Judicial sector to adapt itself to reforms made in conformity with forthcoming State Constitution People will loath courts if latter apply pressures and not protect them Prime Minister General Soe Win meets state/division judges and state/division law officers

Nay Pyi Taw, 5 Feb — Prime Minister General Soe Win met with state/division judges and state/division law officers at the Attorney-General’s Office here this afternoon.

Also present on the occasion were ministers, the Chief Justice, the Attorney- General, deputy ministers, deputy Chief Justices, deputy Attorney-Generals, Supreme Court Justices, the Director-General of State Peace and Development Council Office, Director-General of Government Office, departmental officials, Directors-General and Deputy Directors-General of the Supreme Court and the Attorney-General’s Office, heads of office, directors, State and Division judges, Law Officers, deputy directors, assistant directors, staff officers, and judges and law officers of Pyinmana District.

The Prime Minister said that all the judges and law officers are striving with unity in their respective sectors. They will have to apply the check and balance system to serve the public interest more dynamically.

The Prime Minister said that he had already explained the do’s and don'ts and the sectors which required amend-ments in 2006 for the judges and law officers to win public trust; that he will review and point out the areas where amendments are needed and which should be noticed as all levels of courts, judges, law officers and police officers are under constant public criticism.

At present, the government has been transforming the administrative sector in conformity with the forthcoming State Constitution, while taking actions against staff for misconduct and inviting public criticism and complaints. At a time when general administrative reforms are in progress to be in conformity with the forthcoming State Constitution, the judicial sector should adapt itself to the changing conditions.

Officials of the past successive eras had already urged personnel of the judicial sector to respect and maintain the value of law and to steer their sector with straightforwardness, while warning them against practices of bribery and corruption.

The Raja Dhamma Singaha Treatise compiled by Myanmar scholar U Po Hlaing said that no one in this world can prosper if he ignores the law or fails to observe it; that the deterioration of a human society is the result of its failure to abide by the law; and that progress and prosperity of a human community is the fruit of the observance of the law.

Based on suggestions of the successive Myanmar scholars, the judicial and executive prescriptions of Myanmar were enacted by the royal authority and with public respect and abidance. The prescriptions are in accord with the Code of Laws, criminal laws, rulings and quotations of learned persons and have firm historical and legal backgrounds.

Law should have the capacity to facilitate human relations, ensure equality and protect public tranquillity.

If courts instead of protecting the people in accord with the law are applying pressures on them, they will not become the public eye; they will become the places loathed by the public.

The dignity of courts will continue to rise as much as they can solve all the social problems correctly and fairly in accord with the law. Moreover, people will recognize them as the mirror reflecting the people and their social problems and the nation’s image.

It is usual in the past and also at present that the people have interest in and criticized the courts as they have been the places reaching verdicts in solving the legal problems justly in accord with the law.

Generally, specific punishments for specific crimes, means of judges in returning verdicts, bribery and bias among judges, their behaviours in the courts and the qualifications of lawyers are the talk of the people. The sector of judicial affairs will be small, but it has much broader impacts.

Hence, judges, law staff, police officers and lawyers, and officials whose tasks have relations with judicial affairs should dare to put their qualifications and morals to test. They should always preserve their moral conduct to become persons trusted by the people.

Today, the government has been getting into gear in every sector for a gentle transition to another system. Hence, judicial affairs, police operations and administrative functions should have relations with the nation-building tasks, and they should be carried out with broader outlook. If the staff concerned pay attention only to their task, they will become sectorial, while disregarding the public and keeping themselves away from human society. As educated persons, judges should realize with vision that the bureaucratic mind that serves the interest of only a few will be against the new system.

In conducting judicial affairs, a concept of ensuring stability of the State, community peace and tranquillity and rule of law must be adopted. Courts are required to educate their clients to know the value of law and the protection of law without giving priority to merely reaching a verdict of wins or failures over their clients. Only when those responsible for judicial affairs are able to pass a fair judgment, will the courts be able to raise their dignity. Laws as well as the courts must be in the interest of the people.

The people must respect the law, and the law must protect the people as well. Moreover, the conducting of judicial affairs must be in consistency with the State policies and existing laws. It is necessary to have political as well as judicial views. An extensive use of law terms may confuse the people and ignoring the nature of law is a kind of extreme act. If needs arise to solve the issues of community peace and tranquillity, and to end misconduct, the courts and local administrative bodies are to cooperate and coordinate each other. Peace and development councils at various levels are regional administrative bodies under the leadership of the State Peace and Development Council. Therefore, it is necessary to know the role of those administrative bodies. All governmental organizations are to apply check and balance system among them. Being farsighted ones, judges need to carry out their functions with consideration. And they must stay away from going to extremes.

Likewise, administrative bodies should not take a great interest in carrying out judicial affairs wanting to know even a single criminal case in detail, and this can spark a problem of interfering with the judicial sector.

Doing any bad deeds must be avoided. The most important thing is to get the cooperation of local administrative bodies for ensuring the uprightness, fairness and justice of the judicial pillar, facilitating court procedures and returning verdicts correctly and justly. As the courts are the eye and mirror of the nation, they reflects life and reality of the people correctly.

There are complaints about weakness and failure and corruption of judges and law officers regarding the administration of justice.

Judicial system in which the people trust is to be established in the process of transition to democracy. In reviewing the weakness and shortcomings, it is found that they occur not because of the system, code of conduct and procedures but because of personal weakness.

Some weaknesses belong to inefficiency in work, negligence and lack of discipline but not individual character. Therefore, it is necessary for the judges and law personnel at different levels are to undergo training systematically and improve themselves to be qualified persons in accord with their status.

The judges must be skilled in their functions and law officers are to be well-versed in law and to safeguard the people.

Efforts are to be made for establishment of judicial system in conformity with genuine democratic social life.

Moreover, the verdicts reached at the courts must be free from corruption and be educative.

There is a basic principle in law that major cases should be minimized and minor ones should be settled. However, deterrent punishment must be given to those who commit crimes that harm the State and the people.

In conclusion, the Prime Minister said the judges and law personnel represent the courts and laws of the State. He urged them to preserve the dignity of the their organizations, to safeguard the people in cooperation with law enforcement organizations and under the supervision of administrative authorities, to ensure the rule of law and order and to build the nation after realizing that policy and tasks of the State.

Afterwards, the Prime Minister cordially greeted the judges and law officers from states and divisions and officials.

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

Success achieved today is not due to perfunctory efforts but the fruitful results of concerted efforts of the State, the Tatmadaw and the people Entire nation will develop only if all educational institutions meet set standards Special Refresher Course No 8 for Faculty Members of Universities and Colleges opens

Nay Pyi Taw, 5 Feb—A ceremony to open the Special Refresher Course No 8 for Faculty Members of Universities and Colleges conducted by Central Institute of Civil Service (Upper Myanmar) was held at the Yadana Hall of the Institute in PyinOoLwin Township, Mandalay Division this morning with an address by Chairman of Myanmar Education Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein.

Also present on the occasion were member of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Ye Myint of the Ministry of Defence, Chairman of Mandalay Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Central Command Maj-Gen Khin Zaw, the ministers, the Chairman of Civil Service Selection and Training Board, the deputy ministers, the Mandalay Mayor, members of CSSTB, senior military officers, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office and heads of department, the Rector of CICS (Upper Myanmar), pro-rectors, heads of department, faculty members, course instructors and trainees.

In his address, Chairman of Myanmar Education Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein said that the State Peace and Development Council has been taking systematic steps in all spheres for the emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed nation.

In the process, relentless efforts are being made day in, day out to bring about better transport and to narrow development gap between the hilly regions and the plains. With the emergence of development infrastructures the length and breadth of the nation, the government has been able to put the national economy back on track.

Modern towns and cities have emerged in border areas that lagged behind in development in the past due to insurgencies and armed conflicts among national races. With the prevalence of peace and stability in those regions the national races were able to disperse dissension and discord among them.

The success achieved today is not due to a perfunctory effort but the fruitful results of the concerted efforts of the State, the Tatmadaw and the people under the leadership of the visionary Head of State.

However, there is still much to be done although

progress has been made to the most possible degree in all spheres. Hence, the entire national races are to make continued efforts in order to reach the national goal, maintaining the momentum of achievements already in place.

At a time when a peaceful, modern and developed nation is taking shape, continued efforts are to be made for the emergence of a new State, the national goal. As progress has been made in the holding of the National Convention, the first and crucial stage of the seven-step Road Map, steps are to be taken to establish sound infrastructures that are capable of guaranteeing the perpetuation of the Union and that are in conformity with a discipline-flourishing democratic nation.

In doing so, efforts are to be made for prevalence of peace and tranquillity in the nation, ensuring strong national economy and widening the scope of knowledge of the people. The government is endeavouring for national consolidation, community peace and prevalence of law and order in all parts of the nation including border areas.

In the meantime, it has laid down and is implementing the 24 special development zones and the five rural development tasks to bring about equitable development in transport, agriculture, education, health and social sectors across the nation. Such efforts can further cement friendship among national races.

Moreover, dams and reservoirs were built for development of the agricultural sector, the main pillar of the national economy while striving for boosting the per acre yield of quality crops. All the sametime, indusrial zones were established and steps are being taken for development of State and private industrial sectors while making arrangements for development of electric sector.

In the same way, efforts are being made for development of trade and service sectors as well as development of private sector to be in accord with one of the four economic objectives which calls for the initiative to shape the national economy must be kept in the hands of the State and the national peoples. The development of human resources plays a pivotal role in creating the strong national economy. Only when the scope of knowledge of people is widened will a discipline-flourishing nation emerge.

Therefore, the government has laid down the national education promotion plans and is implementing them for the emergence of an educated nation.

He said as there was no peace and tranquillity in border areas local national races lost their learning opportunities. The education standard and regional development were low and there were no national solidarity and peace and tranquillity.

He said under the Tatmadaw government schools, colleges and universities were built in the various regions of the Union to possess education foundations.

Arts and science university, government technological college and government computer college were built in the 24 social development regions based on focal points of states and divisions.

In January, the three remaining arts and science colleges and all technological colleges and government computer colleges were upgraded to universities.

In health sector, a 200-bed specialist hospital was built in every development region and arrangements are being made for equal development of education and health sectors in every region.

He spoke at length on construction of hospitals in the nation and provision of hospital equipment and specialists and health technology for high performance, opening of medical universities, conducting medical seminars and producing doctors, physicians and medical scientists.

He also said that arrangements are being made for use of high technology in forestry, mining, agriculture and livestock breeding sectors. In other words, universities and colleges, workshops and laboratory and electronics-based infrastructures were opened for development of every sector in every region, he said.

The nation will own large and qualified human resources only if it strives for progress and propagation of modern sciences and technologies in all strata of people of various sectors, and for emergence of intellectuals and intelligentsia.

It has been building infrastructures to open education opportunities for every region, race and class and to pursue further studies.

The entire nation will develop only if all educational institutions from schools to universities meet their set standards.

All educators including faculties, should effectively use the infrastructures in striving to accelerate the development of regions and the nation with the help of advanced sciences and technologies.

At present, IT advancement has been dominating all areas of development. Hence, all need to effectively use the IT that is flourishing in the international community for progress and prosperity of the nation and the people as ordinary efforts are not enough to reach this end.

The dynamic nature, high intellectual ability and firm spirit of Myanmars should be combined with advanced IT to catch up with the international changes and developments.

The people including student youths will be able to develop their own country only if they are vitalized with the spirit to love and honour their own race. In other words, they will be able to make self-reliant efforts for the success and prosperity of their nation and race only if patriotism and nationalistic fervour are instilled in their minds.

The eternal flourishing of national unity and Union Spirit is important.

Teachers will have to nurture their pupils to further strength their spirit to love the Union and develop their education qualification.

With the intention of grabbing power through short-cut, saboteurs are trying to incite the younger generation to rely on aliens losing nationalist spirit and Union Spirit. Looking to the past history, being under alien influence, the Union collapsed due to the adoption of foreign plans and strategies.

Trying to copy alien style, method and culture led the country to suffer bitter experiences such as sectarianism, ideological prejudice, personality cult and racism and thus to cause disintegration of national consolidation, armed clashes, splits of political parties and instability of the State.

In consequence, the interest of the State and the people could not be served and the Union was about to collapse. Therefore, the government is implementing the seven-step Road Map to shape an ever-flourishing Union that is consistent with Myanmar’s prevailing history, traditions, customs and cultures. Shaping a bright future of the State is dependent upon the successful implementation of the Road Map. Only then would there be sound foundations such as peace and stability of the State, strong national economy and national education promotion. To achieve such goals, the education sector take the leading role. So, all faculty members are to participate in the nation-building tasks through the education sector.

All in all, faculty members are to successfully carry out national education promotion programmes knowing the importance of the education sector in order that the Union of Myanmar can stand tall among the international community. They are to actively take part in an effort for building a peaceful, modern and developed discipline-flourishing democratic nation by doing their bit.

After the ceremony, the Secretary-1 cordially greeted the trainees. A total of 912 trainees from universities and colleges of the Upper Myanmar are attending the one-month course.

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

Fourth anniversary of Leprosy Elimination Commemorative Day marked

Yangon, 5 Feb — The fourth anniversary of Leprosy Elimination Commemorative Day, which falls on 6 February, was held at International Business Centre on Pyay Road here today. It was attended by Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win.

Also present were Minister for Health Dr Kyaw Myint, directors-general of departments under the ministry, Vice- Presidents of Myanmar Maternal and Child
Welfare Association Dr Daw Tin Lin Myint and Daw Aye Aye, Secretary of MMCWA Dr Daw Wai Wai Tha, deputy directors-general, directors and medical superintendents, representatives of UN agencies, WHO and MICA and head of Yangon Division Health Department and others.

Minister Dr Kyaw Myint said that Myanmar had reached its leprosy elimination goal in January 2003, after combating various constraints with the guidance of National Health Committee which was followed by local authorities, non-government organizations, World Health Organization and International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Association in terms of resources and technical assistance.

For those activities, the GAEL meeting congratulated the Government of the Union of Myanmar of setting a shining example by effectively applying the global strategy and reaching the national goal of elimination in a most cost-effective manner.

For research and studies: The programme had done successively different kinds of health system research, with the support of Netherlands Leprosy Relief ( NLR ) and International Medical Centre of Japan ( IMCJ). Outcomes and results of these research are applied for more practical and scientific implementation of activities. Thanks again to IMCJ for their continuous support for further research and studies.

The prevalence rate gradually declines down to 0.47 patients per 10,000 population at the end of 2006 according to the data sources.

That is why, Ministry of Health selects slogan" Sustain Leprosy Control Activities: Let's continue our effort" for this commemorative day.

In conclusion the minister expressed thanks to International Medical Centre of Japan (IMCJ) for their supports to hold this ceremony as well as other research activities in leprosy.

The minister and Dr Uutaka Ishida of IMCJ presented prizes to the outstanding students who participated in the essay contest to mark the fourth leprosy elimination day. Those present were shown a documentary film on elimination of leprosy.

The commander, the minister and party viewed the booth of leprosy elimination.

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

S’porean doctor gives talks on liver transplant

Yangon, 5 Feb — Educative talks on liver disease and liver transplant were held at Oriental House in Mandalay on 28 January.

Also present on the occasion were Chairman of Mandalay City Development Committee Mayor Brig-Gen Phone Zaw Han, Specialist of Parkway Group Health Care Pte Ltd of Republic of Singapore Dato Dr Tan Kai Chah and party, Professor Dr Than Sit of Liver Unit of Mandalay General Hospital and others.

First, Professor Dr Than Sit briefed on the liver disease. Next, Dato Dr Tan Kai Chah gave talks on liver disease and liver transplant and replied to the queries raised by those present.

More information on liver disease and liver transplant are available at Parkway Group Health Care Information Center, No 44 on Latha Street in Yangon and telephone number.— 0951 31510.

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

Grand Royal Special Reserve Second Qualify Round on 10, 11 Feb

Nay Pyi Taw, 5 Feb— Under the supervision of Myanmar Golf Federation, the Grand Royal Special Reserve Second Qualify Round, mainly sponsored by International Beverages Trading Co will be held at Ayetharyar Golf Course in Taunggyi on 10 and 11 February.

Rules of St Andrews will be applied at the competitions, which will be held under System (36).

The co-sponsors of the competitions organized by Han Event Management are Air Mandalay, Hotel Nikko, Srixon and Alpine.

Those wishing to take part in the competitions may contact phone numbers 081-27672/27702.

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