May 1994 No.5, Volume 5 LIEUTENANT-GENERAL MAUNG AYE MADE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF SLORC On 27 April, Lieut-Gen Maung Aye, 57, Army Commander-in-Chief and Vice Chief of Staff of the Defence Services, was appointed to the newly created post of Vice Chairman of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Asiaweek and Rangoon-based diplomats interpreted the appointment as strengthening the position of Lieut-Gen Khin Nyunt, the powerful intelligence chief and SLORC's Secretary 1. A Burma-watcher in Bangkok also said that Maung Aye is close to Khin Nyunt and that he was promoted in order to be able to replace Senior General Than Shwe as chairman of SLORC [A940511, N940429]. Other Burmese sources and the Far Eastern Economic Review [F940519], however, see Maung Aye's appointment as an attempt by others to block Khin Nyunt from becoming too powerful within SLORC. Whatever the motive, it is clear that SLORC is divided - Ed. PRASONG INVITES RANGOON Thai Foreign Minister Prasong Soonsiri visited Rangoon on April 19 as Chairman of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Standing Committee. The purpose of the trip was to find out if SLORC would be willing to attend the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting to be held in Bangkok in July 1994, as the guest of the host country - Thailand. Originally, Prasong wanted to invite SLORC as an Observer which would have led to Burma becoming a member. Other ASEAN members, however, balked at the idea especially given SLORC's record of persecution of Burma's muslim minorities. Then in 1993, Prasong determined that, as Chairman, he would invite SLORC unilaterally (BA No.10, Vol.4, October 1993). ASEAN members, however, pointed out that the Chairman represents ASEAN and as such he could only act if there was a consensus. After much debate, a compromise solution credited to Japan was accepted. SLORC will only be allowed to attend the opening and closing ceremonies of the ASEAN meeting as a guest of the host country. It will not have any official status and will not participate in the deliberations. SLORC has accepted the invitation [A940427, F940428, CAN]. JAPAN CONTINUES TO SEEK RELEASE OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI Tokyo, 10 May - Japanese Prime Minister Tsutomo Hata affirmed to U Win Khet, Chairman of the National League for Democracy (Liberated Area, Burma) that his government will continue to seek the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The Hata-Win Khet meeting took place during an official reception for Socialist International (SI) delegates hosted by the Prime Minister on a cruise ship in Tokyo Bay. Both Hata and Japanese Foreign Minister Koji Kakizawa were requested not to renew Official Development Assistance (ODA) to SLORC. The request to Kakizawa was made by Dr Tun Aye at another official reception for SI delegates hosted by the Foreign Minister. U Win Khet, Dr Tun Aye and Harn Yawnghwe represented the NLD (LA) in Tokyo. Addressing the SI Council, U Win Khet called on the SI to support the democracy movement in Burma and said that no real change can occur without the political participation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Other speakers who expressed concern and support for the Burmese democracy movement included Sheikh Hasina, president of the Awami League and daughter of Sheikh Mujiba Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, Felix Anthony (Fiji Sugar and General Workers Union), Pradip Bose (Indian Centre for Democratic Socialism), Ahmed Nor (Democratic Action Party of Malaysia), Helen Clark (New Zealand Labour Party), and Raimon Obiols (Spanish Socialist Workers Party). A strongly worded resolution on Burma calling for SLORC to hand over power to the winners of the May 1990 general elections was adopted unanimously by the Council. SI Secretary-General Luis Ayala of Chile confirmed that SI's Asia Pacific Committee has made Burma its priority. World leaders who endorsed the SI decision included Prime Minister Gros Harlem Brundtland of Norway, Cambodian 2nd Prime Minister Hun Sen and former French Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy. Norway is supporting Dr Sein Win's National Coalition Government and Hun Sen offered to work for the release of Daw Suu. SI is the oldest and largest political association of socialist, social democrat and labour parties, currently comprising 111 parties and organizations [NLD(LA)]. Burma News: GAS PIPELINE ROUTE CHOSEN SLORC and Thailand have agreed on the route to transport Burmese natural gas from the Gulf of Martaban to Thailand. Amid sabotage threats from anti-SLORC forces, especially the Karen National Union, it was agreed that the pipeline (300 km offshore and 100 km onshore) will enter Thailand in Pilok, Thong Phaphum district (Nat-Ein-Taung or Ban-I-Tong area) in Kanchanaburi province, 200 km northwest of Bangkok. To provide security for the pipeline, SLORC is building a railway line from Ye in Mon State to Tavoy to facilitate troop movement, as well as to transport machinery and equipment needed for laying the pipes. While SLORC has promised to suppress the dissident ethnic groups, Thai officials are not convinced that Rangoon can deliver. The pipeline route decision was influenced by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's decision to install a 2,100-megawatt combined-cycle power plant in Ratchaburi province, 150 km southwest of Bangkok, which will run on Martaban gas. The power station will be linked to SLORC's pipeline by a pipeline on Thai soil. The Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) has already received cabinet approval to invest in the Thai pipeline which will cost US$450 million. The 36-inch diametre pipeline on the Burmese side, costing at least US$500-600 million, will be undertaken by Total (France), Unocal (USA) and PTT Exploration & Production. PTTEP is negotiating to obtain a 30% share in the gas field development. A gas-pricing formula has yet to be finalized but the Ratchaburi power plant is scheduled to come on stream in 1998. The initial gas flow will be 250 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd) rising to 600 MMcfd. Total is confident that it can prove 3-4 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves in its M5 and M6 concession areas, making it twice the size of its Bong Kot natural gas field in the Gulf of Thailand [BWR940513]. MALAYSIANS URGE ASEAN TO CANCEL SLORC INVITATION On 18 May, the Malaysian Action Front representing fifty-one Malaysian trade unions, political parties and human rights organizations, urged ASEAN to cancel its invitation to SLORC. The ASEAN Ministerial meeting will be held in Bangkok in July. The MAF said that ASEAN should not lend any respectability or legitimacy to the military junta suppressing democracy and human rights in Burma. Lim Kit Siang, the leader of the Official Opposition in Malaysia's Parliament, also urged the cancellation of the invitation. He said, ``Inviting Burma would amount to ASEAN condoning and endorsing the undemocratic and repressive policies of the Burmese junta.'' The MAF said that it was backing a call to ASEAN by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy to cancel the invitation [AP940518]. SLORC CABINET RESHUFFLE SLORC Education Minister Colonel Pe Thein was appointed Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office on April 27. His portfolio was given to U Than Aung, Minister for Cooperatives. Dr Than Nyunt was made Deputy Education Minister. U Aung Thein was named Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries and Colonel Aung San was appointed Deputy Minister for Construction [N940429]. Earlier in Jan, Lieut-Colonel Than Nyunt, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, was reassigned as Deputy Minister for Industry 1. He was replaced by Colonel Tin Hlaing from Irrawady Division. Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs U Kyaw Aye was also reassigned to the Ministry of Labour. He was replaced by Colonel Aung Khin from Mandalay Division. U Aung Phone was appointed Deputy Minister for Forestry, U Saw Tun, Deputy Minister for Industry 2, and U Kyaw Tin, Deputy Minister for Agriculture [N940129, WPD940128]. SLORC also re-named the Ministry for Development of Border Areas and National Races as the Ministry for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs. The minister remains Lieut-Gen Maung Thint [WPD940131]. THAILAND AGREES TO ARREST BURMESE `TERRORISTS' Thai First Army Region commander Lieut-Gen Chettha Thanajaro said that he and Maj-Gen Khet Sein, commander of SLORC's Southeastern Command had worked out an agreement whereby Thailand will arrest Burmese `terrorists' travelling through Bangkok on false passports. The agreement was reached during a meeting of the Thai-Burmese Border Committee in April in Moulmein. Chetta pushed for the repatriation of 300,000 illegal Burmese immigrants `causing social and economic problems' in Thailand. SLORC agreed to take them if it can be proven that they are Burmese citizens [B940424]. Burma News: THAI PRINCESS VISITS KENGTUNG Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand made a private visit to Kengtung, 3-4 March. She was met at the border town of Tachilek by Shan State (East) Law and Order Restoration Council Chairman and Kengtung Regional Commander Brigadier-General Kyaw Win and Thai Ambassador Virasaksi Futrakul. The Princess drove overland and was welcomed in Kengtung by Shan State LORC Chairman and Eastern Region Commander Brig-Gen Saw Tun, and Deputy Foreign Minister U Nyun Swe. After visiting monasteries, pagodas, schools and donating gifts, the Princess left by helicopter [N940303,SLORC]. It is ironic that the much revered and popular Princess visited Kentung and indirectly boosted support for closer Thai-SLORC relations at a time when SLORC was insulting her personally and denigrading her people (see Box $$) Ed. SLORC'S ARAKAN OVERTURE On 23 Dec.93, Brigadier-General Win Myint, SLORC Western Region commander, visited the Burma Army outpost in Mareitwa village, Arakan State, and stated that SLORC would like to negotiate a cease-fire with the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP). Later on, Major Tint Saing of the 354th Battalion commanding the outpost held a public meeting to convey the message to the ALP. The offer was rejected by the ALP which is a member of the Democratic Alliance of Burma [ALP940509]. NEWS SOURCES THIS ISSUE: A = Asiaweek, ALP = Arakan Liberation Party, AP = Associated Press, B = Bangkok Post, BA = Burma Alert, BWR = Bangkok Post Weekly Review, CAN = Canadian Government, F = Far Eastern Economic Review, N = The Nation, Bangkok, NLD(LA) = National League for Democracy (Liberated Area), SLORC = State Law and Order Restoration Council/Embassy, and WPD = Working People's Daily, now New Light of Myanmar. THAI-MYANMAR TIES Asiaweek (11 May 1994) was shocked by an article in the Burmese language magazine, Myetkhin'thit, published in Rangoon. It said, ``The slanderous items in Myetkhin'thit could not have appeared without the knowledge of government censors.'' We are publishing a translation of the offending portion on page 136 of the Vol.46, February 1994 issue of Myetkhin'thit. The intent is not to insult the Thai Royal family or the Thai people, but to expose the nature of the Burmese generals whom the Thai government is trying so hard to please - Ed. The magazine featured a fictional conversation between a Vietnamese, Nguyen Keng, and a Burmese, Saw Henry Aye: Nguyen - ``Though your girl is not a princess like Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, she is more intelligent and more patriotic. Sirindhorn is well-known globally because her father is the Thai king. If she were the daughter of an ordinary farmer or fisherman, she would have become a $$$$$$$$$$.'' Henry - ``You are too harsh, Nguyen Keng.'' Nguyen - ``You know that prostitution is the product of the Thai social system and that it is a traditional profession in Thailand. So I am not being too extreme. In many of our Southeast Asian countries, we have a revolutionary spirit to fight against imperialism and to fight for national liberation. But Thailand has lost its revolutionary spirit and its society has developed on the basis of institutionalized prostitution that caters to imperialism. Your girl is a heroine. She is not a piece of debris adrift in that social stream''. Myetkhin'thit is run by SLORC's military intelligence apparatus. The same article also said, ``The Thai military is an offshoot of the US military. Up to now, the Royal Thai Army has not been able to carry out its national task. Our two countries (Burma and Vietnam) have had the tradition of carrying out our national duties with a revolutionary spirit.'' So much for `constructive engagement' - Ed. International Action: DEFIANCE AS A STRATEGY The Cambridge, Massachussetts-based ALBERT EINSTEIN INSTITUTION on 22-24 April sponsored a consultation for Burmese democracy leaders to examine the nature of political defiance and its potential for restoring democracy to Burma. Participants included Dr Sein Win, Prime Minister, National Coalition Government, U Bo Hla Tint, Minister in Charge of Foreign Affairs, U Win Khet, Chairman, National League for Democracy (Liberated Area), Louisa Benson, Karen National Union and Democratic Alliance of Burma representative in the USA, Dr Thaung Htun, All Burma Students Democratic Front, Daw Sunda Kin, NCGUB Office, Washington DC, Dr Tyn Myint U and Daw Aye Aye Thant from the Harvard Centre for International Affairs, Dr Mya Maung from Boston College, and Harn Yawnghwe, ADDB. Presentations were made by Colonel Robert Helvey, Dr Christopher Kruegler, President of the Institution, and Dr Gene Sharp, Senior Scholar-in-Residence. A similar consultation was held for KNU President General Bo Mya and Dr Em Marta in June 1993. JAPANESE DIET WRITES U.N. A record number of Japanese legislators (508 out of the 763 Diet members) signed a letter to UN Secretary General Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali calling for the unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political leaders in Burma and a swift and complete transition to civilian rule. The letter was initiated by Satsuki Eda, leader of the United Social Democratic Party and former Minister for Science and Technology and was handed over to the Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshi Kumagi on 18 May by Diet members Shokei Arai, Susumu Yanase and others. In March 1993, a similar letter was signed by 374 legislators. The Japanese Diet also wrote to Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai in November 1993. COLLOQUIM ON BURMA The FRIENDS OF BURMA AT HARVARD and the COMMITTEE ON SOUTH ASIAN STUDY co-sponsored a colloquim on Burma, ``HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Burma and Forced Prostitution of Burmese Women in Thailand,'' at the Harvard School of Education on 27 April. Speakers were Dr Jonathan Mann, Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Professor of Health and Human Rights and Professor of Epidemiology and International Health at the Harvard School of Public Health and Therese Caouette from Asia Watch. DELHI STUDENTS PROTEST AT THAI AND SLORC EMBASSIES On 27 May, Burmese students in India under the banner of the BURMESE STUDENTS MOVEMENT IN INDIA (Burmese Students League, All Burma Students Union and others) rallied in New Delhi in front of the SLORC and Thai embassies to protest SLORC's non-recognition of the 1990 election results. An open letter to Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai urged him to abandon Thailand's `Constructive Engagement' policy, revoke SLORC's invitation to ASEAN, and join the international community in enforcing the UN's resolution on Burma. UNOCAL UNDER PRESSURE A surprising 14.1% of the shareholders at Unocal's 25 Apr annual meeting voted for a resolution asking its Board of Directors to issue a full report on its activities in Burma. Although the resolution did not pass, Simon Billenness, Coalition for Corporate Withdrawal from Burma, said, ``The Unocal meeting was incredible. Normally, social-issue resolutions initially win only 2-7% of the vote.'' Unocal denies charges that SLORC is using slave labour to build its gas pipeline and shareholders are determined to continue pressuring management to stop supporting SLORC. LETTER TO CHUAN LEEKPAI On the 4th anniversary of the May 27 general elections, the Burmese community in the USA wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai expressing their understanding of the heavy burden placed on Thailand by Burmese refugees. However, the letter pointed out that the root cause of the problem is the Burmese military's refusal to respect the will of the Burmese people as expressed in the 1990 election. The letter expressed concern that Thailand's `constructive engagement' policy will not bring about change as hoped for, but only entrench the military and lead to more social upheaval as in 1988. The Burmese requested Chuan as the Prime Minister of a democratically elected civilian government to review Thailand's Burma policy, revoke SLORC's invitation to ASEAN, help the Burmese democracy movement and join the international community in implementing the UNGA resolution on Burma. Foreign Investments: FRANCE: BANQUE INDOSUEZ was granted a licence to open an branch office in Rangoon [N931113]. CROISIERES PAQUET and Myanma Hotels and Tourism Enterprise arranged for the MS PEARL cruise ship to bring 360 tourists to Rangoon for a one-day visit on 2 April. This is the ship's fourth voyage to Burma [SLORC]. SINGAPORE: DEVELOPMENT BANK OF SINGAPORE was granted a licence to open a branch office in Rangoon [N931113]. KEPPEL BANK OF SINGAPORE LTD has a branch office in Rangoon [SLORC]. OVERSEAS CHINESE BANKING CORPORATION will be opening a branch office in Rangoon in 1994 [SLORC]. SILK AIR regularly services Rangoon from Singapore [SLORC]. SINGAPORE established a US$3million Myanmar Technical Assistance Fund to help develop SLORC's technical manpower. The Fund is similar to the US$10 million Indochina Assistance Fund set up by Singapore in 1992 to give technical assistance to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos [A940427, SBC940328]. UNITED OVERSEAS BANK was granted a licence to open a branch in Rangoon [N931113]. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: PEPSICO INTERNATIONAL through its wholly-owned subsidiary PEPSI-COLA (Thai) TRADING CO., is increasing its holding in its Thai softdrink distributor SERMSUK CO. from 28.29% to 42.08%. This will increase PEPSI's stake to about US$4.4 million. Apart from a 35% share in a US$3 million bottling plant in Rangoon, PEPSICO's investment in Sermsuk will increase its investment in Burma. Sermsuk invested US$35 million in Burma in Aug.90 to operate a brewery and a factory to process raw material for the brewery [BWR940520]. PEPSICO'S subsidiary PEPSI-COLA PRODUCTS MYANMAR LTD and SLORC's Ministry of Trade co-sponsored the first MYANMAR INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR'94 which was held in Rangoon from April 1-12 and April 18-24. The Trade Fair was intended to boost exports from Burma [B940503]. BELGIUM: TRANSURB CONSULTANTS was awarded a US$1million contract by UNDP to upgrade Burma's State Railways. It includes technical training for railway officials and the re-design of a steam locomotive workshop in Insein to handle diesel engines [N940408]. THAILAND: On 17 Mar, SLORC approved a new Burmese airline, AIR MANDALAY, to serve between Mandalay and Thailand. The airline will use two ART.72 aircraft [B940317]. According to SLORC National Planning and Economic Development Minister Brig-Gen David Abel, the BANGKOK BANK, the THAI FARMERS BANK and the THAI MILITARY BANK have been approached by SLORC through the Union of Myanmar Economic Holding Co. (UMEHC) to become correspondent banks with the State Bank in Burma [B940407]. The CHIANGRAI PROVINCIAL ELECTRICITY AUTHORITY on 25 Apr, signed a 5-year contract to sell 1 megawatt of power to SLORC to supply the 11,900 homes in Tachilek, Kengtung State [N940416]. Two other joint electricity projects are being proposed by SLORC. One involving an underground thermal plant in Kengtung is being studied by NEW ZEALAND. The Chiangrai PEA is interested in a US$80 million hydroelectric plant on the Mae Sai River [N940502]. GLOBAL GROUP owned by Charin Nukornavarat opened AIR PEOPLE TOUR (MYANMAR) - 70% share, in Rangoon in Nov.93 to exploit the air travel and tourist business in Burma [BWR931203]. LOXLEY PLC signed a marketing agreement with the UMEHC to distribute jewellery from Burma and for Loxley Myanmar Co. (set up in Jan.94) to distribute consumer, telecommunications and related products in Burma [B940407]. SIAM COMMERCIAL BANK, GCN HOLDINGS and the UMEHC formed a joint venture, MYANMAR CONSULTANTS (Thailand) CO to disseminate investment information from SLORC ministries and to issue visas and licences to investors [N/B940408]. THAI INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS regularly services Rangoon from Bangkok [SLORC]. New Feature: INSIDE BURMA Khin Nyunt claims that the people of Burma accept SLORC rule and that the democracy movement consists of only a few dissidents agitating outside Burma. Casual observers have also commented on the seeming lack of resistance to SLORC within Burma. First, it should be noted that SLORC is one of the most repressive regimes in the world. It does not tolerate dissent. Second, SLORC has a virtual monopoly on information. Acts of defiance or resistance are often not reported in the official media. To address this deficiency, the Burma Alert will periodically publish news of events INSIDE BURMA not covered by either the official or international media. The events reported here took place last year. Whenever a disturbance occurs, SLORC will seal off the area to prevent news of the event from spreading. Some reports were, therefore, received long after they took place and were no longer `newsworthy' for the international media. SLORC WAREHOUSE LOOTED On 24 June 1993, at 9 am, about 400 farmers and dockworkers looted a SLORC rice warehouse in Syriam across the river from Rangoon, to fend off starvation. SLORC declared a curfew (Section 144) and arrested 200 villagers. STUDENT PROTEST FOILED On 7 July 1993, the 31st anniversary of the Rangoon University student massacre, students planned to protest SLORC's National Convention. They were, however, foiled by and a student leader was arrested. MARTYR'S DAY PROTEST On 19 July 1993, Martyr's Day, students laid wreaths at the General Aung San's tomb in Rangoon and shouted anti-SLORC slogans. A number of students were arrested. MERIT-MAKING CEREMONY TO MARK ARREST ANNIVERSAY On 20 July 1993, the 4th anniversary of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest, students and NLD youth offered food to Buddhist monks and distributed anti-SLORC leaflets at the social gathering. No one was arrested. CURFEW IN YENANCHAUNG On 24 Aug 1993, there was an undefined crisis involving Burma Oil Company workers and Myanmar Oil & Gas officials in Yenanchaung, Magwe Division. A curfew (Section 144) was declared for 2 days. Details not available. MYINGYAN FIRE VICTIMS PROTEST SLORC CORRUPTION On 24 Aug 1993, a curfew (Section 144) was declared in Myingyan following an anti-SLORC demonstration. A major fire swept through Myingyan on 27 May. International agencies and foreign nations made donations to the fire victims. However, it was later alleged that Myingyan Township and District authorities picked through the relief supplies and gave the fire victims what was left. The fire victims made a bonfire of the donated goods and protested against the corruption, the high prices of goods and the scarcity of rice and other commodities. RIOTING IN PAUNGDE On 5 Aug 1993, a disagreement between some youth and an ethnic Indian shopkeeper in Paungde, western Pegu Division, escalated into an anti-SLORC riot. Initially, over 500 farmers wrecked Indian shops in Paungde but the rampage extended to shops and businesses owned by military personnel and their relatives. Warehouses were also looted. Units of the 66th Light Infantry Division were sent in and a curfew (Section 144) was declared indefinitely. SLORC sent Home Affairs Minister Maj-Gen Mya Thinn to personally investigate. On 7 Aug, Mya Thinn told the Pegu authorities that the disturbances were politically motivated. MANDALAY RIOTS On 18 Sep 1993, the 5th anniversary of SLORC's coup d'etat, a car ran over some students' parked bicycles in Mandalay. Instead of apologizing, the driver said that he was from Kokang and flouted his SLORC connections and dared the students to report him to the authorities. Nearby students who were already resentful of Kokang domination of trade in Mandalay, immediately beat up the driver who ran away. The students then burnt the car, made anti-SLORC speeches and marched up 35th street. Other groups joined the students until a crowd of 10,000 gathered in front of the market. At 2 pm, police using batons and fire hoses tried unsuccessfully to break up the crowd. By 4 pm, the crowd had grown to 25,000. Microphones and loudspeakers were set up and anti-SLORC speeches were made. At 7 pm, SLORC troops started to seal the area. As it grew dark, the troops moved in at 10 pm and dispersed the gathering. About 70 people were arrested but SLORC announced that only 27 were arrested.