Naga New Year festival is living proof of successful vitalization of national unity
With better transport in sight eco growth in region in the offing
Lt-Gen Ye Myint attends Naga New Year Festival

YANGON, 16 Jan — Member of the State Peace and Development Council          Lt-Gen Ye Myint of the Ministry of Defence attended the Naga New Year Festival at Yoya Sport Grounds in Lahe township, Hkamti District, Sagaing Division, yesterday.

Also present on the occasion were Sagaing Division PDC Chairman North-West Command Commander Maj-Gen Tha Aye, Minister for Hotels and Tourism        Brig-Gen Thein Zaw, Minister for Sports Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint, Deputy Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs        Brig-Gen Than Tun, Deputy Minister for Transport Col Nyan Tun Aung, Deputy Minister for Education Brig-Gen Aung Myo Min, Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo, Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Aung Ko, local station commanders, responsible personnel of the SPDC Office, departmental heads, local authorities, officials of social organizations, representatives of Naga tribe, and tourists.

U Myat Ko, member of the Central Committee for Naga Traditional Culture, presided over the ceremony together with U Ki Shee Mu of Leshi Township,            U Maung Nyan of Lahe Township, U Ba Khun of Homalin Township, and U Zin Wam of Nanyun Township.

Daw Shana Phai of Hkamti Township and U Say Pharaw acted as MC and co-MC respectively.

After the MCs had declared the new year festival open, Lt-Gen Ye Myint, Maj-Gen Tha Aye, ministers, deputy ministers and those present saluted the State Flag.

The ceremony began with a speech given by U Myat Ko. Next, Commander        Maj-Gen Tha Aye delivered an address. He said Myanmar is home to over 100 ethnic groups. In the course of Myanmar history, national races have lived in unison and had respect for each other. He continued that this Naga new year festival is a living proof of the successful vitalization of national unity. In the past, such festivals were held only in individual villages. After 1988 after the assumption of the State duty by the Tatmadaw government, the State formed the Naga Traditional Cultural Committee in order to make the festival a communal one with the participation of different villages.

As of 1992, the Naga new year festival has been held with the participation of high- ranking officials, local authorities, and representatives of Naga tribe.

After drawing short- and long-term projects, the government is working hard to turn the country into a peaceful, modern and developed one.

Thanks to these endeavours, all the states and divisions have now enjoyed the unprecedented development in every sector. The holding of the festival contributes to the further vitalization of friendship among national races by bridging the development gap between the plains and the hilly regions.

Emphasis has been placed on Naga region to ensure that the region will not lag behind in development. For instance, a network of transport infrastructures have been built in the region. As a result, the region will soon enjoy economic growth. The government has spent over K 354.8 million on these regional development projects.

Now, as is known to all, former 17 armed groups have now joined hands with the government in nation-building tasks across the country. It is encouraging to see them participating actively in these measures.

The government is now implementing the seven-point Road Map to shape a discipline-flourishing democracy in the future. As the first phase, the National Convention has now been in progress. To implement these tasks successfully, all the national races are to go hand in hand.

Some big super powers are now scheming in various ways to undermine the progress of the National Convention. At such a time like this, Naga national people are to be fully aware of these dangers.

Later, the commander called for active participation of Naga national race in the successful implementation of the seven-point Road Map for the establishment of a peaceful, modern, developed, discipline-flourishing democratic nation.

Next, USDA CEC member (Sagaing Division in-charge) and Minister for Sports Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint delivered a speech. He said The Union of Myanmar is home to over 100 national races including Naga nationals. As is known that all the national people of the country have been living in peace and unity through thick and thin since ancient times.

At present, the government, enlisting the entire national force, is striving its utmost to transform the nation into a peaceful, modern and developed one with the full participation of the people. Relentless efforts are being made to ensure the balanced progress of the whole nation by laying down the 24 special development region project and the five rural development tasks. The State is also undertaking these projects by laying down ‘our three main national causes, the four points of people desire and the 12 objectives’. That is why our country, the Union of Myanmar, is now on the road to development, he said.

The minister said with peace and tranquillity, rule of law and national solidarity prevailing in the country, the State has adopted and is implementing the seven-step Road Map. So, all the people are urged to play their part in successful undertaking of the Road Map with Union spirit.

In conclusion, he said, all the national brethren are to lend themselves to the efforts for emergence of a modern, developed democratic state. Then, he wished more development of Naga hills and happy new year of Naga Traditional Festival.

Afterwards, Naga national Daw Nwe Nwe Yu Aung explained the history of Naga New Year Festival. Patron of Naga Traditional Culture Central Committee U Hla Pe adorned Lt-Gen Ye Myint with a Naga traditional robe as a new year gift. Next, Naga national leader U Hathti adorned Commander Maj-Gen Tha Aye with a Naga traditional robe. Naga national leaders also adorned Ministers Brig-Gen Thein Zaw and Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint, the deputy ministers and departmental heads with Naga traditional robes.

Later, Lt-Gen Ye Myint presented four sets of TV and satellite dish and receiver donated by Prime Minister Lt-Gen Soe Win for Naga hill regions to officials.

Commander Maj-Gen Tha Aye handed over 15 blankets donated by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein and five blankets by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism to monasteries in Lahe, Leshi and Nanyun townships through Head of Hkamti District Religious Affairs Department U Myo Thura.

Lt-Gen Ye Myint presented K 500,000 each to the education and health trust-funds of Naga national race, 15 blankets, 15 cassettes, two bales of clothes, 500 units of hoe, 20 jerkins, 3,310 necklaces of beads and multi-coloured necklaces of beads to officials of Lahe Township, the leader of Naga Traditional Dance Troupe and heads of Naga nationals.

The commander gave rice, edible oil and others for holding the Naga Traditional New Year Festival and blankets to Patron of Central Committee for Naga Traditional Culture U Hla Pe and Head of Naga National Tribe U Wa Lo, and a car for service personnel of Leshi Township to the chairman of Leshi Township Peace and Development Council. USDA CEC member (Sagaing Division In-charge) Minister for Sports Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint presented one TV set each for Leshi, Lahe and Nanyun Township USDAs; K 300,000 for holding the festival; K 200,000 for building the walls of Uruvela Pagoda in Leshi; clothes, bags of salt, 200 blankets and sports gears to officials.

Minister for Hotels and Tourism Brig-Gen Thein Zaw also presented three TV sets, TV antenna, blankets, towels and stationery for Naga national races to officials of Lahe, Nanyun and Leshi Townships.

Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Aung Ko handed over K 1.5 million for carrying out missionary tasks in Hkamti District, robes, slippers and construction materials donated by Sagaing Division Peace and Development Council to District RAD Head U Myo Thura.

Similarly, the deputy ministers and officials gave cash and gifts to heads of Naga national races and officials.

Next, tourists presented K 250,000 for Naga traditional cultural troupes to three leaders of the troupes.

Commanding Officer Lt-Col Ruh San Kyue of the local battalion awarded prizes to outstanding students from Lahe and Leshi townships in the 2003-2004 matriculation exam.

Afterwards, the Naga Traditional New Year Festival 2005 concluded successfully.

After the ceremony, Lt-Gen Ye Myint, the commander and party including tourists were served with Naga traditional food. Naga national races entertained the guests with traditional dances.

Next, Lt-Gen Ye Myint and party posed for documentary photos with members of the Central Committee for Naga Traditional Culture, leaders of Naga national races and traditional cultural troupes.

At 7 pm, the bonfire to mark successful completion of the festival was held in the traditional sports grounds in Lahe, attended by Lt-Gen Ye Myint, Commander Maj-Gen Tha Aye and party, members of the Central Committee for Naga Traditional Culture, leaders of Naga tribe, local Naga people and members of the cultural troupes including tourists from various countries.

The commander opened the bonfire. Students of Lahe BEHS sang the song title ‘Nationalist Spirit’. Next, Naga cultural troupes presented traditional dances and those present enjoyed the bonfire.

In the morning, Lt-Gen Ye Myint and party inspected the souvenir shop, the booths of Myanma Hotels and Tourism Services, Myanma Agriculture Service and IPRD, the health educative booth, the free dispensary and the specialist clinic of Lahe Township Health Department at the festival.

Minister Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint enjoyed the sports meets in commemoration of the new year festival from morning to evening.

Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmar.com/nlm/
 

Military Band Competition continues

YANGON, 16 Jan — The 14th Defence Services (Army, Navy and Air) Military Band Competition to mark the 60th Anniversary Armed Forces Day continued for the second day at the People’s Square, here, this morning.

Bands of Pabedan Basic Education High School No 1 and Dagon BEHS No 1 performed skills demonstration.

The bands representing the Central Command, Defence Services Medical Academy, North-East Command, the No 6 Basic Military Training Depot, the No 88 LID and Northern Command took part in the competition.

Chairman of the Committee for Observance of the Competition Vice Adjutant-General Maj-Gen Hla Shwe presented cash prizes to leaders of the bands of Pabedan BEHS No 1 and Dagon BEHS No 1.

Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmar.com/nlm/
 

Press conference on holding First International Sepak Takraw Championship 2005 held

YANGON, 16 Jan — The press conference on the First International Sepak Takraw Championship 2005 to be hosted by Myanmar was held at Traders Hotel on Sule Pagoda Road this afternoon.

General Secretary of Myanmar Olympic Committee Director-General of Sports and Physical Education Department U Thaung Htaik and General Secretary of International Sepak Takraw Federation President of Asian Sepak Takraw Federation Mr Abdul Halim Bin Kader gave speeches.

Myanmar Sepak Takraw Federation President U Chit Khaing explained tasks being carried out by the MSTF and matters related to the championship. Officials answered the queries. Next, U Chit Khaing handed over the championship trophy to be awarded to the winner to Mr Abdul Halim Bin Kader. The competition will be held at the National Indoor Stadium-1 (Thuwunna) inThingangyun Township from 18 to 25 February.

A total of 26 sepak takraw teams including those of China, Korea, Japan, Qatar, Switzerland, Canada, the US, France, Germany and Brazil have informed the ISTF.

Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmar.com/nlm/

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