Government of the Union of Myanmar

1

Government of the Union of Myanmar

Ministry of Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs

PAPER ON MEASURES TAKEN BY MINISTRY OF PROGRESS OF

BORDER AREAS AND NATIONAL RACES AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS

TO BE USED DURING THE SENIOR OFFICIALS' LEVEL MEETING AND

THE SECTORAL POLICY DIALOGUE BETWEEN

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ANDTHE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Table of Contents

Introduction

Nation Building

Border Areas and National Development Project

Rural Development Projects

Bilateral Cooperation

Cooperation with UN Agencies, International Organizations and INGOs

Difficulties

Conclusion

1

PAPER ON MEASURES TAKEN BY MINISTRY OF PROGRESS OF

BORDER AREAS AND NATIONAL RACES AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS

TO BE USED DURING THE SENIOR OFFICIALS' LEVEL MEETING AND

THE SECTORAL POLICY DIALOGUE BETWEEN

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ANDTHE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Introduction

Myanmar is located in the North West corner of the ASEAN Region. The total area of Myanmar is 261,228 square miles and stretches for 582 miles from East to West and 1,275 miles from North to South. The length of contiguous frontier is 3,828 miles sharing 1,370 miles with China, 1,310 miles with Thailand, 832 miles with India, 168 miles with Bangladesh and 148 miles with Lao PDR respectively. The length of the coastline from the mouth of NaatRiver to Kawthaung is approximately 1,385 miles. The topography of Myanmar can roughly be divided into three parts: the Western Hills Region, the Central Valley Region and the Eastern Hill Region. The HimalayanRange has a link with Myanmar and is known as the Western Yoma that runs to the South. The Khakabo Razi, which is situated in the northernmost part of the Western Yoma, is 19,296 feet high. The WesternYomaRange serves as a wall that separates Myanmar from India. The Central Valley Region consists of the valley of the Ayeyawady, SittaungValley and ChindwinValley. There also lies the low range of Bago Yoma that slopes down from North to South. The Eastern Hills Region is the Shan Plateau, which is average of 3,000 to 4,000 feet above sea level. The plateau has high mountain ranges and the ThanlwinRiver flows through the Shan Plateau to the Northern Taninthayi Costal Strip. Because of the high mountain ranges, the transport and communications within the regions have been very difficult. The central dry zone also makes the life of rural populace more difficult.

The far-flung border areas are mostly mountainous and are covered with forests and these areas are populated with population density of only 20 per square mile. And as a result the government’s administration or the governance could not reach to most of these areas where the multi-coloured armed groups have been dominating for many decades after the independence of the nation.

Due to insecurity caused by the armed groups, the development of these areas has been lagging far behind. Myanmar is endowed with many natural resources, but the efficient exploitation of the resources could not be done due to above-mentioned causes and lack of financial resources and technical know how.

The Union of Myanmar is made up of over 100 national races of which the main ethnic groups are Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Bamar, Mon, Rakhine and Shan. According to the statistics of 2005, the population of the country is estimated at 54 million and the population growth rate is 2.02 percent. Rural population is 37.95 million and is 70.28 percent of total population of the country.

NationBuilding

The successive governments endeavoured to foster peace with the armed groups but have not been successful. In the absence of security, development measures cannot be implemented and the rural and border areas lagged far behind in socio-economic undertakings. The Tatmadaw government after the assumption of the State responsibilities in 1988, strived to foster peace with the armed groups. The after effects of the cold war also paved the way in fostering peace with the armed groups. The armed groups, realizing the true goodwill of the Tatmadaw government, started to come into the legal fold to work for the development of their regions in 1989. A total of 17 armed groups have come into the legal fold.

Now that the rural border areas have become secure to implement the socio-economic undertakings, the State laid down nation building development national plans and introduced the market-oriented economy in 1989.

The State implemented development programmes by establishing the Central Committee and the Work Committee for Development of Border Areas and National Races with State leaders as Chairman and members. At present the following three Development Projects are being implemented at the National level:

a.Border Areas and National Races Development Project;

b.Rural Development; and

c.Development of 24 Special Zones.

Border Areas and National Development Project

The topography of Myanmar is very mountainous in the long border areas and because of high mountain ranges that are covered with thick forests, the transport and communications within the regions have been very difficult. The armed groups that came into being along with the independence of the nation, dominated the border areas and due to insecurity, the government’s administration or the good governance never reached these areas. Due to these reasons the socio-economic development of border areas has been lagged far behind.

The average population density of Myanmar is 80 per square mile, but there are only 20 per square mile in the border areas. That is why, it is very difficult to foster and develop the socio-economic infrastructures.

In 1989 the armed groups started to come into the legal fold and taking this great opportunity, the government has been implementing development measures.

The Central Committee, the Work Committee for the Development of Border Areas and National Races, the Regional Work Committees and the Work sub-committee were established to foster the systematic development of rural border areas and national races starting in 1989.

The 13 years master plan for the Development of Border Areas and National Races was formulated and has been implemented starting from 1993-94 to 2005-2006 fiscal year. The 30 years Master Plan for Development of Border Areas and National Races has also been formulated, for the betterment of the rural populace in the border areas.

Under the Master Plan for Development of Border Areas and National Races and as of 31-8-2006, a total of 6222/6 miles of roads and 1140 bridges have been constructed to provide smooth and safe transportation and communications between various border areas. A total of 79 hospitals, 105 dispensaries and 58 rural health centers have been established to foster the primary basic health care services. As education plays a vital role in rural advancement, 854 primary schools 90 middle schools, 92 high schools have been sanctioned to impart education to the national races in the border areas. Over 185,707 students are being enrolled in these schools today.

Also 111 Television relay stations, 118 agriculture Farms, 20 livestock breeding farms, 49 dams have been established and the electrification of 199 towns or villages have been implemented.

Road networks have been upgraded in the border areas where in the past there were only mule tracks and animal transportation existed. At present the locals of the border areas are having smooth vehicle transportation and are enjoying the fruits of trade, peace and tranquility, the improvement of living standards and the way of life of the rural dwellers in the border areas.

As the education standard of the border areas have improved, the momentum of development in the border areas have increased. The people in the rural border areas have been realizing the scourge of narcotic drugs and have voluntarily given up the cultivation of opium poppy.

Cultivation dropped to 24,160 hectares in 2006 from 34,720 in 2005. It is a significant and dramatic reduction from 157,900 hectares cultivated in 1998.

The Union of Myanmar with its unrelenting political commitment to eradicate opium poppy cultivation as a national cause has laid down consistent strategies to strive towards this end.

Through the Global Illicit Crop Monitoring Program (ICMP) surveys conducted in close collaboration with UNODC, Myanmar has been able to reduce 83% of the cultivation of opium poppy. The significant decline was from 130,000 hectares in 1998 to 21,500 hectares in 2006 and the reduction to 315 tonnes from 813 tonnes.

The Opium Yield Surveys undertaken between 1993 and 2004 with the DEA of the United States reported a significant decrease in production of 88% from 2,560 tonnes in 1996 to 292 tonnes in 2004.

The Government of Myanmar and China signed a Memorandum of Intent on Joint Satellite Remote Sensing and Monitoring of Opium Cultivation in the Northern parts of Myanmar in May 2006. After verifying the satellite imageries with actual ground surveys, Myanmar can take immediate enforcement measures of destroying the illicit poppy fields.

The Ministry of Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs was established in 1992. The Ministry of Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs implemented the 13 years Master Plan for the Development of border areas and national races from 1993 to 2006 and have spent 108.6 billion Kyats as of 31st July 2007 to upgrade the socio-economic infrastructure of the border regions that contribute to the Alternative Development programs to eliminate cultivation and the production of drugs. 74% of the above mentioned budget was utilized in drug related regions.

It is indeed a great achievement fostered out of the Border Areas Development Project.

Rural Development Projects

The rural population of Myanmar is 70.28% of the total population of the country and that is 37.95 million. The rural population in the border areas is situated sparsely and as a result the access roads are very important for the socio-economic upliftment of the locals. Although Myanmar is rich in natural resources, there are some needs, difficulties and deficiencies according to each region.

The mountainous areas have a lot of hydropower resources but lack of fertile arable low lands for cultivation. The dry zone area lack potable and safe drinking water and the coastal area in the Southern part of the country is quite mountainous and transportation and communication is very difficult. Realizing those difficulties and needs of the rural areas the Government has been implementing the Rural Development Project with the following strategies:

a.To ensure better and smooth transport for rural areas;

b.To implement rural water supply projects;

c.To promote the education standard of the rural peoples;

d.To enhance the rural health care projects; and

e.To develop the rural economy.

Provision of potable and safe drinking water

Myanmar has abundant water resources but for some reasons the country has been harvesting or utilizing only 20 percent. But according to the topography there exist a Dry Zone in the Central part of Myanmar where most of the rural villages have been facing with the scarcity of potable and safe drinking water. The State has been implementing the 2001-2010 ten years project for the provision of potable and safe drinking water of the rural areas. There are 8042 villages in the dry zone and 15,183 villages in the other regions a total of 23225 villages where potable and safe drinking water is scarce and not sufficient. We may categorize the villages as the following:

a.Water is scarce-879 villages

b.Water is not sufficient- 9,166 villages

c.No safe drinking water-13,180 villages.

Starting from 2001 up to 2006-07, a total of 17,250 villages have been provided with potable and safe drinking water by the Ten years project. Most of the water supply schemes were implemented by the government’s funds, but in 1,465 villages, the provision of water supply schemes were implemented with the funds donated by the individuals, well wishers, Social Associations, NGOs (local and foreign). Because Myanmar people believe that they gain ten kinds of merits when they make donations for the provision of water to those who are in need of water according to Buddhist teachings.

Construction of Main and feeder roads

Access motor roads or feeder roads between villages and between towns and villages and the main roads or highways between towns have been constructed. Before 2001-2002, there has been only 17,198 miles of feeder roads constructed by the Department of Development Affairs. It has been envisaged to construct 65,125 miles of rural roads according to the 2001-2030 thirty years plan where 50 percent will be graveled roads. At present 12,630 miles of rural roads have been already constructed under this thirty years plan.

Rural Education

To date 6,778 schools have been extended starting from 1998 bring to a total number of 40,525 schools in the whole of the country where 7.78 million students are being enrolled. Before 1998 there were only 32 Universities or Colleges situated only in the Capital and second city of Myanmar. At present there are 134 Universities/Colleges in the 24 Special Zones for the students of the rural areas. As the Schools/Universities and Colleges are situated near to the hometown or villages, the students could comfortably save some costs in pursuing higher education.

Rural Health

There were 631 hospitals in 1989 and at present there is 819 hospitals, an increase of 118 hospitals. Small pox, Polio and Leprosy have been successfully eradicated in Myanmar. The following are some of the health indicators of Myanmar:

19892004increase/decrease

Crude Death Rate

Rural9.9/10007.1/1000-2.8

Urban8.9/10006.2/1000-2.7

Life Expectancy at birth

Rural male56.260.8+ 4.6

Rural female60.463.6+ 3.2

Urban male59.061.5+ 2.5

Urban female63.265.6+ 2.4

Rural Economy

Agriculture is the main important sector for the socio-economic development and the poverty alleviation of rural areas. In Myanmar there are 45.6 million acres of arable lands that is 33 percent of the total area of the country. At present, 26 million acres have been put on cultivation throughout the country, an increase of 1.8 million acres compared with 1988 acreage. The increased in the cultivated acreage has been fostered due to the increased in the group or network of 213 dams and the river water pumping schemes implemented in the rural areas. The yield per acre of paddy increased from 52.76 baskets in 1989 to 69.03 baskets in 2004. Due to increase in cultivated acreage and yield the food security and the production of rice have reached 143% in 2004.

Rural Livestock Breeding

Due to religious beliefs, most of the Myanmar people are reluctant to conduct livestock breeding in the past. In 1989 there are only 6,300 acres of fish/shrimp ponds or culture but at present due to the step up of interest in livestock breeding and fisheries of the people, there are 328,256 acres of fish/shrimp culture, an increase of 90 fold have been achieved. In Myanmar there exist 8.2 million hectares of fresh water surface and every year the Fisheries Department has been seeding the fingerlings of different varieties of fishes into the streams, ponds and reservoirs and dams for the propagation of fishes.

The most essential element in the development of rural economy is electric power. Myanmar is endowed with many varieties of natural resources and the raw materials for industrial products but lack of electrical power has been hindering and obstructing the production of such industrial products.

In fact Myanmar is endowed with 870 acre-feet of water resources at 267 locations which can generate 40,000 mega watts. At present Myanmar has been harnessing only 996 Megawatt and 21 Hydro power projects are being implemented to generate 5863 Mega Watt more.

Increase in the availability of electric power will foster cottage industries in the rural areas which will no doubt bring about income generating activities that will alleviate poverty and uplift the standard of living of the rural populace.

The government has also established 19 Industrial Zones in the strategic locations of the country and have been producing farm inputs and machineries to boost the production of agriculture sector.

Bilateral Cooperation

The following bilateral cooperation projects have been implemented:

1. People's Republic of China

1)Myanmar has bilateral cooperation activities with People's Republic of China to reduce illicit cultivation of opium poppy in the Kokang Special Region No. 1. Under this cooperation programme, China provided 300,000 Yuan to implement the Opium Substitute Crops Programme from July 2002 to April 2003. The project provided over 10,000 kg. of agricultural inputs of high yield seeds, agriculture trainings to farmers.

2)People's Republic of China provided 5 million Yuan to implement the Opium Substitute Crops Programme in order to reduce illicit cultivation in the Kokang Special Region No. 1. The project provided agricultural inputs of high yield seeds of paddy, maize, seedlings of sugarcane and 90,000 tea seedlings, fertilizers, agriculture trainings and medicines to treat malaria.

3)People's Republic of China provided 10,000 metric tons of rice to the ex-poppy farmers who are residing at the Myanmar-China border areas such as Kokang Special Region No. 1, Wa Special Region No. 2, Mong Lar Special Region No. 4, Kachin Special Region No. 1 and Kachin Special Region No. 2 from September 2006 to April 2007.

4)Action Plan of Crop Substitution and Alternative Development under the Framework of Cooperative Agreement on Ban of Illegal Transportation and Abuse of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances between Governments of the People's Republic of China and the Union of Myanmar will be signed within this year.

1. Thailand

1)The Yong Kha Village Alternative Development Project from 2002 to 2004 was implemented in cooperation with Thailand. Bilateral discussions are under way to formulate and implement a new alternative development project in the Southern Shan State.