December 1993 No.12, Volume 4 Burma News: THAI SECURITY CHIEF - ``NO ENTRY FOR BURMESE EXILES'' On 15 Dec, National Security Council (NSC) Chief General Charan Kulavanijaya said that Thailand is not allowing Prime Minister Dr Sein Win of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) and other key dissident leaders to return to Bangkok. Dr Sein Win and members of the National Council of Burma (NCUB) delegation to the United Nations are currently in the USA. Charan said, ``Thailand is supporting the Burmese government plan for national reconciliation. To issue visas to those people means to encourage them to continue fighting.'' Dr Sein Win, a cousin of 1991 Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and an elected representative, had been lobbying for UN mediation to end the Burmese conflict [N9312156]. U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE RECEIVES DR SEIN WIN On 7 Dec, Prime Minister Dr Sein Win and NCGUB Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs U Bo Hla Tint were officially received at the US State Department by the Acting US Secretary of State Peter Tarnoff in the absence of Warren Christopher. Tarnoff who is also the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, congratulated the NCUB's successful lobbying at the UN. Tarnoff reiterated the US Government's unwavering support for the Burmese democracy movement and promised to continue assisting the Burmese people. Earlier in Nov, Dr Sein Win and U Bo Hla Tint also met with Ambassador Winston Lord, Assistant Secretary of State for Asia and the Pacific. The White House is currently reviewing the administration's Burma policy [NCGUB,BA]. SLORC TURNS DOWN DAB PEACE TALK OFFER On 15 Dec, the State Law and Order Restoration Council's (SLORC) Military Attach\'e in Bangkok, Colonel Thein Swe stated in an interview that SLORC had officially rejected the Democratic Alliance of Burma's (DAB) offer for peace talks. He said, ``We prefer to talk with individual groups ... We can be more effective (in that way).'' On 1 Dec, General Bo Mya as Chairman of the DAB wrote to SLORC Chairman Senior General Than Shwe offering to negotiate in response to overtures made in Nov by SLORC Secretary 1, Lieut-General Khin Nyunt to the Karenni, Karen and Mon ethnic resistance forces. For some time now, the 3 ethnic groups have been under intense pressure from Thailand to abandon the Burmese democracy movement and negotiate separately with SLORC. Ethnic members of the NCUB delegation to the UN were not allowed to leave Thailand. Rather than abandon their allies under Thai pressure, the National Democratic Front (NDF) of which the three groups are members, agreed in late Nov to respond to SLORC through the DAB. The DAB includes NDF members as well as Burman pro-democracy groups [SCMP931208,N931120,22,27,1207,16,B931126,27,1210,SLORCFM,RTV]. SLORC's response which was conveyed indirectly underscores its insincerity about peace talks. In the first place, Khin Nyunt made his offer verbally through the media while visiting Karenni, Mon and Karen areas. Secondly, it is clear that Rangoon does not want to see a united opposition especially among the ethnic groups and pro-democracy Burmans. Finally, even after its ceasefire agreement with the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in Oct, SLORC has yet to make any political concessions to the Kachins. Therefore, a ceasefire with SLORC which is agreed to under pressure, will not resolve the civil war - Ed. THAILAND CRACKS DOWN ON BURMESE ACTIVISTS On 6 Dec, Foreign Minister Prasong Soonsiri announced that Thailand will be enforcing laws regulating illegal immigration particularly where Burmese students are concerned. He said, ``Any gathering of Burmese here for whatever reason will be regarded as an illegal political activity, no matter the number of participants.'' Prasong suggested that there would be no problem if the Burmese refrained from using Thailand as a base from which to launch political action against SLORC. According to Thailand's Ambassador to Burma, Virasakdi Futrakul, SLORC has promised to take care of exiled students who return home. SLORC will assign guards to look after them until they are resettled [N931207]. Burma News: FOUR ARMED BURMESE ARRESTED IN BANGKOK On 23 Nov, Thai police arrested four Burmese in the Makasan area of Bangkok together with two sticks of TNT, two M26 hand grenades, a detonator, electrical wire, handgun bullets and four hoods. The men, Ye Thi Ha, 28, Mya Zaw, 30, Maung Maung Lay, 30, and Ne Tun, 37, claim that they were planning to return to Rangoon to launch a suicide bomb attack to wipe out the SLORC leadership during Independence day celebrations on 4 Jan. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lieut-Gen Chamlong Iemchaengphan said that the four had been charged with illegal entry and possession of war weapons. Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Wimol Wongwanich and NSC Chief Gen Charan Kulavanijaya, however, branded the four `international terrorists' and vowed to take tough legal action. The SLORC embassy in Bangkok on 25 Nov praised Thai authorities stating that their action had enhanced the longstanding close and cordial relations between the two nations. Burmese dissidents, however, suspect that the four may be SLORC agent provocators or that the arrest may have been a SLORC sting operation to discredit the democracy movement and provide Thailand with an excuse to crack down on Burmese activists. In 1989, Ye Thi Ha and another student hijacked a Thai Airways International airliner from Rangoon to Utapao to protest the suppression in Burma of the democracy movement. They were arrested by Thai authorities and sentenced to five years in prison but were released in Aug.92 by a Royal pardon. Then, as now, the incident had a negative effect on the Burmese democracy movement. More significantly, a couple of weeks before the arrests, warning of a major SLORC operation in Thailand was received [B931126,N931124,29,30, BA]. BURMESE STUDENTS ARRESTED AT RIGHTS SEMINAR Thirteen Burmese students attending a human rights seminar at the Hazakawa Training Centre in Don Muang were arrested on 3 Dec by Thai Immigration and Special Branch police. They were taken to the Suan Plu Immigration Detention Centre and charged with illegal entry and planning anti-SLORC activities. The second charge was later dropped. The students will be sent to Maneeloy Camp in Ratchaburi. Those not registered there will be prosecuted. They could be fined US$100 each or face 40-days in prison before being deported. Five of the students arrested were identified as Maung Maung Than, Pa Pa, Soe Lwin, Tin Maung Htoo and a female student, Lay Lay Nwe. The seminar was organized by the Student Federation of Thailand, Students Committee for Human Rights in Burma, and the Action Committee for Democracy in Burma. In a letter to the National Security Council and the Immigration Department, the organizers protested the arrests stating that the seminar was training the students to resolve conflicts through peaceful means [N931205,07]. International Action: U OF TORONTO HONOURS DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI The University of Toronto, on 25 Nov awarded an Honourary Doctorate of Law in absentia to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Dr Michael Aris travelled from Oxford to accept the award on her behalf. JAPANESE ACTIVISTS VOW TO STOP BURMA DAMS Over 40 activists from six countries who gathered in Kyoto, 6-7 Nov, for a study/action weekend vowed to help stop SLORC from building eight dams on the Thai-Burmese border. The Electric Power Development Co, a Japanese state- financed firm is involved in the project. The BURMESE RELIEF CENTER - JAPAN, BURMA YOUTH VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION and the INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR BURMA RELIEF organized the weekend. NEWS SOURCES THIS ISSUE: B = Bangkok Post, BA = Burma Alert, DAB = Democratic Alliance of Burma, N = The Nation, Bangkok, N = National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. RTV = Rangoon TV, and SLORCFM = SLORC Foreign Ministry. Foreign Trade & Investments: UPDATE: FOREIGN FIRMS IN BURMA - 9 Source: Burma Alert SINGAPORE: A.L.G. AEROLEASING FAR EAST 1988 Private jet leasing - Transport ACE PRESSUREWELD Feb.90 Steel products, US$0.1 million - Trade AIRTRUST (S'PORE) Jun.90 Demonstrated Y-12 aircraft - Arms ALLIED ORDNANCE Oct.88 225 truck loads of arms - Arms ASIA-PACIFIC BREWERIES, Dec.91 Interested in building brewery - Trade ASIA PACIFIC BREWERIES, Aug.93 Donated US$28,000, SLORC cultural festivals - Culture AVIONS DE TRANSPORT REGIONAL, May 92 Demonstrated ATR-72 aircraft - Arms BAN HIN CO, Dec.91 Vehicle assembly plant, US$0.8 million - Industry BANGNA COMPANY, Jan.92 Opened showroom in Rangoon - Trade BORNEO COMPANY via MYANMAR-BORNEO, Jun.92 - Trade BRENNAN COMPANY, 1987 Weapons systems for Pilatus Aircraft - Arms C.D.C. CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT Jan.91 Importing Burmese labourers - Labour CASTROL SINGAPORE, Mar.92 Selling fuel oil and lubricants - Trade CENTURY MOTORS via MYANMAR MOTORS Jan.90 Cars, US$2.3 million - Transport CHARTERED INDUSTRIES Oct.88 84mm Carl Gustaf rockets, mortars, ammunition - Arms DEFMAT AEROSPACE, May 92 Demonstrated ATR-72 aircraft - Arms DEVELOPMENT BANK OF SINGAPORE, Aug.92 Seminar in Rangoon - Training E.C.I. MINERALS, Feb.91 Barite powder mfg, US$3.2 million - Oil & Gas ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD, Alan Yeo, May 93 Bilateral trade, $372 million - Trade GENERAL HOTELS MANAGEMENT, 1992, STRAND HOTELS INT'L (?) - Tourism GESTETNER via J.K. PTE LTD (S'PORE), Apr.92 Sales & Service Centre - Trade GOLDEN GLORY, Feb.90 Toshiba products - Trade GOLDEN GLORY, Oct.90 Opened Konica Centre in Rangoon - Trade GOLDEN GLORY, Aug.93 TVs & cameras to Burmese SEAP Games winners - Culture H.G.S. Sep.91 Surveys for oil companies - Oil & Gas HAW PAR TRADING 1989 - Trade HIGHSONICS, Oei Hong Leong, Feb.93 Owns MYANMAR AIRWAYS INT'L - Tourism HSING CHAIO TRADING, Feb.89 US$1.1 million - Trade HURPER CO Jul.89 Suspected arms dealer - Arms INOTECH INDUSTRIES Mar.91 Import-export construction material - Trade J.K. PTE LTD (S'PORE), Apr.92 GESTETNER Sales & Service Centre - Trade JOB CENTRE LTD, Jan.92 Study to employ `Myanmar' workers in Singapore - Labour JOO TAT HANG TRADING 1990 Mango exports - Trade KEPPEL Jul.90 Interested in transportation and ocean-going vessels - Transport MOTIWALLA ENTERPRISE, Feb.90 Foodstuff, textile, consumer goods - Trade (Motiwalla Singapore operation managed by Aye Zaw Win, Ne Win's son-in-law) MYANMAR AIRWAYS INT'L, May 93 Airline - Tourism (MAI Thai representative is Win Oo, brother of Moe Zaw, Ne Win's son-in-law) MYANMAR LEADING LOGISTICS Sep.90 Supplies oil firms, US$3.7million - Oil & Gas MYANMAR SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL Operates Department Store - Trade N.C. WOODWORK, Sep.89 Making doors, US$0.8 million - Forestry NATSTEEL TRADE, Sep.90 Hardware, construct. material - Trade NATSTEEL TRADE, May 91 Hardware Centre in Rangoon, machine rental - Trade Oei Hong Leong, Feb.93 Owns part of HIGHSONICS - Investment P.A.E. SINGAPORE Sep.91 Site preparation for oil companies, US$10 million - Oil & Gas Foreign Trade & Investments: UPDATE: FOREIGN FIRMS IN BURMA - 10 Source: Burma Alert SINGAPORE: (continued) PACIFIC SEED Feb.90 Hybrid corn seed production - Agriculture Q.A.F., Brunei Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Feb.93 Investment in HIGHSONICS - Tourism Q.A.F. and others, Feb.93 Duty-free shop in Rangoon airport - Tourism S.K.S. MARKETING Aug.89 Electrical, photographic & printing goods, US$7.7 million - Trade S.K.S. MARKETING Own MYANMAR LEADING LOGISTICS - Oil & Gas S.K.S. MARKETING Owns MYANMAR SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL - Trade SANMAS TRADING CO, Jan.93 Sales contract at Myanmar Co-op Trade Fair - Trade SEAWITE CO, Apr.90 11 vessels in Burmese waters - Fisheries SHENGLI HOLDINGS via ALLIED ORDNANCE Oct.88 Supplied arms - Arms SILK AIR, 1993 Charter flights to Rangoon - Tourism SINGAPORE via ALLIED ORDNANCE Oct.88 Arms & ammunition - Arms SINGAPORE via CHARTERED INDUSTRIES Oct.88 Rockets, mortars, ammunition - Arms SINGAPORE via SHENGLI HOLDINGS\slash ALLIED ORDNANCE Oct.88 Supplied arms - Arms SINGAPORE AIRLINES via TRADEWINDS, Aug.91 Flights to Rangoon office - Tourism SINGAPORE ECONOMIC DELEGATION, Aug.93 Economic cooperation - Infrastructure SINGAPORE PARAMEE, Jun.90 Consumer products - Trade SINGAPURA UNITED TOBACCO, Oct.90 Cigarette factory, US$1.5 million - Foodstuff T.T. IMPORT EXPORT via SINGAPORE PARAMEE Sales Centre in Rangoon - Trade TRADEWIND AIRLINE, May.90 Twice-weekly flights to Rangoon - Tourism TRADEWIND AIRLINE, Aug.91 Opened Rangoon office - Tourism TRANSICOM 1989 Producing and marketing animal feed, US$0.25 million - Agriculture TRANSICOM Feb.90 Fish farming, technology exchange- Agriculture AUSTRALIA: A.G.C. WOODWARD-CLYDE, Sep.93 Waste management consultants - Infrastructure AUSTRALIAN CIVIL & STRUCTURAL, Sep.93 Engineering consultants - Infrastructure B.H.P. COUNTERTRADE (S'PORE) Jan.90 Barter, US$50 million - Trade B.H.P. COUNTERTRADE (S'PORE) Jan.90 Barter, US$80 million - Infrastructure BLAKERS PUMP ENGINEER, Sep.93 Pumps, turbines, liquid control systems, etc - Industry C.C.D. AUSTRALIA, Sep.93 Engineering consultants - Infrastructure EAST WEST DIAMOND PRODUCTS, Sep.93 Machining, drill bits, etc - Oil & Gas ERICSSON AUSTRALIA, Dec.92 1,000 mobile cellular telephones - Communications GLOBAL LIVESTOCK EXPORTS, Sep.93 Cattle, sheep, goats, pets, rabbits, etc - Livestock HEAVILIFT, Sep.91 Helicopter transport for AMOCO - Oil & Gas KAILIS RESOURCES, Block M (S Arakan), 1991 Exploration - Oil & Gas KAILIS RESOURCES, Block L (N Arakan), Sep.92 Exploration - Oil & Gas LLOYDS, Sep.91 Air transport for oil companies - Oil & Gas MODRA ELECTRIC POWER, Sep.93 Generators, switchboards, power stations - Energy MULTIPLEX CONSTRUCTIONS, Sep.93 Livestock, Grain, Construction, etc - Industry NEW FISHING AUSTRALIA, Theo Kailis, Jul.92 Visted Fisheries Minister - Fisheries P.G. AIREY & ASSOCIATES, Sep.93 Engineering consultants - Infrastructure PACIFIC ARC EXPLORATION, May 93 Interested in Gold & other metals - Mining RICHARD KLINGER PTY, Sep.93 Gauges, Valves, Gaskets, etc - Industry STEFANI PURE WATER AUSTRALASIA, Sep.93 Water purifiers - Industry STOCKDALE, 90 Exploring for diamonds in Myeik & Mong Mit - Mining TRANSCOM INTERNATIONAL, Sep.93 Radio, telephone, consultants - Communications Foreign Trade & Investments: UPDATE: FOREIGN FIRMS IN BURMA - 11 Source: Burma Alert BANGLADESH: COX'S BAZAAR SEAFOODS, Aug.90 US$6.9 million - Fisheries SEA FISHERS OVERSEAS, Dec.90 US$7.7 million - Fisheries BELGIUM: FABRIQUE NATIONALE, 1978 & 87 Weapons systems for Pilatus Aircraft - Arms FORGES DE ZEEBRUGGES, 1976 & 87 Weapons systems for Pilatus Aircraft - Arms BRUNEI: ROYAL BRUNEI AIRLINES, May 93 Leasing Boeing 757 aircraft - Tourism BAIDURI HOLDINGS (Royal family), Feb.93 Owns HIGHSONICS (S'pore) - Tourism DENMARK: MAERSK, Sep.93 Drilling contractor for TOTAL (France), US$20 million - Oil & Gas INDIA: BOMBAY COTTON, Mar.93 Trade delegation - Trade COMMERCE MINISTRY, Jt-Secretary Ashoke Jha, Mar.93 Trade delegation - Trade FOREIGN MINISTRY, J N Dixit, Mar.93 Bilateral Treaty, US$200 million\slash yr - Trade MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA, Mar.93 Trade delegation - Trade NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD, Mar.93 Cooperation Agreement - Drugs R.P. ENTERPRISE, Jan.93 Sales contract, Myanmar Co-op Trade Fair - Trade TELCO, Mar.93 Trade delegation - Trade INDONESIA: ECONOMY, FINANCE & TRADE, Dr Radius Prawiro, Feb.93 Cooperation - Trade GARUDA AIRLINE, Apr.90 Twice-weekly flights to Rangoon - Tourism ISRAEL: EGGED ISRAEL TRANSPORT SOCIETY, Apr.90 100 Leyland buses - Transport LAOS: LAOS, Feb.92 Prime Minister General Khamtay Siphandone visited - Trade LAOS, Jun.92 Signed UNDCP agreement with SLORC - Drugs MACAU: MYANMAR MACAU INTERNATIONAL, Dec.92 3-star hotel - Tourism MAURITIUS: TRADE AND SHIPPING MINISTER Anil Kumar Baichoo Delegation to Burma - Trade PAKISTAN: PAKISTAN ORDNANCE, Mar.89 Machine guns, ammo, 120mm mortars & shells - Arms PAKISTAN ORDNANCE, Jun.91 Rocket launchers, mortars & rifles, US$20 million - Arms PHILIPPINES: PHILIPPINES, Oct.92 2 Economic agreements - Tourism & Trade Foreign Trade & Investments: UPDATE: FOREIGN FIRMS IN BURMA - 12 Source: Burma Alert RUSSIA: SOVIET AVIAEXPORT, May.91 Proposed sale of M-17 Attack helicopters - Arms SOVIET AVIAEXPORT, May.91 Proposed sale of AN-32's or Turpelov 154's - Arms S. KOREA: DAEWOO Jul.89 No.5 Garment factory, US$8 million - Textiles DAEWOO Jul.89 Rangoon Department Store - Trade DAEWOO Jul.89 Copper mine with KMPC, US$20 million - Mining DAEWOO Aug.89 Planning another Department Store - Trade DAEWOO Apr.90 MYANMAR DAEWOO INTN'L to export garments, US$3 million - Textile DAEWOO Apr.90 To build 5-star hotel, US$60 million - Tourism DAEWOO Aug.90 Sold 20 1st Class rail carriages\slash spare parts, US$4 million - Transport DAEWOO May 91 Proposed sale of rail, buses, telephones, a ship-building venture - Transport DAEWOO Nov,91 Plywood joint venture with SAMWON, US$1 million - Forestry DAEWOO Jan.92 Sold 200 Daewoo buses - Transport DAEWOO, Aug.92 Sponsored car manufacturing study team to Korea - Industry DAEWOO ELECTRONICS, Jul.90 Electronics factory, US$6.6 million - Industry DONGWON INDUSTRIES Feb.89 US$0.5 million - Fisheries HYUNDAI MOTORS Dec.89 Has office in Rangoon - Transport KOREA May.89 Interested in funding Moei River bridge - Infrastructure KOREA FOREIGN MINISTRY, Jan.92 Economic and trade ties - Trade KOREA TRADE MINISTRY, Oct.92 Economic co-opn, Investment Guarantees - Trade KOREAN MINE PROMOTION CORP Jul.89 Copper mine with DAEWOO - Mining POHANG IRON & STEEL Nov.92 Steel Mill - Industry SAMWON Nov.91 Plywood joint venture with DAEWOO, US$1 million - Forestry SAMSUNG CORP Dec.89 - Trade SEGYI CORP Jun.90 Textile manufacture & export, US$4.75 million - Textile SEOUL AIR INTN'L Apr.91 Proposed training helicopter pilots - Training SEOUL AIR INTN'L Sep.91 Helicopter for oil companies - Oil & Gas WOOSHIN SANGHAP Feb.89 US$0.8 million - Fisheries YUKONG, Block C, Oct.89 Exploration, US$39 million - Oil & Gas YUKONG, Jul.93 New concession, exploration - Oil & Gas TAIWAN: FOREIGN MINISTER Fredrick Chien met Aye Zaw Win, ABC Services, Sep.92 - Trade PREMIER Hau Pei-tsum met Aye Zaw Win, ABC Services, Sep.92 - Trade PRESIDENTIAL SEC-GEN Chiang Yen-shih met Aye Zaw Win, ABC Services, Sep.92 - Trade YUGOSLAVIA: YUGOSLAVIA, Aug.90 20 Soko Galeb `G-4' ground attack aircraft - Arms YUGOSLAVIA, Oct.90 3 `Koncar' class light patrol boats - Arms