness and friendship based on justice,amity and peaceful co-existence,neighbouring countries always hold her sovereignty and independence in high regard.

Only with a strong army will a nation be able to protect and safeguard its independence on its own during the period of power politics.Nationalistic fervour,patriotism and national unity are basic requirements for enhancing its strength.In addition,these requirements serve as the main driving force for building a nation capable of catching up with other countries.

Safeguard independence and sovereignty,wipe out dangers of destructionists

Myanmar has stood magnificently as a sovereign nation with own monarchs for years countable by the thousand.
In the past,Myanmar once lost sovereignty,following aggressive wars waged by the colonialists.National people who felt bitter to live under alien subjugation launched anti-colonialist movements with Union Spirit and patriotic spirit,and,the nation regained independence,as a result.
Myanmar's independence that cost a lot of lives,blood and sweat of national brethren will pass its 60th anniversary on 4 January 2008.
Therefore,the entire nation people have to protect the costly independence.
Now,the government,the Tatmadaw and the people are working hard together to transform the nation into a new democratic one.So far,the National Convention has been completed in accordance with the State's seven-step Road Map and fundamental principles and detailed basic principles have been adopted for drafting a State constitution is now under way.
Neo-colonialists and saboteurs with negative views persist in resorting to various means to intrude on the fruits the State is enjoying in the political,economic and social sectors.
Onus is therefore on the entire people to defend the motherland from the dangers of internal and external subversive elements,while cherishing,valuing and safeguarding the independence and sovereignty successive generations of ancestors managed to help the nation regain.

Make collaborative efforts to enable the Union of Myanmar to stand as independent nation

To enable the Union of Myanmar to stand staunchly among the world’s nations as an independent nation and to safeguard its sovereignty perpetually, all of us must make collaborative efforts and also strive for greater consolidation of national unity, maintenance of stability and enhancement of national development.

Senior General Than Shwe

Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council

Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services

(From message sent on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee Independence Day)

Stand tall as citizens of independent nation

Myanmar nationals are the ones who are splendidly proud of their mother country,monarchs, sovereignty, literature, culture and traditions by lineage, and are well imbued with nationalistic fervour. In addition,as independent citizens, the national people have stood tall and well realized the value and taste of independence throughout the periods.

Senior General Than Shwe
Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council
Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services
(From message sent on the occasion of the 59th Anniversary Independence Day)

Ushering in New Year with vigour of independence

The year 2007 passes leaving various hardships and difficulties to the year 2008.The New Year is a blessing for the Christians,and the whole world will get exhilarated on the occasion as it is also the New Year according to the international calendar. I heard that in some countries people died in traffic accidents on account of their overindulgence and excessive joys.The certain happy-go-lucky Myanmar people,non-Christians,for whom the occasion is not for their Myanmar New Year,will also hail the year 2008 with great joys.
In reality, 1st January is a day of heart rending for the people of Myanmar. On 1 January 1886 Governor-General of India Lord Duffer in declared that " Myanmar was annexed into the British Emperor " .Some said Dufferin gave the British Queen Myanmar as a New Year gift at 2400 hours on 31 December1885.Looking back,the global New Year Day was a day when Myanmar fell under subjugation.
The British imperialists made the first attempt to annex Myanmar in Hainggyi Island crisis in the time of King Alaung Mintaya. But the Myanmar people were able to fight back. At that time,Myanmar was a strong nation. In the time of King Hsinphyushin, son of King Alaung Mintaya, the area of Myanmar used to be the largest in Southeast Asia.The imperialists made one attempt after another to invade Myanmar during Konbaung dynasty.
India's Assam, Manipur and Akkapat were once the regions that had to offer tributes to the Myanmar kings.However,they were not ruled by Myanmar and they were autonomous regions.As Assam rose against Myanmar in 1816 and in 1818,troops were sent to it to ensure stability.The root cause of the risings was none other than the British.At the time,the British imperialists had already annexed the hole India.
In the fights against Assam and Manipur,the Myanmar troops had to face the British troops.The imperialists entered the areas of Myanmar and stirred up various problems.They not only sold arms to those who rose against the Myanmar kings but also sent their sepoys to fight the battles.General Maha Bandoola,who led 5,000 Myanmar soldiers including 1,000 kachins,marched to Jurahat 1,000miles away from Myanmar and defeated 30,000 enemies including Indian sepoys who were under British command.
The British persuaded Rakhine as they were defeated in the battles of Assam and Manipur.They aided and abetted Rakhine rebels led by Chinbyan. The rebels were given refuge in Bengal.The British blatantly declared that Shinmaphyu Island was put under their rule by hoisting the British Flag.Being intolerable,the myanmar people crossed the Naff River,entered Bengal and fought against the Rakhine rebels in January 1824.But they fell into the trap of the cunning British and Myanmar was dubbed a war monger or invader.On 5 March 1824 the British declared war on Myanmar.
The First Anglo-Myanmar War was a historic war.Some Britons who knew the true situation that it was an unjust war opposed it through the British Parliament and newspapers.Myanmar's fight against the British troops at risk of their lives led to 15,000 deaths of the British soldiers.Myanmar's side also lost lots of lives including General Maha Nay Myo.The war lasted two years and Myanmar was defeated losing Rakhine,Taninthayi,Assam,Manipur and Akkapat.
According to their plan,the British warship arrived at the mouth of the Yangon River on 1 April 1852,and another war started.
The Second Anglo-Myanmar War lasted over one year.Myanmar was defeated again due to internal disunity.In June 1853 after the war,the Lower Myanmar fell under the British rule.In the Third Anglo-Myanmar War Myanmar lost in a month as it was suddenly attacked.But patriotic national people fought back for 10 years.Only in 1895,the British felt relaxed.
It can be deduced from a review that the British took more than 100 years beginning from the Hainggyi Island crisis to occupy Myanmar.It took 70 years if we counted from the Assam and Manipur unrest.The British colonialists,the biggest imperialist in the world,could not occupy Myanmar easily.They had to experience the bravery of Myanmars.They knew that it was rather difficult to defeat Myanmar.
Employing various wicked ways , the British practised the divide-and-rule policy and tried to oppress the Myanmar people. There was also racial discrimination. They tried to revitalize feudalism in hilly regions with intent to sow discord among the Myanmar, Shan and Kayah nationals. But the plains were directly ruled and Rakhine and Taninthayi were separately ruled. In consequence, the country got divided into parts. The British encouraged the wealthy Myanmar nationals and foreigners to make the farmers and workers impoverished.There emerged class differences and the national brethren were at loggerheads with each other over the class differences.The British regarded Myanmars as uncivilized people and cracked down the peasants' uprising led by Saya San.
Thorough analysis reveals that Myanmar had to take over 120 years to regain independence since the British occupation of Rakhine and Taninthayi. But since then Myanmars rose against the British government.It took over 60 years if we calculate from 1886 when the whole nation fell under subjugation. Myanmar people fought for independence since 1826.A lot of lives were sacrificed for independence.
It was not that ancient Myanmar people were enslaved easily.
Independence was not regained in an easy way.
What about today's Myanmars?Will they be enslaved by neo-colonialists?
Anyhow, we should try to welcome and hail the New Year that might bring some hardships and difficulties due to the instigation of neo-colonialists and internal and external destructive elements and overcome them with the strength of national consolidation,Union Spirit and nationalistic fervour.