Burma Alert
MARCH 1997
Volume 8, No.3
SUHARTO MEETS NE WIN
On 22 Feb, Indonesian President Suharto met with General Ne Win, 85, for an hour. Ne Win has received no foreign dignitaries since 1988. The talks reinforced long-standing speculation that he remains a powerful figure behind the scene. Suharto has said that he wants Burma admitted to ASEAN, without conditions, as soon as possible. About US$200 million worth of Indonesian investments have been approved to date. Several new agreements, including a joint venture for a new domestic Burmese air service to help develop Burma's border areas, and one by the Citra Group headed by Suharto's daughter, Siri Hardijanti Rukmana, were signed [AFP970224, SMH970224].
CHINESE AID TO SLORC According to the Far Eastern Economic Review China will now train 300 Burmese air force and navy officers. The People's Liberation Army will provide additional places in staff colleges for senior Burmese officers. The two sides will also exchange intelligence on threats to their respective countries, and Beijing will provide `fiscal assistance' to SLORC. The agreement was reached when Burma's Army Chief and Vice-chairman of SLORC Gen Maung Aye paid an unpublicized visit to China 22-29 Oct [F970130].
SLORC - INDIA AGREEMENT India and SLORC have agreed to develop the old Second World War `Burma Road' from Tamu to Kalemyo to facilitate movement of people and commodities across the border. The road is over 160 kms [AIR970106].
ASEM MEETING IN SINGAPORE On 13-14 Feb, Association of South East Asian nations (ASEAN) and European Union Foreign Ministers met in Singapore to discuss closer economic, trade and cultural ties [F970213].
NEW KARENNI PREMIER In Dec.96, the Karenni National Progressive Party elected deputy party leader Pae Bu Pae, 60, as its new prime minister and party leader, replacing General Aung Than Lay, 65, who is reportedly in poor health [B961226].
UPDATE - SLORC OFFENSIVE SLORC Radio said its forces had clashed 53 times with the Karen National Union since the its offensive began on 8 Feb. The fighting has displaced thousands of Karen civilians and led to artillery exchanges between Thai and SLORC troops along the frontier. SLORC claimed that 511 Karen officers and soldiers had surrendered following disagreements with the KNU leadership. According to the KNU, about 100 SLORC troops had been killed or wounded in the fighting [AP970223].
MUSLIMS FORCED TO FLEE HOMES About 1,000 Muslims in Nabu village in Kawkareik Township were forced at gun-point to leave their homes in early Jan. After they left, the village mosque was torn down by SLORC troops. About 200 of the Muslims from Nabu have sought refuge in Mae Lah refugee camp in northwestern Thailand [Reu970122].
MORE MON REFUGEES About 4,000 Mon villagers from 16 villages under NMSP influence have fled their homes to escape being forcibly relocated by SLORC to facilitate its military operations against the Mons. About 500 of the Mon villagers have arrived at a point near the Thai border but they have been barred from entering Thailand by Thai authorities. They are suffering from shortage of food and medicine [N961223, B961223].
MONS SPLIT OVER CEASE FIRE Since the cease-fire with SLORC more than a year ago, the New Mon State Party is facing difficulties with SLORC and within its own ranks. SLORC's violation of cease-fire conditions - including a promise to end forced labour and forced relocation of villages - has not helped. SLORC has also forbidden the teaching of the Mon language in more than 100 NMSP schools in contravention of the cease-fire agreement. In Nov.96, Mon troops under the command of Colonel Oung Seik Hlein and Major Sein Ba Than left the NMSP to form the Mon Army. Another Mon group under Nai Cho Aung operates in the Mergui and Tavoy area where the Total/Unocal gas pipeline will be laid [N961223, B961223].
KACHIN OPIUM ON THE RISE Opium production in northern and western Kachin State is reportedly increasing. In the early 1990's, the Kachin Independence Organization reduced opium cultivation but SLORC is encouraging local farmers in areas under its control to grow poppies. Four heroin factories are reported to be operating in Mandalay [F9702020].
DRUG TRADE RISING IN VIETNAM Drug trafficking in Vietnam is increasing causing concern for the ruling Communist Party. High officials have recently been implicated and arrested. Most of the heroin and opium are thought to originate from Thailand. They are taken across Laos and shipped overseas from Haiphong and Vinh [F970206]. The Thai heroin could easily have come from Burma - Ed.
KHUN SA EMPIRE THRIVING Drug warlord Khun Sa's business empire is thriving according to an aide. He confirmed that Khun Sa, 62, operates a transport service between Mandalay and Rangoon, and owns hotels. ``He has an 11 storey hotel under construction in Rangoon,'' he added. Khun Sa is reportedly living in a luxury house in the inner compound of SLORC's Military Intelligence at Ye Kyi Ein. He is guarded by SLORC and his own troops. Khun Sa has also reportedly rented a house on Thukawaddy Rd (Suniam Park Rd) in Yankin Township near the Sedona Hotel (Corner of Kanbe Rd), where he keeps some girls. He reportedly visits them 2-3 times a week and is usually escorted by SLORC army trucks [N/Reu979298, IS970211].
JAPANESE TOURISTS DETAINED SLORC arrested two Japanese tourists - a man and a woman studying Political Science at Tokyo University - in Kachin State on 14 Jan.97. The couple had rented a pickup truck in Myitkyina and driven to Liza on the China-Burma border which is under the control of the Kachin. After spending five days in Liza, they were detained by Major Mya Win Maung of SLORC LIB 276 at La Gyar Yan check-point in Bhamo district on their return [ABSDF970128].
SLORC UNCOVERS STUDENT PLOT On 1 Feb, SLORC said that it had uncovered a plot by exiled students to create unrest in the country. Colonel Kyaw Thein told a news conference that the Thailand-based All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) with financial backing from certain international organizations, had recruited Burmese operatives to undertake subversive activities using a video parlour and a photocopier shop as fronts. 24 people were arrested. An American woman living in Thailand is said to be the link between the ABSDF and its agents [Reu970201].
KYANDAW CEMETERY TO MOVE On 14 Nov.96, SLORC ordered people to move the remains of their relatives from Kyandaw Cemetery to a new site at Shwe Nyaungbin, two hours drive from Rangoon. Burmese and foreigners of Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist faiths are buried there. In 1991, SLORC ordered people to move their dead from Cantonment Cemetery. The army built an office there. In 1994, Tamwe Cemetery was also moved to enable the army to build a supermarket. Remains in both of these cemeteries were relocated to Kyandaw Cemetery, which is now being moved [Reu970203, Images970117].
SLORC CHANGES CEMETERY PLAN Responding to pleas from Jews in Israel and other countries, Rangoon has decided not to relocate the city's only Jewish cemetery at Kyandaw, the Israeli ambassador said. About 700 Jewish tombs are located in the cemetery, the oldest dating from 1876 [AP/N970204].
U.N. ENVOY MEETS LEADERS In mid-Feb, United Nations envoy Francesc Vendrell, Director for East Asia of the Political Affairs Division, met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and leader of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy Hkun Htun Oo. The SNLD won 23 seats in the 1990 general elections and is the second largest party in that parliament. Vendrell also met with SLORC officials - Lieut-Gen Maung Thint, Minister for Development of Border Areas and National Races, Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw, and Than Aung, Secretary-General of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA). Vendrell was the first senior UN representative to visit Burma since Deputy Secretary-General Alvaro de Soto's trip in late 1995. SLORC and the UN were unable to agree on the terms of an official visit in 1996 [Reu/B970225, ST970220].
CHINESE AID TO SLORC According to the Far Eastern Economic Review China will now train 300 Burmese air force and navy officers. The People's Liberation Army will provide additional places in staff colleges for senior Burmese officers. The two sides will also exchange intelligence on threats to their respective countries, and Beijing will provide `fiscal assistance' to SLORC. The agreement was reached when Burma's Army Chief and Vice-chairman of SLORC Gen Maung Aye paid an unpublicized visit to China 22-29 Oct [F970130].
ROHINGYA ATTACK ON SLORC On 11 Mar, an Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front force attacked a SLORC outpost at Waladaung, 35 miles north of Maungdaw. Five M-16 assault rifles and 335 rounds of ammunition were seized by the ARIF [ARIF970312].
PARLIAMENTARIAN RESIGNS U Maw Ni of the National League for Democracy [NLD], an elected member of the People's Assembly in Yesagyo Township Constituency-1, Magwe Division, citing health and social reasons resigned as an elected representative [MTV970211].
`NO' TO ASEAN MEMBERSHIP Two Singapore opposition parties - the Workers' Party and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) - said on 12 Feb, that ASEAN should not admit Burma until the SLORC junta promises to restore democracy `within a stated time.' The call came in a joint statement on the 50th anniversary of the Burmese union and ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers from the EU and ASEAN. Similar statements were issued by political parties in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Tokyo, Sydney and New Delhi [AFP970212].
HARASSMENT BY THAI POLICE On 9 Jan, Thai police in plain clothes raided the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) Supply Office and arrested 3 persons. They took away documents. After negotiations and the intervention of a Thai group, the three Burmese were released. On 17 Jan, two plainclothes police officers raided the ABSDF Foreign Affairs Office. A payment of Baht 20,000 (US$800) was made to avoid arrest. The officers searched the office and cut the telephone lines before leaving. Shortly after the ABSDF raid, two police officers visited the offices of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) but left without doing anything. In the afternoon on 17 Jan, two plainclothes officers raided the ABSDF Supply office and demanded a payment of Baht 10,000 (US$400). Since no funds were available, the policemen took away the Mackintosh computer that was in the office. It is not clear if the two plainclothes officers who came to the NCGUB office were the same officers who raided the ABSDF Foreign Affairs office. Nor is it clear why Thai authorities are harassing the Burmese democracy movement [ABSDF970117].
THAIS DEPORT 97 MONKS On 28 Jan, Thai authorities raided two Bangkok temples - Wat Prok and Wat Dawn - and deported 97 Buddhist monks to Burma for illegal entry. Wat Prok and Wat Dawn have been raided repeatedly in recent years as Thailand improved its relations with SLORC. Wat Prok is the historic Mon monastery in Bangkok where General Aung San and his thirty comrades formed the Burma Independence Army [AP970129].
SLORC News:
SPORTS MINISTRY IN BURMA On 18 Dec, SLORC created the Ministry of Sports and appointed Colonel Sein Win the Minister [RR/Nando961218].
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SLORC has created a Ministry of
Science and Technology and appointed U Thaung, the former SLORC
ambassador to the USA, as Minister. U Thein Tun is the Deputy
Minister. Strategic Studies Office
In recent years, SLORC has attempted to improve its intelligence
capacity by
forming the Strategic Studies Office. It is staffed as follows:
Head Lieut-Gen Khin Nyunt
Deputy Head Brig-Gen Kyaw Win
Divisional Head Col Kyaw Thein
Divisional Head Col (Air) Thein Swe
GSO-1 Lieut-Col Thein Aye
GSO-2 Major Nyan Lin
Directorate of Intelligence
The Directorate of Intelligence, also headed by Lieut-Gen Khin
Nyunt, has expanded to 27 field battalions [ABSDF9702]:
Director Lieut-Gen Khin Nyunt
Deputy Director Brig-Gen Kyaw Win
News/Intelligence Col Kyaw Thein
Photo/News Lieut-Col Aung Thein
Security Lieut-Col Than Sein
Int/Ext News Lieut-Col Thein Soe
Inspection Lieut-Col Than Tun
Supervisor Lieut-Col Maung Htay
GSO-1 Lieut-Col Khin Maung Thein
GSO-1 Lieut-Col San Pwint
GSO-2 Major Thet Tin Sein
GSO-2 Major Aung Lin Htut
GSO-2 Major Myo Myint
GSO-2 Major Win Zaw
State/Divisional Intel Major Myat Soe Shwe
Central Intel Lieut-Col San Maung
No.1 Mandalay Major Kyaw Aye
No.2 Taunggyi Major Khin Zaw
No.5 Moulmein Major Myo Myint
No.9 Lashio Major Thin Maung Htay
No.16 Mandalay Major Thein Myint Aung
No.17 Kale Major Soe Myint
No.19 Mergui Major Myint Oo
No.22 Kengtung Major Sai Aung Thein
No.23 Kutkai Major Soe Naing
No.24 Tachilek Major Thein Han
No.25 Pa-an Major Khin Maung Kyi
No.27 Loikaw Major Thuta Swe
Note: MI headquarters is at Mingaladon.
No.3 MI Battalion is deployed in Taungoo,
No.4 - Bassein,
No.6, 7, 12. 14 and 26 - Rangoon,
No.8 - Myitkyina,
No.10 Sittwe,
No.11 Pan Thaung,
No.15 Meiktila,
No.18 Budithaung,
No.20 Monywa,
No.21 Bhamo, and
No.28 Htan Thalang.
International:
SYDNEY HONOURS DAW SUU The University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, on 21 Feb, awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It was accepted on her behalf by husband Dr Michael Aris. UTS Vice-Chancellor Professor Tony Blake said the honorary doctorate recognised Daw Suu's commitment to human rights and to the welfare of her fellow Burmese. ``Her determined campaign to achieve change by peaceful means is an inspiration to all Australians,'' he said [UTS970221].
DEMOCRATIC VOICE OF BURMA
First Transmission: 5:30-5:55 p.m. BST (11:00 - 11:25 UTC) on 19
Metre Band at 15175 MHz
Second Transmission: 9:00-9:25 p.m. BST (14:30 - 14:55 UTC) on 25
Metre Band at 11850 MHz
Fax: 47 2236-2525 E-mail: dvb@sn.no
Business News:
SANCTIONS ALARM U.S. BUSINESS Frightened US business groups are mounting a lobbying counter offensive against sanctions. According to the US National Association of Manufacturers, trade and investment with 35 nations are already subject to US penalties and the trend is accelerating. Former US trade ambassador Clayton Yeutter is heading a push by the National Foreign Trade Council, which represents 560 US companies, to persuade Congress to stop the epidemic of sanctions by States and cities across the US. Alarm bells started ringing when Massachusetts joined American cities in imposing sanctions on companies trading with Burma [BW970224].
MITSUBISHI LOSES CONTRACT On 10 Feb, Superior Court Judge William Cahill ruled against Mitsubishi by deciding that San Francisco's Human Rights Commission (HRC) has ultimate power to decide whether a city contractor fits human rights guidelines. HRC recommended against awarding Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America a US$137-million contract because of its activities in Burma. The San Francisco Airport Commission voted 23 Dec.96 to accept the Mitsubishi bid, in spite of HRC opposition, claiming that the contract to build a people-mover at San Francisco International Airport is exempt from San Francisco's Burma selective-purchasing ordinance [ENS970212].
J CREW STOPS BURMA SOURCING On 30 Dec.96, the US fashion clothing manufacturer J Crew, announced that it is ceasing all purchases from Burma after April.
GENERAL HOUSING ESTATE? Yan Shin Co is reportedly developing a housing estate at Shwegondine junction (Komin Kochin Hill). Half the land will accommodate a commercial complex and the other half will be divided into 24 plots - one each for each SLORC member, and 3 for Sr-Gen Than Shwe [IS970211].
KODAK ENDS PACT WITH BURMA Eastman Kodak Co on 13 Jan said that it is ending its relationship with its distributor in Burma to comply with laws passed by some US municipalities that restrict direct trade with Burma [Reu970113].
MYANMAR VICTRADCO OFFICE On 22 Jan, Myanmar Victradco Ltd opened its office at 255 University Avenue. Present were Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister, CEC member of Union Solidarity and Development Association, U Than Shwe; and Adviser at the Office of the SLORC, U Set Maung. Myanmar Victradco Chairman Po Shin Chang donated three air-conditioners worth over Kyat 250,000 (US$ 40,000) for USDA Headquarters. Myanmar Victradco Ltd will sell golf sets, golf accessories, and air-conditioners [MNA970122].
BURMESE BANK FAILS In Feb, the Central Bank of Myanmar assumed control of controversial Prime Commercial Bank (PCB) and is liquidating its assets. About 60% of PCB's loans were non-performing. U Kyaw Win, Deputy-Director of the Central Bank's Supervision Department, is acting as the Managing Director of the bank during the six-month liquidation process. The rescue is expected to cost Kyat 200 million (US$1.2 million). PCB's three-man board of directors, including former Central Bank Governor U Maung Maung Han, have been fired and their assets frozen, but no allegations of wrongdoing have yet been made. The bank was launch in Oct.94 by a Malaysian entrepreneur named Yunus Shamshudeen. Prior to his arrest last year on charges of running a prostitution operation, the Burma-born Shamshudeen, 35, operated a network of some 18 different companies in Burma ranging from property development to teak exports. PCB was at the center of his business network. About half of the bank's nonperforming loans are to companies owned or controlled by Shamshudeen. The bank is nominally owned by a `cover group' of Burmese nationals funded by Shamshudeen. He is now serving a four-year sentence in Insein prison. His businesses, including the US$77 million `City Square' development project in downtown Rangoon - are `on ice' [AT970219].
Investments:
HONG KONG: ASIA SATELLITE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CO signed an agreement with the military-run television station, Myawaddy Television, on 19 Feb. Myawaddy will use the Asiasat-2 transponder. The agreement was signed by Brig-Gen Aung Thein of the Defense Ministry and Sabrina Cubbon of Asia Satellite Communication Co [Kyodo970220].
FRANCE TOTAL MYANMAR EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION LTD and UNOCAL signed a production sharing agreement with SLORC's Myanmar Oil & Gas Enterprise to explore for and develop natural gas in a new 11,000 sq km block in the Andaman Sea [F970213, AT970131, IHT970131].
MALAYSIA: GENTING SANYEN SDN BHD signed an agreement with MOGE to jointly explore for oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Martaban [Net/NLM961016].
U.S.A. UNOCAL MYANMAR OFFSHORE CO and TOTAL S.A. signed a production sharing agreement with SLORC's Myanmar Oil & Gas Enterprise to explore for and develop natural gas in a new 11,000 sq km block in the Andaman Sea. Company officials confirmed that SLORC was paid a signing bonus of several million dollars [F970213, AT970131, NYT970201].
Resources:
BOOKS
REPORTS
PERIODICALS
GROUPS
NEWS SOURCES: A = Asiaweek, ABSDF = All Burma students Democratic Front. AFP = Agence France Presse, AIR = All India Radio, AP = Associated Press, ARIF = Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front, AT = Asia Times, B = Bangkok Post, BW = Business Week, F = Far Eastern Economic Review, IHT = International Herald Tribune, IS = Inside Source, MNA = Myanmar News Agencies, MTV = Myanmar TV, N = The Nation, Bangkok, NLM = New Light of Myanmar, NYT = New York Times, Nando = Nando Times, Net = BurmaNet, Reu = Reuters, RR = Radio Rangoon, SMH = Sydney Morning Herald, ST = Straits Times, Singapore, UTS = University of Technology, Sydney, and X = Xinhua News Agency.