Welcome to Department Of Population

In December 1997, the General Assembly considered the question of the follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994 and decided to convene a special session of the Assembly to review and appraise the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.

In fact the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development which marked the beginning of a new era in population and development was approved by consensus by 179 countries in September 1994. It is also noted that the landmark agreement reached at the conference focused on the well being of human beings rather than human numbers and also called for all international activities and actions necessary to bring about global stability and to improve opportunities for all people.

We are aware that the world's population will exceed 6 billion in the year 1999 and will be between 7 billion and 7.5 billion by the year 2015. It is also learnt that population stabilization will not be reached for another 50 years at the earliest. In this regard, we realise that there must be some concrete and systematic measures which should be taken up timely by the international community to address this global problem.

It is quite natural that with the increase of population we need to have sufficient food, clothing and shelters. We, therefore, believe that without concrete measures on the matter, there will be social problems. consequently, there will also be variety of diseases. We can even expect the recurrence of controlled diseases such as Malaria and Tuberculosis. We also have to take into account the emergence of HIV and AIDS.

We realise that most of the developing countries may face this global problem because of their slow development of economy. However this problem has far reaching implications beyond the developing countries. It could spread to the developed countries. We therefore firmly believe that the international cooperation and collaboration is of paramount importance to address this global problem timely and affirmatively.

In the national context, the population of our country Myanmar at present is about 48 million. The total land area of Myanmar is about 677,000 square Kilometers i.e. about 261,000 square miles. The population density is quite low i.e. 70 persons per square kilometer. It is sparsely populated compared to our giant neighbours. Our country, Myanmar is an agro-based economic country.

Its economic objectives are to develop the agriculture as the base and at the same time to pursue the all-round development of other sectors of the economy as well. Myanmar is striving for all round development of the country relying on its internal resources.

Our government has laid down the five-year plan for the nation to become peaceful, modern and developed and success has been achieved in the endeavours for realization of the certain level of growth. Plans also have been laid down for sufficiency of food for the increasing population. The State is encouraging to use all available lands including vacant and virgin lands to enhance the agriculture sector. Hence we strongly believe that food security is not an issue in our country.

We consider human resources as the prime factor of all economic and social development and as the beneficiary of this development. We are not in favour of birth control for limiting the population growth of our country. However we are encouraging the Birth Spacing Programmes as a family planning, quality of life and to raise up the standard of living.

We would like to state firmly that the sources of HIV/AIDS is not in our country. The disease has been carried from our neighbouring countries. The brothel and legal prostitutes do not exist in Myamnar. These are legally and strictly prohibited. Besides using syringes and transfusion is totally banned by enacting anti-drug laws. Hence with the cooperation and collaboration of the United Nations agencies, systematic measures are being taken to address this epidemic. Our government has laid down the health policy and programmes to control this horrible disease since it is recognised as the national and global concern.

Myanmar is rich in natural resources. The most precious asset is our people. It is our intelligent, proficient and industrious labour force both agricultural and industrial, which will provide the foundation for economic growth in the future. The State has paid special attention to the development of human resources and to the upgrading of the skills of our labour force. At the same time, we are looking forward to working together with ASEAN colleagues for further strengthening the capabilities of our labour force. It has been the consistent policy of our successive governments to promote the welfare of labour. We are exporting skilled labour. But it is very low in number when compared with other labour exporting countries.

Our government is determined to build a society where peace and prosperity prevail, where the rights
of labour, the rights of women and the rights of child are given all the encouragement and promotion that they rightly deserve. We firmly believed that peace and development are two sides of a coin and can not be separated, without peace there can be no development and without development there can be no lasting peace. The State has paid much attention on national reconsolidation and has succeeded in bringing back almost all armed groups except one insurgent group known as KNU. Hence insurgency which for decades hindered development is now virtually over and all the energy of the Armed forces and the people are being devoted to nation building.

Regarding the displaced persons issue, we would like to state that it is an issue which had started for many years, since we have the long and porous border with five neighbouring countries. Over years people living along the border have crossed the border more or less freely to search for better job opportunities and higher incomes. They have only economic reasons rather than other motives and these people constitute a vast majority.

We realise that this involves some kind of irregularity. However the receiving state accepted them well because of its better economic reasons. Again, due to existence of these cheap labour, the receiving state allows its own labour to migrate to the developed countries to seek much better opportunities. It is also observed that the receiving state kept silence, when there is no problem.

At the turn of economic crisis, the receiving state is desirous of sending back these cheap labourers to their country of origin. We consider that it is not a proper action to be taken up by the host nation. Beside, it is also not appropriate in accordance with our existing laws. We realise that there is no problem to receive back these people if they migrated to other side of the border legally.

It is internationally accepted fact that the host nation has the responsibility to take care of legal migrants. It is also a known fact that every nation has its own immigration laws. It is a bound duty of every state to take up punitive action on every act of illegible migration in accordance with their respective laws so as to protect its national security and safeguarding its sovereignity.

Regarding the issue of refugee, it is known by all that the term "refugee" is vividly defined. The people residing at the other side of our border are only so called refugees. They are the insurgents and their families, relatives and sympathisers. They do nothing and live on generous financing and well assistance
by some countries, the international organizations, some NG0s.

This insurgent group, known as KNU continues their military insurgency operations against our country. However, recently (18) armed groups including a large members of KNU members have exchanged arms for peace and they have been welcomed back to the legal fold. As they are our own brethren, our government treated them well and extended all possible assistance to reintegrate them to normal
civilian life.

In accordance with the Government's development programmes, the construction of houses, roads, bridges and dams have been completed in most of the regions of the country specifically in border areas. Those members of armed groups exchanged arms for peace are enjoying their livelihood in legal fold and are sharing the nations reconstruction programmes with the government. With regard to KNU remaining in neighbouring country, the Government's offer of peace to them still stands. Our stand will never be changed.