1. Senior General Than Shwe sends message of condolence to Indian President
   
   YANGON, 11 Nov— Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of condolence to His Excellency Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, President of the Republic of India on passing away of the Ex-President His Excellency KR Narayanan on 9 November 2005.
   
   Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmardigest.com/eng_md/eindex.html
    

2. Prime Minister General Soe Win receives Chinese Minister for Water Resource
   
   YANGON, 11 Nov — Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar General Soe Win received Minister for Water Resource of the People’s Republic of China Mr Wang Shucherg and party at Zeyarthiri Beikman on Konmyinttha this morning.
   
   Also present at the call together with the Prime Minister were Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Htay Oo, Minister for Electric Power Maj-Gen Tin Htut, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Thu, Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office Col Thant Shin and Director-General Thura U Aung Htet of the Protocol Department. The Chinese delegation was accompanied by Ambassador of the PRC to the Union of Myanmar Mr Guan Mu.
   
   Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmardigest.com/eng_md/eindex.html
    

3. Annual International Religious Freedom Report 2005
   does not reflect true situation in Myanmar
   Myanmar is country where all major religions live together harmoniously,
   peacefully, where freedom of religion is actually practised
   
   YANGON, 11 Nov—The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar today issued a press release on International Religious Freedom Report (2005) released by the US Department of State. The following is the full text of the press release.
   
   It is regrettable to note that Seventh Annual International Religious Freedom Report (2005) released by the US Department of State on 8 November 2005 wrongly designating the Union of Myanmar, along with some other Asian countries, as “a Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
   
   Such classification by the Annual International Religious Freedom Report 2005 does not in any way reflect the true situation in Myanmar. The allegations contained in the report are baseless and considered as being politically motivated. These reports are all same old tunes based on groundless facts and figures which came from unscrupulous persons with the aim of damaging the image of the country.
   
   The report wrongly criticized that members of minority religious groups, especially Christians and Muslims, face serious abuses of religious freedom and other human rights. The allegations in the report are, therefore, categorically denied. In reality, every citizen of Myanmar has the right to profess and practise one’s belief. The country is significantly characterized by the fact that all national races have freedom of faith and the equal right to maintain their own culture and traditions. Although Theravada Buddhism is the religion of majority in the country, the Government is assisting the work of other religions and also takes all necessary steps to encourage and maintain the harmony.
   
   Myanmar is one of the very few countries in the world where all the major religions live together harmoniously and peacefully and where freedom of religion is actually practised. There may be isolated cases of minor disagreements as happen sometimes and is happening elsewhere in the world. But prompt action taken by the Government in cooperation with the religious leaders of the respective religions has always managed to prevent any kind of religious incidents from flaring out of control and the occurrence of incidents has also been resolved peacefully.
   
   Religion is a highly sensitive and volatile issue in the world. For that reason, the Myanmar Government believes that it is absolutely improper and insensitive to accuse other nations or governments on the basis of fabricated or unsubstantiated information for whatever purposes it may serve. The government of the Union of Myanmar, therefore, categorically rejects the one-sided assessment of the US on religious freedom of Myanmar since it is based on unfounded facts and is nothing more than a politically motivated document aimed at interfering in the internal affairs of Myanmar.
   
   Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmardigest.com/eng_md/eindex.html
    

4. Lt-Gen Ye Myint on inspection tour of Mandalay Division
   
   YANGON, 11 Nov — Member of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Ye Myint of the Ministry of Defence on inspection tour of Mandalay together with Chairman of Mandalay Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Central Command Maj-Gen Khin Zaw, Mandalay Mayor Brig-Gen Phone Zaw Han and officials of the State Peace and Development Council’s office left Nanmyo Guest House on 10 November and arrived at Mandalay General Hospital. They then paid obeisance to State Ovadacariya Shwegu Monastery Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Viçitta Indriyarama who is undergoing medical treatment at the intensive care unit of the hospital. Lt-Gen Ye Myint and party also offered robes and provisions to Byamamin Monastery of West Khinmagan Taik State Ovadaçariya Sayadaw Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Bhaddanta Arsabha, Shwewawin Monastery Sayadaw Mandalay Division State Sangha Nayaka Committee Vice-Chairman (Sudhamma) Abhidhaja Agga Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Sasanabhivamsa, Waso Monastery Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Agghiya, Vinaya New Padetha Monastery Masoeyein Maha Nayaka Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bhaddanta Paññasamibhivamsa, and Chief Presiding Nayaka of Masoeyein Taikthit Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhammajotika Bhaddanta Rajadhammabhivamsa.
   
   Next, Lt-Gen Ye Myint donated cash for Kathina robes offering ceremony of Masoeyein Monastery to Commander Maj-Gen Khin Zaw.
   
   Lt-Gen Ye Myint and party offered robes and provisions to Chief Presiding Sayadaw of Maha Gandayon Monastery Agga Maha Pandita Ashin Aindalabhivamsa.
   
   On arrival at Thungedaw lake in TadaU Township, Lt-Gen Ye Myint heard a report on irrigation and agricultural tasks in the environs of the lake by Mandalay Division Irrigation Department Director U Aye Thein and reports on cultivation of castor and jatropha in the surrounding villages of the lake by the manager of the Division Myanma Agriculture Service. Next, Lt-Gen Ye Myint also inspected growing of monsoon paddy around the lake.
   
   Lt-Gen Ye Myint and party proceeded to Thin Pan village and oversaw putting of Shwe Myanmar and Mahnaw Thukha paddy strains under cultivation on 78.45 sown acreage.
   
   They then inspected earth work of Myitnge-Htonbo road being undertaken by Mandalay City Developement Committee and gave necessary instructions to the officials. Lt-Gen Ye Myint and party also looked into the extension of 62nd street.
   
   The 62nd street measuring 9,942 feet by 48 feet is under construction.
   
   Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmardigest.com/eng_md/eindex.html
    

5. Lt-Gen Maung Bo inspects development tasks in Kyaikto, Thaton and Paung Townships
   
   YANGON, 11 Nov — Member of State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Maung Bo, accompanied by departmental officials at SPDC Office, arrived at Sittaung Bridge in the border of Mon State and Bago Divison on 8 November.
   
   They were welcomed there by Mon State PDC Chairman South-east Command Commander Maj-Gen Soe Naing and officials. At the briefing hall, Lt-Gen Maung Bo heard a report on progress of construction of roads in the villages of Thahton, Bilin and Kyaikto Townships and the commander gave a supplementary report. Later, Lt-Gen Maung Bo and party inspected construction of village-to-village road and vacant and virgin lands for cultivation in Wiyaw village in Thaton Township and gave instructions on extension of cultivating rubber and castoroil plants.
   
   On 9 November, Lt-Gen Maung Bo and party inspected the site to construct computer college in Paung Township and gave necessary instructions.
   
   On arrival at Kadaik Dam Project being implemented by the Irrigation Department-6 near Kadaik village, Lt-Gen Maung Bo and party inspected the worksite of the project, and gave instructions on meeting the set standard and timely completion, followed attending to the needs. Afterwards, Lt-Gen Maung Bo and party attended the opening ceremony of multimedia classrooms at Zingyaik BEHS and viewed the learning of the students. At the ceremony, Lt-Gen Maung Bo donated teaching aids, Mon State PDC K 300,00, local people in Paung Township K 2 million and people and school board of trustees in Zinkyaik Village K 1.3 million. The commander, officials and the headmistress accepted the donations.
   
   Next, Lt-Gen Maung Bo delivered an address, saying that now is the time when the State is striving for producing highly-qualified human resources to keep abreast of the international community and to build a modern and developed nation through education. Thus, modern electronic devices were equipped at the classrooms and the students have been now learning with the help of teaching aids in the education field. The Ministry of Education also set up the e-Education Learning Centres and Mon State PDC contributed over K 100 million to be able to equip electronic device at classrooms in the schools of BEHSs of Myanmar.
   
   In other words, as soon as Head of the State Senior General Than Shwe began to declare the implementation of e-electronic education on 1 January, local authorities and wellwishers participated in it. Lt-Gen Maung Bo stressed the perseverance and participation of the entire people actively through cooperation. The education plays an important role in striving for the development of a nation. At such a time of implementing the 30-year plan to develop education sector up to the international standard, all are necessary to take part in it striving day in day out, continued Lt-Gen Maung Bo.
   
   In 21 century, being the education age, education is the only key to the challenges and problems of quick developing IT technologies at the time of globalization. As a result, the life long learning societies have been establishing in every nation, said Lt-Gen Maung Bo.
   
   In conclusion, Lt-Gen Maung Bo urged to participate at most for the uplift of the State’s education standard through the collective efforts.
   
   After the ceremony, Lt-Gen Maung Bo and party posed for a documentary photo together with teachers, students and school board of trustees.
   
   Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmardigest.com/eng_md/eindex.html
    

6. Bangladeshi delegation meets UMFCCI officials
   
   YANGON, 11 Nov— President of Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry U Win Myint received a Bangladeshi delegation led by Chairman Mr Sadique Ahsan of Bangladesh-Myanmar Chambers of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) on 8 November. The delegation also called on UMFCCI officials led by Vice-President U Aung Lwin. They discussed matters on promoting trade between the two countries, exporting onion and its prospects and cooperation in tourism industry.
   
   Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmardigest.com/eng_md/eindex.html
    

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