Gandar Mount P.S.O

Bush signs law to ban gems trade

WASHINGTON: President George W. Bush on 29 July 2008 renewed a ban on imports from military-ruled Burma and also signed a new law that aims to keep Burma’s Gems from entering US markets via third-party countries.

In parallel the US treasury slapped financial sanctions on 10 companies owned or controlled by the Burmese Government or Government officials, including companies involved in the gem trade.

“On the Burmese regime,our message is: the United States believes in democracy and freedom,” Mr. Bush said during a White House ceremony in which he signed the two laws.

The Burmese freedom and Democracy Act renews a sanctions regime imposed since 2003 over the suppression of opposition leader Aung Sun Sukyi’s democracy movement.

Mr Bush also signed a new sanctions regime aimed at stopping gems including jade and rubies from entering the United State via third nations such as Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.

The so-called Tom Lantos Block Burmese jade Act will deprive its ruling junta of hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue.

The gems trade is one of the most lucrative sources of profit for the Junta, accused of blatant human rights abuses and stifling democratic opposition.

The bill also makes the generals and their families ineligible for visas to the United States and enhances existing financial sanctions against the regime.

It includes new reporting requirements that will provide greater transparency about the Junta in terms of financial holdings,information about countries that provide military aid to the regime,and background on Burma’s timber trade.

The US sanctions targeted two state-controlled conglomerates, the Union of Burma Economic Holdings Limited and the Burma Economic Corporation, which are both involved in the gem trade, banking and construction directly and through subsidiaries. AFP

The Company was established in 1993 when Lo Sin Han’s son Steven Lo, who is being the key person in it’s trade business with companies in Singapore, was interested in hotel-business and housing projects as Gen.Khin Nyunt paved the way for overseas ex-pension in 1993.

Kuok-Singapore Ltd. Lo Sin Han’s Asia wolrd and the Burmese Ruler are also partners in the luxuious Traders Hotel situated in corner of Su Le Pagoda and Bo Aung Kyaw roads, Rangoon.

Singapore’s economic link with the Burmese is one of the factors for the survival of Junta’s regime.

This link is also expension of the heroin trade.

Singapore is being the Junta’s top business partner and largest foreign investor.

Steven’s wife, native of Singapore, operates underground and is contact for people in Burma to get their drug money into Singapore, overseas branches of Asia World financial activity.

As both countries continue to celebrate their complementary relationship is the powerful support to its booming billion dollar drug-trade.

A pattern Singapore’s investment in Burma open door for the drug traffickers, giving them access to banks and financial systems.

Junta and drug lords have been able to take advantage of Singapore Bank Law and Money laundering opptunity.

For instance, Junta laundered $400 million through a Singapore bank.

Singapore had become a major player in Asian comerce.

Gen.Khin Nyunt understood Lo Sin Han well as the man of Businese like and internationalist due to his yearslong experience in various trades and corporations.

Therefore Khin Nyunt raised him and opened links to world-trade internationaly while he is being the big Boss of Chinese association in La Shio, Mu Se, Koon Long of northern Shan State and Mandalay, Rangoon.

Lo Shin Han is believed to have widely controlled the shareholders whose finacial status is not onlyhigh-grade but not at stake.

Since the time of Military Government led by Gen.Than Shwe, Gen.Mong Aye and Gen.Khin Nyunt had suffered seriously for lack of money so that they had to depend on Druglords to raise annual revenue.

Gen.Khin Nyunt therefore was responsible for State revenue.

Kin Nyunt, as the Stateman, was the key role for good relationships of trade corporation between Lo Shin Han and the Singapore’s leading traders.

Later after MTA’s surrender, Khin Nyunt made a reunion for good freindships between Khun Sa and Lo Shin Han who have been bitter rivals for a long time in the Drugs trafficking.

Khun Sa and Lo Shin Han were anyway urged to support the Junta’s annual revenue.

Lo Shin Han and Khun Sa are the ownerships of Ruby mine in Mo Gok situated in Shan and Burmese border, about 150 miles northwest of Mandalay, and Gade mine in Phar-Garng of Myit Gyi Na, the City of Kachin state.

Besides, both opium lords are involved with the thousands of tonns of timber exported to China.

Ruby and Gade are trasported to America through Singapore, Hongkong and Japan.

The Gems trade is one of the most lucrative sources of profit for the Burmese Rulers.

The Ruler has been contrlling theUnion of Burma Economic Holdings Limited and Burma Economic Corporation, to which Lo Shin Han and Khun Sa sold their jade and rubies, both are involved in the gem trade, banking and costruction directly and through sudsidiaries.

Singapore has also become a major player in Asia trade and strong role in World Trade Organization.

Fa Lung alias Chang Shi Shwen and Khun Seng alias Ronal, closests aides of Khun Sa, are important persons in any case.

They have respectfully been working for the aim of the boss.

Fa Lung used to be the military advisor to Burmese Army commander in chief.

Both have to be successors to carry on the party’s business with massive financial ties to Singapore as Khun Sa had been Burma’s top investor.

Singapore is more than willing to share the drug lords.

Burmese and Singapore level work committee was formed in 1993 to increase mutual interests.

Gen. Khin Nyunt headed the Burmese committee.

Singapore’s investment in Burma is opening door for the drug dealers and giving them access to banks and financial system.

Attentions around the world currently focuse on Burma’s situation after being dead of warlord.

Khun Sa and Lo Sing Han were the key performers in the Burmese economy.

Both had been successful business men in Burma.

The Wa force not long after the MTA surrendered had moved to Mong Mai base to control boder area independenly.

Two rich Chineses, Lao Dai and Charle ,involed heroin trade and longtime Khun Sa’s trusted assistants were captured by US DEA in Mae Sai.

The two men left behind and continued to stay in Ta Ki Lek city had been taken to America.

This news bade Khun SA unhappy.

Although Mr. Khun Sa died his two sons Sam Seng and Sam Huarn, both aged over 40, have to be carrying on their profiable busines which is under protection of the Burmese Junta. The 2 brothers have long time been working the business and have well experience since before the surrender.

Sam Huarn permanently stays in Tachilek opposite Mae Sai border while Sam Seng stays in Bangkok to keep contacts from America, Singapore and Australia.

After the Surrender, Sam Seng moved to America where his three sisters living as permanently.

Khun Sa and his close alliance, family - linked smugglers and importers who are members of Chinese Triads.

They operate solely with relatives and transact million-dollar deals on a whispered word or a nod.

Their livelihood depends on a steady supply of heroin’s raw meterial,which they purchase from other supplyers.

They process the raw-opium into first-grade heroin and take it to Bangkok, where they smuggle it on to international flights or load it into false-bottomed fishing boats bound for Hong Kong or Penang, Malaysia.

From there it’s shipped to the Pacific Islands and to the West Coast of the Uinited States.

The key figure in this process is Khun Sa, for he controlls the supply of opium.

Khun Sa is directly responsible for about one-thard of the heroin used by the drug addicts in the United States.

The U.S is primarily interested in Asian heroin.

Which is usually very pure and comparatively cheap and represents about 35 percent of the heroin that’s available in the States.

The flow of heroin from the Shan State had become doubled as Khun Sa was concessionaire of drug corporation.

He spent about 250 million US dollar for road construction Between Rangoon and Mandalay, about 800 miles distance,which is for good transportaion.

Air conditioned coachs imported from Singapore to run between the two cities.